It isn't uncommon for Shane Fitts to see stray dogs near his Detroit workplace, but nothing he'd encountered before prepared him for the injured dog he found last February.
As Fitts drove by a wandering Rottweiler, he was shocked by what he saw. He stopped his car and approached the dog, and that's when he saw the extent of the dog's injuries: the nose and ears had been cut off, his tail was docked, and there were deep wounds to the back of the legs.
Fitts was horrified, but he was also astounded by how loving the dog was to him, despite how it had been treated by other human beings. “This dog was looking for help,” said Fitts. “Most stray dogs are afraid of you. He licked his tail while I petted him. I was talking to him and as I was petting him, he licked my hand, then pressed his chin up the palm of my hand. I wanted to cry. He was really reaching out to me, looking for help.”
Fitts took the maimed dog to the Michigan Humane Society, where the staff went into overdrive to make the newest visitor as comfortable as possible. They determined that the dog, whom they named Baron, was 8-years-old and would need reconstructive surgery to live a full, healthy life. He was also put on a regimen of painkillers and antibiotics.
Like Fitts, the staff at the humane society was amazed at Baron's loving personality. Anna Chrisman, public relations coordinator, said, “Baron is a sweet dog, particularly in light of everything he has been through. He greatly enjoys playing fetch with tennis balls and toys, and enjoys being in the company of his human friends. He also enjoys being pet and scratched, and will sit quietly next to you when he is done playing."
Baron's story was so disturbing that it went viral, and offers for adoption and generous donations came pouring in to give this dog a chance at a new life in a loving home. More than $40,000 has been donated to cover Baron's surgeries and medical care, as astounding amount, but this is a dog who deserves it.
Cruelty investigator Mark Ramos is leading the investigation into who was responsible for harming Baron. So far, he has had some leads but no arrest has been made. Ramos suspects that more than one person is responsible for Baron's injuries.
“I have a hard time believing that one person could hold the dog, cut off both ears, cut off his tail, injure his back legs and slice off his nose without the dog biting or getting away,” Ramos said. “For one person to do that, they would have to struggle, and the cuts are pretty clean. I think multiple people did this, at least two.”
Even this veteran cruelty investigator was deeply disturbed by what Baron has suffered. “I have never seen anything this horrific,” Ramos said. “It’s scary that someone can do this to an animal.”
As for Baron, he has gone through two successful surgeries thus far, one for reconstruction of his nose and one to remove the remainder of his docked tail. His surgeon, Dr. Brynden J. Stanley, noted that the nose surgery was tricky because the tip of Baron's nose was completely cut off. Surgery allowed the doctor to begin building up the area between the nose and the lip to provide cover for the exposed nasal passages.
“It will also look better, though we are mostly doing it so he will be more comfortable,” Stanley said. “As long as they can find someone to love him and he’s treated well, he is going to be fine. He deserves a good life.”
Luckily for Baron, that's exactly what happened. After everything this poor boy has been through, he finally found a family willing to open their hearts and welcome him into a forever home. Baron will need future surgeries still, but he is now loving life and enjoying it to the fullest --- exactly what all dogs should be able to do.
Watch the video below of Baron's adoption by an incredibly compassionate couple, then please share Baron's story and help take a stand against animal cruelty.