Cameron

My story

Last month, PETA fieldworkers visited a rural property to transport two Chihuahuas to and from free sterilization surgeries. The Chihuahuas’ guardians asked if PETA’s veterinarian could examine the dogs’ skin during their appointments—because, as PETA fieldworkers discovered after pressing for details, a family member had been keeping a puppy in the backyard who was battling a skin disease so terrible that it looked as if he’d been charred. To his “family,” Cameron was less than an afterthought. He’d first apparently been crated in the house—amid his own urine and feces—but his condition worsened, which led his humans to boot him outside. He was relegated to a trash-filled shed in the backyard. When fieldworkers first met Cameron, he was tied to a tree, thin, and dehydrated, and his skin was red, swollen, and—in some spots—open, raw, and bloody. He was severely malnourished, which had caused his limbs and paws to become deformed. His lymph nodes were swollen—fallout from suffering a head-to-toe secondary skin infection, all while sitting in his own waste. His “shelter” was really just a dilapidated, filthy shed and a broken, plastic doghouse. Fieldworkers knew that, without their intervention, Cameron did not stand a chance. Cameron’s now former owner has reportedly been “charged with inadequate animal care by an owner” as well as two other class 4 misdemeanors. In foster care, as Cameron’s skin healed, apparently so did his heart. Although Cameron was initially a bit reserved, his canine foster siblings have since taught the 7-to 8-month-old pup how to “dog,” and his exuberant puppy personality is finally shining through. One of Cameron’s foster guardians—a PETA fieldworker—reports that the perky pup gets along well with other dogs and is a diligent student of his potty-training masterclass. And with intensive treatment and proper nutrition, Cameron’s once-malformed paws and legs are now beginning to resemble healthy teenage dog limbs. Although Cameron is still on the road to recovery, PETA’s veterinary team has deemed the dog healthy enough to travel to his new, true forever home—anywhere in the United States! Cameron’s mange is demodectic, which means it’s not contagious to humans or other animals. He is neutered, vaccinated, and ready to make up for lost time.

If you have any questions or would like to adopt Cameron, please reach out to the adoption group directly. PetSmart Charities does not facilitate the adoption process. Thank you.