I used to find stray dogs quite often … maybe because I was out walking dogs all the time, maybe because stray dogs somehow knew that I would do what I could to help them find their owner. But the dog I found very early in the morning on May 15, 2003 was different. I could tell, even from a distance, that this was a Pit Bull. Up until that morning I knew very little about Pit Bulls, so I was very cautious about approaching this dog. When he started barking at me from a distance, I decided that perhaps I should call someone to come get this dog. But before I could call anyone, he approached one of my elderly neighbors while she walked her corgi.

To my surprise, the Pit Bull was very friendly with the corgi and while the two dogs were saying hello, I put a leash around the Pit Bull’s neck. Once I had him leashed, I realized he was in terrible shape. He had quite a few open sores on his back and his underside was so raw and irritated that he could barely squat when he urinated. He was also very thin but I could tell from the very beginning that this was a very nice dog.

Cisco – as he would later be known – brought into my life a number of challenges. Starting with the practical; that particular day was a horrible day for me to deal with the rescue of an adult (intact) male Pit Bull. I was extremely busy. The most practical and sanest thing for me to do would be to call PACCA (the city-run animal control agency) and have them pick up this dog. But, although I didn’t know much about Pit Bulls, I knew what would happen to this dog if I turned him over to the shelter. After a couple of days at the shelter – to give the owner a chance to reclaim him – he would be euthanized. I called both shelters in the city and knew that no one was looking for this dog and given the condition he was in, I didn’t expect he would be reclaimed.

I then made a decision that to this day I am proud of. I took a stand, I took responsibility for this dog. He had walked into my life that morning and I chose to believe he did so for a reason. I took him to a local vet so he could be treated and boarded, as I could not keep him at my house. I have three small dogs and that evening I was picking up my newest canine family member, an  8-week-old puppy born to a chow that had lived as a stray for almost 4 years. I live in row home; there was just no room here. The next 5 weeks would become one of the most intense periods of my life. Cisco remained at the kennel because I was unable to find him a foster home. One of the first things I learned is that it is very difficult to find a foster home for an adult male Pit Bull. This meant that in essence, I had another dog to care for. Every day I would visit the kennel, took Cisco for a long walk so he could get fresh air and exercise, made sure his skin condition was getting better and made sure he was getting plenty of food.

Then there were the countless hours spent in front of the computer, making contact with Pit Bull rescue groups, getting Cisco posted on Petfinder sites, sending out dozens of emails about Cisco, learning all I could about Pit Bulls and Pit Bull rescue. Some days were good and I was hopeful that in time, I could find a good home for Cisco. Other days were not so good. Those were the days when I kept thinking about the horrible odds Cisco faced. It’s difficult to stay hopeful when you know that only 1 out of 600 Pit Bulls needing a new home actually finds one. Many days I drove home from the kennel in tears because I feared that one day I would have to face the possibility that a home would not be found for Cisco. I just could not bear the thought that one day this wonderful dog would have to be destroyed simply because he was born a Pit Bull at a time when they are simply not wanted.

When things were overwhelming, I tried to focus on what needed to be done. Cisco needed to heal, he needed vet care, he needed to gain weight, he needed to be neutered, he needed shots. I also had to know that this was a sound dog. Everything I had seen told me this was a terrific dog, but I needed someone with much more Pit Bull experience to tell me that I was right. Luckily, I found a couple of wonderful people at the Atlantic City Humane Society who had many years of experience with the breed. They offered to do a formal temperament evaluation of Cisco – free of charge. All I had to do was get him to Atlantic City. So on a Sunday afternoon, the day before Memorial Day, I drove 2 hours to casino town with a very impressive-looking Pit Bull in the back seat of my car. Cisco passed his temperament evaluation with flying colors and one of the evaluators told me something that day that would guide the rest of my journey with Cisco. She told me that finding Cisco a good home was the “right thing to do.” And now, more than ever, I was determined to do the “right thing” for Cisco.

Shortly after this temperament evaluation, the inquiries started coming. From the first time I spoke to Brenda, I had a real good feeling about her and her family. While the Furry Friends Foundation was screening their application for adoption, I made arrangements to have Cisco neutered and microchipped. Next, I found a Pit Bull rescue group in Baltimore who would do the home visit for me. And finally, there was the 2-hour drive to Baltimore to deliver Cisco to his new home. Cisco made himself right at home from the moment he walked into his new yard. By the time I left an hour or so later, Cisco and Brenda’s husband Ziggy seemed like old pals, Cisco following his new master wherever he went.

I got a note from Cisco’s family a few months later telling me Cisco was all healed, that he now weighed 60 lbs. (he weighed about 42 lbs. when I found him), that he was very well behaved and a much-loved member of the family. I also got a wallet size picture of Cisco, a professional portrait of Cisco. He looked so handsome and healthy! Seeing his picture and reading Brenda’s note brought tears to my eyes, but this time they were tears of joy.

Cisco is a very lucky boy, he had finally found what every dog deserves, a wonderful family who loves him and will cherish him for the rest of his life. And I am a very lucky woman, because on that early May morning, I found a dog that taught me a great deal about taking responsibility, about making my own judgments, about following my heart, about making a commitment and about doing the “right thing,” even when that is very difficult.

I’m forever indebted to everyone who had a hand in helping me find a happy ending for Cisco. The list is long and my gratitude immense. Thank you all for helping Cisco beat the odds!