PROSSER - Action News first told you about an abused puppy named Laddie last month, and our viewers stepped up. The story of the Prosser pup dumped along the side of the road made headlines around the Northwest, and he found a new home Sunday.

The four-month old Australian Shepherd almost bled to death when someone apparently tried to kill him with rat poison, then tied him up in a plastic bag and tossed him on the side of the road.

That was the sad story, and now it has a happy ending.

Laddie was at death's door a month ago, after he was battered, poisoned, neglected and thrown from a moving vehicle. Lucky for Laddie, Yvette Fitzjerrald takes in animals, lots of animals. Laddie needed more help than most.

"The vet said the only thing that could cause bleeding like that was either eating or being fed rat poison," said Fitzjerrald. "He was a little bit socially inept at first, but then he came around and started playing with other dogs."

Now Laddie is playful and looks healthy. Thanks to Action News viewers who saw our story, a couple made a three-hour drive to adopt him. After several vet visits and lots of much-needed recovery time, Laddie is ready to join his new owners at their home in Federal Way.

"Usually we get our dogs at the shelter in Tacoma, that's where we got our last one," said Don Vannote, who came to pick up Laddie, "but this one just looked so sad. It was worth the drive."

"He's a cute thing, his pictures didn't do him justice. He's a doll, he's beautiful," said Mona Morris, his other new owner. "I can tell he's going to be great with us." Morris said she is happy to see people like Fitzjerrald helping dogs like Laddie. As for his last owners, who dumped the little guy, "I'd like to shoot them, but since I can't do that, we'll just try to take care of the ones they abuse," she said.

After signing the necessary papers and letting Laddie say goodbye to his dozens of animal friends at the Fitzjerralds', they were off. Another mission accomplished for Yvette Fitzjerrald, who has turned her love of animals into a rescue agency in Prosser.

Yvette Fitzjerrald is sad to see him go, but feels good that she found the right family.

"I think he's going to be pampered," she said. "I think he'll be spoiled rotten, and every dog deserves that." Fitzjerrald stresses that there are many options for people who need to get rid of a pet. They can go to a shelter or even have them put down humanely by a veterinarian.

She took it upon herself to nurse Laddie back to health because he was dumped outside the Prosser city limits and no one would take responsibility for him.