BOYCEVILLE, Wis. — A dog in western Wisconsin who was emaciated and near death when dropped off at a shelter now has a new home for the holidays.
The Dunn County Humane Society says Gabriel was skeletal when he was dropped off in early November by a woman who claimed she found him wandering, but was actually his owner. Gabriel could barely stand, had labored breathing and severe muscle loss, among other conditions.
That 29-year-old woman is now facing a felony charge of mistreatment of animals. She eventually admitted to authorities that the dog, then known as Harley, was owned by her and her ex-husband and that she had fallen on hard times and couldn't afford to feed and care for it.
After weeks of round-the-clock care at the shelter, Gabriel is now just shy of 60 pounds, which is normal for a dog his size. He was placed with a foster family Wednesday, and they hope he’ll be adopted in early January.
"We wanted to have him home for the holidays," said Dunn County Humane Society Executive Director, Josh Dalton.
