CT rescue dog found 'severely malnourished' gets 'fresh start' with new family
- Candace Bouchard
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
The Register Citizen | By Abby Weiss | March 20, 2025 | A rescue dog that was found "severely malnourished" with an open wound has fully recuperated and found a forever home, a local shelter announced Thursday.
Last October, Where The Love Is Rescue, Inc. in Hamden took in an 8-year-old pit bull mix that survived what a spokesperson reported as "one of the worst cases of neglect ever seen by volunteers," the organization spokesperson said in a news release. The dog, which the shelter named Ryder, weighed 21 pounds, suffered from an open wound on her leg and was struggling to breathe and stand.
Ryder spent more than two weeks in Central Animal Hospital in North Haven, where she was treated for the open wound from an abscess that burst. The organization was advised to put her down due to her condition, but Ryder was "a fighter" and "had a strong will to live," Where The Love Is said in a Facebook post in November.
A Milford resident fostered Ryder for four months, bringing her to daily veterinary clinic visits, feeding her five meals a day and providing regular socialization to help her heal, according to the news release. Supporters donated more than $10,000 in November to help cover Ryder's $20,000 veterinary bill, which came from laser treatment, hyperbaric treatment and other procedures.
Now fully recuperated, the pit bull was recently adopted by a local family with two other dogs. They renamed her Rosie because she "truly deserves a fresh start a life filled with love," the family said in the news release. The new owners asked not to be identified due to the "sensitive nature of the dog's prior situation," according to Where The Love Is.
Rosie came from a "dangerous domestic situation" in which she was starved and left outside, the shelter said in the news release.
Last fall, her previous owner contacted an animal advocate from Desmond's Army in Hamden, saying her dog was under the care of somebody else and she was unable to get her back, Julia Pisani, the adoption coordinator for Where The Love Is, said in a previous interview. It's unclear why the owner couldn't access her dog. The Desmond's Army advocate then notified the shelter.
The Hamden Animal Control Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding Rosie's mistreatment, Where The Love Is said in the release. Hearst Connecticut Media has reached out to the Hamden Police Department for comment.
“Where the Love Is Animal Shelter is grateful for the coverage provided to Rosie's plight and the hundreds of Connecticut residents who donated to support her recovery,” Where The Love Is founder Gabrielle Scirocco said in the release. “Unfortunately, dozens of dogs across the state continue to be abandoned and abused, so our mission is more critical than ever.”
Some organizations in Connecticut reported being overwhelmed last summer due to the rate of pets being abandoned.
Thanks for your organization. Thank God you trusted your gut concerning the decision to put her down and you chose life, which was the right one. No animal should be mistreated . They have feeling just like humans and they hurt just like us.
Having known the organization for several years , it is with deep commitment that I praise their expertise, compassion, and brilliant bravery, for having saved the lives of innocent, and such deserving souls. Donations to their cause and expertise are extremely worthy as demonstrated by their successful rescues and tireless efforts !