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Halifax rescue group hopes reward will help find abused dog’s owner

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Halifax rescue group hopes reward will help find abused dog’s owner
WATCH ABOVE: An animal rescue group is hoping a $1,000 reward will help find the person or people responsible for the abuse of a dog found in Nova Scotia last month. Steve Silva has this story – Jan 8, 2016

The animal rescue group helping an injured dog get back on its feet hopes a $1,000 reward will spur someone to come forward with information on who owned or abused him.

“Whoever did this to George has to pay for what they did to him. I mean, no dog, no human, nothing deserves to be tortured the way this dog has been tortured,” said Shelley Cunningham, president of Litters ‘n Critters Rescue Society.

George was found underweight with several cuts to his body last month in East Hants, N.S. There was also a rope tied tightly around his neck.

George was taken to get checked out by a veterinarian on Dec. 13, 2015. File / Global News

“His legs almost looked like they might have been tied together,” said Cunningham in the home of the George’s foster parents in Upper Tantallon. “If he shook his head, there would be blood coming out of the tips of his ears.”

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The Nova Scotia SPCA has since started investigating.

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“We’ve had a couple of leads on George, and we’ve investigated those, we’ve followed them through but, unfortunately, we weren’t able to find anything substantial,” said Joanne Landsburg, chief provincial inspector, in Dartmouth.

She said she still wants the public to come forward with any information that could help identify the dog’s owner(s).

George was neutered and had part of his tail amputated on Wednesday. Steve Silva / Global News

Those responsible for this kind of abuse can face charges, leading to potential fines and the prohibition of owning an animal.

A six-month jail term is also possible, though “we’ve never seen that in Nova Scotia,” said Landsburg.

George went from weighing 30 pounds when he was found to, as of Thursday, 45 pounds.

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He went in for surgery on Wednesday.

“He got neutered, which he’s probably not too happy about,” said Cunningham, adding that his tail was also partially amputated.

The group is accepting donations to help pay for all of the care George needed and continues to need; updates on his condition are being posted on the group’s Facebook page.

“It’s amazing that a dog that was mistreated could have any affection at all for humans,” said Boyd Slauenwhite, who is fostering the dog.

Following recovery and training, George will be ready to be adopted.

“It’s going to be hard to let him go,” said Slauenwhite.

George now weighs 45 pounds, up 15 from when he was found last month. Steve Silva / Global News

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