Welcome back to all our readers. The month of May has just kicked off, and the CertaPet team is ready to bring you the latest happenings in the Emotional Support and Service Animals community. This week, we take you to Tarrant County, Texas, where a tragic story found a happy ending.
Content warning: this story contains animal abuse.
Dog In Texas Survives Injuries To Become A Therapy Pet For Children With Special Needs
It’s not often that cases of animal abuse have a happy outcome. Thankfully, that was not the case for Mara the dog, who now works with children with special needs.
Mara’s life underwent quite a radical change in under a year. An affidavit obtained by the news outlet NBC5 states that a witness called the police to report a man ‘throwing’ things at a dog outside the Keller library.
When the police arrived at the scene, they could hear the sounds of a man shouting and a dog yelping. Upon further investigation, an officer discovered a shirtless man in a nearby playground who picked up the dog and slammed it into a parked car and then on the ground.
According to the affidavit, the attacker, identified as Arin Bright, then moved over to the play area and strung Mara by its leash on the monkey bars. It was only when the police approached the man that he let the dog down the monkey bars and proceeded to walk to his car.
Mara remained calm when the officers approached her to check on her injuries. The officers noted the canine was bleeding from its hind legs.
Mara was later turned over to Animal Control Officers. Court documents reveal that Mara’s inspection disclosed that the canine had scars from previous injuries and that the claws of her hind legs had been ripped out.
The attacker, Bright, was eventually identified and taken to Keller jail, charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals.
Bright was Mara’s owner and seemed to have been abusing his pet over a period of time. He was recently found guilty of animal abuse and sentenced to five years by the Tarrant County court.
Source: NBCDFW
CertaPet’s Thoughts on This Week’s News
Mara has overcome her injuries and spends her days as a Therapy Pet for kids with special needs. While we’re delighted at her resilience, her case brings to light that animal abuse remains a prevalent concern. Perhaps it’s time to work on a system that helps report and rescue animals undergoing abuse with greater ease and swiftness.
If you’re living with a mental illness, getting an Emotional Support Animal could really help your recovery. These loving animals could ease your symptoms and help you live a happier, fuller life. If you’re ready to start the process, take our 5-minute pre-screening test for free. We’ll connect you with a licensed mental health professional who will have a consultation with you. Then, if you qualify, you’ll get your ESA letter in no time.