Stella was abandoned in 2010, left behind by her owner. Not only was she an older dog, but she was a Pit Bull: two factors that made her an unlikely candidate for adoption.
But Stella's shelter saw her for the amazing dog she was, and featured her in a video dedicated to the Pit Bull breed. That's when an incredible man named Hany saw Stella's face for the first time, and drove two hours to meet her and take her home. It was love at first sight.
Hany admitted, “I had a very neutral opinion of pit bulls, or to be more accurate, I think I can say that I basically didn’t trust them. But my family and I evaluated Stella as a dog, not as a pit bull. Kinda the way we should evaluate people. She won us over. We loved her and when we were asked whether or not we wanted to see other dogs, we said no way. We didn’t want a dog. We wanted “this” dog!"
As you can see, the bond between Hany and Stella was remarkable, and Hany was proud to show the world how wonderful the Pit Bull breed can be, using Stella as a "pittie representative." Hany and his family are dedicated to helping other pit bulls find loving forever homes.
Hany announced Stella's passing earlier this year:
“Thanks to everyone for all the warmth and support. Stella left this world on March 5th, 2014. She went 14 months in defiance of a cancerous tumor the size of a cantaloupe, but in the last two weeks, her health was very up and down. As recently as two days before her leaving this world, she was playing fetch and acting like a puppy, but the signs came together in the final days and it was clear that it was time for her to move along.
It was very peaceful and appropriate. We feel like we gave her the best we could in return for the 3 years of pleasure she brought to our home. We have so much to celebrate and so many memories and photos to revisit. She lived well and left this world with a lot of love around her. That's the best one can hope for, so we're good with it all.
Every single animal is special, not just some of them. The thing we should all remember to do is to slow down, look at the individual animal, add depth to the relationship wherever possibilities exist to do so. And know that we are all in the process of dying – even if it's not obvious. Treat all days as if they might be the last. One day, you'll be right and your four legged companion will have been enriched by this view."
Please SHARE this with everyone you know. The world needs to understand how amazing Pit Bulls can be, no matter their age or situation.
Hany and his family work to support bully breeds and help other pit bulls find great homes, like Stella's.
Stella, was lucky enough to make it out of the shelter, and into the arms of her human sister, Sabine.
Rest in peace, Stella.
