A young puppy suffered horrifying injuries after someone cruelly tied a hairband tightly around her muzzle, cutting deep into her flesh—right down to the bone.
Her face had swollen to three times its normal size when she was finally rescued and taken to Cincinnati Animal CARE, a no-kill shelter in Ohio.
Staff at the shelter named her Tiffany, after their favorite ’80s pop star. What they discovered was devastating: the embedded hairband had caused a severe wound, likely used as a crude and painful way to silence the pup from barking—similar to the misuse of zip ties in some abuse cases.
Tiffany was given immediate medical attention. The hairband was removed, and the deep gash on her face was carefully stitched.
Despite the pain, she remained brave throughout the procedure and even spent her first night post-surgery with a caring member of the medical team.
Thankfully, Tiffany is now healing well. Her swelling has gone down dramatically, her sutures are clean, and she’s eating, drinking, and enjoying the affection of the Good Samaritan who originally found her and is now fostering her.
The shelter is continuing to search for the person responsible for this act of cruelty. PETA has even offered a reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone who can help is urged to contact the Hamilton County Dog Wardens.
In a recent update, shelter staff shared that Tiffany stopped by for a visit—and she’s thriving. Her story is a powerful reminder of both the horrors animals can endure and the healing that’s possible through compassion and care.
