Man Saves A Bull Mastiff Who Was Buried In Dirt And Left To Die
Some stories are hard to read because they show just how cruel people can be.
A good Samaritan spotted her while walking his dog and rushed to help, while his own dog stayed close by and seemed to encourage the frightened animal through the rescue. Athena was weak, dehydrated, and badly neglected, but she stayed calm as she was slowly freed and taken for urgent care.
What happened next made the case even more disturbing. Read on.
Athena was found buried alive on August 4. Her head was the only exposed part, and it appears that she managed to free it herself because she was buried quite shallow.
But she couldn’t fully free herself because she was anchored to the ground.
Athena was very weak and dehydrated. She was also remarkably calm during her rescue.
Her rescuer’s dog also lent a helping paw. Her name is Goddess—very appropriate: Goddess and Athena.
Heartbreaking like Leona’s shelter euthanization, just hours after rescue, shattering reunion hopes.
Goddess kept encouraging the poor dog during the rescue.
Athena was dehydrated, so her rescuer gave her water in small sips. Giving her large quantities of water at once could harm a dehydrated animal.
The rescue process was slow because the rescuer used his hands instead of a shovel, not wanting to hurt the dog.
The poor dog was taken to a local vet clinic, where they treated her for shock and dehydration. The vets concluded that she was at least 10 years old and had been severely abused over a prolonged period.
The photo shows Athena with two new Rottweiler friends. She is trying to adjust to a life with a loving family, friends, and proper care.
The authorities managed to find Athena’s owner thanks to the ID tag. It turned out that he lives near the vacant lot in Paris where Athena was found. He denied having anything to do with this event and claimed she had run away.
However, the evidence told a different story. It was apparent that the dog had suffered abuse over a long period and that she was suffering from osteoarthritis, which would make it quite difficult for her to run away.
The 21-year-old owner was arrested Saturday afternoon and will be tried for cruelty to animals. The trial is scheduled for May. People have started a petition demanding maximum sentencing, which would mean 2 years in prison and a $33,000 fine.
The petitioners also request that he be denied bail because they believe that animal cruelty is just a step away from harming a human being.
After Athena’s near-death rescue, see the “dreadful decision” to rehome a troubled pup.
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