Sometimes we all need rescue

Donna Lawrence wasn't a likely advocate for Pit Bulls, but 10 months after an attack by a Pit that caused her to miscarry and left her barren, she found a Pit-mix puppy who’d been beaten, burned, and left to die.

The eight-week-old puppy’s jaw was broken and her teeth knocked out because she licked her owner's infant baby's face. She was then set on fire and left for dead. She was found clinging to life with second- and third-degree burns, and horrible wounds covering her back.

Lawrence named her Susie, and raised the money to pay for the months of care her profound injuries required. She also championed her cause, ultimately passing "Susie's Law" in North Carolina — seeking stricter punishment for animal abusers.

Susie went on to be named 2014 American Humane Association Therapy Dog and 2014 American Humane Association Hero Dog. 

The film Susie's Hope, released Jan. 5, chronicles both Lawrence’s and Susie's stories. Sales support the Susie's Hope nonprofit, which works to end animal abuse. Learn more at susieshope.com.