Bannister, an injured stray dog found in KC, apparently had his mouth bound shut

A malnourished Yorkshire terrier mix found in southern Kansas City had injuries from his mouth apparently being bound shut.

A Kansas City police officer saw the dog Monday running along Bannister Road at Marion Drive and took him to the Kansas City Animal Shelter to get him out of the cold.

The staff at KC Pet Project, which runs the shelter, named the 4-year-old dog Bannister. The fur around the dog’s face and neck was matted and he appeared to have been on his own for some time, according to a news release from the organization.

When the veterinary team sedated him to clean his matted fur Tuesday, they found injuries that appeared to have been from someone binding the dog’s mouth closed with a restraint, possibly a rubber band.

The restraint had been left on for a while and had either fallen off on its own or disintegrated into the skin. Bannister’s injuries included a swollen muzzle and cuts in his lips.

“He’s such a fun animal who loves people and belly rubs,” said Tori Fugate, manager of marketing and development for the KC Pet Project.

She said it was surprising that someone would want to harm the dog.

Since he has been cleaned up, Bannister is eating wet meals to try to put on some weight. The KC Pet Project will move him to a foster home to rest and heal.

The KC Pet Project is seeking donations to help cover his medical costs. To donate, go to donate.kcpetproject.org/helpbannister.

Anyone with information about what happened to Bannister is asked to call the KC Pet Project at 816-513-9822.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Bannister, an injured stray dog found in KC, apparently had his mouth bound shut."