Joe is a pit bull/dalmation mix who needs help. He is the worst abuse case I have ever seen in my years of rescue. He had been abandoned by his owner and dumped in her relative's backyard. When I picked Joe up the fourth of July, I felt as if I were in one of the yards one sees on the show Animal Cops.

It was horrible. Joe was completely emaciated and covered with fleas. The worst part was the sadness I felt from Joe. He did not know what he'd done wrong to deserve being left alone in that awful place.

I brought Joe home with me, bathed him and gave him something to eat. He got a little relief that night, but the next day upon examining him, I noticed his right hip jutting out. I took him to the vet for x-rays. The vet was so alarmed by Joe's obvious anemia, he was afraid to put him on the table to x-ray him for fear Joe would go into shock and die right there on the table.

Joe had a severe case of whipworms and is infested with heartworms. We are not even going forward with the hip problem until we take care of the parasite infestation. The heartworm treatment will take place over the next five months with a follow up after a year. During the last two months of the five month treatment, Joe will need to be hospitalized at least twice. The treatment is expensive and we are asking for your help.

I would like to tell you a little bit about Joe. He is the most wonderful people loving, dog loving, kid loving dog I have ever seen. I took him down to the lake to walk by the water and he began to whimper and cry. I unfastened his leash and he jumped in that water like a fish! I have to be careful due to his condition, but the joy he gets from going to the lake seems to be the best medicine for him right now.