Severely beaten dog found in Long Beach dumpster awaits surgery, reward now at $15,000

Chloe, the severely beaten dog whose rescue from a Long Beach dumpster has struck a chord in hearts across Southern California, is showing signs of improvement as she awaits surgery, volunteers said, and a reward for information leading to her abuser has grown to $15,000.

Doctors at Long Beach Animal Emergency have ordered metal plates for the procedure in coming days to fix Chloe’s left back leg, which was snapped in half, said Diana Kliche, of the rescue group Fix Long Beach Pets and Animals.

A CT scan confirmed the injury happened before Chloe’s discovery Saturday in a dumpster in the 1000 block of Walnut Avenue, Kliche said.

“The CT scan showed spinal fractures that might be older as well,” she said. “She doesn’t have any blood clots and she has minimal brain damage, not as much as they thought, given her injuries.”

Chloe ate six times on her own Wednesday, Kliche said, which is significant progress.

The Maltese-poodle-terrier mix was found whimpering and close to death in a trash bag, covered in bruises, human urine and food scraps. The case has drawn anger and an outpouring of support from the public.

Fix Long Beach and Sparky and the Gang Rescue have raised about $5,000 in donations for a reward for information, combined with a pledge of $10,000 from Orange County-based Just Food For Dogs, Kliche said.

Donations are also coming in for Chloe’s veterinary bills, which are now estimated at $8,000 to $14,000.

Ted Stevens, manager of Long Beach Animal Care Services, said the department is looking into potential leads in the search for Chloe’s abuser. Interviews have been conducted and a police report has been filed, he said, adding that he couldn’t get into details. He asked anyone with information to call Animal Care Services at 562-570-7387.

Chloe seems to be affectionate and unafraid of those caring for her, despite all she’s been through, Kliche said.

Both Fix Long Beach and Sparky and the Gang Animal Rescue have been flooded with adoption inquiries. An experienced foster home has been selected, Kliche said, but for now, volunteers are focused on the dog’s medical care. Chloe won’t likely be up for adoption for three months.

“Now that we’re coming on Christmastime, we’ve gotten so many emails about adopting her,” Kliche said. “I would like to see all those people go to their local shelter and get a dog there because they need homes just as much as Chloe does.”