Starving, Chained Dog Ate Own Foot To Survive, Owners Charged

A South Carolina animal shelter has rescued a starved Great Dane dog that was forced to chew off his own foot to survive. The dog’s owners Jessica Kathleen James, 32, and Skyler Lane Craft, 28, have been charged with ill treatment of animals.

Noah's Arks Rescue posted Sunday that it rescued 6-year-old Luke on Nov. 19 after a neighbor notified Ware Shoals Police Department that a “very skinny” Great Dane had chewed its own leg off after getting stuck in a runner cable.

Officers reached the residence in Ware Shoals, South Carolina, and saw the dog was tied to a metal pole. Police said there was no food or water near it.

“When I approached the fence I could see a very skinny black Great Dane with an injury to his back right leg. As he got closer I could see that over half of his leg was gone,” a Ware Shoals Police Department officer wrote in her report, Index Journal reported.

The owners gave conflicting accounts of when the dog was put on the runner or how long it was injured. They told police they tried treating the dog's injury themselves as they could not afford to take him to a vet.

“He is so starved that it is hard to believe he has the strength to take two steps. He looks like a dog that is not going to live past the end of the day. His eyes are sunken into the back of his eye socket. His nasal cavity and eyes are infected and drain constantly. I have seen a lot of sick dogs but what has happened to Luke is beyond inhumane,” the animal shelter wrote on its Facebook page.

“Luke has gone back and forth to the vet to have his bandages changed because that is one place where he does not like us fooling around. His leg hurts even on his pain meds and is horribly infected. Even though he is on the proper antibiotics for the bacteria he is growing; his leg drains continuously. I finally decided it was too risky to keep the leg with the nasty infection he has,” it added.

The dog also had lots of intestinal issues. The shelter said his intestinal problems are its top priority because he would not survive if left untreated. The shelter also said he would eat anything to survive.

"My heart and gut tell me Luke is still in danger of losing his life. I believe it is a miracle he is alive today. I believe in MIRACLES all the time and am going to do everything possible to save Luke. He is a strong-minded dog that chewed off his leg to survive. He was a fighter and a survivor when no one cared about him. He knows we love and adore him and are doing everything possible to give him what he needs to survive. Please, pray for our beautiful boy and for the physicians that are looking after him. Everyone needs your prayers tonight,” the shelter added.