Caitlyn the dog, whose animal abuse case sparked national attention, has passed away

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A staffie-mix female dog who made national headlines after surviving an animal cruelty incident nearly ten years ago has passed away, her family announced through social media.

Caitlyn passed away peacefully Sunday after she was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, according to an Instagram account dedicated to her.

“She was a tremendous blessing and a gift to our family that we cherished and loved every day,” her family wrote. “We remain very proud of the work done on her case and the ongoing work we are involved in related to animal welfare and combatting cruelty.”

“However, as proud as we are of bringing justice to her, what we are proudest of is being her family and having had her in our lives for as long as we did,” the statement continued.

Photos of Catelyn went viral after she was brought into the Charleston Animal Society on May 27, 2015, with electrical tape wrapped around her muzzle.

The tape was wrapped so tightly that her tongue was stuck between her teeth and had turned black. The cruelty led to years of recovery for Catelyn that included multiple surgeries and intense recovery supported by the animal society.

Her story of survival and strength caught national attention and sparked the hashtag #IamCaitlyn, which brought awareness to stories of animals who have suffered abuse worldwide.

Once the legal proceedings were finished, Caitlyn soon found a home with Ted Corvey, the lead prosecutor on her case.

In a video update posted in 2024 by the Charleston Animal Society, Corvey said Caitlyn had become the adoptive mom to two dachshunds and was “very much a vital member” of the Corvey family.

As for her abuser, William Leonard Dodson was sentenced in March 2017 to five years in prison after pleading guilty to ill-treatment of an animal. That sentence was ordered to run concurrently with a 15-year federal weapon sentence.