Abandoned, emaciated bulldog rescued by runner in Richmond, B.C.

The runner rescued the dog and transported him by car to the nearest B.C. SPCA, in Richmond.

A jogger’s morning run turned into an unexpected rescue operation when he stumbled across a poor, emaciated bulldog mix in Richmond, B.C.

The runner had noticed the pit bull-English bulldog mix trailing behind him as he ran near the Matthew McNair Secondary School, located on No. 4 Road, the morning of April 2, said the B.C. SPCA.

“At first, he thought the dog belonged to someone, but he looked around and saw no one,” said Eileen Drever, spokesperson for the animal welfare agency.

“When he stopped running, the dog just stood there and gazed at him.”

Upon closer inspection the man noticed the abandoned dog was nothing more than “skin and bone” with no collar, said the B.C. SPCA.

The runner coaxed the emaciated dog into his car, bought him a new collar and some rotisserie chicken to feed on, and took him to the B.C. SPCA’s Richmond branch where they parked outside, waiting for it to open.

BC SPCA emaciated dog in Richmond The poor, emaciated dog was stumbled across by a jogger one morning in early April.

Following a full veterinary checkup rescuers determined the dog to be starving and suffering from arthritis in his front legs. He had no identification, and when they scanned for a microchip none was found. He was placed into a foster home and put on a specialized, vet-supervised feeding plan to help him gain weight, said Drever.

“His veterinary checkup went well, but he is not out of the woods just yet,” she said.

“He is not gaining weight as quickly as we would like. He is under the watchful eye of the veterinarian and is getting lots of love from his foster.”

Drever said emaciated dogs are typically “a challenge” to care for and there are always concerns regarding the long-term health implications of losing so much body weight.

“They are often in our care for weeks before we see an increase in their weight,” said Drever.

“We will do everything in our power to make them healthy and happy,” she said, adding how, despite the dog’s strife, he has been a “loving and affectionate boy” since his rescue.

The welfare organization hasn’t yet stated when the dog will be available for adoption, but all new adoptions can be kept abreast of via the B.C. SPCA website.