Heigl Nursing Injured Rescue Dog Back to Health

Animal-loving actress Katherine Heigl has a new addition to her family - she's taken in a pit bull left badly injured in a dog fight.

The Knocked Up star founded the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, named after her late brother, and fronts the charity's Hounds of Hope operation, which works to rescue cats and dogs from shelters.

But Heigl was so moved by the plight of one dog called Rufus, who was used as bait in vicious dog fighting battles, she adopted the puppy herself and is nursing him back to health.

A source tells U.S. tabloid the National Enquirer, "Katherine's passionis rescuing dogs, and she wanted a new puppy for her adopted daughter Naleigh when Rufus came along. "Katherine was absolutely heartbroken when she saw how hurt the little guy was, so she paid thousands of dollars for multiple surgeries".