Ace is the May 5 2019 Pup of the Week

Two weeks ago I wrote about a dog at PetSmart that was attacked by a pit bull.  It was horrifying, But sadly only a prelude to what would happen in our city a few weeks later.

A woman was walking her daughter’s seven-month-old puppy named Ace on Broadway near the center of the city.  This is an area with a lot of apartments, and where people sometimes don't make the best decisions

A man opened his door.  His Pitbull ran outside and began chasing the woman, and the dog.  The man held the door open telling the Pitbull to get back inside. This allowed his five other pit bulls to follow the leader, and they too chased the woman and the dog.

The Woman picked up the puppy to protect it.  The pit bulls tore into her thighs and calves.  They ripped at her flesh until she could no longer stand. SHe tried to cover Ace with her body, but, now she needed to save her own life.

She was on the ground as the assault continued.  Now, her side and shoulders were bitten. She tried to fight the dogs off. The puppy had no defenses.

A police officer in a patrol car drove down the road. He leaped out of the vehicle to assist the victim. But, there were too many pitties attacking.  He fell back on his training which called for him to try and startle the dogs. He blasted his siren, and the attack stopped.

The officer, with the assistance of a good Samaritan, helped the injured woman into the car.  He got in the unit. He had left a window down. One of the pitties, unsatisfied with the damage it had already inflicted tried to jump through the squad car window.
Finally, the pitbull's’ owner wrangled the dogs back in the house.  The Woman was taken to the hospital where she remains, still unable to walk.   She has needed several operations and skin grafts.

The Animal control officer seized the pit bulls, and they are being kept under observation.  The ACO said the owner would have to pay a “hefty fine.”

And we got custody of Ace.  

I have never seen a dog cross the bridge in fear.  Ace ran like the devil was on his heels. I stopped him when he got to the top of hobo’s landing. He was convinced the pit bulls were still After him. It took me several minutes to convince him they weren't and a few more for him to understand he was now on the immortal side and would not see his family for a long time.

He kept nervously looking over his shoulder.  “‘do you think they will send the dogs who took me away from my family here?” I told him it was possible.  “then I don't want to stay here.”

“If you do see them they won't be mean or violent.  They'll be sweet and gentle. An abusive human triggered the behavior that caused them to attack you. when the pit  bulls pass over all the hate and violence that had been taught to them will be swept away, and they will be back to being the playful little puppies they were when they came into the world.”

“And the man who kept them?”

“Humans who abuse animals are turned over to us for trial upon arrival.  We sentence them to be minions to us dogs. They serve until such a time as we determine they have been rehabilitated.  And, when this particular bad human comes, we will make him be your minion.”. Ace nodded.

“I still don't want to be around any pit bulls,” Ace said.

He shuddered when he saw the looming silhouette of a pit bull above him.  “my name is Summer, and I would love to be your best friend and protect you,” Summer the pitbull said.

He shook his head, but SUmmer persisted. She let the little black dog sniff her all Over.  “The only way to conquer being afraid is to know there is nothing to fear,” Summer said. “You spend time with me at my house, and I will teach you that and so much more.”

Tentatively Ace took  Summer's hand, and they walked off together new best friends who can never be broken up.




It is going to take a long time for Ace to no longer be nervous around big dogs. Even On this side of the River of Life the evil that men do still touches us.