Starved Pit Bull Recovers at ASPCA; Owner Arrested

On October 7, ASPCA Special Investigator Paul Romano removed Hennessy, a weak and emaciated Pit Bull, from a Staten Island home. She was found tied to a short leash, and veterinarians at the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital determined that the skeletal dog had been starved.

Flash forward to December, and Hennessy is hardly the same dog. (Check out the before-and-after pics below!) During her stay at the ASPCA, she’s gained 92 percent of her body weight.

While hospital staff takes care of Hennessy, Humane Law Enforcement Agents are taking care of business. On December 11, Agents arrested Laquanda Carter, Hennessy’s owner. Carter, 27, was charged with animal abuse and faces a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine if convicted.

Hennessy was rescued thanks to a concerned neighbor who reported the abuse. If you suspect an animal is being abused, don’t keep it to yourself—report it to your local authorities.