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Dog severely injured after being set on fire by owner

It’s truly unbelievable how cruel some people can be towards animals, but thankfully there are also kind people in the world willing to step up and give these poor creatures the love and care they deserve.

That’s the story of one dog, who was left gravely injured after being set on fire, but is now making a steady recovery thanks to an animal rescue.

(Warning: story contains some graphic photos.)

On February 7th, 2024, a woman in Nixon, Texas found a dog on her front porch, crying in pain, according to KENS 5. The poor puppy, later named Phoenix, had endured an unimaginable nightmare.

Tied up, shoved into a backpack, she was set on fire by someone who showed her nothing but cruelty.

She was taken in by the San Antonio-based rescue 4 Little Paws, who got her emergency medical care. ”She has open wounds that appear to be consistent with being in a kennel and breaking out to get away from the pain of burning,” 4 Little Paws Rescue wrote, adding that they could still smell the accelerant on her.

”Currently she is burnt over most of her body her nose being the most obvious but as the skin falls off she will be susceptible to infection and dehydration from the trauma. Despite all of this she has a gentle nature and still trusts humans.”

”My heart just broke. It was heart wrenching to see her,” Ashley Book, the rescue’s medical director, told KENS 5.

”She smelled so horrific of fire, her skin was rock hard. It almost appeared melted, but the swelling was what was most evident on her face.”

The dog lost most of her fur and her ears had to be amputated due to the burn damage. Even after enduring so much pain and going through so many surgeries, she never gave up. The rescue named her “Phoenix,” after the mythical bird who burns but rises again from the ashes.

“I initially didn’t think she was going to make it, and this is going to be extremely costly,” Book told KENS 5 in October.

Over the year, 4 Little Paws has continued to post updates about Phoenix’s progress. Though the photos can be graphic, they said her appearance would ”get worse before it gets better.”

Phoenix’s story touched people’s hearts, and many donated to help her recovery: a GoFundMe page has raised over $63,000 to pay for her treatments. Overall, the community collected over $112,000 to cover Phoenix’s treatment and recovery.

The dog received surgeries and skin grafts allowing her skin to grow back, her kidney functions have stabilized, and her pain is under control.

Today, she has recovered enough that she was allowed out of the hospital to stay with Ashley Book, who eventually adopted her.

”I pretty much think I’m going to be her future mom. She’s captured everybody’s hearts, and, least of not was mine,” Book said back in February.

Since her rescue, Phoenix has been recovering under the loving care of her new adoptive mother, Ashley Book. While her recovery has surpassed expectations, there remains a lingering concern in Book’s mind.

For far too long, there was uncertainty, but now, justice has finally been served. The individual responsible for this horrifying act has pled guilty to numerous charges, including the abuse inflicted upon Phoenix. Michael Villanueva
received the maximum sentence of 20 years, with the possibility of parole in 4 to 5 years.

While this can’t undo the pain Phoenix endured, it brings a glimmer of hope that justice will prevail. Let us all continue to pray that this serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting those who cannot protect themselves.

It’s horrifying that anyone would set an innocent dog on fire, but we’re glad Phoenix has risen from the ashes and is on the road to recovery ❤️

Please keep this beautiful dog in your thoughts, and please share this story to spread the word.

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If you see a woman who…

If you see a woman who…

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A lady moves her car to avoid a garbage bag on the road, then checks it out and feels scared.

You might have experienced this before. Suddenly, you decide to do something a bit different from your usual routine. Maybe you change when you have your coffee or leave work a bit earlier. Even small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference. You might run into an old friend unexpectedly, or find out something upsetting about your partner soon after leaving work.

Sometimes, changes are tiny, and other times, they’re huge. Just like what happened to Malissa Sergent Lewis one summer day when she decided to take a different way to work.

Facebook/Malissa Sergent Lewis

One summer morning in 2016, Malissa Sergent Lewis was running behind schedule for her job at a school in Kentucky.

Malissa decided to take a smaller road instead of the busy highway because she wanted to get to her destination faster.

She’ll always be thankful for making that choice.

Facebook/Malissa Sergent Lewis

That day on the road, there was something unusual: a moving trash bag.

When Malissa saw it, she wondered if it was really moving.

As she got closer, she realized it was indeed moving.

Facebook/Malissa Sergent Lewis

Malissa really wanted to see what was in the bag, so she stopped her car and walked over to it carefully, not sure what she would find inside.

Malissa understood that since the bag was tied, whatever was inside wasn’t there by accident.

She carefully ripped open a corner of the bag to look inside.

Even more surprising was what was inside.

“It was a young dog. He was really happy to see me, too. When I opened the bag and he saw light, he immediately started wagging his tail. I couldn’t believe it,” Malissa told The Dodo.

The puppy was found in the road, inside a trash bag. It seemed like the dog hadn’t been in there for too long, even though even a short time would have been too much for the little guy.

Even though the puppy had a collar, there were no tags on it.

Malissa took the dog to school with her because she couldn’t stand to leave him behind.

Facebook/Malissa Sergent Lewis

Finally, Malissa’s son took the dog back home. Then, both of them took the puppy to the vet for a check-up and shots.

It’s a mystery how the puppy ended up in a bag by the roadside.

Malissa was afraid someone might take or leave the puppy, so she called animal control.

But nobody said the dog belonged to them, and nobody reported losing it.

Luckily, Malissa and her family have adopted the dog, so he’ll have a loving home. Malissa can’t understand why someone would do something so cruel.

Who would hurt an animal like that? Everyone loves puppies. Malissa said to The Dodo, “Putting any animal in a trash bag and leaving it on the road is really cruel.”

To watch a video about the event, click this link:

The ways of the world are strange. Malissa couldn’t understand it.

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Young woman with facial tattoos, piercings confronts TJ Maxx employees after she was denied a job

Anyone who has ever been rejected from a job has probably found themselves wondering what disqualified them from the position. Was it a lack of skills, the way you presented yourself, or something else?

Ash Putnam, 23, was recently denied a job at TJ Maxx and took her frustrations to TikTok where her video went viral.

Her video has since amassed more than seven million views and tens of thousands of comments. As the 20-something, who is covered in tattoos, wondered how young people could get an entry level job, everyone in the comments seemed to be in agreement about one thing.

Putnam explained on her viral TikTok how she applied for a job at a TJ Maxx only to receive an automatic email “a few weeks” later denying her application.

“They couldn’t even call me, they just sent me some automated email.”

Unsatisfied with the response, Putnam visited the store where she applied and confronted store employees.

“I went in today and was like, ‘So what was the reason why I didn’t get hired?’ She was like, ‘Oh you just don’t have enough experience there was candidates that had more experience than you’.”

“I asked her if it was about my tattoos obviously because I know a lot of places don’t like tattoos. She said that wasn’t the reason, I don’t feel like that’s true but whatever I will leave it at that.”

“Just because I have tattoos does not mean I am not going to be a good worker. I do not understand that at all. Quite literally some of the most smart intelligent people I have ever met are people with tattoos and piercings,” she continued.

Although the Californian, who works for Uber Eats, never get a straight answer from TJ Maxx, people on TikTok seemed to agree on the reason she was denied the job.

“tattooer here, it’s probably the tattoos”

“HR supervisor here. There is no way any company would put you in front of customers like TJ maxx.”

“I worked at TJ Maxx and they will hire just about anyone that comes off the street it’s definitely the tattoos and piercings”

“I don’t think it’s because you have tattoos…I think it’s WHERE you have tattoos ??‍♂️”

Putnam also seems to think it’s her tattoos as well.

“I absolutely do think it’s about my tattoos because apparently my tattoos are demonic and scary to a lot of people,” she told the Daily Star.

“TJ Maxx did not say this to me – that’s just a lot of the comments I’ve gotten on my video. People are being extremely hateful on my TikTok saying I should work at a circus or Halloween stores.”

Even if her body art is the reason she was denied a job at the retailer, she believes companies need to rethink their hiring process.

“If they think tattoos determine job skill and qualifications they really need to rethink. Tattoos, piercings and colored hair are not unprofessional. It shows creativity and uniqueness. It’s 2024, people need to get over not liking tattoos.”

Do you think tattoos play a part in whether or not a person gets a job? Should they? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook.

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