It is truly amazing how cruel some people can be to dogs. A certain dog named Riona suffered when her owner deliberately set her on fire.
But a year later, Riona is finally heading to her new forever home.
In June of this year, residents of Knotbush Tennessee were horrified when they saw a Pitbull mix named Riona running down the street while on fire. The strong smell of gas indicated that it had been deliberately set on fire.
Ginger Natoli, founder of Tails of Hope Dog Rescue, shared that Riona was badly burned and covered in diesel fuel, confirming through witness statements that she was deliberately set on fire. Additionally, camera footage from the Neighbors episode showed her running into a ball of flame.
Although Riona lost her ear to the fire, emergency medical rescue managed to save her eye. She is taken in by Tails of Hope Dog Rescue. She provided medical care at Bluff City Veterinary Specialists. Her skin was carefully protected with a daily body wrap.
Riona's story caught the eye after a video of her plight went viral on TikTok, garnering millions of views. This sparked sympathy for Riona all over the world.
Riona embarked on a healing journey, undergoing a series of skin grafts to treat burns that covered her entire body. Despite the trauma she went through, Riona managed to maintain her attitude throughout the healing process.
According to McClemore, "she's always wagging her tail," which makes the situation even sadder. It's hard to understand how anyone can do something like that to a dog that loves everyone."
Commercial Appeal's Natoli mentioned that Riona is actually gorgeous with only one ear, which adds to her unique charm and personality.
Throughout Riona's recovery, Tails of Hope has continued to share updates on her progress, and her supporters have generously sent donations and gifts for the pup.
Meanwhile, 43-year-old Quichon Brown has been arrested for setting Riona on fire. He faces misdemeanor assault charges as well as two counts of aggravated animal cruelty and arson. The case is currently awaiting trial.
The months passed steadily and Riona's condition gradually improved. And recently, exactly one year after enduring such unimaginable pain, there is an encouraging update on Ryona's story; She has finally found her new forever home! Tails of Hope shared that they are about to embark on a ten-hour road trip to bring Ryona to her new home.
"Our main goal was to find him a forever home and that's what we managed to do," Natolie expressed in the trade call. "Riona now has dogs she can play with, kids to befriend, a garden she can play in and a family that has medical expertise and understands her injuries."
"Riona's journey isn't over yet; in fact, it's only just begun," the relief organization posted on Facebook. "We were all part of this transformation for our 'warrior' daughter."
As a reminder that animal rescue work never stops, Tails of Hope reports that immediately after Riona left her home, they took in another rescue dog who had suffered burn injuries. "There always seems to be another friend in need," they pointed out. "...Now we must play our part in another inspiring story."
What this poor adorable dog has been through really hurts. We are happy that after a year, Riona is finally heading to her beloved home!
Please share this refreshing update!