Jazz`s Story by Lori Fusaro

The first time I saw him he was pressed up against the back of a cage. He looked tiny in that cage. It wasn`t a very big cage, and he`s a big boy...but somehow he just looked so...small. And sad. I didn`t really know what to expect, but it wasn`t that. I knew he was a Hurricane Katrina Survivor. I also knew they thought he was a baiting dog.

The first thing I read about him was on the Karma Rescue website:

`Although Jazz`s photo may not be the easiest to look at, when you meet him in person you see beyond the scars. Jazz came from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. By the looks of his face and his condition, we assume Jazz was used for a baiting dog. A Baiting Dog is a dog that is used in dog fighting to get the dogs excited before the match begins. Most baiting dogs are very sweet in temperament, which Jazz is. He came to Karma Rescue carrying Heart Worm but is being treated by VCA Animal Hospital who has donated their services to these animals from Katrina. He also has swollen limbs that are getting better so therefore he can walk better. I have never come across a dog like Jazz before that has such an amazing disposition with people. He loves everyone. After his month of cage rest he will be off to our trainers for rehabilitation. There he will learn socialization skills and how to be a dog, a real companion animal. Jazz will be up for adoption on January 1st, 2006, but we are looking for a foster home for him now. He deserves the best after what he had to endure in life so far.`

I`m not sure why I decided to walk him. I had only heard the terrible things about bully breeds, especially the Pit Bull. I was apprehensive to say the least. Would he try and bite me? Would he be aggressive with the other dogs we met on our walk? Could I handle him? I wasn`t sure, but I was already at the vet`s office and couldn`t turn back now.

` I`m here to walk Jazz`.

The receptionist looked up, `Do you know how to get up there?`

`No` I replied.

She led me to the back doorway and through a long hospital like hall. It wasn`t pretty. It was dark and scary. There were a million doctors walking around. The elevator was small. She hit the 3rd floor button.

The third floor was where surgeries were performed. It smelled like medicine. And urine. It was also where they housed the injured, the quarantined and Jazz. The last thing the receptionist said to me was, `Make sure you wash your hands after you touch him.` That comment scared me. He`s contagious? What does he have? Can I catch it? Can I give it to my cats? I almost turned around and went home. But something made me stay.

He looked so lost and forlorn. A small black ball, curled up tight. All alone in his little corner of the world. Except the other two dogs in the kennel next to his. They barked non-stop. Poor guy, how could he stand it?

I peeked in, `Hi Jazz. Ya wanna go for a walk?` I was scared to open the cage. Surely he`s friendly? I don`t think Rande or the doctor would let me take him out alone if he wasn`t. I open the latch….

All of a sudden he sprang to life. Fifty pounds of solid muscle, covered in scars and angry red skin. Bald patches made him look like a cancer patient. He smiled and jumped up on me, licked my face, tail wagging furiously. My first thought was, `Shit. Now I have to remember to wash my face AND my hands` I put on his collar and leash. We were off. Or so I thought.

Ever few feet, Jazz stopped to scratch. Or bite. Or shake. It took ten minutes to get to the elevator. By the end of the ride down, I was itchy all over.

Our walk was uneventful. I didn`t want to touch him or love him. I did try, but it was unconvincing. A timid pat on his head. I`m sure I hurt his feelings terribly. I took him on a 45-minute walk. He loved it. Even though his feet were swollen and he had a bad limp. I`m not even sure which foot hurt him most…I think they all did. But he was just so excited to be outside. I think he`d have walked for miles if he could...no matter how much it hurt.

After our walk, I took him back to the kennel. Such a good boy, he just walked right in without a fuss and lay down. He gave me a look with those puppy dog eyes and my heart shattered into a thousand pieces. Then I went and washed my hands and face. On my way home, I made a call to my vet, Dr. Gebroe. I asked him if a dog could give a cat any disease. He said only a few. One was rabies. One was mange. And I can`t remember the other. I described what Jazz looked like. To my horror, Dr. Gebroe said, `That sounds like mange.`

`Shit.`

I got home and immediately put all my clothes in the wash and jumped in the shower. Then I settled down with the cats for some TV watching.

It was a month before I went back to see Jazz. In that month only one person walked him. Twice. Two times outside of his cage. When I heard that my throat closed up and I felt horrible. Not only is he sick, and in a strange state and been through who knows what, but he`s alone and no one wants to get close to him because he`s ugly and mangy and sick.

This time I knew where to go. No one stopped me or asked who I was. I just went straight up to the third floor. The sign on the door said, `Keep Door Closed`. I slowly opened it. The two dogs were no longer next to him. He was all alone in that room. What I saw broke my heart. No. More than that…it shattered it. Every fiber in my body ached with a sadness I didn`t think was possible. There he was…Jazz. The same tiny ball in the corner of a cage. This time he barely looked up. He met my stare, only to put his head back down, as if to say, `She can`t possibly be here for me. No one ever comes in here. She must be lost.` He closed his eyes again. My eyes welled up with tears. In fact, as I write this, the tears are streaming down my face again. I can still picture that sweet face. The hopeless boy that everyone forgot curled up in a tight ball. All. Alone.

Through my tears I called his name. `Jazz, it`s me. I walked you before. Come on, we`re going outside.`

He got up, not really believing it. But once I opened the gate, the happiness invaded his body and he was all kisses and love. I struggled to put his leash on. I hugged him. He was no longer contagious and I was going to make up for lost time. I smothered him in kisses. And tears.

The walk to the elevator was really fast this time. He was rushing to get outside…I was rushing so no one would see me crying.

I cried for the first 15 minutes of our walk. I cried and I talked to Jazz. I told him I wasn`t going to let him sit in that kennel all day long with no visits. I promised him I would be there every day. No matter what. No. Matter. What. I told him I was going to find him the best home ever. I told him he would never hurt again. I cried and promised. Snot running out of my nose and into my mouth. (Gross.) I didn`t care. I cried as I picked up his stinky poop. (Really Gross.) Several people crossed to the other side of the street. I don`t know which was scarier to them…A Pit Bull or the hysterical woman talking to herself as she walked him. I walked that boy for an hour and twenty minutes. We loved every minute.

When it was over, he went to his corner and curled up. It was just so…sad. I couldn`t stand it. I got in the cage with him. The door closed behind me. His loneliness washed over me. His sadness. But also his strength. No hurricane was going to break his spirit. No cage. No isolation. Nothing. I got down right next to him and looked into his eyes.

`Jazz`, I whispered. ` I love you. I`ll see you tomorrow.`

He wagged his tail. And went to sleep.

Fast forward several months. Jazz is doing great, but still in a kennel, wanting to find his forever home. He is completely healed of all his skin ailments and so happy. He is living a boarding facility with a lot of other dogs. It`s not the best situation, but it could be much worse. One of the girls who volunteers with Karma works there, so he gets lots of special attention. I still take him out weekly, but his situation gets me more and more depressed. I just don`t under why no one has adopted him. He gets a ton of interest, but nothing ever pans out for one reason or another. I just keep thinking that his perfect home is still out there. That has to be the reason he hasn`t gotten a home yet. …Guess what? It`s true….Jazz`s perfect home IS out there and today, I found it. The only problem that could mess things up is the woman who wants to take him has 4 other dogs. Not a big deal, because she has a big house and a great yard. Jazz gets along with other dogs, so that isn`t an issue. But one of the dogs could be a potential problem, so they all need to go to Brandon`s boot camp together. That way, he can introduce them the right way, see if there are any problems and work them out before sending them off into the wild blue yonder to live happily ever after. The last thing I want is a repeat of the last foster Jazz had. Jazz could probably handle it, but I couldn`t. And so my new mission begins. I am going to raise the $2000 for Jazz and his potential doggy siblings to go to boot camp. It`s a lot of money, but not impossible. Sure I could just keep boarding him, hoping for another family with the perfect scenario to come along….But this poor boy has been in a kennel (translate that to cage..) since September. That`s eight very long months. And I don`t want Jazz to miss out on this wonderful home, with a woman who will spoil him rotten and an extended doggy pack family. Jazz does love being around other dogs, so this is the perfect situation for him. And so I chose to accept this mission….I found Jazz his home…now I just have to take care of two thousand minor details.

Jazz thanks you and so do I. His saga is almost over. I`m so excited to tell him the news.