Actor and former wrestler Dave Bautista may seem tough and intimidating, but he has a soft spot for animals in need. The Tampa Bay Humane Society shared the story of a 3-month-old pit bull named Sage who had a chain embedded in her neck. Bautista immediately raised money to use as a reward for getting information about his abuser.
In the midst of searching for the suspect, Bautista fell in love with the little puppy. She soon adopted her, and now she is known as Penny Bautista. She will never again have to experience neglect or abuse!
puppy cries for help
Penny arrived at the humane society with a chain embedded deep in her neck, which she dragged on the ground beside her. The poor pup needed surgery to remove the chain, and she now has a bald spot where the chain was.
A stranger first saw Penny eating garbage on the side of the road. To his surprise, the cub ran towards them without hesitation. Even before her intense surgery, Penny was full of love.
“She is very sweet and friendly. Even though she is in immense pain, Sage was wagging her tail on the exam table as our vet and vet techs examined her,” the Tampa Bay Humane Society wrote on Facebook. “In addition to the chain, we noticed that Sage has overgrown skin and nail issues. We can’t imagine who would do this to him.”
When Bautista found out about Penny, he shared her story on social media and offered to pay a $5,000 reward for information. He couldn’t believe that someone would do such a thing to an innocent dog, so he desperately wanted to punish the person responsible. The Humane Society is also offering $1,500, and actor Mickey Rourke put up $1,000 in reward money.
Love at first sight
It only took a few days for Bautista to realize that he and Penny shared a special bond. So, he adopted her, and her happy face says it all. He promises that she will live a life of love and pampering from now on.
“For me, there is nothing more innocent and pure than a puppy,” Bautista said. “For someone who can abuse a puppy it has to be the lowest form of being human, pure evil, for someone who can abuse an animal like that. My stomach is sick.”
Penny isn’t the first dog Bautista rescued. In 2019, she also adopted two other pit bulls named Maggie and Ollie. So, Penny will be delighted to have two brothers for her to play with.
Unfortunately, there is still no information about the person who neglected Penny. But she doesn’t seem to care, as long as she has a loving family. This sweet pup is sure to have the best life possible from this point on. After all, she deserves it!
H/T: wtsp.com
Featured Image: Facebook
