Last week, a woman in Philadelphia was shocked to see two bait dogs in terrible condition sitting on her porch, clearly victims of dog fighting. They were bleeding, malnourished, and had broken bones. The woman, Tara Whitaker, spent three hours caring for them before animal control arrived. The dogs were taken in by Rescue Dogs Rock NYC, where they received medical care and love for possibly the first time in their lives.

Tara later contacted the rescue group to express her gratitude for caring for the dogs. She described how hungry and thirsty they were, with the female, Sweet Pea, eating more than the male, Dizzy, who was in too much pain. Dizzy appeared to have lived his life in a cage, with crooked and bent legs. He was swaying back and forth, in pain and fear, and relieved himself when the leash was taken off by animal control.

Tara had tried to find a rescue or someone to take the dogs in before animal control arrived, but when no one came, she promised them that she would find a good rescue to save them. She thanked Rescue Dogs Rock NYC for stepping in and keeping them safe from being euthanized while waiting for rescue.

Rescue Dogs Rock NYC shared the story on their Facebook page, expressing their sadness and repulsion at the dogs’ condition. Dizzy had bite wounds all over his body, and Sweet Pea had a swollen face. Dizzy was fearful of humans, understandable considering the betrayal and abuse they had suffered at the hands of humans involved in dog fighting.