American bulldog who was kicked and stamped on by previous owner is now in loving forever home

An American bull-type dog who was hit, kicked and stamped on by her previous owner leaving her with injuries to her face, has now found a loving forever home.

The 11-month-old dog could be heard yelping and a witness said they heard a man shouting at Kia, hitting her in the face, stamping on her and picking something up from the ground and hitting her twice in the head with it - allegedly because she chewed the remote control for the TV.

Kia was rescued from Rochdale and came into the care of the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital in February last year where vets checked her over.

She had visible injuries to her head and face. Both of her eyes were red and bloodshot and there was a cut above her left eye which was bleeding. She also had some red marks on her face and ears. 

 

 

Poor Kia exhibited nervous behaviour as she cowered to the floor during her examination. However, despite her ordeal she was still friendly and loving with staff.

Vets discovered she had swelling to the left-hand side of her face and her left eye was protruding. She had bruising to the white area of her left eye, inside her mouth and above her upper incisors. There was further bruising to her chin, neck and ears and she also had a fractured tooth.

Kia was given treatment at the hospital where she stayed for two nights before being transferred to the RSPCA Preston branch for ongoing care.

Inspector Beth Fazackerley, who investigated this incident, said: “Poor Kia was subjected to blunt force trauma by her previous owner which left her with nasty facial injuries.

“Despite everything she had been through, even though she was clearly scared from the way she cowered before the vets, she showed no sign of aggression and was lovely and friendly towards me and the staff at the hospital. She must have known we were there to help her.

“I’m so pleased to see she has now found a loving forever home - she really deserves that second chance at happiness.

“This is why the RSPCA is running its Winter Appeal to help raise funds so they can continue their vital work and help more animals like Kia.”

 

 

After being rehabilitated, Kia was happily rehomed to Emily and Seth Snape-Gormley in Lancashire.

She was initially fostered by the family but they soon fell in love with her and adopted her in July last year.

Emily said: “We really love her, it feels like she’s always been part of our family. She’s settled in really well.

“She was a little bit wary at first and a bit withdrawn when she first arrived. When we walked near her she would flinch which was really sad to see and must have been because she’d been hit before. She wasn’t as nervous as we expected though considering what she has been through.

“Thankfully, she’s much more comfortable now. She’s really excitable and loves bounding around as though she’s still a puppy. She loves food, playing with balls and rope toys - basically anything we can throw so she can chase after it.”

The two-year-old did suffer from separation anxiety at first but Emily has been working hard to help her overcome this and as she works from home, she is around most of the time to keep Kia company. 

Emily and Seth have two children, Soren, five, and Saben, two.

She added: “She’s really lovely with our children which is great. She’s really gentle and chilled with them. She’s definitely settled in as part of our family now and we have spent this Christmas spoiling her rotten.”

Sadly this kind of cruelty is seen more and more by the RSPCA following an increase in pet ownership during lockdown.

In response, the animal welfare charity launched their Winter Appeal to help raise funds so they can continue their vital work and help more animals like Kia.

For pet owners who are worried about the cost of living crisis, the RSPCA has opened a telephone helpline to support callers and a dedicated Cost of Living Hub with practical help and advice on the website.

To join the Winter Rescue and help rescuers be there for the animals in need, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/jointherescue.