Personal testimony: Part of the family
The Hocraths and Oscar
Written by Sandy Miller
Photos by Molly Wald
Oscar sits patiently as 4-year-old Hailey and 6-year-old Parker fit him with a colorful array of different hats. He doesn’t even squirm when Hailey decides to place a princess tiara on his head.
The things a guy has to put up with!
Oscar, a 2-year-old pit bull, is a refugee from Denver. Heather Hocrath, Parker and Hailey’s mom, fell in love with Oscar the moment she first saw him at a nearby no-kill sanctuary located in the beautiful mountains of Divide, Colo.
“I squatted down to meet him and he knocked me on my butt,” said Heather, who works as a training coordinator for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado Springs. “I just fell in love with him.”
With two small children, Heather made sure Oscar was trained and socialized. He’s turned out to be the perfect family dog.
“He’s so good with kids,” Heather said. “He’s very patient with the kids, very gentle. I really love the breed.”
Heather doesn’t understand why places like Denver ban dogs like Oscar.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” Heather said. “I don’t see it as being much different than the prejudices against race and color.”
Luckily for Oscar, he managed to get out of Denver alive and find a brand new family.
“He’s so sweet,” Heather said. “I don’t see how anyone could not love him.”
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