A young boxer-blend named Gertie is recovering at a Southern California animal center after surviving what staff describe as one of the most severe abuse cases they have encountered in years.
The 1‑year‑old dog was found dumped on the side of a road in Tulare, California, so badly injured that rescuers initially believed she was dead.
Helen Woodward Animal Center in Rancho Santa Fe, which took Gertie in last week, said she shows every indication of having been used as a bait dog in illegal dogfighting operations.
Despite her condition, the center says she has remained “gentle, affectionate, and trusting” toward everyone who has helped her.
A Rescued Bait Dog
According to the rescue partner who first responded, Gertie was lying motionless when discovered. When approached, she opened her eyes, the first sign she was still alive.
Severely emaciated and covered in scars, she had torn ears, open wounds around her mouth and a mutilated muzzle. Without immediate medical intervention, staff said she would not have survived.
Her medical evaluation revealed injuries consistent with being restrained and repeatedly attacked—hallmarks of a bait dog, a role typically assigned to passive and defenseless animals in dogfighting rings.
Greater Good Charities describes bait dogs as being used as training targets, often with their snouts taped shut or their teeth ground down so they cannot defend themselves. Many suffer torn ears, broken jaws, starvation, and “extreme fear,” the organization says.
Gertie’s injuries pointed to similar treatment: a tightly bound muzzle that cracked her teeth and prevented her from eating or making a sound, extensive scarring, and evidence she had been bred at a very young age, possibly multiple times.
A Fresh Start
Yet staff at Helen Woodward Animal Center say her spirit has remained remarkably intact. Throughout her initial medical care, she reacted to gentle handling with exuberant tail wags—so strong and constant that veterinarians noted she had developed “happy tail,” a condition where dogs injure their own tails from wagging against hard surfaces.
“She had a life-force inside of her whose strength was second only to the size of her heart and gratitude,” the center said.
Gertie now faces weeks of recovery, but the animal center says she is on a hopeful and “victorious” path. Her case, they added, serves as a stark reminder that dogfighting continues in the United States despite being illegal in all 50 states. The center urged the public to report suspected dogfighting activities, especially when animals appear abused, injured or abandoned.
Helen Woodward reiterated that dogfighting in progress should be reported to 911. Non-emergency tips or information can be directed to local animal control agencies.