“The Hunger Games” actress Jena Malone saw a man severely mistreating a small dog near Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles on Tuesday and then proceeded to rescue the animal and helped capture it’s attacker.
Malone was driving through the area when she saw a man “repeatedly kicking a small white dog, yanking the animal in the air and choking it,” according to the Washington Post. She proceeded to pull over and run toward the helpless animal, while signaling for others in the area to assist her.
“I yelled at him to stop from my car but he wouldn’t,” Malone posted to her Twitter account. Several men held down the alleged attacker, allowing Malone the opportunity to sit with the injured animal until police officers arrived on scene and transported it to a local animal hospital, according to the Post.
This was really scary. I saw a man kicking repeatedly a small dog on the sunset, yanking him up in the air and absolutely choking the dog. 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. ( thread) https://t.co/3ftY18M3Ap
— Jena Malone (@MaloneJena) April 6, 2022
“The dog was covered in filth and looked like it had been not taken care of for months,” Jena wrote on her Twitter account. She then proceeded to send a flurry of updates about the dog’s multiple injuries, the Post reported.
Some of the men that jumped in to help proceeded to physically restrain the alleged attacker, and beat him well after the dog had been rescued, at one point using a pole to hit the man, according to the outlet. The alleged attacker was later revealed to be the son of the dog’s owner, and had taken the pup without consent. (RELATED: Country Superstar Trisha Yearwood Takes On Betty White Challenge, Raises More Than $30,000 For Animal Rescue)
Cause at that point I really didn’t think I was going to be able to get the dog back by myself. After another block of chasing him down I looked back and there were 5 other men behind me pursuing him. Which felt like a miracle. https://t.co/3ftY18M3Ap
— Jena Malone (@MaloneJena) April 6, 2022
The injured pup was identified as a 6-year-old Maltipoo named Champion, and he is now recovering from the injuries he sustained during this attack after being rushed in for surgery. He was treated for a number of wounds, broken ribs, a broken hind leg, and numerous scrapes. Champ was microchipped and subsequently reunited with his family, the Post reported.
Cause at that point I really didn’t think I was going to be able to get the dog back by myself. After another block of chasing him down I looked back and there were 5 other men behind me pursuing him. Which felt like a miracle. https://t.co/3ftY18M3Ap
— Jena Malone (@MaloneJena) April 6, 2022
Malone’s quick thinking and concern for Champ was recognized by PETA. The animal welfare organization has issued Malone a “Compassionate Action Award” and praised her actions on their website and social media platforms.