MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME!: HECTOR THE PIT BULL

The American Dog reports
Photos courtesy of Roo Yori

Hector has scars all down his chest, front legs, and a few on his back legs. He has a notch out of his tongue and ear, and he is missing his two left canine teeth. These are the physical signs all over his body from his previous life.

Hector was one of the more than 50 Pit Bulls rescued from Michael Vick’s dog fighting operation; then he was selected along with 9 other dogs to be brought back to the San Francisco Bay area’s nonprofit Pit Bull rescue group, BAD RAP. Andrew “Roo” Yori and his wife Clara Yori had seen some of the videos and stories about the Vick dogs online that included Hector, and they decided to contact BAD RAP. Roo says, “I knew their rescue had taken some dogs that were friendly and got along with other dogs from their evaluations, so I sent them an email. I let them know my situation and said that if they had a dog that they thought would be a good fit for our home, then I would take a look and consider adopting one of the Vick dogs into our family.”

When BAD RAP recommended Hector the Pit Bull for the Yori family, Roo flew out to meet Hector. “I had already been doing a lot of positive awareness with our other dog, Wallace the Pit Bull, and I wasn’t really looking to get another dog, but realized this was a unique situation that could shed a lot of light on the issues these Pit Bulls and our families face. I’ve always worked to have my dogs speak for themselves through their actions and accomplishments, so I wanted one of these dogs to have that same opportunity, especially since many people were saying that these Vick dogs didn’t deserve that chance,” Roo says. 

Roo says that after Hector was rescued, then adopted and given a chance at a better life, he began to shine. “Hector has since passed his AKC Canine Good Citizen test multiple times. He passed the ATTS [American Temperament Test Society, Inc.] Temperament Test and can visit hospitals, nursing homes, and libraries as a Certified Therapy Dog. Hector has also done a lot of work in elementary schools teaching children compassion toward animals and how to safely act around dogs. Hector’s therapy work also earned him a humane education award presented through the Brooklyn Law School.” Roo says that his story has been highlighted in both local and national media outlets, including The Early Show on CBS, Fox’s Good Day New York, People Magazine, E! Entertainment News, Entertainment Weekly, and NPR’s Fresh Air.

Hector loves his job as a therapy dog and he even has a nickname, Hector the Inspector.

Roo explains, “His greatest joy is exploring new things. I figured that visiting new places and meeting new people would be something he would really enjoy, and if we could bring some cheer to others that can’t have a dog around all the time, then it would be a great match. Hector likes to visit nursing homes and the hospitals. I think the most memorable session was our very first hospital visit where patients were brought into a room at the same time to meet Hector. I told them Hector’s story, and they asked questions about him. However, the best thing was when they started to share stories about their own dogs. There was common ground that everybody was able to connect through, and I could tell the patients really enjoyed their time with Hector as a result.”

It’s not all work for this Pit Bull since there are a total of 6 dogs in the Yori household, so Hector has plenty of siblings to play with. His favorite snuggle brother is the little Rat Terrier mix named Scooby Snack. Roo says, “When Hector gets excited or I haven’t spent enough time with him, he’ll get the zoomies and run through the house with reckless abandon. We call it Hurricane Hector, and all the other dogs go and hide so they aren’t caught in his path. He usually ricochets off the couch and walls, so under the dining room table and chairs is usually a good spot to lay low until the zoomies pass or mom/dad step in and stop his fun. He loves to explore new things, so when we take him for a walk or run, it’s much more difficult for him to walk nicely on a leash on the way out. However, on the way back, he’s never as bad since he’s already ‘been there, done that.’”

Hector the Pit Bull and his brother, Wallace the Pit Bull, travel quite a bit throughout the country and attend events to help educate people about breed specific legislation (BSL) and to dispel the stereotypes and discrimination against these family dogs.

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