3 dogs rescued from illegal fighting op seek loving homes
1 of the 'inspiring' dogs needs a bit more time
Birch, Frida and Sadiri are adorable, little warriors.
The three female pit bulls the Animal Rescue League of Boston took in last week have been through a lot in their two to three years of life, but happier, more peaceful times soon await them.
The ARL’s Dedham Animal Care and Adoption Center received the three pooches from the Humane Society of the United States, a national organization which rescued them from a large alleged dog fighting operation in South Carolina last September.
Since their arrival, the dogs have undergone quarantine, said Mike DeFina, the ARL’s media relations officer. One had a mass removed, another had several teeth extracted, and the third will need ongoing medication for allergies that cause skin irritation, he said.
Birch, Frida and Sadiri all have very sweet and affectionate personalities, DeFina told the Herald on Saturday. He said the recovery process has gone a little quicker for Birch and Frita, who are outgoing, sociable and curious and will be up for adoption in the coming days. Sadiri is still timid and shy of people, triggering the need for her to go to a foster home to reacclimate to a better life.
“What’s amazing about animals like this coming from such tough situations is that they are tough, they are resilient,” DeFina said. “When they see people who are loving and caring and just want to take care of them, they really latch onto that.”
The ARL takes in animals from all sorts of situations whether it be cruelty, neglect and abandonment, but DeFina said dog fighting, a felony punishable up to five years in federal prison, is “kind of a special circumstance.”
Federal authorities seized Birch, Frida and Sadiri along with 272 others in late September 2022 from multiple properties in the Columbia, S.C., area as part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged dog fighting operation, according to an ARL release.
“Unfortunately, it’s one of those things that still exists,” DeFina said. “We haven’t taken in animals from a dog fighting situation in quite some time.”
The dogs had severe scarring, festering open wounds, lacerations, abscesses, and broken bones consistent bite wounds, the release states. Some appeared to be dehydrated, underweight, and infested with fleas and other parasites.
Many of the dogs are still receiving care in confidential locations while the court process determines custody.
“It is inspiring to see these dogs rebound from everything they’ve been through and see their resilience and strength come out like that,” DeFina said. “It never gets old seeing this type of happy ending for an animal.”