VICKTORY DOGS: JHUMPA JONES
JH U M PA J O N E S
the little engine that could! By Kathleen Pierce (Jhumpa Jones mom)
Each morning, with a big yawn, a tail wag and a grand stretch, Jhumpa Jones begins her day. She greets her much smaller Jack Russell/Chihuahua brothers, BatMan and Phinney, with a play bow and spin, and her elder pit bull brother, Piggly Wiggly, with a lick and a smile. It is difficult to believe that for the first few years of her life, the notorious Bad Newz Kennels was Jhumpa's home. The story made national headlines in 2007, when more than 50 pit bulls were rescued from a property owned by NFL quarterback Michael Vick. All the dogs living there endured neglect and violence - and worse - as
86 Fall 2014 | American Dog Media
victims of a dog fighting operation. Upon their rescue, they were undernourished, under socialized, and physically and emotionally scarred. The shy, brown, tent-eared dog we now know as Jhumpa Jones, was one of those dogs. At the time, it was unprecedented to give such dogs a chance, but the brave efforts and tireless work of organizations like BADRAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls), Best Friends and ASPCA, ensured that each dog was given the opportunity to be evaluated as an individual. Jhumpa showed the evaluators, as did the other dogs, that in spite of the
circumstances preceding them, she was ready for an opportunity for life - as a dog. The collaborative efforts of rescue organizations in Virginia and New York brought Jhumpa to Upstate New York. A few months after she arrived, we were contacted about fostering her. While we weren't necessarily looking to add another dog to our pack, we were already active in our community with two pit bull therapy dogs and the fit seemed right. So without hesitation, we welcomed her into our family. Shyness defined her. The new landscape was overwhelming, and even the most