A dog likely used in a fighting ring that suffered greatly in the hands of her previous owner has captured the hearts of many after a Florida rescue organization posted a video of her playing on Facebook.
The 2-year-old black pit bull, named Khalessi after the “Game of Thrones” character, was discovered hidden in an animal shelter in Orlando. The dog was missing part of her upper jaw and had limited use of her hind legs.
Not how I thought we would end our trip to Orlando but I couldn’t say no and leave her hidden away in the shelter. This…
Posted by Passion 4 Pits Rescue on Saturday, August 8, 2015
The group Passion 4 Pits, an animal organization based in Florida that specializes in rescuing pit bulls, posted a video on its Facebook page, showing Khalessi running around and playing–a sign that the dog still has a zest to live.
According to the organization, the injury Khalessi sustained to her jaw appears to be quite old. She also has a fractured pelvis, which has caused limited use of her hind legs. The organization also believes she had multiple litters of puppies.
This girl has spirit!
Posted by Passion 4 Pits Rescue on Saturday, August 8, 2015
“Not how I thought we would end our trip to Orlando but I couldn’t say no and leave her hidden away in the shelter. This girl is at least two years old and weighs 20 pounds has no nasal cavity and limited use of her back legs. You are safe now little one,” the organization said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
Her injuries seem consistent with those of a bait dog, which is essentially a dog used as a punching bag for fighting dogs. Dog fighters use bait dogs for fighting dogs’ practice. Sometimes, they will break the dog’s teeth or jaw so the bait dog can’t fight back.
“Dogs who ‘win’ fights are forced to fight again and again and are used to breed puppies for profit. One dog who was described as a particularly successful fighter generated $100,000 in stud fees in a single year. Female dogs are strapped down on ‘rape stands’ to prevent fighting while males impregnate them. Many of the dogs who do not fight or who lose fights are used as ‘bait’ animals,” says PETA in explaining the practice.
Khalessi has been given a special diet, and there have been plans for future surgeries to help her walk again, the rescue group said.
