When All He** Breaks Loose

There have been few situations within the rescue for which I have not been able to handle or which I knew the exact right course of action. Today was not one of those days.

Dogs are pack animals. I work hard to maintain harmony, but occasionally, personalities clash. But I was not prepared for what happened. My beloved DaVinci and a Pit Bull I have doted upon so much for the last several months were in a bad altercation. I can't begin to describe how much blood was shed, but you couldn't tell that Vinnie was a blonde. I don't know what happened or exactly when. I had last been out with the dogs around 3 when I took fresh water. I took a break from work around 4:30, and went out to play with the dogs. When I opened the door, DaVinci was lying right there. I tried to get him to come inside, but he wouldn't move. Then I noticed the panting, and something wasn't right. Then Lady ran in the house, and that's when I saw the blood drops down the hallway. My world just started spinning.

I shoved Lady into the bathroom and pulled the door tight, then ran to the computer to locate a phone number for the closest veterinarian to see if I could rush the dogs over. I called my unofficial big sister Wendy and her husband for help. Neither could answer, so I shot off a quick email then set about getting Vinnie into the car safely. I arrived to the vet a few minutes later and two techs came to help get him in there. Then I had to come back and get Lady. Luckily, Wendy's husband was able to meet me at the house to help get Lady in the car. Her face was scratched, and there was blood all over her. We arrived to the vet and Wendy had called that she was leaving work early to come be with me.

DaVinci was still back being evaluated. It seemed like an eternity before someone came to tell me what was going on. We had Lady resting on a towel, blood still dripping from parts of her. A tech came out. Vinnie had puncture wounds up and down all his legs, some going about to the bone. He had a few bites on his face, but nothing big, and a bad scratch on his head. They were taking him back to the tub to wash everything off and see what else had happened to him.

Meanwhile, Wendy and I discussed that this left us no hope of having Lady safely adopted, as once a dog has been involved in a fight like that without knowing the trigger, they can never truely be trusted again. When the vet came in, she agreed with us that putting Lady down would be the best solution. It hurt so much. After all I had put in to her, the chances I took, trying to prove to the world that Pits can be good dogs. And then this happened. The vet came back, I signed the papers, and Lady was taken away.

Meanwhile, Jackie and Brent came to my rescue to pick up the momma dog and two puppies I was supposed to get. They came to the vet and got my key and settled mom and babies in one of the back kennels until I could get home. Almost as soon as they left, DaVinci was brought out from the exam room. I fell to my knees weeping. Vinnie wouldn't move. All I could see was red up and down his legs, all shaved, and the fur missing from his head where more scratches were exposed. Guilt, that's all I can feel right now. I can't even remember a time that they ever even growled at each other, and I can't figure out why one would turn on the other, or who started it. But as we put my baby on the stretcher to take him to the car, I couldn't stop crying. He whimpered, tried to move, and we kept trying to keep him stable. The drugs were doing a little bit, but not enough.

Getting Vinnie home and settled was even more of a challenge. Aaron picked me up to go to Walmart and get him a bed, and the largest would could find barely held his entire body. We spent most of an hour trying to get him positioned on it without causing too much distress, but every time he cried, I cried. It is just not easy for me to be strong as my baby lies in pain.

And now that everything is all settled for the night, I'm feeling utter saddness for Lady. Such a wonderful dog, but maybe it is time I give up trying to prove the stereotypes wrong. It's hard enough to save the ones we can without extra baggage. But as I go to sleep on my pallet next to Vinnie tonight, I have to remember that I can't save them all, and I will always have my family first.