It all started with a heartbreaking video on Facebook showing a dog being physically abused in Cotton Tree Village. But tonight, we are happy to report a happy ending: the dog, formerly known as 'Big Boy,' has found a safe and loving home in the Cayo District. Jomarie Lanza met with the family who rescued him and spent some time with 'Buddy' in his new environment. Here is that story.
For the first time in his life, 3-year-old Buddy slept in the comfort of air conditioning, beside his new bed which he is still learning to get used to-without the worry or the fear of being regularly physically abused by humans.
It's a sharp reversal of fortune for the pitbull mix: just a few days ago, he was chained in a backyard in Cotton Tree, and was captured being repeatedly struck by his owner with a thick branch, and yelped in pain and fear. Gasoline was also poured in his eyes.
The video went viral and provoked outrage across the community, prompting many animal rescuers and activists to come forward.
One woman simply could not stand by and allow Buddy to endure another night of torture. She is Jessica Burch; she saved Buddy and took him into her care. She says it all started when she came across the disturbing video.
Jessica Burch, Dog Rescuer
"Honestly, I couldn't sleep. Just every time I would wake up throughout the night, the first thing I would think about is where he was at, how he was feeling, the fear. And I just could not get it out of my mind. With the amount of dogs we have, I didn't think we could do another rescue, but at this point I was like, it doesn't matter what inconvenience it might be at the time or what routine we would have to change at home, I cannot, not help. So I didn't even tell my husband. I just was like, I will get him out of that situation, so next morning when he woke up, I explained to him and told him, 'Hey, by the way, we are going be fostering.'"
She says Buddy was taken off the property by someone who lived nearby, and from there he was handed over into her care. Burch moved quickly and took Buddy to a vet where his injuries were assessed and treated. She says despite the level of abuse he has endured, he was still receptive of human contact.
Jessica Burch, Dog Rescuer
"And the severity of the abuse, from gasoline poured into his eyes to being malnourished, not fed, skin issues, the chain around his neck-he has got no hair, that's from the chain-you know, just the fear, us even opening the door scares him, which makes me think that whenever this man went to open the door to where this dog was, this dog knew it was not a good thing. And so we have to build his trust, and that's another reason why, for adoption purposes, if we were to foster and find someone to adopt, we are going to be very, very strict on the type of home he goes to, just because of his past."
"I'm just in awe at how fast he has responded to the love. He sinks his body into you. This morning I posted a few pictures-I literally woke up and came outside, my hair was not even brushed in those photos, but he came up and just put his head up on my chest, his leg up over my leg and pushed his head onto my chest after just having him just from the night, and he really just wants love. He really just wants love, and I think now he knows he is getting it."
Burch describes him as a 'gentle giant' and says his transformation over the past two days has been remarkable. He is no longer the frightened, injured animal seen in that video-he's now an affectionate dog who has finally found a loving home.
Jessica Burch, Dog Rescuer
"Honestly, if he didn't have the sores and scars and the reactions he has with the fear, I would not have known that he had been abused, but just with how sweet he is, it just shows that they have unconditional love if it is given. And, honestly, I was thinking earlier, if that man were to walk into our door and he sees him, is he going to wag his tail because he knew of him as his owner, even though he was beat, or is he going to hunker down in fear because he was beat so much it broke him down? But he is not broken down."
"So this dog, honestly, I don't think he has a mean bone in his body, and he will never feel pain again from a human hand, and so aggression is just not in his personality."
Animal cruelty charges have not yet been filed against Buddy's previous owner.
