Pitbull Dragged Down Timberland On the Road to Recovery

The tale of Justice, the abused pitbull who was dragged behind a truck down Timberland Drive in Lufkin, has begun a happy new chapter. After extensive treatment at Angelina Animal Hospital, Justice was released today into the care of a local foster family.

Justice, the dog formerly known as Bear, is a one-year-old pitbull-boxer mix. He was a little sheepish Friday afternoon as he was led out of the back room at Angelina Animal Hospital, but seemed to immediately warm to his foster caretaker, Paula. She will care for him until he's fully recovered and a permanent home can be found.

The story starts almost two weeks ago, when Lufkin police pulled over a man driving down Timberland Drive without a license, under the influence, and with a cord and empty dog collar tied to the back of his truck. Officers found Justice nearby and took him to Angelina Animal Hospital, where he has undergone treatment. The man responsible is currently being held at the Angelina Country Jail.

Justice seemed happy to get out of the hospital on Friday, though he did have a little trouble getting into Paula's truck. With some help from the Angelina Animal Hospital staff, he loaded up and was on his way.

Justice's journey doesn't end here though. There are still many weeks of treatment ahead: beginning today, he'll undergo a brand new laser procedure to speed the growth of new muscle tissue.

Special thanks go out to SNARR, a nationwide group that works with animals that are sick, injured, have behavioral issues, or are considered unadoptable. SNARR has been Justice's advocate since his ordeal, even setting up a Facebook page for him, and will continue to monitor his recovery.

Luckily for us, Paula is an employee of the station, so we'll keep you updated on his recovery as well. We're all glad he's doing as well as he is, and can't wait to see him happily chasing tennis balls and napping on the couch soon.