Former WWE star Titus O’Neil helped rescue a pair of abandoned pit bulls while volunteering at a Florida middle school

A pair of abandoned pit bulls have a new lease on life thanks to former WWE star Titus O’Neil. 

The athlete, whose real name is Thaddeus Bullard, was volunteering at Sligh Middle School ‘donating bookbags and school supplies’ when he found the two dogs. 

O’Neil quickly contacted the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, who agreed to pick up the pups and bring them to the shelter earlier this week. 

‘It was an incredibly hot day, so they were thirsty, hungry, and confused, as is the case with most abandoned animals. Since coming to HSTB, they have received the water and food they needed,’ HSTB said in a statement to People.

The spokesperson also noted the pair had been given the sweet monikers Biggie and Bertha.

The athlete was volunteering at a middle school in the area when he discovered the pups

Sherry Silk, the executive director of the Florida shelter, told Fox 13 News that the dogs may have been involved in a fighting ring because their ears had been clipped. 

As dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states, ear clipping often occurs in a backyard environment without pain relief for the canines. 

‘They give them whiskey or other alcohol to try and dull the pain, but really it’s awful, bloody, and it’s cruelty to animals,’ Silk explained, before theorizing that the dogs had been dumped because Bertha recently gave birth to puppies. 

‘My guess is she’s had her puppies, and the puppies were sold, and that’s probably why they were dumped. We see it all the time, and it’s awful,’ she said.

In a statement to the outlet, HSTB said the pair will soon be available for adoption.

‘Bertha has a microchip, but when our team went to call the owners, they found it was a dead end; the microchip had never been registered. We are going to continue to try to find the owners, but if we don’t, both of them will be spayed and neutered tomorrow,’ they explained. 

The shelter also emphasized that animal abandonment is illegal in Florida, with culprits facing a fine of up to $5,000 and even imprisonment.

‘Across Hillsborough County, we are seeing an increase in abandonment cases. While every case is different, we attribute this to a poor economy and shelters in our area being at maximum capacity,’ they added. 

Bertha had seemingly given birth to puppies shortly before she was dumped 

The pair, who may have been involved in an illegal fighting ring, will soon be up for adoption