Dog Found Buried Alive Defies Her Abuser By Making Full Recovery

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A dog who was rescued after having been buried alive, left to die beneath a mound of dirt and stones, has made a complete recovery from that unimaginable ordeal - revealing a wonderful personality that makes the attempt on her life all the more sickening.

The aging pet, given the name Athena after the Greek goddess of wisdom, was discovered earlier this month on the verge of death in a suburb of Paris, France. Thankfully, a passerby found her, and she was saved from the clear act of cruelty in time, but was found to be suffering from dehydration and shock.

Afterward, Athena was rushed to Veterinary Clinic V24, where caregivers set about reversing the damage. A little over a week later, vets say she has made a full recovery.

"Her health state is good," clinic staffer Barthélémy Balli told The Dodo. "Since she's a little bit old, Athena was unsure about us in the clinic at first because of her shocked state, but now she is much better. She's doing very well."

Balli says that once Athena realized that she was now among people she could trust, her sweet, gentle temperament began to shine through.

"She's very friendly, not aggressive at all," he said. "She's a good, good dog. Really very nice."

Athena has since been placed under the care of the SPA, who may have already found her a forever home.

"I think they already found a family for her," Balli says. "There is a police investigation ongoing, so we don't have a lot of information about that."

Authorities were able to track down the dog's former owner, a 21-year-old man believed to be responsible for the disturbing incident. He has been charged with animal cruelty, French news outlets report, and now faces up to two years in prison and fines totaling more than $33,000.