Injured Pit Bull Abandoned in Ditch by Cruel Humans Gets Rescued and Learns to Love! (PHOTOS)

Dogfighting is a cruel blood sport that unfortunately happens in back roads and dark alleyways, all over the world. Between the dogs used for fighting, bait, and breeding purposes, this industry claims the lives of millions of animals every year. Maggie the dog was almost one of those lives lost. Thankfully, she was rescued when the South African rescue group Community Led Animal Welfare, or CLAW, received a call about an injured Pit Bull who had been lying in a ditch for days.

Poor Maggie had lost one of her legs. It had been ripped off just below the shoulder and the injury was teeming with maggots and flies. Upon closer examination, they also discovered that not only was she riddled with bite marks, both new and old, but her teeth had also been shattered on one side. In addition, her jaw was broken, leaving her with a crooked smile.

One of the sad truths about dogfighting is that when the fighters are done with the dogs for whatever reason, they often abandon them or leave them to die of their injuries. At first, the people at CLAW thought that Maggie’s injuries were too grievous to try to save her, but when she wagged her tail, they knew that their efforts were not in vain.

With limited resources of their own, CLAW reached out to the good folks at the International Federation for Animal Welfare, or IFAW, for help. Together, they were able to treat her injuries, perform surgery on her leg and get sweet Maggie back on the road to wellness. Her tail never stopped wagging the whole time.

Like most dogs used in dog fighting, Maggie proved to be sweet and docile towards humans and very eager to please.

Dog fighters often exploit these traits when training the dogs. In her new peaceful environment, her personality was able to shine as she recovered from her injuries.

Soon, she was adjusting to life on three legs and enjoying the attention of the dedicated staff that was helping her.

Before long, Maggie had become quite the expert cuddler, something she was probably denied during her former life as a fighting dog.

Several adopters stepped forward to offer this sweet girl a loving home. It looks like everything is coming up roses for this abused pup who was left to die in a ditch. Her tail is likely to keep on wagging for years and years to come.

If you would like to learn more about the Community Led Animal Welfare group or the International Federation for Animal Welfare, you may visit their websites.

All image source: IFAW/Flickr