Left for Dead, Therapy Dog Now Teaches Kids About Bullying
Are you tired of hearing the name Ashton Kutcher? Do you recoil at the announcement of another Hollywood remake of a mediocre TV series? Do you long for a celebrity of substance, someone who can make a difference in this world? Tugg the bull terrier may be the answer to your fame-fatigue.
According to Dogster, Tugg, who had a sad and rocky start to life, is trying to launch his own part live-action, part animated 15-episode web series. If the project is funded, Tugg’s webisodes will tackle issues like dog rescue, self-esteem and bullying, proper pet care, adoption and shelter conditions. The bull terrier's guardians need to raise $8,000 by February 14 to launch the program. So far, Tugg’s generous fans have raised more than $3,300.
Blake and Kim Ovard work as animal control officers in Fort Worth, Texas. In the summer of 2010, Blake responded to a police dispatch—a badly burned puppy had been wrapped in a blanket and staked down beside a busy six-lane road. Someone had attached a sign to the stake that held the blanket down. The sign read “DOG.”
It turns out that the listless puppy was not burned, but had a severe case of mange and other ailments. His eyes were infected and his body covered with open sores and scabs.
While vets gave a grim prognosis for the pup, the Ovards refused to give up. They saw in Tugg “a spark within that said [he] wanted to live.”
Blake Ovard also trains dogs for Extreme Mutt Makeover and soon began posting daily updates about Tugg’s progress on Facebook. Within a week, Tugg had 100 followers. After a month that figure had risen to 1,000, with fans from South Africa to Europe to Thailand checking in on the brave dog. Tugg’s page became a source of hope and love for people.
“It’s a page of positive energy, happiness, empowerment, turning negatives into positives, and focusing on the can-dos in life,” says Ovard. “There is no obstacle Tugg can’t overcome, and he always tries to see the good in every situation.”
Soon Tugg began raising funds for human and animal causes in the community. He visits schools as a therapy dog, teaching kids about self-esteem and bullying. Tugg’s even started a program called Operation Support a Soldier, which sends care packages to soldiers overseas. From fundraising for fire and police organizations to breast cancer research, Tugg’s accomplishments are too numerous to list here, but are detailed at Dogster:
“We have had more than one person contact us and tell us that Tugg literally saved their lives—that they were contemplating suicide, and because of the positive message on Tugg’s page every day, they gained the will to keep living.”
If you would like to help launch Tugg’s career and bring his message of hope to a larger audience, click here to get to his Kickstarter page. Donations start at $1.
Are you in the film business? To help Tugg by volunteering to work on the series, send an e-mail detailing your experience, availability and what you’d like to contribute to the project to tugg@didyaq.com
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