Dogged examines the issues of animal suffering and human desensitization to violence  associated with the blood sport of dog fighting.    The screenplay is based on many true facts and events.

Emily - her sad tale was used in the dialog below

[[excerpt from dialogue]

Cat

A couple months ago I saw the garbage man standing in the alley, holding him like a baby and sobbing. He saw somebody dump him out of a truck. His leg was mangled, his face was all cut up and he was so thin his bones were pushing through his skin.  

The guy had already taken home so many dogs he found on his route, his wife said he couldn't bring home any more for a while. I said I'd take him. I can't stand to see animals suffer like that. We call him Orpheus because he's been to hell and back.

 

In real life, the vet warned that it might not be possible to rehabillitate the dog.  Unfortunately, as Emily got better, she also became very agressive, the result of her fighting training to kill other dogs.   The Emily was euthanized.