Little Red’s adoption becomes final
More than four years after Little Red came to Best Friends from the dogfighting ring that operated on NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s property, she has been officially adopted.
Susan, a longtime Best Friends supporter from the Midwest, saw Little Red’s photo not long after she arrived at the Utah animal sanctuary — one of 22 former Vick dogs sent to Best Friends for rehabilitation.
“There was something about her eyes,” said Susan who became a sponsor of Little Red, contributing to her care at Best Friends.
A year after that, Susan visited Best Friends with her sister. She hoped to meet Little Red then, but wasn’t allowed to because all of the former Vick dogs were court-ordered to be kept apart from all non-staff at the sanctuary.
A year later, Susan was back again, and by this time, Little Red had moved to an area where Susan could at least see her from a distance.
Still another year later, in February 2011, Susan returned to volunteer again. This time, she was able to volunteer where Little Red lived, but still wasn’t allowed to interact with her directly.
But she did get to see her every day, for a week.
After that week, Susan began wondering about the possibility of bringing Little Red home with her, and she applied to adopt her.
Last September, Susan was cleared to take Little Red home as a foster dog. According to court orders, all former Vick dogs have to first be fostered for a period of six months before they can be adopted.
Last month, those six months came to an end, and Susan recently returned to Best Friends with Little Red to fill out the final adoption paperwork.
“She’s done fabulously well,” Susan says.
It took a little while for Little Red to feel confident in her new surroundings. She was leery of the wide-open spaces on Susan’s six-acre, fenced property. For weeks, she stayed next to the fence. Now though, Little Red makes full use of the space, and enjoys playing with Susan’s other four dogs.
“She runs like the wind!” Susan said.
(Photo and video courtesy of Best Friends)
Posted by jwoestendiek April 2nd, 2012 under Muttsblog, videos.
Tags: adopt, adopted, adoptions, animal sanctuary, animals, best friends, dog, dog fighting, dogs, little red, michael vick, pets, pit bull, pit bulls, pitbull, pitbulls, rehabilitation, sponsor, utah, vick dogs, vicktory dogs, volunteer