Your Pet's Rescue Story
Baxter came to his forever home as a foster dog. My children had been begging for "a doggie that loved them." Bully Up Rescue found my family the perfect pooch!

Baxter had been abandoned and negiected multiple times in his short life. He'd suffered from severe mange, fatty tumors, rotten teeth, abuse and lack of love.

Once arriving at our home, Baxter instantly bonded with Ben, my 5 year old autistic son. Baxter followed Ben everywhere: The playroom and Bens bed are never without his slobbery face. Our first visit to a dog friendly park, Baxter climbed all the apparatus and even slides down slides after the kids. My favorite was the trampoline. The kids climbed in to jump and Baxter channeled some Jack Russel Terrier and leapt inside and jumped with them until they were done.

I knew we were foster failures when I took this picture: the tub. I ran a bath for Ben. Baxter couldn't stand to be away from Ben for more than 10 seconds. So he jumped up on the backsplash and was drinking water out of Bens cup and playing with Ben. Afterwards, Baxter ended up in the tub, Baxter and Ben are inseparable.

Both of my kids chase, lay on, hug, kiss, sleep with and adore their dog. "He's our family mommy" they both tell me. Traditionally, my kids "camp out" in my room. They get sleeping bags and snuggle on the floor (shamefully mommy gets her bed all to herself.) when Baxter joined our home, he too, insisted upon the fun. He would steal the kids sleeping bags. So I put his bed in between the kids. Then he'd steal their bags to sleep on his bed. So a fellow Rescue mommy gave Baxter his own sleeping bags. Now, every week, everyone in the family, dog and child alike, gets their own sleeping bag. And you can always count on Baxter being in the middle of Ben and Madison. Wherever they go, Baxter herds and protects my babies. He's always there.

Baxter's a bull dog/pit mix. He's the most gentle dog I've ever met. I want 10 more dogs just like him. I couldn't imagine our home without his sweet demeanor.

Baxter's love for my autistic son has done so much for Ben. He's in process of becoming an Emotional Service Animal as well as a Autism Therapy Dog. Ben wants to bring "his dog" everywhere with him. He insists Baxter be a therapy dog so he can go to school with him. "Baxter makes me feel better mommy. I need him with me. I'm lucky to have him."

So here's to my son's best furry friend - Baxter.