Koal, shelter dog, post-surgery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A dog who was left tied to a gate outside a Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS) shelter in frigid weather is in better shape after an emergency surgery. 

LMAS officials said in a news release that the 3-year-old male pit bull, who has been named Koal, is "not out of the woods" yet, however. 

The agency described the dog's condition as "dire" Wednesday night after he had to undergo surgery to repair a stomach blockage. 

Surveillance footage captured a person tying the pit bull to a gate outside LMAS' Newburg Road shelter around 5 a.m. Jan. 26. The shelter was closed, and temperatures were in the low 30s. The dog had nearly frozen to death by the time staff members found him. 

Shelter officials said Wednesday that the dog weighed 44 pounds when he arrived at the shelter but lost weight because of the stomach blockage and weighed only 40 pounds when he arrived at Jefferson Animal Hospital on Saturday. 

"He’s still suffering from pneumonia, too, but arrived at the shelter this evening with tail wagging," the shelter said in its news release. "He’ll remain in the vet ward where our medical staff can monitor him. He still seems a bit depressed and missing his family but he has been very sweet with staff."

The agency said it will continue to monitor Koal’s condition and said he may be able to go to a foster home if he recovers. 

LMAS is still trying to find the person who abandoned the dog. Anyone with information about the person is asked to contact LMAS at animals@louisvilleky.gov.

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