Huckleberry American Bulldog & Pointer Mix Cincinnati, OH

Feb. 7, 2021. We have seen some rough cases in 30+ years of rescue. But still we cry tears of gratitude when we are able to save a dog like Huckleberry.

He was found on the side of the road, a mere skeleton with ribs and backbone clearly visible through his scabby skin. There was also something obviously wrong with his vision and he would bump into things. Tho well-intentioned, the family that picked him up realized they had neither the schedule nor the finances to provide the care he needed, so they took him to their local county shelter. But his stay there was short. We didn't know what to expect or how much life this boy had in him. We just knew we had to give him a safe, warm place to sleep, treat whatever ailed him, and shower him with mad-love from our volunteers.

Despite his emaciated condition, almost complete blindness, and a diagnosis of Lyme Disease, it turns out that Huck's spirit and trusting nature have survived intact. Around six years young, he is an utterly joyful and loving dog, with a tail that has not stopped wagging since we first met him! With regular meals he has filled out, well on his way to his ideal weight of around 80 pounds. His lack of vision (the result of Progressive Retinal Atrophy, an inherited disease) doesn't hold him back one bit from exploring every inch of our play yard, or getting around in his room, or enthusiastically greeting any human who stops to say hi. He adores car rides and will gaze out the window. We think he sees shapes and shadows passing by. Huck is a good, confident walker, and is totally game for exercise and exploration. While out and about, he gets super happy at the sound of human voices or senses the presence of another dog ... he wants to make friends! We think this guy may have the makings of a therapy dog ... he just loves people so, so much.

With such a sweet and happy demeanor, an amazing resilience, and a gratitude for life that is palpable, Huck is not just worthy of adoption--he is an absolute TROPHY of a dog! He brightens the day of every volunteer who touches him. We cannot wait to meet the very special family destined to be his. If you think it might be you, please visit STAF.org for more information on our adoption process.

• All of our animals are spayed/neutered and current on shots.
• We do not do same-day adoptions. You will be asked to return for at least one follow-up visit, then take the dog home for a trial period before officially adopting.
• You must be 21 years or older to adopt from STAF.
• We require a 4-foot-tall physical fence for homes with children under the age of 11. We also may require a physical fence for specific dogs on a case-by-case basis, depending on each dog’s behavior and exercise needs.
• Due in part to increasing coyote activity/incidents in the area and the difficulty of predicting how a dog will respond to invisible fence training, we can not adopt to homes with invisible fences.
• We do request vet and personal references.
• We can facilitate adoptions within a 75-mile radius of our Cincinnati-based shelter.