Vicktory Dogs And Ann Allums

December 21, 2009

“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another. -Helen Keller

I had the privilege to meet with dog trainer Ann Allums during my recent visit to Best Friends. Ann, along with other Best Friends trainers, works on a consistent basis with 22 dogs who came to Best Friends in 2007 from professional football player Michael Vick’s dog fighting operation. I won’t waste time or muddy these pages with more talk about Vick, but instead choose to write about some of the dogs taken into the care of Best Friends. They are the Vicktory Dogs.

Upon their arrival, the Vicktory Dogs became a team effort and each were assessed on an individual basis. Being that most of the dogs were young, not much older than 2 years, they probably never fought, but they definitely showed signs of abuse and probably witnessed some horrific things. Most were very unhealthy, didn’t know what to do with toys and even cars were seen as scary places. No need to spell the word “walk” as none of them had any idea what a walk was. The trainers worked on getting to know each dog individually, while creating an atmosphere that included taking them on outings and walks and establishing routines. They worked hard at gaining trust from these dogs that had suffered so much at the hands of their abusers. Dogs who had never been given any reason to trust a human.

During my visit with Ann, I had the opportunity to meet a few of the Vicktory Dogs. Hanging out in the laundry room was Squeaker and in the office next door, Curly and Mya. Across the hall was Shadow, a beautiful dog who came out of his crate when called and then returned to where he felt safe. Ann explained they are shy when meeting new faces and this socializing helps them as they make progress with each day. With the exception of Shadow, I was amazed at how small these dogs were. Their size and shyness a far cry from the pictures that are unjustly painted by the media at times. We went to the outdoor runs where I met Ellen and Georgia, a celebrity in her own right, as she often makes public appearances with John Garcia. Our final stop was with Ray. Sweet Ray touched my heart when I saw his video on the internet. He just passed his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certificate and as many of the other dogs is available for adoption. We spent a while in front of his kennel as he rubbed against its side, yearning to be touched. I had to resist my urge to pet him as the public is not allowed to interact with the Vicktory dogs due to a local county ordinance, though exceptions are made for qualified adopters. He stole my heart and I would take him home with me in a second, but he needs to be an only dog.

Click here to see a video of Ray

As my time with Ann came to an end, she told me that six of the Vicktory Dogs have been adopted to people throughout the United States. The dogs that remain continue to make progress with the help of some very special people. They’re no longer afraid of cars!

Just as Helen Keller said we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, I know that miracles happen at Best Friends. By the way, it’s been said that Helen Keller had a pit bull. 🙂