On this National Dog Day, there’s good news about an old dog that had been abused for years, then stabbed and left for dead near a Metro station: She’s now thriving. A senior pit bull who rescuers named Ladybell was found near the Fort Totten Metro station in a trash-strewn field in July 2020. Law enforcement officers with the Humane Rescue Alliance arrived on the scene to find her emaciated and critically injured. She was so weak she couldn’t stand. Ladybell was covered in blood and had numerous injuries — including a deep wound above her left eye that was swollen and overflowing with thousands of maggots.

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It was a horrific case of animal cruelty. Veterinarians who examined her said she’s been stabbed in the face, the back of her head and her back. One wound was so violent and deep that it fractured her skull. They also discovered she suffered from hip dysplasia, arthritis and a spinal injury that prevented her from walking normally. And she had several rotting teeth. After extensive emergency surgery and months of treatment, she’s been adopted by an Alliance employee, who takes the old girl on long hikes in the fresh air. The Humane Rescue Alliance continues to search for Ladybell’s tormentor and is still offering a $10,000 reward for information about the case. See video of Ladybell below.