Horrible stories, glad you all have done your best for these guys....one of our stories....
We had one rescue German shep at the time, a happy go lucky fellow. Was just perusing petfinder, and this sad pic of a female German Shepherd peered up at me. Caption read needs adopted or could be put to sleep. Got hubby to look at the pic, and we immediately agreed, we had to take her. Finally got hold of the shelter, and drove down there first chance after making sure they would keep her safe.
She only weighed about 54 lbs, and that was after the shelter had had her a few weeks. Emaciated, almost no hair on her tail, and terrified of men. Extremely weak on her hind legs, no muscle left.
A scar ran the entire circumference of her muzzle, like somebody had tied her mouth shut. She was still pretty filthy. On the drive home, I told her nobody would hurt her anymore, and she literally melted into my lap. It took a while, but she started trusting hubby, and while initially she would snap if her hind legs were touched, by the time we got to a year with her, we could do anything with her and she was fine. Got to be a healthy 75 lbs. Loved my hubby so much, she would just follow him around and want to be near him.
I think she was starved, and beaten, and mouth tied shut, hence the scar. She turned out to be the sweetest, most trustworthy girl, and hubby was devastated when she finally passed. Peacefully, at home. We still miss her. She was a lady.

Have a few rescues myself. Got a few beagles that were going to the pound (or shot) and they were very skittish. Seems when there is an extra beagle somewhere, it seems to get dumped off at my house now. They get along with each other fine. Not so much with armadillos, squirrels etc... I call them the White Tip Mafia. Heck, they have saved me from that mean old leaf with the frog under it many times.

While I don't condone violence, If I were a juror who had to decide the fate of one who introduced an animal abuser to Lucille (or one of her sisters)...