Wednesday, July 16, 2008

How did a schnauzer lover end up working with all these pit bulls?


Four years ago my beloved schnauzer had passed away. I really missed being with bigger dogs but my living situation didn't allow them so I decided to volunteer at the shelter. I signed up, went through the orientation and then the training began. In my naivete I assumed that I would be hanging around with poor perfectly behaved Labs and Golden Retrievers who through no fault of their own had ended up homeless. Hmm...well not so much. What I did find at that time were the not so perfectly well behaved labs and a fairly large population of pit bulls and mixes. Like so many others I had heard the horror stories on the news about maulings and admitted to the staff that I wasn't too sure about these dogs who looked so friendly on the surface. They advised me to read up about their true temperament and just take my time getting to know some of them before making any decisions. Well, as luck would have it I was asked to help with a doggie play group one quiet Sunday. My job as the only volunteer in the group was to go and get the dogs to bring them to the doggie gym. I may have been uneasy, but I was also stubborn and I wasn't about to admit to this much younger staff that I couldn't do that. As luck would have it they asked me to go and get Hailey. A young energetic but very sweet brindle pit bull. I went in her kennel and put the leash on her, she immediately felt that it was her job to let me know that her most vicious trait was her unabashed desire to lick my face which she proceeded to do. Back to the gym we went and she made a bee line to my lap, covering me with slobbery kisses.

Right then I made up my mind to just get over it and give these dogs a chance, and I can honestly say that they have not disappointed me. There is no other dog that can wiggle their entire body in such pure joy at the sight of a person who is going to share a few moments of love with them. It didn't matter that I wasn't going to be the one to take them home, I was there at that moment and that made them happy, which always made me happy too.


Fast forward a couple of years and lo and behold walking down the streets of Campbell was Hailey and her mom. After all of that time, Miss Hailey, much to the chagrin of her mom, jumped up on me and once again slobbery kisses were in order! Her mom is Marthina, and the two of us became fast friends. She brought me up to date on Hailey, who was now a Certified Therapy Dog, and living with a less than sweet but still very cute chihuahua/pug named Daisy. Soon we were partners at the shelter and saw that there were many other pit bulls who needed our help. After much discussion, and a ton of work especially on Marthina's part, OurPack, Inc was born.


I guess the point of this rambling is that if I hadn't decided to give this one dog a chance and get to know her as an individual animal who was and is so full of love, I would have missed out on all of the dogs to follow. I wouldn't have seen Dexter become Hailey's brother, or Carter and Rachel blossom in their new homes. I would have missed the smiles that follow Leo and Zoey and now Charlotte who began their lives living in the world of dog fighters and now bring joy to patients nursing homes and Cancer treatment centers. To me....that is a lot to miss.


9 comments:

  1. Gosh, that put tears in my eyes. Hailey has changed many lives that's for sure.
    Marthina

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  2. Second one with tears in her eyes. I really enjoy reading about the joy these dogs give to all of us. Like me, Mary had the same apprehension about pit bulls. Like me, she got to know one and her life changed for the better. But most important is that she has made better lives for the pit bulls. For that we are all grateful.
    Cindy

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  3. Sounds a lot like how my experience with pit bulls started, first as a vet assistant and then as a shelter volunteer. I haven't looked back since.

    Val

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  4. Mary, that is such a great story! Thank you so much for sharing it with us and reminding us of the huge value of these precious animals. Your work, dedication and true caring made it possible for us to get our Hailey and do the work we all love so much. They deserve our care and you deserve our thanks, in a very big way. THANK YOU!!
    Mike

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  5. I want to also add that young and "energetic" is putting it mildly...ha!
    Marthina

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  7. Wow what a great blog. So uplifting, and hopeful, and just....wonderful! These dogs are so amazing in their power to convey love and their giving nature is something humans could all learn a thing or two from. Our Pack is an amazing group, and how cool to hear how it all happened, thanks to a little brindle girl named Hailey!

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  8. What a lovely story.. and I think a very common thread among pit bull people.

    I remember the "cognitive dissonance" I experienced when volunteering at a shelter many years ago, knowing nothing about pit bulls except that they were mean vicious monsters.

    Then what was this scarred up old boy doing crawling into my lap kissing me and wanting hugs? What were these adorable puppies bouncing around, and jumping on the front of the kennel begging for attention? What was this sweet girl doing running around happily with some kids in the play yard as their mom told me about her previous pit bulls and what great family dogs they were?

    SOMEONE LIED TO ME!

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  9. That's so true, it is like being lied to.
    Marthina

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