Just because a Pit Bull dog can’t be adopted doesn’t mean he has to live life in a kennel. Shorty Rossi, the star of Animal Planet’s Pit Boss, runs a Pit Bull rescue called Shorty’s Rescue in the United States and Mexico that brings awareness to issues that bully breeds face. He’s created an innovative solution for Pit Bull/bully-type dogs, who often have the hardest time finding homes.
Why are there so many Pit Bulls in shelters
Dogs who are typically hard to adopt include seniors with some disability, mental illness or aggression issues. Shorty noticed an overwhelming number of Pit Bulls at his rescue who were not being adopted due to these issues.
To help, he created Shorty’s Trailer Park, an animal sanctuary for these special-needs dogs where they can live out the rest of their lives in style!
The trailer park is located in La Misión, Mexico, where each dog has his or his own 1970s style-themed camper, completely furnished like a home with a bed, solar power, Wi-Fi, a TV and even an Alexa to listen to his favorite tunes. Each trailer has a unique and fun theme like flamingos, dolphins or glamping. Each doggie resident also has an individually fenced-in, shaded yard and full-time staff who take care of all needs. This dog trailer-park resort has an outdoor kitchen to prepare meals, a medical clinic in case they dogs are ill and a doggie playground so they can get exercise every day.
A Pitt Bull rescue success story
The very first resident, Achilles, came to the sanctuary due to aggression issues as well as being a senior with medical issues. He immediately moved into the first, which is bright pink with a flamingo theme and a kiddy pool for the hot days. After a few weeks, the staff saw a positive change in Achilles’s personality; he seemed more relaxed and had no signs of aggression. He also made friends with some of the dogs that came to the Pit Bull rescue after him.
The Pit Bull sanctuary isn’t just for dogs, either. It also has a bird area where volunteers and staff care for abandoned chickens, ducks and pigeons.
Helping rescue dogs with special needs
According to Shorty, “We started Shorty’s Trailer Park Sanctuary when we noticed we were receiving in a lot of rescue dogs that no one wanted due to medical, age and disability issues. We really needed a separate place from our rescue to house these dogs, and we didn’t want to just set up rows of kennels. We were determined to make a place for them where they could live a life as close to what they would have received if adopted. As a result, the idea of a trailer park was born.”
How to support Pit Bull rescue at Shorty’s trailer park
The Pit Bull sanctuary also welcomes supporters to get involved with the animals by sponsoring one of the dogs, which includes video calls with your “adopted” pup or visiting and volunteering on special projects in Mexico. They also have an “adopt” a trailer program where people can sponsor certain trailers and even help decide the theme of “their” trailer when new trailers are brought in and set up.
What is next for Shorty’s Trailer Park Sanctuary? According to Shorty, “The demand is so great for a sanctuary for these animals that we already have more requests than trailers. We are already planning to purchase the lot beside us to double in size. We also want to have a place for cats too, so we will be setting up some trailers just for them, away from the dogs of course.”
This innovative and creative sanctuary truly creates a comfortable and spacious forever home for these special dogs!
To learn more: www.shortysrescue.org
