Donors Rally for Golden Retriever With Burn on Its Back
"Anything you could think of for a golden retriever that (they) would love, we got it for him"
By Staff Report ••
A golden retriever who was found with a burn along his back received food, toys and other treats from donors. This story aired on the NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015.
A golden retriever that was attacked and burned with chemicals received goodies from loving donors on Saturday as he continues to recover in Southern California.
There has been an overwhelming response to news coverage of Fergus, who was surrendered at an animal shelter last month with a third-degree burn along his back. The 15-month-old pup's injuries are similar to those of six other dogs from the same area, which authorities are investigating as a possible string of chemical attacks.
Thanks to the kindness of strangers, Fergus has some goodies to make him more comfortable. A PetSmart in Costa Mesa rallied donors and collected toys and treats for the injured dog.
KNBC-TV
A $5,000 reward was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible of intentionally setting a puppy on fire, officials said Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2015.
Riverside County Department of Animal Services
A cat, nicknamed "Piper," was rescued Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015, after falling into an irrigation pipe in Indio.
Fontana Police Department
Officers rescued two dogs from the middle of the 210 Freeway Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015.
Riverside Fire Department
A dog was reunited with his owners after a fire broke out in the family home in Riverside, fire officials said Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015.
Riverside Fire Department
A dog was reunited with his owner after a fire broke out in the family home in Riverside, fire officials said Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015.
Twitter/@madeleinedoux
A big dog at LAX went viral Tuesday Oct. 27, 2015 after his photo was taken as he was set to board first class on an American Airlines flight.
KNBC-TV
Hundreds of corgis gathered at Huntington Beach for So Cal Corgi Beach Day Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015.
A 1-year-old German shepherd was poisoned with antifreeze and died Sunday, Oct. 17, 2015. San Bernardino County deputies are searching for the killer in a possible string of Big Bear dog poisonings.
A man and his 3-year-old son were attacked by a coyote in Irvine on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015.
KNBC-TV
Lisa Stover says she has been discriminated against by innkeepers because of her service dog. (Published 0ct. 12, 2015)
Laryssa Densmore
Paddle boarders in Redondo Beach got the surprise of a lifetime when humpback whales swam feet under them in Redondo Beach Sunday.
NBC San Diego
Pet owners in Hancock Park are now keeping a close eye on on their pets after a coyote was spotted roaming around the neighborhood.
Ferns Channel
A French bulldog scares off bears Friday Oct. 2, 2015 outside a Monrovia home.
Riverside County Department of Animal Services
A husky puppy who was inside a a suspect's SUV during a high-speed pursuit is up for adoption Oct. 2, 2015.
KNBC
Beloved Lucy the pit bull was found after three weeks missing. She was reunited with supporters Sept. 29, 2015.
VVDailyPress.com
A mountain lion was perched on a 35-foot telephone pole in Lucerne Valley following a Hesperia mountain lion warning on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. Credit: VVDailyPress.com
Danna Cruzan
The Orange County Board of Supervisors is debating the fate of a wolf-dog hybrid that has been slated for euthanasia and has galvanized animal advocates.
Daryl Ching
Two bears cubs square off as their mother waits nearby Tuesday Sept. 1, 2015 in Arcadia.
Ernesto Torres
A golden retriever named Fergus whose resilience is described as "absolutely remarkable" was recovering Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, at an animal hospital after a rescue group found it surrendered at an animal shelter with third-degree burns.
Kristin Hattori
Stingrays were spotted swimming in a cove near Marina del Rey on Tuesday, August 11, 2015
This little black and white kitten was rescued from a car engine and given a new home thanks to a group of cat lovers in Cerritos on Friday, Aug. 14, 2015.
Courtesy of David Loop
Miracle was nearly dead when David Loop found her in the middle of a road in Jurupa Valley on Friday, July 31, 2015.
A rescued Siberian Husky who was found with pellet and gunshot wounds is recovering after surgery but will need a permanent home.
RMG
A mother bear and her two cubs were spotted in Arcadia Sunday July 12, 2015 before police arrived and scared them back into the wash.
John Noble
A Southern California man captured this shot of a bobcat in his Anaheim Hills backyard about a week ago.
Renee Luna
A group of sea lion pups were released Tuesday, June 2, 2015, in Laguna Beach to the Pacific Ocean after spending over a month at a rehabilitation center were they fell victims to a chemical attack.
Tom Bravo
In the Warriors and Wolves program, military veterans help rehabilitate animals that don't fit in, a process that helps them recover from the trauma of war. Still image from report broadcast in May 2015 on NBC4.
Riverside County Animal Services
A little white kitten narrowly missed having to dig into her nine lives on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, after surviving a hawk attack in Jurupa Valley.
Courtesy Kenny Knoll
Images showing a wounded sea lion that has been appearing at a Ventura County harbor over Memorial Day weekend, 2015. The wounds have been blurred.
kn
Cows, sheep and a dog were rescued from a trailer after the pickup towing it crashed on the 210 Freeway Wednesday April 29, 2015 in Sylmar.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
A small California brown bear was found dozing off in a Ventura backyard on Tuesday, April 28, 2015. The bear was darted and released in the Los Padres National Forest later in the day.
Firefighters saved this kitten from a drainpipe in Studio City on the night of Monday, Apr. 28, 2015
National Park Service
Mountain lion P-32 crossed the 101 Freeway on April 3, making him the first male mountain lion to cross since the National Park Service began their study, officials said Friday, April 24, 2015.
KNBC-TV
A mountain lion known for making Griffith Park his home was found inside the crawl space of a Los Feliz home Monday, April 13, 2015.
The chimpanzees at a zoo in The Netherlands created their own no-fly-zone for drones Friday, April 10, 2015 after one of the chimps grabbed a tree branch and knocked a drone to the ground.
Gibbon Conservation Center
Gibbon aficionados can snack on a light brunch and bid on silent auction items at the Gibbon Conservation Center on Saturday, May 2, 2015.
John Welsh, Riverside County Department of Animal Services
Roberto Robles, of Bloomington, was reunited with his exotic tegu lizard Zilla on Wednesday, March 25, 2015. The “plump” pet went missing Sunday, March 22, 2015.
Courtesy: Santa Ana Police Department
An alleged cat hoarder living in squalid conditions was suspected of accumulating more than 20 cats in Santa Ana causing disturbances to nearby residences. Authorities served a search warrant to the Santa Ana woman Tuesday, March 17, 2015.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
P-33, a 16-month-old cat who recently left her mother, crossed the 101 Freeway this month, marking only the second such journey documented in over a decade, park officials said Friday, March 20, 2015.
Volunteer People Animal Connection
Therapy dog Logan visits with Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA patient Anthony on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Chutti the rhino was born on Nov. 27, 2014 and is being cared for by San Diego Zoo Safari Park keepers while he gains weight and strength to rejoin his mother. Caretakers said they had to hand-raise the baby rhino after he wasn't gaining enough weight.
Santa Barbara Zoo
A male anteater was born in early November 2014 and will say hello to the public later this month. "A total of 27 giant anteaters have now been born at the Santa Barbara Zoo since 1975," said Santa Barbara Zoo officials.
DonkeyLand via Facebook
A wild burro and her offspring are pictured here at DonkeyLand in Riverside, California. An animal group named DonkeyLand has been tracking the herds and noticed that some foals as young as 3 weeks old have inexplicably gone missing in recent months.
NBC Bay Area
The search is on for Napoleon, a tortoise who escaped from the backyard of a San Jose home Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014.
LLN
A hungry bear, nicknamed Hobo, wandered into the backyard of a San Bernardino County home and was caught on camera removing the lid to a trash can to get access to the contents inside late Tuesday, July 8, 2014.
Tad Motoyama/LA Zoo
Three Chacoan peccary piglets are now on display at the LA Zoo. The breed is critically endangered, with many scientists believing they were extinct until the 1970s.
Riverside County Sheriff's Department
Riverside County sheriff's K-9 Tessa is recovering after being accidentally shot by a deputy on Friday, June 13, 2014.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue
A Fort Lauderdale Maltipoo named Susie. survived a 16-story fall through a hole in a condo building.
WGRZ
Senator Charles Schumer has secured a commitment from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service to keep Kali the polar bear at a Buffalo, N.Y. zoo until 2015.
NBC5
Christopher Swilley, 49, was sentenced Wednesday morning in a Tarrant County court after a jury found him guilty of felony animal cruelty. Swilley shot a stray dog with a crossbow in Fort Worth, Texas in April 2012.
Getty Images/Flickr Open
Where do puppies come from? A large new DNA study suggests dogs originated in Europe some 19,000 to 32,000 years ago.
Courtesy of Lions, Tigers and Bears
The Lions, Tigers & Bears animal sanctuary in Alpine, Calif. wants control of "Meatball" the bear's Twitter account Nov. 12, 2013.
AP
This handout photo released on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013, by Guinness World Records, shows Miracle Milly, a brown female Chihuahua who is the smallest dog living, in terms of height, measuring 3.8 inches (9.65 centimeters) tall when measured from backbone to paw, on Feb. 21, 2013. Milly is owned by Vanesa Semler who lives in Dorado, Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Guinness World Records 2014 Edition)
Getty Images
In this handout photo provided by Smithsonian, an olinguito, a new species of Carnivore which was newly discovered in Aug. 2013, is seen in this undated photo.
LiveFastDiePoor via YouTube
A skateboard-riding Chihuahua was put up for adoption on Aug. 9, 2013 due to her owner facing financial troubles.
Linda Nadeau
Kermit, a yellow-naped parrot from Farmington, Conn., perfectly mimics the sound of a crying baby as she sits on her egg on Aug. 13, 2013.
A break-dancing gorilla named Zola moves to the Dallas Zoo on Aug. 9, 2013.
Julie King, Catalina Island Conservancy
Armed with a birth control-shooting air gun, an ecologist creeps in the bushes of Catalina Island. Non-native bison on the island are injected with the contraception to protect the island ecosystem from too many massive mammals. The injections were ceased on Aug. 14, 2013.
County of Los Angeles Department of Animal Care and Control
Pinay, a 4-year-old domestic short-hair, survived several weeks without food or water in a container ship that arrived in Los Angeles from the Philippines. She was found July 16, 2013. Full Story
Getty
At least 27 roosters were taken from a Lancaster on Aug. 10, 2013 after authorities broke up a cockfighting ring.
A 17-pound, 6-ounce "Frankenfish" was caught on Aug. 9, 2013, setting the world record.
San Antonio Zoo
Thelma and Louise, a two-headed turtle born at the San Antonio Zoo, got its own Facebook page at the end of July, 2013. Full story
AP
"Peanut," left, a miniature Panda cow, grazes Thursday, July 18, 2013, near his mother, "Midget," right, on the farm of John Bartheld in Roy, Wash. Bartheld has been breeding miniature cows on his farm for seven years, hoping to create black-and-white markings resembling the pattern of a panda to make a "panda cow." He succeeded on June 28, 2013 when Peanut was born. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren). Full Story
NBC 5 News
This dog was attacked by a city contractor using a weed whacker in the Dallas, Forth Worth area on Aug. 4, 2013. Witnesses said the dog did nothing to provoke the attack. Full Story
bsanchz/Isvett Verde
Two witnesses photographed a dead shark on a New York City subway in Aug. 7, 2013. Full Story
This gator was shot by a family in Jacksonville, North Carolina after it attacked and ate their pet Siberian Husky in July 2013.
Lincoln Park Zoo
A rare Guam Micronesian kingfisher hatched in Albuquerque on July 26, 2013. There are only 151 kingfishers held in captivity worldwide. Full Story
Andy Newman/AP/Florida Keys News Bureau
In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, OD, a 320-pound green sea turtle, is scrubbed to remove algae Wednesday, July 24, 2013, at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital in Marathon. The bath was part of preparations for a FedEx flight to Las Vegas early Thursday, July 25. OD cannot be released due to a irreparable collapsed lung and is to live out his life at the The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Resort and Casino.
A Dallas-area animal shelter has a 41-pound fat cat named Skinny. City officials received a call about a stray cat in a yard and picked up the animal: reported March 9, 2013.
Cat Haven
Cous Cous, a male African lion, fatally mauled a volunteer intern at Project Survival's Cat Haven in Dunlap, Calif., on March 6, 2013. The lion was shot to death by sheriff's deputies after the mauling.
Aug. 1, 2012: Ni Hao, the kitten that survived a journey from Shanghai to Southern California inside a container, is in Carson and seeking foster parents. Link: Full Story
AP
Aug. 1, 2012: A semi-truck carrying hogs from Iowa to California broke down in Nebraska. The driver was cited for animal cruelty and driving with a suspended license. Link: Full Story
July 25, 2012: Roaming coyotes in Carson spark debate between residents and animal rights advocates in a Carson City Council meeting. Link: Full Story
“Meatball,” the bear who received his nickname from snacking on leftover Italian food in April, was seen in Glendale and La Crescenta scouring through trash cans before he was tranquilized. California Fish and Game tweeted July 15, 2012, that the bear was safe and on his way back to the forest. Link: Full Story
February 2009: Several exotic, wild cats were nursed back to health at an animal rescue facility in Alpine. The cats ended up at the Lion, Tigers and Bears Center after their owner died.
Moe, the chimp, is pictured here with his owners, St. James Davis and his wife, LaDonna. The chimp escaped from an animal sanctuary in San Bernardino in 2008. When the Davises went to visit Moe at the sanctuary to celebrate his birthday in 2005, the couple was viciously attacked by two other chimpanzees who had escaped from their cages. The chimps nearly killed Davis, chewing off his nose, testicles and foot.
Getty Images
July 2011: A fatal bear mauling in Yellowstone National Park was possibly triggered by the victims screaming and yelling as they ran from an approaching grizzly mother with cubs, according to the results of an investigation into the attack.
Robert Kovacik and Fabian Rodriguez
August 2011: A $5,000 reward was offered to help find the person responsible for killing an adult female sea lion that washed ashore in the Santa Monica Bay.
July 2011: A swarm of bees terrorized a Riverside neighborhood and was being blamed for stinging and killing one resident's dog.
December 2007: A 243-pound Siberian tiger, named Tatiana, escaped from its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo, killing one vistor and injuring another.
May 26, 2010: Fish and Game agents and fire-rescue crews extricated a bear from a pine tree in Porter Ranch by using a tranquilizer gun and a suspended tarp. Link: Full Story
Riverside County Animal Services
Jan. 7, 2010: Four owls that required human care are released back into the wild in Riverside County. Link: Full Story
Getty Images
Every year at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in the Bay Area, canines vie for the World's Ugliest Dog Contest. Link: Full Story
AP
Not just ugly dogs make the news. Meet Boo, the world's cutest dog. The adorable fuzz ball lives in San Francisco and has captured hearts around the world. Link: Full Story
WildRescue
October 2011: A red-tailed hawk in Golden Gate Park made headlines when rescue workers discovered that the bird had a nail through its beak. Link: Full Story
WildRescue
December 2010: It may be a federal crime, but that didn't stop someone in the Bay Area from putting beer cans on some seagulls. Link: Full Story
City of Hesperia
May 2011: A Hesperia man got the shock of a lifetime when he found a mountain lion hiding in his garage. Link: Full Story
May 2009: A dog was injured defending its owner from a mountain lion in the Cleveland National Forest. Link: Full Story
Angelos Papazis
Earp, a San Diego police dog, was sent to the scene of a domestic dispute in March 2009. A man was barricaded inside a Paradise Hills home in San Diego County. The dog, that was set to retire in several months, suffered a severed blood vessel in the attack. He was eventually nursed back to health.
KUSA/Jake Hildreth
In December 2010, a baby sperm whale that was first rescued in La Jolla was soon spotted again in a kelp bed near the San Clemente pier. The whale has been separated from its mother and needs milk to survive. Here, Sea World staff worked with the whale in La Jolla and escorted it back to sea.
Molly was a cute, furry barn owl that moved into an owl barn in San Marcos residents Carlos and Donna Royal's back yard in March of 2010. Soon, she had an Internet following as her nestful of eggs was watched 24/7 through a live web cam.
Remember the sea lion that crossed the road-- and hid under a cop car? Residents called San Diego police when they spotted this sea lion pup roaming in Ocean Beach - May 2009. The officer tried to get the animal back to the sea but he decided to hide out under the patrol car instead. Eventually SeaWorld staffers rescued him and released him back into the wild.
NBCSanDiego
A sea turtle named "Bruce" by SeaWorld staff was found in San Diego Bay shot four times in the neck in February 2011. Experts theorized the turtle was shot when he lifted his head out of the water to breathe. Source: Sea Turtle Shot, Rescued From San Diego Bay | NBC San Diego
After surviving in the wild for years, including a run-in with a shotgun, a capybara was spotted at the Paso Robles Wastewater Treatment Plant in Central California. Link Full Story
Antonio Castelan and Scott Spiro
Sept. 24, 2011: A group gathered around to rescue a baby great white shark that washed ashore near the Venice Pier.
Paul Schraub
October 2011: During a photo shoot for Santa Cruz, two whales breach next to a kayaker. Link: Full Story
JPL
Oct. 25, 2011: A bear was spotted outside NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Link: Full Story
On Scene Video
November 2011: A bear wandered through Glendale, La Crescenta, and Tujunga, before retreating back into hills. Full Story
Nov. 16, 2011: Abbie, an Australian Kelpie, hangs 10 during tryouts for the Natural Balance Rose Parade float. Full Story
Ken Bohn
A baby Capybara made its debut at the San Diego Zoo Nov. 29. Capybara means "master of the grass." This animal is the largest rodent species.
NBCPhiladelphia.com
Horses in San Juan Capistrano made the headlines when11 of them were diagnosed with equine herpes virus-1 (EVH-1). As a result, the Rancho Sierra Vista Equestrian Center went under a state mandated quarantine.
Getty Images
Banana-Sam the monkey made news when he was stolen from the San Francisco Zoo. A $5,000 reward was initially offered for the monkey's safe return, however, the possibility that the person who returned Banana-Sam may also be the same individual who stole him delayed the reward exchange, according to the SFGate. Banana-Sam is currently safe and back at the zoo.
On Dec. 30, a webcam focused on a pair of barn owls nesting in a 100-foot tall eucalyptus tree. The owls made news when they were about to hatch six chicks near the headquarters of Audubon California Starr Ranch Sanctuary.
A 2-month-old kitten made news on nDec. 12 when it somehow wedged itself in a scrap piece of drainage pipe and became trapped. When veterinary technicians could not release the kitten, the fire department was brought in to assist. With the help of the Jaws of Life, the firefighters from CAL Fire's station were able to cut the cat out of the pipe.
Dave Welling
Booie, "the signing chimp," past away from a heart condition at the age of 44 on Dec. 14. Booie was one of the most famous residents at the Wildlife Waystation in Sylmar, CA.
Burbank PD
Dec. 21, 2011: Two malnourished mountian lion cubs were resued from under a parked car in Burbank. Link: Full Story"
Jan. 15, 2012: A scuba diver was cited after he was found with nearly 50 lobsters after a weekend fishing expedition in a new marine protected area in Laguna Beach. Link: Full Story"
Jan. 20, 2012: Eleven horses were diagnosed with equine herpes, putting the Rancho Sierra Vista Equestrian Center in a state mandated quarantine. Link: Full Story"
A truckload of toys, treats and more was delivered to the medical center where Fergus is recovering.
"We brought him different foods, we also brought him a new bed," said Robert Salas, a PetSmart employee. "Anything you could think of for a golden retriever that (they) would love, we got it for him."
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Once Fergus is better, Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue will sift through hundreds of applications from those who want to offer him a "forever home."
At least seven other dogs in the Antelope Valley have been treated for similar acid burns. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the person or people responsible for the attacks.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich has described the attacks as "depraved acts of cruelty."
