How It All Began...

It all began with a badly beaten, Red Nosed Pit Bull that was featured on TV. She "spoke" to me. At that time we were the parents of one rather scraggly (but quite handsome, I thought!) little Terrier that I had acquired in Atlanta from the bottom of a Dempster Dumpster...hence his name, Dempster. I was fine with an "only dog" for eight years...until that afternoon. I was compelled to call the SPCA and inquire what I needed to do to adopt the featured dog, who had been dubbed "Baby". There was quite a list of interested Adopters, but I added my name and hoped for the best. I went to visit Baby each day, taking her stuffed "babies" and treats. She was six months old, and it was a miracle that she had survived. Little did I know then, how my life path would be totally rerouted when I was in fact chosen to be Baby's Mom. Baby became "Baby Iris Louise", and we started out our lives together not realizing the impact she would have not only on my life...but how she would touch so many others.

Iris was my introduction into the Animal Sheltering world, and I was sucked in and held captive from that point on...I began as a "Dog Mom"...driving Iris to her various appointments as the Education Spokes-Dog for the SPCA. As I sat, I began to listen. In my previous "life" I had been totally oblivious to the plight of homeless and abused pets. It was a world that I had not even realized existed. I guess you could say that it "shocked me into action". I began volunteering on a regular basis in any area that needed help at the time. I would come home "bone" weary, filthy...and totally fulfilled. I was making a difference...and it felt good! In the meantime, Iris was busy giving people hope and dispelling preconceived notions about Pit Bulls. We had both found our calling! That was 14 years ago, and our story had just begun...