The misery, pain and callousness inflicted by humans is more than can be understood by most people. However, the heartless manner in which a dying animal is tossed away like garbage is not only reprehensible but the increase that we have seen indicates a downward spiral of compassion, moral fiber and ethics.

The 22 story apartment building is equipped with garbage chutes on each floor for tenants. Someone had no more use for this dog. They had starved it to near death, put it in a garbage bag and threw it down the garbage chute. A maintenance worker cleans out the bin every few days and on Wednesday, March 16th, they were cleaning out the contents of the container to go directly into a trash compacter. The bag moved a little and the worker opened it to find a moribund dog inside -- pathetically thin, cold and near death. 

The City of Newark Animal Control was contacted and ACO Arthur Skinner picked up the dog and brought him directly to the Society. The veterinary staff immediately put him on intravenous fluid.His temperature was so low that it did not even register on the thermomenter. He was covered with heating pads and blankets. 

After a brief time at the Society's Newark facility, he was ambulanced to Garden State Veterinary Specialists in Tinton Falls -- a referral hospital with 24 hour emergency care. If he died during that night, we feel he would know that everyone loved and cared about him and treated him gently and lovingly. He amazed everyone at the Society and at Garden State by surviving with the 24 hour emergency care that they rendered. He was given a blood transfusion, a bath -- and even a walk! In honor of the first day of his re-birth, we call him Patrick -- in honor of St. Patrick's Day and we hope he has the luck of the Irish!