On December 24, my Nanny came over with her dog and I proceeded to give her my opinion about her “breed” of choice.  I spent at least ten minutes telling her about pit bulls and how bad they can be if they want to be.  Now granted, I’ve never spent more than five minutes with one in my whole life.   I did spend time petting her dog and I did find him very cute and nice. 

 On December 26, around 6:45am, I was heading to the gym for a “get the holiday parties off me” workout with the highest of inspirations that this new habit will stick.  As I was driving down the dark, narrow lane that I live on, I saw an animal in my headlights that was dragging a long rope.  I got out and the animal ran to me.  The rope portion that was around her neck actually looked like a bow.  I immediately thought that someone lost their Christmas gift.  I thought the only reason they were using a rope was because they weren’t prepared for this new dog.    I took the dog back to my house and asked my husband to hold on to her until I returned.  We’d then go hang signs and find her owner. 

 Upon my return, I started to examine this cute American Staffordshire Terrier (yes, that’s the less scary name for a pit bull) and saw that she was in heat and had not been taken care of.  I found several groups that email back and forth and call themselves dog rescuers or dog shelters.  It’s an intense group, but they’re on a kind mission.  I posted “Lilly’s” picture on all the web sites and contacted all of the shelters as well.  No one would take the dog, because of its breed.   The nice shelters won’t return your calls and the not so nice shelters say they’ll kill her within ten minutes of her arrival.   

I began to do research on the breed and found that this breed is different than what I had let myself believe.   They are used for search and rescue and all  sorts of other things.  My vet, who examined her and checked for a micro chip, said that the breed is very misunderstood.  He said it takes about a year of intentional abuse for a person to make a pit bull aggressive and mean.  He said there are dogs that are mean by nature and that this breed isn’t one of those. 

 To follow my new role as an internet shelter buddy, I felt it was only the right to get her shots and have her spayed.  The vet said that she’s about 9 months old and that she’s as big as she is going to get.  Which is only 35lbs.  She looks a little bit like a dwarf and she is a little bow legged.  Oh well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder! 

 I know you are wondering what the point of this story is, well, I have to find her a home.  I would keep her, but the last shelter dog that I saved, the 6 year old beagle hates Lilly and wants to hurt her.  So we have to leave her in the garage most of the day.  This isn’t right and I know it.  My other two dogs, like her, but also wonder why she is here.   I think they all feel that three dogs in one home is enough.

She is really so precious—she’s cuddly, funny, playful and best of all, she thinks she is a lap dog.  She knows she has been saved and you can tell she is very grateful.   The moral of this story, don’t give opinions based  on hear say or on topics you know nothing about, or the Dear Lord might help you find a way to learn the real story!

 Thanks for reading this note and helping me find Lilly the right home.