Teddy the Pug was put in a garbage bag and left for dead on the side of a Royalton road. An Amherst animal rescue organization is nursing him back to health. (PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS CATCHPOLE)

By +Scott Leffler 
scott.leffler@eastniagarapost.com

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Teddy has numerous health issues, which Buffalo Pug & Small  Breed Rescue, Inc., hopes can be resolved.

ROYALTON — An adult pug, dumped and left for dead Sunday at Mountain and Bolton Roads is being nursed back to health by an organization geared towards helping pugs and other small-breed dogs.

Buffalo Pug & Small Breed Rescue, Inc. took control of the dog this afternoon and will be taking him to an appointment at Millersport Small Animal Clinic at 4 p.m. The dog, who the organization has named "Teddy," suffers from numerous maladies including missing teeth, eye infections, and malnourishment.

Chris Catpole of Buffalo Pug & Small Breed Rescue, Inc. said, "He's having a hard time walking. I don't know if it was an injury from being thrown out of the car (he was dropped off in a garbage bag by a dark colored SUV) or if it's just age." She approximates him to be 12 years old or more.

Catpole says after the dog is treated, he will be put up for adoption, a process that may not take very long because as she says, "We've gotten a couple adoption applications. We've gotten some phone calls of people offering to foster him."
Sadly, the dumping is just the latest of several incidents locally where dogs were ditched by their owners, according to two local dog control officers. Not all the stories have happy endings.

Royalton animal control officer Scott Wymyczak said he's seen more dogs being abandoned by their owners lately than he ever had before. "It's getting bad. I've never seen it this bad in the area."

"I have no idea why people are dumping dogs the way they're dumping them," he added.

Royalton is not alone in the epidemic, either. Town of Lockport animal control officer Barry Kobren said he's seen instances of dogs being ditched at Day Road Park and Slayton Settlement Park recently.

"It's getting bad. I don't know why all the sudden," he said. "As far as them getting rid of dogs, and dumping dogs, they all seem to be older. They don't want to take care of them."

Most of the dogs being dumped are older — in the 10- to 12-years old range. But not all of them. Two weeks ago, someone abandoned a six-month-old Irish Wolfhound, Wymyczak said.
Both animal control officers were perplexed but each offered one possible answer for the rash of occurrences: people just can't afford to take care of their animals.

"They'll go to the vet and get a $500 or $700 estimate ... and they say, 'well screw it' and just set them free," Kobren said.

The Town of Lockport contracts with the SPCA, who vets them "or unfortunately if they're in bad shape, they put them down." While the SPCA is a "no-kill" center but some dogs are beyond saving.

As for "Teddy's" owners, Wymyczak said he'd like to find them and asks anyone with information about the dog to contact him at 417-5151. ... "But the most important thing is the health of the dog."

Those who wish to find out more about Buffalo Pug & Small Breed Rescue, Inc. or donate, can do so at buffalopugs.org. Donations may also be made to Millersport Small Animal Clinic.

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