WLYM

When his head started to grow,I started to receive some strange looks and some rather odd comments from a few people about him.

Prior to the head growth spurt,I was getting a lot of cooing and ahhs and oohs and isn`t he cute and adorable.

I was still getting that from most people.

But there were people saying that he was a Pit Bull.
(We didn`t use quotes around "Pit Bull" back then,it wasn`t a dirty word and it didn`t result in a death sentence)

I was quite taken aback that I might have a Pit Bull.

Remember, this was back in 1996.

I had heard a few stories about Pit Bulls.

None of which would make me run out and look for one to adopt.

So I though it`s time to CALL THE VET.


Mac had an interesting start in life.

He was going to blog his story.

Quite a few people around the world had taken a fancy to Mac and had written to him asking for more info.

Mac became ill before he was able to finish and post that entry.

So I have edited it and finished it for him

I walked into a local Veterinary Clinic one day to say hi.

I used to do that,I knew the Vet well and the receptionist even better.

She had this cute little puppy on her lap.

It was obvious that she was trying to type while holding him and I wondered what was going on.

So she proceeded to tell me his story.

He had been in with Parvo virus.

Is he better I asked?

Yes he`s fine.

Is he going home today?

No,he`s just sitting on my lap because he won`t stop barking when I put him back in his kennel and he`s driving us crazy!

She proceeded to tell me that he was now also being held for an unpaid Vet Bill which was quite high at that point.

I wasn`t told any other details of his case.

His name wasn`t Mac back then,it was Blue.

I doubt that people can see via the Internet but he had a beautiful brown eye and an equally beautiful blue eye.

He had a very distinct look for that reason.

So Blue became my best little buddy.

I would drop in and visit him back in his kennel so the receptionist could get some work done and I would take him out in their yard.

I was already falling in love with him.

I was glad he wasn`t going home quite yet.

But I never ran in to his family.

Where were they?

Were they trying to get the money?

What was going on?

This had been going on for a couple of weeks.

Finally I was filled in.

There was a little more to the story.

Yes he had Parvo(recovered) and yes there was an unpaid Vet Bill but the owner had claimed that the Police had accidentally left the door open when they paid him a visit(Raided his place) and Blue had gotten out and had been hit by a car.

Hit by a car.....sick with Parvo......I could see where there might be some confusion.

Owner wanted the Police to pay the Vet Bill.

The Police are brighter than that.

Before signing the cheque,they thought they should verify this claim.

Quick visit to the Vet should clear up the confusion.

"Has this dog been hit by a car?"

We have really smart Vets here also.

"No,he had Parvo Virus,he was not hit by a vehicle"

I must try that next time when I`m handed a Veterinary Bill.

Many phone calls between Vet,owner,some "Breeder" offering to take the dog and pay 1/2 the Bill.

Naturally the Vet wants to be paid and it`s looking like this might not be the best home or "breeder" to have this dog.

Meanwhile Blue(Mac) is driving everyone crazy with his barking.

He absolutely does not want to be in his kennel.

He doesn`t even want to be on the floor.

He wants to be in someone`s lap while she`s trying to type,answer phones,keep her job.

So I offer a solution.

I`ll take him home as a favor to everyone.

When the Bill is paid,Blue will go back.

Everybody will be happy.

So we stuff Blue(Mac) in my cat carrier and I take him home.

My Doberman and my cats aren`t too sure about him but I assure them it`s only temporary.

Well he has a great old time,running through the fields,chasing cats and annoying the Dobe

He even stops barking.

I keep checking to see if the Vet Bill is being paid down.

Nothing is happening.

Well this can`t go on for ever.

Enter Lawyers.

I told you Blue(Mac)had an interesting beginning.

Lawyer`s advice to Vet

Post notices in all local Newspapers,telling the owner that he has a fixed amount of time to pay this Bill,after which time, ownership ceases.

I`m sure that is not exactly the legal jargon used but you get my drift.

I wasn`t exactly sure what the plan was for Blue(Mac)if the Bill wasn`t paid.

I had to ask.

I`m told he`ll more than likely be put down.

Now I`m both worried that the Bill will be paid(he goes back to this "good" owner) and I`m worried that the Bill won`t be paid.(He`ll die)

So I pipe up with "Well even if the owner can pay your Bill,who is going to pay my Bill for boarding him?"

There really is no "Boarding Bill" but I don`t want this dog to go back to this owner.

I then add "If the owner doesn`t pay,I would be willing to cancel my Bill and just keep the dog but I`m not willing to pay the Veterinary Bill,it will save you the additional cost of euthanizing him."

The deadline passes.

The Owner cannot pay the Bill.

The Vet will not give the dog to the "breeder" for 1/2 the Bill.

The Vet likes me,likes the dog,doesn`t really want to euthanize him,MAC IS NOW A PERMANENT RESIDENT and the Doberman and cats aren`t thrilled but they learn to love him.


Fast forward a month or 2 to the ever expanding head and comments by people and MY CALL TO THE VET

"What is this dog and what is going on with the head and why are people calling him a Pit Bull?"

Vet says that`s what he is and actually calls him an American Staffordshire Terrier(which I had never heard of and now I`m pretty sure that Mac would not be identified as an AmStaff,not even an unregistered one bred by this "breeder" that contacted the Vet).

PANIC(sort of) SETS IN

Can you imagine if this had happened today.

I had only heard a couple of stories back then.

I didn`t know what to think when I heard them.

I didn`t bother do any research.

I didn`t know if Pit Bull was a breed,didn`t really care,this really didn`t concern me.

I didn`t know anyone that owned one,the Gov`t wasn`t killing them(at least not in Ontario),I didn`t know they were being abused all over the world.

Well I was smitten by that point,so he was staying.

My own brother was warning me about him.

He had heard even more stories than I had.

He lived near Toronto.

He was sure that I would wake up and this dog would have me by the throat.

He came to visit.

His kids weren`t allowed out of the car and he certainly wasn`t going to stay at my place with them.

That`s ok,that`s why we have Motels.

I have to admit I slept with one eye open for a couple of nights.

I watched him like I have NEVER watched another dog.

I watched for those "warning signs" that he was about to turn.

Funny thing is, that I have since learned this "fact" from the Media and the BSL Politicians.

"THEY ATTACK WITHOUT GIVING OFF ANY WARNING SIGNS"

Hahahahaha

He would race around at breakneck speeds.

I learned the hard way not to try and outguess him.

One day while playing out in the front field, he stopped and zoomed in on me with a very eerie determined look.

Oh oh,I was still "watching" him,just in case.

Was this it?

Was I enjoying my final moments on earth before he took me down.

As he barreled towards me,I had to make some quick decisions,run or stay put.

I decided to stay put(sort of).

As he approached,I thought he`s going to kill me just by running into me at that speed

I made a last minute bad decision.

I decided to zig,so did he.

Unfortunately we both zigged in the same direction.

We collided and he was on top of me.

I could hardly stand the licking,slobbering and the kisses.

I almost forgot about my injuries from the collision.

I learned that day that I didn`t have to "watch" him,didn`t have to sleep with one eye open and he didn`t want to kill the cats.

Hell-o,I wasn`t able to encourage him to kill groundhogs.

He wanted to play with them.

We went on to have many,many great years together.





My education on "Pit Bulls" really kicked into high gear when Bill 132 was introduced and you know the rest of the story!

"Mac`s Gang" fights on in memory of our special little guy.

There are days I wish that Blue`s owner had just paid that Vet Bill
because once you have loved a "Pit Bull" or you have taken the time to know the truth,
you can NEVER again turn your back on these dogs but then the fog of fatigue and discouragement lifts and the fighting spirit returns and I`m very happy that he couldn`t pay his Bill.