An extreme case of animal abuse out of Apopka could have ties to dog fighting.
- Pitbull mix found on side of Apopka road near landfill
- Had bite marks consistent with dog fighting
- Named Miracle, taken to UF Veterinary ICU
Video, taken by the founder of the Pitbull Tailz Rescue, shows a female pitbull mix dumped on the side of the road covered in bite marks.
Adrienne Andino, who found the dog, said the animal was too weak to even move.
Andino named the dog Miracle, because she knows it will take a miracle for the dog to survive.
“She wouldn’t move, there was tons of ants crawling all over her, and I barely saw her when I was over here,” said Andino, pointing to the exact spot she found Miracle.
The location is far away from people, traffic, and right next to Vista landfill on McQueen Road in Apopka. Up and down the road are large piles of illegally dumped trash.
“You could tell she was probably there to take her last breaths eventually,” said Andino.
Miracles injures are so grave that she had to be taken to the University of Florida Veterinary ICU.
Kayla Schlegel, a vet tech in Orlando, examined Miracle before she left and believes the dog may have been a “bait dog” for illegal dog fighting.
“Where the bite wounds are, how many she has, how long we think they have been there,” said Schlegel.
Andino helps rescue pitbulls through the Pitbull Tailz Rescue.
The chances of survival for Miracle are still about 50-50.
“We don’t know. We don’t know if she will definitely make it, we are just not sure yet,” said Andino.
Andino reported this case to Orange County Animal Services. The agency can’t say one way or another if it’s connected to dog fighting, but do say dog fighting still exists, and is a crime they won't tolerate. They ask for everyone's help reporting suspected cases by calling 407-836-3111.
To follow Miracle’s recovery go to Pitbull Tailz Rescue’s Facebook page.