A Human Cut Out His Tongue, But This Adoptable Pup Still Gives Kisses

Heart the Pit Bull got his name for his lovely, kind-hearted demeanor. He adores every human he meets, but as it turns out, humans weren’t always nice to him. Someone found the innocent Pit Bull wandering the streets of Philadelphia. They said he was disoriented, covered in puncture wounds, and missing his tongue. So, the kind soul rushed the ill canine to ACCT Philly, which is the only open-admission shelter in the city.

Now, Heart has recovered and is looking for a special forever home to give him the love he deserves.

Heart the Pit Bull rescued — Image: Sarah Barnett Facebook

Heart’s Second Chance

Once he arrived at ACCT Philly, vets examined Heart’s health. Sadly, they discovered that his tongue had been deliberately cut out, and it likely happened recently. His puncture wounds seem to be from dogs, so Heart is very scared when he walks past unfamiliar canines. Yet, he still has plenty of faith in humans.

Sarah Barnett, the director of development and communications at ACCT Philly, said this is one of the worst cases of abuse the shelter has seen. Still, she reminds others that instead of questioning why someone would do something so horrible, they should focus on the dog’s future instead. So, Barnett got to work on trying to find a foster home for Heart. But it wasn’t easy.

Pit Bull on office chair — Image: Sarah Barnett Facebook

“There were no fosters available anywhere. Every rescue is struggling to find fosters right now since many of the people who fostered in 2020 now want to be out taking vacations,” Barnett said.

So, with the help of donations from PAWS and ACCT Philly’s Yoda Fund, Barnett was able to foster Heart herself. Barnett has experience working with special needs dogs, and she knew Heart would have some challenges, but she was determined to help him in any way she could.

Pit Bull special food bowls — Image: Sarah Barnett Facebook

In Need of a Loving Home

The biggest challenge Heart faced in his foster home was eating. Without a tongue, the food would often fall out of his mouth and make a mess when he tried to eat. After lots of trial and error, Barnett learned that he could eat just fine if given dry food in a raised bowl. Now, Heart is able to eat all on his own, but he often needs someone to clean up after him.

All of Heart’s wounds are fully healed now, so he’s looking for the family of his dreams. Barnett thinks he would do best in a home with no other pets, where he can have lots of space to run around and play. He’s not picky about humans though, and he even adores children. So, Barnett is shocked that no one has scooped up the sweet pup yet.

Heart loves kids — Image: Sarah Barnett Facebook

“He’s going to need somebody who’s going to be a leader for him and be his rock — basically help him continue to learn the world’s not super scary,” Barnett said. “What’s remarkable to me, given what he’s been through, is that he’s not even remotely scared of people. Everybody who comes by, he’s very thrilled about.”

Without a tongue, Heart will likely get hot much faster than other dogs since he can’t fully pant. But despite his special needs, he’s a wonderful dog who will give his humans all the love in the world. He even cuddles and tries to give kisses, which for him means he just likes to nuzzle his face against someone. It’s the sweetest thing ever!