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 We chose Maya for this award not only because she saved (Angela Marcelino) her human mommy's life from an attacker, but because the organization behind National Dog Day, the Animal Miracle Foundation, loves and supports ALL dog breeds. We don't believe in breed bans and Maya is a testament to the fact that the Pit Bull breed can be hero dogs just like any other breed. "All dogs are capable of biting and
even attacking, but it's my firm belief that humans are to blame
behind the dogs who get a bad rap. Sadly, so many dogs suffer a
tragic fate simply because of their breed. Not only is Maya our
Hero Dog of 2008, she is what we're calling our AmbassaBULL to all
bull breeds. I was very excited to have a reason to show the world
the good side of Pit Bulls" said Colleen Paige, animal
behaviorist, author and founder of National Dog Day. |
Instead of writing a
standard 3rd party editorial, we felt that this story is best told by
the woman
who not only loves this dog - but who is alive today because of her.
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It was Fathers Day 2007. I opened my front door
and was about to walk inside when I saw someone’s shadow out of
the corner of my eye. I turned my head just as a man pushed me
into my house. I screamed as loud as I could, but the man had
slammed the door shut behind him. “Shut up” were the only words
he said to me. He was choking me with one hand. I was able to
scream one last time. After I did, his grip tightened around my
neck. That is when I saw a white streak run in from the other
room. His grip was so tight that I could only gurgle the words
“Maya, get him.” He still had a grip on my throat, as his other
hand was busy trying to fight off my angry dog. I don’t know
how, but I managed to get on my feet.
His attention
turned away from Maya for a second so that he could push my
front door open and she followed. At that point I grabbed him in
the groin as hard as I could. He doubled over and released the
grip around my neck. I pushed him away and grabbed Maya by the
collar. I like to think, at that moment, he told himself he had
picked the wrong woman to mess with. He looked at me one last
time, only for a second, and then simply walked away. I waited
and followed him from a distance just in case he decided he
wasn’t done yet. He was getting into a car. I repeated the
license plate number over and over in my head and ran back
inside to call 911.
The police
arrived after only a couple of minutes. Officers gathered
evidence and asked so many questions. I told them how Maya had
come to my rescue. I also told them that Maya had something red
on her face. They asked me if she was alright or if she was
injured. When I checked her, she looked up at me and had such a
proud look on her face. She was licking her chops and wagging
her tail. If dogs could talk, I think at that moment she would
have said “he sure wasn’t expecting to see me, was he?” Maya was
fine. Now the officers were trying to determine the best way to
swab the head of an angry pit bull. After a couple of tries, and
lots of patience, they were able to retrieve what they needed. I
told myself that he was going to be arrested the same day. He
wasn’t. Everyday following the attack, I worried that he would
be back.
Sometime
later, Detective Kimber asked me to come down to the station. He
had pictures of potential suspects and wanted to know if any of
them looked like my attacker. After writing out a statement
about one of the photos, Detective Kimber said “we processed the
DNA and got a match.” It was same man that I had picked from the
photos. The lab had processed the blood from Maya’s face and got
a match. I could not believe it. It turns out this man had a
record and this was his third strike. He was arrested shortly
after being identified. Anthony Easley, 38 years old, now facing
life in prison if convicted. After the arrest, Maya became the
local hero. I’ve learned that our story has reached across the
country. I wish everyone knew how grateful I am for the support
and the prayers. It makes each day a little easier to deal with.
I cry sometimes when I hug Maya and ask her “ What would I do
without you?” But first, I thank God for bringing Maya
into my life.
"I'm so proud and grateful that Maya has been honored with the National Dog Day Hero Dog Award for 2008 and feel truly blessed to have her as part of the family. We cant imagine life without her." ~Angela Marcelino Please email us for all inquiries regarding this story.
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Below is a photo of Maya's reaction to her award.....
And what did her Mommy give her for her bravery?
Read About Moti - 2007 Hero Dog of the Year
Read about Honey - 2006 Hero Dog of the Year