American Bulldog Caricature

By SUSAN WRIGHT (susan.wright@news-jrnl.com)

HOLLY HILL - Barbara Tollison’s pit bull Buddy has become her hero.

The dog, who’s lived with her more than two years, helped save both Tollison and her sister from a fire that erupted early last Wednesday in her Pine Ridge Road home.

Tollison says she calls Buddy her “56-pound Chihuahua” because he acts more like timid lap dog than a dog that’s known as a fighting breed. The morning of the fire, Tollison says, she woke up at 4:30 a.m. to see off Pete Blount, who shares the house with her, as he headed for work. Then she went back to bed.

Barely half an hour later, she says, she awoke and smelled smoke. She quickly explored the house and discovered the fire already ablaze in Blount’s bedroom. She ran to wake up her sister, Jane Ellol, who was visiting from Connecticut, and ran outside.

Buddy followed her. Then, Buddy ran back inside and straight to Ellol’s bedroom, where she was still struggling to get out. Tollison says Ellol has arthritis and can’t move very quickly when she first gets up. Then, she became disoriented in the unfamiliar house, in the smoke.

“He was whining real loud in her room for her. He was with her the whole time. I ran back in and when I got a hold of her, I pulled her out the door. She said she felt like a wet noodle. He came out right behind her,” Tollison says.

While she says she doesn’t remember exactly what woke her up and saved their lives that morning, she’s convinced it was Buddy because there was no other noise in the house.

“He kind of aroused me, that’s the only thing I can think of that got me up,” she says.

Once he’d gotten the family out, Tollison said, Buddy ran down the road, clearly terrified, and disappeared.

She called Blount, who returned from work as the firemen were dousing the fire in the house and they both frantically looked for Buddy, but they couldn’t find him.

About five hours later, she recalls, a sheriff’s car approached and she somehow knew Buddy was inside before she could even see the dog.

Volusia County sheriff’s deputy Richard Hansard had searched for the dog in the neighborhood and then driven to the Halifax Humane Society to look for the animal. As it happens, someone in the area had picked up Buddy and taken him to the shelter. Because Buddy had the required license and tags, the shelter was able to identify the dog they had in custody and turn him over to Hansard, who took Buddy back home to his very grateful family, Tollison said.

Sheriff’s spokesman Gary Davidson said Hansard has been recommended for a citation for going beyond the call of duty in finding and returning Buddy.

Tollison said it will take 10 weeks to make the house livable again. Meanwhile, she’s living in an apartment and Buddy is living in an Ormond Beach boarding kennel. And, she says, when they do get back home, Buddy will be treated like the hero she’s sure he is.

“I’m going to get him a jeweled collar and just treat him like royalty,” she said.

NJ, 8( 2 have been rescued ) BULLIES LIVING IN AN UNCONDITIONED GARAGE IN PLASTIC KENNELS, URINE BURNS…MUST GET OUT ASAP!!
Here is a direct link to these sweet dogs, all less than 3 years old, living their entire lives in HELL!
Pitties here,
Contact Bonnie at allstarpetrescue@yahoo.com if you can help, and please crosspost to help save these dogs before it’s too late!

These pitties have led a horrible existence of neglect and confinement for their entire young lives at the hands of a “breeder”. They deserve to live lives full of fresh air, room to run and play, and caring hands. The pitties with URGENT labels listed at www.allstar.petfinder.com are the 10 found on the premises that are in dire need of rescue!!!
Contact Bonnie at allstarpetrescue@yahoo.com if you can help, and please crosspost to help save these dogs before it’s too late!
— On Mon, 5/25/09, allstarpetrescue wrote:
This is in New Jersey but we can use help from anyplace!
PLEASE CROSSPOST!!! !!!!!!!!! !!
This is a horrible neglect situation and I am reaching out to the entire rescue community asking for help. I was contacted by an SPCA officer who asked if I could get involved with this case. Someone in Toms River was breeding Pits supposedly as “show dogs” and is now way over his head. I went down yesterday (May 24) to get pictures and the conditions I saw were absolutely horrid. There are 10 dogs in dire need of assistance. They are all being kept in plastic Vari Kennels in an un-air conditioned garage with no air circulation. The stench emanating from that room everytime he opened the door to take a dog out was nauseating. The dogs are filthy and covered in burns from sitting in their own urine and feces. The guy had an excuse for everythng I asked.
Why hadn’t they been bathed The outside water doesn’t work
Don’t you have a bathtub in the house It runs too slow
Why are they sitting in their urine The ACO makes me provide water at all times and they don’t get out enough (the fact is, they don’t get out at all).
And on and on. He was proud of the fact that the dogs all came from a specific line which is supposedly the most expensive Pit line. When I told him that means nothing to me he said it means that his female is worth $5000 and his male $3500. I answered by saying, “yet you have their offspring wallowing in their own piss and crap”! Not a lot going on upstairs.
The dogs will all be 3 years old in September. They are all timid and shy but showed no aggression. I didn’t do any temperament testing because to be honest the pix took me hours and I just wanted to leave at that point. It was that sickening. Supposedly only one of the dogs is dog aggressive but I didn’t test for that. None are spayed or neutered. I believe he was forced to update their shots. It was really pathetic watching them come out one by one and crouch to the ground because they aren’t used to being out in the sun. Some couldn’t even straighten up for a bit because they are obviously being kept in crates that are way too small for them. All of them dove for the water bowl set outside and drank copious amounts leading me to believe that he is not providing water as he was ordered to do. His excuse for this one: “it’s warm inside and I didn’t turn on the air conditioner yet” (there is no evidence of an air conditioner for that room). They are all under socialized but not one shown any aggression towards us. They were nervous about taking treats from us but most responded with a little coaxing and a gentle touch. Honestly it was difficult to even touch them - that’s how dirty they are but they did react well after awhile and I think with a little TLC and lots of love they will all come around and be great companions.
The SPCA asked us to find places for them because if they are seized they will just be euthanized. They are all big dogs (looking to range between 65 - 80 pounds) and not very used to people. None are comfortable on a leash. As you can imagine, time is of the essence. We already have an offer to take in one and there is a possibility of a place for a second. These guys did nothing to deserve this - only being born to an owner who is an idiot. You can see their pix on our web site: www.allstar. petfinder. com. They are all the bios with URGENT next to their names. I am not overstating the grimness of this situation. I only have a short time to do something for these guys and gals and I am hoping that the rescue community can come together and lend a hand. PLEASE CROSSPOST - time is of the essence!
Donna B
All Star Pet Rescue
Linden, NJ
www.allstar. petfinder. com

Link to photos: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?sid=a164224a07a3451dca6ae1daea58c3eb&gid=19729534072#/album.php?aid=22086&id=1450214318&ref=nf

American Bulldog Puppy Brodie from Chopper and Brooklyn

Zoey is a wonderful beautiful dog, she is very smart, loyal and never leaves my side. She always has to be next to me and loves to give kisses. I will forward some recent pictures soon. She has never shown any aggression and rarely barks but with her strong scent of loyality and devotion I have no doubt that if a situation ever arose where our family was in trouble/danger that Zoey would help/ protect us.

thank you again for a wonderful addition to our family,

Cindy