A Big Victory for a Tiny Puppy!
(Click the pictures to enlarge.)
It all started with a phone call. One of our supporters was very distressed about a sad situation in her Detroit neighborhood: a tiny rottweiler puppy chained and neglected in someone’s backyard. Neighbors had complained to all the appropriate agencies, but no one had helped. While heartrending, it was by no means an unusual situation. Unfortunately, we get calls like hers all the time. We try very hard to stand by our mission to provide for the needs of abused, neglected and abandoned farmed animals, and so we have to redirect many dogs and cats towards organizations set up to care for them. This one, though… Well, this one grabbed us by the hearts and didn’t let go.
A few days later, Monte took a volunteer with him to the house to try to convince the people living there to relinquish the puppy. No one was home, but what they saw sickened them. This was not a rottweiler puppy, but a tiny red brindle pit bull puppy no older than six weeks. Her belly was distended with worms, and she was tethered on a short heavy chain of the type that’s usually reserved for towing vehicles. She could barely lift her head. In the yard with her was a protective male pit bull, unneutered, no doubt her intended mate six months down the road. He snarled and pulled at his own short tow chain as they looked helplessly over the fence.
With heavy hearts, they headed back to come up with a new game plan. Dorothy called and spoke with the someone at Michigan Humane Society who told her that they were aware of the situation and were keeping an eye on it, but even if they could seize the dogs, all impounded pit bulls are euthanized in the city of Detroit. “Even a six week old puppy? We’re willing to take her!” Dorothy pleaded, but the answer was the same. It seemed this poor baby girl was doomed to either a life on a three-foot tow chain, being bred to produce more dogs with similar fates, or being seized and put to death.
The supporter who originally called us also contacted Dogs Deserve Better, an organization that helps dogs who are living on chains and in small pens by educating people about the cruelty of such means of confinement. A week later, Monte went again with one of their representatives in hopes of catching the owner at home and attempting to talk to him or her about the dogs’ living conditions. It was a long shot, we thought, but we couldn’t just give up.
When they arrived, they were pleased to find the home owner at home. Not only was he home, but he was very receptive to the visit. He was an older man who’d had a stroke and was unable to care for the dogs. Indeed, they weren’t even his dogs! His 17-year-old son had brought the dogs to his home and dumped them off there, coming home only to feed them once in awhile. The man did not want the dogs, and in fact, he was afraid to go in his own back yard. Seeing an opening, Monte offered to take the puppy. After all, a 17-year-old cannot legally own a dog and the father would be liable for any damages the dogs caused. Not only did the man agree to relinquish her (”I don’t want to be another Michael Vick!”), but he was also willing to legally sign over his rights to the dog and agree not to house more dogs since he was unable to care for them.
Monte had to go into the yard to retrieve the puppy since the man was afraid of the male dog. (Unfortunately, the male’s temperament was too far gone for us to take him, too, and the DDB rep is still working on him.) He found that since the Humane Society’s visit, the puppy had a new chain, but it was still far too heavy for a tiny puppy. He took her and her chain, and left before the son could arrive and make a scene.
The next morning, she got a good vet check up. Lots of worms, fleas, a little dehydrated, but otherwise fine. She’s not older than 6-8 weeks, which means she was chained at about 4 weeks old! Most responsible breeders won’t even let puppies leave their mother and littermates until 8-10 weeks because they need the pack dynamics for their future social development. This poor girl had a three-foot chain that weighed more than she did and an unstable yard mate, when she should have had a loving mother and siblings.
Back at the farm, though, she was making up for lost time. She followed the volunteers and staff around everywhere. She romped with Toto and Stephen, the baby goat. She ate well…Boy, did she ever!…and made friends with everyone who visited. Of course, pit bulls have a tendency to grow up and be potentially animal aggressive, so she couldn’t stay here, as much as we’d have loved that.
Through a stroke of luck, another friend of the farm happened to be looking for a puppy, and on Sunday, the wiggly little puppy now dubbed Sophie went to her forever home. Instead of a chain and a plot of dirt, she has a fluffy pink bed and dad who watches her sleep to make sure she’s still okay. Happy endings rarely come so quickly, but for Sophie, her life changed completely in less than a week.
October 8th, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Toto looks like a giant!
Yay for happy endings.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
This is a great story. So happy for Sophie!
October 8th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
I’m so glad she has a new, loving papa! Great pictures =)
October 9th, 2007 at 9:51 am
ugh, this is the main reason why living in detroit sucks as an animal lover. the people that are supposed to listen, that you even PAY to listen don’t do anything. argh! but at last lil sophie has found a new and loving home.
October 12th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
I second what Lynn stated: “That pup makes Toto look HUGE.” Hee! Congrats to Sophie and her new human…. =)
October 13th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
What a beautiful story! I am so happy for little Sophie and her new papa. You folks at Sasha Farm are the greatest!
October 18th, 2007 at 10:18 am
wonderful job Sasha’s Farm and Sophie’s new dad!
February 6th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Brilliant! It is amaizing how many “owners” will give up a dog after a kindly chat….Thank you for helping her.