It’s pretty clear that Hidden Meadows is a community that loves animals. When pets go missing or strays are observed in the area, residents are quick to post notices and expressions of support on NextDoor and other social media sites.
Postings on NextDoor went wild last month when a red Pit Bull was spotted wandering around in the eastern side of the Meadows. Numerous people expressed concern that the exhausted stray female appeared to either be pregnant or to have recently had babies. They worried that she might be attacked by coyotes or would feel threatened if protecting pups.
Mary Bell, a recent transplant to the Meadows, is one of the people who responded to the call to help. A volunteer with a non-profit animal rescue group called Dream Team Angels Rescue, Mary jumped in the car and drove to a location where the dog had last been spotted. She saw the dog but it quickly ran away. When she returned to the area later that evening, she was stunned by the growing number of residents who had joined the search. Ranging in age from young children to women in their 80’s, concerned citizens were out looking on foot and on motorcycles, in cars and in golf carts…one was even searching on horseback.
Mary, who has four rescue dogs including a Pit Bull of her own, said the scene brought tears to her eyes. “Many people are afraid of Pits, because the mass media have unfairly portrayed them as dangerous animals. The people here in Hidden Meadows, however, didn’t view this poor girl as a menace; they simply saw her as scared and hungry and in need of help.”
After the group effort to locate the dog failed, Mary sought assistance from Laura Bidinger, an expert trapper. Homeowners throughout the neighborhood volunteered their properties as sites for traps, which were baited with rotisserie chicken and kibble. Unfortunately, a check of the traps the next morning turned up no dog.
Sightings continued to be posted on NextDoor though, and Laura came back that evening prepared to try a different approach. Armed with a stack of hamburgers and her own Pomeranian puppy, she sat down on the ground in an area where the dog had last been seen. As Laura started feeding bits of burger to her pup, the Pit Bull appeared in the bushes. Apparently, hunger overrode the elusive stray’s fear, and she slowly came closer and closer. She finally began nibbling on the hamburger in Laura’s hand and Laura was able to catch her.
The Bell family took the dog into their home to care for her until her situation could be properly assessed. She had no tags, so Mary decided to call her “Meadow” in honor of the community that had rallied behind her. Within an hour, Meadow the stray Pit Bull was kissing Mary and her husband, playing with toys, and rolling on her back for belly rubs. “She’s an absolute sweetheart,” said Mary, “and she got along just great with our dogs.”
After checking Meadow for a microchip, making calls to every Humane Society in San Diego County and posting on several lost pet boards, Mary came to the sad conclusion that Meadow may simply have been dumped. She took Meadow to a vet who determined that she was not pregnant nor had given birth recently. “I guess she just looked that way to us because she’s such a chunky monkey,” laughed Mary. While at the vet, she had Meadow vaccinated and arranged to have her to spayed.
Several Hidden Meadow residents sent in donations to cover Meadow’s medical expenses. One family offered to foster her while Mary and her husband had to be out of town for a several days. “This community has really restored my faith in humanity,” shared Mary.
Mary and the Dream Team Angels are now working to find Meadow a forever home. She’s being fostered by a volunteer up in Washington, and the rescue organization is reviewing several applicants who have offered to adopt her. “Her previous owner may have seen her as disposable, but I know she’s going to have a great new life with a family that will love and cherish her,” said Mary with certainty. “Once they get to know them, people realize that Pit Bulls are a truly wonderful breed.”
If you have been touched by Meadow’s story and would be interested in fostering or adopting an animal, please contact Dream Team Angels Rescue. They are are committed to saving the lives of shelter and stray dogs of all breeds and ages. They can be reached through their website: DreamTeamAngelsRescue.com.