‘Tiny’ 7-Pound Ohio Pit Bull Named ‘Jovie’ Fighting For Her Life In Ohio

Despite the fact that Ohio has been the home of pit bulls who rescue their owners from fires, as reported by the Mansfield Journal, it has also been home to some seemingly despicable acts of cruelty towards the breed.

The Blade recently reported about the sad tale of Jovie the pit bull, a 3-month-old pit who was dropped off at the Lucas County Pit Crew looking starved and weighing a stunning three pounds in September.

According to the executive director of Lucas County Pit Crew, Jean Keating, Jovie the pit bull has a lot of spunk. In fact, they nicknamed the tiny pit bull “Miss Spunkypants.”

“She’s a character. She has a personality that will just crack you up.”

The almost miniature pit bull was in much worse condition when she arrived at the Ohio pit bull rescue. According to Dr. Anne Bergstorm, from West Toledo Animal Hospital, Jovie the pit bull was merely half of what she should have weighed. In fact, her little body was “shutting down” when they admitted her.

Dr. Bergstorm explained to the Blade that Jovie the pit bull was living on “borrowed time,” and her condition was “excessively poor.” At the time, she feared the skeletal-looking pit bull would not last much longer.

Despite her condition, executive director Keating said that “you could see a sparkle in her eye,” and that she “kept trying to wag her tail.” Keating was with Jovie the entire time. In fact, when Jovie the pit bull was not at the animal hospital in the day, she stayed with Keating at night. She made the decision that if Jovie “was going to die, she would not die alone.”

Despite her progress on the fourth and fifth day, Keating describes her as “perking up” and trying to walk. Unfortunately, though she was making progress, painful muscle spasms were causing little Jovie a great deal of pain.

“Every time she breathed, you felt every bone in her body. She would just fall over and her limbs would shake and she was just screaming. It was horrifying. All I could do was wrap her up in a blanket and hold her until it stopped.”

Though Jovie’s condition is “guarded and stable,” she has yet to rise to her appropriate weight of 15 pounds. Still weighing seven pounds might partially have to do with the little pit bull puppy’s constant vomiting and diarrhea, Dr. Bergstorm discusses.

The Pit Crew counts each pound she gains on her road to recovery. Dr. Bergstorm explains the gaunt pit bull might never be the same, and likely will be a “special needs dog” all her life. Currently, she is in foster care.

At this time, the local humane society is investigating if Jovie’s condition is biological issue or simple animal cruelty. They hope to have answers by Friday. “Jovie the tiny pit bull” is already a Facebook fan page with over 3,000 fans.

This case is eerily similar to another case in Ohio. The Inquisitr reported on a similar case of pit bull puppy neglect in October.

[Image Via Jovie The Tiny Pit Bull Facebook]