Tyson...

[APBTLove]

I will start from the beginning.
I was 12 at the time, mid winter, I had been caring for animals and watching someone's house in my neighborhood and noticed a frantic barking/near screaming next door. I walked out to make sure it was nothing being harmed and saw a big, bad pit bull at the end up his 4' chain trying to go after a cat. I clapped my hands at him and said "Hey!", he stopped, looked up, and that's when I saw the grey on his face, he was an old guy. He looked quite displeased by the cat running away.

I, like most others, knew pit bulls to be vicious killers... But I couldn't help sneaking another look from a neighbors back yard. What a saw was:
A tangled chain attached the a hunk of metal (no idea what it was for) leading to a very thick collar, a tamped down area around him, about 2" of crap over dirt, no house, and a hole ripped into the fence next to him where he'd peak out and the kids in the next yard playing, and empty water dish and no food bowl.
I went to the front and asked the owners if I could visit him, they said they didn't care but didn't know if he would bite.

I went back, very cautiously, and as I got closer his head whipped up and he went to the end up his chain, stood on his hind legs and started barking, ears back, tail going fast. I took the chance and went close enough for him to sniff, he started squealing, the only time I'd heard that is when a friend's pit bulls would fight. So I was alarmed, but I went forward, I was shaking and nearly about to run off, and he leapt for my face... And gave me the wettest kiss I've ever had. I later learned he was ten... And had spent most of those years outside, alone.

After he stopped pummeling my with love, I inspected his living area and checked out his bucket of food, the sour smell that rose out of the tub when I opened it made me gag, there was mold and mildew everywhere, the food was wet, and there were some kind of larvae in it.

I inquired to the owners: Was he walked? And did he eat that food?
No he wasn't walked, yes he ate plenty of it.
I asked if I could take him out for daily walks, same answer, sure, but you will have to buy him a leash..

And I did, as well as a comfortable leather collar, a lead that wouldn't tangle for him to be tied out with, a dog house, new food, bedding, new bowls, and cleaned his ing living area every day after his morning and evening walk.

I'd arrive early and see his grinning face poking out of his blanket filled dog house, hear his tail thumping, and then he'd stretch his cold bones and come out to say good morning. We'd walk, he was happiest then, he behaved very well, even restraining himself when cats were around.
This went on for a while, the weather was starting to warm up, I remember, and the owners announced that they were moving, and he was NOT going. They'd have him dropped at the shelter -if I could not find him a place - where he'd be put down, he was an old, scruffy, male-dog aggressive, cat eating, pit bull.

With the help of family, and a HUGE help from PBRC, I got a call from an adoptions director from Pbrc, I told them everything I knew about him and what was going to happen. Richard Pryor's wife personally offered to fund his rescue.
Within a few days he'd found a foster home, I got a ride to meet her 100 miles away, she'd driven farther, and I went through a lot to get there... I had to be dropped off mid way in at a DQ to wait so the driver could pick something up, dogs not allowed on the property. He ended up locking his keys in the car, having to wait for a truck driver to bust open his window. An hour later he picked us up again.. So, Ty had to sit in my lap in the front, he was nearly as big as me at the time, to avoid sitting on glass.

We finally met his foster, he leapt into her back seat and waited for me to get in, then excitedly sniffed her other dog's blanket. I gave him a final hug and "I love you."

She drove off, Ty looking to the front, towards his new life.

I heard form the foster a few days later, Ty was doing GREAT, loved her young female pit, and sent pictures of them playing tug.
I heard from a different person days later, SHE had Ty, she adopted him... I sent an email to the foster, why hadn't she told me?
Turns out, she left BOTH dogs out, alone, with her elderly cats, and had come home to all of them, dead and smeared around her home, she said that after she'd passed Ty off she was pretty sure it was mostly her female, but couldn't bare to keep him. WTF? You left two pit bulls running loose, together, knowing both don't like your cats, you took the cat's escape away, she had said he left the cats out as well, and took it out on the elderly dog?

THANKFULLY, his new owner was LOVELY, and sent us emails and picture often, mostly pictures of Ty snuggling her son, warm in the home. Or funny emails about Ty wrestling very nicely with her ferrets, or getting love from their minpin girl. He later took their new pit bull pup through the ropes and taught him manners and how to behave.

Two years later, I got the sad email that Ty had colon cancer, and was going through treatment... They went until it was not fair, and he died surrounded by family and in the arms of his rescuer, painlessly by their kind vet.

It's been years but I still get very emotional about it. I loved him, he was my friend.. He is the dog who changed my mind about many things.

[Agnese]

such a nice story...good knowing that there are people you foster or help fostering...rip handsome guy

[tt557]

Thankfully his final days were good ones.
And a HUGE thank you to all you good fosters out there!!

[Laredo]

Sad story, i agree his last days were spent with people that loved him, may he rest in peace

[DMARIE1965]

RIP TYSON

[Dodo & Bull]

Wow..i m in tears...what a nice story...thanks for being so so kind to this senior dog...Ty was a darn lucky boy to have found such a generous boy to help him out...

got to give thanks to your mom to have brought up a kind boy...

[APBTLove]

I thank you guys, I put so much heart and time into him, I loved him so very much, but I had four dogs and two cats at the time and it would have been impossible to keep him... When I heard he was going to be put down if I couldn't find him a home I was crushed.


Thank you, D&B, I added a signature to give the forums an idea of my sex, though, since I know my username doesn't help

Actually, my parents were downright terrible to animals, thought pits were demons, and were BYBs of mutts and low grade GSD for years, I'm not quite sure where I've gotten my attitude from, most likely growing up without any good human friends I got attached to the dogs, they were much kinder to me.

[Dodo & Bull]

Originally Posted by APBTLove

I thank you guys, I put so much heart and time into him, I loved him so very much, but I had four dogs and two cats at the time and it would have been impossible to keep him... When I heard he was going to be put down if I couldn't find him a home I was crushed.


Thank you, D&B, I added a signature to give the forums an idea of my sex, though, since I know my username doesn't help

Actually, my parents were downright terrible to animals, thought pits were demons, and were BYBs of mutts and low grade GSD for years, I'm not quite sure where I've gotten my attitude from, most likely growing up without any good human friends I got attached to the dogs, they were much kinder to me.

Hihihi..i m so sorry ...That last paragraph made my heart flip over Well then i ll start over...Melody you have a big heart...i don t know what you went threw but whatever happened(which i m very sorry)the kindness came out of you and thank you for that...

[MybabyDuke]

Wow my heart goes out to you ... You are a good person!

[tysonlovesmaya]

Wow - I need a tissue after reading that. You are so awesome - god bless you and RIP Tyson.