Dog undergoes drastic surgery after being found on roadside tortured and abused
Nelson wore a dog cone after his emergency surgery. (Credit: Humane Society of northeast Georgia)
JACKSON COUNTY, Ga. - The Humane Society of Northeast Georgia (HSNEGA) is collecting donations to help a severely tortured and abused dog found on the side of the road in Jackson County, Georgia. They say they're hoping to help him through his recovery, and other abused pets just like him.
Nelson, the gray terrier mix, was only 3-years-old when rescuers said they found him on the side of a Georgia road in excruciating pain.
The young dog had a zip tie wrapped so tightly around his genitals that he would require emergency medical attention.
3-year-old Nelson was rescued from the side of the road in Jackson County, Ga. (Credit: Humane Society of northeast Georgia)
"It was horrific. In my 11 years of working in animal welfare, this is one of the worst cases of deliberate animal cruelty that I have seen. It is shocking that any human could be capable of inflicting this amount of pain on an animal." said Garrett Williams, shelter manager at HSNEGA.
Nelson was immediately transferred into HSNEGA's custody and sent for emergency care at the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
The medical professionals there determined that Nelson suffered from penile necrosis due to strangulation and would need to remove the organ in its entirety to save the pup. To give him normal urinary function, the veterinarians made the decision to reroute his urethra to his rear abdomen.
***The Humane Society provided FOX 5 Atlanta with before and after photos of Nelson's condition. We must warn you, they are extremely graphic.***
"I literally laid on the floor of my office with him for hours in tears. I could never imagine why someone would do that to such a sweet boy," said Allison Mayfield, CEO at HSNEGA. "We want people to know that animal cruelty is a very real thing, and we are going to fight with everything we’ve got."
Nelson remains in full custody at HSNEGA and will continue to recover for weeks, if not months, in order to regain full, pain-free function, and to get his life back.
Employees at HSNEGA have started a fundraiser to collect donations as part of their year-end Season of Saves initiative. Their goal is $55,000. They said the funds will be used to help Nelson in his recovery process and to help other abused animals.