Some are capable of such appalling behavior that the rest of us feel ashamed of being of the same species. Animals are so much better than humans. In the wild, they attack because they are hungry or scared – they never kill or torture for fun.
Our heroine unfortunately belongs to a sadist who not only likes to torture her, but also buries her alive and leaves her to fend for herself. Athena is a French Mastiff (Dogue de Bordeaux). Recently, a well-wisher who was walking her dog found her buried alive. He noticed something sticking out of the ground. He realized it was the dog’s head and knew he had to act now.
Athena was found buried alive on August 4. Her head is the only part exposed, and she seems to be able to free it herself because it’s buried fairly shallow.
But she couldn’t release herself completely because she was anchored to the ground.
Athena was very weak and dehydrated. She was also calm during the rescue.
Her rescuer’s dog also gave her a hand. Her name is Goddess. Very fitting – goddess and Athena.
During the rescue, the goddess continued to encourage the poor dog.
Athena was dehydrated, so her rescuers gave her a sip of water. Giving her lots of water at once can be harmful to a dehydrated animal.
The rescue process was slow because the rescuers didn’t want to hurt the dog with their hands instead of a shovel.
The poor dog was taken to a local veterinary clinic where she was treated for shock and dehydration. Veterinarians concluded that she was at least 10 years old and had been severely abused in the process.
Photos show Athena with two new Rottweiler friends. She is struggling to adjust to a life full of loving family, friends and proper care.
Authorities were able to find Athena’s owner through her dog tag. It turned out that he lived near the Parisian vacant lot where Athena was discovered. He denied having anything to do with the incident and claimed she had escaped.
The evidence, however, tells a different story. Apparently the dog had been abused for a long time and suffered from osteoarthritis, which made it difficult for her to escape.
The 21-year-old owner was arrested Saturday afternoon and will stand trial for animal cruelty. A trial is scheduled for May. People have started petitions for the maximum sentence, which means two years in prison and a $33,000 fine.
The petitioners also asked for bail to be denied because they believe cruelty to animals is just another step in harming humans.
