MURPHYSBORO (WSIL) -- Animal abuse is an ongoing problem in our region, and a local veterinarian is speaking out about what she says is one of the worst cases she's ever seen.
On Monday, St. Francis CARE in Murphysboro accepted two dogs who were surrendered to Carbondale Animal Control on Friday.
"They said that one of the dogs had a mouth issue, and I said, 'Well that's fine. We can fix a mouth issue,'" explained veterinarian Dr. Kay Creese.
Little did they know, the mouth issue was something much worse.
Creese explains, "When my technician went to open his mouth to intubate him she said, 'Oh my God, there's rubber bands in here,' and so I took a look and sure enough, you could not open his mouth because of the rubber bands. So I cut them out, which they were dug in there pretty deep, and that was difficult in itself."
Creese says it took a 2 and a half hour surgery to remove the bands that had been around the dog's mouth so long they were eating into the bone.
"I'm thinking a couple weeks, because number one, it dug through everything to the bone, and the edges of the wounds are folded over so it indicates that it was trying to heal around those bands."
Creese wants the community to be aware that this abuse goes on locally and not just in other places. "There are laws that are now in place that call this abuse and offer penalties, and hopefully, the powers that be will get on this and do something."
The "Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act," or PACT Act, was signed into law late last year making animal abuse a federal felony.
"These rubber bands did not accidentally get on this kid. Somebody put them there," adds Creese.
Creese says she's working with the Carbondale Police Department, providing information on the case.
As for the pup, he has a long road of recovery ahead.
The shelter is currently looking to the community for help choosing a name.
St. Francis Community Animal Rescue and Education is taking suggestions on their . They hope to choose a name later this evening.
