From death row to awesome pet :O)

I thought I would share my dog Leia's story with you guys...

I get all these updates from the Urgent Death Row dog list on Facebook. (Strong Island posts them here on LIFamilies too) December 18th 2012 they posted a dog named Pinkie from the Bronx who was scheduled to be put to sleep in NYC animal care and control (AKA the NYC AC&C). They listed her as a 6 month old pitbull mix puppy. I have a feeling she was closer to a year old since she was basically full sized. SNARR rescue group pulled her from the AC&C on the day she was going to be put down. We were in contact with SNARR about a different dog named scoobie we were going to foster. The day they were going to pull Scoobie the foster fell thru for Pinkie and Courtney from SNARR was stuck with no place to put her. I said I would foster her regardless of her temperament for no less than a week while she found another foster (or if she was a nice dog I would foster her until she found a forever home). I didn't know anything about her but SNARR does so much for so many dogs in need that I wanted to help out. At the time my twins were about 18 months old. My plan was to keep her separate from my babies and other pets and just juggle everyone for those few days until SNARR found this dog a foster. The awful photo below is her intake photo. Can you imagine how many beautiful dogs are made to look so unattractive in these photos. Imagine how many more dogs might be adopted if the public just saw better photos.

My husband meet Courtney in NYC at midnight after a double shift at work and drove this strange dog out to suffolk county. From the moment I met her I knew she was a good dog. She was very gentle and although unruly and very active she was very willing to please. She was fast to learn the house rules. She had/has a ton of energy and didn't know much of anything but she was fast to listen when she was shown what was expected of her. We soon realized she had tremendous potential and agreed to foster her until she found a forever home.

I knew I couldn't give her up when someone responded to her ad on petfinder and it made me sick to my stomach to think of someone else raising her. We adopted her that week.

She has her own facebook page which I just updated with photos and videos of her during her first agility class:
https://www.facebook.com/PrincessLeiaDeathRowSurvivor

In the 6 months we have had her she has learned all of her obedience commands and is now living the good life with us. She lives with our chihuahua, two cats, two birds and toddlers in a happy home. She goes running and gives us rides on our dog powered scooter and takes agility classes at Doggie U in Bayshore.

From the Bronx, to death row, to a Long Island pampered pet, she has had a lot of change in her short life. Sadly, most of the dogs posted on the Urgent list don't survive for long in the AC&C. She was one of the lucky few. Having Leia has made my realize just how much wonderful potential is wasted daily there. It amazes me that her previous owners didn't see what a wonderful dog they almost destroyed.

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Message edited 6/21/2013 12:27:44 PM.

Re: From death row to awesome pet :O)

What a beauty and a wonderful story! I'm so happy she found you!

From death row to awesome pet :O)

us too. she is already awesome but when she is a little older she is going to be outstanding.

Re: From death row to awesome pet :O)

From death row to awesome pet :O)

That's awesome. She's beautiful

Re: From death row to awesome pet :O)

Many blessings for your family for saving this beautiful life!!!!!!!!

Re: From death row to awesome pet :O)

I <3 you!!
You are awesome and that pup is beautiful! So glad you gave her a chance....imagine if more people do what you did? So many more could be saved!

From death row to awesome pet :O)

I know seriously. There is a dog out there for every lifestyle. People don't realize how much work young dogs are and pass up on older dogs that are already trained and past the adolescent craziness. The age she is is probably the hardest on us because she was totally untrained and unlimited amount of energy. I didn't actively go out looking for her. I wasn't even wanting to adopt, I just wanted to do my part. If everyone liked the urgent page on face book and a few of the great participating rescues awareness would be huge and more dogs would be saved.

I feel morally obligated to do my part. Once you know, you can't not do something. Even if it's just sharing/ forwarding a dog that pulls at your heartstrings. You never know who in your friends (or their friends) is looking for a pet or to help.