In the days after a graphic viral video of a pit bull mix being violently assaulted with a stick sparked widespread public anger across social media, the abused canine has started a new chapter of life far from his traumatic past, with a new name and a caring foster home.
Formerly called Big Boy, the dog was renamed Buddy by his rescuer, Jessica Schreiber, a dedicated animal caregiver who welcomed him into her home just hours after seeing the disturbing footage. Schreiber explained that the new name was chosen to symbolize a clean break from his history of harm, while still carrying a gentle connection to his old identifier. “I wanted to leave his past in the past,” she shared in an interview with News 5 Wednesday. “I went with something that sounded similar, but also represented that he’s gonna be either my buddy or somebody’s buddy from now on.”
Schreiber recounted that she could not shake the disturbing images after watching the video when it first circulated online. The footage left her heartbroken and unable to sleep, and she woke up convinced she had to intervene. By that morning, she had already convinced her husband that the couple should take the injured dog in. Buddy now joins seven other rescue dogs already living in Schreiber’s home.
According to medical updates, Buddy is receiving daily eye treatment after being attacked with gasoline prior to the beating captured on camera, and he is currently awaiting the results of routine bloodwork to guide his ongoing care. While the trauma of his past abuse still leaves visible marks on his behavior—he flinches involuntarily whenever any object moves toward his face—Schreiber says Buddy has never shown any signs of aggression toward humans. On the contrary, he remains affectionate and gentle with every person he meets.
Schreiber has not yet made a final decision about Buddy’s long-term future. She is focused on his rehabilitation right now, and will either adopt him permanently or place him in a separate loving forever home once he has fully healed from his trauma.
The incident, which took place in Cotton Tree Village, has already drawn broad condemnation from the animal welfare community. Earlier this week, 11 different organizations released a joint statement calling the abuse a visible symptom of deeper, systemic societal failures around animal protection. Local law enforcement confirmed Monday that the investigation into the incident is still active, and no charges have yet been filed against the man seen assaulting Buddy in the viral video.