If you’re in need of some balm for the soul as this crazy year draws to a close, look no further Van Gogh, the one-eared rescue dog who was saved from the cruel world of dog fighting through the power of art.
In this feel-good tale, the North Carolina boxer pit bull mix, age seven, has become an internet sensation thanks to his colorful abstract paintings. But more importantly, Van Gogh’s canvases also helped the canine creative find his forever home.
A former stray, Van Gogh fell on hard times when he was caught and used as bait in a dog fighting ring. Rescuers found him hiding in a drain pipe, bruised and bloodied, his left ear so damaged a veterinarian had to surgically remove it.
Jacklyn Gartner, the founder of Happily Furever After Rescuein Bethel, Connecticut, was looking at photos of shelter dogs online when she was drawn to Van Gogh’s picture. She founded the nonprofit foster program …