Rescue Pit Bull Who Wears Adorable Headbands Wins Award For Bravery

Warning: Disturbing image below

They say the mark of true style is having a signature item you always wear, like a chic leather jacket or a strand of pearls that goes perfectly with every outfit. Well, one fashion-forward canine has taken that advice to the next level. Abigail, an adorable pit bull, is known for always rocking a stylish headpiece, whether that be a chic headband or super-cute hat. At first, the reason behind Abigail’s fashion statement was a sad one. Her headwear was used to cover up some terrible injuries.

When Abigail was picked up as a stray and placed in a busy Miami shelter last November, the poor pup was missing an ear as well part of the skin off her face. Veterinarians believe that Abigail’s injuries are probably the result of dogfighting. She received some TLC at the Pets First Wellness Center and she frequently wore bandages on her head. It was there that a caretaker noticed her bandages looked like a bonnet, and went out to get her some actual headbands to place over the bandage.

Photos of Abigail rocking her adorable headbands on Facebook soon went viral, and strangers began sending in donations of new and increasingly fancier headwear for the pooch to wear. As you can see, Abigail loves her new look:

Once she was well enough, Abigail was adopted into her forever home in Fort Meyers, Florida, with fur parents Megan Steinke and her husband, Jason. The couple also has another rescue pit bull, Tala.

The Steinkes knew they had a special dog on their hands in Abigail, and now, the pup has been recognized for her bravery and perseverance. Abigail was named this year’s winner of the American Humane Hero Dog Awards for bringing awareness to the importance of ending dog fighting.

She received the honor at a fancy gala on Sept. 16. The ceremony will be broadcast in a two-hour special on the Hallmark Channel on Oct. 26. Of course, Abigail wore a beautiful headband for the occasion:

Those familiar with Abigail’s story were not surprised at her accolade.

“I think Abigail touched so many hearts because she suffered through so much, yet in every part of her life exemplifies gentleness and forgiveness,” American Humane president Robin Ganzert told TODAY in an email. “So many of our hero dogs overcame great odds to do good things for others even when they themselves were in need of help.”