TheLiberalOC does accept contributed articles and this one was easy to say yes to; my friend Kelly Reeves is a veteran OC high tech PR pro and runs a professional coaching practice. Her passion is her dog rescue program Paw Prints in the Sand where she routinely saves loving pups from So Cal Kill Shelters and finds homes for them. She sent me this story about Bessie, a two year old female found on the street in Los Angeles last Spring. Bessie’s transformation is nothing short of a miracle. Please read the story below and think about adding a loving pup to your home.
Every home deserves a dog and every dog deserves a home
By Kelly Reeves, co-founder of Paw Prints in the Sand Animal Rescue
There once was a dog named Bessie.
Who’s life started out rather messy.
She was dumped on the streets.
With no ends to meet.
Until two amazing girls gave her some shelter and something to eat.
While this sounds cute, Bessie’s story is no limerick. She was found on the streets of Los Angeles. She was hungry, covered in fleas, and had a skin infection.
Thanks to two animal-loving UCLA students, she found a reprieve. They fed her, gave her a safe haven, took her to the vet, and started providing her care.
But, because of Bessie’s breed, she couldn’t stay. You see, Bessie is a pit bull. This dog doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She literally loves everyone she comes in contact with, both human and animal. Yet, she gets judged. She gets shunned. She gets abandoned.
Did you know that 15%–20% of dogs in shelters are Pit Bulls and 80% of Pit Bulls are euthanized each year? Talk about discrimination! Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) actually outlaws these dogs based on breed identification alone. It doesn’t matter whether they are as sweet as sugar pie or not.
But, Bessie is a pit, so she’s once again found herself without a home. Even though she’s been working with a professional dog trainer for months and has shown nothing but love and kindness to all, she gets judged; she gets discriminated against, and she remains in boarding.
She had a lovely couple who wanted to adopt her, but the landlord wouldn’t allow it because of her alleged “breed”.
There have been potential adopters who have met her who said: “She is sooo sweet, but my neighbors might be concerned and cross the street when I walk her.”
Yes, there is dog prejudice too. Why do you think there is a Black Dog and Cat Syndrome Awareness Month?
Or Senior Pet Awareness Month, and yes, Pitbull Awareness Month.
Sadly, it doesn’t matter if it’s human or animal, people will still judge and discriminate. What’s especially upsetting is when people judge a dog that knows nothing but unconditional love. Trust me, we’ve rescued hundreds of dogs- even pit bulls from dog fighting that have experienced the worst of humanity- who still wag their tails when we save them, still give puppy kisses, and still want to please you.
Bessie is just that kind of dog. Even though humans failed her before Maddison and Amy came along, she was still super happy. She was so grateful for all they did for her before she was transferred into our rescue.
If you are reading this and wondering what you can do, Bessie desperately needs a foster or “furever” home. She has been in board and train for months. Even though she is getting training and socialization every day, I’ve no doubt she would absolutely LOVE a great home and would be super grateful for it!
A little more about her: Bessie is about two years old. She is spayed, current on shots, microchipped, potty trained, crate trained, leash trained, and obedience trained. She does better with big dogs, but ok with smaller dogs with a proper introduction. The good news is her training comes with her along with continued work with her trainer.
And if you are active, then you’re her Huckleberry! She loves to exercise and is always up for an adventure. She loves to run and play!
Call me biased, but she’s almost the perfect dog. I say “almost” because just like there is no such thing as the perfect human, there is also no such thing as the perfect dog, but is Bessie close enough to perfect? YES! And she is absolutely deserving of a wonderful home despite society’s attitude and opinion of the type of dog she may be.
If you are interested in adopting or fostering Bessie, go to www.pawprintsinthesand.org. If you foster, we cover all medical costs and provide all supplies, training, and support.