MIDDLETOWN, Ohio -- When Judith Reinhart met Vally, a five-month-old mutt with a black button nose and permanently perky ears, the puppy had a broken pelvis, a broken leg and a coat polka-dotted with cigarette burns.
She had been abused so severely by her 19-year-old owner that the man's mother called rescuers at Joseph's Legacy to take her out of the home.
"When I got there, I found out that she had been thrown down a flight of stairs by her own," Reinhart said. "She was beat on the head with a flashlight."
All for having an accident in the house.
Reinhart rushed Vally to Monroe Family Pet Hospital, where she received surgery to repair her broken bones.
The little dog still had a long physical recovery ahead Wednesday night, Reinhart said, but was already beginning to come out of her shell. In a safe environment, Vally is as sweet, curious and energetic as any other puppy.
"They are so forgiving," Reinhart said. "They move forward and they are fighters, they are survivors."
Joseph's Legacy rescuers said they would work on finding Vally a forever home once she completed her physical recovery. In the meantime, she was being fostered by a vet tech.
Rescuers added the former owner was being investigated and could face charges for animal cruelty. WCPO has contacted the Butler County Dog Warden to determine whether charges will be filed.
