Starving dog found on Fort Lauderdale street weighed 19 pounds, now under emergency vet care

A severely malnourished dog found wandering a Fort Lauderdale street weighing barely 19 pounds is now under emergency veterinary care in Deerfield Beach as rescuers work to nurse her back to health.

The dog, named Tony, is estimated to be about 2 years old. When a Good Samaritan discovered her and turned her in, she was starving, dehydrated, and anemic—reduced to skin and bones.

Cindy Maccacio, with Pompano Beach-based I Heart Dog Rescue, stepped in to take over her care.

"There's not one ounce of fat on her. I mean, she's bone," Maccacio said. "It was really devastating to see how severely malnourished and emaciated she was, so I would be concerned that if she wasn't found in the next couple of days, she probably would have passed."

Tony is currently being treated at Deer Run Animal Hospital in Deerfield Beach. Dr. Sarah Gangadin, who has been overseeing her care for about a week, said the dog has not yet gained or lost weight because her nutritional intake must be carefully regulated.

"If we feed them and give them too much water quickly, what can then happen is that we can cause electrolyte disturbances, and they will then have neurological issues and/or seizures," Gangadin explained.

Rescuers say it remains unclear how long Tony was roaming the streets, whether she escaped, or if she had been kept confined in a cage. Maccacio urged pet owners struggling to care for their animals to seek help rather than let a pet suffer.

"They can always go to a rescue, go to a shelter, go somewhere where they can at least try to get help," Maccacio said.

Because ongoing emergency veterinary treatment is costly, rescuers are asking the public for support. Those interested in helping fund Tony's recovery can donate to I Heart Dog Rescue in Pompano Beach at the link here.