Police said the dog, named Tony, is “exhausted” and “broken,” and now needs “time, care and a chance to decompress”
Credit: Wolcott Dog Pound/facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- A dog found on the side of the road was covered in more than 800 ticks after initially being mistaken for dead
- Police and bystanders rescued him, and groomers later spent more than four hours removing the ticks
- Authorities said the dog, named Tony, is now recovering and receiving medical care as they help him find a forever home
A dog found on the side of the road in Connecticut was covered in over 800 ticks — and he was so weak that he was initially believed to be dead.
The dog, since named Tony, was found on Route 69 in Wolcott on the morning of April 18, according to a Facebook post from the Wolcott Police Department (WPD), which also runs the town pound.
The WPD said a few good Samaritans stopped to check on Tony, who was initially “believed to be deceased.” It is unclear what led to the dog's condition.
“When we arrived on scene, they told us he was alive, but only able to move a short distance before collapsing again,” they added.
Credit: Wolcott Dog Pound/facebook
“With their help — and with Sgt. Talbot and Officer Anzalone stopping traffic — we were able to safely contain him so he wouldn’t run into Route 69. He was secured and transported to the Wolcott Dog Pound,” the WPD added.
Authorities further said that upon examining Tony, they found that his body was “completely infested with ticks,” adding that his ears were “so full of ticks they appear black inside.”
Police also said Tony had “multiple bite wounds and punctures” and was “severely worn down … physically and emotionally.”
“Right now, Tony is exhausted, broken, and clearly has lived a very hard life. He needs time, care, and a chance to decompress,” they added.
The WPD provided an update on Tony two days later on April 20. They shared that he was brought to Mack and Molly's Pet Parlor the previous evening, where groomers “spent 4.5 hours working on removing 890 (give or take) ticks off of him.”
Credit: Wolcott Dog Pound/facebook
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“Tony took everything like a trooper,” they said, adding that he even “met some new friends.”
Tony was then taken to the vet, where underwent a complete exam and bloodwork done, and also received some necessary vaccines.
They said Tony’s exam revealed he was anemic and he required antibiotics, and they are awaiting the results of a few more tests.
Tony will return to the vet on May 4, when he will undergo bloodwork and evaluation. "We are attempting to get his anemia caused by all of the ticks under control. We are using both standard medication as well as homeopathic [options], bone broth, raw bones with marrow, supplements, beef liver and a specialized diet," the WPD told PEOPLE.
"He also is on doxycycline as a precaution for Lyme disease, to which he is negative as of right now, but will most likely test positive in the future," they added of Tony.
Credit: Wolcott Dog Pound/facebook
Police also said that Tony "is making progress and is slowly becoming much livelier." They explained, however, that Tony doesn't "really doesn’t know how to be a dog."
"He is learning what life is like to have toys and human interaction," police said. "We are slowly introducing Tony to daily life activities. As Tony gets healthier, we will be slowly taking him out and about in public to further expose him to the big world and let him know that it’s an okay world."
The WPD has urged anyone with information surrounding Tony to contact them at 203-879-1414, or to call Wolcott Animal Control at 203-879-7620.
Police are also seeking donations for the Wolcott Veterinary Clinic, to directly aid Tony's recovery.
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