Staff at a California animal shelter were left stunned at the distressing condition of one dog who was saved from being euthanized.

Olive is one of the newest arrivals at Sandy Dog Rescue, a Santa Monica nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue of dogs from high-kill shelters across the region.

They came to Olive's aid just in time. She was scheduled to be euthanized at the nearby Downey shelter when Sandy Dog Rescue successfully intervened. It was then that staff learned the story behind Olive's abandonment, a story that ranks among the saddest anyone working there had ever heard before.

When Olive first arrived at the shelter, her rescuers immediately noticed something heartbreaking about her. "She was dropped off at the shelter while still lactating, without any of her babies," a Sandy Dog Rescue spokesperson told Newsweek.

Quite what became of those puppies is impossible to know and too difficult to contemplate given the condition Olive was in.

"She had likely been kicked in the jaw and left badly hurt before," the shelter said. "She also had scars all over her body." The lactating pointed to one thing. "She was likely used for breeding more than once," Sandy Dog Rescue said.

However, there were other alarming clues that hinted at Olive facing other difficulties in her previous life. "Her teeth were filed down," the shelter noted. "So she was likely a bait dog."

To the uninitiated, a "bait dog" is the name given to a young, weak or inexperienced canine who is used to teach other dogs to fight. These dogs do not fight back with the idea being that the canine being trained has free rein to attack without the threat of retaliation. Sadly, Olive is not the first dog to enter a shelter in this kind of condition.

Yet most Americans are unaware of the prevalence of dog fighting. An American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) survey of found that 57 percent of U.S. adults believe dog fighting never happens in their community.

Yet it remains a very real concern. A 2022 study published in the journal Animals estimated that somewhere in the region of 16,000 dogs are being raised each year specifically to take part in organized fights.

Earlier this year, 29 dogs were saved from a dog fighting ring in South Carolina. More recently in July, more than 100 badly treated dogs were rescued and 23 arrests were made after a major dog fighting ring was dismantled in Florida.

Olive was terrified when she first arrived at Sandy Dog Rescue, yet she was also desperate to be loved. "She looked to any human who would give her the time of day for some reassurance," the shelter said.

She's currently recovering with a foster carer but is desperate to finally find a place to call home. Olive has had surgery on her injured jaw and though her lolloping tongue can make eating a little tricky, she's potty-trained and both dog and kid-friendly. Anyone interested in taking her in is urged to get in touch with Sandy Dog Rescue directly.