‘Skin and bones’ dog rescued from Paterson street ready for adoption

OAKLAND —The adoption process has started for Reese, the pit bull found emaciated on a Paterson street at the end of December.

The dog was found Dec. 28 by a mother and daughter driving  on Totowa Avenue near Kennedy High School, according to Paterson Animal Control officer John DeCando.

The pair brought the dog to police headquarters on Broadway.

DeCando said that had they not found Reese that night, the female dog would have died.

"The dog should have weighed 50 pounds, maybe 60 pounds. The dog only weighed 17 pounds and was all skin and bones. The dog kept getting up and falling over," DeCando said.

Volunteers from the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge picked Reese up and brought her to the Oradell Animal Center, where they immediately began to nurse her back to health.

Reese has continued to get healthy and can now walk alone, according a post by the refuge on their Facebook page.

The refuge said Reese is now available for adoption but has very specific requirements for her potential future home including no children and no other pets. Jersey Pits Rescue, which charges a $350 adoption fee, will review all applications.

"Reese will need to be cared for by an experienced person, ideally with knowledge of decompression for abused, neglected and traumatized dogs," the shelter said in their post. Among the requirements:

• A quiet, low-traffic home
• Someone who is able to provide structure, love and patience
• A person willing to bring her to vet appointments and to work with the center's trainers, as needed

DeCando said there continue to be no good leads in the police investigation as to who abandoned the dog.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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