Friday, April 1, 2011

Pooches: Making it Through the System

Here are some photos of "Vintage Miss M". Before she came to live with us,she was "Jackie": a malnourished, mange-ridden stray living at Chicago's Animal Care and Control. I remember being intrigued by her adoption profile
 Jackie is another dog that we had seen before at Animal Care and Control and couldn't stop thinking about. Unfortunately there are so many dogs at ACC that NLOL and other rescue groups are only able to help a small amount. Luckily for everyone, we came back in time for Jackie - she was scheduled to be euthanized a few days after we transferred her. This would have been a great loss for Jackie's future forever family as she is a fantastic dog! She is super-snuggly (as bully breeds tend to be) and loves her people above everything!
 To this day, I still wonder what made her stand out among so many dogs, that she was the chosen one to be pulled. Was she chosen because she was laying nicely in her crate? Or maybe she was sticking her head through the cage and wiggling? Or maybe it was just her intense stare? Or did she just look pathetic? Or maybe she just reminded the intake director of another dog?
Last weekend I had the chance to visit Miss M's old digs at Chicago ACC as we're looking to help another pitbull with Shy/Khloe's Donation Fund. I was hoping to see if there was some type of 'magic formula' to determine who is deserving to be pulled. Working with our former foster Wilma's rescue group (who has graciously agreed to take on an extra dog for us despite being overbooked) we made our way through rooms and rows of dogs: some laying nicely in crates, some sticking their heads through the cages and wiggling, some with intense stares, some looking pathetic, and most of them were pitbulls or pit mixes. 
And I realized: there is no 'magic formula'. On a certain day it could be a feeling, or a memory, or just a dog that got lucky. 
So we picked. Here is a sneak peek of our choice:
Again, thank you to everyone for your support throughout this entire process. We're still working on some details, but please stay tuned for Monday's post where we will have complete details and faces.

43 comments:

Unknown said...

How did you pick just one? I would've wanted to take them all home!!

Miss M is a charmer and I'm glad you changed her name! :)

jet said...

Miss M was just lucky, maybe. It is hard to pick and there are a lot of awesome dogs who don't get picked :(((

Two Grad Students and a Pittie said...

we always wonder what made havi so special that the georgia AC&C did not euthanize her, called a NY rescue group, and our next door neighbors decided to foster her before she wound up here. we wish we could save all the pups...cant wait for monday...!

www.twogradstudentsandapittie.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Oh my Miss M. was too skinny! She has came along way. Thank you for picking out another pup to help; I know making the choice is a horrible thing to go through. We are looking forward to "meeting" the lucky one :)

Maisie's Mom said...

I give you major props for going to ACC and saving a life. I got my first dog there (RIP Kaya), but had a bit of a freak out when NLOL first started and we went there to take a tour, set up the intake process, etc. after seeing one too many "owner give-ups," I had to excuse myself to go sit and sob in the parking lot. I have never gone back there since.

http://maisieme.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

can't wait to meet the lucky pooch! you are very brave and super awesome for taking this on. i know how stressful it can be to pick dogs among many who need help...

Kate said...

I'm so glad you guys found a dog that can benefit from the funds you raised. It's heartwarming to see another dog in need saved. Looking forward to Monday's post!

Anonymous said...

do you work with these wonderful folks at all?

http://www.safehumanechicago.org/Evidence-Dog-Program

dogs, mostly pit bulls, who are being held as evidence.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Safe-Humane-Chicagos-Court-Case-Dogs/134071846622743?sk=wall

Kari in Alaska said...

Im so glad you guys were able to pick another dog that could use the fund!

Kari
http://dogisgodinreverse.com

Anonymous said...

This post gave me goosebumps knowing that this dog is about to have his/her life changed for the better. Great job!!! Can't wait to "meet" the lucky pup!

h(eather) said...

I just went to a "pittie party" at CACC to intake a dog for my rescue, One Tail at a Time. I had to pick *one* dog and one dog only, as that's all we had room for. To me, that's by far the most difficult part of rescue work. It's hard to celebrate springing one when feeling so helpless in not being able to help the rest.

I am thankful for each and every tail we, and anyone else, can get out though. Can't wait to see the new guy :)

In Black and White said...

Ooooh, what a tease! I volunteered at the Pittie Party on Saturday and there were so many super pups there waiting for a home.

(there's a video of the guy I was handling on my blog - he's still waiting for a home if anyone out there is inspired to go down and pick up their own CACC pitty! @EmilyS, he's a court case dog too...)

www.bwpaws.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Wow! Miss M was really lucky. But look at her little skinny teenage happy smiley face. How could you ever turn away from THAT?

I can't wait to see the super lucky dog that got picked! I have a feeling he's kinda wiggly, too.

Wiggles & Wags,
Mayzie

PeeS. It's weird to think of Miss M as "Jackie."

Brenda said...

It's hard, isn't it, when you have to pick "one." But so happy for the one! The head of Animal Compassion Network here told me a story recently - she was talking with her husband at home and said "it's time to feed Madge." And then she said, wait, not Madge, Molly! Her dog of many years was Molly. Weird! Why had she called her "Madge??"

The next day, she was at the local animal shelter for a meeting, and she was walking down the rows, trying not to look at all the faces, but one at the end tugged at her inside. She was going to keep walking, because she was there for a meeting, and the network had absolutely no room for any other dogs. But, she couldn't resist the urge to step closer to take a look and read the story on the card. The dog's name was Madge!! As she wrote me this story, she said "And now Madge is curled up at my feet as I write this."

Quite a story, huh?? Madge was obviously meant to be saved!

Levi said...

We wish we could save them all!
Can't wait to hear more and we are so happy that Miss M found her home with you :)

Unknown said...

So glad Miss M made it your home! I can't believe you guys are going to make us wait til next week to meet the new pittie in need :).

Sirius Republic said...

Great work! Can't wait to read more on Monday!
I love Ms. M's eyes and expression, so innocent and precious. She's irresistible!

Heather Cherry said...

YAY for a new baby!

Funny enough, I had been pondering lately doing a post about my dogs' lives before I adopted them. I have Clover's shelter mug shots and they make me cry because she looked so eager, just begging to be saved.

Two French Bulldogs said...

You guys are so lucky to have found each other. Ms. M is a beauty. We don't understand why some humans treat their doggys so mean
Benny & Lily

A Confessed Pit Bull Addict said...

I'm impressed you were even able to get that photo, given all the energy I saw that day! I can't wait to see how you roll out this fantastic story!

Tucker The Crestie said...

We can't wait to see the full unveiling on Monday. This is such an amazing thing that you all are doing, and we feel privileged to be even just a small part of it. Every life saved is a victory.

Corbin said...

Love the "before" pictures of Ms. M... she is so beautiful! That's a face hard to turn away from! Can't wait to see the handsome face of your new furiend!
-Corbin

Trissi_V said...

It has to come down to fate...I have asked all the "whys" in the world about how my fur babies came to be part of our family, but in the end I know in my heart that this is the way it was meant to be.

You were meant to have Miss M and Mr. B as part of your life...and now this awesome pup will be allowed to have the same opportunity. I am so excited!!!

The Daily Pip said...

I am so glad you were able to help another dog. Can't wait to meet her/him. I think you are right - it is totally random who gets saved and that makes it even more sad to me.

You are very brave to go to ACC. I have been there a few times for meetings and also to pull animals for Red Door and it so sad. Whenever I go there I almost always see something I wish I hadn't seen ...

houndstooth said...

It looks like you got a wiggler! lol

I think it's a great combination of luck and magic in a bottle! I am glad that Shy/Khloe's legacy will live on!

Heather said...

What a lucky dog! I'm so excited to meet the new addition!

orange sugar said...

It's so sad that there are so many dogs out there in need of good homes. Some will never get that good home and some will be unnecessarily put down. Sad.

brooke said...

Ooohhh cant wait to meet the lucky dog!
Miss M looks so skinny in those pictures! It's sad. But she's found a great home with great people!

HoundDogMom said...

It is tough to pick just one. I would take them all if I could. Can't wait to see the face behind those wiggly legs. BOL Sniffs, The HoundDogs

Maisie's Mom said...

oh and just FYI, if I remember correctly she was originally named after a vet tech at ACC. :)

http://maisieme.blogspot.com/

Two Pitties in the City said...

Yes, she was named after the vet tech. And weird coincidence...when we were at ACC this past weekend, I happened to meet a vet tech named Jackie and I told her my dog was named for her, and she remembered the American Bulldog that NLOL had picked up.
I toyed with naming her "Jackie O", but Miss M really isn't that elegant.

Maisie's Mom said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maisie's Mom said...

wow, that's crazy! how nice for her to know her former namesake has such a great life though!

(reposted 'cause I said "mice" instead of "nice" the first time)

jen said...

I wonder if it was Miss M's eye's, they seem to talk to you.

Can't wait to see who you chose:)

Claudia said...

I have a NLOL alum American Bulldog too, who is equally gorgeous and obviously charmed them during their ACC sweep. So glad you're able to pay it foward.

Anonymous said...

So glad you fell in luv with Miss M. Who could walk away from that face? :) Congrats to the new lucky dog! Will look forward to hearing more! :)

Wishin I was waggin at ya,
Roo

Art and Sew Forth said...

What a happy ending for her. She is so pretty....
I'm going to Chicago tonight and visiting a rescue while there to drop off some handmade plushies for a fund raiser. So many great rescues in that city!

MCM said...

Awesome, I have a soft spot for the ones who look "cream-filled" too :)

Antoinette Errante said...

It's the cherry lozenge red tongue that stole your heart. Who could resist that face. I was always told the dogs chose us -- they just make us think it was our idea.

bitt said...

love the vintage pics! good luck on your next foster.

Bobby said...

How good of you to be taking on another dog, it does a great deal to help them get a home.
Licks Bobby

Susan Campisi said...

Miss M is such a lucky dog. That's so great that you went to pick out another dog to help. It must've been so hard to choose.

Mary said...

I cannot imagine Ms. M as a Jackie. Just no. There is definitely something special about Ms. M (and Mr. B) and I can understand why she was pulled. I'm not sure if Levi would have been pulled from a kill shelter. He's not very lovey until you get to know him, but I'd like to think they would be drawn to his calm demeanor.

I just don't know how rescue groups go into kill shelters and pull. It must be so emotionally draining, knowing you are literally deciding who lives and dies. I'm grateful to these groups that have the resolve to do it though because they are making a huge difference!

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