Bradley goes home!

ADOPTION SUCCESS!!! We are overjoyed to announce that our handsome bully boy, Bradley, has been ADOPTED. We’ve been waiting for this happy ending for him for a long time, and are so thankful for his awesome new parents, Lauren & Kevin, who looked past his scars, breed, and history, and were committed to giving him a loving home.

Bradley had a tough early life; he lived outdoors in isolation as a penned dog, and was the victim of repeated abuse by his former owner. After multiple calls to the police from concerned neighbors, Bradley was seized by Animal Control. He was starved, terrified, needed medical care and rehabilitation, and as an older, black bully-mix pup, he didn’t have a lot of options. Our team was contacted to help, and we felt Bradley deserved a chance to have a better life, and learn that humans can be good. He was in foster care over a year, and healed both mentally and physically, and we discovered a very gentle, loving dog.

Thankfully, our Applications Manager, Jessica, shared a post about Bradley to her friends, Lauren and Kevin, who both have a soft spot for older and neglected pups, and they felt an instant connection. Lauren said, “Once we found out about him, he was all we could think about. Knowing all of the awful things that he had been through and survived, while still remaining such a loving and gentle pup, we knew that we had to do everything we could to get him. We wanted to be the ones to give him the opportunity to be loved, spoiled, and grow old with all the treats and toys he could ever imagine.”

However, there was one obstacle in the way… Lauren and Kevin’s building did not allow Staffordshire Terriers, and all “Pit Bulls” were prohibited. Because Bradley was a mix, they requested he be considered and assessed based on the quality of his temperament vs. his appearance. Worthy Dog also appealed to their building management with specifics about Bradley. Not only could we attest to Bradley’s great social skills, and the fact that he was living with a toddler and small senior Pug, we also shared that the term “Pit Bull” doesn’t describe a single breed of dog; it’s a generic term used to define numerous breeds of working dogs, and is highly subjective. We let them know how many great dogs like Bradley are denied access and will not be saved because of this breed bias.

In their follow up, Lauren and Kevin referenced a DC statute that requires a history of aggressive behavior and a designation from the mayor before a dog can be labeled “dangerous.” Using this information, they demonstrated that the building’s breed restrictions were not fair and possibly not legal or enforceable in Bradley’s case, and it worked! The building gave them written permission to adopt Bradley! These dogs need advocates who will fight for them, and that includes regular people who will stand up to the status quo.

Sweet Bradley, now Spartan, has been in his new home for over a week now and is settling in wonderfully. He and his Pug brother, Toby, love to sun in the mornings on the couch and on the balcony. They love their walks and meeting new pups and pup-owners around the block. Bradley is adjusting to Toby’s slower pace, but it’s helping him learn to remain calm. Upon Bradley’s arrival, Toby was very excited and even shared some of his toys with his new brother, and they are already starting to snuggle up to each other.

Lauren adds, “We couldn’t have hoped for a more kind and loving pup to welcome into our home. Bradley had every opportunity to be afraid or mean to humans, but he chose to love them even more. He was a bit skeptical of us at first, but once he saw his new bed, and fluffy blankets all for him (our nice ones – and we were warned from his foster mom of his sophisticated taste), you would think he has been here for months. Now that we have this sweet boy, we couldn’t imagine our home without him!”

We LOVE adopters like Lauren and Kevin who open their hearts to a dog like Bradley, who was overlooked by so many. We also salute their dedication to fighting breed discrimination and for making this rags to riches story possible. Bradley went from a life of abuse locked in a pen to pampered city living with views of Capitol Hill, daily strolls by Nats Park, and the most loving, dedicated family he could hope for. Success!!!