Stray dog struggles
 

Hey guys; it's just a vent post.

I'm in Akron until February, doing a play (with my husband, which is great) and yesterday we found a stray pit bull puppy wandering in the street. We slowed the car so as not to hit him and he ran to the car and whined and whimpered until we let him in. I'm now trying very hard to find a rescue place to take him, as Akron's ASPCA is not allowed to adopt out pit bulls and if he goes there he'll be euthanized. He's a really sweet dog and it tears me apart to think if I can't find something by Tuesday night we'll have to take him there, since the cleaning crew for the housing I'm in comes in on Wednesday and we have no place to hide him.

The best I've found yet is that if I can find someone in NYC to take him in temporarily, a rescue lady there will come get him once she gets the pit bull she's currently adopting out to a new home, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed one of my friends there can find someone. I'd adopt him if my apartment building allowed pets, but it doesn't. Driving from Akron to NYC on my day off will be no fun, but he deserves a chance if I can get him one. I thought I might have had a place found for him in Philly, but it fell through. :(

Anyway, those of you who are dog lovers, send good thoughts that I can find this fella a place.

I've sent out over a hundred emails and dozens of phone calls- I have serious respect now for what rescue people do- this just seems such an exercise in futility I can hardly bear it.

Akron, from what one lady told me, has a large dog fighting ring and hundreds of pit bulls get put down here each year. Nice, huh? :(

Akron? Hmm isn't that Lebron James' home town?

Pshew, you must be on the wrong side of Akron honey. Old Akron is alright, the other side of Akron is bullet proof vest city

I just googled it and you're right; it is. Holy cow. I'd laugh if I wasn't so depressed right now...

I wouldn't put it past the guy. The money to fund these fights has to come from somewhere. And it's not like there are alot of rich people in the hood of Akron that can fund these events for a long period of time without going to prison on drug and/or gun charges.

For the record to anyone whos ever in Akron if you golf they have a great public course called Akron Goodpark. Always been a favorite of mine

Ugh, I hate to hear that Nicole. Hope everything works out for the little guy... :(

You did a great thing just by getting him off the street.

We're definitely not living the high life in the actor housing- the housing is fine, but the area is definitely run down. There's a house with a sign outside that says, "Need food and medicine." And other homes being sold at auction.

A friend of a friend is now looking into a shelter in Middletown, NY. It'll still be a seven-hour-drive for me each way, but whatever; he deserves a chance. Fingers crossed they can take him- everywhere else so far has been filled up.

Mera- we've been checking Craigslist to see if anyone has listed him as lost, but he was in violation of just about every law regarding pit bulls in Akron- in Akron pit bulls must have a special color collar, be on a metal leash not more than six feet in length and walked by a person of appropriate size to handle them. If not being walked they must be indoors, or in a completely enclosed outdoor pen. And, of course, tatoos and ear chips and licenses and vaccine tags, none of which I see on him anywhere. He was wearing a wide nylon black collar, and a second narrow red one that was too small for him, tied to a short nylon leash that was further tied to a piece of clothesline. And unneutered and a boy. Sigh. If he wasn't dumped, then whoever owned him was doing it illegally.

Well, here's hoping for Middletown for our fella. My husband has dubbed him Copernicus, as he's not perhaps the sharpest tool in the shed (my husband likes him the ironic names). But he sits on command and has just about figured out "lie down." He's gone from being terrible about going in a crate to being a good boy about it and during a walk didn't even growl at a mini poodle that raced right up to him and snapped and snarled. And oh, does he love people. Alpha dog he ain't.

Thanks for your thoughts, guys. This has been really frustrating so far- the only good part of it is the dog himself. :) Tomorrow I start trying to find a vet to get him shots and take off the family jewels. And praying that I'm in a car on Monday, cursing about a 14-hour round trip.

http://s13.invisionfree.com/Gateway_APBT_Club/index.php

Make a plea for help on this site.All ya can do is contact Pitbull Breeders in the Akron area.This is a purebred dog? If so,then those who breed this type of dog will be your best bet in keeping him from having to be put to sleep.Your best bet in finding a home for a dog is finding somebody who already has a lot of this type of dog.The dog breed fits them,and truthfully one more of something they like isn't a big deal.It is a very big deal for everybody else.

Hey guys- happy ending (for the moment)-

So, a good friend of mine and her girlfriend emailed this morning and said they'd drive from Flint to come get him and care for him while we try to find him a home. It means I'll have to start over with rescue orgs in Michigan, but whatever; I don't care if I have to start in Tibet; he'll be okay for a while.

I hate that once again, he has to lose the people he's been trusting, but it's better than the street. He took to us so fast, though, that I'm hopeful he'll transfer his affections easily to his new family. :) And I'll still be there long distance- I told my friends to take him for shots and neutering and I'll pay for it. And if it doesn't work out, I guess I'll be taking a road trip to take him and try to find him someplace in NY.

Thanks again for the advice and links and everything! If anyone knows anything about rescue orgs in MI, let me know?

Genuine Risk, let me know when you want to move out of Akron

:)

I'm actually just visiting for a few weeks- doing a play at the dinner theater here. How's that for an odd set of circumstances- visiting actor from New York finds a stray dog in Akron who is now going out to Flint to be fostered.

Hey, everyone, send good thoughts that our definitely-not-an-alpha stray gets along with his foster family's alpha Maltipoo. If he can get along with the five-pound wee one, they'll likely keep him.

Mera, you crack me up. :)

Seriously, any place is better for a pit than Ohio, it seems.

I'm sure a few homies in Flint will take that dog in, and in a few weeks you wouldn't even be able to recognize it.

If that does not work out I live 5 Min from Philly and would be willing to take him in till he finds a home, but he has to be good with other dogs.

Thanks so much, Lava; I'll keep that in mind. So far he's been very good around other dogs- he got snapped at by a mini poodle and didn't growl, snarl or do anything other than step back. He's very interested in other dogs, but not aggressive.

The main challenge I can see with him (judging from the three days I had him) is that, not being an alpha, he needs to be told what to do. He gets anxious in unstructured situations and at this point definitely needs to be kept crated if left alone because he has some separation anxieties. He may grow out of that as he gets older and more settled (and in fact, will probably do best with other dogs for company and to tell him what to do. :) ). But we'll see.

He sure settled in nicely the few days we had him, though, and the morning he was picked up by my friends, it was so nice to sit reading the news with my husband while the dog contentedly chewed on a toy at our feet. I haven't owned a dog in almost 20 years and I forgot how nice it is.

"Actors" and dogs?


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Ah don't thank so.