“When I saw the animal in the car I thought he was dead so I said immediately take him to the clinic,” said Ralph Elliott, Director of Operations at
Elliot's friend found Ace on Tuesday night. He was in the bushes on Highway 180. Even though
Clinic manager Ashley Rhodes has been caring for Ace around the clock.
“I don't know how something like this could happen,” said
Ace is half the weight he should be. He has sores from lying down, too weak to stand on his own. His chipped teeth are likely the result of eating rocks.
“His stomach probably hasn't seen the correct diet and nutrition for possibly his entire life,” said
While staff attempts to slowly nurse him back to health, it's also caring for Luna, another malnourished pit bull, and Ophelia, whose scars show she was probably a victim of dog fighting. The recent wave of abuse is inexplicable to animal lovers. They say pit bulls can be wonderful pets.
“All they want to do is live. They're malnourished, they've been treated badly, but they still give you the love,” said Elliott.