Loretta was one of the many stray Pit Bulls who found themselves in a shelter this year already. Like so many others, she was not just a Pit Bull but a wonderful dog, instantly labeled from the outside. When no one came to claim her it was a shock. We really thought someone would come for such a perfect companion, but they didn’t. Once Loretta Lynn officially became one of CASA’s adoptable pets we could not wait to introduce her to visitors, and soon found she really was our best dog at the shelter.
Last month we heard that a class of First Graders from Elger Bay Elementary, led by their Teacher (Mrs Ludden) and Classroom volunteer from Stanwood High (Sammy), were gathering donations for the shelter. They wanted to see if we would come visit their class. We jumped at the chance to talk about our CASA pets and meet this great team of kids. Normally, deciding which pet to take may have been difficult, but we knew who our best choice was. Soon Loretta was all packed up for her trip to the school. We made a call to Mrs Ludden to make sure she was also ok with us bringing a “Pit Bull” to her class, and she told us she trusted our judgement and just wanted to make sure the dog coming would be ok with an excited group of kids.
Sporting a pink coat, a pink collar, and some of her devoted CASA staffers she hopped in the car and away she went. Loretta entered the front doors of the huge school like she had been there before. Someone from the school stopped in the hall to meet her and people at the front office told her how cute she was. We walked down the hall to Mrs Ludden’s class and were greeted by a room full of wide eyed students. We talked about Loretta, explained she had come to the shelter as a stray dog; questions were flying. The kids could not believe Loretta had not been adopted and a few tried to convince their mom’s who were in attendance that they really did ”need” to adopt Loretta themselves! Loretta put on quite the show, kissing the students, army crawling on the wonderful feeling carpet, and posing for a class photo. We are still not sure who had more fun that day; the kids, adults, CASA staff, or Loretta.
When it was time to leave the students all got in a line holding some of the various items they had collected for the shelter and we all walked out to the parking lot. After piling up the donations they all posed for one more photo with Loretta before we took off back to the shelter.
That day was really a memory but also a reminder to the public that a good dog is a good dog. It doesn’t matter what they have in them, or where they came from. That fabulous dogs do sit in shelters and just because they have been there much longer that the others may just mean that they had been waiting for YOU all that time.
Loretta Lynn came to CASA as a stray January 20th. On March 11th she went to her new Forever Home. That weekend they both went together on a weekend vacation to the beaches of Seaside Oregon.
Have fun in your new home Loretta, we miss you already!
