It’s no secret that dogs create strong bonds. It’s also no secret that these bonds can withstand hell or high water because of a dog’s natural ability to live in the moment and love above all. This can be seen in cruelty cases every day, especially in dog fighting situations. Humans will have used, abused, criticized, taunted, teased, beat and tortured an animal, and that animal still wants to please humans, craving love so much that they are able to wake up each day expecting pain, hoping for affection.
All too often, when dogs land in the shelter, they have forged a strong bond
with an animal brought in with them. Unfortunately,
these dogs usually have one of two outcomes.
They are either left to face the shelter life together and often look
terrified, huddled to the only safe thing they know, or they are separated – either by adoption or more realistically, killed for
space, sickness or temperament. Rarely,
heartbreakingly, do these two
attached, bonded creatures get to live out the rest of their lives
together.
Two pit bulls that I know began their homeless journey young in life. They may have been born homeless or maybe
they found themselves in that scary situation, but either way, they were a
pair: like peanut butter and jelly.
Whether it was helping each other find food to stave off hunger,
cuddling with one another in the cold or sharing the shady spots in the heat,
they were one.
Then, they landed in the shelter. And suddenly, they were not one anymore. They
were two separate dogs that were most likely going to be split apart. Not only do people rarely adopt pit bulls
that have no known history, but to adopt two?
Highly unlikely.
Amazingly, after what would have probably been a terrible ending in an animal
shelter, an amazing foster agreed to take in not only one, but BOTH pit bulls. These two, even with their unstable
beginning, were pure gems; great with other animals and incredibly loving to
everyone they saw. Carolina Care Bullies
volunteer, Meghan Pragel, continues their story:
"How do you put into words the story of the two dogs that have changed your life? I read this quote the other day, "You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you" and I may have adopted Wally and Ellie but sometimes, I feel like they have done way more for me than I have ever done for them.
In my opinion, a home always seemed full of love when there were dogs in it. I started to look online for a dog to adopt in early 2011; I went through PetFinder many times and though a few dogs stood out to me, I couldn’t decide. I had a co-worker, Chad, who volunteered for a Charlotte-based rescue called Family Addition Dog Rescue, help me with my decision. He told me about a dog named Wally that was available for adoption and he was sure I would adore him. I went online to look at his picture and couldn’t help but fall in love with the big-eared boy that I saw on my computer screen. I emailed the rescue about meeting him and I set up a time with their president, Tanya Hill, to come meet him. I went with my boyfriend, Gabe, to one of the adoption events in Charlotte. We walked up to the front of the store and I could pick out Wally immediately. While we were waiting to talk to Tanya, a dog named Ellie May walked up, sat down next to Gabe and wouldn’t budge. Ellie turned out to be Wally’s sister. They were found as strays together, then fostered together. Gabe fell in love with Ellie. I fell in love with Wally. As soon as each of us met the other, we decided with very little discussion that we needed to adopt them both. Homeless together, fostered together, adopted together. We filled out applications and on February 19, 2011, they became our dogs, forever. This date will go down as one of the best days of Gabe and I’s life.
That night I went out to get us dinner and five minutes into my car ride, I got a phone call from Gabe, “Wally just peed all over the bed!” That was the first laugh that Wally gave me and he keeps me laughing every day. Wally is a sweet boy who loves to snuggle but also loves to play. His playful antics keep both Gabe and I, as well as house guests, entertained. He loves tennis balls, fleece blankets, and watching squirrels. Ellie May is our shy girl. When we first got her, she was very anxious and skiddish. She was afraid of many things such as the air conditioner vents (AKA the air monster) and thunderstorms. Can you imagine how scared she would have been if she had been separated from her best friend and protector, Wally? As time went on, Ellie became more comfortable with our home and came out of her shell. Today, she still is afraid of thunderstorms (but we have recently purchased a Thundershirt that works wonders!) and thinks that the air monster follows her wherever she goes, but she has become a stable and wonderful companion. She is our independent girl now, loving our attention and cuddling and then spending “Ellie time” in her bed. Both dogs were unsure of car rides at first, but now they both love them! An amazing day for us was the day that Ellie finally stuck her head out the window on a car ride; our anxious little girl was becoming less and less afraid of the world.
Watching them together is one of the most wonderful things to observe. When it thunders or when Ellie isn’t feeling well, Wally will lie next to her, not moving until she does. They are the best of friends and hate if they are ever without the other. They are two peas in a pod, and I am so happy that we were able to keep them together because I can’t imagine them going into separate homes. They were meant to always be together, no matter what life threw their way.
I cannot explain my love for these two dogs. We treat Wally and Ellie as if they were our children. Seeing them change and grow makes us smile and watching them go from thinking we were strangers to following us around the house like shadows makes us proud. We do all we can to make their lives the absolute best it can be, because Wally and Ellie will never know what they’ve done for us and how much they’ve greatly impacted the quality of our lives."
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| Wally (L) and Ellie (R) waiting patiently to get out of the car |
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| Ellie (L) and Wally (R) |
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| Wally |
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| Ellie |
Like I said, peanut butter and jelly. Except now, being spoiled pups, I'm sure they don't just act like it, they probably get to eat it, too.
Adopt a homeless pet!!
