Abused dog Indie has new outlook on life

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – At the Heritage Institute Veterinary Technician School, Indie is a star. WINK News got exclusive access inside the classroom as students took turns petting and kissing the beloved dog, but it wasn’t always so easy.

“The very first day when I brought him into class, he wouldn’t walk up to any students,” said Indie’s new owner Michelle Rosner.

Rosner is also an instructor at the school. For the first few weeks she had Indie, she was scared to leave him at home, so she brought him to the classroom.

“It was unbelievable how quickly he turned around, from coming to class with me and getting in the socialization with my students and getting to be here in the room, really unbelievable how quickly everyday we saw huge improvements in him,” Rosner told WINK News.

“I’ve seen a lot of abused dogs that never come out and are this happy ever again, so it’s amazing,” said student Brittni Dilallo.

Indie, a young American Cur breed, was left for dead in Immokalee in the beginning of July. He was malnourished with severe injuries; his nose was ripped off. Doctors believe he was used as bait in a dog fighting ring.

“It’s definitely heartbreaking seeing him and seeing his injuries, and not fully knowing what he really went through,” said Rosner.

Now, Indie is surrounded by a loving family and gets along great with Rosner’s two other dogs. Rosner hopes Indie can be a face for educating the community on the horrors of illegal dog fighting, but says first she has to get him house trained.

If you’d like to support Indie’s medical bills and training costs, you can visit his GoFundMe page.

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