Dog chews leg to escape after being tied up, left for dead

FLORENCE, AZ - An Arizona rescue group said a German Shepherd apparently chewed his own leg to try and free himself after someone tied him up and left him for dead in the desert.

The rescue group, BFE Animal Sanctuary, said it received an anonymous tip about the dog, named Kaiser, last month.

Stacie Brown, owner of the sanctuary, said she found Kaiser badly injured in the Florence area.

Brown took the dog to the Animal Wellness Clinic of Coolidge where a veterinarian had to amputate the dog’s back leg because of the injury.

“The owner of the dog had died," said Tylar Templeton, a worker at the clinic. "The caretaker decided he didn’t want to take care of him anymore and instead of taking him to a shelter, he tied him out in the desert by a chain around his neck and a chain around his back leg. If you can't take care of your dog, there’s no need to tie him up and leave him for dead.”

Despite his injuries, Templeton said Kaiser has bounced back and is getting around fine.

“He basically jumped up after surgery and didn't even realize it was gone. He’s been doing great ever since,” said Templeton.

However, the vet bill reached more than $1,700 and the rescue group is in need of donations to help pay for it.

To contact the Animal Wellness Clinic directly to make a donation, you can call 520-723-6785.