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The Truman Show

March 30, 2009, 4:28PM MT

By Jennifer S Hayes

The story of a traumatized, abandoned pit-bull mix inspires the wife of a major league baseball player to reach out to Best Friends and become the dog’s sponsor.

The story of a traumatized, abandoned pit-bull mix inspires the wife of a major league baseball player to reach out to Best Friends and become the dog’s sponsor.

Written by Ted Brewer, Best Friends staff

Wife of Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle, Jamie Buehrle is a long-time supporter of Best Friends. She also volunteers her financial know-how to local animal rescue groups near the Buehrles’ winter home in southern Illinois, including one called Hope Animal Rescues, located in Alton. It was at this shelter that she met Truman and heard the tragic story of how this pit bull mix arrived at the shelter.

After hearing the story, Jamie Buehrle felt that she had to do something for this dog whose life had been shattered on the side of a busy road in Alton. She reached out to Best Friends.

Truman is the most recent dog to enter Best Friends’ Training Partners Program. The program helps dogs with the most challenging behaviors by pairing them with the right trainers, rehabilitating them, and eventually adopting them to good homes. Given Truman’s history, it’s not hard to understand how he became a candidate for this program.

Loyal to the end

Co-owner of Hope Rescues, Jackie Spiker got the phone messages one Saturday morning. Several motorists had called the night before, reporting two dogs abandoned on the side of a four-lane, 50-mile-an-hour road. One was apparently dead from a car collision.

When Spiker arrived at the scene, she found an injured pit bull mix and the lifeless body of a Dachshund. “[The pit bull] just lay right next to her,” Spiker says. “He loved that little dog.”

She deduced that the two had been a pair at someone’s home, and that they had been dumped on the side of the road. She wrapped the Dachshund in a blanket and removed the body. She spent all day trying to capture the pit bull, but to no avail.

“He wouldn’t let us get near him,” Spiker says. “Every time we got close, he would run towards the road.” Spiker couldn’t risk driving the dog into the road, and had no choice but to leave him there with some food and water and return the next day to try again. But the second day proved to be as unsuccessful as the first.

Since it was the weekend, no one at the local animal control was available to help. Motorists had initially called the office on the Friday, but it was after closing, and the office wouldn’t open again until the following Monday morning. Not until then did Spiker finally get an officer to the scene.

They officer tried a different tactic, and placed a blanket in a kennel, the same blanket they had used to wrap the Dachshund, in hopes the smell would lure the dog inside. But the pit bull would only stand by the carrier, not go in. The officer had no other recourse but to finally shoot the dog with a tranquilizer dart.

Spiker took the dog immediately to a veterinarian and had him treated for abrasions and contusions—he too had obviously been hit by a car.

Traumatized

For the first few days at the shelter, Truman (as Hope Rescues named him) was understandably groggy and shut down. But after a while, he started to come out of his shell, accepting treats and barking along with the other dogs. He even began to go on walks with the other dogs. Within a few weeks, he was adopted.

But after Truman settled into his new home, he became aggressively protective of his new caregiver, and one day attacked a male guest at the house, making it apparent that he was deathly afraid of men and strangers. The new family understandably returned Truman to Hope Rescues.

With Truman back at the shelter, Spiker noted that every so often Truman would fall to the floor, close his eyes, and tremble. It was obvious that Truman was far more emotionally damaged than Spiker initially thought and therefore couldn’t responsibly adopt him to another family before he got help. He first needed rehabilitation; something Hope Rescues doesn’t have the resources to offer dogs, especially those with such challenging behaviors as Truman’s.

Around that time, Buehrle happened to stop by the no-kill shelter, and while there, met Truman and heard his story. Buehrle and Spiker were both sickened with the prospect that the one-year-old dog might have to spend the rest of his life at the shelter. “It was one of those cases where you might be inclined to just give up,” Buehrle says.

But Buehrle didn’t want to give up. She instead called Best Friends.

Buehrle knew about the success Best Friends has had rehabilitating the Michael Vick dogs, and thought there had to be hope for Truman too. “I’m a huge believer that pit bulls get a bad rap,” she says. “People say you can’t help them, but I don’t think that’s true.”

The right program

Best Friends’ No More Homeless Pets Animal Help desk directed Buehrle to Mike Harmon, coordinator of the Training Partners Program at Best Friends. Best Friends created the Training Partners Program with cases such as Truman’s in mind, cases in which dogs need more one-on-one attention from a trainer than a group-living sanctuary or shelter can provide.

Once Harmon decided that Truman would make a good candidate for the program, Buehrle and her husband offered to become Truman’s sponsors, pledging to cover all the costs associated with Truman’s rehabilitation. Buehrle says, “I just thought it would help increase his chances of finding a permanent home.”

Because Truman was in Illinois, Harmon called Cythnia Bathurst, director of Safe Humane Chicago, an organization partnering with Best Friends to reduce violence in the city’s neighborhoods through humane education. Bathurst recommended Janice Triptow from Safe Humane’s network of local trainers. Triptow is a certified dog trainer in Chicago and owner of Dog Behavior Solutions--someone Bathurst had often worked with. Harmon agreed Triptow would be the best fit.

Bathurst and Triptow are currently screening families and individuals who would like to foster Truman while he undergoes training with Triptow. (If you live in the Chicago area and would like to offer your home as a foster home for Truman, call Safe Humane at 312-409-4790.) “I’m pushing for Truman to get into a home where there’s [another] real healthy dog, who can be a model to him,” Harmon says.

Once an ideal foster home is found for Truman, Triptow will create a training plan tailored to his new living arrangement.

Bathurst is pleased that Truman will be coming to Chicago, where he, and by extension others of his breed, will be getting a wealth of support from one of the city’s most renowned sports figures. Having the support of the White Sox’s pitcher and his wife will help bolster awareness of Best Friends and Safe Humane’s joint campaign to end the stigmatization and mistreatment of pit bulls.

Meanwhile, Truman waits at Hope Rescues for his big move to the Windy City. Spiker says that his spirits are up, and that he joins with the other dogs in what she calls the “barking game,” which means the dogs stand on their beds and bark when it’s time for their walk. Truman’s trembling fits continue, however. “Something is triggering him, but I just can’t figure it out,” Spiker says.

“Hopefully [the training] will work out,” she adds, “and he’ll be a happy, friendly dog again.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

? As part of Best Friends’ 25th anniversary in 2009, our goal is to double our membership, so we can double our efforts to bring about a time when all companion animals have a forever home. What can you do to help? Give the Gift of a Best Friends membership to family and friends.

? If you live in the Chicagoland area and can offer a foster home to Truman, please call Safe Humane at 312-409-4790.

? To find out ways you can help dispel the negative stereotypes surrounding pit bulls, please join the Stop Breed Specific Legislation community on the Best Friends Network.

For More Information
• Hope Animal Rescues
• Best Friends Training Partners Program
• Safe Humane Chicago

Photos courtesy of Jackie Spiker at Hope Rescues
Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends staff

Comments

Posted April 02, 2009, 8:54AM by SBRsMom

bullylover1:
I know you said you live in a rural area, but maybe there is somebody on this list that might be relatively close?

http://www.animalbehavior.org/

if you look down the lefthand side, there is a link to an animal behaviorist directory. Also, lots of information and resources on the site.

Thanks for all that you are doing for her and good luck!

Posted April 03, 2009, 4:4AM by folkfaerie

bullylover1 & dixiesherman:

If you notice Truman is going to Chicago, not BF in Utah.

Celebrities & their families may get some perks, but they also give lots of money & time to BF & other rescue groups. I know those of us that are not famous, donate money to & volunteer for places like BF, but the celebrities can reach the public & help raise awareness of animal rights issues & needs in ways the rest of us can not.

I have known several people that have run rescues & believe me without MAJOR support & MAJOR MONEY most rescues become "blackholes" for money & even the animals they are trying to help suffer for it. These were good, kind people that wanted to help, but they found out very quickly how much money, time & effort it can drain. They were always heartsick when they couldn't help everyone/every animal that came to them that truly needed help. Often they had to turn animals away or they over extended themselves & their facilities which in some cases led to bad situations for all involved.

Posted April 02, 2009, 10:6AM by bullylover1

Thank you for your kind words and the animal behavior link. Our little girl is named Rosaleigh and she has taught us a lot since we adopted her. She is such a gentle and loving girl, we call her our little snuggle bug. I hope others will consider helping a bully in need!

Posted April 01, 2009, 1:52PM by dixiesherman

bullylover1:
I am so glad you decided to keep her. I'm sure given time you will see even more improvement.
I'm afraid I don't have any answers for her problems but perhaps you could contact someone in Pitt Bull rescue and they might be able to help you. Maybe someone else will post here and have some other suggestions. I am sure you are doing your very best for her and love has a way of healing all things.
I hope all goes well for you, your husband and your little girl (if you post again let me know her name). I really am kind of disgusted that you didn't receive any help from BF. Bless you all and I know things will work out for you.

Posted March 30, 2009, 7:39PM by squeakie42

This is a heartrending story. I would agree with Kelly -- try having him checked for focal seizures, especially if there's any chance his head was injured. I hope that someone will be able to give him a true home and soothe his heart.

Posted April 02, 2009, 7:48PM by ahughes798

I just hope his seizures are a result of stress and not of inbreeding.

There's not a lot one can do for line-bred seizures. They're genetic.

Posted March 31, 2009, 4:24PM by dixiesherman

bullylover1:
What happened to the dog you fostered? Did you find help for her?
Sometimes it is who you are that gets the attention, perhaps if your husband was well known or you were well known BF probably would have gone out of their way for you.
I hope the dog you fostered is okay and has a good home. It is sad that when you offered to pay these expenses you were still turned down. I don't understand that they had too many pitt bulls when there are empty runs at BF. I'm sorry you were turned down but I must give you a lot of credit for trying and fostering a dog with problems. You are a good person it is just a shame that BF didn't help you.

Posted April 01, 2009, 12:32PM by bullylover1

A few months after we began to foster her we found out my husband was being promoted and transferred to another state. We just couldn't stand the thought of taking her back to the shelter, since they probably would have put her down, so we adopted her. We've sought out experienced trainers who could work on her issues, but haven't had much luck with trainers who are experienced in those areas. A lot of them only deal with obedience, not behavior modification. We live in a fairly rural area now so there aren't a lot of trainers around in the first place. She is our special little girl and we are doing the best we can to give her a loving and safe environment. She has come a long way in the time we've had her, but it would be nice to have some support and training from experts who could advise us on the best way to handle things. I want only the best for her!

Posted March 30, 2009, 9:46PM by lovethosedogs

What a sad tragic story. I can only image what this poor animal has gone through. I think that the Buerhle's are wonderful people for doing this. I hope Truman gets well soon and finds a great home.I look forward to hearing about his progress.

Posted April 03, 2009, 6:16PM by Rita2828

WHAT A SAD FACE YOU HAVE TRUMAN, BETTER DAYS ARE AHEAD FOR YOU. NOW THAT YOUR WITH BEST FRIENDS.

RITA FROM BROOKLYN

Posted April 03, 2009, 8:17PM by kwalton

Thanks to everyone for giving this precious creature a chance!!

Posted March 30, 2009, 6:33PM by Kelly4cats

Has he been checked for seizures? This kind of sounds like it. Whatever it is I have high hopes Truman is going to get better and live a happy life with another family.

For people there are real seizures which usually show up on an EEG and pseudo-seizures that are not true seizures but an emotional reaction to a traumatic event or events that look just like real ones. Animals can probably have both too.

Posted March 30, 2009, 7:9PM by duckyjd

I'm trilled Truman is coming to Chicago and can't wait to hear of his adventures here. A big thank you to the Buehrles.

Posted March 31, 2009, 8:5AM by SBRsMom

Ironically I just watched (for the second or third time), Mark and Jamie on Dogs 101 with their Vizsla's last night. If anybody has seen that episode, you will know how devoted they are to their dogs. They are wonderful animal people and I wouldn't doubt if Jamie talks Mark into starting a sanctuary when he retires from baseball!

Thanks to everybody involved for trying to provide Truman the best life possible.

Posted March 31, 2009, 12:57PM by bullylover1

A year ago I fostered a pit bull mix for a shelter because if I didn't foster her they were going to put her down because of her fear of strangers (she had been abused). I knew her well and knew there was hope for her if given the right situation. I contacted Best Friends and asked if they would consider her because she had great potential but needed a professional trainer who was experienced in this type of case (like John at BF) and the right environment to learn in. I offered to pay her way out there and to pay for all costs associated with her for as long as she was there. I was told they had too many pit bulls already and they declined her. The only difference between the story about Truman and mine is that my husband isn't a professional athletic. I do hope Truman gets a wonderful home and all the love, patience, and caring he most certainly deserves. I also think what the Buehrle's did for Truman is absolutely wonderful!!!