Dave Bautista adopts two abandoned pitbulls

***image_caption***

Dave Bautista has adopted two abandoned pitbulls.

The 'Guardians of the Galaxy' star adopted Maggie and Ollie, who had been handed to a Florida animal shelter.

Dave revealed that he had adopted the animals in an Instagram post, writing: "I needed them, they needed me. These beautiful babies spent the first six years of their lives neglected and abused. And now they are going to be spending the rest of their lives being spoiled and loved Eternally grateful to these amazing animal lovers (Lisa Bricker, @frankiesfriends, Michelle Baker, Patrick & Kimberly Thorpe) in Tampa who worked so hard to keep them safe, find them a home and most importantly keep these two together.

"Ladies and gentlemen I introduce you to... Maggie and Ollie Bautista."

Volunteers form Rescue Me Tampa had sent out a plea for someone to adopt the dogs and were shocked to catch the attention of Dave.

Lisa Bricker, the director of development at Frankie's Friends, a charitable pet foundation, said that the 'Spectre' actor had an "amazing heart".

She said: "He has an amazing heart for animals, but I think what is even more beautiful about how he connects with pit bulls is that it's just such a seamless, loving, humble way that he reaches out to dogs and he really connects."

The animal centre was keen to keep the dogs together as separation anxiety can occur if bonded dogs are isolated from one another. Animal experts believe that leaving them in a shelter could have had made matters worse.

Jennifer Abrams, of the Animal Care Centre of New York City, told TODAY: "My opinion is that the shelter is not the place to break up bonded pairs because the shelter is very stressful, and leaving them alone is one more thing to add stress and sometimes they find comfort in each other's presence."