Photo: Pit Sisters
In her short life, Cuddles has been pulled from a dog fighting ring, sentenced to death, given a second chance at a prison, earned her PhD and changed a veteran’s life. It’s a life worthy of an Oscar-winning biopic, but she is content enough winning the hearts and minds around her.
Pit Sisters
A death sentence did not stop animal advocates from fighting for these dogs, know as the Ontario 21. Groups like King City, Ontario’sDog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary,took the case to court, and after a nearly 2-year legal battle got the approval to bring in a third-party evaluator to assess the dogs again.
Jen Deane, Pit Sisters’ founder, placed Cuddles in the organization’sTAILS (Teaching Animals and Inmates Life Skills)prison program. Here, Cuddles worked with an inmate to learned basic obedience and received much needed socialization. Cuddles responded so well to the program and the individual attention it provided her that she graduated with a PhD from The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), the highest honor APDT offers. She also earned a AKC Canine Good Citizen certification.
After turning a death sentence into a second chance, Cuddles finally got her happy ending in fall 2018, when Deane drove her from Florida to her new forever home in New York with a retired firefighter and veteran, Billy Brauer, who was looking for a friend after suffering a stroke.
“She is a true companion. She gives him a reason to get out of the bed every morning. He feeds her, talks to her, plays with her, grooms her and loves her,” Brauer’s daughter, Carolyn Schwerdtfeger, told PEOPLE, adding that her father was depressed and anxious before Cuddles bounded into his life.
The pair became fast friends. Cuddles immediately warmed up to Brauer, 73, and is ecstatic to finally have a bed and loving person of her own.
“She smiles and her tail is constantly wagging. She is always happy to see everyone and just wants love,” Brauer said. “She gives kisses and high fives.”
Brauer, who smiles a lot more these days, added that he is looking forward to nurturing Cuddles for the rest of her life. He hopes the Cuddles’ story shows that everyone should get a second chance at life and that every dog should be able to have access to the resources they need to overcome abuse.
It’s a sentiment that everyone who has met Cuddles echos.
Cuddles is a shining example of this.
source: people.com
