Gamble, Alton, IL

Hi my name is Gamble and my story started in November 2010.

I was seized and brought to Chicago Animal Care & Control (CACC). This usually happens when a dog’s owner was arrested or was a felon who was not allowed to possess an unaltered dog such as myself. So I stayed at the shelter for what seems like forever.

My future was uncertain. It seems like I’d be stuck there forever, overlooked time and time again by adopters. As a court case dog, I am not in the general adoption population which makes it difficult for people to notice me. And don’t forget the unfortunate stigma attached to me as a dog that was owned by a felon.

Luckily, I qualified for Safe Humane Chicago’s Court Case Dog program. This is a special program designed to network Chicago’s court case dogs. So on one spring adoption event, I met a man who would be my CACC Sponsor. We were all sitting in the grass, quite spread out. Rescues were coming over and falling in love with me. My sponsor had another dog to present, but he too fell in love with me and spent some time with my volunteer and me.

As we were sitting in the grass, the first thing I did was to put my front legs around my soon-to-be sponsor’s shoulders, giving him a gentle and friendly ‘hug.’ Then I just sat there on his lap and was so proud to have a person.

He noticed the sores on my head that I had gotten from pacing and bumping my head in my cage and when he heard later on that I was still there — despite all the attention I got at the adoption event — he thought, “Why does he keep getting overlooked?!” He knew it was time to act and he knew that sponsorship was a powerful way to make things happen. So he did.

He donated $200 to CACC. It was not a lot but the extra incentive worked and I was pulled by Hope Rescues!

I am 5 years old now and it’s interesting to see my old pictures. I’m still at Hope Rescues in Alton, IL, 5 hours away from Chicago. I’m glad that I have a sponsor now but I wish more people knew about my story because what I really want is a home to call my own, with a family who will love me forever!

Here’s a little bit about me:

  • I’ll love my person regardless if it’s a man or a woman
  • I am gentle in nature, but a little weary of strangers
  • I am house-trained and well behaved in the home
  • I walk extremely well on my leash and love to go wherever my person goes, including car rides, walks in the park, or just chilling while you garden in the yard.
  • I am super calm
  • I would like to be the only dog in the home

I’m so thankful for Safe Humane Chicago’s Court Case Dogs, a great program that started in 2010. Prior to this, dogs like me would not even have a chance. Chicago’s Court Case Dog Program exposed my sponsor to court case dogs, so he began actively working on saving the ones in his hometown of Milwaukee when he moved back and founded Save Milwaukee’s Court Case Dogs.

I know that not every court case dog has a sponsor like me. Some are rescued right away while others sit (I was overlooked for a long time). I’m the lucky one.

But let me let you in on a secret: Court case dogs are very special — we have a story to tell and it’s one of forgiveness and the love we have, to interact with our person and to live as a dog should. We are eager to please and are full of life. Just like me!

~Gamble

Editor’s Note: Gamble is now enjoying life in his adopted home where he hangs out with his new court case dogs sibling, Swirl, thanks to Hope Rescues!

p.s. Hope Rescues has a lot of support from Mark and Jamie Buehrle (Mark is a MLB pitcher formerly of the White Sox who is now with the Miami Marlins and is VERY active in helping to repeal Miami’s BSL).

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