DETROIT – A severely neglected dog was rescued Thursday by Detroit firefighters who found him tied to wires, chains and a belt.
The dog was taken by Detroit Dog Rescue and is recovering in its care.
Authorities said the pit bull, named Paco, was found with a belt and wires around his neck. On Friday, he had a bright pink harness on as Detroit Dog Rescue officials try to figure out how he ended up at a fire station.
"Yesterday, he was thirsty," said Kristina Rinaldi, of Detroit Dog Rescue. "Today, he's on Local 4."
Paco was in distress Thursday morning, wearing a painful makeshift collar and dragging a heavy metal chain, officials said.
"He was cut by the wire," Rinaldi said. "The chain didn't help matters, and it looked like he tried to escape the situation."
Officials said it's unclear how long Paco was in that state. He had visible scratches all over his body.
"These scrapes and scratches are alarming," Rinaldi said. "The kind of collar he had was terrible. Sometimes that comes down to education, and we can help."
Firefighters at Ladder 22 on the city's west side quickly called Detroit Dog Rescue.
"A lot of times, Animal Control has limited hours," Rinaldi said. "The Detroit Police Department is busy, so it's nice to see all of us working together."
Paco isn't severely underweight, but he was neglected and exhausted from the heat, experts said. Rescuers want to know how he ended up alone.
"He came up to the firefighters, exhausted," Rinaldi said. "They gave him water until we got there and took care of him."
Detroit Dog Rescue saves up to 30 dogs per week. The no-kill shelter gives man's best friend a second lease on life.
"I'm trying to find out if this was someone's dog that needed help," Rinaldi said. "Does anyone know where Paco came from?"
Anyone who has information is asked to call Detroit Dog Rescue at 313-458-8014.