It was a late night in May when a pit bull named Princess got hit by a car. Her dad, a man named Curtis, had limited means to help his beloved pup.
Newly homeless, Curtis knew a trip to the emergency vet clinic would be out of the question. But he also
couldn’t let his best friend suffer without trying to get her the care she needed.
At 4 in the morning, he and Princess camped outside the doorstep of Angels of Assisi, a nonprofit animal shelter in Roanoke, Virginia, that also offers accessible veterinary care for those in need. Curtis wrapped a blanket around his pup and lay beside her on the concrete until the clinic opened its doors a few hours later.
Curtis didn’t realize that Angels of Assisi’s security camera was capturing footage of them waiting.
“Folks will go to great lengths to help their animals,” Lisa O’Neill, the executive director of Angels of Assisi, told The Dodo.
But, for Princess’ dad, it was the least he could do to support his companion.
“I felt that was my duty,” Curtis told The Dodo. “Ain’t no ifs, ands or buts. I found it necessary to console my dog at that time. Princess means a whole lot to me. We’re inseparable family.”
Once the vet staff arrived, they took Princess in immediately. At the time, she could hardly walk. One of her front legs was dislocated, and her teeth were banged up. The team was able to pop the injured leg back into place without surgery. Currently, she’s still healing from nerve damage in her back legs.
“We’re not charging Princess’ dad a dime for any of the care,” O’Neill said. “We’re here to help people.” The facility began as a free spay/neuter clinic but has since evolved into a full-service vet clinic because the staff saw an urgent need in the community for accessible veterinary care.
“You get the best possible care no matter what you can afford,” O’Neill said. “And we believe that animals deserve that. And all families — regardless of income or situation — deserve to have the love of an animal.”
While Princess is on the mend, Curtis visits her regularly, bringing her food and playing with her outside.
“She lights up when she sees her dad,” O’Neill said. “I think that he clearly does everything in his power to take care of her. It’s just the love between a man and his dog.”
Curtis is grateful for the progress Princess has made at Angels of Assisi. “I thank God that she’s still here,” he said of the pup, whom he describes as sweet and playful. “She’s so special to me.”
Princess is getting stronger each day. The pup, who once struggled to walk, is now able to trot, although with a bit of a wobble. And her story is far from over.
“In our hearts, we want her to be reunited with her dad and, hopefully, that’ll be the outcome,” O’Neill said. “However, if it’s not, and she’s not able to keep up with his lifestyle, we’ll stand by her. And we’ll stand by her dad and support whatever decision he makes.”
No matter what’s next for Princess, one thing’s for certain: Her best interests will be kept in mind.
“I’m committed to my dog,” Curtis said. “I love her. It’s a bond that I hold dear.”
