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GRAPHIC: Abused dog found with rubber bands ‘burrowed’ deeply into skin

Dog left with severe injuries to snout, testicles

Buddy, the Boxer, rests in a kennel after treatment at Animal Care Services. (Katrina Webber, KSAT 12 News)

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – Animal Care Services is trying to track down the person who abused a dog, leaving the animal with severe injuries to its snout and testicles.

Assistant Director Shannon Sims said someone called the agency Thursday afternoon after finding the dog behind a motel in the 2700 block of Roosevelt Avenue.

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Buddy, the Boxer, was found with rubber bands tightly wound around his muzzle and testicles. (KSAT 12 News)

“(It) had a rubber band placed around its snout, also one placed around its testicles,” Sims said. “It had actually burrowed completely down in. From the animal's snout, you could see into his mouth.”

Because of the severity of the injuries, Sims said it appears the animal had been that way for some time.

The veterinary staff at ACS eventually was able to remove the rubber bands and are continuing to treat the boxer mix, which they’ve named “Buddy.”

“Sometimes I, kind of, question why people do the things that they do,” Sims said.

He said this was one of the worst cases of animal abuse he has seen.

Nearly 200 animals removed from Texas home in deplorable conditions, officials say

The agency is reaching out to the public in the hope of learning more about who is responsible for the dog’s injuries.

Sims says that person, when caught, could face felony charges for torture.

He said investigators also plan to look for surveillance video from nearby businesses to see if they hold any clues.

In the meantime, staff members are working to keep the dog comfortable.

“After they do some significant work on him, (they’ll) be able to, kind of, reattach everything and, hopefully, like I said, there's a good prognosis,” Sims said.

Ultimately, Sims said, the goal is to get Buddy well enough that he can find a loving home.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call 311 or reach out to Animal Care Services through its Facebook page.


About the Authors
Katrina Webber headshot

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.

Luis Cienfuegos headshot

Luis Cienfuegos is a photographer at KSAT 12.

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