Dog fighting is an awful sport that is outlawed in many countries. But since it is so lucrative, a lot of illegal dog fighting still goes on around the world. On August 13th, 2013 there was a crackdown on dog fighters in the US. Over 350 dogs were freed from the cages of their oppressors. The animal protection groups involved were met with many difficult situations.
One of the brave, four-legged "gladiators" they rescued was a pit bull pup named Timmy Cooper. He became the face of the rescue action. When the rescuers found him, Timmy was just 8 weeks old, completely exhausted, and attached to a heavy iron chain.
As the "poster pup" of the American organization, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Timmy managed to escape the fighting arena and win the hearts of animal lovers around the world.
Even though Timmy carried a stigma as a "fighting dog," he received a lot of love and devotion. His rescuers cared for him, helped him recover, and gave him a new home. All of the love Timmy received, he gave back and more, bashing the stereotype that pit bulls are aggressive by nature.
But little Timmy wasn't long for this world. In 2015, two years after his rescue, Timmy died of a brain tumor. His new family said goodbye with heavy hearts, "You are set free, little guy. Know you are adored and loved." Even though Timmy is no longer around, his rescuers haven't stopped fighting against the acts of cruelty committed by his previous owners.
Dog fighting is still terribly popular. But Timmy is evidence that there is no such thing as "fighting dogs," but simply dogs that are forced to fight. Make sure to help honor Timmy's memory and work to stop this terrible sport - share his story with your friends.
