WARNING: This article contains content that may be sensitive to some readers.
Actress Jena Malone isn’t one to keep quiet when she sees an animal in danger. The Hunger Games star witnessed a man abusing a tiny dog on the side of the road. So, she stopped what she was doing and made sure the dog was safe from him.
Her determination caused other people to jump in and help give the dog justice. Many people think the situation got out of hand, but at least the dog is no longer near his abuser.
Jena Malone Saves Innocent Dog
When Malone was driving around Hollywood, she spotted a man kicking and strangling a small white dog. She saw him hold the dog in the air by the leash. She said she yelled at him to stop from the car, but he refused to listen to her. So, she got out of the car to confront him.
She ended up chasing the man down the street. When a few other bystanders noticed what was happening, they joined in. With so many people chasing the man, Malone decided to hold back because she said she “had no business trying to restrain a full-grown man.” She went back to her car and drove after the people chasing the man to make sure the dog was safe.
Malone caught up to the group of people and witnessed the very end of a heated fight. The dog was no longer in the man’s possession, but the people were beating up the man to make him pay for what he did. They kept attacking the man until the police arrived. Malone stayed with the dog until officers could take the pup to the vet.
Did the Situation Go Too Far?
The man that abused the dog was arrested for “suspicion of animal cruelty.” While many people are grateful that he was punished for his heartless act, beating him after the dog was safe might’ve been extreme. It seems like those hitting the man were not arrested.
Sadly, the man who beat the dog showed no regret. His excuse was that the dog wasn’t listening to him, and he insisted the dog was fine. However, the state Malone found the dog in was not “fine.”
“I’m sorry that it ended in a brawl but the dog was going to die,” Malone said. “No question.”
So, even though there’s a lot of controversy about the actions leading up to the dog’s rescue, everything worked out in the canine’s favor. The 6-year-old Maltipoo named Champ is currently recovering at the vet. He had broken ribs, a broken hind leg, and some scrapes from the incident. He was also filthy and in desperate need of grooming. But as it turns out, he didn’t belong to the person who was beating him.
Dog Returns Home
Kelly McKinney said her son stole Champ from her, and he was the one hurting the innocent dog. About 2 1/2 weeks ago, McKinney left her two dogs at the nonprofit donation center she runs while she picked up groceries. When she returned, Champ was missing. She said her son had asked to see Champ earlier in the day, but she told him no because she was not on good terms with him.
Then, weeks later, McKinney received a call from the shelter after Champ had been rescued from her son. She never imagined that her son would physically harm her dog, so she was shocked when she saw the news coverage. McKinney thought that beating her son was excessive, but she isn’t mad because his actions toward Champ are inexcusable.
“The last thing I thought he would do is put his hands on that dog,” McKinney said. “Champ is helpless and every bit of 12 pounds. How do you do that to him?”
Champ is doing well, but he’s still recovering, and his vet bills are adding up. So, a friend of McKinney set up a GoFundMe page to help cover his medical needs. Hopefully, McKinney will work extra hard to ensure her son never has access to her dog again.
H/T: washingtonpost.com
Featured Image: YouTube
