You Won’t Believe Where This ‘Craigslist’ Dog Ended Up

For those of you who watched Rumor take her victory lap at Westminster last month, here’s the flip side of that story—one that reflects the plight of many German shepherds and other purebred dogs.

This is Caro:

His original owners might have paid a lot of money for him, but that didn’t guarantee that he would receive a lifetime of loving care. For whatever reason—probably linked to the fact that German shepherds are large, energetic dogs who need a lot of attention, food, and exercise—his owners decided to give him away and placed an ad on Craigslist. He was a “problem” that needed to be solved, and they were evidently not picky about who solved it for them.

And that’s how he wound up caged in a cramped pen in North Carolina 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Such intensive confinement and isolation would be hellish for any dog, but for Caro, who’s young, inquisitive, and energetic, it was pure torture. He went mad, pacing back and forth, over and over, all day long. His cage was turned into a sea of mud when it rained, and his paw pads were worn down so badly that walking on concrete became painful.

PETA fieldworkers visited him many times, giving him a doghouse, toys, treats, and the attention that he so desperately craved. They gently informed his owners that this was no life—that he needed and deserved much more. Finally, our fieldworkers got through to them, and Caro said goodbye to that filthy pen.

He was covered and caked head to toe in filth, so the first order of business was a bath. The water turned nearly black from the accumulated muck. He was terribly malnourished—the veterinarian estimates that he’s about 15 to 20 pounds underweight. And as a result of the extended period of time that he spent confined to a small space, unable to run or play, his leg muscles have badly atrophied.

Caro also has fallen prey to congenital defects that are common among German shepherds: He has mild to moderate hip dysplasia and is suffering from entropion, a condition in which the eyelid turns inward, which can lead to blindness. Our vets tell us that his hip dysplasia can probably be managed with diet, supplements, and medication, but the entropion may require surgery.

Despite all that—or maybe because of it—Caro is embracing his new life with gusto. After receiving a couple of weeks of TLC at the Sam Simon Center—PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters—he’s already looking and feeling much better.

Caro is estimated to be about 5 years old. He’s well-mannered and housetrained, and now that his paws have recovered, he loves going for walks, playing in the park, and, perhaps most of all, meeting new people. There are no strangers in his world, only future friends.

Are you one of those future friends? PETA is hoping to place him with a guardian who’s experienced with German shepherds and willing to provide him with the care, exercise, and playtime that he needs. He promises to pay you back by capturing your heart. If you live anywhere on the East Coast and find Caro irresistible (not that we can blame you), e-mail [email protected] to learn more about giving this beautiful dog a new leash on life.