Pedro Dinis was out walking his dog for a casual stroll, but that stroll led him to the right place at the right time to save a life. He found a dog cruelly buried alive!  Only her head was barely visible in the mound of dirt.

The Good Samaritan immediately began to dig and free the dog. It was then he realized that the poor dog was not only buried in the earth, but she was also tied down with rope to prevent her from escaping. The rope was weighed down with a bag of gravel.

Pedro managed to free her and at one point he was assisted by his dog. Dinis immediately gave the dog water as she was severely dehydrated and weak. He took the mastiff to the veterinarian where she was treated.

IMAGE SOURCE: DAILYMAIL

Meanwhile, authorities were able to track down the dog’s owner. The 21-year-old claimed that the dog had run away, but considering the dog is age and ailment, investigators did not believe the man’s story and charged him with animal cruelty.

Charges for animal cruelty in France can carry up to two years in prison or fines of over $30,000. An online petition calling for the ‘maximum sentence for the owner’ had received over 300,000-plus signatures.

In the months since her rescue, Athena has found comfort, happiness and a permanent loving forever home with the founders of the rescue.

IMAGE SOURCE: DAILYMAIL

IMAGE SOURCE: DAILYMAIL

IMAGE SOURCE: DAILYMAIL

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