Pro Wrestler Helps Rescue 2 Pit Bulls Dumped Near a Florida Middle School

WWE pro wrestler Titus O'Neil and a group of volunteers who were on hand stuffing backpacks found Biggie and Bertha at a school in Tampa

• WWE pro wrestler Titus O'Neil and a group of volunteers found two abandoned pit bulls while donating backpacks and school supplies to a Tampa middle school

• The volunteers contacted the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, which picked up the pups and brought them to the shelter

• The shelter named the dogs Biggie and Bertha and said the pit bulls should be available for adoption soon

Two abandoned pit bulls are getting a second chance after being dumped near a middle school in Tampa, Florida.

On Saturday, July 20, WWE pro wrestler Titus O'Neil (whose real name is Thaddeus Bullard) and a group of volunteers were at Sligh Middle School "donating bookbags and school supplies" when the found two abandoned pit bulls — who have been named Biggie and Bertha, according to a statement from the Humane Society of Tampa Bay (HSTB) obtained by PEOPLE.

The shelter also shared that Titus O'Neil, a longtime supporter of HSTB, contacted the shelter for help after finding the pit bulls. HSTB agreed to pick up the pups and help find them homes.

"It was an incredibly hot day, so they were thirsty, hungry, and confused, as is the case with most abandoned animals. Since coming to HSTB, they have received the water and food they needed," HSTB shared in its statement to PEOPLE.

Sherry Silk, the executive director of the Florida shelter, told Fox 13 News that the canines appeared to have had their ears clipped, often a sign of involvement in a dog fighting ring. Dog ears are clipped for fights to prevent other dogs from latching on to them. The clipping tends to happen in a backyard environment with little to no pain relief for the animals.

"They give them whiskey or other alcohol to try and dull the pain, but really it's awful, bloody, and it's cruelty to animals," Silk told Fox 13 News.

Additionally, Bertha appeared to have recently had puppies, which Silk speculated could be why the dogs were dumped. "My guess is she's had her puppies, and the puppies were sold, and that's probably why they were dumped. We see it all the time, and it's awful," she said.

Related: Dog Abandoned with Teary Eyes and a Note Saying She's a 'Good Puppy' Finds a Home

The shelter has found space for the two dogs, who both appear to have ear infections but are otherwise okay. Biggie and Bertha will be available for adoption soon.

HSTB added in its July 23 statement to PEOPLE that "Bertha has a microchip, but when our team went to call the owners, they found it was a dead end; the microchip had never been registered. We are going to continue to try to find the owners, but if we don't, both of them will be spayed and neutered tomorrow."

The shelter also noted that it is seeing more and more instances of animal abandonment. Animal abandonment is against the law in Florida and carries a fine of up to $5,000 and possible imprisonment.

"Across Hillsborough County, we are seeing an increase in abandonment cases. While every case is different, we attribute this to a poor economy and shelters in our area being at maximum capacity. When people have to surrender their animal or find a stray, there may not always be kennel space for them, especially in shelters that are managed admission, meaning no-kill, for space," HSTB shared in its statement.

Related: Hikers Find German Shepherd Dog with His Mouth 'Cruelly Zip Tied Shut' Abandoned in Calif. Canyon

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The Humane Society of Tampa Bay told Fox News 13 that if a person sees an abandoned animal in the Tampa area, they can call the shelter about taking in the animals. If space isn't available, Good Samaritans can take the animal they found home for a week or two while the shelter waits for space to become available.

"If you fall in love, and we hope you will, we'll even spay or neuter it for free and find that dog a home. The idea is to get dogs out of our shelter, not in our shelter," Silk said.

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