In 2021, I had recently purchased my first home. I knew eventually I wanted to get a dog, but with renovations I didn’t think it was the right time. A couple close friends of mine volunteer with multiple bull dog rescues around the country. One day I received a text that said, “Hey, I know you are thinking of getting a dog at some point. We have one available from rescue.”

My first thought was NO. Not the right time, but then the pictures started coming in. After seeing how cute this 65lb white bull dog with one brown spot was, I said, “how much is this going to cost me?” Their response? “Nothing. He just needs a home.” Nothing? That didn’t seem right. So I inquired about the situation.

Rocky, the English bull dog, was given up by his owners of 7 years with no explanation. When Rocky arrived to rescue he was scared and alone, that when the volunteer went to grab him from the kennel, he bit. But how could you blame him? The owners he had his entire life abandoned him. He was scared. Alone. He didn’t know this person grabbing him.

Unfortunately, once a dog bites they are no longer eligible to go to rescue because of the liability, and he was sent to be euthanized. That’s when his first angel came in the picture. Heather, the vet tech, said no. We are not putting him down. He’s healthy, he’s still young. We aren’t doing this to him. That’s when I got the text… and from that moment on the decision to bring Rocky home was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I can’t imagine a world without him. At the end of the day, he rescued me.