It is profoundly distressing to witness the cruelty that some individuals exhibit towards animals. A gentle dog named Riona suffered unimaginable torment when her owner heinously set her ablaze last year.
Nearly one year after that tragic incident, Riona is finally on her way to a loving forever home. In June, the residents of Nutbush, Tennessee were appalled to see Riona, a pitbull mix, racing down the street engulfed in flames. The pervasive odor of gasoline indicated that this act was premeditated.
“All you could smell was gas,” remarked Mallory Mclemore of Bluff City Veterinary Specialists in an interview with Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“She was severely burned and coated in diesel fuel… It was evident that she had been intentionally set on fire, as corroborated by witness accounts,” stated Ginger Natoli, founder of Tails of Hope Dog Rescue, in a discussion with Newsweek. “We also acquired ring camera footage from a neighbor that captured her running in a ball of flames.”
Riona suffered the loss of her ear, yet her left eye was fortunately preserved due to prompt medical intervention. She was subsequently taken in by Tails of Hope Dog Rescue, where she received comprehensive care at Bluff City Veterinary Specialists, which included bi-daily full-body wraps to safeguard her skin throughout her recovery process.
