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When someone says, Pit Bull, what’s the first image that comes to mind, a sweet, smiley dog or a scary, violent one? If it’s sweet and smiley, then I applaud you, but unfortunately it’s usually the latter. When I first started educating myself on bully breeds I was happily surprised to discover that there are many ways we can remind ourselves, and others, as to what “Pit Bull” really stands for.
Earlier this year, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue undertook a new effort to find homes for cats and kittens. We spoke with Amanda Gestl, Lucky Dog’s Cat Team Coordinator, about the new cat adoption program and how animal lovers can lend their assistance.
Why did Lucky Dog decide to include Lucky Cats in its work?
Some time ago, I was speaking with the neighbor of a family friend. She told me that her family recently added a furry friend to their home and that they were having great difficulty with the puppy. She described how the dog displayed the kind of aggression that was well outside the norm for a 3-month-old pup—lunging at children, snapping at other dogs, and cowering in fear of strangers. She mentioned medical problems and the costs she had incurred on vaccinations the dog should have already had.
“Do you mind me asking where the puppy came from?” I asked.
I was told that I’m going to become a Lucky Dog today, but so far, my day has not been very lucky.
First, they woke me up at the crack of dawn and loaded me and a few of my other canine comrades into crates. I’ve been riding in the back of a van for what seems like hours. To make matters worse, Snuffles (in the crate above me) seems to be in need of a motion sickness bag, and Cujo (next door) won’t stop talking about his ruff life on the streets.
Of course, I could be back at that loud, scary place they call a shelter, so maybe I AM on my way to someplace better?
There’s never been a time when I haven’t wanted a dog. In fact, when I was six years old, I wanted to BE a dog when I grew up.
And while my love of dogs was never a secret, the idea of getting a family pet never gained much momentum in my house — beyond parakeets and a pair of fire-bellied toads. Every chance I had to spend time with a dog was precious, and, to me, dog owners were the luckiest people on earth.
It would be close to 30 years later before I shared that luck.
I became involved with Lucky Dog last October when I adopted Menchie, a six-month-old Puerto Rican street dog. I fell in love with his little face on the Lucky Dog website, and I knew my search was over.
People often ask me how I got involved in dog rescue. The story will probably surprise you. It was not something well planned, not something that I grew up wanting to do. It was something that I fell into because I was a lonely living in DC. I wanted a friend — even if that friend had four legs instead if two.
I found Sparky after a lot of random googling. His photo showed him trotting along with a pink ball in his mouth. His bio said he loved playing fetch and soccer with his family. It was love at first sight (at least for me).
