The 50-year old star Dave Bautista adopted two abused and neglected pit bulls after they had been abandoned by their original owner.
I have always admired people who have managed to become a perfect blend of personality traits, to be loving, caring, respectful, and compassionate to others, but at the same time, prepared to fight to help those in need.
Strong, but gentle.
In most cases, animal lovers are among these people. People who show affection for pets are usually concerned for the natural world as well. Pets help us reconnect with nature.
Therefore, while some feel little affinity for animals or the environment, others are predisposed to delight in both, adopting pet-keeping as one of the few available outlets in today’s urbanized society.
You might be surprised to find out that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Bautista is a huge animal-lover and has such a gentle side.
Namely, he adopted two dogs from Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center in Tampa, Florida, after the shelter put a plea on Facebook asking for someone to take them in.
After their owner had a baby, the two six-year-old pit bulls, Maggie and Ollie, were abandoned at the county shelter.
In a Facebook post, members of Rescue Me Tampa, an independent volunteer organization that aims to get shelter dogs adopted, wrote:
“They have no idea what they did to deserve this. It just breaks my heart. They lived their whole life together!!! They need a home without cats! Please consider these two together. They just lost everything they knew and loved.”
After only a few days, the shelter announced that the dogs have found their home.
A few days later, the Pitbull Mafia, a small group that rescues dogs at risk of euthanasia from local county shelters, stepped in. Upon releasing the dogs, they were treated with two antibiotics, flea and heartworm medication, and high-protein dog food.
After the treatment, the dogs were fostered by Patrick and Kim Thorpe for about two weeks before Bautista was contacted by Frankie’s Friends, a national organization based in Tampa.
They knew that he would be the perfect fit for the dogs as Bautista is an ambassador for the nonprofit, and has donated several times to the organization.
Bautista responded in minutes, and a few days later, he met them and instantly fell in love with them.
According to Lisa Bricker, the director of development at Frankie’s Friends, the connection was mutual.
She added:
“He has an amazing heart for animals, but I think what is even more beautiful about how he connects with pit bulls is that it’s just such a seamless, loving, humble way that he reaches out to dogs and he really connects. If you look at this Instagram, I’m not sure which one was already lying on his lap, but they hadn’t even been there four hours.”
Bautista shared a series of photos of his new pets on Instagram, claiming that the dogs not only needed him, but he needed them.
He wrote:
“These beautiful babies spent the first six years of their lives neglected and abused. And now they are going to spend the rest of their lives being spoiled and loved.
Eternally grateful to the amazing animal lovers… in Tampa who worked so hard to keep them safe, find them a home and most importantly keep these two together.
Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you….. Maggie and Ollie Bautista.”
A photo of the two pit bulls standing proudly alongside their new guardian was shared by Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center as well.
They added that the pups had won the ‘doggy lottery’, and their new owner will be spoiling them with ‘Tempurpedic dog beds’ and ‘doggy doors everywhere’ in Bautista’s ‘huge, gated property’.
The shelter added:
“They really will live the good life from here on out!!!”
Bautista is a known animal lover, who has a tattoo of his two pit bulls Frankie and Janie, and ink of his late dog Sadie, a Catahoula, on his leg.
In a video for the Humane Society of the United States last year, he explained:
“You know, people look at me and they see this big, rough, tough exterior. But once they get to know me, they see that I’m a kind person.”
He added that the same could be said for his pit bulls.
I love stories like this with a happy end. Let’s not forget that we share the planet with all kinds of animals, and we should all get the privilege to enjoy life in decent conditions.
Whenever possible, lend a hand, do a good deed, and save someone’s life, or simply make it better.
Sources:
www.unilad.co.uk
people.com
www.today.com
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