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Marley's Mutt rescue thriving after severe burns

Posted at 9:08 PM, Jul 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-16 19:49:04-04

The Kern County animal shelters see an influx of dogs throughout the summer months. Some of them are dropped off at shelters in bad shape in need of medical treatment, adoption or rescue.

Marley's Mutts is a Tehachapi based non-profit, who's mission is to save the lives of canines around Kern County.

In June, founder Zach Skow and his team rescued three-year-old pit bull Jada. According to Marley's Mutts, someone had abandoned Jada at the Kern County Animal Shelter. Her back covered with severe burns, the worst Zach and others have seen in a rescue. Stunned by her wounds but encouraged by Jada's spirit, Marley's Mutts had no other option except to rescue her. 

"She started on a lot of pain medication, antibiotics, CBD, and after that she comes up here to the ranch every two days," said Angela Adan, Marley's Mutts Ranch manager. 

After Jada's release from the Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital, Adan and a medical foster parent took over her treatment. Every 48 hours, they clean three large wounds on Jada's back and change five layers of bandages. 

"She has an amazing temperament, if you didn't know that she had burns underneath here, she would not show or tell you in any type of way," said Adan. 

Adan says Jada is a form of pit bull, a breed she says is often misrepresented by aggression. Last month, Delta Airlines banned pit bulls as service dogs on flights. That decision causing outrage and considered unfounded by many experts. 

"A lot of people have some sort of negative stigma to pit bulls...they are powerful dogs but they're not aggressive dogs, I always like to tell people that aggression is a state of mind and not a breed," said Adan. 

As for Jada's state of mind, she is handling her recovery with a smile and waiting for the day when she can roll around in the grass bandage free.   

According to Adan, Jada should be ready for adoption around the beginning of next year. She says the ranch recently received a grant allowing them to renovate the barn on campus and expand their ability to care for more dogs. Currently the ranch houses 12 dogs with six kennels. Adan says the renovations would allow the ranch to care for more dogs as well as 20 kennels. 

If you'd like to apply to adopt Jada or other dogs at Marley's Mutts, click here.