‘One of the skinniest dogs we’ve ever seen’: Starving dog brought to KC Pet Project
A malnourished Akita mix dog was near death when a Kansas City Animal Control officer brought him into the KC Pet Project Tuesday morning, according to the organization that runs the city animal shelter.
The dog weighs 30 pounds, about half of what it should, and is “one of the skinniest dogs we’ve ever seen at the KC Pet Project, Tori Fugate, a spokeswoman for the non-profit organization, said in an email.
“Our veterinary team determined that he has a Body Condition Score (BCS) of 0 out of 9, which is the lowest score he could possibly get before he would starve to death,” Fugate said. “Our veterinarian said that he has no muscle and no fat left on his body and that he is so lucky to be alive.”
The dog, which the shelter’s staff named Magai, could not walk on his own when he arrived at the shelter. He was rushed into the clinic where he was receiving fluids and eating.
A man found Magai in the 7500 block of Oldham Road in Swope Park and called animal control. The man was emotional seeing the dog’s condition and bought him to McDonald’s so he would have something to eat while waiting for animal control.
The animal control officer who brought him in requested the dog, which is believed to be about 5 years old, be named Magai, which means “miracle” in his native language, the KC Pet Project said.
Magai will remain in KC Pet Project’s hospital to be monitored and then will be sent to a foster home to regain the weight he lost.
Donations to help the dog heal can be made to KC Pet Project’s Roadrunner Medical Fund.
This story was originally published July 2, 2019 at 2:38 PM.
