After 7 Years of Abuse, Rescued Bait Dog Waits For His Forever Home (PHOTOS)

When Murdock first arrived at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh New York, he was part of an ongoing animal cruelty investigation.

This outgoing, eight-year-old fella was rescued back in the summer of 2014, in connection with a cruel dog fighting operation. It is believed that he was being used as a bait dog. Bait dogs are typically docile dogs, used as “bait” to train the aggressive ones. These dogs often suffer unimaginable abuse and this poor fella still wears the scars of his former life as a bait dog.

Upon rescue, his teeth have been filed down and Murdock has a torn ear. He still has scars across his face and a damaged left eye. But he also has a love for his human handlers, a passion for rolling in the grass and a future that we are trying to brighten, by finding his forever home.

As the state investigated his former owner, this sweet boy spent eight lonely months in isolation, where he was shown human kindness, probably for the first time in his life.

Murdock quickly became a staff favorite. John Esposito, a shelter volunteer, describes him as “a very spiritual animal. Few souls are able to endure what Murdock did and go on to be gentle-hearted, but Murdock truly is one of a kind.”

Another member of the staff describes a day she spent in the yard with this sweet boy, where she was thinking about Murdock’s past and burst into tears, only to have Murdock lick them away.

After the case ended, Murdock’s former owners were jailed and he was finally able to be adopted. It can be especially difficult for bully breeds and senior dogs to find homes, so the staff started an Adopt Murdock Facebook page to help him along.

Eventually, he was moved to the Last Hope Animal Rescue, also in Wantagh NY, where he still eagerly awaits a family to love him for the rest of his doggy days.

Murdock is a great example of resilience, as he has managed to turn a lifetime of abuse into a heart filled with love. If you are interested in adopting Murdock, please visit his Facebook page here.

All image source: Adopt Murdock/Facebook