Labradoodle set on fire is expected to survive, as police seek perpetrator
Where there’s a Will there’s a way.
That’s the name given to the Labradoodle that someone set on fire earlier this month.
On Wednesday Dog Days Rescue, the organization caring for Will, said he was out of the woods and would most likely survive, though he has a way to go. Treatment includes daily debridement, which entails removing necrotic skin and cleaning underneath it, the center said.
It was a far cry, though, from the day that Will was discovered running down the street aflame on Dec. 6, as police described the initial incident.
“On December 5, a large male Labradoodle was found engulfed in flames between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Lindsey Drive in Decatur,” police in the Georgia municipality said on Dec. 8. “The tan and cream dog was running on the road before witnesses put out the fire. The dog survived but is in critical condition.”
“Who in the world SETS A DOG ON FIRE?!” the owner of Dog Days Rescue posted on Facebook when the abused animal was first brought in. “I’m really struggling to find the words for this horrendous act of evil.”
Two weeks later, Will is on the mend and expected to survive, Dog Days said. The vet bills have mounted, since he has needed extensive treatment and most likely faces another four weeks in the hospital.
“Will is feeling a little better today after his partial debridement yesterday,” the rescue center said on its Facebook page. “As seems to be his normal he was tail wags and kisses again! He continues to receive as much love and attention as he can handle. Right now, we’re just praying that he doesn’t have any complications and continues to move forward.”
The center discovered scars from old wounds while they were treating the dog they would later name Will, for his sheer will to pull through.
“It looks like he’s been abused for quite awhile,” the center said. “Words can’t express how disgusted, angry and heartbroken I am right now. We, as a society, HAVE to be better. We have to do better.”
Police are investigating the horrific act and seeking the perpetrator, with the help of proffered reward money from PETA and Crime Stoppers totaling $7,000, according to WSB-TV.
“He seems to be in good spirits and is good-natured towards the rescue staff,” the DeKalb County Police Department said on its Facebook page. “We will continue to work with the Dekalb County Animal Services to find the person responsible!”
