Best Shot Monday: What's So Special About Sassy?

What's so special about Sassy, you ask? Sure, maybe she's not the most physically beautiful shelter dog I've ever photographed, but maybe that's the point. I wanted to share Sassy with you today as my Best Shot Monday because she's exactly the kind of dog that gets most overlooked in shelters all over the country: a black Pit mix.   Black dogs are often the first overlooked and wait the longest to get adopted in a shelter setting, particularly black Pits; it's called Black Dog Syndome. You can read a quick article about it here, or just Google Black Dog Syndrome and you'll get quite a few hits. 

But spend a few moments with a dog like Sassy, and you'll immediately want to bring her home.  When I walked into the first run of the shelter Sunday, Sassy was the first dog on the right and on my list to photograph.  There she sat, just patiently waiting, no crazy barking or jumping up and down in her kennel. I walked through all the adoption runs to see who I needed to photograph, and just for ease of ending up in the last run, started there, so I had photographed about eight dogs by the time I got back to Sassy.  Still she sat there patiently waiting.  She was a breeze to get out and on the leash and then walked on her leash like she had patiently done it every day of her life. 

Once we got outside, she nuzzled me for a bit wanting some hugs and kisses, and then she spotted my ball. She went to get it and actually brought it over to me to throw for her. Every time I threw it, she fetched and brought it back to me, gently letting me take it out of her mouth.  Patiently waiting.  She was a breeze to photograph, and I think this photo of her captures the soulfulness of her eyes and the sweetness of her spirit. So, this black dog, this black Pit mix, just so happens to be one of the sweetness, most loving and gentle dogs I've come across at the shelter, and if I didn't think my husband would divorce me if I brought home one more animal (given that we already have two dogs, two cats, and currently three foster kittens), she'd be lounging at my house right now.

So instead, she's waiting for you. Patiently waiting. She'll give you more love than you can possibly imagine. She'll share kisses and tennis balls and be your best friend.  She'll curl up next to your bed and be your loyal companion.  Ready to go get her?  Animal Care and Protective Services, 2020 Forest Street, Jacksonville.  They are open 10am-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday, and this Saturday during our First Saturday event, her adoption fee is just $25, spayed, microchipped, and up-to-date on vaccinations.  And best of all, when you go adopt her, she won't have to patiently wait anymore. That's what's so special about Sassy.