Dog Saved From Family Who Chained Weights Around Her Neck

Rescuers who work at animal shelters are passionate animal lovers, so no matter how abused or neglected animals they save, it will always be hard for them to see a suffering animal.

This past week, a shelter staff member from the Nelspruit Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Lydenburg, South Africa found out that a local dog owner locked multiple weights around their dog’s neck after she jumped over their fence a few times. The rescuer was so furious that she had to leave the room to stop herself from screaming at the cruel owners.

“I’m a bit lost for words. This beautiful girl was signed over to the Nelspruit SPCA today. The owner said she had jumped the fence,” said the shelter worker, who was told that to stop the dog and make her less active, they had to tie weights around her neck. “I didn’t expect the dog to come in with the actual weights still around her neck, lock, chain and all. I had to leave the office as I was unable to hold my tongue.”

“Needless to say, we were told about the love that they had for her with tears in their eyes… I can not imagine this poor girl eating, sleeping and playing with the weights round her neck,” the rescuer said. “I always ask and explain to people especially in areas where dogs are “just a dog,” if they would do something like that to a child. Usually, I get the same shocked look, and they will say no, never. So can you imagine a 3-year-old child’s energy being kept low due to weights like this around the neck? There would be a public outcry.”

Thankfully, the sweet pit bull was freed of the weights and the chain around her neck, since it’s illegal in South Africa to attack anything to an animal that can cause suffering. “We are not sure what damage was done with the weights, but our vet will assess her,” the staff member wrote.