2 pit bulls found at Tampa middle school as 'dog dumping' becomes growing trend in Bay Area

TAMPA, Fla. - Pit bulls Biggie and Bertha had their ears cropped for fighting so that adversaries couldn’t grab them with their teeth. It appears the ear cropping was a backyard job done inhumanely.

"They give them whiskey or other alcohol to try and dull the pain, but really it's awful, bloody, and it's cruelty to animals," said Sherry Silk, Executive Director of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

Silk said the two dogs were apparently let go by their owner. Bertha looks like she recently had pups.

"My guess is she's had her puppies, and the puppies were sold and that's probably why they were dumped. We see it all the time, and it's awful," said Silk.  She said "dog dumping" is a growing trend, perhaps due to the economy or that more people moving to the area are bringing more dogs that end up as strays.

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By chance, Bertha and Biggie wandered into Sligh Middle School in Tampa over the weekend. WWE pro wrestling legend Titus O'Neil, whose real name is Thaddeus Bullard, was stuffing back to school backpacks. He and dozens of volunteers befriended the dogs and Bullard called Silk of the Humane Society.

She found space for the two pit bulls. They were examined by Medical Services Manager Samantha Petito.

"Their hearts sound great, but their ears. It looks like they both have ear infections," she said.

The Humane Society of Tampa Bay said if you see a stray, you can contact them and take the animal home for a week or two until space becomes available at their crowded facility.

"If you fall in love, and we hope you will, we'll even spay or neuter it for free and find that dog a home. The idea is to get dogs out of our shelter, not in our shelter," said Silk.

Biggie and Bertha will likely be available for adoption soon. Even with cropped ears, they are lucky dogs to have wandered into the right place after they were dumped by their owner.

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