LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — A dog that was found abandoned on the side of a road in Lehigh Acres last week has died, despite emergency veterinary care. The dog was discovered covered with a urine-soaked sheet.
Victoria Paschke, who found the dog, said after spending nearly 36 hours in extreme care, his body shut down.
Click here to see Fox 4 Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo speak with the woman who rescued the dog:
"It's very devastating to hear that a dog in this state couldn't really make it. Unfortunately, the months and years of neglect was ended up being his fate," Paschke said.
Veterinarians believe the dog suffered for months or even years of severe neglect. Paschke described it as one of the worst cases of neglect she had ever seen.
RELATED COVERAGE: 'It's not ok': Severely neglected dog found abandoned on Lehigh Acres road
Despite the heartbreaking outcome, Paschke noted the dog spent its final hours surrounded by care and compassion.
She emphasized that abandoning animals is never the answer and urged pet owners who can no longer care for their animals to seek proper help.
"You don't just dump your dog that's half dying in the middle of a road and hope somebody would find him…reach out to any veterinarian. Reach out to Lee County domestic, go to Lee County Domestic, bring them your dog, physically, hand them your dog and tell them your circumstance, and I'm sure they will have some sort of solution," Paschke said.
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