Mere mention of the breed evokes images of a vicious dog who tears off limbs and eats small children. This is a story of a Pit Bull who doesn’t fit that image. She came to our rescue after being bred to a St. Bernard, then later left in a field to die from pregnancy complications. This petite but muscular 35lb. dog was ultimately carrying 13 extra large breed puppies and her body was unable to pass them through the birth canal properly. So she was dumped and abandoned in a field. Animal Control was called and took her to the shelter to be evaluated. After multiple hours of intense pain and problems she was taken to the vet’s office to be euthanized because as an Officer so eloquently put it, “Why would we pay for a Pit Bull C-Section. No one will ever want her or the babies…” How wrong their assumptions were yet she almost paid the ultimate price.

The vet’s office quickly called rescue and began trying to save the mom’s and the babies lives. Unfortunately only four lived through the birth. While Momma recovered the rescue set about collecting bottles and formula and began bottle feeding. One of the puppies being bottle fed was paralyzed from the waist down and didn’t make it past the first week. A second one was lost to unknown causes at that time. But we soon learned what the real culprit was and ultimately why we would lose them all.

Athena and her remaining two babies moved into a loving foster home and out of the noisy vet hospital. Day by day Bulldozer (female puppy) and Lil’ D (male puppy) grew. It was a first time foster home that doted on their every move. Unfortunately in a few weeks some unusual signs and symptoms began to appear. They developed a cough and a runny nose. Despite normal treatment the symptoms persisted and Bulldozer became less playful and more sedate. She stopped eating and refused normal activity. She was taken to the vets office in hopes of curing her, only to have her pass away a week later. Shortly behind her was Lil’ D who had followed in the same path and had developed neurological problems. Ultimately it became apparent they had been exposed to Distemper probably either in the shelter or when abandoned in the field.

Momma survived and was given her name, Athena. She remained in her foster home and was added as a permanent member. There is no other dog within our rescue that is so universally loved by everyone. Her little wiggly butt and huge ears will win even the most hardened of hearts over. She enjoys her weekly trips to another foster home to play with her five “cousins”. She loves to ride the surf at the dog beach and she can always be found tucked in at night sprawled under the covers in her bed that she shares with her mom. They said that no one would love a Pit. Well, everyone loves this Pit.♥♥