Painted dog remains at shelter

Jennifer Kho

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- Higgens, a yellow Labrador mix found spray-painted

in Costa Mesa last week, remained homeless Friday, Orange County Humane

Society employees said.

After a Daily Pilot article about Higgens’ plight Thursday, the

society received “some calls about [Higgens], but only one or two people

have come down to see him,” said Julie Douglas, a Humane Society

employee.

“He’s very timid,” she added.

His shyness could be one of the reasons Higgens has not been adopted,

Douglas said.

He has been available for adopted since Wednesday, and some of the

other animals have been waiting for as long as a year, she said.

“We never know how long it will be until the animals are adopted,”

Douglas said.

Animal control officers found Higgens at Fairview Road and Arlington

Drive on Jan. 5 and brought him to the Humane Society in Huntington

Beach.

Brigette Simec, another Humane Society employee, said the dog is

“scared out of his wits” because of the abuse he suffered.

Nothing can be done to remove the paint from Higgens’ fur without

endangering him, so he must be surgically shaved to remove his fur.

His appearance until his fur grows back could hinder Higgens from

being adopted, Simec said.

“Right now, he’s covered with paint all along his sides and down his

legs,” Simec said. “After he’s shaved, he’s going to look pretty silly.

He’s not a breed that can be shaved into a cute little cut.”

FYI

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