The Saving of One of America's Dogs - Apollo

Apollo was found abandoned, tied to a pole with his friend, Venus (who is now also safe in foster care), and who wound up in a high kill animal control facility. He is about 3 years old and is a wonderful dog who loves everyone he meets and gets along well with other dogs.  He quickly became a volunteer favorite with his loving personality.   

 

 

Two weeks prior to his rescue Apollo was severely bitten on the face by the dog in the cage next to him while still in the municipal animal control facility.  He was taken to the contracted vet by the ACO and treated for wounds on his face. When he was released by that vet, he was taken into temporary foster by a local rescue group, who agreed to sponsor his vetting and neuter surgery prior to sending him north to Canada where another approved rescue group and foster were eagerly awaiting his arrival.

During his exam prior to his neuter it was discovered that apparently, during that altercation while being held in the local animal control facility, Apollo suffered far more serious injuries than originally thought. He had 2 broken teeth and also had a fracture of the bone on the roof of his mouth. The fracture caused a hole in the roof of his mouth that punctured through to his nasal passages.

This is called a oronasal fistula.  It is very serious because food and water can go from the mouth into the nose and go into the lungs.  It can also get severely infected. Both of these can cause severe infections in the lungs and aspiration pneumonia, which can be deadly.

Poor Apollo needed immediate surgery to repair oronasal fistula. The surgery is delicate and has to be done by someone with much experience doing this type of surgery, so Apollo went to the Dental specialists at Animal Medical Center in NYC on September 24, 2014 for surgery to repair the defect.

The surgery is also expensive and was estimated to cost $2000.00. The sponsoring rescue was now faced with a huge debt which was not anticipated when he was originally pulled -- but because he is such a spectacular dog, they decided to go forward anyway and set up a You Caring fund for his surgery costs in the hopes that other animal lovers in the community could help them bear that cost. That fund is located at this link: You Caring Fund for Apollo

His foster Dad and rescue group in Canada were still eagerly awaiting his arrival but it was to be delayed until Apollo healed and got a clean bill of health.  

 

 

Apollo on his way to Animal Medical Center in Manhattan to await surgery.

















......waiting..........

,,,,waiting..... 

 

....waiting.......

 

 

 

Hmmm...maybe I have time for a selfie....?

Finally!! Here is Apollo's team with the handsome boy.

Apollo did great at Animal Medical Center. That huge hole in the roof of his mouth was already starting to heal 2 days later when the dental specialist examined him. The Doctor was amazed and called Apollo "bionic" since these lesions don't usually heal on their own. (Apollo's had healed by about 75%. Since the surgery has  a lot of complications associated with it, it was decided to wait and see how much healing Apollo could do on his own).  

 

He was rechecked on October 16, 2014 and amazingly, he was fully healed! He was such a good boy that he even allowed his mouth and wound to be examined without sedation.

 

 

NEXT CHAPTER:

 

Apollo will be heading to Canada the first week of November. His temporary foster family really loves him and will miss him plenty, but everyone who has met him, loves him and is so happy for his good fortune.

His vets and sponsors would like to thank everyone who has donated so generously because without that help, a wonderful dog would not have been saved. In the meantime there is still several hundred dollars due and owing for his surgery and we would be so grateful if everyone reading this posting would donate just a few dollars. After all - It takes a village to Save America's Dog....

Here is that link for his You Caring account:
Apollo's You Caring Account for Surgery Costs

Don't Cry Because it's Over,

Smile because it happened.

Goodbye, Hector.
(10/20/14 - Well, it seems that Hector decided he was not ready to leave us quite yet. This heroic boy is in our thoughts and our hearts - as are his humans who are taking things day by day. Much love and positive thoughts being sent out to Hector the Pit Bull. We love you, little man!)

video here:

https://animoto.com/play/1i1Cs1jKnoBu3vUdoK4tlQ

Status of 2 of the Vicktory Dogs

The New York Magazine's Daily Intelligencer published a nice little article about two of Michael Vick's dog fighting survivors, Ray and Meryl. Here is the article in full (along with a link to the actual article) for your reading pleasure. First, the link:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/09/meet-2-dogs-that-survived-vicks-dogfights.html

Meet 2 Dogs That Survived Michael Vick’s Dogfighting Ring*

By Monica Potts
                

Ray, adopted this year, has a blood disease—the same one that Lucas had. He’s happy around his owners, but will climb to the highest point of a room if stressed. (not the same photo as in the article)   

In 2007, more than 50 dogs were seized from the Virginia property of Michael Vick, now the New York Jets backup quarterback, who was funding a dogfighting ring. Dogs who lost had been horrifically killed—by electrocution, drowning, hanging—but champion dogs didn’t fare much better. One, Lucas, contracted a blood disease—via open wounds—so acute that he had to be euthanized. You can find a headstone for him at Best Friends Animal Society’s sanctuary, in Utah, which was tasked with trying to rehabilitate the 22 most challenging “Vicktory Dogs.” Animals rescued from dogfighting rings are often deemed too dangerous to live with humans, but only one from the Vick case was put down for being violent; many have been adopted. The dogs, all pit bulls, have been trained, with varying degrees of success, in how to maintain their cool when confronted with stimuli that might trigger aggression or fear.

 

 

      

Meryl, who has trouble around new people and has been court-ordered to stay at the sanctuary for the rest of her life, has a devoted friendship with another rescue dog, Buddy Arnold. (not the same photo as in the article)

Six dogs remain at the sanctuary. They aren’t yet ready to live with a family—though the animal-care director, Judah Battista, says that even these dogs don’t seem unhappy now and have begun to relax. “There’s an emotional high that comes from a dog who shows that they’re starting to trust you,” says Battista. “The underlying reality is that the only reason those dogs were put in that environment in the first place is because they trusted people.”

*This article appears in the September 22, 2014 issue of New York Magazine.

Let's Get our Perspective Straight

(....just in case you've forgotten.)

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Famous People of the Past who had Pits as Pets

Jimmy Carter had a pit bull as a young man.


Helen Keller had a pit bull named "Phurghahurg".












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Once Upon a Time....

Once upon a time, when immigrants arrived in the United States, they brought  their  beloved companion dogs with them. The American Pit Bull terrier was a dog that many people took into their homes as loyal and loved companions. They became war heroes and mascots. Famous people owned them and so did the poor.

This is America's Dog. 

Over the years, something sinister occurred and America's Dog lost its favored position.  

Recently, they have become outlaws. Instead of playing in their yards , they are used to fight each other. Instead of loving and protecting their family, they are now claimed to be monsters that bite  their victims with "jaws that lock", not letting go. They are claimed to attack and maim. They are hated and banned near and far in many locales. They are now shunned by many, and at times are shot on sight, even when they try to flee rather than attack. They are  regularly and freakishly mixed with other more human aggressive breeds, creating a hybrid called by some "Ghetto Pits" or "Franken-pups". 

They are, by far, the most abused and the most over-bred of any other dog today, and sadly, for every one that is rescued out of our country's shelters and animal controls, hundreds more die ignoble deaths and heaved onto garbage heaps, or they are sold to be rendered down for products that you and I buy and use. Everything from pet food to fertilizers to  --- ???

This blog will strive to elevate America's Dog back to the favored position it once enjoyed in America's history by all means necessary.

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