Caitlyn the dog, who was rescued by Charleston Animal Society in 2015, died on Sunday of an aggressive form of cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family.
Few dogs have had such an impact on so many. Caitlyn's story began when someone tried to silence her voice, in the most evil way, taping her muzzle with electrical tape. But in the end, her abuser gave Caitlyn the loudest voice in the world, when she became the face of anti-cruelty, encouraging all of us to stop animal cruelty wherever it exists.
"Caitlyn's legacy will continue to live on and inspire all of us to do better," said Charleston Animal Society President and CEO Joe Elmore. "When there is cruelty to any animal, each of us must do something to stop it."
You can join the Charleston Animal Society in a Candlelight Vigil to remember Caitlyn and all victims of cruelty at the Charleston Animal Society Campus (2455 Remount Road, North Charleston) on February 2, 2025 at 5:30 p.m.
CAITLYN'S TIMELINE
February 3, 2014: Caitlyn's date of birth
May 27, 2015: Caitlyn was found in North Charleston, with her muzzle clamped so tightly with electrical tape that her tongue had turned black. The lifesaving team at Charleston Animal Society and Charleston Veterinary Referral Center saved her life. Pictures of her swollen muzzle went viral, and her story of survival drew worldwide attention and raised awareness of animal cruelty. Caitlyn’s story has been told on Facebook, CNN, BBC, People Magazine and other media outlets around the world. The hashtag #IamCaitlyn came to represent millions of other abused animals around the world.
2015 - 2018: Because of the complexity of Caitlyn's situation, she lived with different foster families during her court proceedings and her healing process. One medical foster gave her a home for two years.
January 1, 2016: Charleston Animal Society's anti-cruelty fund is named in honor of Caitlyn. Since the fund's formation, Charleston Animal Society has investigated hundreds of cruelty cases and treated hundreds of animals for injuries sustained from abuse and neglect.
August 8, 2016: William Leonard Dodson pleaded guilty to a felony charge of ill-treatment of an animal. He received the maximum sentence of five years in prison. The judge in the case called Caitlyn's ordeal "hell on earth."
October 11, 2017: Dodson is denied parole. One parole official said thousands of people wrote the parole board urging that Dodson's parole be denied.
March 14, 2018: Caitlyn is officially adopted! The lead prosecutor on Caitlyn's case was Ted Corvey, III, an Assistant Solicitor at the time with the 9th Circuit. He and his wife Danielle adopted Caitlyn after the case was completed.
2015 - 2025: Caitlyn continually advocated for abused and neglected animals through appearances at events, through the media and in social media, including her own Instagram page that has almost 6,000 followers.
January 12, 2025: Caitlyn's battle against a quick and aggressive cancer ends. Her entire family was with her including Ted, Danielle, their son Regin and their other two family dogs, Sully and Penny.
