Ashton Needs A Forever Home!

Meet Ashton, Pit Crew's Rescue dog featured in the News and Observer!

Ashton

Ashton is currently 12 weeks old and has a great temperment.  She is spayed, current on all vaccines, and has consitently been on heartworm preventative and flea and tick preventative since she left the Fayetteville shelter.  She gets along with both cats and dogs. If you are interested in adopting or fostering Ashton, please contact me at (919) 457-3719 or email me at pitcrewpitbullrescue@gmail.com!

On a Thursday in late July, I heard about a blue nose pit bull in a shelter in Fayetteville that was scheduled for euthanasia.  The next day, I drove to the shelter in hopes of rescuing the dog.  When I arrived, I was told the dog was not available for adoption, but Shelter Coordinator Ann Chalker told me that they were overwhelmed with strays.  She said that there were approximately 70 other dogs, many of them pit bull type dogs, scheduled for euthanasia that week, any of which were available for adoption.

As Ann gave me a tour of the facility and showed me the many dogs available for adoption, my heart broke. I thought of the importance of spaying and neutering our pets, so many of these unnecessary deaths could have been prevented!  There were so many dogs: a mother nursing a litter of puppies, victims of dog fighting with horrific injuries, and so many others.  I wanted to take all the dogs there home with me and find them a forever home, but sadly, I knew I could only take one home, and as soon as I saw Ashton, I knew she was the puppy we were going to save.

Ashton and I before work in the morning

As we finished our tour of the shelter, Ann took us to our last stop, the puppy kennels.  The first cage on the top left housed the puppy we now call Ashton,  a beautiful female brindle pit bull mix.  I asked Ann if I could open the cage, and as soon as she said yes, I opened the door and reached in, picking up a frightened eight-week-old puppy.  Ann commented that the pup had been there for a “long time,” which in the Fayetteville shelter meant two weeks.  The pup had been scheduled for euthanasia the previous week, but she had been spared.  I told Ann I would take the pup, and she got the paperwork ready for me.

I paid the adoption fee for the Ashton and was told that I could pick her up Monday afternoon when she had recovered from her spay.  I could hardly wait for the weekend to be over!  On Monday afternoon, I drove to All Pets Hospital for Animals in Fayetteville where Dr. Byrd had performed Ashton’s spay.  I gave Ashton a Capstar to kill the many fleas covering the tiny puppy and took her home, where she slept deeply in her new crate surrounded by toys.

The next day, I brought Ashton to Six Forks Animal Hospital, where I am an intern, and Dr. Driscoll got Ashton up to date on her shots and performed a fecal test.  I read the results of the fecal test, and after confirming with Dr. Driscoll, we determined that she had roundworms and coccidia.  Ashton was treated for both parasites and got her first doses of heartworm preventative and flea and tick preventative. 

I have been fostering Ashton since I brought her home from the shelter, and she is a sweet and loving dog that will make a great addition to any family.

If you are interested in fostering or adopting Ashton, please contact me by phone at (919) 457-3719 or email me at pitcrewpitbullrescue@gmail.com!

Sadie Needs a Forever Home!

Meet Sadie!

Sadie is a 4-5 year old red nose pit bull that needs a new home. The West family took her in as a stray a little over two years ago after Sadie was found walking in a busy intersection near Walgreen's in Goldsboro.  A friend of the family spotted the skinny and frightened dog and stopped to help.  As soon as she opened her car door, the dog jumped right in and sat in the front seat!

The woman who found Sadie was unable to keep her and asked the West family if they could take her in.  The animal-loving West family couldn’t say no to the beautiful stray, and Sadie went to live with them.  The West’s took Sadie to the vet, where they found out Sadie was drastically underweight and had an infection in both of her ears.  The family was given antibiotics to treat Sadie’s ear infections, which cleared up nicely.  In a matter of weeks, Sadie transformed from a malnourished stray into a healthy and happy house-dog who loves to go for rides, fetch, swim, and lounge around the house. 

Sadie is spayed, current on all her shots, house-broken, wonderful with small kids, and very well trained.  She will not even touch her food until she gets the “go ahead” command!

Recently, the West’s moved to a new neighborhood and on their daily walk, two neighborhood strays attacked Sadie.  She was not seriously injured, but after that day, the West’s started to notice Sadie showed signs of aggression towards some dogs, particularly dogs that show dominance or appear to be threatening her or other dogs.  Sadie gets along well with most dogs, but the West’s don’t think their neighborhood is a safe place for Sadie and are looking to find her a new loving home. 

Sadie needs a home where she will have a secure (preferably fenced in) yard to play in and should not be taken to dog parks.

If you are interested in adopting the loving and loyal Sadie, please contact me at (919) 457-3719 or e-mail me at pitcrewpitbullrescue@gmail.com

Ashton

“Ashton”

Ashton

Our sweet Ashton needs a forever home! If you are interested in adopting or fostering Ashton until she can find a home, please call me at (919) 457-3719 or email me at pitcrewpitbullrescue@gmail.com!

On a Thursday in late July, I heard about a blue nose pit bull in a shelter in Fayetteville that was scheduled for euthanasia.  The next day, I drove to the shelter in hopes of rescuing the dog.  When I arrived, I was told the dog was not available for adoption, but Shelter Coordinator Ann Chalker told me that they were overwhelmed with strays.  She said that there were approximately 70 other dogs, many of them pit bull type dogs, scheduled for euthanasia that week, any of which were available for adoption.

As Ann gave me a tour of the facility and showed me the many dogs available for adoption, my heart broke. I thought of the importance of spaying and neutering our pets, so many of these unnecessary deaths could have been prevented!  There were so many dogs: a mother nursing a litter of puppies, victims of dog fighting with horrific injuries, and so many others.  I wanted to take all the dogs there home with me and find them a forever home, but sadly, I knew I could only take one home. 

Ashton and I before work in the morning

As we reached the end of the facility, Ann took us to our last stop, the puppy kennels.  The first cage on the top left housed a beautiful female brindle pit bull mix.  I asked Ann if I could open the cage, and as soon as she said yes, I opened the door and reached in, picking up a frightened eight-week-old puppy.  Ann commented that the pup had been there for a “long time,” which in the Fayetteville shelter meant two weeks.  The pup had been scheduled for euthanasia the previous week, but she had been spared.  I told Ann I would take the pup, and she got the paperwork ready for me.

I paid the adoption fee for the puppy that I dubbed Ashton and was told that I could pick her up Monday afternoon when she had recovered from her spay.  I could hardly wait for the weekend to be over!  On Monday afternoon, I drove to All Pets Hospital for Animals in Fayetteville where Dr. Byrd had performed Ashton’s spay.  I gave Ashton a Capstar to kill the many fleas covering the tiny puppy and took her home, where she slept deeply in her new crate surrounded by toys.

The next day, I brought Ashton to Six Forks Animal Hospital, where I am an intern, and Dr. Driscoll got Ashton up to date on her shots and performed a fecal test.  I read the results of the fecal test, and after confirming with Dr. Driscoll, we determined that she had roundworms and coccidia.  Ashton was treated for both parasites and got her first doses of heartworm preventative and flea and tick preventative.

Ashton is currently 12 weeks old and has a great temperment.  She is spayed, current on all vaccines, and has consitently been on heartworm preventative and flea and tick preventative since she left the Fayetteville shelter.  She gets along with both cats and dogs. Please contact me if you are interested in adopting or fostering Ashton!

Sir Marshmallow

“Sir Marshmallow”

Sir Marshmallow

Although Pit Crew focuses on pit bull type dogs, we also recognize an animal emergency when we see one!  A toy poodle appeared in my driveway on a night we had three dogs here!  I could tell the poodle was someone’s pet, so I ran out to the driveway and quickly grabbed the dog by the scruff.  Unfortunately, this made the dog panic, and it expressed its anal glands on my arm and shirt.  While I took a shower, my friends Lisa and Chris called animal control and waited outside with the dog, which Lisa dubbed “Sir Marshmallow.”  Within an hour of our call, an animal control officer arrived to pick up the male toy poodle.

The Animal Control Officer scans for a microchip

We wish Sir Marshmallow the best and hope he and his owner are reunited!

Rascal

"Rascal"

The beginning of August brought a big surprise for the Laura and Gerrit Heinrich-a male pit bull mix puppy!  The busy couple, who raise horses in Wake Forest, were taken off guard when a dirty, extremely thin, tick covered puppy with two inch long nails showed up at their doorstep.  Gerrit and Laura removed the many ticks covering the body of the little man they have dubbed Rascal.  They then bathed and trimmed the pup’s overgrown nails. 

Overwhelmed with their busy work schedules and caring for their horses, the couple feels they cannot give this cuddly little man the life he deserves, and they reached out to Pit Crew for help to find him a home! 

Rascal and the Heinrich family, who are temporarily housing him

The Heinrich family has graciously offered to pay for the little man’s neuter, first series of shots, and heart worm and tick disease testing. If you are interested in adopting or fostering Rascal, please call me at (919) 457-3719 or email me at pitcrewpitbullrescue@gmail.com

Won't you be my new mommy or daddy?

"Chunk"

"Chunk"

Chunk

In searching for young pit bull type dogs to foster, I stumbled upon a craigslist post that a woman named Darlene who lives in Zebulon had posted about a 5-8 month old male pit bull type puppy she had found.  She did not feel she could take care of the dog, so I offered to foster the puppy. 

Chunk gives me kisses!

 A few days later, Darlene responded to my e-mail, saying that she and her husband had become attached to the puppy and that she wanted to keep him.  She asked me if I had any information about low cost neutering and vaccines, as she did not have the resources to provide the puppy with the medical care he would need. 

I replied to Darlene with the information that is now available on our blog (under the heading Low Cost Spay/Neuter Services).  She graciously thanked me for the information, and said that she and her husband were still unsure as to how they would pay for Chunk’s surgery and vaccines.  Understanding that the costs for the neutering and shots, while reduced, are still expensive, I offered to help out by covering the neutering costs if the family could cover the expenses of disease testing and vaccinations as well as heartworm and flea/tick preventative.  Darlene accepted our help and we agreed to work together to meet the puppy’s medical needs.

Chunk, me, and his mommy, Darlene

On Sunday, July 10, I went and met Darlene and her husband.  I brought them a 3-month supply of heartworm preventative.  The family was incredibly receptive to our suggestions and warmly welcomed us into their home. We have successfully scheduled the male puppy she has named “Chunk” an appointment at the SPCA’s Saving Lives Spay and Neuter Clinic for his neuter, disease testing, and vaccines next week.  Our friends at the SPCA have been amazing and have gone the extra mile to help us in our quest to help the pit bull breed by allowing us to make appointments for our dogs easily and by working the dogs we work with into their busy schedule.

Thank you to Darlene, her husband, and our wonderful friends at the SPCA (especially Ray and Dr. Foley)!

I will keep you updated on Chunk and his surgery and shots! He has found a wonderful forever home and his surgery undoubtedly go great!

Chunk and Chris play with a frisbee

Special thanks to Chris Cottrell for all of his help!

Benefits of Spaying Your Female Pit Bull

Benefits of Spaying

-Spaying helps to reduce medical costs by preventing uterine infections and reduces the risk of breast cancer, especially when done in the first two years of life. 

This lowers medical costs by reducing the risk of these illnesses.  It is also much less expensive to spay a dog before a uterine infection has occurred since the surgery is less complicated.

-Spaying eliminates messy menstrual blood. 

Adult female dogs menstruate before they go into heat every 6 to 10 months, which can be messy and have an unpleasant odor, spayed dogs do not go into heat so they do not menstruate.

-Spaying is cost effective.

The cost of spaying is less than the cost of having and caring for a liter. Having a liter means having more mouths to feed and more messes to clean up!

-There is also a risk of future unplanned liters fathered by random neighborhood dogs resulting in mixed breed puppies that homes can not be found for, and could be a financial burden.

-A spayed dog is less likely to run off because they are not searching for a mate. Since they are less likely to run away, they are less likely to be hit by cars, receive injuries from fights with neighborhood dogs, be picked up by animal control (they charge to reclaim pets) and prevents the spread of STDs such as mycoplasma infections and brucellosis.

-Spaying your dog reduces the number of unwanted pit bulls in our community, forcing people to go to the shelter and rescue a needy pit bull. A large percent of dogs euthanized in kill shelters are pit bull type dogs, since they are difficult to find homes for.

The SPCA's Saving Lives Spay/Neuter Animal Clinic in the Susan &

Randall Ward Center

Location: 300 Petfinder Lane in Raleigh, NC next to the SPCA Pet Adoption Center

Surgery Costs:

MALE DOG $50

FEMALE DOG $65

Lower fees are available to people on public assistance, call for details.

Basic vaccines and disease testing are available for a small

additional fee at the time of surgery.

All vaccines are $8 per vaccine.  Shots offered include essential

shots such as a 1 year rabies vaccines and distemper vaccines (the

Distemper vaccine will require a booster in one month to be

effective).

Microchipping is $15.  A microchip is about the size of a grain of

rice and is implanted into your pet beneath the loose skin above the

shoulder blades.  The microchip has a code that is unique to your pet.

When a pet is found and scanned, the unique code can be traced back

to you, allowing you and your pet to be reunited.

Licensed veterinarians will perform all spay/neuter surgeries.

Spay/neuter surgery follow-up appointments must be done at the

clients’ primary care veterinarian.

Pit Crew Pit Bull Rescue's status as a rescue organization allows us

to schedule appointments for dogs we are working with quickly and

easily via e-mail.  It can be difficult to get in contact with a

receptionist at the SPCA's clinic due to the high volume of calls they

receive and the waiting list to have the surgery performed is about 2

months for the general public.  At Pit Crew, we are usually able to

schedule our dogs for surgery within weeks of your decision to

spay/neuter your dog.  You can contact me or another member of the Pit

Crew at (919) 457-3719 if you would like us to schedule your dog for

surgery.

If you would like to schedule an appointment yourself, you can contact

the SPCA at 919-772-0211 Monday through Thursday from 1 PM to 5 PM.

Saving Lives Spay/Neuter Animal Clinic

300 Petfinder Lane

Raleigh, NC  27603

919/772-0211

Service	Price
Female Dog Spay	$65.00 *
Male Dog Neuter	$50.00 *
Female Cat Spay	$35.00 *
Male Cat Neuter	$30.00 *
Heartworm Test	$15.00
Felv/FIV Test	$18.00
Rabies Vaccine	$8.00
FELV (feline leukemia) Vaccine	$8.00
FVRCP (distemper/upper respiratory) Vaccine	$8.00
DA2LPP (distemper/Parvo) Vaccine	$8.00
Bordetella (kennel cough) Vaccine	$8.00
Microchip Implant and Registration	$15.00
Nail Trim	$5.00

The services listed here are available ONLY at the time of spay/neuter surgery.

* Surgery fees include post-op pain medication that is sent home with each animal.