Abused pit bull headed to new life and home

A female pit bull whose owner was convicted of animal cruelty in Mecklenburg County last week is about to get a new life in New England.

Layla is scheduled to board a flight to Maine next week. She’s headed to an animal shelter where staff are specially trained to help with her behavioral needs.

While Layla is friendly and loving to humans, she exhibits the opposite traits toward other dogs, said Melissa Knicely, spokeswoman for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Animal Care & Control Division. That meant she could not be put up for public adoption without special care, Knicely said.

“She needed a rescue that would be able to accommodate her special needs and find a home with no other dogs,” Knicely said.

The shelter in Maine has a 98-percent success rate in placing such dogs in homes, Knicely said.

Layla’s case came to light in April when a video went viral showing her being struck with an object resembling a belt.

Animal Care & Control learned of the video through a private message sent to it on Facebook. The division launched an investigation and got Layla’s owner to sign over ownership rights.

Layla’s owner, Charles Lamont Davidson, 44, of Charlotte, was charged with animal cruelty. In court last week, he was ordered to pay court costs and not own or possess dogs for six months. He is scheduled for another court appearance in February.

Animal Care & Control contacted numerous organizations on Layla’s behalf and got assistance from Best Friends Animal Society. The national group is dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters.

In just a few days, Best Friends was able to connect Animal Care & Control with the shelter in Maine.

“Animal Care and Control is very excited to see Layla going to a place where she will receive all the love and affection that she so deserves,” Knicely said.

This story was originally published September 2, 2015 at 8:29 AM with the headline "Abused pit bull headed to new life and home."