By Erika I. Ritchie for The Orange County Register
MISSION VIEJO, CALIFORNIA – Phoenix rubbed his earless, scarred head against Tiffany Norton’s hand, pushing for a pat.
The emaciated German shepherd-mix had just come out of a bath on Tuesday to soothe his infected, flea-covered body. The dog was rescued on Monday by Coastal German Shepherd Rescue from a shelter in Downey – hours before he was scheduled to be euthanized – and brought to Alicia Pet Care Center.
Rescuers believe Phoenix, about 5 years old, was used as a bait dog – essentially a submissive dog that is confined and attacked by fight dogs-in-training. He was found as a stray a few days ago, said Norton, the rescue’s director.
That’s typical, according to officials with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Task Force.
“We usually see the dogs after they’ve been in fights and are discarded in trash bins or as stray dogs wandering in the alley,” Officer Ramon Muñez said. “We have some weeks where we’ll see a lot and then it will ebb off. The (Los Angeles) District Attorney has put out a hotline. We get tips from that, 911 and Animal Control.”
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