From the moment Angie LaFrance, of Macomb, met her dog Vinny and looked into his “soulful” brown eyes, it was love at first sight. Vinny, a red and white dog with an “amazing spirit,” died at age four from cancer, but the paw print tattoo on Angie’s right ankle serves as a reminder of how the dog touched her heart.
“My son talked me into getting him,” LaFrance recalled. “He was the most gentle dog I have ever known.”
Vinny, whom LaFrance also described as “Loving and human-oriented,” also happened to be a American Staffordshire bull terrier – or “pit bull,” the generic name given to a number of dog breeds, including the American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, mixes of those breeds.
LaFrance, who serves on the McDonough County Humane Society Board and has another pit pull mix named Celena, was so touched by Vinny that after he died she decided to start a dog rescue focused on the rescue and re-homing of pit bulls.
With help from friend Dawn Gray, president of the McDonough County Humane Society, ePITome Dog Rescue was started in the spring of 2011.
Gray had also fallen in love with pit bulls, after seeing the number of dogs that were ending up in the local animal shelter and “looking at each dog individually.”
“It was just about seeing all these animals in need,” she explained. “They have a terrible reputation and they certainly don’t deserve it.”
ePITome to date has removed 30 dogs from animal shelters or unsafe, abusive situations and placed them in “forever homes.”
ePITome has taken in dogs from as far away as Texas, and a number of animal shelters from around the state have found the rescue through word of mouth or through its discussion board, .
ePITome, which is fully licensed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA), not only places dogs in loving homes with responsible owners, the organization makes sure each rescued dog gets a full veterinary check-up, is spayed or neutered, gets a microchip ID tag, and receives the necessary vaccinations.
Dr. Karen Blakeley, a veterinarian with All Pets Veterinary Clinic in Macomb, provides care to many of ePITome’s dogs, and number of other local veterinarians also help the organization.
But before any dog is even taken into the rescue, at least two of the three organization’s board members must agree the dog can be socialized and live safely with a family.
A small number of regular foster “parents”, who are also licensed by the IDOA, in the Macomb and Bushnell area take in the dogs to work on socialization and training before they are placed.
Permanent “forever homes” are carefully screened by LaFrance and Gray. Those wishing to adopt a dog from ePITome must fill out an application, provide personal and employment references, be willing to allow LaFrance or Gray tour their home for an inspection. Adopters must also sign a contract stating the dog will not be chained up outside and that it will be returned to ePITome if the adopter is unable to keep it.
LaFrance said 4 million dogs per year are euthanized in animals shelters, and a million of those are pit bulls.
“And that’s 999,900 good ones that should be in good homes,” she added.
The misunderstood “bully” breeds
In addition to placing dogs in loving homes, ePITome also has a mission to educate about the controversial, misunderstood pit bull breeds. LaFrance and Gray are aware of the kinds of stories portrayed in the media about pit bulls, and they know the stories portray a violent dog that attacks without provocation.
Those stories, LaFrance said, actually help put dogs in the hands of the wrong people-the ones who misuse the breed, and worse, abuse the animals. And they don’t always tell the whole story.
“The
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