Zane, Winnetka, CA

Hi! I’m Zane. I was found in the West San Fernando Valley in March 2012 by a young teenager on his way home from school.

I had no tags or collar and was in truly awful condition. I was nearly starved to death, dehydrated and I was covered with wounds from head to paws…

The young man’s family took me in and fed me for the next week. They called me Gray but unfortunately, I was fearful of men so they couldn’t keep me. 🙁

Believing that I was a large Pit Bull, they got in contact with their friend Zaida who works in rescue. Zaida put out an appeal for someone to foster or adopt me, the “big boy.”

A woman saw the first posting by Sounds Of Silent Spirits in beginning of March, accompanied by my photos. I looked so sad in them. Accompanying the photos was my description:

“Found several days ago with choke markings on neck, ears and legs have gashes as if he were used as dog bait…As you can see in the photo, he is severely malnourished. He was given vitamins and food. He is slowly but surely coming back to life, and responds so well to all this attention. He ate and ate and ate…until the cows came home!! :))”

She found my posting because she was following the story of Valentine, the 10-month-old pit bull who was found in horribly abused condition in Lucerne Valley and was cared for by Sounds of Silent Spirits. One week later, she saw my appeal again but this time, it had become urgent. The people who had me could no longer keep me and  they were going to have to take me to the shelter if no one stepped up.

So she called her husband and said, “Guess what…we’re taking in another Pit Bull!” And off they went that evening to get me!

Just like that, they became my mommy and daddy!! 🙂

My parents brought me to their Vet that night who said I was too sick and underweight to even receive my shots. The Vet also told them that I’m actually a Mastiff, not a Pit Bull. I was given worming medicine and they were told to take me  home and bring me back in 2-3 weeks once I had gained some weight. (I only weighed 73 pounds when I should have been about 100 pounds, the healthy weight for a 2-year-old Mastiff.)

The Vet believes that I came from a backyard breeder who didn’t take care of me. Most likely I had to fight other dogs for the little bit of food I managed to get and that the wounds were the result of my fight to live.

My parents changed my name to Zane. By the end of my third week with my new family, I was up to 95 pounds and ready for my shots and to be fixed. The worm was bad; it took 3 worming to kill the parasites I had as well as antibiotics for the infections from the wounds that were never treated.

My parents have since learned that I am a Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff) and sadly, that other dogs of my breed have been found in similar condition in San Fernando Valley area where we live.

I’m now a very healthy 100 pounds and doing very well. I love my family, including my two sisters, Rosie, who is a rescued Pit mix, and Sammy the Collie. I love my sister Rosie and I’m enjoying my obedience classes with my daddy. 🙂

I’m lucky that the young man who found me took me in. I’m lucky that when they couldn’t keep me, they reached out to Zaida. I’m lucky that Zaida networked me and that Sounds of Silent Spirits shared me on their wall. And I’m very lucky that my parents found me through Valentine and fell in love with me.

I’m Zane and I’m one lucky dog.

Parents: Dory & Bill