Rescued fighting ring bait dog 'Brave' needs a loving foster home

WATERFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - They call him Brave - beaten up, bitten up, and likely the bait dog in a dog fighting ring.

Detroit police found him wandering the streets so badly hurt, he's been recovering at Union Lake Veterinary Hospital for the past three months.

"All the scarring you see it was just dog bites, over and over," said Kristina Rinaldi, Detroit Dog Rescue. "Bites on top of scars so this is something he endured for a really long time."

Rinaldi, the executive director of Detroit Dog Rescue, is hoping somebody knows what happened to this dog. Right now there is nobody to prosecute for what she knows was a cruel and vicious crime.

"We truly believe that he was held and he was fought and we believe he was the bait dog," Rinaldi said.

And because of that, they didn't know what to expect. But it turns out - Brave has the best disposition - maybe he's just so grateful to finally be safe.

"We were expecting a semi-aggressive dog a fearful dog, someone who was fearful from humans," Rinaldi said. "What we discovered was just the sweetest boy in the whole entire world."

So sweet, especially when you consider all he's been through. He's still pretty skinny and he's got a lot of scars.

"He's been through so much," Rinaldi said. "He's already been through a surgery to repair his leg and he's been through a lot of painful medical care to kind of heal up these scars and he's still just the sweetest guy."

He still has another surgery to get through - so he hangs out there with the staff and helps answer the phones and book appointments.

And now DDR is hoping their phone will ring - with the perfect foster family for Brave.

"He's ready for a temporary, foster home. Detroit Dog Rescue provides everything, we buy the food, we still provide the medical care," Rinaldi said. "We literally just need you to provide your couch - some love. He's eager to go on walks - he's doing really well on a leash - he's never been on a leash before he really just needs somebody to love."

And they're looking for a home with no other animals so he can relax, decompress and continue to heal. 

If you think Brave might be the right fit for your home as a foster or a forever home, go to detroitdogrescue.com