Volunteer Spotlight: Megan Davis

Volunteer Spotlight: Megan Davis

I have raised several different wonderful dogs over the course of my 28 yrs, with my family and on my own.  These dogs ranged from Labrador Retriever mixes to golden retriever mixes to a Pomeranian to a cocker spaniel.  However, I always had a soft spot in my heart for these powerful working/family dogs known as Pit Bulls, whom have been so undeservedly misrepresented by so many people.  When I would have the pleasure of encountering a Pit Bull with their responsible family members they would always be so happy to make a new friend and in many instances would try to get in my lap if they could.  Having never had the opportunity to raise a Pit Bull personally, the only opportunity I had prior to my volunteer and fostering experience through CCB, to gain interaction with and credible knowledge of the breed was through personal research and from other responsible pet owners who did have the pleasure of having them in their lives.  I never really knew how to go about finding the best way that I could be productive in my desire to help make a difference.  It was late October 2011 and I was walking through brier creek in Raleigh, NC and CCB happened to be having their final adoption event in that location.  I met Kendall and Chloe, the Kardashian pups, and the wonderful Lt. Dan whom I just fell in love with on the spot.  I also met Amanda and Terry and several other fosters and volunteers that were participating with this event.  I ended up having such a good experience with everyone that I stayed until the event ended and I took a business card home, found the Carolina care bullies Facebook page, and became a fan.  A few weeks later I saw a post stating the immediate need of a crate for a foster dog over the next few days.  I happened to have my crate free during that time, so I contacted CCB and coordinated with current volunteers to get the crate to the person who needed it that same night.  This was my very first experience as an official volunteer with CCB.  Since that night I have had the pleasure of even more opportunities to contribute, participate and learn from others, directly as a foster and indirectly as a volunteer.  I learned how I can be productive and help better the lives of many of the wonderful dogs CCB has had the pleasure of knowing and I have gained the knowledge to educate others about these dogs and how CCB also helps better these dogs’ lives. I have participated in adoption and community education events within my local community and a wonderful community outreach program that CCB conducts each year called Pitt Bulls in the Park.  This event educates and assists as many people as possible that need and want it.  This was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever been fortunate enough to be a part of.  I have been fortunate enough to have fostered 2 wonderful baby bullies and help them find their families. I am so grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate with so many other great people to help make a positive difference in North Carolina for these wonderful furry friends.

Featured Happy Ending: Capo

Featured Happy Ending: Capo

     Capo's life didn't start out so great: He was picked up by animal control with his mom and sister, given the number 550 and was destined for a terrible fate.  In fact his mother & sister met that sad fate.  But something was special about Capo.  He was pulled into the Vet Tech program only to be placed back on the euth list a few days later.  That bought him some vital time.  His picture was posted around the foster networks.  A lovely shelter worker named Jenn was trying her best to get him out of there. That one kind act set everything else in to motion... 

     Enter the next angel in Capo's life, Shana Markwis.  Shana is a foster for Carolina Care Bullies and noticed Capo's photograph the night she had given away her last foster to a forever family.  Out of all the dogs flooding her inbox, something about Capo stuck with her.  In his intake photo he looks sad, scared, filthy.  His notes said "animal aggressive, resource guarder, shy."  Shana, always fighting for the underdog couldn't let this guy die because of a few bad marks.  She emailed the shelter worker that night at 11pm, with just a few hours left until he was supposed to die.  

     The shelter gave him his shots, had him neutered, and on February 21, 2012, Capo was free.  But what kind of freedom would this be?  Capo wasn't the super happy-go-lucky, giddy to be out of jail dog.  No...he was broken.  When Shana went to pick him up, he was stiff, unflinching, nervous.  He couldn't let his guard down.  Shana noticed his bottom canine tooth missing a small hole in his tongue....what kind of life had this poor guy had??  But all that changed very quickly. 

      Once Capo settled in to his new home, he was a completely different dog.  A wagging tail that swings like a baseball bat, a goofy wiggle that you cannot help but laugh at no matter how many times you've seen it, a silly personality full of quirks.  Capo opened up.  He began to really LIVE.  Those notes on him became curious to Shana...he was never aggressive towards her two cats, never became possessive over toys or food.  It's interesting that dogs are labeled without thinking about the REASON for their behavior.  If you were shoved into a prison (filled with scary people, sounds and smells) with your mom & sister, wouldn't it be normal for you to become protective? And couldn't that be read as aggression?  Don't let those labels scare you off....take them into consideration, but a dog is much much more than its shelter notes.

      After a month at Shana's, Capo was really thriving....that's when we came in.  Jillian and I had been talking about adopting a pit bull for a while.  We knew their maligned history and we knew what amazing pets they can be.  So we started looking.  And of course if you're in NC looking to adopt a pit bull, you come across Carolina Care Bullies.  As we started looking over the dogs, we knew the number one thing that was important to us: a cat friendly dog.  Jillian has had her cat, Jennifur, for 10 years and nothing can come between her and that kitty.  When we clicked on Capo's profile the first line read in all caps "SUPER CAT FRIENDLY" and of course that made us read further.  Capo seemed perfect.  We emailed CCB and started a correspondence with Shana.  I cannot give her enough credit.  She is an angel on earth for these dogs.  She answered every question I had with thorough and detailed answers....we felt like we already knew Capo before we had even met him!

      The day we went to pick him up we were a bit nervous.  What if he didn't like us?  What if he cried nonstop?  What if he did go after the cat?  All that was cast away as soon as we met him.  He was so excited to meet us and jumped right in the car.  He never whined, never cried.  He just gave Jillian hell in the back seat because he wanted to smell every inch of the car!  We got him home and immediately went into a 2 Week Shutdown (recommended and explained by Shana of course!).  I cannot begin to explain how grateful we are that we did this.  I now tell EVERY new dog owner I know that it is the best thing they can do for themselves and their dog. 

     We've had Capo for about 2 months now and he's changed our lives so much.  I've become a much more patient person since Capo does not respond to a loud voice in a submissive way...he actually gets more excited! If I yell "No!!" his tail starts wagging & he thinks its play time!!  So we've learned that discipline is a quiet process, not a loud one.  We know every bite mark on his head from whatever bad thing took his tooth out.  We know every spot on his wiggly butt.  We know every bark ("Play with me!", "Who's that!!", "Back off!").  The 2 Week Shutdown was invaluable.  We didn't hear him bark for 2 weeks!  Now he definitely let's us know when he's ready to play!  He loves to fetch with tennis balls & bumpers, and when he's tired, he let's us know by lying down & have some grass as a snack.  He wants so badly to be friends with Jennifur, even though every time he tries to gently sniff her she smacks him in the face.  She runs off and he just watches her go with a look on his face that says "Well maybe tomorrow then..."  I can take every toy & every treat/bowl of food away and he patiently waits for me to give it back.  And if I put his toy up, he simply waits as if to say "OK Daddy, what next?"   

     Sometimes he likes to jump up on the recliner with me or on the couch with Jillian and just nap with us.  Other times he likes to climb all over us and lick our ears clean.  At night he likes to lick my feet until I can't stop laughing.  We call that a "pit bull pedicure."  He'll happily lie down with a rawhide or romp around outside and roll in the grass.  He's a fantastic pet with all the energy, quirks, kisses, stubbornness and affection one could expect from ANY dog.  But he's OUR dog.  And we are so lucky to have him.  

     Honestly, when we first adopted Capo, I would look at him & think "That's our PIT BULL".  Now I just think "That's our BIG GOOFY DOG".  I don't even see the breed anymore.  With Capo being as shy as he is, I'm continually amazed by the amount of patience & restraint he shows in stressful situations.  And thanks to the 2 Week Shutdown, he always looks to US before reacting himself.  We are continually learning his motivation & fears.  And he is continually teaching us how to be better people.  

      So thank you Carolina Care Bullies, thank you Shana, thank you Jenn and thank you Capo for enriching our lives in ways we never expected.

The Pit Bull Rescue Explosion In North Carolina:

Where Does CCB Fit in?

Let me preface by saying I’m not a blogger. But it’s becoming clear to me that technology is pushing me in this direction. As the leader of a 3 year old non-profit pit bull rescue organization, I suddenly have some street cred …. And people want to hear what I have to say. Go figure. Mostly I just try to stay behind the scenes and avoid the spotlight. Which of course, is one part humble and two parts “drive the haters mad”. But I am who I am and have always been honest to that front, that I’m not perfect; I’m not a superhero; I’m a regular person who wants a regular life and regular friends … but instead decided to dedicate my life back to the dogs that changed my life. It was my dream, and in my journey I found someone that shared that dream – Terry King. Carolina Care Bullies started with two dreamers who had been repressed for too long. People that told us that this was not something we could handle or do. To just quit while we were ahead. Let the experts do what they do best.

Terry helping courtesy listing dog "Blue"
get exposure at a Fugees Rescue
Adoption Event.

I wanted to know… what made them experts? What made them better than what I could offer?
I truly wondered, b/c my local organizations surely were embarrassed of the pit bull-type dogs that came in to their program. If they didn’t mis-label them first, a pit bull was lucky to make it into rescue at all. Where was all this progressive information that had been brought to the public eye after the Michael Vick Case? Why weren’t the practices of groups like Best Friends Animal Society or Bad Rap being implemented in how to treat rescued pit bulls, especially from cruelty situations?

 After working with the one pit bull rescue group that seemed quite reputable, we were still wanting to do much more. The problem is the adoption events were few and far between, and I really had to push to get them scheduled. I brought my own dogs in need of homes as courtesy dogs, and advertising materials not just for my foster dog, but theirs belonging to that rescue, so we could help everyone. Most of the time I felt that I was in the way. It saddened me especially knowing how long their dogs had been in foster care. I probably would have continued to volunteer and improve some of their best practices, had a pit bull named Spiderman not fell into my lap one day.

On June 18, 2009, an adolescent pit bull was surrendered to Hillsborough Veterinary Hospital by his family. Spiderman had been chained when his family was not at home. He was well-known at Orange County Animal Services for the many times he broke free and was picked up by Animal Control. On this particular sunny June afternoon, as Spiderman’s family drove away from collecting their dog from the shelter, he jumped out of the open truck window, and suffered a broken leg. Because of his family’s financial situation they had the option to surrender the dog to another party that could care for him — or have him euthanized.

"Spiderman" with Terry, Summer 2009

I was a veterinary technician at another local vet hospital, and was contacted because I was already known for my advocacy for pit bulls. With my partner Terry King’s blessing, Spiderman began the next step in his journey. Through small grants, and public support through social networking, we were able to completely fund Spiderman’s needed surgery. Soon friends and colleagues began to ask, “What is the name of your rescue?” An unshakeable idea was planted.

In August 2009, Carolina Care Bullies was established. Under CCB’s name, the two of us took in our first foster dog, “Tipsy” a black and white pit bull from a shelter in Brevard.

Today, CCB is 501(c)3 non-profit organization made up of between 25 – 30 foster homes. CCB’s foster families span the entire state of North Carolina, predominantly in the Charlotte, Triad, and Triangle areas.

CCB continues to rescue dogs in need of hope, focusing on pit bulls that sit on death row in North Carolina’s shelters. To date, Carolina Care Bullies has placed over 200 pit bulls into permanent, responsible homes

Every step of the way has been difficult these past three years, and I have suffered a lot of personal pain within the rescue. It is not easy pouring your entire heart and soul out to a fellow colleague, only to find this person later becomes someone you cannot trust and uses your private moments and weaknesses to hurt you. It’s a hard business to secure trust in. You must always protect your emotions and feelings often from the very people you are working alongside.


Often when trust is broken and goals are no longer universal, we have a divide between rescuers. Rescuers will branch off to their own pursuits with ideas that do not match the direction of Carolina Care Bullies. From these branches, we have seen Two Loons Dog Rescue; Southern Belle Pit Bull Rescue; and Merit Pit Bull Foundation. The heads of these organizations have adopted CCB alumni and served as prominent members of the CCB Team at one time. Disagreements were had, and CCB was forced to restructure. Still other NC PBRs exist that had little to do with CCB's beginnings, like the American Pit Bull Foundation, and the Positive Pit Bull. To the North Carolina pit bull advocate, your head must be spinning!

CCB Vollies Chris  Pierce and Melissa Valentine puppysit
while her owners get needed supplies and services from the other
booths at Pit Bulls in the Park 2012

In establishing ourselves as a unique entity, we have really tapped into our strengths. For instance, we do try to treat each other as a family unit to those that put in their volunteer time with us. We are a personable group who accepts each other as individuals – much the same way we hope people see the dogs in our adoption program. We all have something to offer despite our flaws and we accept that we are all just a little bit quirky. Discrimination is at the root of the issue when educating the public about pit bull breeds, and so we try to keep an open mind about each other. 

The second thing we must recognize is that CCB is the first pit bull rescue in the state to boast of a highly successful, multiple foster home program. Within a year’s time, we had grown from one foster dog in Terry and I’s living room, to 15-20 dogs in other approved foster homes. Now the number bounces between 25 and 30. Our adoption rates really do stun the competition when we prove that we adopt anywhere from 5-10 pit bulls a month. (To compare, check out Villalobos adoption rates).

Lastly, the volunteers we have today have class. They are professional, they are respectful, they get things done, and ignore setbacks and negativity that may be brought on by the presence of other rescues. To that we say –bring it. There are so many pit bulls in need in North Carolina, and we cannot stand alone and save them all from euthanasia without more people standing up to get involved. They may have different approaches about how to reach their goal, but we are all in it to make the world a better place for pit bulls.

CCB Vollies Valerie Fernandez of Pits and Posh, and Adopter
Sarah Mathews. Valerie is a former member of the CCB Board
of Directors, and now uses her creative talents to benefit 3
local pit bull rescues including Carolina Care Bullies.

One thing you will hear every CCB volunteer say is “We are so proud to be part of this team.” And that is something that I have felt from the beginning, when I first saw Spidey sprint across our backyard with his leg still encased in the contraption he wore to make him whole again. Thanks to generous people working together, his old life was over and he couldn’t wait for the new one to begin. It is that spirit that reminds me why we must keep going even when faced with animosity and hostility. Every experience is a lesson and a pathway to something better.

Amanda and "Spiderman", April 2012

CCB will continue to grow and be here each year to show honesty, class, and most of all a PASSION to help the dogs that at one time, hardly anyone was working to save here in North Carolina. Carolina Care Bullies is proud to be a pioneer of a growing movement to change the image of pit bull-type dogs here in NC! We thank you for being a part of this amazing time in pit bull advocacy.

~Amanda Liston, CCB President

Pit Bulls in the Park 2012

Pit Bulls in the Park 2012

Many people in society, including some of my family members, would not have stepped foot into an event that contained the word pit bull. Let alone an event that invited people to bring their pit bulls to join in the festivities. Those that discriminate against the breed would imagine vicious dogs on chains and dog fights breaking out everywhere they looked.

I, on the other hand, was excited for this event. I could not wait to see all of the pit bulls that would be brought to the event and I could not wait to help their owners get what they needed for them.

We had people show up starting at 10:45 and most were there until the lightning storm hit and we ran out of the supplies we brought to distribute. We were  able to microchip over 100 dogs and we gave out just as many, if not more, free vaccinations. There were spay/neuter vouchers and tips on training. We had a U-HAUL full of food that was empty by the end of the event. We were also able to give new collars, leashes, and harnesses to those that needed them, as well as many other various dog supplies.

While all of the volunteers were helping out at their various stations we also got to “ooh and ahh” at all of the beautiful dogs that showed up to join us at the event; there were all shapes, colors, sizes, and breeds!

One of the most amazing and fulfilling moments of this event came near the end. A man walked up to the event with a red female that was attached to a chain, he had no collar or leash for her. At this point we had no more collars or leashes. All of the volunteers scrambled around to find a spare leash and collar to donate to this man for his pretty girl, if he would take it. One volunteer had the spare leash and in the end another bought one of the collars we sell at our events to give to her. We approached the owner and he was very willing to take her off her chain and accept the collar and leash. Even if you were just observing this moment from afar it was still amazing and heartwarming to watch, just writing about it brings tears to my eyes.

We all strive at CCB to save pit bulls and educate people on how amazing this breed is. At this event we were able to help as many as 200 dogs get some of the supplies and necessities they needed. If we made just one dog’s life better that day, it was worth it. I love volunteering for Carolina Care Bullies, I love what we stand for and I love the good effect we had on the community that day at Pit Bulls in the Park. I can’t wait for next year so that we can help even more dogs than we did this year. 

Volunteer Spotlight: Melissa Valentine-Walls

Volunteer Spotlight: Melissa Valentine-Walls

Hi!  My name is Melissa Valentine-Walls. I currently live with 3 dogs, two pit bulls, Xena and Spike, and a shih-tzu, Angel, We also have a cat, Kitty, and two rabbits, Isabella Bun and Briar Bun, and several hermit crabs.


My love for animals started when I was just a little girl. My mother was a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator and we always had some sort of baby animals in the house. She raised squirrels, rabbits, and even a raccoon that we named Baby. He was my best buddy for the time that we kept him until he was ready to be released into the wild. 

Briar

As I grew up, we always had dogs and cats around the house.  When I moved out and started my own family , it seemed only natural to get my own pets. So came our first pit bull, Spike. My daughter was only two years old when we went to get him. He was a tiny puppy and she named him Spike because at the time, Rugrats was her favorite show and the dog  on it was named Spike. We placed him in a laundry basket with a towel and drove him home to love forever.

Isabella

Kitty

Our second pit, Princess was given to us by a lady who wanted to get her away from her husband who abused her. She knew that she would not be safe in her home and wanted her to have a better life. We took her in and shortly after, she was diagnosed with cancer. We did not have her very long, but she got to know love and that not all humans are not bad in her time with us.

Angel

 After we lost her, we knew that we had to save another and give them a safe home too.  So we searched Petfinder until we came across a beautiful girl named Xena at Cumberland County Animal Control. The morning that I called about her she was due to be euthanized. I begged them to please hold her until I could get there and I hopped in the car to make the 2 hour trip to Fayetteville.  We ended up having to make the trip twice because they would not release her on the first trip because she had to be spayed and we had to pay for that first and then come back the next day to pick her up after her surgery. 

Xena

 It was the best decision that we ever made. Xena is a wonderful dog and we love her more than we can even say.  After that, I learned of Carolina Care Bullies and that they were in need of volunteers. I answered an email about transporting a dog named Hooch to an event in my area. I filled out a volunteer form and soon became the courtesy lister for them. I answered emails about dogs that were stays or owner surrenders and listed them on our site to help them find new forever homes. 

Spike

 I am now the Volunteer Coordinator and love every minute of the time that I spend helping CCB and the wonderfully deserving dogs that we save and place. It has given me a purpose in life that I did not have before. A feeling that I am doing something good in this world of not so good and helping those that cannot help themselves. I totally recommend volunteering to anyone that is considering doing something good for others. It is definitely life changing in a great way!!!!!

Featured Happy Ending: Lacey tells us about her family being adopted and why she's ready for her furever home

Featured Happy Ending: Lacey tells us about her family being adopted and why she's ready for her furever home

Lacey

CiCi, Lacey, and Sage at Animal Control

Mama Valerie

In February of 2011 I was dumped at the shelter with my brother and sister and our mom.We probably weren't the most attractive family back then. You see, when we were taken to the shelter in Davidson County we were covered in motor oil. We had ticks and mange and it is said that you can treat that by covering the animals in motor oil. When it didn’t 

work, we got to take a car ride…to animal control L

My family was even more special because we were the first pit bulls to be let out of Davidson County Animal Control. When Carolina Care Bullies came to evaluate our mama, Val, they were so happy that the county was willing to let my pit bull family leave and go to a rescue. They first gave our mom the name Val, because it was like Valvoline the oil. She then became Valerie because she was so sweet and nurturing.

Our first foster home kept us all and Mama Val until we were old enough to be split up into separate foster homes. That foster loved Mama Val so much that they adopted her into their family. My sister CiCi went to a nice foster home not too far away and my brother and I went to Wilmington. Sage (formerly Cagney) and I stayed in Wilmington for a little bit while we were recovering from that horrible mange. We were both nearly naked from losing all of our hair. Our sister CiCi had mange too, but she was adopted real soon by a nice man who loved her a lot!

CiCi

After we stayed in Wilmington for a few months we had new foster homes to go to. I went to a nice foster home in Wilson with lots of other foster doggies. One of my foster sisters there was Princess Tia, who just got adopted as well! Sage got to take a long trip to Charlotte. I guess on the way to Charlotte that nice lady who gave him a ride fell in love with him. She followed his progress and read his foster mom’s blog about how sweet and silly he was. That lady had a nice pit bull named Sophie and they went back to Charlotte to get him and he is now Sophie’s brother!

Sage (formerly Cagney)

Sage and his sister Sophie

They love him so much. He is playful and sweet and loves his doggie sister. They like to play and curl up together. Sometimes they curl up with both their humans and their two cat siblings all together on the couch. And his mommy says that Sage is so funny he sleeps with his gazelle-like legs all over the place and in weird positions. They love his goofy, loving, playful, curious nature. My sister CiCi has a doggie sibling too and they love her just as much. CiCi’s daddy is a nice man who fell in love with her even when she didn’t have all her hair back from the mange!    

I didn’t get adopted yet. I’m still waiting for that special family to see how playful and loving and sweet and cuddly I can be. You see, as the red-head I have a beautiful unique color for a pit bull. No one knows who our daddy was, but I probably look like him some. I am great with kids and I love car rides. I like to walk with my leash. You should see me run too. When I get the chance to run, I am so fast! I am really good at my basic commands and I am completely house broken and crate trained.

My favorite things are popcorn, peanut butter, my Kong, and chewy bones. I love sitting on the porch watching squirrels and stretching out on the couch to relax. I like all dogs, big and small. I like to be fancy sometimes too and I prance when I walk. I am even learning “roll over” and “crawl,” as some of my tricks.

Sounds great, right??? Everyone who has met me thinks so. We just can’t understand why no one wants to adopt me yet. I am almost 1 ½ years old and I just really want a family of my own. I love my foster mom and my foster sister Rosey the pug and even my foster bunny. A girl just needs a family of her own though. I have my own Facebook page to share with your friends and my CCB album is here. You can ask questions about me or get an adoption application by emailing rae@carebullies.org. 

Featured Adopt-a-Bull: Tyler

Featured Adopt-a-Bull: Tyler

 Tyler is a 2 year old pit bull mix. He is medium sized and weighs around 45 lbs, which his foster family says is all heart! He is extremely affectionate and nurturing. When he isn't playing, he couldn't be anymore happy than being curled up to someone in his neat little ball. Tyler is completely housebroken and crate trained. He also loves to sleep with someone or in a dog bed if that's what he is offered. 

Tyler loves to play with his doggie friends and he's great with dogs big and small. He recently met some toy sized dogs that he adored! He plays with his foster sister nonstop! Tyler is cat curious, but means no harm. He just really doesn't understand why they don't always want to play. Proper introductions will no doubt lead to a successful dog/cat household with Tyler. He doesn't have any issues sharing toys or bones either. He would love to have a fenced back yard or a running partner so he can stretch out those legs of his. You should see him run, it's poetic. He has an absolutely gorgeous physic and to see him sprint across the yard is exhilarating. Tyler has even been around children. He's a little curious at first but as long as he's supervised and given time to calm down he does great. Like any two year old dog he needs to be able to feed his curiosity. 

Tyler knows his basic commands. He is working on settling down on command and he's been getting some training on loose leash walking. His foster family and his trainer have no doubts that he'll master these all very soon! He's also learning a few secret tricks for his forever family when he meets them. Tyler give the sweetest most gently kisses, he's easy to please, and reciprocates this as well. He would be the perfect addition to any family.

You can see Tyler's complete photo album here.

Featured Adopt-a-Bull: Jewel

Her foster mom says, "Jewel is a beautiful dog in looks and personality." Jewel is a little over one year old. She's house and crate trained, walks great on a leash, and she adores the company of other dogs and especially people. You don't have to worry about her sharing her toys with kids or other dogs, as she doesn't have a mean bone in her body. This girl is pure love. When offered a treat, she will take it very slowly and gently from your hand, a plus for training! Jewel is a social animal. She loves to lay near her people when she tired and when she is playing with her doggie friends her favorite games are tug of war and chase. Jewel and her foster sister Malley love to chase each other. Both are very quick, but Jewel has her beat when it comes to turning, so she usually wins that game! All Jewel needs is a furever family (without cats!) to give her all the love and attention she deserves. Please visit Jewels, album on facebook here. You can also visit her petfinder page here.

Featured Happy Ending: Jenny

Ollie and Jenny

     Ollie here...Hi everyone! That's me in the picture, the handsome one. That's my sister Jenny sitting on top of me. What a crazy nut she is...I'm going to tell you all about her and how she came to be a part of our family.

You see, at my house there's always been dogs that will come and stay for awhile and then they go to something the humans call a furever home. My spellchecker says that's not a word, but that's how these humans keep spelling it? It's this whole process called fostering. That's what my mom does. I'm a pretty good foster brother and my sister Maggie is too. Maggie is that beautiful brindle girl in the pictures. We've had nine foster dogs come and stay with us until they went to their furever families. Wait...make that eight. Jenny, #9, didn't leave!

Jessi and Jenny

It must be because Jenny and Maggie are such good friends. That Jenny sure does love my human sister, Jessi, too. That's Jessi and Jenny together in the next picture. Jenny waits outside Jessi's bedroom door every night until Jessi falls asleep and then she comes back to the living room to hang out with us. Jenny and our doggie sister Maggie are best friends. Jenny and Maggie do everything together. If Maggie is outside, so is Jenny. If Maggie is going on a walk, Jenny is too. If Maggie is asleep, Jenny is laying on top of her asleep! Look at the pictures if you don't believe me. But, you know what? If mom has the space heater on or she gets the blow dryer out...it's me and Jenny you'll find. That's Ollie and Jenny time.

Maggie and Jenny

 That Jenny, she really is a funny girl. She might be more sassy than sweet though. Don't let her fool you. Some days she'll be lying on the couch and I'll think she's sleeping. Then that silly Jenny leaps off the couch on top of me because she wants to play. She does that to Maggie too. She may be part dear the way she just leaps in the air? She sure is proud of herself too when she tricks us. Dogs aren't supposed to know what accomplishment means...but I looked it up. That's what Jenny has. When she tricks us she walks around all proud and excited. That's what you humans call accomplishment, right? My humans laugh at her, that's called enabling, I'm pretty sure!

Jenny, Ollie, Maggie, and Meredith

Anyway, we all like that Jenny girl. Even when she's being ornery. She does this thing to my human sister Jessi that's just too funny. She waits till Jessi is in the shower and if she didn't close the bathroom door all the way that silly Jenny will run in there and steal her socks. She steals dirty socks, can you believe it? If I did that I'd go hide it so I didn't get in trouble. I don't steal dirty socks though, remember that. Ollie doesn't steal socks, but that Jenny girl...watch out for her. She'll steal your socks and then she'll prance around the house all proud of herself. That's your warning. If you come to my house...keep your socks on!

Maggie and Jenny

  I'm really glad that CCB saved Jenny's life and I'm happy that my humans decided to keep her forever, or furever if that's what you prefer. She's stubborn, and goofy, and sneaky, and she sure does make our humans take big deep breaths sometimes but life with Jenny is fun. She's a snuggle bug like Maggie and me and she likes to play too. As long as I never have to wear socks and keep them away from Jenny, then she's welcome at Ollie's house every day!

Ollie and Jenny

Wags and Kisses,

Ollie

Volunteer Spotlight: Jennifer Hedrick



Sadie

Seven years ago I had just bought my own place in Texas and decided I wanted to get a dog. I went to my local shelter and walked up and down the aisles several times before a reddish/brown dog curled up tightly at the back of her kennel caught my eye. I bent down to get on her level; she slowly raised her head and looked at me with big brown eyes. I called to her; she slowly uncurled herself and walked towards me her head down and tail tucked between her legs. As I stroked her head through the wire I glanced at her card. She was a six month old pit bull mix who had been at the shelter for two months. The owners turned her in when they realized she was a pit bull. When I took that scared puppy outside she didn’t romp and play but just sat at my feet and looked up at me with such pleading in her eyes that I knew I would be taking her home. The hardest part of the day had been to see her be put back in that kennel. Her tail tucked back down and her head lowered as she slowly made her way to the back of her kennel. I had tears in my eyes as I filled out that application and drove home. The shelter had a seventy-two hour hold on dogs so they could do a background check on the adopters.  

Jenn with Jake and Sadie

The next three days I spent going to the store buying food and supplies for my new baby. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get her home. First thing Saturday morning I drove to the shelter. I will never forget the pep in her step or the look in her eyes when I slipped that collar around her neck with her freshly engraved tags with her new name Sadie. She knew she had been adopted and was going home. She curled up in the seat next to me with her head on my lap and just stared up at me the whole ride home.

Foster puppies: Dita, Fidget, and Peppe

A little over one year later Sadie and I packed up and moved to North Carolina . It wasn't until my move that I started to realize how hard it was to own a pit bull. I had to lie about Sadie’s breed to get into an apartment, to board her in a kennel, take her on vacation and even finding a vet. Frustrated I tried to find any information on my rights as a dog owner but always got conflicting information. I finally gave up when I couldn't get the answers I wanted.

When Sadie and I first moved into our apartment the complex had the maintenance guy come in when I wasn’t home to fix something.  Sadie was locked inside her kennel and became hysterical. When I got home that night her kennel had been ruined along with some blankets and molding around my bedroom door. That day would start a lifelong struggle for Sadie with separation anxiety.

Jake

Less than a year after moving to North Carolina , I would move Sadie and I again this time into a house. I had bought a little home, which I hated, but it had a huge fenced in yard, where she could play off a tie-out for the first time in her life. The first time I let her out into the yard I had tears in my eyes as I watched her race around the yard wide open and a huge smile on her face. After a few months I decided to get Sadie a companion. We adopted Jake and that’s when Sadie’s dog aggression came out. I had owned dogs before in fact most of my adult life, but was ignorant about being a good owner. I didn’t realize how important it is, especially for pit bulls, to be socialized at a young age. Because of my ignorance as an owner Sadie and Jake got into several fights. I learned quickly about dog first aide. Sadie didn’t just fight with Jake, on our walks she would lunge, growl and snarl at other dog owners. I would have to jump on her and hold her to the ground until the other dog passed us by. The first winter after we moved in I was walking Jake and Sadie when a truck slowed down, threw a small puppy out of the window and sped off.  I tried to find him a home but he was so small that no one was able to take him. I ended up keeping Picasso and it was because of him that I finally got the help Sadie and I needed.

Picasso

When Picasso was about three months old Sadie attacked him and hurt him bad. I knew then I had to get Sadie and I professional help. After tons of searching on the internet and calling and talking to several trainers I found the perfect one for us. I cried on the drive to take Sadie because she would be staying with the trainer in herhome for one month.

It was the longest and shortest month of my life. I hadn’t realized how tense Sadie’s issues made the rest of the house. I was able to give Jake and Picasso the attention they both needed and the break from the constant worry of being attacked. The dog trainer also gave me homework and told me on a weekly basis what she was doing with Sadie. She gave me some articles to read and websites to visit. I learned all of the things I did wrong in raising Sadie. And if it could have been done wrong I did it! The majority of Sadie’s negative behavior was through no fault of her own but through the fault of a bad owner. Me!

When Sadie came back home Jake and Picasso were wary of her and I watched her like a hawk, but it didn’t take the boys long before they accepted this new Sadie back and were playing in the backyard. It took me longer but after several months we learned to trust one another again.

Jenn is our CCB puppy guru!

Sadie still was having separation anxiety issues, destruction being the biggest one. I was still searching for a way to help her and find a “cure” but I knew we would be okay. I cannot tell you how many times I laid in bed at night and wished that someone had been around when I was going through all of this and could have helped me through all the mistakes I made. I knew then that I wanted to help but was at a loss as to help who. Three months later I was working at my part time job when a local rescue group came in to promote their group, Carolina Care Bullies.

Jenn and Sarah

I remember talking to Amanda about pit bulls for about 10 minutes. I took a card and went and looked them up online. I was impressed with their mission and knew I had found a group that I wanted to help. They had so much information on pit bulls,what it means to own one, the negative things that happen to owners and how to respond. The people at CCB knew exactly what I had gone through and wasgoing through and could empathize. There was no more sneering at me or my dog or judging Sadie because of the misdeeds of others. I felt a kinship with the other owners and knew I had a great resource on my hands.

Jenn's current foster: Tasha

One month later CCB asked for foster homes for a litter of puppies. I immediately volunteered; I ended up foster failing Sarah and later Fidget. Sadie has taken a back seat to mothering, her bad leg makes her cranky, but Sarah and Fidget have stepped up to the plate. We have fostered 15 puppies for CCB and ten more for other rescues. We foster exclusively for CCB now because it’s all about the pit bulls for us.

I love fostering puppies. I love watching them grow from little squishy faced cuteness into mature dogs. I love snuggling them; giving kisses and getting them back. I like training them and teaching them good dog manners. I like that I am giving them a chance to be an amazing dog, something so many pit bulls don’t get.

Fidget

The best thing about fostering though is what they have given me. I have learned to have more patience and understanding with people. That no one is perfect, and to forgive, you see I struggle with forgiveness the biggest one being myself, for the horrible owner I was to Sadie. I know no amount of fostering can give her what she didn’t have until a few years ago, but I know when I see her playing with those puppies and she looks at me with her big pitie grin that she forgives me!

Jenn and Auggie