From Warren Eckstein - Shelter employee conducts a 'pit-in' to help pit bull mix find forever home
Mar-23-2016

Melissa Gable, an employee of the Maricopa County Animal Care & Control ("MCACC") shelter in Phoenix, is thinking outside the box (in this case, kennel!) - literally. She has pitched a tent at the 2500 South 27th Avenue shelter location in Phoenix, Arizona, to draw positive attention to shelter sweetheart, Lizzy, who needs a little help finding that forever home.

On Sunday, March 20, 2016, Melissa and Lizzy, an adorable, one-eyed pit bull mix have started a good old-fashioned "sit-in" - but this time, it's a "pit-in," and all for a great cause. Lizzy came to MCACC about a month ago, with some injuries leaving her with one eye, and as she recuperated, she and Melissa bonded, leaving Melissa very invested in finding sweet Lizzy a great home.

"These are the dogs that literally no one wants, and how do we market that?" Gable said. "I thought of a sit-in and I'm like, I'm gonna have a 'pit-in' and told my boss my plan that I wanted to pitch a tent in the play yard and sleep there until Lizzy got adopted." The idea for Camp Lizzy was thus born, and with the shelter's blessing, the two amazing ladies are now ensconced in a borrowed tent, with everything from an air mattress to Netflix to keep them comfortable and entertained until the perfect family for Lizzie comes along.

Pit bulls have difficulty finding homes, through no fault of the breed, because of the mythology that has been built over the years regarding them, and this leads to some of the highest euthanasia rates for any breed in the country. Add to that the fact that Lizzy also needs a home with no other pets, has what some might perceive is a handicap, and the challenge to get her adopted multiplies - so getting creative about finding a home for her is just what the doctor ordered.

It is also a myth that dogs that need to be the only pet do not make good family members. This is just not the case. Dogs, like humans, come with a variety of personality traits and some just do best having being the sole canine in the home, and there are many families where this is optimal as well. Families that want to include a pet to love, but don't have the time, energy and resources to care for multiple pets, families that prefer only one pet - these families are perfect for a dog like Lizzy!

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Posted by Ken at 6:49 PM - Link to this entry  |  Share this entry  |  Print