Saturday I was in a busy Winn Dixie parking lot waiting for my friend Vicky when a black female pit bull ran up to me.  I greeted her with a pat.  She responded with a lick of my hand and a hopeful look.  Was she lost?  She didn't have on a collar or ID tags and I had no way to hold on to her.  I worred about her in this busy lot, near a very high traffic intersection.  I called Vicky for the name of an animal shelter or animal control, as I watched the dog go from person to person to person, looking for I don't know what.

I lost sight of her while we reported her on the phone to animal authorities.  Then, as we pulled out of the parking lot, we saw her dodging across the road and pulled over to try to get her to come to us again.  Another car with two men tried the same, but she was clearly spooked.  Tail between her legs, she ran away, cutting through a gas station.  I followed on foot, calling to her, but she wouldn't turn.  She poked her head toward several stores and someone yelled at her because she bolted away toward the street again.

Desperately afraid that she'd get hit, I cajoled and called, but no use.  The guys approached, but that made her more skittish and suddenly she ran into the street, dodging cars.  Horns blared, tires screeched.  I screamed, sure that any minute I would see her get creamed.

Luckily she made it safely across and ran down the sidewalk.  I got back into Vicky's car and we manuevered through traffic, hoping to catch up to her but by the time we got to that road, we'd lost sight of her.  We slowly drove the street, looking down side streets as we progressed, but no luck.  About ready to give up, I said, "Vicky, we just have to believe that God will look out for her."

A couple of minutes later after we'd turned around to head to Vicky's, Vicky suddenly whipped her car into a left turn down a side street.  I looked and there, way far down, we spotted the dog!  We slowly drove up and I carefully got out of the car and called to her in my best, happy puppy, voice.  "Here, baby.  Come, Angel.  It's okay."  Thankfully, she trotted right over and licked my hand again.  While Vicky called animal control, I fashioned a makeshift collar out of the leather shoulder strap of my hand bag.

"Mar, they say they don't go out and look for a stray until one to three days," Vicky called from the car.  "We can take her to the shelter ourselves but it's closed until tomorrow." 

Vicky decided we could keep the dog in her uncle's vacant house near her own home.  (Not knowing if Angel was up to date on her shots, we didn't want to bring her into contact with Vicky's own dog.)  With a plan in place, we coaxed the dog into Vicky's car.  She sniffed around, settled in between two seats, licked my hand again, and let out a big sigh as she lay down.

Miami-Dade County does not permit people to own pit bulls or a pit mix.  Suddenly, Vicky remembered something horrible.  "Mar, I think they automatically put pits down in the county."

We were heartsick.  Pits are not born vicious.  They are turned that way by people who use them in illegal dog fights.  There was not way that this dog was mean or dangerous.  All anybody had to do was look into her eyes and they'd know.  There was no way that this dog deserved to die simply because of her breed.

Back at Vicky's, we searched for an alternative.  I called friends, hoping they might know of a rescue organization or anything.  Vicky jumped online and got information on the animal organizations in the next county.  Finally, success.  "Mar, they'll take her in Broward and they're open until 7 tonight!"

We had 55 minutes to make the 40-45 minute drive.  Loading Angel into my car, she and I took off up the highway.  Traffic was bad, but we made it with minutes to spare.  The Humane Society of Broward is huge, but they were waiting for us.  Two staff members immediately helped, greeting Angel with warm pats, soft voices and smiles.  I knew as soon as I got there that they'd take good care of her.  They would, they assured me.  She has to be held for seven days in case someone reports her missing.  They'll assess her behavior for any problems, and check her out physically.  If nobody claims her and she has no problems, they'll do her best to get her adopted.

I don't talk a lot about religion or God, but I have faith and a belief that a Higher Power exists. I think God had a big hand in Angel's story.  Why else did we happen to be in the parking lot at that particular time?  What caused Vicky to glance down that particular side street just when the dog was visible?  What led her to come to me that last time when I called?  How come we had just enough time to make it to the only shelter that was still open that day?  That's too much luck and coincidence for me.

I have faith that we had help in Angel's rescue.  I have faith that she'll be okay and I firmly believe that someone who can give her a good home will see her, fall in love with her, and adopt her before too long.  I feel like the whole experience was one huge lesson and a reminder in the power of faith.

If any of you live in Broward County and would like to welcome a sweet, gentle, black pit bull into your family, please contact the Humane Society.  Here's their website: www.humanebroward.com.

You did a good thing Mary, a very good thing. It warms my heart when people look out for abandoned animals. If we lived in Florida, I would totally make Kristian adopt Angel with me!

HUGS to you and Vicky! And I agree with you, someone out there was definitely looking out for that dog.