‘Tuffy’ Needs Forever Home After Nearly Starving To Death As A Stray

CLOQUET, Minn. – A stray dog found starving to death in Cloquet is on the rebound, thanks to a local vet tech.  But a forever home is greatly needed.  FOX 21’s Dan Hanger has Tuffy’s story.

Tuffy is full of love these days, but the Sheperd mix has seen some dark days after being found more than two months ago struggling to survive.

Before and after getting care.

“You could count every single rib. You could feel his hip bones, they were very prominent, but yeah, every single rib was sticking out,” said Jodi Carlson, Tuffy’s foster mom and vet tech at Duluth Veterinary Hospital.

Carlson has been caring for Tuffy after he was found roaming around Cloquet in very bad shape.

Jodi Carlson and Tuffy

“Even working in a vet clinic, we don’t even see dogs coming in this emaciated. You really only see these types of dogs in shelter situations where they’ve been roaming the streets months and months and months,” Carlson said.

But nine week later, Tuffy is slowing gaining weight, loves to eat a lot, play, and be outside.

“He loves toys, he loves to go for walks, he loves running off leash in a background that’s fenced in and he loves to eat,” Carlson said.

But Jodi can’t seem to find his forever home. She’s posted multiple times on the Missing Pets in the Northland Facebook group, which she helps manage, but still nothing.

She said the ideal owner would be someone retired or somebody who works from home, and no kids because Tuffy needs extra care with prescriptions for kidney and gallbladder issues. He’s also highly food motivated.

“Somebody who has a fenced-in yard would be a huge bonus — just because he needs to go potty often, and the few times he’s been over to my friend’s yard that’s fenced in he loved running around,” Carlson said. “He won’t bite you to be aggressive, but he’ll munch on your hand because he loves food — so no small kids.”

Tuffy’s believed to be between nine and 12 years old.  He may need his fancy diapers at times, but Carlson believes there’s a perfect forever home out there for this ball of love who just wants that chance to live his best life.

A veterinarian reference check will be done before the adoption is complete. But other than that, there’s no fee to adopt Tuffy. He comes with all his shots, a large kennel and months of food, which was donated from people on the Missing Pets in the Northland Facebook group.

If you’d like to adopt Tuffy, you can message Carlson on her Facebook page, the Missing Pets page, or by email at MPITN04@gmail.com.