What would you do if you witnessed animal abuse? It may not be a question that crosses our minds often, but it is one people are confronted with far too many times. This was the case for Kelly Benzel, a woman who wanted to add to her family by adopting a dog in need.
Kelly was looking for a dog when she heard about Rocco, a white pit bull mix who would be perfect for her. She met Rocco through a third party seller, and she did not have a chance to speak with the dog’s previous family before she decided to adopt him. Kelly had simply been told that Rocco’s previous owners had owned him for a few months.
When she met Rocco she immediately fell in love. Kelly was so glad to be able to give this pup a home. As they drove off, however, the woman noticed that something was very wrong.
The dog had a horrible odor, and Kelly just couldn’t take it anymore. She pulled over to the side of the road to see what it could be. When she discovered the truth, she was horrified. Rocco had a long gash on his neck that had been hidden by a harness. The wound was about 6 inches long and 1.5 inches deep. Kelly could tell immediately that it was infected. She knew her next step: she was off to the vet.
Fortunately, the vet was able to help Rocco. The poor pup was given bandages and healing medicine, but that wasn’t the end of the story. Kelly learned that it was the harness that had caused this injury. Apparently Rocco had been forced to wear his harness constantly since he was young. The object had embedded itself in his skin!
Kelly was furious. How could anyone treat an animal this way? She called up the seller, who tried to bribe her with promises that the previous owners would pay the medical bills. Kelly wouldn’t stand for it; she called the police and told them what had happened.
The owners claimed that they had no knowledge of Rocco’s injury. According to them, they had kept the harness on in case the pup ran away. They didn’t fool the justice system – they were all charged with mistreatment of animals and fined $1500.
The best part for Rocco was finally being able to live in a loving home. Now he and Kelly are best pals, and she could not imagine life without him. “I have never felt this strong of a bond or this much love from any living thing,” Kelly shared with AnimalKind.
This story shows how love and kindness can completely change someone’s life.
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