11.19.20 It's Give to the Max Day!

 

We think it’s safe to say 2020 is a year that none of us saw coming. Being a non-profit, we rely heavily on public events for donations and, as we all know, this year was the year of cancelled events. We’re fortunate in that the pandemic has brought many new adopters to our rescue but on the flip side, we cannot operate on adoption fees alone. We’re able to rescue many dogs with medical issues because of our supporters. These are dogs who, without help from people like you, would face euthanization simply because shelters do not have the means to save them all.

Today we will share stories written by foster parents, volunteers, and even adopters. These will be stories of our dogs over the past year, their challenges, and how their lives look now. As you read through these stories, you will see that adoption fees often don't begin to cover the various costs that come with some dogs. Some we take on knowing there will be challenges; others it only becomes clear once we have them with us for assessment.  We owe it to each dog to see our commitment through to the very end and not give up, especially not because cost stands in our way.  This year has shown us that our followers continue to bless our program and make this work possible, even when times are not the greatest for many.

To date, we have taken in 156 dogs and 149 of them have been adopted.  Clearly, we're not a big Minnesota rescue. Our rescue does not have paid employees or a shelter. What we do have are volunteers who give tirelessly of their time and efforts and we have foster homes for the dogs to call "family" until their forever people find them. You, our supporters, have shown us that we don't have to be a big rescue to garner your backing and we are always humbled each year during Give to the Max.  Thank you for your past support, and we hope 2020, with all its challenges, has also brought some bright spots for you too. Today we celebrate just that--both the challenges and the bright spots of our year in rescue.

Please help us reach our goal by donating here. Like previous years, any donation of $100.00 or more will earn you a one of a kind, MPBR #GTM20 hoodie as a thank you.

KAISA'S STORY

If you have followed our page for a while you will recognize this face, Kaisa!

Like so many of our dogs, Kaisa was adopted as a puppy. Sadly, as she matured, she began to display dog aggression and her family did not feel like they could manage it. They wanted to surrender her so we could find a home that was more suited for what she needed. Her family originally signed up to self-foster, but between the dog aggression and separation anxiety, she just wasn’t garnering any interest from new potential adopters. We can’t blame them; aggression and anxiety aren’t exactly “small” issues.

After a few years of this arrangement (yes, 3 years!) Kaisa’s case manager happened to check in with the family at a critical time. They had decided to euthanize her, and the date was just 2 days out. Kaisa then become an emergency placement; we knew we had to get her out and give her a shot to show us if she could be safely managed in the right home. We made the decision to place her with RR Professional  Dog Training for their board and train program. We didn’t know the extent of Kaisa’s dog aggression or separation anxiety and needed a professional assessment. We also wanted to make sure that we set her next home up for success. We needed to see the full picture, give her leadership and structure, and hopefully she would then in turn be able to show just how amazing she could be!

Kaisa made it up north and began her training program which also included some medication for anxiety. We all held our breath and crossed our fingers and paws that we would get good news about Kaisa’s potential. Much to everyone’s relief, Kaisa flourished! She learned to be fine alone, to get along with other dogs while muzzled, and soaked up her general obedience training. She completed her board and train program several weeks later, but we still had the problem of attracting the right adopter, particularly one who was okay with her being the only pet in the home. This is a tall order and one that often takes years to achieve. Despite all the interest and well-wishes on social media, we didn’t feel any closer to finding her true forever.

Thankfully, we hadn’t necessarily exhausted all our options. Kaisa began board and train with RR in May of 2020 and in August she entered the prison program. This was a huge step! Kaisa had basically been in boarding for 3 months and this was the perfect chance for her to show off her skills while continuing to perfect them with other people. She completed her first 4 weeks of the program and they graciously allowed her to stay for an additional 4 weeks while we continued to share her story and hope against hope that the right adopter would show up. We didn’t want her back in boarding, Kaisa needed to be in a home!

In mid-September, we received the application we had been waiting years for. We were filled with anticipation that this could finally be it for Kaisa. A meet and greet was setup for Sean and Kaisa to meet outside the jail. It was early October, just a few weeks later, she would go home to her forever. We are so incredibly thankful to Sean for giving Kaisa the chance that she deserved. We can’t thank him enough for being able to look past her issues and realize that she is a great dog, just as deserving as the small puppy she once was.

Kaisa’s rescue journey is not a typical one as we usually can’t take on a dog in an emergency situation. We are so very fortunate that RR was willing to work with us through 5 months of having Kaisa in their care (far longer than originally planned). Those 5 months came with expenses too. Being a non-profit, we knew we couldn’t keep up with the daily expense without help. We reached out to you, our supporters, along the way and you came through like you always do. Kaisa was able to get the training she needed because of you. Truly, you were as critical to her success as the trainers and volunteer who worked behind the scenes to find her a home. We were reassured that we can help dogs like Kaisa because we have our supporters behind us. Give to the Max is another day that we are reminded of the supporters who have our back- more importantly, who have our dog’s back- and love to see them succeed just as much as we do. Please join us in a moment of celebration for Kaisa and donate if you’re able so we can save more like Kaisa this next year. 

SMOKEY'S STORY

Rescue. It is one of the most beautiful, painful, rewarding, and challenging things to be part of. There are dogs that come into rescue that require little from us, but then there are the dogs that require extra from us. Smokey is the poster child for a dog with so many challenges, yet he charges through with a ‘smile’ and happiness. If you have the pleasure of meeting Smokey, you will discover that he has a big block head and absolutely adores having his neck scratched.

His back story is quite a mystery and makes you wonder what the first few years of life were like. He came into rescue after a shelter we work with requested he be pulled to help give him the additional care he needs. You see, Smokey does not have much control of his back legs which causes him to walk funny, struggle with stairs, and effects his elimination habits. We are not sure if he was born this way or if something happened later in his life that caused this. However, being part of the rescue has allowed him to receive some chiropractic and acupuncture services to see if we can help improve his strength and control. These services are not free and will probably require ongoing appointments to see improvement or maintain any improvement.

Smokey also has a significant chest wound that requires daily cleaning and bandaging. Luckily, he is an angel for this process and foster parents have discovered that a sports bra *cough* mini muscle tank works great to keep everything in place and protected without being too constricting for Smokey!

Smokey is still looking for a special home to call his own for the rest of his life and is actually the dog of the month for November which means his adoption fee is waived (all other adoption requirements still apply). How neat would that be for him to get adopted during this special month?!? Despite his limitations, Smokey absolutely loves going for walks on the grassy trail by his foster parent’s house and being able to explore. His legs are still building up some more muscle and endurance, but 1.5-2 miles is no problem. If you are interested in meeting him, check out the adoption page on our website!

It is so amazing to see and be part of a transformation that Smokey otherwise would not have received if it were not for the assistance of rescue which is made possible by our generous followers and donors. Smokey hopes you can find it in your heart and wallet if you are able to donate to MPBR today to continue to help provide him with the services he needs and to also continue to help other dogs like him. 

TRULY'S STORY

Meet Truly. Truly was found by our rescue partners in Texas as a stray. She was malnourished, had a belly full of rocks, was covered in cigarette burns, and could not walk on her own. You could tell she had been beaten pretty bad. Fortunately, this is only a small chapter to Truly's life. Today, Truly's greatest accomplishment is adopting her dad and helping him heal. 

From her adopter:

I need to put this in perspective.  My last dog was a rescue.  That was when I really began to understand the benefit of rescuing dogs.  She was a Schnoodle.  After I got her I really understood that many rescues have their special quirks, and she was no different.  I picked Zoe because she was the most desperate dog at the shelter, or at least it was a tossup between her and a chihuahua with one eye, but Zoe was between the ages of 8-10 and clearly had just given up, shivering on her pallet.  My only goal with her was to give her the best life I could for as long as I had her.  I think I’ve accomplished that goal.  She passed on Christmas Eve last year, but she will always hold a special place in my heart.

I have known that my friend Nichole had always done a lot of work with Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue and she had found a great dog for my brother.  I knew my next dog was going to be a pittie.  I just didn’t know how that was going to happen.  I couldn’t find anything locally when I get a call from my parents, my brother, and Nichole telling me that they have the perfect dog for me.  Nichole started sharing bits of Truly’s story.  I don’t know her history completely, if it was abuse, neglect, she ran away and got into a situation she couldn’t get out of, or all three.  In any case, she was found emaciated in the back of a pickup truck covered in cigarette burns, and she had been eating rocks.  If it weren’t for the love and generosity of an extraordinary group of people, she would not be with us today. 

Needless to say, when I heard what we knew of her story I immediately knew this was the dog for me and she was going to keep the name Truly; since she truly was a miracle it just seemed right.  I filled out an application for adoption, and while it was extremely unusual for Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue to setup an adoption from out of state, I am eternally grateful that they did.  I flew out from Colorado to Minnesota, I adopted Truly, and my mother offered to drive us back to Colorado.  What kind of mother does that?  Just one example of the extraordinary people that made this possible.  Truly came into my life when I needed her most.  With the stress of a new job and Covid spreading my anxiety levels were off the chart.  She was afraid of everything, including her own shadow.  We are both still working through our issues together, but I’m glad to say that my anxiety has significantly decreased and Truly is learning how to be a real dog.  She is making dog friends that are teaching her how to be a dog and people friends, people that initially thought adopting a Pit Bull was a bad idea; they have come around.  Truly warms the hearts of everyone she meets, she is so affectionate and loving.  I am so happy that I am able to share her new lease on life with so many.  Truly has come so far, and there is not a day that goes by that I’m not grateful to have her in my life.

Thank you, everyone who has made this possible.  The people that donate, the vets that helped with her care.  Her fosters and trainers that worked with her to get her to a place where she could be adopted, and everyone else that brought her to me.  I am forever in your debt.-Mike Brown

MALFOY'S STORY

Rescue is rarely dull and each dog ends up with their own unique journey. When a dog gets tagged, we never know fully how much investment they will take, financially or emotionally. Some dogs have a pretty straight forward path, others surprise us, and Malfoy was one such dog. Many folks may not recognize this guy either, because he is one who got scooped up within the rescue!

Immediately upon pick up, his devoted foster Mom noted he was shy to a degree she’d never quite experienced. He didn’t want to be touched (something we don’t often see in the pittie world, so full of velcro dogs usually!). He would allow it, but she could tell it terrified him severely. With his chopped ears and tail, this small dog clearly wore the signs of his reasons to be wary of humans and their touch, she wasn’t shocked and made a clear plan to go slowly and thoughtfully with him. At MPBR, we always strive not to let a dog’s past define or limit them. We don’t like to view them as victims, and Malfoy was safe and ready to move forward! Ever so slowly, and with help from his foster dog siblings, he began to climb out of his shell and allow small touches. It was also discovered that he had retained puppy teeth and would need surgery to remove them. Additionally, with more time to observe him and with him getting braver, it was observed that his body moved a little strangely, so we wanted an x-ray too to check out his bone structure. Thankfully at that time, the report from his x-rays was good and we were noticing with normal movement and exercise and a healthy diet, he seemed to be improving in how his body functioned.

Fast forward a bit to Malfoy meeting his case manager. His foster needed a weekend spot for him, and his case manager thought it would be a great chance to assess his progress and also maybe test his limits and growth a bit, as their home included 3 kids and cats, things he wasn’t exposed to yet really. The weekend went better than anyone really imagined, he handled everything and everyone far better than anticipated. His foster’s patience and care had clearly paid off in spades and he was able to take that trust and growth and apply it in a new setting. Way to go Malfoy!

What his case manager possibly didn’t anticipate was how heavy his time with them would sit on their hearts. They tried to be reasonable and distance themselves, but something felt right and they hatched a plan to bring him back for a longer trial period. Just as that time was beginning though, Malfoy ended up fracturing his hip and needing FHO (femoral head osteotomy). Turned out those initial concerns did have some validity, as upon more investigation, his femoral heads and necks looked weak and one had fractured from an incident that typically wouldn’t result in a break.

Through 2 surgeries, and overcoming his fears with the help of patient humans, Malfoy turned out to be a bigger investment than maybe we had originally anticipated. Rest assured, all our dogs are worth whatever they need from us to succeed and grow and flourish though. While it isn’t fun to come before our followers every year and ask for funds to help cover our bills, rescue does come down an investment and without your help, we wouldn’t be able to keep investing in and finding homes for these dogs. Each dog’s journey through rescue matters to us, and with your donation, it’s clear they matter to you too.

NOVELLE & PUPPIES STORY

Novelle arrived in Minnesota in early March with the help of some volunteers from both Texas & Minnesota. She arrived at her foster home Heartworm positive and very pregnant. This beautiful girl stole our hearts immediately and we could not wait for her to settle in and deliver her babies. We knew she was going to be a fabulous momma.  Her birthing area was ready and so were we… we waited and waited.

Novelle did not make it easy on us. She settled in and was all over the board with high and low temperatures, not eating, not moving, lots of panting and labored breathing and just not following any of the whelping guidelines no matter how many times we read them and consulted with the vet and knowledgeable resources.  We were finally getting on track for delivery after a solid diet of goat milk, rice and chicken and quality kibble. She was getting closer and hanging very low to the ground. Novelle delivered a beautiful litter of 6 boys and 5 girls on March 15 while in labor about 10 hours. It was an amazing experience to be a part of. Welcome the TP Litter – Super Soft and Restocked!!!  I know, I know… the TP Litter!  I mean, how could we not!?  Born in a pandemic which caused a bizarre shortage of this everyday necessity all over the country.

Unfortunately, the morning brought sadness as we lost one of the little girls for reasons unknown. She was our beautiful Angel Soft baby. There were tears and sadness and a sense of understanding that there must have been a reason she was called to the rainbow bridge after just a few short hours with us. We watched as Novelle cared for her babies with all her heart.  We weighed them to be sure we did not miss anything, and all were growing as they should. 

At a couple weeks old, it seemed our girl Charmin was losing weight quickly and did not seem to be getting the milk she needed while nursing. She had a small spot on her throat which became very big within a day causing much alarm.  We were off to meet one of our great volunteers soon after to get Charmin to Blackberry Veterinary to see Dr R. It was an abscess that needed to be drained as it was blocking full functionality of her throat. After the abscess was gone, Charmin would not nurse from Novelle again and began syringe and eventually bottle feeding for the next 4 weeks as she regained her weight. Everyone seemed to be doing well when our handsome boy, Tesco, began to lose weight. Tesco was still able to nurse, but to be sure he was getting all he needed, he also went through a few weeks of bottle feeding. If that wasn’t enough, our babies were also now fighting some nasty internal parasites. This meant medication for all. There were also vet visits, lots of puppy formula, puppy pads, kibble for momma and kibble for babies- all available to us from donations to the rescue by such great supporters. We could not do it without you!

The puppies, Caprice, Cottenelle, Coronette, Scott, Tesco, Marcal, Kirkland, Northern and White Cloud all found the perfect families and are doing great! Novelle was a great momma and has since been adopted into a wonderful home where she is so very loved, has been treated for her Heartworm and will be spayed soon all thanks to our amazing supporters.  Thank you so much for helping this family!

HARPER'S STORY

Harper came to MPBR by way of Passport for Paws on August 31 and was officially adopted on October 17th. It was in those 6 weeks that she would have a lot of healing, growth, and physical changes. This is Harper’s story.

Like many of the dogs that find their way to Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue, Harper‘s journey started in Texas. She was found as a loose pet in the DFW area. Also, like many, she had quite the medical case. We signed up to foster Harper almost immediately after seeing her intake pictures. She was a small dog with ruby red mange sores all over her head and torso. There was also an X-ray showing issues with one of her legs. We were told her leg would be amputated in Texas and to prepare our home for a tripod pup. On intake day, we were surprised to see she still had four legs! We remained hopeful but after getting her home it was clear she was still having issues. She would barely use her back leg, quickly earning it the nickname “kickstand”. She was very observant of her two new foster canine siblings but hesitated to play, even though it seemed like she really wanted to. MPBR was able to get her an appointment at Blackberry Veterinary right away and more X-rays were done. They quickly confirmed, her leg would need to be amputated after all. Harper had an old fracture that didn’t heal right. There was a pin that was inserted previously while she was in Texas, but it just wasn’t doing the job. The vet said it was likely very painful, but you wouldn’t have guessed that from her personality. She had her spunky moments and loved to be outdoors. You can tell she’s a Texas dog at heart, sunbathing is all Harper could ever want.

After her surgery, it was apparent this girl was feeling a whole heck of a lot better. The very next day she initiated playing with the big dogs for the first time; you could see she had been waiting for this moment all along. We expected she would have some balancing issues for a while and were taught how to assist her, but this girl didn’t need it at all. She just looked at us as if to say, “what the heck are you doing? I got this!”.

After her stitches were removed, she was officially ready to find her new home. This next step was insanely difficult for us since she clicked so well with our pack, but we knew we were just a small piece in her life. As fosters, we try to remember that there are other Harpers out there in the world and if we adopt another dog, we’d have to close our doors to those who need us and who eventually need you. Harper has found her loving home. We get to see videos and pictures of her enjoying her new life and that is exactly what MPBR is all about. Harper’s surgery was $1700.00. There will be many more like Harper who need the help of MPBR in the next year. Can you donate this Give to the Max Day to help save their lives too?

CHULA'S STORY

One of the most frequent quotes I see on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook is “if you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it was meant to be. If not, it was never yours to begin with.” I’ve always found this quote to be a cheesy cliché, but this summer and fall, I truly learned its meaning.

My husband Josh and I, like so many others, signed up to foster with MN Pit Bull this spring, in efforts to make the most of our COVID-imposed quarantine. We lost our beloved 14-year-old pit bull mix in November 2019 and were getting ready to dip our toe back into dog ownership. Josh has dog allergies, but we both love dogs (especially pits), so our plan was set: get to know a few dogs, gather some data points on how different dogs affected his allergy, and eventually foster fail, but not until we’d fostered a few dogs. In early June, we met our first-ever foster, a beautiful, chunky 10-year-old lady pittie from Texas named Chula. Her history was sketchy – all we knew was that when she came into rescue, she had been Heartworm-positive for an unknown amount of time, and she had had some growths removed. Josh and I quickly noticed a lump on her neck, which required a few visits to our wonderful vet, Blackberry Veterinary Center. Throughout the next several months, we tracked this lump (which proved to be benign, much to our joy!), watched for any signs of recurrence of her other growths, and noticed a consistent low-grade cough that popped up occasionally – concerning given her past heartworm history.

As we monitored these health concerns, we quickly fell in love with Chula. She was the most gentle, easy dog I had ever had after years of fostering. She loved nothing more than being with people. She was snuggly and social, loved basking in the sun, and adored napping under my desk while I worked from home. She had a hilariously waggy and expressive tail that made me giggle on a daily basis. We quickly adopted a routine of giving Chula her absolute favorite special treat – cheese – each night before we tucked her into her crate for bed.

Throughout the time that we were taking care of Chula, I inwardly hoped every day that we wouldn’t get an application so we could keep her longer, while simultaneously wishing for the perfect home for her – the true dilemma of fostering! But Josh reminded me often: our plan was NOT to foster fail on our first dog. We both agreed that Chula was incredibly special, but we wanted to gather data from multiple dog interactions to gauge his allergies, and we knew that if we kept Chula permanently, we wouldn’t be able to keep opening our home to help other fosters. Finally, soon after learning that her neck lump was not a concern, we met a wonderful young woman who said that she had fallen in love with Chula as soon as she saw her beautiful face online, and that was exactly what we wanted to hear.

Dropping her off at her new home was bittersweet. We packed her up with all her medications, treats and favorite things like sending a kid off to college. For that week, the house felt very quiet, but we reminded ourselves that Chula was in her forever home and rejoiced with every happy photo from her adopter. However, by the weekend, it became clear that her placement was not a perfect fit, and Chula was back with us.

I will always believe this was meant to be. Once she came back, I stubbornly felt like I never wanted her to leave again. And in fact, we never had the opportunity to relist Chula on the site, because soon after arriving back with us, it became clear that her cough was persisting to a degree that concerned us. We kept an eye on her, tried some things, and ultimately took her to Blackberry yet again for some chest x-rays.

On Monday, Oct. 5, Chula began coughing in a way that felt different to me. I sent videos to our case manager and our vet. No one was overly concerned, but we agreed to put her back on another course of steroids while we waited for the X-ray results. My husband and I sat with her that evening, waiting for the steroids to help and keeping her calm and comforted with lots of snuggles. Josh slept on the couch to keep an eye and ear on her. All seemed well until Tuesday morning, when we were awakened about 6 A.M. by Chula gasping for breath. We rushed her to the emergency vet, but by the time we got her inside, her heart stopped soon after. We will never know the full extent of what happens, but we believe she suffered a pulmonary embolism related to the underlying lung damage caused by her heartworm disease.

I will never forget that morning and the heartbreak we felt from the sudden loss. The hole in my heart will never heal entirely. Her ashes reside next to our previous dog’s, and her photos still plaster my social media. Our numerous trips to Blackberry, as well as our final emergency visit and her cremation, probably took her cumulative vet bills into the five figures. But I will rest easy knowing that due to the support from MN Pit Bull Rescue donors, we were able to give her the best care for her last four months. I will never stop feeling grateful that, despite all our twists and turns along the way, we let Chula go and she came back to us, and we were able to be Chula’s forever home.

JAKE'S STORY

They say it takes a village and a village is exactly what Jake had.  This handsome boy was found as a stray in Indiana when he wandered into the yard of a young lady by the name of Erica who happens to love dogs and is active in animal rescue. After actively searching for his owners without success, she reached out to her rescue friend, Susan. Susan, a Minnesota resident, in turn contacted Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue to see if we had room.  We of course said yes and now had to tackle the feet of physically getting Jake to Minnesota. Susan worked quickly at contacting Pilots N Paws and pilots David Tan and Sean Berry arrived shortly after with Jake by way of airplane on June 12. It seems Jake was a perfect co-pilot and was greeted in Minnesota by Susan along with some rescue friends from Pope County and his new foster.

Jake settled in nicely at his foster home and got along wonderfully with his 4-legged foster siblings. His foster momma was smitten with him, loved his personality, and knew he would be a great addition to any family. He was young, handsome, snored like a freight train, loved dogs and people and had just the right mix of active and chill.  With a little training, he would be adopter ready.  

It was 6 days in when we were headed slightly off course. Jake was not eating much, and his activity level was down.  He went straight to a bland diet and MPBR scheduled a vet appointment. The next couple of days there was no progress. Jake was slightly lethargic and suddenly, at 3:00 A.M. on a Sunday morning, we are dealing with an extremely high temperature and very worried foster momma.  The look in Jakes eyes pleaded for help and after a call to the emergency vet on direction to get his temperature down, we gathered ourselves together and headed to AERC emergency care where Jake was found to have an extremely low White Blood Count and began tests and bloodwork to identify what was going on. Jake spent the next 4 days there on IV fluids, feedings, and medications with no diagnosis to know what was really going on.  The staff worked closely with him; his WBC began to rise slightly giving us a glimmer of hope.  All his village of rescuers were hoping and praying for a positive outcome.  We were not sure if he was going to make it but on day 4 he was able to keep some food down and was able to return to his fosters where he would continue his recovery on a special diet and medications. Thankfully, Jake fully recovered after a couple of weeks of TLC and lots of snuggles. We will never know what caused all of this distress on his body to send him spiraling out of control but we do know his village was one of the strongest and was there for him through it all. 

Jake went on to find a great forever home and is living his best life.  His survival, like many of our dogs, can only happen from the generous donations we receive from our amazing supporters. Please consider donating on this Give to the Max day so we can continue to help dogs like Jake all year. 

BAILEY'S STORY

Bailey is the happiest, give you endless kisses, trusting and loving dog you’d ever meet. You’d never know that she had been tossed from shelter to shelter and home to home for her entire life. Needless to say, Bailey had been through more than any pup should in her 2 short years of life. We believe her story began in a southern shelter. Luckily, a MN shelter scooped her up and brought her to MN. Finally, she would have the chance to find her forever home but unfortunately, her happily ever after didn’t happen so quickly. Bailey spent months in the shelter, during which she was adopted and returned multiple times. This was where her (unbeknownst to them- soon to be fosters) Beth and Jordyn (MPBR volunteers as well) would initially meet Bailey while volunteering at the local shelter. They fell immediately in love and frequented the local shelter to play with Bailey and take her for walks, so she wasn’t stuck in a cage all day. They checked up on her every day. Bailey would be on the website available for adoption for a few days, then taken down as she was adopted. But a few days later she would be back on the site as she was returned to the shelter system. 

It was starting to look like Bailey was doomed to spend forever in a concrete cage. Months went by and finally a couple decided to make Bailey a part of their family. Beth and Jordyn were ecstatic! Bailey was with this family for 6+ months before they split up. The mom moved to a new home that didn't allow dogs and dad didn't have the time or ability to train her.  They reached out to the Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue in hopes of rehoming her. 

Bailey was posted to the volunteer group as a dog who needed a foster and Beth immediately recognized this beautiful girl. What are the chances? Of all the rescues and all the dogs in the Twin Cities, Bailey would find her way to the Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue. Beth and Jordyn knew that this was a sign and were going to make sure they found Bailey her final forever home, no matter how long it took. A few days later, Beth and Jordyn met the owner surrender in a Target parking lot.

The hand off happened during a 5-minute meeting and the car ride to her new foster home wasn't an exciting one for Bailey. She was shaking, crying, and confused. The prior owner let us know that Bailey was never trained and mostly fed her human food because she “wouldn’t” eat dog food. Bailey was immediately shown love, structure, training and patience and this girl thrived. And I mean THRIVED. Within 2-3 weeks, she went from having a super sick tummy, not knowing her name, a single command, and being uncontrollable on a walk to eating structured meals, learning to recall, walking loosely on a leash, sitting, laying down, and staying for treats! She was so eager to learn and even more eager to find her forever home. 

Finally, Bailey was ready to go up for adoption. After reviewing numerous applications, meeting one on one with families and doing reference checks, we finally found the one that would provide her with the training, structure, and love that she would need in order to continue thriving. C and K welcomed Bailey with the most loving and compassionate arms any rescue could ask for from their adopters. We have received many updates on Bailey, and she is absolutely loved and adored by them and her pittie brother Vinny. Because of Minnesota Pit Bull Rescue, dogs like Bailey who were tossed to the side their entire life get to find their forever homes. Consider donating this Give to the Max Day to help us continue to help dogs like Bailey and so many others.  

THE NUT LITTER'S STORY

We had many litters of puppies this year, but one stands out as exceptionally notable in our minds: The Nut Litter of a whopping 14 puppies!

We pulled the Nut Litter, covered in urine and feces, from a shelter in TX with the help of our TX partner, Passport for Paws. From there, they were split into a few different foster homes down in TX. A few days later, our worst fear with puppies came to fruition...the dreaded parvo. We had a total of 4 puppies receive parvo treatment and one other who was exposed, but fortunately never developed symptoms.  We were incredibly thankful that not all 14 contracted it, as that was entirely in the realm of possibility. Naturally, this resulted in another hefty vet bill that we had not seen coming.  We made arrangements to get the other 9 puppies here, as they were in a few different foster homes and at that age, we wanted them separated from their littermates before behavioral issues arose; plus we wanted to open those foster homes back up to other shelter animals that needed a spot.

As timing would have it, we also had a Momma dog who was a couple weeks away from giving birth and we wanted her to be with one of our special Momma dog fosters here in MN for the duration (Novelle, who you met earlier).  While we usually do not do our own transports, this one was going to be an exception. With the help of 2 very dedicated MPBR volunteers and 1 equally helpful transporter from P4P, they were able to meet in Kansas City for the exchange.  It was a long day, but by 7 p.m. on the day of transport, everyone was wearily tucked into their individual foster homes and Momma Novelle was getting familiar with her whelping area and new human helpers. The remaining pups traveled up once solidly on the road to good health and out of transmission risk. 

In rescue, there are times we need donations to cover vet and travel expenses and today has highlighted many specific examples of that.  But what is always humming away, often in the background, is the volunteer HUMAN power that drives every action we can take on behalf of these dogs. So, while you give on this day, please remember that we would love to have you join us in hands-on ways if you have the time, love, and dedication to spare.  Please visit www.mnpitbull.com if you’d like to join our team.