Saturday, November 8, 2008

Some Positive Pit Bull Press


I didn't write this but it was just too good not to share!

Stray Pit Bull Saves Woman, Child from Attacker
November 5, 2008


A dog came out of nowhere and stopped a knife-wielding robber from accosting a mother and her young son on Monday afternoon. (Pet Pulse Illustration by Tim Mattson)

PORT CHARLOTTE , Fla. -- The wandering 65-pound Pit Bull mix might have seemed menacing to some passerby, but one woman will always remember him as her "guardian angel."
The dog, which authorities think is lost and not a stray, successfully thwarted a robbery attack on a mother and her 2-year-old son, who were held at knifepoint Monday afternoon.
The Florida woman, who has been identified by authorities simply as "Angela," was leaving a playground with her toddler son in Port Charlotte when a man approached her in the parking lot with a knife and told her not to make any noise or sudden movements.
Angela didn't have to do either to protect herself and her child -- a dog mysteriously ran to the scene and charged the man, who quickly fled.
"I don't think the dog physically attacked the man, but he went at him and was showing signs of aggression, just baring his teeth and growling and barking. It was clear he was trying to defend this woman," Animal Control Lt. Brian Jones told Pet Pulse.
"I don't know what this man's intentions were, but it is very possible this dog saved her life."
The exceptional part of the story, Jones said, is that the dog had never met or even seen the people it quickly jumped to defend.
"You hear about family dogs protecting their owners, but this dog had nothing to do with this woman or her kid," Jones said. "He was like her guardian angel."
After the alleged thief ran away, Angela quickly placed her son, Jordan, in the car and tried to drive off. Before she could, though, the dog jumped into her backseat, waiting with her for the police and animal control officers to arrive at the scene.
The dog was transported to a local shelter and if his owners don't step forward within five days, Jones said, Angela and her family plan to adopt the savior she named "Angel."
Animal control officers and shelter workers believe Angel is lost, and not a stray, because of his good health, sturdy weight and mild temperament.
"It's funny, that someone's irresponsibility could have saved someone's life," Jones said of Angel's possible owners.
For Angela, it doesn't matter where the dog came from, just that he was there when she needed him most.
"I don't know what his [the thief's] intentions were -- I don't know why he did it, but I'm glad that -- we call him Angel -- I'm glad that Angel showed up because I don't know what would have happened," Angela told NBC2 News.
For a small town with a population of 46,452, animal control officers were kept busy Monday afternoon. Jones says they department also responded to a report about a boa constrictor in a church parking lot.
The snake found its way into a car engine and was able to be removed without being harmed. It took three people to move the massive, seemingly random placed snake.
"It's funny, because we aren't a big place," he said of the Gulf Coast town. "And we can go for four or five months without the media contacting us about a story. It's been a busy week."
Officers from the responding county sheriff's office canvased the area and were unable to locate the suspect described as being in his 20s, tall and dark haired.

10 comments:

  1. That dog was their guardian angel!

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  2. THATS SO WONDERFIL, I LOVE PITBULLS! THEY TRULY ARE FUR ANGELS!~~

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  3. I can actually recognize my Pit Bull in that story! I laughed out loud when I got to the part about the dog jumping in the car. I wish the media would chose to run more stories like this instead of the stories responsible Pit Bull owners dread.

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  4. I agree. I wonder how many stories go untold like this one that are so important to hear.
    Marthina

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  5. What an awesome story!!! That dog really is an angel.

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  6. Heart warming to say the least!
    Mike

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  7. So glad to read a positive story. I'm really thrilled that the family will adopt the dog if the owner can't be found. It would be sad for this hero to languish at the shelter.

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  8. Great story.
    Doesn`t seem to be making the rounds in the Mainstream media??
    Wonder why...not really.
    Kinda gets in the way of their agenda.
    I hope it`s adopted to the right family.
    That may or may not be the family it helped.
    Hopefully it`s placed by people who make the right match for the dog`s sake and the families sake.

    I`m sure this family is nice and I`m sure they`re grateful to this dog but that does not necessarily make it the right or best match for them.

    Dave

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  9. Dave-

    Good points well made!
    Marthina

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  10. I was wondering if anyone knew what happened to Angel.
    I just came across this article that says he was abandoned by the family who said they wanted him if the original owner didn`t show up.

    http://www.opednews.com/articles/Heroic-Pitbull-Rescues-Fam-by-Angel-the-Ptbull-081125-893.html

    Midwest says the animal is no longer on site when you click on link.

    I hope that means he found a foster/adoptive home.

    Has anyone heard anything more?

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