adopt

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“Pit Bull” Awareness Month

Yep, I’m sliding into the wan

ing days of the month with this post but bear with me, I have my reasons.  Every October for the past several years I’ve embraced the concept of Pit Bull Awareness Month and celebrated all things Ray and Julius while working towards broad acceptance of seeing my boys and all other Pit Bull types of dogs as individuals, not as lumped sums of their breed, or breeds as the case may be.  My boys are both Pit Bulls in the broadest sense of the word and yet they share absolutely no similar breed DNA.  They are individuals.

 

Sugar, Julius, and Ray

 
In light of all of the ballyhoo with PeTa joining forces with the vitriolic group that I won’t link to here I was planning to sit out this round.  I was asked by a friend and fellow Pit Bull Coalition member to help find an avenue to help spread awareness to the right people.  Here’s the thing: in person I’m pretty confrontational and blunt.  If you threaten or malign my dogs (or anyone I care about) I could very easily try to pull your eyeballs out with my fingernails while trying to figure out ways to really hurt you but when it comes to mudslinging and manufactured “statistics” from zealots, I try not to give credence in the form of attention.  Much like when you are training a dog in a positive manner, you ignore the unwanted behavior and reward the desired behavior.

  
PeTa contends that it would be best to kill all Pit Bull types for their own good to save them from the criminal element who want to adopt them. There aren’t many words in that sentence that I don’t take issue with but many people more reasonable and more informed than I have addressed such lunacy, so I won’t bother other than to point out that of course, I don’t want to see Pit Bulls abused, but I don’t want to see any animal abused.  I just don’t think that killing them all will solve the issue.

  
In the vein of positive reinforcement, I also want to take this moment to write a bit more about what you might and might not see here.  Get it?  Same message but different delivery.  I have a pretty dry and sarcastic sense of humor but you won’t see me engaging in the tongue in cheek “pit bull attack” pictures of dogs licking babies.  Here at Peaceabull we don’t “do” the words vicious, monster, attack, or aggressive even if we are describing how heartily we show love and affection and we don’t assume (well maybe we do, but we don’t verbalize it) that you are working from a point of prejudice about our dogs.  You don’t like my dog?  I’m not going to assume it is because they are pit bulls, and by that assumption I am giving you the benefit of a doubt that you are not an asshole.  (Oops!  There’s the eyeball pluckers coming out!)

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#TakeAChance

Well, that was quite the cliffhanger, wasn’t it? I meant to finish out the Tale of the Blues and talke about “Iron’s” hashtag on Friday, but not only did scheduling not permit, but Fate intervened as well. Chance’s story was going to be about how Asia regretfully decided to let him go. She had told him during her visits that he would be coming home to live with her and ultimately with all of the newness, as well as a foster pup, she agreed to see if his true family would show up. She gave them 30 days.

August 15

On Saturday August 15th I had an urge to visit “Iron” at the shelter and as I was driving down there, I received a text that a wonderful couple were in and going to adopt Iron. As luck would have it, I was able to meet this couple and they were, in fact wonderful. 

  

In the back of my mind, I felt a little sad for “Iron.” He would be an “only dog” which may make him a little sad, but it might work out in the end. That is the story we would have published on Friday.

August 22

A beautiful day dawned full of promise and anticipation. Today our little Pets for Life team would finally be hitting the streets and knocking on doors to begin our mission of helping our neighbors retain their pets. We were going to be able to offer spay/neuter, vaccines, preventatives and food among other things all for free to this specific area. What nearly marred this glorious day was the message I received that “Iron” was coming back to the shelter. The funny thing about this, though, is that it didn’t upset me or even make me sad. It felt right somehow. 

  

The adopters were distraught to return him (along with the mountain of belongings he had amassed in just 7 days) but due to some neighboring dogs trying to fence-fight, he returned as they say “through no fault of his own” and with the feedback that he is, in fact, perfect in a home. I’m not sure why, but I just couldn’t feel upset about this return. I hugged the big wiggly lug when I saw him and I let him know that it was ok and I would always be around to look after him.

August 23

Another Sunday and another Pack Walk with The Bully Collective. As has been her custom, Lisa had arranged for a couple of volunteers to come and walk adoptable dogs. One of those dogs was meant to be Bitsy, Asia’s foster dog but as fate would have it, Bitsy had been on a two-night trial and on Saturday night we received the message that Bitsy had found her forever home. That allowed for her walking partner to be available for Iron/Chance.

  

Julius and I picked him from the shelter and left with the message that while I’d try to have him back by noon, I wasn’t going to promise. (Side note, Julius is the only dog I know who gets excited to roll up to the shelter as if we’re going to Disney.)

A nice long pack walk was followed by some impromptu Bro time as Clyde came over and the three boys had some quality play time in the yard. 

  

I loved seeing Chance waddle-trundle along after the sleeker Clyde and Julius. It was so much like a little brother trying to keep up with the big guys. As Lisa and I watched the adora-bulls play in the yard we agreed that someone in our large family of friends needed to adopt Chance. We couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him regularly. I considered it over and over again. He and Julius got on well and Ray would be given all the time and space he needed and even the name could work. My boys are named after football players, so Chance might not work but Iron? Iron Mike, of course would be perfect!

After Clyde went home, I loaded Chance in the car and decided to make a pit stop at Asia’s house. Since she had company over everyone was in the back yard I text her to make sure Ms. Cranky (Sugar) was on a leash. 95% of the time Sugar is great with other dogs but there have been a couple that she wouldn’t tolerate so I wanted to be sure there would be no incidents. There weren’t. Asia didn’t receive my text on time and as Chance and I walked in the far gate, Sugar greeted him as if he were a long lost brother.

  

Chance played with Sugar, romped around the yard, followed the little (human) girls around and drank his fill from the water spurting out of the Slip ‘n Slide.

An hour before the shelter was to close, I called and got assurances that no one had come in to visit with him so I let them know he wouldn’t be back for “curfew” and since the shelter is closed to the public on Mondays, he wouldn’t be back until Tuesday.

There’s no mistaking the joy on Chance’s face when enjoying all of the activities of the day. Going from Pack Walk to a play date with the Big Boys, to a play date with Sugar, Slip ‘n Slide fun with three girls ranging from 1 – 5 years of age to all of the different locations in just one day back from another home would make anyone exhausted or even over-stimulated. Chance aced the day as if it was just business as usual.

Are you a believer in fate? Karma? Everything happens for a reason? The very evening that Chance was returned to the shelter Bitsy was adopted 

 

Bitsy and Bentley

 

and on Monday morning Asia emailed me, “I think he is meant to be with us. It’s been one month since I met him, I tried to let someone else adopt him, and it didn’t work. It’s a sign.” My response?

  

Okay.

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Cujo’s Chance

Technically, Lucky/Ion/Eden never made it to the adoption floor. Cassie and Melissa had adopted her immediately after her spay, so her name was listed without any picture other than “available soon” to mark her presence. Chance had a different story.

On the day they were both transported for their surgeries, Chance was found to have a cold and could not be operated on and thus not yet ready for adoption so he would remain a guest of the Allen County SPCA for a bit longer but was already creating a small buzz.

  

The Blues had arrived at the SPCA on Friday and on Saturday and Sunday I did something that could have impacted his future. Saturday morning Asia and I went to the shelter to visit the Blues and she immediately fell in love became obsessed with Chance. He was, after all pretty spectacular in so many ways.

  

 He was calm and affectionate and while Eden bounced all over him and jumped on his head and his back, he remained steadfast and happy, giving more credence to the theory that he was her father. Though he was sweet and affectionate with us, it was clear that Chance was a dog’s dog-he loved being near other dogs, especially little Eden. His tender, gentle acceptance of her was inspiring to see.

  

The following day, the hubby and I had to run an errand that took us to the shelter and I used that opportunity to introduce him to the Blues. I rarely do that but when I do, it’s to plant a seed, because there’s always that just in case case that comes up. Little did I realize that little seeds had been planted in Asia’s heart as well and on that Monday she informed me that not only did she submit an application for Chance, she had called to ensure that her faxed application had been received and already scheduled a meet and greet for him and Sugar. As much as I already loved Chance, and thought that he would make an excellent addition to the family, I wasn’t convinced that it was the right time or circumstances.

  

For as much as I pressured gently encouraged Cassie and Melissa, I wanted to be sure that Asia was separating Chance’s back story with her urge to adopt him. As far as the circumstances in Asia’s household, she had just purchased her new home, adopted Sugar and began fostering Bitsy all before even the first utility bills began rolling in. Luckily since his neuter was delayed, so would be his meet and greet which would allow me to really work on if not changing Asia’s mind, at least to get her to think the decision through more carefully.

In the meantime, I pulled out all the stops. The time commitment, the financial commitment, the loss of a crucial foster at a time when good foster homes for pit bulls were scarce were all arguments I cited while trying to get her to reevaluate her decision and ultimately I asked that she at least wait to see if another family would come along that would be in a position to give Chance all that he needed. Not that Asia wouldn’t, but instead of being the second or third in a home, he should have an opportunity to find a family who needed to love him. He deserved that chance. If after 30 days he was still available for adoption we could reevaluate.

Nearly every day I went to visit Chance and while sitting with him or walking him I fell for him again and again but knew that if the hubby and I were to add a dog to our household, it would be someone spry and active enough to play with Julius but calm enough to keep Ray feeling secure. While Chance would definitely not be threatening to Ray, he would not in any way be able to keep up with Julius so while I loved him dearly and if I needed to I would provide him a home, I knew that a better one was out there somewhere for him…

  

To be continued…

#FreeLucky
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#FreeLucky

There’s no denying that Lucky and Cujo were in fact two lucky dogs and oh my goodness, if a name was ever wrong for a dog, then Cujo was it. We began referring to him as Chance; he’d gotten several by now and yet The Blues still got other new names at the shelter. Ion (Lucky) and Iron (Cujo/Chance). I’ll admit, I really never called them by their new names much; Lucky and Chance they were in my mind and my heart. These two were definitely wiggling deeper into my heart, I mean, how can you carry a dog into a clinic, wear her blood on your shirt (like a badge of honor) and not feel like you are now somehow bound together? Can’t happen.

 

Lucky is about 10 months old and presumably Chance’s daughter. She’s a stocky little low rider who wiggles into you as if she’s trying to osmose into you to get that much more loves because she’s never met a stranger and is absolutely positive that all of humanity was set on this Earth specifically to love and dote on her. She’s probably right about that.

Soon after the weekend, the pair was sent to H.O.P.E. for their surgeries where Lucky’s lucky streak continued. There’s a fabulous woman (and friend) who loves Pit Bulls has been volunteering with the Fort Wayne Pit Bull Coalition by walking foster dogs at our Pack Walks and we’ve joked that she is a lucky charm because the last three dogs she walked were almost immediately adopted afterwards. She also works at H.O.P.E. and though she was at the June Pets for Life clinic volunteering, it was at H.O.P.E. where she re- met and fell in love with Lucky all over again prompting a Facebook campaign that had me in stitches and tears.

Ironically I had just recently had a text conversation with her partner about her level of readiness for a “large” dog and how all of their friends, especially all of us crazy committed pit bull people would be there to support them but understood the reluctance since they are newly settling into a new home.

The campaign started with this picture

Photo by Cassie

and the caption, “This is Lucky/Ion/whatever I name her. I have absolutely fallen in love with her and need her sweet love in my life forever!”

Friends, ever supportive that we are began a very low pressure, reasonable show of support for Cassie’s campaign which became known as #freelucky.

 

Photo by Lisa Reyes and The Amazing Adventures of Clyde

Comments such as “Poster dog for PFL,” “Such a proud symbol of the PFL cause,” “If there was no Pets For Life in Fort Wayne, where would this girl be right now?” (Did I mention the other mom is the Pets for Life coordinator?) “#luckyneedstwomommies” and then there was, “Sarah McLaughlin called, she wants to perform at the #freelucky concert.”

Then the one that may have tipped the scale, “…I really do think it is time for me to devote my love to another dog. I miss Oscar and he would want me to love again….she just left to go back to ACSPCA and it made my heart hurt.”

Photo by Lizz (photobombing dog has already been adopted)

Ultimately,and in record time the campaign worked and Lucky’s fate rested in the paws of the two resident dachshunds.

Photo by Melissa and Cassie

Photo by Melissa and Cassie

Photo by Melissa and Cassie

Photo by Melissa and Cassie

All kidding aside, how fitting that this Lucky dog found her way to these lucky women. This little dog, who in less than one year of being had been bounced from home to home, been protected at two shelters, become a rally symbol of community hope, a symbol of two women who are passionate about saving lives and giving back to their community and has made her final stop with them. I’m sure that when they look at their girl now named Eden, they don’t see a sad little story, but one of success and love written on one kissable, squishy face. #LoveForeverEden

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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way From the Front

The end of July and the beginning of  August are definitely times for reflection around here.  Two years ago a happy little “scruffian” bound into our lives and never left.  Once we decide he was going to stay with us, we had such big plans for our Julius.  He would be the ambassador that Ray didn’t want to be and he would open hearts and minds just with his sweet, open  demeanor.  Well on the way to that were some stumbling blocks like this and many more  instances of the same ilk.

Chewbacca.  

Julius started going to Dayplay mostly because whenever he’d see a dog he would go apeshitcrazy nuts to play with them.  We figured playing with a multitude of dogs on a weekly basis would cure that, but not so much.  I guess the bonus was that in the Vet’s office we usually don’t have to wait because they like to bring him in to a room quickly.  Go figure.  Then we thought that Pack Walk would  be a good way to get him used to being in a crowd of dogs without needing to be all up in everyone’s business.  After a full year, I’d say that is beginning to happen.

Leader of the Pack

Over the course of the past year, I have been going round and round about Julius and his need to be in the lead.  I don’t really believe that he wants to be “leader of the pack” as much as if he sees a dog he wants to be with that dog, so following just made him strain that much more. I was often told, he has to learn sometime that he can’t always be in front.  On one had I agreed and yet on the other hand I thought why does he have to learn that?  Was there a hidden agenda?  What  if he never learned that?

Growing Up

Well a funny thing happened to my ambassador/not ambassador dog.  He became a Foster Step Father and his behavior and demeanor grew to accommodate his new status.  Although the staff at day play always remark on how “appropriate” he is, it was wonderous to see him in action with not only the Sugar Babies, but also with Sugar herself.  He was the self appointed guardian of all things and even kept a watchful eye on his “big brother” Ray to ensure proper behavior towards our guests.  While I found this new Julius mindblowing remarkable, I didn’t realize how much so until a recent pack walk.

We had invited the family of one of the puppy’s adopters.  They have a Granddog who needed a bit of socialization and like with Ray, the early years, the more full of assholery vinegar he acted, the less I was inclined to socialize him until it became a downward spiral.

Backseat

So this handsome dog, Diesel, brought his family to pack walk and after the first five minutes there my heart went out to the family.  I had been there so many times already with Julius.  The jumping, the screaching, the all out shenanigans and the tears.  I suggested that they lead and while I thought to fall in second with our usual walking partner, I realized that if Julius could see Dahey he might be ok, so we fell into third place and had a very successful walk.  Diesel settled very quickly (faster than Juli ever did) and by the end of the walk, smiles were miles wide.

It takes a village..

It takes a village..

The following week, we fell into the same order and immediately all could see a vast difference.

The Change

While Julius isn’t done growing and maturing by a long shot, the difference in him is just astounding.  Recently I took him to my daughter’s house so he could play mediator between Sugar and the new foster dog, Bitsy.  Sugar  wasn’t a huge fan yet and through some play and supervision the girls settled into a deeper appreciation of each other but the proudest moment came when the neighbor’s little dog stood on its deck and repeatedly yapped but got no reaction from Julius (or the girls.)

Ladies love Julius

Ladies love Julius

The Icing 

Tonight, after taking Ray for his rehab walk, I decided to take Juli around the neighborhood too.  This is something I rarely do-walk Julius without Ray’s steady presence however it is impossible at the moment.  While he isn’t even close to perfect on leash yet, we did walk past several people, kids and at least 4 barking dogs and Julius kept calm and quiet.  I was bursting with pride and possibly strutting a bit. At one point, a neighbor apologized to us about his dog barking.  I wanted to ask him to video us!

11800568_10207074283792643_3241567483620178883_n

I don’t know.  At two and a half, Julius just seems to have found his stride and because of that we are walking pretty proudly. Happy Gotcha week to my Ambassador.

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Sugar Babies

Despite my aversion to the “unwashed masses” touching the puppies, I ended up bringing Kit Kat and Godiva to our adoption event on Saturday.  I had arranged for Snickers’ meet and greet to be earlier that morning, so I loaded the three gals up and hoped for the best.  Strange things about this litter and their mama.  As the Fort Wayne Pit Bull Coalition, we really only deal with the bullie s (Am Staff, Staffies, APBT, American Bulldogs, American Bullies, etc) but I have a sneaking suspicion we got flim-flammed a bit.  We know the father of this litter is a Collie-Beagle mix and Sugar?  She’s small, easily confused with a small terrier or a cattle dog maybe.  Toby and Godiva definitely have lug heads and they all have some Pittie traits, but easily taken for NOT a bully, which worked out well for Snicker’s adopters who rent and have breed bans.  So as it turned out, as of late Saturday afternoon, the Peaceabull Assembly was devoid of fosters.

Toby

 

photo by his new mom

 

I can’t imagine anything more stressful than wishing, hoping, praying and willing you to be healthy, Toby.  We don’t hold meet and greets or adoptions at the homes of our fosters or board members for fear of a constant stream of strays finding their way to our homes.  Toby’s adopters were good friends of a good friend and their application and message were so heartfelt and polite, so we agreed to have them over to Peaceabull to meet all the pups and hopefully find a match.  They had just lost their Pittie, Sammy, days before we pulled the pups and needed to fill the silence so when they fell in love with Toby we went ahead and finalized the adoption, although we all agreed that the following two weeks with his mama and his litter were crucial to this little guy.  Just as we were excited for Toby’s bright future, Joy got sick and died, the remaining puppies began getting sick and we ended up with every single one being treated for Parvo and Coccidia.

Always the sweeter of the two sweet boys, Toby pulled through and though he was thinner and bony, his loving (and sassy) personality remained intact and he was able to still go home with his parents on the previously scheduled day of July 2nd.  His adoptive parents were so supportive and positive throughout the entire waiting period and I absolutely know he will have a good life and I will get Facebook updates (hopefully) daily!  I’d have to say, he was my favorite.

Reece and Baby Ruth

On the 7th we held a invitation-only meet and greet and brought the five pups as well as Coco, an adult female who had an application out to meet potential adopters.  The first family in the door wanted to see Reece and that’s all she wrote.  

  
They were smitten with his fun-loving and easy-going nature and I’m sure his little heart-shaped nose didn’t hurt either.  Reece is “all boy” in the best possible way; the most adventurous but not too mischievous, he negotiated up and down the stairs without hesitation and leapt head first into any situation.  He will fit right in with that active young family.  Reece was definitely my favorite.

Ruthie also found herself adopted after snatching the place right out from under Snicker’s nose, but that is how Ruthie rolls.  

  
She was always the biggest of the litter and as such, was the bully of her siblings from the get-go.  Most interestingly, like most bullies, she had a weakness for the unknown and the day the pups met Julius, they all swarmed him like screaming fans swarming the Beatles, except for Ruthie who yelped and hid for an hour.  Once she determined that Julius was not going to harm her, she became his little shadow.  Baby Ruth was fun, affectionate and eager to be loved.  She went to a home with a sweet woman and her daughter who will love her always and forever.  Baby Ruth was awesome and she was my favorite.

Snickers

Ah, my little Snicker Doodle-do.  Snickers was always the most clingy and the most whiney vocal which was actually how I knew the moment she got sick.  Being that she was a little bit quieter, I set her down and she didn’t whine or bark, so I knew she was sick.  Snickers was always a mama’s girl in the weirdest way-she immediately bonded to me.  All the puppies would rush to Sugar for nursing but Snickers always wanted me to hold her or play with her for at least a minute or two each time she saw me.  Snickers would put her paws on each side of my neck or try to climb on my shoulder to be closer and the home she found will be awesome, I’m sure. This young couple emailed that they wanted her, first to meet on Thursday then maybe Friday would be better since they were moving on Friday so we set a time then we set another time.  Moving took longer than anticipated and by the time we rescheduled for Saturday, I was feeling like I’d be bringing all three gals to the adoption event.  What I found couldn’t have been further from the truth.  Their apartment was immaculate and tastefully decorated and oh so clean.  Apparently it was not left clean and they spent an inordinate amount of time cleaning before being able to move in.  Snickers was always the gal for them and so there she stayed. 

   

I constantly would tell Snickers, “I’m not your mommy and I don’t love you,” but I could tell she knew that she was my favorite.

Kit Kat

After Joy, Kit Kat was the smallest of the litter but she didn’t let that get in her way.  Kit Kat never instigated anything but never took any sh*#t from her brothers and sisters and was always there to back one of them up.  She was probably the most independent of the litter in that she could play with others, play by herself, be cuddled or just hang out.  The funniest thing about this little one?  On Tuesday she woke up and her ears were now like this:

  
I loved Kit Kat for her chutzpah and of all the pups, she got a new name, which was a bit disappointing, because a dog named Kit Kat!  She was my favorite.

Godiva

‘Diva probably changed the most over the three weeks that the puppies were with us.  Before she got sick, she was the largest after Baby Ruth and she was the one I predicted might end up back in the Shelter system.  She was the one who hung on shoe laces and pant legs and fingers and shirts and strings by her little stubborn terrier teeth.  She was the one who would hurl herself into whatever was going on with the litter.  The Diva was never one to start something but she would by gosh finish it.  When she got sick, I think she took it harder mentally than any of the others.  She got smaller both physically and by her personality.  She became more tentative and more cuddly.  During one of my visits while they were in clinic, she actually scampered away from the door and turned her back to me until she realized it was me.  Then she sat in my lap and got some love.

‘Diva’s adoptive family will have to do more than any of the above to keep her and at the moment are actually fostering to adopt* to allow for more transition time.  She has a dog selective…’uncle’ (?) whose stamp of approval is harder to come by though she and her new dog sister Lucy are already in the throes of love. 

  
This family will ultimately end up adopting this little girl who is going to have a wonderful life. She was my favorite.

But what happened to Sugar?  Check back tomorrow.

*As I was adding pictures I got the message that the adoption will soon be finalized. Diva is home.

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Hit Me With a Ton of (Yellow) Bricks

For as long as I’ve been reading dog blogs I’ve been coveting something but just never seemed like the right time to order-until now.  For the third quarter of this year (July, August, September) the Fort Wayne Pit Bull Coalition will be the Rescue Partner recipient from Yellow Brick Home!  (and I swoon)

I have wanted a  painting/portrait done of the boys since before Julius even came along, but I was always just so wishy washy about it.  Also, I knew that working with Kim at Yellow Brick Home is an experience and I wasn’t sure I could do justice verbally to showcase my boys. In my mind I sift through pictures and pick out adjectives to describe the boys in order to help capture their essence.   I’m pretty sure I know how to have Julius done, but as ever Ray the Complex has me worried.  How will I ever begin to describe him?

Well I’m  sure to find out because not only is our Coalition  set to earn 10% from the purchases at Yellow Brick Home for the next quarter, but for the next three days you can shop and snag yourself a nice discount too!  Who wouldn’t want one!??

Just enter the code WELOVEFWPBC to receive 10% off everything in the petshop!  Wait!  What if you’re not exactly ready to order?  No problem, get a gift certificate (or two) and still reap the benefits.

Who will you have immortalized in a mini portrait?

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Joy Blossoms

Sometimes a girl just needs to feel pretty and maybe have a little something to call her own, and no one understands that better than her fairy dogmother. As often happens when an animal comes into rescue, they have nothing; not even an collar to call their own. Puppies are usually carried and older dogs are led by a slip lead then equipped with a borrowed collar until adopted.  That is, unless you are fortunate enough to be acquainted with this loving crew.

Sugar was just that fortunate in that the generous souls at Oh Melvin provided her with a Sirius collar of her own.  See how fabulous she looks?

 After pouring over the fabric selections for hours we finally opted for Blossoms, thinking the pink and white flowers were just so her while the blue background just pops against her soft white fur.


What do you think?  Dreamy, right?  There’s more, but we’re holding on to the secret for later!

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Do Good, Look Great

Though the Peace-a-Bull boys have a fairly extensive collar collection (maybe not like this one-but whose is?!) I’m always looking to add to it and if I can do that and give back at the same time, it’s always a win-win.

As nearly everyone in the Blogosphere knows, Sirius Republic is one of those companies that fit the above bill and I’m hoping that all of our real life friends will make that discovery as well.  I’m often told that the gals at Juli’s Day Play wait to see what collar he will be sporting upon arrival and it is rare that we don’t get compliments on the collars when we are out and about.

captain

What I love about these collars besides the adora-bility is the durability.  I have every single Sirius collar we’ve ever purchased and they look fantastic.

siriusray

We’ve partnered with them in the past to provide some embroidered Adopt Me collars for the pooches at Allen County SPCA and after two years of hard wear, they are still going strong.

Glamour, now Kya, modeling the goods.

Glamour, now Kya, modeling the goods.

Now you and I have an opportunity to help another great local organization and one that is pretty obviously near and dear to my heart.  The Fort Wayne Pit Bull Coalition is a local non-profit  which strives “to improve the conditions for Pit Bull type dogs in Northern Indiana through education, public awareness and by providing resources for Pit Bulls in need” and also as recently as this year has begun much more of a focus on rescue work. In the few months that I have been more active, we’ve not only adopted some wonderful dogs to great homes, but we’ve helped two families with compassion fosters, by fostering the dogs so that their people could get on their feet and provide all the necessities.  Yeah, I’m pretty proud of that stuff.

But what can we do?  Shop.

Head on over to the Sirius Republic website, build a custom collar for your beloved pooch (or kitty!) and at check out, enter the code RPFW95 so that the Pit Bull Coalition will earn up to 20% back from your purchase!  What’s that you say?  You want to buy a collar but don’t have a furry friend?  Head to Sirius Republic, customize a collar and they will embroider “Adopt Me” on it for no extra cost and you can have it sent* to the Pit Bull Coalition!

Remember that code!  RPFW95

Thanks for helping out the blockheads of Northeast Indiana while making your dog look Mah-velous.

*P.O. Box 13064

Fort Wayne,IN 46867

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Guest Post-As Told by Jack

It was the day humans refer to as Saturday. It the day looked like many others but I felt like this was a different kind of day and when I woke up in my cozy nest of grass, I decided that this was the day I’d let them “catch” me. A few days ago, the human I lived with took me to a building that had lots of sounds of other dogs and handed me to a big man who spoke gruffly, but had kind eyes. I didn’t really want to be in the big building with all of the other dogs barking so I gave the big man the okie-doke and slipped through his legs and ran outside but I stayed near enough to the big building because something told me I should not wander far. That Saturday morning, I was feeling itchy from being outside, my skin was uncomfortable from the pulling hair and I was hungry. I ran right up to a lady and let myself be “caught.”

  

A few hours passed and I wondered why I had that feeling that I was supposed to be here on this specific day. I didn’t like being in the building with the loud dogs but then some more ladies came to look at me and one of them who seemed sad when she was looking at the blockheads said, “Yeah, he should definitely come.” Come where?

  

Eventually a few of the other dogs went in the office for a bit but then they were returned to their kennels and it was my turn. When the door opened, I was full of different feelings. I wanted to run away again and yet I also was a bit nervous so I wanted to hide. When I was brought to the office, one of the ladies and the gruff sounding man poked me with needles but they were kind about it so I didn’t cry. I put my paws in the gruff man’s lap to tell him I was sorry for hiding from him then I sat with the lady who didn’t want to touch me. I think she was nervous of all of my handsomeness, so I gave her a little kiss to make her feel happy. It made her giggle and I could tell she was beginning to love me.

  

Instead of going back to the kennel in the loud room I was put into a tiny crate and loaded into what the lady called the Pittie Van and I learned I was going on a Vicktory Ride. Eventually all five of us were loaded and I was nervous when I saw the big crybaby Blue Tick Coonhound loaded. I was sure his voice would give me a headache but he hopped in his crate and fell right asleep. Whew! What a relief! Oh, the pretty girl with the block head is whining-I think she just likes the sound of her own voice. Why does she have to talk so much? No one else is talking. The yellow guy is sitting up in the front seat like he’s special or something and the pup is being good in his little crate too. We’re all wondering what’s going on but we can tell this is a good car ride so no one is scared, we are just a little nervous.

When the Pittie Van stopped we were all unloaded by some more nice ladies who took us to other kennels and put blankets on our beds then left us for the night to wonder why we were moved from one big building with dogs to another one? What’s different? The next few days passed and we began to learn the routine, outside for fresh air, return to clean kennels with fresh bedding , food, dogs leave, dogs come. One kind lady shaved all of my handsome apricot hair off, and I pretended I was mad, but in truth it felt good to not have my skin pulled and itchy-feeling.

  

On the morning they call Thursday, I went for another ride and people looked at my ouchie foot then did some things in my mouth (I think) and when I came back, the little guy who was in the kennel next to me was gone and I felt happy for him, I guess. They said he found his forever home.

Just as I was settling onto my bed, I was brought to another room and as soon as I was in the door, I saw her! I recognized her as soon as I saw her and I ran right over. I was brought on this adventure so that I could meet my forever person and she found me so quickly. I was so excited to see her and she recognized me so quickly that we immediately were wrapped in love. As we cuddled, she whispered to me, “I hope they let me take you home, it will just be the two of us and we’ll be so happy.”

  

As we left the building, I heard something about shopping and getting spoiled…