Despite the cruelty that he has faced, Buddy is still the sweetest dog. There's still a smile under all those bandages.
What happened to Buddy is too horrific to describe here - and the person who did it to him is so shockingly young to be so cruel.
Buddy, the Labrador retriever mix, is on the mend after a long voyage. Buddy is regaining his life after being set on fire by a 12-year-old child while living on the streets as a stray.
Nobody knows why the boy did this, but it resulted in severe burns and anguish for the poor dog, who was discovered wandering the streets of Mississippi on April 22 with an extension cable wrapped around his neck and his face set on fire.
He now has third and fourth-degree burns on his face. Buddy is still the sweetest dog, despite the cruelty he has endured. He, like many others rescued canines who have been subjected to cruelty, is not a mean dog.
Sandy Williams, shelter director of the Tunica Humane Society, told the Clarion Ledger, "He's a nice, forgiving dog." “I'm not sure how he's done it and preserved his delicate heart, but he has. He's going to make someone a fantastic dog.”
According to investigators, after a prize of more than $10,000 was offered for information about the incident, a 12-year-old child admitted to hurting Buddy. However, due to their age, this young man cannot be criminally punished for abuse under state law.
This infuriated many people online, especially after seeing how adorable Buddy is in local news broadcasts. Sheri Webb of Georgia began the Justice for Buddy petition on Change.org, and as of Tuesday, approximately 128,000 people had signed it, ensuring that the dog receives the justice he deserves.
“Anyone who does this to a helpless animal must face consequences,” Webb said on the petition. “The child need time in a prison center as well as long-term psychological counseling, and the parents should pay for the intensive medical care required to rehabilitate this terrible animal.”
Webb went on to say that this type of crime is common in future perpetrators of more violent crimes against people, and that rehabilitating the youngster may help save many lives.
“This petition is a plea for reform — for a law that protects the culprit rather than the victim,” Webb wrote. “At the age of twelve, a youngster understands what is good and wrong. He is a menace to society because of the horrible crime he committed.”
Buddy has been treated by vets at Mississippi State University's veterinary college after the event. According to Clarion Ledger, he has already performed two skin transplants and expects to have more layers in future surgeries.
Buddy is making a remarkably good improvement, according to Dr. Elizabeth Swanson, who is treating him.Swanson told the Clarion-Ledger that “everything is moving along great.” “The mending is far above our expectations, therefore we are quite pleased.”
Despite the fact that Buddy will have lasting burn wounds as a result of the event, scores of families have contacted the shelter in the hopes of adopting him once he has healed. Although the road to recovery may be long, there is no doubt that when the time is right, this puppy will find the perfect home.