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This Dog Was Abused And Tied To A Tree, Until A Special Mail Carrier Came Along
Mail carriers throughout the world are understandably hesitant when approaching free-roaming dogs, but when Dan Targonsk found a female Boxer tied to a tree, it signaled quite a different warning.
The dog wasn’t overly aggressive or even barking as Targonsk approached. On the contrary, It could hardly stand. The dog was weak and subdued, its ribs visible from months of neglect, and it was covered in dirt.
When Targonsk saw it had no food or water, he knew he had to act fast.
The Boxer was found tied to a tree.
The mailman took action. He got some water for the Boxer and made two phone calls. First, he called the Adopt a Boxer Rescue organization for help getting the dog to safety. Then, he called his boss to say he’d be a little late finishing the rest of his route.
She was severely malnourished and had serious head injuries from being either stabbed or shot.
Targonsk wasn’t going anywhere until this dog was in good hands and given the care it needed.
The dog would have starved to death if she hadn’t ben rescued.
After the Boxer, named Kuperus, was later cleaned up and treated, Targonsk learned she was suffering from much more than malnourishment. She had sustained a serious head wound, either caused by a gun shot or a stabbing, as well as contusions from being hit with a heavy object.
Kuperus was treated by a surgeon who works with Adopt a Boxer rescue.
Kuperus’ jaw was broken, and a surgeon had to remove some of her teeth. She was in horrible shape when she arrived at Adopt a Boxer Rescue, but even after a lifetime of abuse, she seemed to know that her new friends were only trying to help.
All she wanted was to feel loved.
A poster looking for the individual who left Kuperus alone and abused.
“It boggles my mind how she craves attention,” Dawn Karam, founder of Adopt a Boxer Rescue, told Newsner. “She really wants nothing more than to be touched. even after some terrible human beat her and left her to die. Simply amazing.”
Kuperus has a happier life now.
Targonsk wasn’t able to let Kuperus go it alone after saving her from a horrible life on the street. He visited her several times while she was being cared for at the rescue. And as for her future, Kuperus was eventually adopted by the surgeon who treated her.
Mail carrier Dan Targonsk will never forget Kuperus.
Animal abuse is a crime, and should always be reported. Rather than another sad statistic, Kuperus has a bright future ahead, and all thanks to a dog-loving mail carrier.
Hooray for Kuperus, and thank you, Dan Targonsk!
Matthew Russell is a West Michigan native and with a background in journalism, data analysis, cartography and design thinking. He likes to learn new things and solve old problems whenever possible, and enjoys bicycling, going to the dog park, spending time with his daughter, and coffee.
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