An ‘Angel’ of a pit bull saves lives of tabby kittens

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Here’s a story for all the defenders of the pit bull:

A 2-year-old female boxer/pit bull mix named Angel, which had been turned over to the Nevada Humane Society’s shelter in Reno, is credited with rescuing six abandoned kittens Monday, according to Diane Blankenburg, a shelter spokeswoman.

While Angel was on a walk with a pair of volunteers, Frank Gomez and 9-year-old stepson Joel Fontes (pictured below with Angel), the dog became obsessed with something in the bushes.

With temperatures in the 90s on Monday, the two volunteers tried to initially coax the dog away from the bush.

But when Angel refused to move on, Gomez investigated and discovered a box full of 3-week-old orange tabby kittens that were frightened and hungry.

One of the abandoned kittens escaped before shelter staff was summoned to the scene, but Angel tracked it down and Gomez handed it over to safety.

Angel is up for adoption but the kittens won’t be available for about four to five weeks, Blankenburg said.

Pit bulls are chronically challenging to adopt out because of their reputation as aggressive, violent dogs, so Blankenburg said she hoped Angel’s story might help remove the stigma often associated with the breed.

‘Angel is a sweet, playful dog who can now add hero to her repertoire,’ Blankenburg said. ‘Angel, herself a rescued dog, has paid back six-fold by rescuing these six little abandoned kittens.’

--Francisco Vara-Orta