Jude, Anderson, IN

My name is Jude. I’m a rescued Pittie.

I was brought to The Animal Protection League (APL) in Indiana on Friday, February 15th, 2014. I was recorded as a “stray.” I was too weak to walk, and so was carried back to my kennel.

I had no muscle or fat left on my body, I couldn’t remember the last time I ate (I weighed a whopping 23 lbs.) and I was terrified. My legs were brown from standing in my own mess for so long. My toes were splayed out from living in a crate too small for me. My ears were frostbitten from the cold Indiana winter. My tail had been frostbitten as well, but I’d chewed that part off. There were pressure sores all over my body, mostly on my behind.

No one touched me much for a couple of days, because they thought I was fragile. I’d snapped at a couple workers, but I didn’t really mean it. I was just scared, I promise!

On Sunday, some really nice volunteers came in and looked at me. They were so sad and angry because of what had happened to me. Upon further investigation by shelter workers and volunteers, they discovered that whoever had brought me in had lied. There was snow on the ground and if I were a stray, my paws would’ve been clean.

The volunteers called me “Apollo.” One of the volunteers, Savannah, sat in my kennel with me. She was so nice, and let me climb on her. She was really warm, and I laid on her lap. Her eyes started leaking, so I kissed them.

I was so dehydrated and weak I could barely stand by myself. She held me tight and told me how handsome I was. Her fingertips ran all down my body in disbelief. I kissed her more. She spoke to the other volunteers and talked to the director at APL and Savannah and the others rushed me to the vet. I didn’t go before because I had been doing better, but I got worse between Saturday and Sunday.

I spent a whole week at the vet! (No wonder I do not like them now.) They bathed me and fed and watered me and I started feeling better! After that, I came back to the shelter. I was no longer fighting for my life. I wasn’t dehydrated anymore. But some of the staff were scared that after all I’d gone through that I would “turn.”

My lack of trust for other people soon was taking its toll. I was food protective; after all, I had been starved. Sometimes I snapped at the workers if I thought they would take my food. I didn’t really trust anyone but Savannah.

I always behaved myself when Savannah was there because if I acted up she might not bring me treats! She always sat in my kennel with me when she was there, and gave me lots of love and treats.

Months go by and no foster homes had stepped up for me. I stayed at APL until May, when I finally had gotten a foster home.. with guess who? Savannah! She brought me home May 6th.

I stayed in her home as a foster until June 26th… when she adopted me! Savannah is now my mommy and I have a place to call home which I share with my fur sibling, Nutmeg.

I now weigh about 53 lbs and I have a new name: Jude “Apollo”! I still have scars, but we believe that scars are just a map showing what you’ve gone through and what you’ve accomplished. I still sit in Mom’s lap like I did at the shelter, and she still tells me how beautiful I am and how good I’ve healed.

Some people still scare me if they go too fast with me, but I’m such a love bug! I love car rides and getting good boy fries after the V-E-T. I go on nice walks in the park, or just around my apartment complex. But overall, my favorite thing is FOOD!

My name is Jude, and thanks for reading my story!

p.s. You can follow my new life on Facebook, Jude “Apollo”: Mind Changer

Parent: Savannah