Name: Mia - 8-ish y/o
Family Member: Stephanie
How long has Mia been in the family? Since July of 2016
Profession: Aquatics and Fitness Coordinator for the Campus Recreation Center at Georgia Tech
Location: Smyrna, GA.
Nicknames: Wiggle Butt, Princess, Little Girl, Mi-Mi, Mama Mia
5 words/phrases that best describe Mia?
Sweet
Silly
Sensitive
Professional Sleeper
Hungry…ALWAYS!
What makes Mia unique? One of my favorite things about Mia is how she reacts when meeting new people. She turns on the wiggle butt for attention but stays calm so people can meet her on their terms. I’ve met so many people that were fearful of pits and were shocked she was a pit bull because she sat politely, waited for her head scratches, and licked the faces of people who let her. She has always been great with kids and babies, even army crawling over to them to stay low and not intimidate. Its like she just knows when to turn on her charm.
My reception may be off…..
Rescue Story: I had been considering getting a dog for a while and talked to some friends who got their pit from Bullseye Rescue and spoke very highly of the organization. I started keeping an eye on their adoptables and wanted to meet Mia as soon as I saw her pictures. She had a very sad story of ending up in a shelter with pneumonia, a respiratory infection, and a bad case of heartworm. Bullseye pulled her the morning she was scheduled to be put to sleep and she ended up with the most wonderful foster family. Mia stayed in her foster home for a year and half, and I’ll never know why, but she never got selected for adoption. I set up my meet and greet in her foster home and knew right away she was meant to come home with me. She was so lucky to have a great foster family and we are both lucky we still get to have regular visits with them. Mia gets so excited every time she sees her boys Gotti, Mr. Bloo, and Jimmy!
The day Mia was pulled from the shelter.
What is your favorite pastime as a family? Mia absolutely LOVES going for rides in the car, being the door greeter at my local CrossFit gym, getting the occasional Puppachino from Starbucks, and visiting friends and family. Oh, and napping. She also loves napping.
What is life like since you rescued Mia? Not a day goes by since I got Mia that she hasn’t made me laugh. She can be such a goofball, but also knows when its time to just relax on the couch. We’ve explored new places together and its been so much fun introducing her to new people and having them see that yes, she’s a “pit bull,” but she’s also a total sweetheart.
Photographers Notes: I have met up with Stephanie and Mia many times over the last couple years during Pit Bull walks that are organized in and around the city of Atlanta. Since I am usually corralling my own dog I don’t get much of an opportunity to interact with Mia. So this was a fun shoot for me cause I got to have some time with her and love on her a little bit. Stephanie had borrowed a friends huge back yard so Mia had all kinds of space to run around. Well, it was a warm day and the running around didn’t last long…but there was plenty of opportunities for her to relax and put her ears on full display. She is really just the sweetest little peanut and clearly enjoys showing off that adorable smile!