Name: Mercy (18mths) & Addie (8mths)
Family Members: Josie & Kevin -parents, Kara (12), Conner(9) & Kitty - cat (we're really creative)
How long have Mercy & Addie been in the family? Mercy - 4 months and Addie - 5 months.
Professions: Josie is a Kennel Manager for Hart County Animal Rescue and Kevin is a branch team leader at Regions Bank.
Location: Elberton, GA
Nicknames: Mercy: Mercy Moo & Merc
Addie: What are you eating now?
Mercy
Addie
5 of the best words/phrases that best describe Mercy & Addie?
Mercy:
- Incredibly Kind
- Forgiving
- Intuitive
- Goofy
- Strong
Addie:
- Mischievous
- Nurturing
- Funny
- Goofy
- Sweet
What makes Mercy & Addie unique? Mercy has been through so much pain. The fact that her heart is so big is incredible. She loves everyone she meets despite having been essentially tortured. Her forgiveness & trust are traits that we should all aspire to have.
Addie is such a funny dog. She makes us laugh so much. When she was a little puppy I would carry her to her crate (like a baby) after she fell asleep. She now weighs 35 pounds and still expects that same service. When we ask her if she is ready for bed, she will roll to her back and stick her legs in the air. It's cute and funny but I really hope that she will stop growing soon!
Rescue Stories: A friend of mine and I volunteer to help animal control when needed. Mercy was brought in by city police severely injured over the weekend while the animal control officer was off duty. When she came in and saw the injuries she called my friend to come help doctor her. We all quickly went to work raising funds for a vet visit. I volunteered to take her to the visit and let her heal in my home. She was in so much pain that she couldn't lay down so I would sleep on the floor and hold her wounded end up so that she could get some rest. The vet said that the injuries had to have been caused by being dragged by a car. We like to hope that it was an accident and that no one could be so cruel however X-rays revealed a broken hip that had already healed. Once she was a little better, we got her vaccinated and found that she was heartworm positive. Officer Berryman, Mercy & I were interviewed by the local paper. It was amazing how our small community rallied to help this sweet little pit bull. In the meantime, she was microchipped, which then abscessed and had to be surgically removed. It has been one thing after another for her. She is now healed from all the wounds and a month post heartworm treatment and finally living a normal comfortable life.
A friend saw Addie for sale on Facebook. There was a man that was trying to buy her, This man was a known drug dealer and suspected dog fighter. We knew the situation would not have been for good for her if she was purchased by this man. So we managed to buy her to keep her out of harms way. She was only supposed to stay a few days but here we are 5 months later.
Mercy after being brought in. (notice the blur of the tail wag)
Settling in with Conner and getting much needed rest and healing time.
Money well spent for this little pup!
What is your favorite pastime as a family? Mercy loves to snuggle and has spent most of her time with us healing from one thing or another, so we all spend a lot of time relaxing. She enjoys going shopping at our local Tractor Supply to pick out treats. Now that she is all healed up from everything we are so excited to take her on boat rides at the lake this summer.
Addie loves to eat, anything. She likes to work on learning tricks because she gets treats. She enjoys playing with her human brother, Conner and napping with her human sister, Kara. In the summer, we all love spending time at the lake. Addie really likes riding on the pontoon and playing on the beaches.
What is life like since you rescued Mercy & Addie? When Mercy came into our lives we were so focused on getting her well that there was not a typical adjustment period. Myself, family and friends all pitched in to do what was needed. Even our puppy Addie could tell that she was in pain and would just lay near her or sometimes lick her wounds. Pit Bulls are so sensitive to the needs of other dogs and people. Conner has severe ADHD and suffers from anxiety. Mercy has been so theraputic and calming for him after long emotionally draining days. We are truly blessed to have her in our lives.
Addie is such a funny and silly puppy, there's never a dull moment. She is definitely a chewer so we spend a lot of time chasing her down to take something away. She had to have surgery because she swallowed a ball so now we try to stay alert. She has always been great with the kids and the cat. She is a joy to have around.
Photographers Note: First I want to start with the fact this family drove to meet me 1/2 way for their photo shoot, since their home town is about 2 hours from Atlanta. I so appreciated their commitment to my little project and boy do they have a story to tell. They selected a wonderful park, Sandy Creek near Athens, that we basically had to ourselves on a sunny brisk winter day. We even got to get some great shots on the No Dogs Allowed Beach (shhhhh!) since there was no one around!
Originally Josie had just submitted Mercy to be featured but when they pulled up there was another adorable pitty in the car. When I asked about her (Addie), she said well I bought her so didn't think she applied but couldn't leave her home. Once I heard the story, I said that definitely qualifies as a rescue. Due to her quick thinking, she very likely prevented sweet Addie from being part of a world that no dog should ever be a part of. Money well spent!
To look at sweet Mercy, you would never guess the trauma she has already experienced in her young life. Josie sent me several photos of when she was first brought in and I chose not to show the more graphic ones, but believe me it was just heart wrenching seeing what happened to this sweet pup and then to add on what the vet assumed caused these injuries; so upsetting. I think her "before" photo above says it all about the resilience of these dogs, that blur of a tail while it wags away for whomever was holding the camera; not blaming anyone for her condition. These two pups have found a fantastic family to grow and be loved with, never knowing what their fates could have been. That's the way it should be!
.