A puppy named Phoenix was found buried in trash at a homeless encampment in Holly Springs, North Carolina, eating cardboard just to survive. What rescuers uncovered next revealed just how much she had already endured.
Mary Lucas, owner of Longleaf Animal Rescue in Hillsborough, believes Phoenix, estimated to be about a year and a half old, may have spent months being used as a bait dog in a dog fighting operation.
While she stressed it isn’t confirmed, she says all the signs point that way. “She has multiple teeth that have been severed off, so they’re not sharp, which is something that a lot of bait dogs have happen to them so that they don’t cause injury to other animals,” Lucas explained.
Phoenix arrived at the rescue suffering from severe anemia, bone infections, and other injuries consistent with prolonged abuse and neglect.
She was scheduled for surgery just days after being found to amputate a severely infected toe, and Lucas warns that may only be the beginning of her recovery. “We’re waiting to see what scar tissue forms on her face… She’s likely going to need additional work on her face just to help her breathe.”
Lucas also pointed to a troubling pattern behind cases like Phoenix’s. While some dogs are illegally bred specifically for fighting, she says one of the biggest contributors is people giving dogs away for free online.
“If you put a dog out there for free, this could be the consequence. People will look for free dogs that they can do this with.” She added that North Carolina ranks third in the country for shelter pet euthanasia, and animal cruelty plays a major role in that troubling statistic.
Longleaf Animal Rescue is now working alongside Wake County Animal Services to determine who owned Phoenix before she was abandoned.
Given the extent of her injuries, she won’t be available for adoption for at least two months, giving her body and spirit the time they need to heal.
Despite everything she’s been through, Phoenix is alive, she’s being cared for, and for the first time, someone is fighting for her instead of the other way around.
Do you think stricter penalties are needed for dog fighting related crimes?
Source:
cbs17 – “Hillsborough animal rescue caring for puppy believed to be used as bait in dog fight operation”