Two puppies found emaciated in Paterson, New Jersey

PATERSON, NJ -- Two emaciated puppies were found by a jogger in Paterson Monday morning.

It takes a certain kind of monster to let a living being waste away to nearly nothing.

"I don't think you can be much worse and still be alive," said Dr. Paul Sedlacek, of the Animal Clinic of Morris Plains.

The two pit bull puppies were nicknamed Bugsy and Bunny by Dr. Paul Sedlacek and his staff in Morris Plains.

But there's nothing amusing about how they came to be there. Someone willfully starved them nearly to death.

"It was just plain neglect, abuse, and the person who did this should go to jail," said Chief John deCando, of Paterson Animal Control.

Early Monday morning, two joggers at Paterson's Eastside Park happened upon the emaciated dogs.

The dogs looked clean enough that they hadn't been outside for long.

That means, authorities say, this was no accident.

They were tortured by starvation before they were dumped in the park like yesterday's trash.

"Those dogs didn't get there by walking there, because one dog didn't even walk. One dog got up, he fell. And the other dog just kept hovering over him to protect him," deCando said.

The vet believes they're about six months old and should be uncontrollable bursts of energy, but it's all they can do to hold up their heads.

One weighs 16 pounds and the other just 14 pounds. The vet says they should be more than twice that.

A $1,000 reward is being offered to find whoever is responsible for the dogs through Paterson Animal Control. Call 973-881-3640 with any information.

If you are interested in adopting the dogs when they get a clean bill of health, please contact Second Chance Animal Rescue at http://www.secondchance.petfinder.com or call 973-208-1054.