An abused and abandoned dog was rescued by a Kansas City police officer Monday, but he still needs help to recover from his injuries.
The officer found the small Yorkshire Terrier mix at the intersection of Bannister Road and Marion Drive on Monday and dropped him off with the Kansas City Pet Project to get him out of the extreme cold.
The dog's fur was dirty and heavily matted, according to a press release, and he had evidently been on his own for a significant amount of time.
When Kansas City Pet Project staff began to clean off his mats the following day, they discovered deep scars, scabs and gashes on his muzzle; the dog's previous owner evidently bound his muzzle shut and kept the restraint on until it either fell off or disintegrated into his skin.
With the constant friction of the restraint rubbing against his skin, none of his injuries ever had the opportunity to fully heal.
The dog has been named Bannister after the intersection where he was found. He is now living at the KC Animal Shelter, and KC Pet Project's Tori Fugate says that he has a sweet personality despite having been abused in the past.
If you would like to make a donation to help with Bannister's care, you can do so at the Kansas City Pet Project's website. (Warning: The donation page contains graphic images of Bannister's initial injuries.)
Bannister found on namesake healing @kcpetproject from bound wound on muzzle. @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/u98Yt94bXo
— Matthew Reeb (@MDReeb) January 20, 2016
