Jena Malone, who starred in The Hunger Games franchise, was responsible for saving a dog from its abuser.
On April 4, 2022, the actress was driving on Sunset Boulevard to Hollywood when she saw a man repeatedly kicking a small white dog, yanking it by the hair, and apparently trying to choke it.
On her social media account, she wrote, “I yelled at him to stop from my car, but he wouldn’t. I got out of my car to try and get the dog, but he started running.” She then asked the help of other passersby, and five men chased after the man.
Malone then went back to her car and followed the pursuers for six blocks to see if the man had been caught. When she caught up with them, the men were beating up the abuser, and she took possession of the dog.
The actress stayed with the dog and waited until the police arrived. “This was really scary. I can’t imagine the level of torture it had suffered at this point,” she said.
Champ
The dog rescued is a male, six-year-old Maltipoo belonging to Kelly McKinney, named Champion, or Champ. The police were able to identify the dog through the microchip attached to it.
Champ was stolen by McKinney’s son five days before the incident when she left it for a time at the care of the nonprofit donation center she is running.
Champ suffered from broken ribs and a break in the right femur and right paw and has since been released from the animal hospital. “The last thing I thought he would do is put his hands on that dog. How do you do that to him? Champ is helpless and every bit of 12 lbs,” McKinney said.
She said that she is grateful for Malone’s help and expressed gratitude to all those involved in Champ’s rescue. A GoFundMe page was set up to help with the expenses for Champ’s surgery, and it had already reached $10,000 in just under 24 hours.
Compassionate Action Award
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) acknowledged Jena Malone’s quick action and awarded her the Compassionate Action Award.
The citation reads, “PETA recognizes and thanks Jena Malone for jumping into action to stop a dog from being beaten. May this fearless and kind action serve as an example for others to follow.”
PETA follows the belief that “if you see something, say something.” As emphasized, your help when seeing an abused animal can be that animal’s only hope.
The first step in reporting animal abuse is knowing which agency is in charge of investigating and enforcing the anti-cruelty laws in your area. This can be the police or the local humane society.
Next is to gather information and evidence against the perpetrators. Photographs, videos, and statements from other witnesses are essential in fortifying the case, the exact location, and the dates of the particular abuse.
Finally, it is crucial to tell the authorities that you are pursuing the case against the abusers to the end and you are willing to lend your assistance. Many cases are not followed through if less interest is shown over time.
