For the love of Kane

We have a pit-bull named Kane who is a fighting dog that was thrown from a moving car into our yard. Despite the healed fractures and scars and obvious trauma. DESPITE the fact that he is petrified of loud noises and overly protective of me and the kids in the house, he is absolutely the sweetest most loving dog who just distrusts strangers and doesn't care for other dogs.

But he LOVES cats, kids, women, and his daddy.

I am a hopeless convert to the sweet temperament and forgiving nature and intelligence of the Pitbull. Having only grown up with Rotties, Dobies, German shepards, and Shetland collies I was unsure about most Pits and fed into the hype.I remember my Nana telling me how vicious they were and how one of them tore a woman's breast off because they were just naturally mean dogs. Now I see its exactly that Hype.

Having worked for more than 20 animal welfare, rescue, zoological and veterinary rehabilitation centers all over the world I can say I have been bitten by more cats, and small dogs but I have never once, not ONCE been bitten by a large breed dog or a PitBull (and I have worked to rehabilitate many of them) that were labeled as dangerous.

I was chased down and tree'd by a Dalmatian, I had a pant leg ripped off by a Standard poodle, and had a massive hand wound that required stitches given to me by a Black Lab. And was almost scarred for life when a pomeranian latched onto my face during an exam.

None of those dogs were EVER recommended to be euthanize'd.

I take Kane to the Vet and he has serious fear of new people and abandonment issues and growls at the vets and they immediately recommend that I put him to sleep because he is too aggressive. Mind you he was fine as long as I was holding him and he had a muzzle on.

Meanwhile a golden retriever in the same room grabs my pant leg growling and yanking on it and the Vets laugh and say its just playing.

As a former intern at two wolf centers I can assure you that was NOT playing.

So my unemployed self and my derelict dog continue to defy all reason and co-exist peacefully with 4 cats, 2 kids, and 3 adults. We know we will never be a two dog house, we know we will never be able to take him to a dog park ( I disagree with dog parks anyway) and I know he will probably always be overprotective.

But it is not a crime I am willing to punish with a death sentence.

Conversely, it makes me want to rescue another one if Kane decides to exit this mortal coil.

KJ