Memorable Rescues

​Jerry Lee's Journey  ( now LOKI )                   September 24, 2021

(A little long but worth reading)

A large percentage of people have it set in their mind that "Pit Bull" and "Pit Mixes" are

unpredictable, dangerous, and risky with children. Just to make things clear, Pit Bull is

not a breed. It is the generic term often used to describe all dogs of similar traits and

characteristics often know by the public as "Pit Bull". Some dogs do resemble these

 traits, probably at no fault of their own, but like any breed of dog, a healthy Pit Bull

that is raised and managed responsibly will reflect the good care his owners have

invested. Appearance can not determine the personality and future behaviors of a dog.

On that note, you may remember our very sweet, handsome, (for the sake of this story) Pit Bull, Jerry Lee.

Jerry Lee is one of those dogs people look at and automatically think, "Nope, he's a Pit Bull." He is a Pit Bull, short, muscular, a blocky head with very cropped ears and he was rescued from a home that promoted cock fights and dog fights. Just that description is a red flag to a lot of people. Putting aside the fact that he is extremely handsome, I myself, hesitated to take him into the rescue. If Jerry Lee were to get angry and bark, he would be very intimidating, but so can any other dog.

Jerry Lee had a rough beginning. He was left on his own in a game environment, where his species was considered a commodity. He had no idea what it was like to be a dog.

Jerry was not a fighter, that's why he was given up so easily. The home he was given to lasted 3 months due to his owner's own health issues. From there he bounced around 2 shelters, then a foster home and another shelter until finally, with the help of Lisa O., he came to Countryside Rescue.

Jerry was very sad, distant, insecure and almost empty. He started to come around and went to a foster but that didn't work out. This set Jerry back some. He had no idea where he belonged or how to act.

Jerry had extreme anxiety when housed with a large group of dogs. The noise of the barking, whining and commotion when moving dogs in and out set Jerry into panic mode. He paced, panted, drooled and jump around.

Jerry's life before was in a backyard surrounded by fence and unable to hide from the noises coming from the cock fights and dog fights. I can't image how intense that was for him.

For the next 3 months we worked with Jerry to help him gain confidence and accept affection.We set him up in his own little condo up front so he could see people coming and going. Customers always said hi to Jerry and gave him treats. Every staff member here at Countryside and Four Paws Pet Ranch spent time with Jerry, taking him on walks or just hanging out. Jerry began to show life again. He loved our nightly ritual of going to our dog park and sniffing all around. He also loved going for car rides, especially if we went to McDonalds. He started to pounce and run when going somewhere and even started chasing the ball. He loved Fridays because his favorite volunteer, Nick, came and he and Jerry would take long walks and just hang out in the shade watching whatever passed by.

This sweet and very friendly boy was beginning to blossom.