THE EVERGLADES, Fla. – Lazarus is a young puppy who was saved by Mirta Maltes, founder of the Chain of Love Abandoned Animals Rescue Organization.
Abandoned, sick and on the verge of death, Lazarus was brought to the Aussie Animal Hospital in Cutler Bay.
Dr. Machado is the owner and a doctor at the hospital.
"When you have a pet you have to take care of it," said Machado. "You have to think about the next ten to fifteen years."
Machado has treated other pets with similar conditions from neglect and hopes Lazarus will make a full recovery.
"Sadly," Machado comments, "this case happens all too often."
Louis Salgado is the Chief of Shelter Services at the Humane Center in Hialeah and explained that the shelters are always overcrowded.
"We receive numerous complaints about dogs abandoned in the Everglades and Redland areas, but unfortunately it's so many hundreds of acres it is hard to find abandoned dogs," said Salgado.
Mirta Maltes is a law enforcement ranger in Everglades National Park. In 2009, she started her foundation Chain of Love created to finding foster homes for dogs like Lazarus that she finds abandoned in the Everglades and Homestead areas.
If you would like to adopt Lazarus or make a donation, you can contact Chain of Love Abandoned Animals Rescue by phone at 305-484-1349, by email at Chainofloveaar@yahoo.com or on Facebook at Chain of Love Abandoned Dogs.