Owner of abused, rescued pit bull pens emotional Craigslist letter

by Jennifer Dunning Posted: February 17, 2014 3:49 PM Last Updated: February 17, 2014 3:49 PM

View the story "Owner of abused, rescued pit bull pens emotional Craigslist letter" on StorifyOwner of abused, rescued pit bull pens emotional Craigslist letterStorified by CBC News Community· Mon, Feb 17 2014 12:11:30A pit bull named Cathy has finally found a happy ending after years of being abused and then abandoned in a New York City apartment, only to be discovered and adopted by the new renter.

Cathy's rescuer, Alex De Campi, posted a letter on Craigslist hoping to get in touch with the dog's previous owner.

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"Your old red pit bull was seized by animal control and taken to the kill shelter," De Campi wrote on Craigslist.

"She was really skinny and had bad skin infections, and had been bred A LOT. She'd even had a Caesarian, judging by the scar. They said at the kill shelter she was 12 years old. She also had a lopsided face and it looked like there were a few cigarette burns on her head/ears."

But that wasn't the end for poor Cathy. She was about to find a new home with De Campi, who now lives in New Hampsire and volunteers for Red Hook Dog Rescue, according to New York Daily News.

"I like old dogs and I loved Cathy's little lopsided face," De Campi wrote.

3 yrs ago you were evicted from 20 Catherine St 13B. I have your dog.On Feb 9th 2011, you were evicted from an apartment at 20 Catherine St and your old red pit bull was seized by animal control and taken to the kill shelter. She was really skinny and had bad skin infections, and had been bred A LOT.

De Campi found Cathy in 2011 when she moved into an apartment at 20 Catherine St. The dog's last owners had recently been evicted.

De Campi posted the letter now in hopes of finding out more about Cathy's history, such as her exact age and original name. It has become a more urgent desire for her because the 15-year-old dog is now starting a battle with mammary cancer, common to older dogs who are not spayed.

Eventually, Cathy "gained weight and recovered from her skin issues. Her coat shines now and you can't see the little round cigarette burn marks any more. ... She has been wonderful with my young daughter and our other two dogs," she wrote.

"She is sleeping next to me as I type this, grunting with joy. In fact, she sleeps on my bed every night. Your dog is an awesome dog. We love her so much. The past three years we've had with her have brought us (and her) so much happiness."

Craigslist

Despite the abuse Cathy endured, De Campi is not bitter toward the previous owners.

"New York is a hard place when you're down on your luck," De Campi told MailOnline. "I just wanted them to know that their dog was OK and is having a great life. And I hope that person is back on their feet, too.

"Maybe the people who owned her had found her on the streets and took her in or adopted her. You can't just assume that just because Cathy was in a bad condition in their care that they were bad people."

As of Monday afternoon, De Campi has not heard from Cathy's former owners, but she has heard from people around the world who wanted to wish the pit bull well.

"Please say a prayer for her. Luckily my vet caught [the cancer] early, so I am hoping Cathy can spend many more happy years with us. She really is the best dog," she wrote.

"P.S. you can't have her back."

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