A Miraculous New Life for Rescued "Bait" Dog

[TorchTheWitch]

I found this video at my vet's website since it was my vet and his clinic that saved Oogy the rescued bait dog and one of their customers that gave him a new loving home. I'm heartsick that this is done to dogs and amazed that as mangled as he was he was saved and found a loving family. I'm also amazed that the vet was willing to do all this at their own expense, but I really shouldn't be because I know just how awesome Dr. Bianco is and all the staff at his clinic.

There is hope in the world as long as there are people willing to give everything - time, skill, money and especially abundant love and a new life - all for a poor abused non-human creature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8C2yP8X0oM&feature=player_embedded

[Tansy_Gold]

1. I can't watch these videos, but I'm happy to K&R n/t

[beam me up scottie]

2. Actually I can't watch the graphic ones either, but the vids about Oogy are wonderful.

A unique and loving creature saved by wonderful people. :)

[flvegan]

3. I have 3 "bait" dogs here at my rescue.

Thank you for posting this story. I can't believe I missed this originally, but tears are indeed flowing now watching this.

Excuse me, I have a few hugs to go pass out.

[roguevalley]

4. some of the bait dogs are little lap dogs that were stolen and fed

to the dogs. There is a special place in hell for people who do this and a special place in heaven for those who help them.

[flvegan]

8. You're right. Family dogs, stolen from people and children.

Left to wonder "what happened to Fido?"

And I like to not wait for Hell. If it's in my power, I try to punish them here and now. Sent a dogfighter to jail not that long ago that was responsible for one of my bait dogs.

And DAMN, did that feel good.

[driver8]

19. Right on, flvegan...

I still think about that sweet dog you rescued a couple of years ago -- the black (I think) pitbull.

Is she still with you?

[TorchTheWitch]

10. bless you for doing that

I wish I had the money, time and space to rescue every one.

Ha... I had to go run and hug the dog and sob in his fur, too! And somehow they always understand when we have these sudden fits of loving expression.

[tango-tee]

22. I don't think I've ever told you this,

and it's high time I do it now: Bless you for the work you do!

[LeftyMom]

5. Dogs are more resilient than humans, I really believe that.

I've seen too many bounce back from unspeakable abuse and neglect without losing their spark, their enthusiasm or their abundance of love. Humans? It takes a lot less to destroy us, and a lot more to bring us back. Maybe it's because dogs are pack animals, or because humans are more complicated, hell if I know. But dogs are pretty amazing.

[TorchTheWitch]

6. I actually thought of that when I watched the vid

It made my problems and old issues seem so small and silly in comparison. I think that's a big part of why it felt like such an uplifting story. Humans can and probably should learn a lot from dogs and our other fellow creatures.

[flvegan]

7. It's because they lack ego. With a dog, there is no "self"

That's the big difference between dogs and humans.

[beam me up scottie]

9. Here is his story, it was posted here some time ago but I never forgot Oogy:

Oogy's Story
Oogy - The Third Twin

When our dog Oogy was about ten weeks old and weighed 20 pounds he was tied to a stake and used as bait for a Pit Bull. The left side of his face including most of his ear was torn off. He was bitten so hard a piece of his lower jaw was crushed. Afterward, he was thrown into a cage and left to bleed to death. He was found by police when they raided the facility and taken to an emergency service operating out of Ardmore Animal Hospital, in a suburb of Philadelphia. There, Diane Klein, the Office’s Director of Operations, simply refused to allow the dog to die. Dr. James Bianco, the head of the hospital, operated for several hours to staunch the bleeding, replace the lost blood, and suture the gaping meat that Oogy’s face had become. With the help of everyone on the staff somehow, beyond any calculation of the odds, Oogy survived.

***

...my sons Noah and Dan and I took our 17 year old cat Buzz to AAH for what would be his final visit. The staff had just gathered Buzz in when this pup on a leash came trotting out from the back of the hospital where the doctoring gets done, ready to go for a walk outside. He exuded such joy that he seemed to shimmer and dance. He was pure white except for the left side of his face, which was swollen, raw pink scar tissue, as though it had melted. His right ear was flopped over the top of his head; the left ear was a jagged stump a thumb’s width high. You would not put on what he looked like for Halloween. He was as smooth as butter and covered us with kisses. We fell instantly in love with him.

Life goes out one door and comes in another. As Noah said not long after Oogy came home: “I really feel bad about what happened to Oogy, but if it hadn’t of happened he wouldn’t be here.”

***

When we are out and about it is difficult for people not to notice a large white dog with one ear. As people hear the story of what happened, they can’t help but be taken in by Oogy’s dignity and serenity. The word “sweet” is used to describe him more than any other. A simple truth is that everyone –everyone- who meets Oogy falls in love with him. I have often wondered what it is about Mr. Happy Dog that that resonates with people. To a certain extent, each has his or her own connection. Some see in him the survivor they see in themselves, an indomitable spirit in the face of adversity. Others, emotionally damaged, who yet hope still to be loved, see another kind of optimism. Some appreciate the second chance he has had, just as they hope that they will get theirs. But there is a common element, too, and it took me a very long time to realize that what appeals to everyone is that Oogy is living proof that what we all know is lurking out there, the awful unexplainable, the tragic loss, the seemingly insurmountable occurrence, can be survived with love and grace intact, and that there can be happiness on the other side of horror.

***

On a recent Saturday afternoon Oogy was curled up on the couch asleep, his head in my lap, and I was thinking about how his life is now, as opposed to the way his life had been before: daily acts of unspeakable violence for no comprehensible reason until the ultimate, searing horror. Had he sensed he was dying as he lay in the bloody puddle of his life disappearing? Was he conscious when the police put him on a rubber sheet and took him to the hospital? He could not have comprehended the significance of the siren wailing the journey as his head was beaten with hammers. Oogy went to sleep in a world consumed by terror and pain and awoke surrounded by angels in white coats who put out the fire in his head, who were kind to him, who stroked him gently and talked softly to him. Instead of people who tortured him, he was surrounded with love and kindness and healing mercies.

I realized then that Oogy probably did not know that he had not died and gone to heaven. So I told him. I said, “Listen pal. You’re may not believe me, but it only gets better after this.”

Read the rest of his story http://www.animals-abused.org/oogy-story.htm">here, you won't regret it.

[TorchTheWitch]

11. Thank you! I don't how I missed it before

especially because it's my vet! I went to their website because my dog needs to go in soon and found the video there... and I got so distracted by it I can't for the life of me remember what the hell it was I wanted to find at the clinic's website now.

I'll definitely read the rest of the story - thanks so much!

[beam me up scottie]

12. You're welcome. And I'm envious.

You're lucky to have such a wonderful veterinarian staff taking care of your family. :)

[TorchTheWitch]

14. They really are extraordinary

Dr. B must insist on this when contemplating hiring. Most of the staff have been there forever, and I've used them as my vet for over 15 years. The dog I had before the one I have now had all sorts of problems from the day he was born, so we were in and out of the vet a LOT. It was always something with him... bad breeding. Despite everything he lived to be an old man, and the day I had to have him put to sleep they all cried as much as I did!

How cool that I'm not the only one that referes to Dr. Bianco as Dr. B! For some reason it just seems appropriate. I knew he was special the first time I went there with my new sick puppy who was terrified and tried to hide under a chair in the exam room, and Dr. B said "Ok, if you feel more comfortable there that's where we'll work"... and without the slightest hesitation he got right down on the floor and started looking him over there. Didn't take but a moment for him to coax him out from under the chair and he knelt right on the floor to do his whole exam since puppy was terrified of the table. Seems like most of the time I've seen Dr. B over the years has been looking down on him on the exam room floor! LOL! Once he even lay right down on the floor trying to get a good look at a possible eye infection my dog was doing his damndest to hide from him by trying to melt into the floor. Dr. B called it "the bathmat imitation", so at least I feel better it's not just my dog that tries to hide their boo-boos by mashing that part of themselves into the floor.

And damn me, I still can't remember what the hell it was it went to their website for! Eh, it'll come to me eventually.

[Lorien]

13. There's a Facebook group dedicated to outlawing the use of dog's as shark bait

yes, that heinous act goes on too! Inhuman monsters who do such things....I think the group is simply called "stop using dogs as live bait" or "...as shark bait". If we were a civilized Nation we would be doing far more to protect ALL animals from suffering and cruelty!!

[xchrom]

15. Sobbing and rec'ing all at the same time. Nt

[stillwaiting]

16. I did not know about bait dogs before this. I feel sick. :(

To think that it's widespread enough that there is a term for this vile and disgusting behavior really upsets me.

[Blue Owl]

17. To hell with violent animal abusers

Oh to give them a taste of the hell they voluntarily inflict on other living beings.

[Scurrilous]

18. K & R

:thumbsup:

[joe black]

20. Good on the cops too.

[Withywindle]

21. Beautiful story, K & R

Whenever someone takes me to task for not automatically taking the side of a human over an animal, I point to stories like this. I unabashedly and unashamedly value Oogy much higher than the "people" who did this to him, and if I had to choose which to rescue from a burning house, it would be easy.