Redemption for Rocky

Posted at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Underfed and tied to a shed 24/7, Rocky wasn't really living—just existing. Rocky was only a puppy, yet his owner never let him inside the home and allegedly beat him in an effort to try to turn him into a better "guard dog". After witnessing the abuse that Rocky was forced to endure, a concerned area resident set to work trying to find help for the adorable and resilient dog.

After placing phone call after phone call to various agencies and animal shelters in the area to no avail, the resident finally turned to PETA. We immediately coordinated with folks at the local SCPA, who persisted in Rocky's behalf and eventually convinced his owner to surrender him into the shelter's care.

Now, a few weeks later, we are delighted to see this picture of a blissful, thriving, recently adopted Rocky:

The story of the dog who is left outside to languish is one that our cruelty caseworkers hear all too often. Dogs are highly social and loyal companions. They crave lots of love, attention, and exercise, and they always want to be around their human family. Staking them out in lonely yards as cheap "alarm systems" is nothing short of a cruel betrayal of an animal's unlimited love and devotion to his or her guardian—it is simply not the way things are meant to be.

If you know people who aren't doing right by their dog, please talk to them and educate them about the animal's many needs. Offer to walk their dog. Bring toys! Show them how to do things right. And please, never let mistreated animals endure abuse or neglect. Always speak up and file a report with local law enforcement officials. Without you, these animals would have no voice.

Posted by Logan Scherer

Comments

Nice to read about a happy ending.
Rocky's eyes are beautiful.

Posted by: Aneliese | November 12, 2009 01:28 PM

"The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people."

People stand by and allow abuse to happen too often (be it towards humans or animals).

Animals give us so much - joy, loyalty, forgiveness, protection - and yet they are repaid with cruelty.

Posted by: Bluebell | November 12, 2009 01:33 PM

So glad to hear this dog has been saved.
People need to take a class on how to be a better pet parent, only them can we start making a bigger diffrence!

Posted by: Shari | November 12, 2009 02:47 PM

Whatever the abusive owner does to the dog should be done to them. Let them be tied up 24/7 and beaten. Let them have a collar embedded in their neck. Starve them and let them stay outside in the rain, snow, whatever with no shelter. That is better than jailtime but too bad it wouldn't be legal to do that to a human. It isn't legal to do that to an animal either but the penalties aren't nearly strict enough.

Posted by: Rex's Mom | November 12, 2009 03:32 PM

Bravo to the neighbor who got involved by calling the animal control and PETA and getting Rocky outta there!

Posted by: Cindy | November 12, 2009 07:47 PM

oh my gosh !!!!!!!!!!!!! you shouldn't treat a dog or any animals that way. my opinion is if you have a pet either take care of it or if you can't give it to someone that can take care of it , so it will have a happy life

Posted by: Nikki | November 13, 2009 04:25 PM

I wish we could put the owners in the place of their pets. So they can witnes and go through what their poor animal has to go through. Most people are free to come and go as they please, do whatever they want. Animals depend on US for that kind of stuff.

Posted by: Chuck Piorkowski | November 13, 2009 07:25 PM

What a sweetie! God bless him. And, God bless the person who saved him.

Posted by: Sarah | November 13, 2009 07:35 PM

I love his happy, bi-colored eyes!

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | November 17, 2009 01:28 PM