DETROIT (WXYZ) — There are a few days left to make a tax deductible donation for this year, and organizations like the dog rescue group Detroit Pit Crew are hoping you will open your heart and wallet.
The group has rescued countless dogs over the years, including one story that 7 Action news reporter Syma Chowdhry covered about a puppy who was saved in the nick of time.
A dog named August lived in horrific conditions and went to drastic measures to save its own life. A cord was wrapped around her leg so tightly that veterinarians believe she chewed it off because the pain was so severe or because the leg started to rot.
The puppy was found in a horrible condition on Detroit’s east side back in 2017. She gnawed off her own leg and was suffering from tetanus. It wasn’t even clear if August was going to survive.
“I watched maybe 30 seconds of it and the tears were just, oh my God, this poor puppy,” said 7 Action News viewer Livia Ruff.
She was watching the segment and she knew in her heart she wanted to adopt August.
“The look in her eyes when she was laying on the bed and she looked like she was suffering,” Ruff said. “She went through so much pain and I was like nobody deserves that. So I wanted her to have the best life ever.”
Once August got a clean bill of health, Ruff and her family took her in. Now August has doubled her weight and lives a spoiled life in Belleville. She is getting around well with only three legs.
“(She's a) completely different dog," said Theresa Sumpter of Detroit Pit Crew. "She’s doubled her size. She’s healthy looking, she's happy, her demeanor is different.”
Sumpter was the one who rushed August to the vet.
She said many people called the organization after our story aired but the Ruff family was the perfect match for August.
“Makes me feel so good because we see so many sad stories, it reminds us that what we are doing in Detroit does make a difference in the lives of these dogs," Sumpter added. “She’s living the great life of a princess in a wonderful home.”
Detroit Pit Crew is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing dogs. They can only do that with the support of the community.
That’s why Ruff felt compelled to reach out to 7 Action News to remind our viewers to adopt from rescues and shelters or make a donation to help them continue saving dogs like August.
“I could not imagine what would have happened to her if Detroit Pit Crew wouldn’t have been there for her,” Ruff said.
To learn more about Detroit Pit Crew or make a donation, go to: https://detroitpitcrew.com/
