Pit bull pup recovers in Boyertown from desertion, broken leg

New owner says she cried when she read about how cruel someone had been to the puppy, found along the Schuylkill River in January

By Steven Henshaw
Reading Eagle

When you see Olivia the pit bull puppy playfully wrestling with two older dogs on the living room floor of her new Boyertown home, it's all the harder to understand how someone could have thrown her over a bank of the Schuylkill River like a worn-out tire.

Fortunately for Olivia, loving care seems to have wiped away any memories of abandonment and the resulting leg injury that kept her confined to a cage for several weeks.

One of Olivia's new owners, Amanda Schearer, 19, said she cried when she read about how cruel someone had been to the puppy in January, when Olivia was about 4 months old.

The puppy was rescued Jan. 4 after boys playing in Baer Park in northwest Reading heard her cries and went to investigate, authorities said. They found her limping in thick brush along the shore. The pet carrier she had been in when she was tossed over the bank was stuck on a tree branch.

Animal Rescue League personnel rescued her and took her to the organization's shelter in Cumru Township.

It took dogged determination for Schearer and her boyfriend, Ben Sell, 22, to adopt Olivia because several other people wanted her after reading of her plight in the Reading Eagle.

Sell said he was so upset when he read about the puppy that he called Schearer from his job and suggested they adopt her.

The couple, who already own a 1-year-old male pit bull, were looking to get another dog anyway, Sell said.

But he warned his girlfriend that other people would be in line and that she would have to be persistent.

"I was calling the Animal Rescue League every day," Schearer said. "It got to where they'd say, 'Hi, Amanda.' "

Vicky Hoffman, an Animal Rescue League volunteer, named the puppy Olivia. The dog's broken leg was surgically repaired at an area veterinary hospital.

Staff and volunteers showered Olivia with love and attention during her two-month recuperation.

In early March, Schearer and Sell took her home. Schearer had agreed to take Olivia to water therapy appointments, which ended this month.

Harry D. Brown III, executive director of the Animal Rescue League, said the organization is grateful to local veterinarians for helping with Olivia's care and recovery.

As for her new owners, Brown said, the couple's interest in Olivia was quite evident.

"They spent a lot of time with her during her rehabilitation," he said.

Olivia shows few lingering effects of the leg injury, Schearer said.

"She's a little stiff in the morning when she first gets up, but once she starts moving around she's fine," Schearer said.

As Schearer and Sell talk about her, Olivia takes a break from gnawing on the ear of the couple's other dog and starts chewing not so gently on a visitor's hand.

It's clear she's found a loving home.

"She's a lap dog," Sell said. "She wants to lie on your lap and sleep."

Working Towards PoppyMart 2009!

Our volunteers are gearing up for PBRC's 6th annual PoppyMart auction!

Last year with our supporters help we raised over $15,000 to help the dogs and we hope to make this year's auction even more successful! The auction wouldn't happen without all of our dedicated supporters, buyers, donors, and volunteers that work very hard pulling it all together.

This year's auction will start September 10th, so start saving all your pennies! When shopping, please remember to check out our auction donors page and purchase from the companies that generously support PBRC with donations: http://www.pbrc.net/auction_2008/sponsor_2008.html

Remember to start saving now, Poppymart will be here before you know it... If you or your company would like to donate to PoppyMart 2009, please contact PBRC's PoppyMart committee: fundraising@pitbullinfo.net

Happy Gotcha Day, Patch!

It's been one year since we rescued Patch. Lets go down memory lane: March 30 2008 someone threw a dog from the back of a pickup in front of my work place. Truck and dog went down the road.

Next day the dog was at my work, huddled in a dog house we have here for our work mascot Goldie. I tried to get the dog out but tread lightly because I saw this was a pit bull. He was covered in mange, thick scabs that were weeping on his face and body, hardly any hair!

I decided to feed him (he was very hungry) and get some mange meds till I could figure out where I could take him. The people at work did not want him around because he was a killer pit bull, looked awful and smelled bad.

I work for a wildland agency and some of the people here are unkind to animals that are sickly, they threw rocks at him etc. I was the only person he would come to, tail tucked behind his legs, head hanging down looking very pitiful. I started my search for a place for him. Because he was a pibble the shelters around here didn't want him.

I contacted a group in Portland and got some info. in the back of my mind I thought of bringing him home wondering how the other dogs would like him.

April 1 2008, I greeted Patch in the morning, fed him, gave him his meds and went home for lunch. On my return he came over to my truck with the saddest look on his face. He had some goup in the middle of his forehead. I took a kleenex and got it off, smelled it and it was french fry sauce!

Some ass threw it at him (another person witnessed this ) His eyes were pleading almost like he was saying please take me with you!

I called my hubby and said come take a look at this dog and see what you think. The next thing I knew my hubby came down to work and put Patch in the back of the truck. He said lets give him a home, I will go home and bathe him. I thought this ought to be good.

When I got home from work there he was, all clean and very very pink, remember he had hardly any hair! The next day he was at the vets for shots, neuter appointment and more meds. He had lots of scars on his back legs and a hole in his left back leg.

We put bag balm on his scabs to help them not get so crusty, he took mange meds for 6 weeks, antibiotics, the works. He ran to a crate we had and seemed to be comfortable there. After about a week he started to come out of his shell, and into the house he goes.

He got the hang of not peeing in the house very quickly and enjoyed sleeping on our bed. He gets along with all the dogs, in particular Bella his BFF. He has come a long way.

He is learning to play with toys, is learning basic commands and has become very attached to me and my hubby. I should have named him shawdow! I have never regretted taking him home, he has proved to be a loving friend, he makes us laugh with his antics and boy does he work those little sad eyes.

April 1 2009, it seemed just like yesterday when I took in a little pibble no body wanted. Today his coat his silky and shiny, black and white. He prances when he walks, he talks to us and gives us pibble licks. He has a big heart with lots of love in it. The day he was thrown away like a piece of trash was out lucky day, Patch's too!

He was about 9 month old when we got him so I am guessing his birthday to be sometime in July. We decided to give him July 4th for his birthday. Sorry this was so long.

Suzi and Patch ( l love my forever home )