Hospice Care For Animals Is A Growing Trend Among Pet Owners

Hospice Care For Animals Is A Growing Trend Among Pet Owners

Although it’s a topic that no animal lover wants to think about, at some point, all dogs must go to heaven. In the past, owners of terminally ill or ailing senior dogs had only two compassionate options: continue costly treatments to extend their dog’s golden years or have their pet put down prematurely at a veterinarian’s office. These … Read more

The Most Epic Costumes From This Annual Halloween Dog Parade

The Most Epic Costumes From This Annual Halloween Dog Parade

Which one is your favorite? There’s no denying that dogs in costume are a pretty adorable sight to behold. Which is why Halloween dog parades are so popular. On Oct. 28, in fact, hundreds of dogs and their owners gathered for the 28th annual Tompkins Square Park Dog Halloween Parade at East River Park Amphitheater in New York City. … Read more

Pets In Halloween Costumes Who Really Just Want To Stay Home This Year

Pets In Halloween Costumes Who Really Just Want To Stay Home This Year

But, boy, do they look cute. This year for Halloween, I will be dressing up my cattle dog mix called Annie Oakley Tater Tot as Captain America. Last year, I put her in a bandana and cowboy hat and said she was her namesake. My first dog, who passed away last year, had been a … Read more

These Rescued Wolfdog Puppies Need Volunteers To Cuddle With Them

These Rescued Wolfdog Puppies Need Volunteers To Cuddle With Them

Here’s how to help! Volunteering is always a fulfilling and worthwhile use of your time, and sometimes, it can also be downright adorable. Such is the case with this volunteer opportunity in Clarkdale, Arizona, where dozens of wolfdogs and wolfdog puppies have been taken in by the animal sanctuary, Pets Return Home. The wolfdogs were rescued from … Read more

Photographer Takes Side By Side Photos Of Dogs And Their Owners, And The Similarities Are Undeniable

Photographer Takes Side By Side Photos Of Dogs And Their Owners, And The Similarities Are Undeniable

Some say a dog owner starts to look like a little bit like his furry friend after a few years spent together. It’s hard to think it actually happens, but once you get to see Gerrard Gethings’ series of “doggelgängers”, you’ll definitely give this statement some credit. Gethings shot this fabulous series of photographs for … Read more

Pit Bull Lover Changes Tune After ‘Gentle’ Dog Suddenly Snaps

Dogs have long been called man’s best friend, however, our four legged companions were once wild creatures. As a result, they are still capable of inflicting huge amounts of damage when provoked.

For years, a dog lover worked hard to dispel rumors that pit bulls were violent and dangerous dogs and used her sweet, gentle pit bull as a prime example of their kind nature. However, she quickly changed her tune when her constant companion suddenly snapped one day.

A Pit Bull Advocate

Yasmin Adam Storywww.ctvnews.ca

For most of the past 10 years, a Florida woman was a huge advocate for pit bull breeds. She acknowledged they were extremely strong animals capable of inflicting harm, but she truly believed that the breed wasn’t inherently dangerous. Instead, she believed it came down to how the dogs were raised.

Nature vs. Nurture

Yasmin Adam Storywww.slideshare.net

If the dog was raised in violent conditions and trained to be aggressive, the dog would likely be dangerous. However, the woman genuinely believed that pit bull breeds were perfectly safe dogs to own if they were raised in loving homes by owners that cared for and trained them properly. According to the woman, her own dog was living proof.

Living Proof

Yasmin Adam Storywww.mnn.com

More than 10 years ago, Yasmin Adam brought home a tiny pit bull mix puppy that she named Sir Hinkles. They bonded instantly, and Sir Hinkles was a constant source of love and companionship. And when people told Adam that pit bulls were dangerous, she used Sir Hinkles as a prime example that pit bulls could be amazing pets.

A Gentle Companion

Yasmin Adam Storywww.dailymail.co.uk

“I didn’t even have to put him on a leash because he was such a good-natured dog,” Adam told The Daily Mail. “I loved him so much. He slept with me in my bed, he never was out of line. He was always so gentle with children and really friendly. He never snapped at cats or little kittens, he never touched a kitten.”

The Big Move

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

However, that all changed when Adam moved to Florida. During the move she stayed with a relative. Of course, her three dogs accompanied her. Then, on December 5, 2016, Adam was home alone with her dogs when they started to play fight each other.

The Fight

Yasmin Adam Storywww.dailymail.co.uk

Without thinking, Adam, who was 43 years old at the time, went to break up the fight. However, when she did, Sir Hinkles turned and suddenly started barking at her. “I guess there was tension after the other dogs were fighting,” Adam said.

The Attack Begins

Yasmin Adam Storywww.dnaindia.com

“Next thing I know he jumps up and bites my ear,” Adam said. “Sir Hinkles went back in his cage then. … But all I can think of was that he got a taste of blood because he came right back out and bit me on my right arm.”

Complete Shock

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

According to Adam, she knew that Sir Hinkles was attacking her, but she strangely couldn’t feel any pain at the time because she was in shock. At first, Adam desperately tried to get her pit bull to stop attacking her. She thought that he would realize who he was attacking, but that never happened.

Losing Hope

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

Adam failed to push Sir Hinkles off of her and none of her screams and commands stopped him. So for the next nine minutes, Sir Hinkles viciously attacked Adam and tore the flesh from her arms, body, and face. In that moment, Adam truly thought she was going to die.

Nine Endless Minutes

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

“After that, he attacked me on and off for nine minutes. The dog ripped all the meat off my lower left arm, and that’s gone now,” Adam recalled. “I just stopped fighting the dog. I figured I was going to die. He kept trying to pull the bone out of my arm.”

A Horrific Discovery

Yasmin Adam Storywww.mirror.co.uk

Adam likely would have died that December afternoon if it wasn’t for her 17-year-old nephew. According to officials, the 17-year-old came home late that afternoon and found his aunt on the ground. She was laying in a pool of her own blood and Sir Hinkles was still mauling her.

The 911 Call

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

“It’s attacking her right now, it’s killing her,” Adam’s nephew screamed at the 911 emergency operator. “She’s screaming right now, it’s chewing her arms.” While the 17-year-old described the scene, the operator could hear Adam screaming in agony in the background.

Help Arrives

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

“What do you want me to do?” the teen repeated frantically during the 911 call. “Let her go!” he screamed at the dog. Shortly after, first responders arrived at the apartment. Sir Hinkles was still gnawing at Adam’s bones, and they could hear her agonized screams from outside.

A Sickening Sight

Yasmin Adam StoryWPLG Local 10 / YouTube

“They get there and they can hear the attack,” Maj. Rick Rocco, a spokesman of the Lauderhill Police Department, told The Sun Sentinel. “They open the door and the officer sees the woman on the ground in the living room being attacked by the dog.”

Lethal Force

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

According to officials, an officer tried to strike Sir Hinkles and get him to stop attacking Adam, but it did nothing. “That didn’t work, so she tried her pepper spray,” Rocco said. “That didn’t work [either], so finally she had to resort to her firearm and shoot the dog to get it off of the woman.”

Critical Condition

Yasmin Adam Storywww.sun-sentinel.com

Police quickly dragged Adam out of the apartment and closed the dogs inside. They would have to carefully get the dog out, but their first priority was getting Adam to the hospital as she was in critical condition. After being rushed to Broward Health Medical Center, she underwent immediate surgery to treat her various injuries.

Fighting for Her Arm

Yasmin Adam StoryShutterstock

After surgery, Adam was still in critical condition. Over the next three weeks, doctors at the hospital worked as hard as they could to save her arms. However, by the third week, it was clear that Adam’s left arm, which sustained the most damage during the attack, couldn’t be saved. “It was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Adam said.

The Only Way Forward

Yasmin Adam Storywww.mirror.co.uk

“I could see the bone clear as day,” Adam remembered. “Eventually, they amputated it from just above my elbow … I’m just working on getting my right arm functional again. He ripped that arm apart too, but not as badly. I can’t move my wrist and I have limited movement in my fingers. To be honest I thought I was going to die so to have just lost my arm I feel lucky.”

The Dogs’ Fate

Yasmin Adam Storywww.dailymail.co.uk

In the aftermath of the attack, authorities euthanized Sir Hinkles, who survived being shot. Adam ended up staying in the hospital for the next six months while she was recovering from the attack. During that time, her two other dogs were put down. Adams was sad that she couldn’t save them, but she also didn’t trust them after what happened.

An Important Warning

Yasmin Adam Storywww.mirror.co.uk

After the attack, Adam decided to share what happened to her with the public to warn them about how dangerous pit bulls can be. “I loved Hinkles, I had him for nine years but he turned on me in nine minutes. Now I warn people against these types of dogs.”

Your Pet Needs A Disney Costume This Halloween

Your Pet Needs A Disney Costume This Halloween

Halloween is right around the corner, and if you’re a pet owner, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Not only must you get your own costume in order, but you’ll also need to dress your pet for the spooky occasion. Thankfully, the Disney Store has you and your best friend covered with Halloween costumes ranging … Read more

This Truck Driver Saved 64 Dogs And Cats From Hurricane Florence On His Rescue School Bus

This Truck Driver Saved 64 Dogs And Cats From Hurricane Florence On His Rescue School Bus

He’s also rescued animals from storms in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico over the past year. When it rains like cats and dogs, a lot of cats and dogs need help seeking shelter from the storm. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, many pets were left stranded at shelters across the southern U.S., and Tony Alsup, … Read more