Puppies Beaten In Viral Video Being Readied For Adoption By Foster Families

Foster families are caring for the two puppies beaten by boys in a viral video, with the goal of getting them ready for adoption in the near future.

Zane (the brown dog) and Dobby (the white dog) were seen in a viral video in which they were in the backseat of a car, with two boys surrounding them. The boys then punched, threw and stomped on the dogs while they yelped helplessly. During the attack, the boys could be heard laughing.

Because the video went viral, people called the Oklahoma City Police Department, which arrested the two boys in early April. Because they are juveniles, investigators have not released their names. But they each face two counts of felony animal cruelty.

A spokesperson with the Oklahoma County District Attorney's Office told News 9 on Tuesday that the case is proceeding through the juvenile system. But due to the suspects being minors, additional information could not be released. 

In addition to the two dogs in the viral video, OKC Animal Welfare said officers seized three other dogs from the same northeast Oklahoma City home. All five dogs have since been transferred to the care of the rescue group, Mutt Misfits Animal Rescue Society. 

Mutt Misfits said of the five dogs, the three puppies - including Zane and Dobby - were covered in ticks and were very underweight. The two adult females appeared to have been used for breeding, the rescue group said. A week after the dogs were transferred to Mutt Misfits' care, one of the females gave birth to 11 puppies. 

Mutt Misfits placed the dogs into various foster families so they could be taken care of until they are ready for adoption.

Angie Grimmett became the foster mom of Dobby while Cassie Giesbrecht became the foster mom of Zane on April 8. They said initially, both dogs were hesitant toward people, but have since made great progress.

"(Zane) was excited to see me, for me to pick him up. Like, he was really sweet. But it was the way that you handled him or touched him, you could tell that he was a little bit fearful," said Giesbrecht. "Now, you can tell he's not like that at all. He's super playful. I do still have to watch how I pick him up or how I play with him because it does frighten him a little bit. But overall, he's doing a lot better than he was initially when I first got him."

"Dobby was very timid and distrusting," said Grimmett. "And he wanted to be where I was and near me, but he would Army-crawl or roll over on his back in a kind of a submissive position and keep his little tail tucked. And then just with time, he's learned how to use the potty outside. He's crate-training. He's great with that. He's learning how to be a dog so he plays with toys and all the other dogs in the house. And he loves snuggling with me at nighttime."

Grimmett said she couldn't watch the viral video due to how violent it was. Giesbrecht said she accidentally watched it, but could not bear to watch the whole thing.

"My stomach sank," said Giesbrecht. "It was horrible."

But the dogs have since thrived after getting out of that situation. When News 9's Chris Yu visited the pups on Tuesday, both eagerly greeted him and were comfortable eating from his hand

"It's amazing how when you bring them into an environment where they're loved and they get food and they learn some manners, that they really start to blossom," said Grimmett.

Grimmett and Giesbrecht said once Dobby and Zane receive all their vaccinations and get neutered, they will be ready for adoption, likely within a month.

"(Dobby's) probably going to want kind of an active family," said Grimmett. "I don't think he's going to be too terribly big. But he'll need an active family and someone that would love to play with him."

"(Zane) loves to have other animals around so I think a house with at least another dog would do well," Giesbrecht said. "He loves attention, so that's another thing is somebody is just going to be able to give him attention. He's super sweet, super playful, really playful, and he likes to talk."

Meanwhile, the momma dog and her 11 puppies will need more time before they are ready for adoption.

To keep track of when Dobby, Zane, and the 14 other dogs in this case are available for adoption, follow the Mutt Misfits Animal Rescue Society's Facebook page. Because the group is caring for 16 dogs from this case, donations are welcome to cover the cost of vet care and supplies. Anyone wishing to contribute can do so using the following methods:

Venmo: @muttmisfits

Cashapp: https://cash.app/$muttmisfits

PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/muttmisfitssociety

Credit/debit Card: https://muttmisfits.harnessapp.com/wv2/donate

Mail: PO Box 12671 Oklahoma City, OK 73157

Alternatively, people can donate directly to Mutt Misfits' account at Rock Knoll Animal Hospital. Call 405-634-5700 or email rockknollanimalhospital@gmail.com.