Abused pit bull rescued but dies after giving birth to 5 puppies
BY JORDAN OWEN Staff Reporter April 7, 2013 9:08PM
Petunia / photo courtesy Jamie Skraban
Maps
Updated: April 8, 2013 6:53PM
A pregnant pit bull rescued after she was hit by a car and abused in south suburban Park Forest died Sunday.
Three-year-old Petunia was found walking down the street with fractured teeth and burns on her body, according to the Facebook page Mama Petunia, which has more than nine thousand followers.
A pit bull rescue group, “It’s a Pittie,” took Petunia in and brought her to a veterinarian in Monee, volunteer Jamie Skraban said.
Veterinarians determined that Petunia had been hit by a car but could not account for her burns.
Petunia delivered 10 puppies on Friday, Skraban said. Five were stillborn. The five healthy puppies are now with a foster family and were being bottle-fed.
Petunia underwent hydrotherapy for her burns and was treated with antibiotics, but she died early Sunday, Skraban said.
“At 5:15 a.m. I crossed Rainbow Bridge (went home to be with the Lord). My heart stopped beating. The Doctors performed CPR and massaged my heart. My body was tired,” Mama Petunia’s Facebook page said.
Park Forest Police were not available for comment Sunday night.
“It’s not fair that she didn’t make it, and five puppies died because of the abuse,” Skraban said.
