what a sad story, I am glad it has a happy ending.
Its amazing at how some people can be so mean to animals, if you just try and Understand them alittle, you will learn that they Only need so little in care and affecion to become Wonderful pets and blossem into perfect family member.
I worked at a shelter a while back and I fell in love with this dog, she came in, owner surrender and the guy was like "little monster, too much energy and is distructive" she went home to another family and came back a week later, the guy was like "wife hates her, dosent want her anymore" she came in way underwaight, it was horrable, I called my sister and told her to meet "summer" my sister did and her husband said yes... she was welcomed into our family in just under an hour.
we have a habbit of looking past small annoyances. (like trying to excape under the fence and poking at the trash) all we see when we see her is how good of a dog she is. shes GREAT with kids, (I trust her) and she listenes (sort of) but ... shes like.. the best dog, she loves us all and is good in the car. she never gets sick and hardly pulls when shes on leash. and she came from homes that said she wasent a vary good dog.
I wish we could ban people that arnt good animal parents from having them.