January 23, 2026
Pennsylvania SPCA/Facebook
An abandoned basset hound, named Fred, was found by a couple near railroad tracks in Kensington and brought to the Pennsylvania SPCA headquarters, where he is recovering from emergency medical care. He is expected to be put up for adoption.
An abandoned basset hound was found in critical condition near railroad tracks in Kensington earlier this month and is recovering under the care of the Pennsylvania SPCA.
The dog, named Fred, was "dull, unresponsive" and "cold to the touch" when he was found Jan. 16 by a couple that took him to the PSPCA headquarters in North Philadelphia, the animal shelter said Friday in a social media post. The dog "was dying," the PSPCA said, but has been stabilized after receiving emergency care from the PSPCA's medical team.
Fred, described as a "gentle soul," was "shivering in the winter cold" and covered in filth when he was found, the PSPCA said.
"His body temperature was so low it wouldn't even register on the thermometer," the PSPCA wrote in its social media post. "He was emaciated. His coat was caked with feces and debris. He was so dehydrated and weak that his pulses were barely detectable."
Veterinarians used heating pads, a warming blanket and warm IV fluids to increase Fred's body temperature, the PSPCA said. When they attempted to treat his dehydration and feed him, he was so starved that his body couldn't handled normal portions of food.
"We don't know how Fred ended up by those railroad tracks or how long he suffered before that couple found him," the PSPCA said.
Fred is slowly gaining weight and likely will be available for adoption in the coming weeks, PSPCA spokesperson Gillian Kocher said in an emailed statement.
"We encourage everyone who sees an animal in trouble to not turn away," Kocher said. "Whether that means getting in touch with our Animal Law Enforcement team, calling the proper authorities or bringing that animal to safety, like in the case of Fred, we need everyone to be standing up for pets."
