The English mastiff, with its rugged body, broad skull, and square head, can weigh up to 250 pounds. So you don’t need a picture to see that a 56-pound mastiff is horribly underweight.
And the only way mastiff could become this emaciated is through abuse. And unfortunately for this noble mastiff, her hardship didn’t end there.
Back in 2016 in Clinton, Maryland, someone witnessed the mastiff, Violet, get thrown out of a moving car.
The kind-hearted person then stopped to help the estimated 4-year-old dog and called Prince George’s County Animal Control.
Violet was then taken in by Mutts Matter Rescue who brought her to the vet and placed her with Fat Dog Farm, in Haymarket, Virginia.
Violet’s foster mother at Fat Dog Farm, Debbie Gretz, was experienced in handling dogs in critical condition and was helping the mastiff regain her health and spirits.
“She has a lot of pressure sores all over her body,” Autumn Clayton, a volunteer and foster with Mutts Matter Rescue, said.
“There are two on her legs that went all the way down to her bones, so they’re treating those as well.” As a result, the vet bandaged Violet’s feet.
When she was found, she tipped the scales at only 56 pounds.
The debilitated dog was initially kept in the basement because she couldn’t climb the stairs on her own. Recently, she has started to learn how to climb again.
Now that Violet could walk again, Gretz took her for her first walk outside for the first time. She said that being outdoors scared the dog.
“I can tell you, I wonder if she’s ever been outside. She looks up at the skies and looks up at the trees like she’s never seen them before.”
Besides her feet injuries, Violet’s extremely low weight was a shocking indicator of her traumatic past. “It takes a long time to do that to a dog,” Clayton said. “A long, long time. This is a special type of cruelty.”
Photos and videos posted to Facebook since her rescue show how Violet had been reduced to mere skin and bones.
”I think this is probably the worst case I have ever seen and I really just questioned whether she was going to make it or not,” photographer Shelley Castle of Shelley Castle Photography told WJLA.
Although Violet’s past remains a mystery, Clayton said the sores suggest that Violet was probably chained up all the time.
Gretz explained in a Facebook post that she has to restrict Violet to six small meals a day to help her adjust to food again and regain her strength.
Although Violet’s past is unthinkable, she’s finally got the treatment she deserves. “She is absolutely sweet and loves human companionship,” Gretz said.
After a life of trauma, Violet experienced the healing power of love …
… and the touch of kindness.
In a couple of months the spark and the spirit of Violet was revived. From a dog who could barely stand, she has transformed into a lively and joyful companion, full of life and energy.
Violet’s progress was a testament to the power of care and compassion, showing just how resilient these animals can be when given a second chance.
Her story went viral in 2016, and hundreds of people reached out to adopt Violet.
”We had applications as far away as Canada and Ireland,” Mutts Matter Rescue President Melanie Samet.
In the end, a family from West Virginia adopted Violet.
A few years after Violet was rescued, she was once again photographed by Shelley Castle, and the images speak for themselves: what an incredible transformation! It’s truly heartwarming to see how far she’s come.
I still can’t believe people are capable of such cruelty. And yet, they are also so amazingly loving and selfless, as witnessed by Violet’s rescuers and fosters.
Violet is such a special dog who has touched so many people! If this story moves you, share with others and help put an end to the inhumane treatment of dogs.
