I have talked about Bolt several times already and he is also mentioned in the petition, but I wanted to go into more detail about his backstory and how he's doing now!
Sweet boy Bolt was originally rescued in May of 2020 from a hoarding case in North Carolina, USA. He was found to be partially paralyzed and could not use his back legs at all. Bolt arrived to Twist of Fate sad and neglected, but quickly bonded with Ashley DiFelice's son, Deacon, who is the one that named him.
Ashley posted about Bolt on the old TOF Patreon page only twice, both times in May of 2020, and then never again on that platform. The last post about him there included the sentences "ever since he has been in the house he has been so happy" and "I am so hopeful that he will have an incredible life and now he has the love of a little boy. What could be better?"
A little over two years later in July of 2022 Bolt was found living alone, locked in a room without food or water. He no longer had his cart and was forced to drag the back end of his body through his own feces and urine and other trash and debris for months, possibly even the 2 years since he first arrived at Twist of Fate. Ashley had raised money for a surgery for him but then denied him the procedure and kept the money. Yes, you read that right - this woman deliberately stole money from a PARALYZED dog. Hey Ashley - was this part of the "incredible life" that you were so "hopeful" about giving him??
Bolt was saved once again and taken in by Doe Eyes Animal Rescue (@doe.eyes.animal.rescue). He arrived scared, completely shut down, and emaciated. You could see his ribs and spine. As soon as they got him home they got him proper vet care, a healthy diet to help him start to gain weight, and his long-awaited surgery: Bolt had issues with his penis in that it wouldn't retract properly due to nerve damage from a spinal cord injury. Because he lived in filth for so long he was getting infections in that area and lived in constant pain. Bolt had to deal with this for years and was something that should have been taken care of a long time ago even before he came to Twist of Fate, though the conditions that he had to live in there only made it worse. Once Bolt was able to relax and decompress, Doe Eyes got him the surgery he needed to get his penis fixed and he is no longer in pain. In fact, after his surgery and arrival back home Bolt was so happy and excited that he was trying to move and scoot around a little TOO much, so they had to put him on "bed rest" in a pack n play, which is a travel crib for (human) babies!
Bolt was also taken to a chiropractor and given laser therapy and water therapy as well - the videos of him relaxing in the water and swimming are so cute! Bolt will never have the use of his back legs, but that doesn't stop him from playing and running at full speed to chase his friends at the sanctuary. Bolt also accompanies his new family to adoption events, and at one of the events a family came up to them and said that they had a dog that was very similar to Bolt but that he had recently passed. Their dog had had some wheels that he used to get around and the family said that it helped him. Doe Eyes mentioned that they were eventually going to get Bolt a cart, so this family ended up leaving the event to go home and get their dog's cart to gift it to Bolt! They fitted him and Bolt was so happy and excited and even took a few spins around to show off his new wheels. So sweet!
When Bolt was rescued, he was also finally given human attention and affection, something that he had been longing for. Who knows how long he was without it after having it even temporarily, and from a little boy who once loved him too.
I have wondered this so many times, but for some reason I think about it a lot with Bolt especially. Or any of the animals that Deacon is photographed with, holding, hugging - any animal that he named too. Ashley was living in that house and on that property with her young son, which means that he was also living in filth and a hoarding nightmare. The petition has a photo of his bed with a large stain on it from animal waste, not to mention the garbage and debris all over the rest of his bedroom and the rest of the house. Deacon saw terrible things. What did his mother and grandfather (Ashley's dad) tell him? How did they explain what was happening to his animal friends? All those bodies...did Deacon try to help them before they died? Did Ashley forbid it? Did she gaslight him, condition him, or lie to him and tell him that they didn't need to be cared for anymore? He must have heard numerous animals crying out every day begging for food and water - do those sounds haunt him? Even just the thought of those desperate cries haunt me. Is the only reason why some of the animals even survived at all was because Deacon fed them, even possibly against his mother's wishes? These questions enter into my mind a lot and we will probably never know the answers. I just hope that he is okay and that he is nothing like his mother, soon-to-be stepfather, or grandfather now and that he also doesn't grow up to be like any of them either. I hope he knows the differences between right and wrong, and the differences between love and cruelty. For many people Deacon was the reason why they started following Twist of Fate or the reason why that rescue stood out since he was featured in so many photos and videos. It's such a shame that everything turned out this way.
It's a shame that Bolt still cowers when he barks as if he might get into trouble or yelled at, but he is so loved at his new home. Doe Eyes has worked so long and so hard to erase Ashley's vile and deliberate neglect and abuse that are ingrained in Bolt, and they have vowed to not stop until it's completely gone.
Bolt is thriving in his new home - you can see him smiling in his photos. He loves to sunbathe, nap, and roll around and run through the grass. He has family and animal friends (who know to play with him a little more gently than the others), and he is no longer alone. He has continued to have some issues with his bladder, but unlike at Twist of Fate, he gets immediate help and care for anything that comes up. Give Doe Eyes Animal Rescue a follow on Instagram to see more Bolt content, especially the videos of him running! If you'd like to make a donation to his care or to any other animals at the sanctuary, you can do so through their website, CashApp ($doeeyesrescue), Venmo (@doe-eyes-animal-sanctuary14), or PayPal (doe.eyes.jewelry@gmail.com)., and to make a monthly donation in any amount, you can join their Patreon. You can also send Bolt or one of the other animals a gift from their Amazon Wishlist or their Chewy Wishlist. Doe Eyes also has cute apparel for sale on Bonfire and they currently have a GoFundMe for purchasing a barn for their senior horses - please help them make their goal, every little bit counts! You can also fill out a form to volunteer with them if you live in or near the Washington DC/Maryland/Virginia area.
Every time Bolt pops into my feed he never ceases to bring a smile to my face, and I'm so happy that he is out of that house of nightmares and finally safe and loved, forever.
Thank you for being here! Another story will be shared in the next day or two.
A reminder: Ashley's next court date is THIS THURSDAY, September 14th.
Please continue to share the petition across all channels. (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, WhatsApp, NextDoor, YouTube, WeChat, Telegram, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr, etc, and please send it directly to people via email and/or text). If you have already shared it, please share it again.
We are trying to get as many signatures and comments on the petition as possible before then, especially since the prosecution and the judge are aware of it. Thank you!!