Louisville resident rescues pit bull from dog fighting ring

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- April 8 is National Dog Fighting Awareness Day, and while the practice is illegal in every state, tens of thousands of people still do it.

For 2-year-old Arlo, daily strolls and sniffs in the park are more than just a bathroom break, they're a second chance.

"Every morning we go for a walk and every evening we come walk through old Louisville," said Arlo's owner, Jonathan Seale. "She was a little skittish at first coming in. She's been through a lot in a very short amount of time."

This time last year, Arlo was one of almost 90 dogs involved in a dog fighting ring in New York.

While Seale said he doesn't know much about her history, he believes she was born and bred into the illegal activity.

Arlo the Dog — Arlo, a pit bull that was rescued from a dog fighting ring in New York. (WDRB photo)

In August, Arlo was rescued in one of the biggest busts in New York's history, and was taken to St. Louis. There, she was under the care of Even Chance Rescue who helped provide medical care and other treatments before pairing her with Jonathan.

"I've had Arlo for about four weeks now," said Seale. "She's brought me a ton of happiness. I moved here in the middle of the pandemic not knowing anyone."

Seale said Arlo has helped him get out and meet new people while exploring new parts of the city. Despite her past trauma, Seale said Arlo is adapting to her new home well.

"Dogs and cats, she just wants to play with them," he said. "She came from a fighting background but she has no interest in doing anything but playing and loving on you."

Arlo goes for a walk — Arlo, a pit bull that was rescued from a dog fighting ring in New York. (WDRB photo)

One of Arlo's favorite friends to play with is another rescue named Fetty, who lives in Lexington.

Fetty was also rescued from a dog ring in New York and matched with his owner here in Kentucky. Seale said he's hopeful Arlo's story can help inspire others to rescue more dogs from cruel situations.

"People should throw the stigma out the window," Seale said. "If you're going to own any dog really, you need to take into consideration the breed and the instincts and the drive of the animal. As far as them being bad animals naturally, that's just not true at all."