Dog Chews Off Own Foot to Free Himself From Being Tethered Outside for Days

Maverick the dog is lucky to be alive, after he chewed off his own foot in a desperate attempt to free himself from the tether that twisted around his leg for days, if not weeks.

The emaciated long-haired German shepherd was rescued by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Memorial, it announced on Monday.

Maverick was seized on July 12 by MSPCA Law Enforcement Officer Chelsea Weiand after the Middleboro animal control officer discovered the dog and rushed him to a nearby animal clinic, where he was sedated so veterinarians could clean the severe wound to his right rear foot, said the release.

Officer Weiand later took Maverick to the MSPCA's Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston for ongoing treatment. Weiand noted that Maverick's other legs were covered in rope burns and scars that had healed over, said the MSPCA.

"Clearly he had been entangled by his own leash many times in the past; unfortunately he was unable to free himself this last time," she said in a statement.

Weiand estimates that Maverick had been tethered and unattended for at least a full day before he injured himself.

On July 19, Weiand charged the dog's previous owner, Kevin Kennedy of Middleboro, with one count of felony animal cruelty for neglect and failure to pursue necessary veterinary care.

Kennedy will be arraigned in Wareham District Court on Aug. 18.

The MSPCA explained that an injury such as Maverick's would typically be addressed by amputating the entire leg. But, according to Dr. Mike Pavletic, head of surgery at Angell, the dog's hips are also compromised, taking that treatment option off the table.

"His pelvic dysplasia has advanced to the stage that he simply wouldn't be able to walk if we took his leg off," said Pavletic in a statement.

Pavletic will instead deploy a technique he himself developed years ago: he will reconstruct a functional foot by rotating what remains of Maverick's foot pad and re-positioning it over the most weight-bearing part of the foot, said the release.

"This is the only option before us that ensures Maverick's foot can sustain normal wear and tear," he said in a statement. "He will get a second chance for a normal and pain-free life — and if any dog deserves that, it's Maverick. The surgery is planned for July 27, after which Maverick will recover in the hospital for up to 10 days before he is placed for adoption."

Maverick's surgery is expected to cost more than $5,000, and the MSPCA's Boston adoption center has issued an urgent call for donations.

"This is one of the most egregious cases of neglect we've seen and our first priority is to gather the resources necessary to treat him-then we will do all we can to find the caring home he deserves," he said in a statement.

Anyone interested in adopted Maverick can contact the MSPCA's Boston adoption center directly at adoption@mspca.org.