The Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) saved a black Pittie from the streets without knowing how big of a story she would tell them. With approximately 100,000 dogs in the US remaining in shelters for longer than a year, this dog’s future home was a distant prospect [1].
Cold November snows and piercing winds weren’t nice to Waffle Sizzli, the Pitbull, but RACC provided her with a safe space. Her stay in the shelter was supposed to be short, seeing how this loving dog had a high adoption potential. Things turned out a bit differently, though.
Waffle Sizzli’s Hobby Is Collecting Plush Toys
A dog with a hobby is a great thing to have. When you’re unemployed, as Waffle is, it’s best to keep the mind occupied. A hard life as a stray obviously taught her to value comfort and companionship.
Humans let her down, unfortunately, so she formed a strange “friendship” with plush toys. Her collection at the shelter grew from the moment she arrived. The plushies and Waffle spend most of their time together. I mean, what better way to sleep tight than with all of your friends’ support.
The shelter even kept check of her toys. In their Facebook comments, they listed a baby shark, frog, red bone, and owl stuffy. This was a way to let people know how nice Waffle Sizzli was, in hope of finding a new furever home for her.
Red Bone All The Way, But You’re Not Bad Either, Froggy
Richmond Animal Control and Care director, Christie Peters, says that the red bone plushy is Waffle’s most beloved plushy. As she grew the collection, the Pitbull managed to round up the plushies from all the shelter’s offices, and choose the runner-up.
Peters’s explained for The Dodo that one of the other toys created “technical difficulties” for Waffle, but was still held in high regard.
Her absolute favorite was a red plush bone. The runner-up was the frog, but his legs dangle, and sometimes she’d trip on them. The third in the lineup was the bird – she carried that one around a bunch.
She also touched on Waffle’s reason for choosing plushies over other dogs. Showing-off to the RACC staff with her toys was a way to take the spotlight she always deserved.
Other dogs were of no interest to Waffle. She preferred the silence and comforting presence of plushies. The staff realized that their attempts to use the toys for tug-of-war were not approved by Sizzli.
After all, you don’t chew and tug on your friends. The way this Pitbull cared for her stuffed friends was one of the biggest signs that she would be an incredible companion for any family.
Will The Months Of Waiting Result In A New Home?
Although Waffle had a good time being RACC’s mascott and office dog, she deserved a proper home. Despite the shelter’s efforts to get her adopted, months passed without inquiries.
They say that good things come to those who wait, and Waffle Sizzli’s story confirms it. Everyone at the shelter was extremely happy when they found out someone was ready to take the Pittie home.
In a matter of days, Waffle was with her new family. I’m sure she’ll have a lot of fun with her humans, but Peters said she gave her the red bone plushy as a token of their friendship and incredible bond created in the previous months.
This story shows that Pitbulls are not an aggressive breed. The stigma of “dangerous breed” exists because of humans, not dogs. Take inspiration from Waffle Sizzli, and be a part of those who will help good canines have a great home.
References:
[1] Shelter intake and surrender. ASPCA. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.aspca.org/helping-people-pets/shelter-intake-and-surrender
