Good news about last weeks “Pet of the Week.” She was accepted by the same rescue as her litter. Karen Sanders and Tammy Beck braved the narrow country road after the snowfall Jan. 11 to pick her up.
Karen is fostering the mom until the receiving rescue gets an opening. In the meantime, the mother will get spayed.
Rescue groups “fear” that a mature female pit, that was a good mother, will be used to produce more pups and do so for the purpose of fighting them. True or not, that’s the thinking
I was surprised to learn how people who fight dogs behave. I thought dog fighters only fought in private-invitation-only events, when in fact, many just “mouth off” to other pit or ban dog owners and challenge them to a quick fight in a parking lot, a public park, a back yard, etc.
In New Orleans it is not uncommon to see a fight take place in a public park in broad daylight. I know this because I adopted a dog to a family where the husband is a minister. He told me how he had been challenged to fight his dog several occasions while walking him for exercise at a very busy park.
Another reason rescues worry about breeding age pit type females is their pups are often sold for as little as $50 or less each. Pocket money for “a buzz”. Homes are not screened. All they care about is getting rid of the eating, poop machine.
Rescue people see the worst of the worst. Eventually when they see a lot of “those kinds of situations” it’s hard to realize most pit owners are responsible dog people. It’s hard to adopt pit type dogs from rescues, including me. I had a hard time trusting callers for such dogs. However, I also know the folks who lied to me in the interviews were usually calling for a pit or mix of. They were also usually the poorest and unable to afford heartworm prevention.
On the other hand, some of the best pet owners adopted those very same dogs.
Drive through Zalma if you want to see an example of what most rescues fear pit type pups will have to bear. Look at the yard just off of Highway 51 where Michael and I saw two pits chained last week with substandard housing. On a cold day their single, short coat is not enough to protect them from the chilly, cloudy day. They sat shivering. Their backs curved and heads low in misery.
The junk all over the yard was like the ASPCA ad asking for donations to help save more canine lives from suffering.
I didn’t see any straw or shavings outside the house doors, so I didn’t know if they had any suitable, dry bedding.
Pictures like that are how I have seen many a dog neglected, usually pits or hounds. I have helped pits at that home in past years. I know that authorities have talked to them about the care of the dogs, too, after I talked to them a few years back. They have learned nothing, or they don’t care (or both).
So when a rescue will finally “take the plunge” to help a litter of pit type puppies, leaving the mother behind is haunting to them and the rescuers.
I wish more pit and mix pit owners understood how important it is to consider the consequences for the pups they may be bringing into the world.
I challenge those who won’t spay the girls, in 2025 keep count on the number of unclaimed stray dogs posted on the Bollinger County Facebook pages that are bully breed types. Compare that number to other stray breed types.
Pitties usually make great pets in the homes that manage them correctly. The problem is there are not enough homes to love and protect all of them.
Dogs held for other rescues (1)
One of four Aussie/Husky, Great Pyrenees type mix pups that were abandoned in Bollinger County.
A repeat adopter is looking for a medium-sized female dog that is healthy and very good-natured with other dogs and people. They have adopted four dogs from us in the past 12 years.
Return to owner (0), placed in other rescues or foster (1) or adopted (0)
Pit and Heeler mix female going to St. Louis rescue.
Dogs with erlichia or heartworm (0), special needs (0), or euthanized (0)
None.
Lost, found, and pets needing homes
Several dogs listed on our Facebook page also on the two Bollinger County “What’s Happening” pages, that are found or missing. IF you don’t have FB call us so we can try to match lost pets.
Miscellaneous and contact info:
We were caring for 16 dogs and pups at our home as of Sunday, Jan. 12. If you have a stray camping out in the yard don’t wait. Call us at (573) 321-0050.