When most rescues are gentle, Ozzy’s story hits like a gut punch—and a comfort hug all at once.
This little puppy was found suffocating in a tied-off garbage bag by the side of a road in Battle Creek on August 13.
People fear to imagine the cruelty behind it—or worse, how close he came to not surviving.
But Ozzy did survive, because the right person listened. A woman stopped at a nearby stop sign and heard him crying.
She didn’t keep driving. She stayed. That decision gave Ozzy the one thing he needed most: a lifeline.
From that moment on, A.S.K. (All Species Kinship) took over. This rescue and rehabilitation nonprofit became Ozzy’s second chance at life.
Initially listed in critical condition, the puppy couldn’t have been in worse shape.
But 14 days later, A.S.K. reported that Ozzy was gaining weight, eating on his own, and even inching toward normal puppy behavior—though he still displayed caution and a guarded heart.
The road wasn’t smooth. A.S.K.’s director, Sophia DiPietro, revealed that Ozzy has lost his hearing—likely due to brain damage from suffocation.
His eyesight, which was initially believed to be gone entirely, has begun to return. He also started regaining bladder control and showed he can be fed without assistance.
These strides—tiny steps into a brighter future—are all signposts that hope is working.
Tragically, a week after Ozzy was rescued, another puppy—believed to be his sibling—was discovered dead along Highway M-66. DNA testing is underway to confirm the bond.
Ozzy’s case remains under investigation, and DiPietro urged anyone with information to contact the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office.
The spike in cruelty cases—123 in 2017 rising to 913 in 2023—shows that cases like Ozzy’s aren’t isolated.
As of now, Ozzy’s journey isn’t over. He’s not yet available for adoption.
Full recovery will take time, more medical help, and emotional healing. However, the community’s support is already swelling: A puppy shower is being planned in his honor.
There’ll be a DNA-based breed reveal, Ozzy-branded merchandise, and lots of people who’ve believed in his comeback.
Here’s what makes this story stay with you: Ozzy’s rescue was an injection of compassion into cruelty.
He’s not just becoming adoptable—he’s reclaiming his right to live. He could have vanished without notice.
Instead, thanks to an observant stranger and a relentless rescue group, he’s growing stronger, shedding his trauma, and inching toward a home where he can finally heal completely.
Ozzy is proof that even in darkness, light can break through—sometimes sparked by one act of kindness that changes everything.
