READ The Horrific Story of HEAVEN & HEAVENLY! Find out how you can help and keep coming back to find out how they are doing!

On April 10th 2008 at 5:30 pm, Grainger County Humane Society of East Tennessee was called by a resident of the Avondale & Cherry Street area in Rutledge TN. A very upset and crying resident reported a red nose female Pit Bull standing in her front yard in a very emaciated state, covered in sores. GCHS rushed to the scene to find the worst case of starvation of a dog they have every seen still alive. GCHS named the dog Heavenly due to the fact only a heavenly creature could have survived the condition this poor dog was in.

Almost 24 hours later to the minute on April 11th 2008, Grainger County Humane Society received another call from another distraught resident in the Avondale Hollow area about 1-2 miles from where Heavenly was found the day before. This resident described another red nose female Pit Bull standing in her yard in horrible shape. Again GCHS rushed to the scene to find yet another Rednose female Pit Bull in even worse condition then Heavenly. GCHS named this poor soul Heaven.

Heaven & Heavenly are the worst case of starvation and abuse Grainger County Humane Society had ever discovered alive. Nestled in the beautiful East Tennessee Mountains, GCHS a non-profit, non-funded, all volunteer organization were shocked to find both dogs covered in deep pressure sores caused by lack of body fat and muscle tissue. Their own bones had rubbed sores through their skin. Both dogs were infested with internal worms of many types. severly emaciated, Heavenly weighed in at a shocking 28 pounds and Heaven weighed in at a disturbing 24 pounds. Healthy dogs of their breed and stature should weigh about 55-65 pounds or more! Their toenails were so long it made it painful and difficult to walk correctly. Just lovingly petting these dogs caused them pain, making any physical contact to the dogs a painful experience for them.

Grainger County Humane Society does not believe these dogs became this way from being strays, or do we think it was caused by worm infestation. GCHS believes these dogs were abused, neglected and starved by someone with no sense of love, compassion or pet ownership responsibilities. GCHS believes this person kept these dogs locked up somewhere and starved them out of pure lack of caring and plain laziness. Both dogs show all the signs of being beaten, neglected, abused and starved for a long period of time. Heaven and Heavenly lived a tortured and painful Hell in this person`s care. GCHS also believes the dogs were dumped in the rural area by their owner, in hopes the dogs would wander off into the woods and die unseen and unnoticed. Luckily this did not happen. GCHS and the residents of this beautiful Tennessee farm community are outraged and pray no other dogs suffered out in those back roads due to this same person’s cruelty. Grainger County Humane Society is looking for this person and hope they will be given a tip to point them in the direction of where these dogs came from and who owned them. Once found we hope to prosecuted this person to the full letter of the law by charging them with 2 counts of Aggravated Animal Abuse which is a Felony.

Heaven and Heavenly were placed in a foster home with a lot of experience with the Pit Bull breed and emaciated dogs. Both dogs must be fed in small portions so not to put their delicate systems into shock and kill them.

Due to the horror these dogs must have been through, both dogs are very shy and terrified by loud sounds and any type of sudden movement. The dogs sleep very lightly and sometimes will run to hide when approached to quickly. The dogs both savored the taste of clean water and when fed the dogs look to their foster caregivers as if to ask if it is all right to eat. Both dogs seem shocked every time they are given a meal. Heaven & Heavenly must be provided padded bedding so their boney bodies do not inflict more pressure wounds due to their lack of body fat. Both animals had to receive IV fluids due to dehydration and must be treated very gently and quietly, so not to scare them.

Grainger County Humane Society does plan on adopting out these dogs once they are physically and mentally ready to be placed in homes. This will be a long road for both dogs. But both GCHS and Vets believe this is not going to be a problem if done slowly and caringly. All potenial apoters will be home checked, background checked, must own their own home and must take a Pit Bull Ownership Class and will be encouraged to take obiendence classes with the dogs. Adopters will also have to agree to a 1 year homecheck period so GCHS can make sure the dogs are adjusting fine in their new home. Potential adopters must agree to make these beautiful dogs, housedogs only with a fenced area for the dogs to excersise. GCHS is committed to making sure these dogs only receive love, undertanding and the best of care for the rest of their lives.

UPDATE- April 29^th 2008

Heavenly has gained almost 10 pounds since being picked up! She is slowly showing trust and understands what love and caring is. She has shown this in a very special way. Heavenly smiles! When happy or at meal times Heavenly wags her whole body and her lips curl up into an obvious smile that makes everyone who sees it smile too.This trait is seen a lot in the Pit Bull breed as is their happy grin after hard play. She is learning no one is going to hurt her again and has started to enjoy being inside the house and enjoys the grassy area she has to run free in. She was so happy and curious once her nails were clipped and her toes no longer hurt with each step.

Heaven has not done so well but has gained 4 pounds since GCHS has brought her in. She was severely dehydrated, anemic and had some slight internal organ damage, which the vets feel will be corrected with the army of medications prescribed to her. Heaven seemed to have endured more abuse than Heavenly and is so very shy and terrified by normal daily activities going on around her. She has started to show trust and seems to enjoy laying on her padded doggy bed inside the foster home while the foster family watches t.v. She watches our every move in hopes she will not be hit or kicked. Her pressure sores are starting to heal but are still deep and painful and it still hurts her to even move sometimes. Heaven is slowly learning she will not be beaten, she will be fed and watered and will be gently stroked with kindness and soft voices. Heaven has yet to wag her tail more than once or twice so far. But Heaven is still very sick and just does not feel well yet and we think once she starts to feel better the tail will wag just like Heavenly`s does.

UPDATE MAY 20th 2008! Go to Photo Gallery on the menu bar to see new photos of Heaven & Heavenly!

Heavenly is doing so good. She now weighs in at about 48 pounds! She is learning house-training, leash-training and is becoming very social with dogs and cats. She is playful and friendly and loves attention. She LOVES chew toys and has gone through many toys, just chewing them up in pure enjoyment. She has become a wonderful watchdog and barks when strangers come to the house. She keeps smiling and wagging her whole backend. She has even started to bark when she is enjoying play or wants a treat. Heavenly`s hair-coat is starting to grow in healthy and new fur is starting to grow over her scars. Yet those scars which are now being covered with fur, will never be forgotten as the hair is growing in darker in those locations. Heavenly will always show her scars in looks and behavior.  She still is very shell shocked though. Sudden movments, loud noises or voices make her hit the floor in terror. She may never grow out of this fear but she has learned to trust and enjoy being loved.

Heaven still has shown very little signs of wanting to be social. She has gained 13 pounds since she has been with us, so now weighs in at about 37 pounds!!!! YEAH for HEAVEN! But Heaven hides from us when she can and she is not enjoying life as Heavenly is. She keeps to herself when she can and has not made so much as a peep since she has been with us. Heaven is somewhere in this shell of a dog. She eats in seceret, if someone is watching she will not eat. We have found a little bit of joy for her though. Heaven has a love for peanut-butter! The only treat she will eat from our hands. She loves peanut-butter and will lick it from our fingers with the first signs of enjoyment we have ever seen from her. She also likes her crate we have out on our porch especially for her. We leave the door open and she freely goes in and out of it......when no one is watching. We bring Heavenly inside but she sleeps with one eye open constantly and any movement in the house makes her panic. Like Heavenly any sudden movements or loud noises frighten Heaven sending her running or dropping to the floor in a corner. Our fight goes on to reach Heaven as we know somewhere deep inside is a dog wanting to be loved and petted and played with. Will this ever happen??? All we can do is pray and keep on showing her no one will ever hurt her again. Heaven does have hope, Heaven has shown absolutly no aggression what so ever and has never tried to fear bite. Please say a special prayer for Heaven, she needs a special touch from God to make her realize her life in Hell is over and her happy life here on Earth is just begining.

Grainger County Humane Society has opened this web site at the request of East Tennessee residents to keep track of their progress and health. GCHS also wants people like you to understand and learn what kind of Hell dogs like Heaven & Heavenly live through everyday all over our Country. It is in your State, your County, your town and maybe even in your neighbors back yard. Please do not let dogs like these go unseen and suffer the Hell that Heaven & Heavenly almost succumbed to. This kind of starvation is one of the most painful ways to die and no living creature should ever have to endure it.

If you would like to donate towards Heaven & Heavenly`s long term care and rehabilitation

Go To: www.graingercountyhumanesociety.org or call our main number at 865-567-0050or email their foster home at timssquaw@hotmail.com. You can also send your donation to GCHS P.O. Box 229 Rutledge TN 37861. Please make your payment to GCHS -ATTENTION HEAVEN FUND. OR go directly to Rutledge Animal Clinic on Cherry Street in Rutledge TN 865-828-4610

*****GCHS has also set up a separate REWARD fund in hopes someone will step forward and point us to the person who did this horrible & inhumane crime. If you would like to donate to this fund

Go To: www.graingercountyhumanesociety.org or call our main number at 865-567-0050 or email their foster home at timssquaw@hotmail.com. You can also send your donation to GCHS P.O. Box 229 Rutledge TN 37861. Please make your payment to GCHS -ATTENTION HEAVEN REWARD FUND.

You can also go to these approved Donation Jar locations at:

Any Grainger County Humane Society event

Morristown Wal-Mart in Morristown TN on 25E- In front of the Pet section.

Clinch Mountain Printers in Bean Station TN on 25E

Rutledge Animal Clinic on Cherry Street in Rutledge TN

Doggy Delights of Morristown TN

Whisper Ridge Veterinary Hospital & Wellness in Rogersville tn 11E

Colboch Harley Davidson of Morristown TN on 25E on Saturdays only

Classic Leathers in Morristown TN, next to the Coke Cola Plant

CD SWAP in Morristown TN across from College SQ Mall and next door to Hardeys

 HEAVEN & HEAVENLY`S  NEWS COVERAGE IN THE CITIZENS TRIBUNE &  ON CHANNEL 8  &  CHANNEL 6

WVLT Channel 8 > http://www.volunteertv.com/news/headlines/18144319.html

WATE Channel 6 > http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?s=8227409