From Rags to Riches: Louie’s Second Chance at Life
I ♥ Pitbulls and Bully breed mixes, don’t you? Helen Keller did; she shared her life with her beloved Pitbull mix, Sir Thomas. Our Gang Little Rascals loved their Pittie, Petey. President Teddy Roosevelt relied on his Pete for a macho image, although Pete was in fact, a lover boy. Both World Wars utilized the brave and loyal Pitbull and General Patton had one of his own. Jessicas Biel and Alba both have beloved Pits, as does Jon Stewart and Rachel Ray. Can all of these smart people be wrong about this breed? No!
And, award-winning writer and videographer, Larry Kay, delivers touching, happy Pitbull videos on his Positively Woof YouTube Channel that shows what the power of love and positive training can do. Bullies rescued by Pet Orphans of Southern California are highlighted in one series of Larry’s video stories (one of the Pittie ones made me teary, in a good way, today).
When Louie arrived, he was so, so sad. Louie had been rescued by Pet Orphans from a shelter where he was scheduled to be euthanized. He had a severe case of mange. But once physically healed and receiving lots of love and positive training, you can clearly see Louie for who he really is – a loving, happy being. It makes my heart feel big to see he got the second chance he so deserved.
Louie’s videos clearly demonstrate how a dog originally thought to be aggressive in the stressful, kill shelter environment, can unfold into the loving, happy being he is in a positive, caring one. This is a must-see video for anyone who loves Pitbulls or for those who are frightened or wary of them. There are other videos about Louie and his progress on the channel, as well as videos on many other dogs, rescued by Pet Orphans, all with their own stories.
Against All Odds: The Unbreakable Bond Between Elizabeth and Rosie
Over the course of 2020, Charlotte Detienne Photography undertook the monumental project of telling the story of many special horses and humans, how they overcame the impossible and against all odds, came out on top.
Meet Gypsy Rose (aka Rosie), a foster horse from the Georgia Equine Rescue League now residing at Norman Farms LLC just outside of Jersey, Georgia. She was found wandering the streets and was eventually taken in due to poor nutrition and lacking her left eye. The Norman family originally fostered Rosie with the intention of finding her a permanent home, but as you can probably guess, Rosie had other plans.
Rosie started out as a difficult horse to find a home for as she had a mind of her own, that is until Elizabeth came into her life. Elizabeth (3 years old at the time of these portraits), is a beautiful soul diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy around one year old, it mainly affects her legs. With the aid of ankle braces and walkers, Elizabeth has been a fighter from the start making leaps and bounds with her physical therapy.
Her mom Lauren would periodically place her on horses to work on trunk control, and then she met Rosie. While spending time in the barn with her parents, Elizabeth used her walker to cross from Rosie’s right side, under her chest, to her left side (blind side) without Rosie even being the least bit alarmed. “I looked at my husband and knew right away that she understood Elizabeth. She understood that she needed to be still so this small child could experience the simple act of standing to brush a horse. She understood that she needed to walk slowly sometimes so Elizabeth could help lead her to the arena. She understood that she needs to refrain from a full body shake so her small rider does not tumble off,” Lauren Norman (Elizabeth’s Mom) said.
Since then, Elizabeth and Rosie have been each other’s biggest supporters. Rosie has found her happy place in giving and receiving trust from those with the odds against them. While Elizabeth has not only bonded with a once in a lifetime horse but also conquered abilities most children with a similar diagnosis wouldn’t achieve until they are much older – if at all.
Pidgy the Pigeon: A Miraculous Survivor
May 31, 2021 by Elizabeth – Pidgy and her sibling were born as wild rock pigeons, enjoying the comfort of their nest and the warmth of their parents until someone with ill intentions decided that he did not want them there. They were not given the chance to grow up and fly away, with the excuse that they were “on his property”. So their nest was taken down and the babies were left on the corner of the sidewalk near the trash bins, to die…
Someone found them and took them to an animal shelter, only to be put on the list to be euthanized because they did not deal with pigeons. This is where our story begins – a story of love and perseverance. Love of life and willingness to survive against all odds.
I met these two babies after they were brought to the shelter, cold, sad and separated from the parents that cared for them up until someone decided they didn’t deserve to live. I knew at that point I needed to step in and rescue them from being euthanized. Humans had failed them twice by now, and they needed another chance.
After getting some warmth and nutrition, they started to perk up and in a few days, they became the happiest, funniest baby pigeons. I bought them nests, toys, and cages, just to spoil them and get them ready for the wild life ahead. The plan was to raise them up with minimal human exposure so that they could be healthy and wild, and live a long happy life as wild pigeons they were.
However, life doesn’t always happen according to plans. This plan failed miserably after I purchased them a very big, fancy and considerably expensive cage so that they could get acclimated to the great outdoors. It was made of metal fencing that was rodent-proof. Sounded good at first. Then, on their first day there, after barely an hour, I noticed blood! Then I saw that Pidgy was bleeding from the beak and the lower beak was split into two, like a fork!!! I can not put that moment into words. I was sick to my stomach, nauseous, angry, and guilty. I couldn’t believe that I missed to see a wire sticking out in the cage and to this day, I still have no idea how she managed to put her soft lower beak into it and slice it like that. Another human had failed her yet again…
And that’s when everything changed…
Doodle: The Dog Who Wasn’t Supposed to Walk
Doodle’s story is a true testament to the resilience and determination of rescue dogs. When Doodle was first brought to the shelter, the veterinarians gave him a grim prognosis – they said he would never be able to walk again. But Doodle had other plans.
Through the unwavering love and care of his adoptive family, Doodle defied all odds and not only learned to walk, but became an energetic, playful pup who brings joy to everyone he meets. His journey is a reminder that every dog deserves a second chance, and that with the right support, even the most challenging cases can blossom into the happy, healthy companions we all dream of.
At I Have Dogs, we believe that rescue dogs like Doodle are the true heroes. Their stories of overcoming adversity inspire us to keep advocating for animals in need and to never give up on a dog, no matter how dire the circumstances may seem. Doodle’s success is a testament to the power of love, patience, and determination – qualities that every dog deserves to experience in their forever homes.
So, the next time you’re considering adding a furry friend to your family, I urge you to consider a rescue dog. You never know – you might just end up with a Doodle of your own, a four-legged friend who will defy all odds and capture your heart in the most incredible way.