Diseased and malnourished B.C. dog found tied to building gets new leash on life

Emaciated, with a lump on his leg, rotting teeth and a bad case of ringworm plaguing him, it didn’t seem that a pup named Rolo had much of a chance of survival.

The person who found Rolo tied to a Prince George, B.C., building with a note attached to his collar pleading for help saw cause for hope and rushed him to a local emergency veterinarian.

“Poor Rolo had a lot going on health-wise,” Kristen Sumner, manager of the BC SPCA’s North Cariboo District animal centre, said in a press release.

“As the vet was examining his teeth, three fell out. It was determined that Rolo had ringworm on his face and legs, and he was also underweight.”

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Rolo was immediately taken into surgery to further examine the mass on his leg, which turned out to be benign.

He then received dental work, was treated for ringworm and was put on a feeding plan.

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When he recovered, a family queued up to adopt him.

Jacki and Arlene have two other rescue dogs, so the meetings with Rolo included Phoebe and Shakira.

“Arlene took them down one at a time to meet Rolo” Jacki said.

“The cone Rolo was wearing threw them off a little, but everyone got along. Arlene fell madly in love with him as soon as she saw him. It broke her heart to leave him. Every time she left, Rolo would look at her, with a ‘why don’t you love me’ look in his eyes.”

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When Rolo officially became theirs, they re-named him Bosco and he has been at their home for a little over three weeks, now.

“He has been just a sweetheart,” Jacki said. “The only thing that took him a little time to get used to was being inside.

“We could tell he was not used to being in a home. He kept going to the door, as if he was saying, ‘I’m not supposed to be here’.”

Bosco loves car rides, giving kisses and a neighbourhood squirrel who continually catches his eye and he’s helped complete his new family.