Within days of Thanksgiving every year, a precious dog named Safari will celebrate another birthday.  This year will be her first.  It’s no surprise to us that Safari’s birthday falls so closely around the time we are all told to celebrate and be thankful- that’s what Safari reminds us to do every single day.

Safari ended up at a local animal shelter, limping, at just 7 months of age.  The shelter took her to a nearby hospital for X-rays, which uncovered a sad story and hard beginning for this incredibly sweet pup.  In addition to the broken front leg she had at that time, radiographs also showed past injuries to her ribs and femur.  While the legal system began work to prosecute the person responsible, the shelter’s medical staff began work on getting Safari a new life.  They performed a Femoral Head Osteotomy on her femur, allowed her front leg to continue healing, and reached out to rescue to ensure she would be placed in a home where she would never go through abuse again.

While Safari’s history is enough to make her stand out, it’s her amazingly unique personality that really leaves the biggest impression.  Despite being treated so cruelly by humans, she loves every single person she meets.  As soon as she receives touch from people, she closes her eyes and leans into them while grunting in happiness.  She will follow her people anywhere, constantly looking up and smiling to make sure everyone is having as much fun as she is.  As if that isn’t enough, she also loves other dogs and was used for dog-to-dog testing at the shelter after she healed because of the outstanding patience and ease she showed with other dogs of all shapes and sizes.  Of course, it wouldn’t stop there!  She also fetches! 

Safari is a true ambassador in every way.  She is an outstanding example of how loving pit bulls so often are, despite their unfair stereotypes.  She is a perfect illustration of overcoming handicaps and obstacles, and constantly moving forward.  And she continuously reminds everyone around her about the powerful importance of forgiveness.  Safari may always walk a little funny because of her past, but we don’t think she would have it any other way.  A true hero like her knows that battle scars are just life’s way of reminding you just how far you’ve come, and of showing those around you just how far they too can come if they remember what’s important.