“Thankfully, Balboa came to us when he did,” said an official for an animal welfare nonprofit organization in Boston

NEED TO KNOW

• A Cane Corso mix was found severely underweight with a dangerously low body temperature of 94.4 degrees
• The MSPCA-Angell is helping the dog recover
• The dog will enter foster care to regain strength and be assessed before becoming available for adoption

An underweight stray dog is getting a second chance.

A Cane Corso mix that Angell was brought to the Angell Animal Medical Center by Boston Animal Control on April 22 — and the staff have since lovingly named him Balboa.

“When Balboa first arrived at our emergency room, he was weak and significantly underweight — to the point that his ribs and hip bones were clearly visible,” Dr. Emily Hussey said in a press release. “His body temperature was also dangerously low.”

Angell Animal Medical Center veterinarians consider an average dog’s temperature to be 101 to 102.5 degrees. Balboa’s was at 94.4 when he showed up.

“Thankfully, Balboa came to us when he did. Our veterinary staff were able to begin stabilizing him by providing heat and offering supportive care,” said MSPCA-Angell Vice President of Animal Protection, Mike Keiley. “Now that he’s more stable, we’re continuing to prioritize his care while also working to learn more about how he came to be in this condition—and at the MSPCA-Angell, we’re grateful to be able to do both.”

After being held at the medical center, Balboa was moved to MSPCA-Angell’s adoption center.

They are continuing to work with Boston Animal Control to learn more about the dog’s past — as they have “unaswered questions” and think it was “possible his owner was struggling to care for him.”

“Getting Balboa back to a healthy weight is going to take time, and although he’s very food-motivated, we need to reintroduce food slowly to prevent refeeding syndrome,” Keiley noted.

He added, “Before we make him available for adoption, he’ll first go to foster care to continue his recovery. We’ll get a better sense of his personality in a home setting, especially as he gains strength. Once he’s back to a better body condition, he’ll return to the shelter where he’ll be neutered and then ready to adopt.”

The MSPCA-Angell asks that anyone with information contact MSPCA-Angell Law Enforcement by phone at (617) 522-6008 or (800) 628-5808 or online at mspca.org/tip.

They are also accepting donations for Balboa specifically through their website. While the dog is not up for adoption yet, he will be entering foster care first to observe his at-home personality.

From there, Balboa will be neutered and open to finding his forever family.

They shared, “We recognize that times are especially challenging right now, and we want to support animals and the people who care for them. When our community comes together, we can help keep pets and their families together.”