Cassie, Sheboygan, WI
Hello! My name is Cassie and I am a nearly-10-year-old pitbull girl saved from Craigslist.
On Wednesday, December 7, 2011, a woman who would become my Mom decided to look at a local Craigslist Pets section. Little did she know that fateful night would change both our lives for the better! As she browsed through the ads that were obviously from breeders, she saw me under an ad titled “Old girl in need of home” with three photos of me. My ad was a desperate plea from a man who said his wife had allergies. The wife wanted to put me to sleep, but he thought I had more life yet! He asked that if someone loved animals then please email him.
My mom was horrified to see that I was going to be put to sleep because of allergies! So, Mom emailed the man, who I called Daddy Dan. Mom did go through the regular questions to ask like was I spayed? Was I good with children? UTD on shots? Mom panicked and started networking on Facebook in hopes she could find someone who might be interested in either fostering or adopting me. She didn’t wait for a response for permission to advocate. She just had to save me.
Mom found an angel in Kalamazoo who was interested in adopting me. She emailed Daddy Dan a second time and told him she found a possible home for me. Mom checked her emails 500 times on Thursday but got nothing. She was sad because she was afraid she was too late to help me! Mom sent Daddy Dan a third email asking him to please just email even if he had chosen to euthanize me. Still nothing.
The next day, Daddy Dan called Mom. He’d been involved in a car accident and hadn’t had a chance to check email. Mom was overjoyed to hear I was still alive! He was very sad and explained that Mrs. Dan didn’t like me. They had four children and he wasn’t going to divorce her so he had to try and find someone to adopt me because he didn’t want to put me down.
He told Mom that I originally came from the Washington County Humane Society near Milwaukee, WI. I had been adopted twice — and returned twice! — before he adopted me in 2004. He doesn’t know my past beyond the seven years he’d had me. I also had cruciate ligament surgery in 2005 and I was spayed, but I hadn’t been to the vet since 2006. And it was me who had “allergies” that required medication, not Mrs. Dan.
Although Mom found an angel who wanted to adopt me, the more she advocated for me, the more she realized that I was really the dog of her dreams. So plans were made and I was able to meet my new family on Monday. Daddy Dan drove me to Mom and Dad’s house. It was love at first sight for Mom. When she saw me hobble out of the vehicle, she was shocked by my bowed legs and the severity of my skin allergies. She knew there was no turning back and that their pack would have to find balance with me as a new addition
Daddy Dan came inside with me and I explored. I found the bathroom and helped myself to the water fountain until Mom shooed me out and showed me our water bowls. Daddy Dan had an appointment so he said goodbye sadly and I watched him pull away. I sat at the door for quite some time before I sighed and resigned myself to a small nap in front of the Christmas tree.
Mom took me to the vet and we found out I was indeed already 10 years old. I was an American Staffordshire Terrier and not a Pit Bull (as if breed mattered to Mom). We also discovered that I did not have “environmental allergies.” I had a severe skin infection and some drastic weight loss.
Three weeks after my initial visit, I developed a hematoma in my ear along with an ear infection. Thankfully Mom has a wonderful vet who was able to treat the skin infection and my ear infection. I made great improvements!
Mom says I’m the sweetest, most docile dog she’s ever had the pleasure of sharing her life with. I adore my human siblings — Michael (14), Jeremy (8), Timmy (4), and Emma (6 mos). I greet the older boys at the door when they come home from school. I snuggle with anyone who is willing to lie down with me. I love my babies. I always have a “smile” on my face and always willing to give a wag and a kiss to everyone I meet.
As many in the animal advocacy community know, giving a dog away on Craigslist or on a street corner is potential for disaster. They can become bait dogs, fighting dogs, abused, or picked up by “bunchers” who seek out dogs “free to a good home” to be sold for profit to Class B Dealers and ultimately, a research lab. Mom likes to educate people about this because she doesn’t want any animals to fall into the hands of abusers.
Once Mom realized that I was known as “the senior Craigslist dog,” it dawned on her that if we saved one by advocating on Facebook, we could save more. So Cassie’s Corner was born. My parents peruse Craigslist ads from all over the country, locate animals who are listed as “free to a good home” and add them to our Daily Album for circulation to cross-posters and rescues. As of mid-January 2012, a total of six lives, including me, have been saved thanks to cross-posting! We hope to continue to save more!
Mom and Dad know that I may not have 15 years of life left, but my golden years are certainly worth living to the fullest! Drop by Cassie’s Corner (Cassie the Senior Craigslist Dog) and let’s save lives one ad at a time!
~Cassie
Parent: Betty Anne