We have all seen her image but do we know her story.....

From "For the love of the dog blog"

Bait Dog

By Andrea

If you were to go to Google Images and input the keywords “bait dog” or “dog fighting”, one image stands out.  The image you see here has been used in almost every dog blog, news publication, and animal rescue/advocacy website.  It is the image of unspeakable cruelty.  A bait dog used in dog fighting. 

 

The image of this horribly mutilated dog has a story.  

Her name was Gypsy.  Back in April, 2005, Gypsy was found lying along a Gaston County highway in North Carolina. This female pit bull was barely alive with shattered limbs, blood seeping from wounds, emaciated, and no strength or will to walk.  The Good Samaritan that found her took the dog’s limp body and brought her to Eastridge Animal Hospital.
They pretty much guessed she was used in dog fights.  Her ears were chopped off and she had bite wounds all over her body.  The tissue around the wounds were rotting with pus.  She couldn’t even eat – she hurt so bad.   The dead tissue around her mouth had rotted away leaving no lips to cover her teeth.  It gave her the appearance of perpetual snarling.
The veterinarians at Eastridge Animal Hospital decided she could be saved, but it would take a lot of surgery and a lot of money.  The Tri County Animal Rescue stepped in and asked to please save her for they would find a way to pay for it.
The first thing they did was to amputate her right, front leg.  The rotting flesh was cut away and stents were sewn into her skin to allow her wounds to drain.  As painful as these surgical procedures were, she managed to brighten up a bit and wag her tail.  But she was still in critical condition and for a time her caretakers were unsure if she was going to survive.  But she fought her way through it.
After allowing her to heal for several weeks, she was taken to the University of Tennessee Veterinary clinic in Knoxville for reconstructive surgery on her face.  After a months stay she returned to the Tri County Animal Rescue to begin life as a real dog.  She was spayed and house trained.  She played and ran with other dogs just as if she had all four legs.  She showed no anger, only love and kisses.
By the time Gypsy had her reconstructive surgery, the rescue had over 10,000 dollars in donations from the public.
This is Gypsy one year later.   You can tell by this picture what love and care did for this dog.  A rescue, a veterinary practice, a University hospital, and thousands in donations from a caring public managed to bring this girl back from the brink of death to a happy and proud dog.
For the next 4 ½ years she lived with her friends at the Tri County Animal Rescue, loving life.  One morning in December 2009, a volunteer discovered Gypsy had died.  It was a shock to her friends and caretakers for she showed no signs of any illness.  
I can only offer this one explanation:
God touched her, and she slept.