Heartache as Gentle Soul Escapes a Dog Fighting Ring—But What Happened Next Is Even Worse
A recent canine arrival at Fetcher Dog, an animal rescue charity in the United Kingdom, carries a harrowing past. The dog was found wandering near a suspected dog fighting ring, his body marked with cuts and bruises. (watch the TikTok below)
Seeking help, he approached a house but was met with heartbreaking cruelty—pelted with rocks and sticks to drive him away. Once the family called the police, the dog’s journey led him to the Ashford-based charity where he can hope to not only receive medical care but also a fresh start to a better future.
@fetcherdog Meet our newest arrival. We were contacted about this boy earlier in the week with a message that broke all of our hearts. He was found straying near a known dog fighting ring, covered in cuts and bruises with his eyes swollen shut. To make matters worse, he was straying near someone’s home who continuously threw rocks and sticks at him to try and make him go away when it was obvious that he was injured and needed help and compassion rather than more cruelty. The family called the police and they took him immediately to an out of hours vets who looked at his wounds and said that he was the sweetest boy with a heart of gold. The police believe due to his injuries that he was used as a bait dog and he was brought into a dog fighting ring in a crate, the door would of then been opened and as he stepped out of the crate he would of been attacked as most of his wounds are on his head, face and the front parts of his body. He would then of backed up back into the crate and continued to be attacked through the door with no way of escape. His injuries were most likely too severe for him to be of use anymore so he was dumped or he ran for his life when he got a chance. Despite how lovely this boy is, he struggled to find a rescue space. The dog wardens feared approaching the well-known U.K. charity that sometimes helps this specific pound as they knew they would just put him to sleep despite how loving and gentle he is. Despite the vast amount of resources some charities have, it is often the smaller ones who take the harder to home dogs with more troubled backgrounds. In the last few weeks alone, we have taken in so many dogs that would have otherwise been put to sleep. We always make room when we can even if that dog is harder to home in the long run and will cost us more in vet bills. This boy deserves to finally have a happy life where he doesn’t need to be scared and can feel some love and comfort. We know we have some vet bills coming our way with this boy and some of the others we have recently taken in so if you can donate anything, please do. We can’t continue to save dogs like this without you. There are links in our bio to donate! Thank you #adopt #rescue #help #share #bulldog ♬ som original – songxx.__
Vet Declared Him The Sweetest Dog
After getting hold of the dog, police quickly realized he needed urgent care and rushed him to a vet. Despite his serious wounds, the vet described him as the “sweetest boy with a heart of gold.”
According to police, the dog’s miserable condition—swollen-shut eyes and wounds covering his face, head, and front body—suggests he was used as a bait dog.
In dog fighting rings, bait dogs are often confined in crates. Once released, they are immediately attacked by fighting dogs. Afterward, they are returned to the crate, where the torment continues through the bars, leaving them defenseless and traumatized.
The police believe the dog’s severe injuries either rendered him useless to the dog fighting ring or that he managed to escape. Despite enduring unimaginable cruelty, he has left that life behind and remains an incredibly loving and gentle dog.
Help Give This Dog the Life He Deserves
What’s even more distressing is that finding a place for such a wonderful dog in U.K. rescue organizations proved challenging. Also, dog wardens were wary of sending him to well-known charities, fearing he would be euthanized since it’s difficult to rehome a dog with such a troubled past.
That’s when they reached out to Fetcher Dog, where the dog is now receiving treatment for all his medical issues, regardless of the cost or time needed to find him a home. However, the charity can’t do this alone. With many dogs requiring urgent care, public support is essential. To donate, contact Jordan Connor at [email protected] or use this donation link.
“This dog’s story is heartbreaking but not uncommon in the world of dog fighting. Despite the cruelty he’s faced, his heart remains full of love. It’s a testament to his resilience and the power of compassion,” says Pet Rescue Advocate Rocky Kanaka. “I applaud Fetcher Dog for stepping up, but they need all the support they can get to give this pup—and others like him—a chance at the life they deserve.”
Why Is This Dog Fighting Ring Still Active?
After the rescue shared the story on social media, many people wondered why the authorities hadn’t shut down the illegal dog fighting ring and rescued all the dogs involved. One Instagram called Elena commented, “If it’s a known dog fighting ring then why isn’t it shut down and people arrested?”
The charity has answered such queries by explaining, “For those of you asking about the dog fighting ring, as a charity we have no authority over getting these dogs out and the only way we can help is by offering the dogs a place if they get loose or are seized by police.”
They further state that even though the police know about the presence of dog fighting in certain areas, there is no concrete evidence to prove it. For example, this sweet dog was found straying nearby and was not chipped, making it impossible to confirm his origins.
All that the Fetcher Dog charity can do is provide a safe space for these dogs once they are rescued and offer them the care they need until they find loving homes.
