Jon Patel and his wife, Kayla, went to a local shelter in Jackson, Tennessee, to have a look around as they weren’t entirely sure they wanted a dog. But that changed when the sweetest thing happened. Out of all of the pit bulls there barking and jumping up on the cages, one pit bull stood out.
A one-year-old pit bull sat there quietly and calmly, and it caught Jon’s attention. So he walked over to her cage, and that’s when she stuck her little paw out as if to ask for help. He knew right there and then that they had to have her.
The pit bull was surrendered by her former owner because she was no longer “cute.” Many people abandon pit bulls after they grow out of the puppy stage, and that’s exactly what happened with this sweet girl.
The Patels named her Ellie. They learned she was set to be put down the same day they visited the shelter, but Jon convinced them to hold her until the following Monday, the earliest day he could pick her up. The shelter agreed but said if they didn’t get her Monday, she’d be put down.
But the Patels kept their word and picked Ellie up Monday! They took her home, and the dog couldn’t believe she finally had a forever home. 🙂
As soon as Ellie stepped into the house, she started running all over the apartment and jumping on the bed and couch! After the zoomies, she relaxed and settled into her new life. That night, Mom and Dad gave her a bath, and she just lay in the tub enjoying the water.
Ellie follows her new parents everywhere they go, and she absolutely loves playing with tennis balls. It was also recently discovered that the pit bull likes bubbles.
The only challenge they’ve encountered is dealing with people’s negative reactions to Ellie being a pit bull. People have crossed the street to avoid her, and the Patels have received lots of looks and glances. But the truth is that Ellie wouldn’t hurt a fly.
The Patels decided to show Ellie’s true personality and tell her adoption story in Pittie Nation, a close Facebook group for pit bull lovers that’s also tied to The Dodo’s Facebook Watch show of the same name. The post has received thousands of likes and hundreds of comments!
The Patels didn’t plan on adopting a dog when they visited the shelter that day, but now they can’t imagine life without Ellie! They’re the perfect match for each other, and it was just meant to be. 🙂
Photo credits: Jon and Kayla Patel
h/t The Dodo
