ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — A local dog is a candidate in America's Favorite Pet, a contest in partnership with PAWS (Progressive Animal Welfare Society). According to the contest website, one “fascinating canine” and one “amazing feline” will each win $10,000 for being selected as the cover animal of Modern Dog and Modern Cat Magazine. It is said that it will be given.
Running are Jack and his owner Amy. Amy rescued Jack from Out of the Pit in Albany and was a pit bull rescuer. By the time Jack was rescued, he had advanced heartworm disease and was unlikely to be adopted.
Now, with veterinary care and Amy's guidance, Jack is heartworm-free, but he still deals with lifelong secondary health issues as a result. Despite this, Jack is described as a “very talkative man” who loves humans and animals alike. Get to know Jack, a local dog nominated for America's Favorite Pet.
Amy said a “very kind and empathetic young woman” from Mobile, Alabama, recognized Jack as special, but knew he was unlikely to be adopted as he was a hospice dog. , said he rescued Jack.
“She and her community worked together to extract him from a local shelter, find him a temporary foster home, and contact Out of the Pit (OOTP), a pit bull rescue here in Albany. '' said Amy. “OOTP volunteers drove to Alabama to save Jack from an uncertain future. Shortly thereafter, Jack came to me in the fall of 2021. I wasn’t expected to make it, but here I am over two years later!”
Amy said that while Jack does not currently have heartworm disease, he does face lifelong secondary health issues such as heart disease, pulmonary fibrosis, COPD and pulmonary hypertension. Jack also has calcinosis cutis, a chronic skin disease caused by previous long-term steroid use. Since Jack has a skin condition, Amy hopes to become a skin care formular for dogs like Jack.
Despite his medical history, Jack remains positive.
“Jack is the happiest dog I've ever met, despite his physical limitations,” Amy said. “He was recently admitted to Upstate Veterinary Hospital again due to pneumonia. When I went to pick him up to go home, he said a cheerful goodbye to all the staff, as if they had taken great care of me. We just wanted to say thank you. Fortunately, Jack has an amazing veterinary team to whom we will always be grateful. We call him our “little engine.” , and for good reason. He is an inspiration to many people, including me. ”
When I asked Amy what kind of person Jack was, she couldn't describe him in just a few words.
“They're all Jack's best friends,” Amy said. “He loves humans and animals alike. Jack is very friendly and trusting, and he is happy to lie on his back and rub his belly.”
Amy said Jack is affectionately known throughout the neighborhood as “Mayor” and loves being welcomed by “the voters.”
“He is known locally as the town mayor,” Amy said. “Everyone in my neighborhood knows and respects him. He loves being outside and lays out in our yard, and often in the neighbor's yard, watching over everyone lovingly. He knows where everyone lives, and he stops by his favorite homes and waits for his friends to come out and say hello.”
According to Amy, Jack is a special needs dog who was born with a deformed bone in his right front leg. She further explained his bone deformity and how it affects his personality today.
“This caused his legs to grow outward and become unusable. Instead, Jack developed advanced dewclaws and used them like legs. If they like it, they'll pat you with their dewclaws or happily wave at you for your attention and pet.”
Amy went on to say that Jack was very talkative and had a unique cry. Her mailman stops to pet him every day and when he finds her outside, he “whines, barks, and howls” until he gets her attention. When she is greeted, she looks excited and waits for you to approach her and pet her head.
Jack, like many dogs, loves peanut butter. Amy says her favorite toy is Kong, especially the one she keeps in the freezer and stuffs with peanut butter.
“Jack loves Kong and will gladly accept a Kong filled with natural, unsalted peanut butter and placed in the freezer. He will sit patiently, stare into the freezer, dance, and sometimes howl with joy. Oversized stuffed animals too. He loves it and dozes off a lot. Jack is very curious about food and we are hesitant to give him human food, but he prefers blueberries. He’ll wait for you to finish eating your oatmeal and he’ll bring it to you when I’m done.”
If Jack wins, Amy says the prize money will go toward veterinary treatment. Anyone who wants to vote for Jack to win the contest can do so online.
“We can all learn a lot from Jack,” Amy said. “Despite his debilitating illness, he is always happy and enjoys life and all the people in it.”
