There are many prejudices in this world, particularly regarding animals, especially dogs. One of the most widespread and accepted stereotypes is that Pit Bulls are an unadoptable breed. Such thinking has led many people to avoid considering the option of adopting a Pittie, leaving these poor fellows often to fend for themselves.
Fortunately, not everyone thinks the same way. Proof of this is a woman named Caitlyn, who decided to give one Pittie a home without hesitation.
She changed her life forever…
The Beginning Was Everything But Easy
When a Pit Bull named Liv was found as a stray, she was severely underweight, her stomach sagging from overbreeding, and her ears bent backward—possibly from a botched cropping attempt. However, Caitlyn from Charlotte, North Carolina, immediately fell in love with her when she saw her sad eyes, which reflected everything she had been through.
Although Caitlyn already had a Pit Bull at her home in Charlotte, she couldn’t resist this beautiful Pittie. She soon decided to become her foster mom.
“We are excited to announce we have started our next adventure, but this one isn’t a road trip! We are fostering Liv! ❤️” she wrote in her Instagram post. “This sweet little girl is still taking some time to adjust. She is very skittish & nervous, but loves to sit in my lap and will literally hold my hand all day long!”
Given her past, it’s no wonder her adaptation has been so difficult. But after a while, everything started to fall into place.
“Baby Liv may be little, but she has a HUGE heart. I have watched her transform in less than a week with us from a terrified girl who would barely wag her tail to stealing Tot’s toys, pushing him out of the doorway to go first, and chasing us through the house,” Caitlyn wrote in another Instagram post.
You’re probably wondering who Tot is. Well, that is perhaps the most beautiful part of this story.
Tot Was Her Ticket To A Happy Life
“She would not go for walks until I started bringing Tater Tot on the walks with us,” Caitlyn told GeoBeats Animals.
Remember, Caitlyn already had one dog at home, also a Pit Bull. That’s Tater Tot.
It was love at first sight, and soon, Liv and Tot couldn’t be separated. They understood each other well, not just because of the same breed but also because they experienced similar hardships in their lives. Tater Tot was also a rescue dog.
What was most impressive was that Tater Tot is a selective dog, meaning he is not very friendly to most other dogs, especially new ones.
“I was terrified to do their meet & greet. One night, she accidentally knocked down her gate. It fell on my foot & I could barely walk 🤣 it hurt so bad and bruised literally my entire foot,” Caitlyn wrote in her Instagram post. “She darted out to meet Tot, they started playing while I prayed it didn’t turn into a fight, and the rest is history.”
Although Liv was already part of the family in some way, she was still officially in a foster home. The love between her and Tot was the breaking point for Caitlyn’s decision to change this Pittie’s life forever.
From that day on, Liv was no longer Liv but Sweet Pea, as her new mom called her. More importantly, she became a full-fledged member of the family.
This black Pit Bull was finally where she belonged.
She Blossomed Around Her Favorites
Since coming to her new home, Sweet Pea has had as many as five surgeries. One of her most visible wounds was the one on her face that she carried for a long time.
After that wound was successfully healed with the last operation, all the scars of her past life disappeared, and a new, much happier life could begin in full swing.
Despite her traumatic past, Sweet Pea blossomed into a loving and affectionate dog. She enjoys keeping her paws on her mom’s hand, receiving head pats, and comforting her loved ones when they are upset. Her family is everything to her.
“Even to this day, she doesn’t go for a walk unless the three of us are together,” Caitlyn said to GeoBeats Animals. “It doesn’t matter if the TV is on, it doesn’t matter what’s going on as long as I am with her or Tater Tot is with her.”
This loving trio often visited Caitlyn’s mom at work, where there was a vast field for the dogs to play in. Sweet Pea would play with her brother for a bit before standing protectively next to her mom or granny. Even off-leash, she would never stray far from her family.
Regardless of everything she went through, this Pittie found the strength to survive and rise above all problems. The fuel that drove her was her family, without which her life would certainly have no meaning.
But the most important thing is that this black Pit Bull showed the whole world that love is stronger than any prejudice or stereotype and that it always wins in the end.
You just need to find the right people.
