WARNING: This article contains content that may disturb some readers.
A dog has been rescued by vets after being sexually assaulted with a broom in "the worst case of abuse the vets had ever seen".
Huggles - a "nothing-but-sweet beagle/basset mix" - was taken to the Homeward Trails Animal Rescue shelter in Virginia, US, as a stray in terrible shape.
She was in enormous pain, and appeared to have a uterine infection.
But things got even worse for poor Huggles. She was bleeding heavily and became lethargic, so the shelter took her for surgery.
What they found was disturbing evidence of the most horrific crime they had ever seen.
"What that surgery revealed was the worst case of abuse the vets had ever seen. This dog had been sexually assaulted with a broom handle, the plastic end of which broke off inside her and caused horrific infection," the shelter posted to Facebook.
"There is no other explanation for the internal damage the vets saw, and the handle inside this dog."
The broom handle was removed, and Homeward Trails says Huggles is now going to recover.
"For now, sweet Huggles is recovering nicely in a foster home and we hope she will soon find a loving adoptive home," Homeward Trails says.
"It is hard to live in a world where people do this kind of thing. And we can all just crumple to the floor and give up. Or we can give into rage. Or we can make the only sustaining choice, the only choice that makes it possible to keep going: We can be the helpers."
The person or people who did this to Huggles still haven't been caught.
Newshub.
