Photo: Scott Utterback, The Courier-Journal, Scott Utterback / AP
For 21 year-old Kelsey Westbrook, the answer is clear. "An apartment, to me, is just a material thing," she tells Paw Nation. "But you can't get a dog's life back."
In July, the University of Lousiville senior was serving tables at Joe's Crab Shack overlooking the Ohio River when she heard a boom so loud she thought a piece of shrapnel had blown off the highway. "Somebody just threw a dog off the bridge," a customer said, stunned.
"We looked down," remembers Kelsey. "And sure enough, we saw her little head bobbing in and out of the water. You could tell she was confused. She was swimming in circles and had no idea where to go." The dog, a pit bull, had just been hurled off the Clark Memorial Bridge and plunged 80 feet into the water below, reports the Courier-Journal.
Kelsey and others ran down to the river, where they tried to coax the frightened dog to shore. "When she heard my voice, she started swimming real hard towards us," Kelsey tells Paw Nation. The Louisville Fire Department dive team was practicing nearby and rescued the dog.
Once on land, the reddish brown pit bull dog began jumping all over everybody. "She was licking me like crazy," says Kelsey. "She was wagging her tail and so happy. You would never know what she had just went through."
Miraculously, the dog appeared to be unhurt. Kelsey took the dog home that day, and later, to a veterinarian who estimated that the pit bull was less than a year old and had already had a litter of puppies. Kelsey planned to find the dog a good home, but changed her mind. "After a day, I thought, 'Nope, she's mine. I have to keep her," says Kelsey.
Friends suggested she name the dog "Miracle" or "Lucky," but Kelsey decided on a different name. "She's so happy, like a ball of sunshine," explains Kelsey. "So I named her Sunny."
Unfortunately, the day after Sunny's harrowing rescue, Kelsey's landlords notified her she had two days to remove Sunny from the apartment. Kelsey balked at the idea, but Areté Real Estate, the company that owns Kelsey's apartment complex, insists pit bulls are a "vicious breed" and not allowed on the premises, reports the Courier-Journal.
"I'm really attached to her and I love her, and I'm not getting rid of her," says Kelsey. "If that means me having to find a new place, then that's what I have to do." Efforts to reason with her landlords haven't been fruitful. "I've called them upwards of fifteen times and left messages, but they won't return my calls," says Kelsey. "They're not really working with me at all."
Sunny, meanwhile, has gotten spayed and is doing wonderfully. She's been shuttling back and forth between Kelsey's boyfriend's house and the apartment. "Sunny is such an amazing, resilient creature," marvels Kelsey. She has become best friends with Kelsey's two year-old German Shepherd named Nala, who is allowed to live at the apartment for an extra monthly fee.
So many good things have come from rescuing Sunny, says Kelsey. They are planning to hold a fundraiser at Joe's Crab Shack on October 10 to raise awareness about animal cruelty. "A lot of people will come up to me at Joe's and want to give me a hug and say, 'Thanks, I love animals too,'" says Kelsey. "Every day you hear about really bad things going on in the news, I guess it's kind of an uplifting story."
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she did well.......and since sunny has no dog aggression issues she will be fine and loving........you have to be strong and loving with this breed........you have to be alpha not her.......so have a loong and loving life with her......
I have 2 pitt bulls and they are the sweetes things eveybody always thinks that pitt bulls are so mean but that is just the name they gave they are like your best friend and like your child and one day if not already happened god will bless you for every thing that you did that would have been my idea to keep the dog so tell sunny that raul & jose said {take care} and one thing abut pitt bulls is that they protect you and your home
How can a human be so cruel, to GODS helpless creatures. I would have lived in my car with my dog if I had too. Material things are just that. How can anyone even,.. put material things before an animals or humans life . Why did't the owner look for a home for the dog before deciding to just throw him over the bridge.??? I hope this person, never gets an other animal for the rest of their lives. They do not deserve ,too. What is wrong with this world....I know GOD is slowly disappearing from peoples lives.....Wake Up!!!!!
I don't know whats wrong with people, how they can be so mean. What goes around comes around, the people that through the dog in the water will pay one way or another. I am so glad she took Sunny in, I wish her all the blessing in the world. Someone out there will help her get a place to live with her animlas, I know somewhere out there are still good people. God takes care of his own, if you don't know him yety as your personal Lord and Saviour, I hope you know him before it is too late......God bless you all!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT A WONDERFULL PERSON YOU ARE I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU . GOD PUT ANIMALS ON EARTH FOR US TO LOVE AND CHERISH. IF YOU DONT LIKE THEM FINE BUT YOU DONT HAVE TO BE CRUEL TO THEM!!
Its not any one breed with a dog that is bad. Its all in how you train them.If you trat them to be mean they will be. Pitbulls get a badrep because of this.
Bless you, dear. I worked for the humane society doing rescues and rehabilitations for years, and also for veterinarians. I've seen some things that would make your blood curdle and tears flow, much like your dear Sunny. In fact, I am the proud mother of an 11 yr old male Russian Blue that we call Smokey. He was rescued from a woman who stayed with me whom I caught hitting him. Needless to say, she left without him on threat of citizens arrest. Now, 10 yrs later, he has suffered wet glaucoma and lost an eye, arthritis, and obesity, but he is as spry as he was at a year old. He still runs around and chases my 14 yr old daughter, who calls him "my baby kitty." They know and, with our love, just like with anyone, they can and will survive. Good luck to you and yours.
i cant stand that people can be so bullied by insurance companys. We all know the reason that she cant be there is cause of a ignorant insurance company that has labeled pitbulls as a vicious breed simply because of some heartless people. When in fact pitbulls when treated right can be amazing dogs and extremly loyal and friendly. I have owned 2 and never have had a problem. I support your decision and hope everything works out for you. SHAME ON INSURANCE COMPANYS!!!! we need to bring them down before they become the new gov't
I get sick when I hear about cruelty to animals, and lately I hear a lot about cruelty to "bullies" .....they are sweet and loyal dogs for the most part and dont deserve the rep they have....years ago, they were bred as the "nanny's helper" because of their trustworthiness around children, so I dont know when the negative stuff started....Im so glad this girl has taken "Sunny" in.....will someone please offer her an apartment that is in a dog friendly complex!!! She deserves it.
way to go Kelsey!.....I have a pit mastif mix......she's family, goes everywhere with me...there's nothing like the uncondittional love and friendship from a devoted dog
Amen Sister.... God even instructed Adam to Tend to his Animals in the Gardwn of Eden...They were created by GOD as well... My Daughter is an advvocate for these mistreated animals and volunteers her time at a feline and canine shelter.....She has rescued ,amy animals and has adopted two Pit bulls her self......She says that Pit bulls are not vicious, It is the owners who are vicious and train them to be that way. The owners are the animals that should be taught a lesson... Animals are like childrean who live what they learn... I always lift God Animals up in prayer... They can't speak up for them selves, So we have to be there voice... God bless every one....
I so agree with you Debbie. People are losing site of a lot of things these days. The world is a risk you never know from one day to another what the day will bring. I would live in my car to with my dog before I gave her up and she is a pit mix. Like I have commented in a lot of sites of over rating pits. The beast is usually on the other end of the leash and they should stop abusing these animals. God created all living creatures. Humans are the cruelest as far as abuse is concern. I wish sunny and her wonderful new mom the best and keep fighting for what you believe in.
I am the least violent person in the world, but I am an absolute animal lover. If I witnessed such an act, I'd push that worthless piece of humanity over the bridge. It's incomprehensible to imagine any human being could be capable of such an abhorrent act.
We've rescued several pit bulls. One had cigar burns on her head, her jaw had been dislocated and her front leg was broken....all she did was whine and wag her tail when we rescued her. She now lives on a farm with kids with her three legs( she lost the broken one due lack of care). The other we recently rescued, was left in a house, in a bathroom along with her sibling (who died by the time they were found). The dog couldn't walk, but dragged itself over to lick our face with tail wagging....yeah they are all sooo vicious! It's the human's that are vicious and evil...not pits..they just want to listen to their owners and please them...they prefer to be gentle and have belly rubs! Check out Bad Rap..most of Michael Vic's pit bulls were adopted into families with children and small animals..even after being tortured into fighting. People need to wake up and quit buying the "Evil Pit Hype"...poodles will bite you first!!
Tee,
Rainbow Bridge is NOT an actual bridge! What Rainbow Bridge is happens to be an online website for people to leave tributes for their beloved pets and to receive support from other people who have suffered the loss of their pet.
Before you condemn someone you might want to educate yourself just a little. Google Rainbow Bridge, and then you might just want to come back and apologize to Rebecca for flaming on her.
Hi I am a landlord and have been in this position before. Your homeowners insurance will not cover a pitbull. They are feared dogs. But, I did find one insurance company in the uS that will insure your dog for you. its an extra insurance the owner pays for then the landlord may let you stay. I found the insurance on Google and a few yrs ago it was 2000.00 a year, all payment expected up front. maybe this will help you. Unfortunately, money always talks.
I've tried to reply to the lady that didn't understand what "The Rainbow Bridge" was and thought the lady with the Australian shepherd was cruel. The Rainbow Bridge is a poem and the bridge is an animals transition to doggie heaven. I know I'm not explaining this right and I apologize. I had the poem but lost it or I'd send it in. Rainbow Bridge is a good place...its not a real bridge so to speak.
Good for you, Kelsey. First, how can people be so cruel???
I used to think that Pit Bulls were vicious, but then my husband brought one home and we have fallen in love with her...........Roxy is a big, loveable baby. I believe it's all in how they are raised and treated.
God bless you, Kelsey for saving this beautiful girl and for loving her enough to even move if you have to.
I'm not trying to start an argument, I agree with you 100%, but I myself have a strong love for animals (one of the main reasons I'm vegan) but I don't believe in God.
This is a great story though, I'm glad the dog is fine, and is now with a loving owner.
This happens all the time in my town. they may not get thrown off the bridge, but they get abandoned and thrown from cars. thats how we got our cat. We were walking our dog when a car pulled along side us, they rolled down their window and threw a kitten at our dog yelling "eat it!!". we were horrified, lucky for us our dog likes cats and the kitten just sat there in ball confused. Its sad, but people are like that all over, they need a way to get rid of excess animals they dont care about so thats what they do. especially in small towns like mine, where not everyone has money. I abhor what they did, but at least the cat is with us being taken care of and loved, instead of being abused and neglected.