This dog went from a fighter to an artist!
Van Gogh is a one-eared dog rescued from a dog fighting ring by the Orange County Animal Services. As of the moment, the pupper is under the care of Happily Furever After Rescue in Connecticut.
According to the founder of the rescue home, Jaclyn Gartner, she saw his picture and instantly fell in love. “I saw his picture and that was it for me. I instantly fell in love. His face, his story—I adored him the moment I saw him,” she shared.
Van Gogh was used in the fighting rings as a bait dog, where he is thrown in to let the actual fighting dogs attack the poor puppy. Because of his involvement in these circles, he had a badly injured ear that was unrepairable and had to be removed by the vet.
His fascination for art, though, came from Gartner’s suggestion. The founder discovered the dog canvas trend on TikTok, where animals would get to paint by moving a bag around. Upon encouraging van Gogh to try by using peanut butter, he was able to create 10 artworks that were exhibited in a gallery to gain more interested adopters to see him.
Unfortunately, only a few people showed up, so Gartner uploaded the art pieces online to get more traction, and it worked! Van Gogh now has international attention both from art buyers and potential adopters.
The rescue home is planning to sell the talented pupper’s work. Proceeds will go to supporting the rescue, treats for the artist, and peanut butter to continue his art. For those interested in adopting Van Gogh, Happily Furever After Rescue requires potential owners to meet him in person.
Image credit: Happily Furever After Rescue