O’M HEAD

Meet Hailey:

She is between 1 and 2 years old. I would consider her a puppy; but she’s had several litters of puppies, so she’s a mama and is wiser than her years.

See her ears?  No?  Well that’s because the owner they rescued her from cut them off.  Yes.  They. Cut. Them. Off.  I have no words.

I know I’m already sponsoring Fletcher.  But they cut her ears off!  Who does this?  Based upon her bio at PittieLove I would take her in a heartbeat if it weren’t for Rose Marie.

So I am now sponsoring two dogs. And it’s good.  Truly.  But, O’mhead (as Martha would say) there are so many to save…

It breaks my heart.

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire…

This is a blue nose pit bull:

They also come in “tan”.  And I’m not sure how one discerns the difference between a blue nose and a red nose.  These two cuties are both classified as blue nose.

Hmmm, still not sure of the difference because, obviously, the name has nothing to do with the nose.  (All of which are brown, or dark gray… just say’n.) But hey, let’s relax, this isn’t the Westminster Dog Show, and that’s not the point I’m trying to make.

The Big Guy came home the other day and reported that the new guy at work had a pit bull.  Very exciting!   Her name is Isis.  The Big Guy has met her and he is in loovvee… but thank goodness he is faithful.  Rose Marie has nothing to worry about – even though she DID chew my brand-new flosser…. and I can’t even go there with her paper addiction.  It’s tragic.  We’re seeking intervention…

this used to be a perfectly good roll of Bounty paper towels…

So, this new guy at work… let’s call him “New Guy” –  tells my Big Guy that his pit bull is also a rescue. Ooh, just like our Rose Marie!  New Guy then begins to narrate Isis’s life story -she was a bred for puppies, they were always taken from her…. er,  which is why he thinks Isis’s depressed.  So he told my Big Guy that he was thinking of breeding her.  Because she’s a certified blue nose pit bull!  He would, counter to her former owners, let her keep the litter and, thus, her ‘depression’ would be cured.

WHOA.  WHOA! WHOA!!  HELLO???? Is anyone paying attention??

First and formost, if Isis, is indeed rescue, no responsible organization would have let her be adopted without her first being spayed  (Liar Liar)  After that, I’ve run out of steam… the other points are moot.  Allowing her to have a litter?  This will ease her so-called depression?  Is this guy the Dog-whisperer?  Is Isis truly depressed?  How does he know?  And what’s with the blue nose pit bull thing?  Does he really believe the world needs more pit bulls?  (Can we just have him check out a local shelter?  What say you?)

On the flip side?  The company party is next Friday.  I’m packing… the Big Guy needs to step aside.  He’s already wandering around the kitchen clutching his head with both hands.  I will try really, really hard not to initiate a brawl.  This may not be pretty… but damn… you may not align and you may not lie.  This breed needs all the honest-t0-God help that’s available.

My mission?  To find out what rescue would let Isis go intact and to educate the New Guy on how much this excellent breed needs advocates.

Now do the Arnold Shhwarzenegger voice here:  “I’ll be bacck.”

Wonderful News!

Marilyn has been adopted!  She’s found her “forever” home.  I got the email last night.  Marilyn is the second dog I’ve sponsored and I chose her because her name is the same as my beloved mom’s.

My first sponsor was Athena.  She was snow white, had beautiful eyes and huge ears.   I chose her because she was deaf.  Quite frankly, I believe that sponsoring Athena is what helped me begin to heal after Tilly.  I actually became quite attached to Athena.  I sent her a custom made collar from Sirius Republic.  The fabric was called “Rosebud”  and the red would be stunning against her white coat.  I’m glad the folks at PittieLove Rescue humored me and didn’t seem to think I was a weirdo or a stalker.

When you give, when you contribute, when you volunteer- the payback is amazing.  It’s hard to put into words how sponsoring a pit bull makes me feel.  I know I can’t foster because of Rose, so this is the next best thing.  It gives me a sense of helping a wonderful breed of dog that’s been victimized, vilified, and quite often maligned by the press.

Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” 

 

Reactions to Finn have always been jovial and positive.  Rose often triggers other emotions in people when we walk by.  I’ve never hesitated to take Finn with me anywhere.  But I often consider where I’m going and who will be there before I decide whether or not to include Rose.  She has a responsibility to act as an Ambassador for her breed, so I must make sure she’s never placed in a postion where she could possibly fail.

Finn wins over everyone he meets.  He’s a big-hearted, goofy lab with a ball he’d like you to throw.  Rose won’t win over everyone, but if she changes one mind that’s good enough.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”  Gandhi