Ethan the Rescue Dog to 'Throw' First Pitch at Louisville Baseball Game After Stunning Recovery

Vanessa Etienne
·2 min read
Ethan the dog
Ethan the dog

Courtesy Jeff Callaway

Ethan the rescue dog is ready to play some baseball!

The Louisville Bats, a minor league baseball team in Lousiville, Kentucky, chose the 1-year-old canine to take the mound and "throw" the first pitch at Friday's game.

"We've got a celebrity coming to Hops & Hounds! Ethan the dog will be throwing out the first pitch this Friday at Slugger Field!" the team's official Twitter account wrote alongside a photo of Ethan with their mascot.

RELATED: Ethan the Rescue Dog Is 'Doing Very Well' After Overcoming Health Issues from Prior Abuse

During Friday's game, the minor league baseball team is hosting its first-ever "Hops & Hounds" event — presented by Club K9 & the Louisville Ale Trail — allowing fans to enjoy the game with their furry friends while sampling different beers from local breweries.

Ethan the dog
Ethan the dog

Louisville Bats/Facebook

Ethan was chosen as the "celebrity" guest following his remarkable recovery earlier this year.

In January, he was found emaciated and alone, weighing just 32 pounds, in the parking lot of the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS). At the time, he was too weak to lift his head.

In the weeks following his abandonment, Ethan won hearts and made terrific strides, regaining enough strength to walk on his own and packing on around 50 pounds to reach a healthy weight.

Ethan the dog moves into home with other pups
Ethan the dog moves into home with other pups

Kentucky Humane Society

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He was later adopted in March by Jeff Callaway, the KHS facilities director who oversaw his recovery.

Following his recovery, the rescue dog experienced seizures due to brain damage caused by his early abuse. Thankfully, his owners said last month that Ethan is "doing well."

"His loving personality and joy for people is back in full swing, and he continues to bring smiles and happiness to everyone we run across," his family wrote in a Facebook statement. "His seizures seem to be gone for now. But we monitor his health so closely every day."