Dog Found Beaten and Spray Painted in Alley, Now Recovering

Cans of spray paint are seen as a graffiti artist creates art on the side of a wall as the Wynwood neighborhood prepares for the annual Art Basel art fair on December 03, 2018 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

A dog was found severely beaten, spray painted, and tied to an extension cord next to a deceased dog in a Los Angeles alley on Jan. 21. The Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation believes that the incident may have been an initiation ritual by gang members.

The dog, now named Avery, was taken to the hospital in critical condition, and her picture was published on Facebook by the foundation.

In the initial post, Avery could be seen with a pink and blue covered body—the paint and her injuries were virtually indistinguishable—with abnormal swelling on her face and an electric cord tied tightly around her neck.

Avery had open sores on her belly and one of her legs, as well as a large welt on the side of her face, according to the foundation. She was admitted to emergency care on the day of her rescue, where she was X-rayed. Avery also had three seizures, with one lasting over five minutes.

From Critical to Stable Condition

Her condition was declared stable on Jan. 22, after the foundation spoke with the hospital’s owner. According to the second update on the Facebook page, the doctor said that the seizures were most likely the result of injuries to the head.

Avery then began to recover from all of her painful conditions: mange, open sores, infections, and lesions across her body.

Avery spent another night at the hospital, where additional tests were done to ensure that there were no critical issues.

“Thank you to everyone who donated for her care, and wrote words of encouragement,” wrote the foundation. “While her rehab will take time, we are thankful she will get the chance to live again.”

Suspected Gang Initiation

The foundation reported the incident to the authorities, providing pictures of Avery when she was initially found and a video recording of the alley. It’s possible that gang members could be responsible for the attack on the dog.

Gangs like MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, are known to perform satanic animal sacrifices. Anthropology Professor Thomas Ward, of the University of Southern California has studied the gang and told the Washington Post that an MS-13 gang member once described to him his initiation. It consisted of drinking each other’s blood and cutting open a cat.

Avery has since been recovering and will be put up for adoption when her hair grows back, according to 10TV.

The non-profit Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation was founded by Marc Ching in 2011 with the mission of saving abused and neglected animals. The foundation provides the animals full rehabilitation services and helps them find new owners.

Rescuing dogs from the Asian meat trade is also a focus for the foundation, saving them from the “cruel and barbaric methods practiced to kill dogs in order for their meat to taste better.” If you would like to donate to Avery, visit the foundation’s Facebook page for more information.