If you are an animal lover, chances are this story is going to make you tear up. If you aren’t an animal lover, it’ll probably still make you tear up. Just a warning.
Last Friday in Phoenix, a female pit bull was struck by a car on the highway and her mate, in a state of grief, stayed by her side for over 14 hours until Animal Control came to pick up the body. After a woman saw the photo of the dogs on Facebook, she rallied for an investigation into why it took so long for anyone to respond to the death. For now, the male is grieving in a pen at Animal Care and Control and it is not clear what will become of him, as even though he was wearing a harness when he was picked up, no one has come forward to claim him. His emotional state is worrisome for the people caring for him, and there are no current plans to put him up for adoption because of it.
“He’s a little withdrawn and he appears to be very sad,” Rodrigo Silva of ACC said. “If he continues to show these signs of withdrawal we will place him in a recovery home that can help him with his grieving.”
Pit bulls are known for their fierce loyalty and often get a bad reputation for being vicious. While attacks by the breed have been widely reported, many pit bull supporters say the stories get blown out of proportion by the media and that it can happen with any breed.