It’s heartbreaking to think someone could be so cruel, but that’s what Jennifer Vaz from New Jersey discovered when she found a pit bull trapped in a cage, left to drown in a river. Thankfully, she was there at the right time!
While walking her dog, Molly, Jennifer encountered something shocking. Floating in the water was a caged pit bull, just a year old, whimpering and struggling to stay afloat. Jennifer shared with CBS News:
“Molly was noticing something and wanted to take me off the trail. When I looked down in the water, I saw River and I saw his little black eyes looking back at me.”
With the tide rising fast, Jennifer knew the dog didn’t have long before he’d be completely underwater. She quickly climbed down to rescue the pit bull, now named River, with Molly following closely behind. Jennifer recalled the heartbreaking moment:
“When I looked over and saw him in the crate, and the water splashing off him, his eyes were so sad. I’ll never forget his eyes. He wasn’t angry, he just seemed to want to know why. What’s going on? Why is this happening?”
A New Life For River
After the rescue, local authorities took River in to ensure he was okay. They also launched an investigation to identify who was behind this terrible act. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office shared:
“The tide was coming in and the water had reached the cage. When animal control arrived on the scene the cage was almost covered by the rising tide. If not for the heroic rescue act of the good Samaritan, the dog could have potentially drowned.”
Although Jennifer rescued River, she gives the credit to Molly, her dog:
“To be honest, Molly is the real hero. She’s the one who led us to River. She’s the one who calmed him and led him out of the crate. She really is the hero in this story. All I’m doing is giving River a voice.”
Jennifer took River in as a foster dog until he could find a permanent home. Unfortunately, Molly wasn’t too happy about having a new housemate and even stopped eating and drinking.
After consulting with the vet, Jennifer made the tough decision to return River so someone else could foster him. Thankfully, the Monmouth County SPCA found River another loving foster home, and he’s doing great.
Standing Up Against Animal Cruelty
Jennifer didn’t stop there. She’s now advocating for “River’s Law,” which would establish a registry for individuals who abuse animals. The registry would list offenders’ names and crimes, helping shelters and breeders deny them the opportunity to adopt pets.
As for River’s abuser, authorities arrested 36-year-old Aaron Davis, who allegedly attempted to drown the dog out of revenge against his girlfriend after an argument.
He was held in jail for a few weeks, and after being found guilty, he was ordered to pay full restitution and serve community service.
Thank goodness Jennifer and Molly were walking by the river that day and heard River’s cries for help. Talk about perfect timing!