We shared a story the other day where somebody had a bird show up on their porch with a blow dart sticking out of its neck. Some people were appalled that somebody would do that to a bird and just leave it to suffer. Others made the case that it was just a pigeon and they were more of a nuisance than anything else. But this story is sure to have everybody on the same page.....or at least I would hope so.

If you remember the "dog scene" in National Lampoon's Vacation - it's one of those situations. A dog in Gallatin County was tied to the bumper of a car and dragged until its collar broke more than half a mile away. In the movie we know Clark Griswold is a good guy. Maybe he wasn't the biggest fan of the dog - but ol' Sparky himself wouldn't do anything so evil on purpose. As for what recently happened here in Montana.....it's still being investigated.

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office received a call about animal cruelty call last week and found Marley in a ditch. The dog was in rough shape but still alive. He was taken to a vet where he received emergency care. It's been over a week since the incident - and Marley has some pretty gnarly injuries that'll break your heart when you see pictures - but he's expected to make a full recovery.

 

 

 

 

A Go Fund Me account was just set up today to help with the cost of treatment for Marley. As I'm writing this the fundraiser has been active for 6 hours, has over 430 donations, and has raised more than $18k of the $20k goal. It's pretty awesome to see so many people make a donation after being moved by the story.

We would like to believe that what happened to Marley was an unfortunate accident - but as of right now there just isn't enough information to know if it was an accident or an intentional act.

Check out these 50 fascinating facts about dogs:

 

LOOK: Here Are 30 Foods That Are Poisonous to Dogs

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

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