Mac, Cape Girardeau, MO

I am Mac the pitbull. I am a rescued pit bull Mom got off a street corner to keep me from being used as something called a bait dog or worse.

I weighed 4lbs when Mom got me at 3 months of age in April of 2011. She and friends have no idea how I survived?! My tiny body was hairless from mange and I nearly died as a puppy.

Mom says I am her heart walking around outside her body and I quickly became a “foster failure”. Everyone that hears my story are all certain I would be dead by now had Mom not got me that day.

Very early on the parents noticed my limping and strange walk and realized they were in for the long haul with my health and growth problems. Mom spent the summer of 2012 working three jobs to come up with the $4,000 needed for my surgery. I had my first ACL surgery Nov 2012 that failed miserably requiring two more surgeries because of infection.

I just had my fourth surgery on that leg this summer and I am still recovering. If this last surgery “fails” I will probably lose my “chicken leg”. AND I will still need my other leg operated on for the same genetic defect. Mom encourages me and we are staying positive and I know that I am in the best place I could be.

I am PITBULL STRONG and while dealing with lots of my own ailments, I use my positive energy to help others. I raise money by selling shirts and stuff in my very own Etsy store or on my Facebook page for other pitbulls in need. My trademarked motto: “i am pitbull strong” came about because I and others like me are strong-hearted. And have to stay strong against BSL and stereotypes.

After we raised the money I needed, we realized we kept selling the shirts. What to do with the money? Mac’s Fund was born and my campaign to pay it forward began!!! All money raised from my shirts/decals go towards “Mac’s Fund” for other pitbulls that need a forever home and I have given away over $5,000 in my various campaigns so far since the start of 2013!

I have a loving home and want to pay it forward so others can get their forever homes like mine. Since I have been dealing with my own surgeries and crate jail I have been getting treats/toys sent to me as I recover. I turned that into “Mac’s 1for1” which is an Amazon wish list. A person who wants to send me a get well presents selects two identical items and I give ONE to the local dogs at the shelter.

I also do a $50 monthly “doggie goodie box” to a sick/injured dog we find out about through my friends. May it be cancer, an illness, an injury, or a recently rescued abuse case we specially tailor the goodies to that dog and happily try and make their day better.

Mom and I have this great ability to raise money when we need it for others. We are very transparent with photos of receipts and such on my Facebook page to show we are really one of the good guys that does good with the trust given to us.

We foster dogs all the time, we call it a revolving door of helping dogs get their homes. I volunteer and now so does my adopted sister Zayda as a dog’s therapy dog of sorts for the adoptable dogs. We do this at a local shelter to help socialize the adoptable dogs (we feel volunteering is very important). By the way, Zayda was rescued out of San Bernardino kill shelter this year and just like me, became a foster failure. Mom says she was destined to be ours — she’s my mini me! 🙂

Mom says I am a “good guy” who loves everyone I meet. I have a ton of WONDERFUL friends who keep me standing strong on my “bad legs” and we love them all for it. This is my journey…

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

Love, Mac and the mom

Parent: Rochelle

All photos courtesy of Mac the pitbull