Miami

Sick and Hungry Dog Finds Forever Home After NBC 6 Report

A once sick and homeless animal has a new home, after being seen in an NBC 6 investigation.

NBC 6 cameras caught video of a dog that appeared to be sick and hungry and living near a construction site. The large white dog had cuts and scrapes across his body and was eating garbage. He was part of a pack of dogs seen wandering the streets of Miami-Dade. The video aired in a special report last February that showed how dogs are roaming the Redland and other rural parts of Miami-Dade County.

At the time, neighbors feared for their safety – worried the dogs could harm their children.

“These dogs are enough to destroy any kid,’ said one neighbor.

A volunteer group called The Redland Rock Pit Abandoned Dog Project rescued the animal and found him a forever home.

“I nourished him back to health and I discovered he’s one of the best dogs I’ve ever fostered,” said Alliette Chignoli.

Chignoli didn’t just foster the dog she named “Roman,” she adopted the abandoned animal.

“He had a lot of open wounds and scar tissue that wasn’t properly healed, and a lot of allergies that had him scratching constantly,” she said.

She says Roman’s not scratching anymore.

Chignoli says the animal some thought was dangerous, couldn’t be sweeter.

“He’s super sweet, he’s a loving boy, all he wants to do is watch TV all day,” she said.

Construction crews said the animal was left at the site as a puppy and he formed a pack with other homeless animals.

“He had gone through so much misery and now he has just flourished and has truly shown me how much they love you unconditionally,” said Chignoli.

The volunteer group has rescued more than 700 dogs last year alone – all ages and sizes. They’re working to find the animals permanent homes.

Every day volunteers feed the abandoned animals that they can’t catch or don’t space to house them.

“This ending can happen for a lot of different dogs out there, but we all as a community have got to come together to find a way to pick these dogs up,” said Chignoli.

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