Scott Weiland Adopts Pit Bull from The Bill Foundation

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Animal lovers are singing the praises of Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland, who has given a permanent gig to a rescue dog!

Aptly named after a mythological musician whose tunes enchanted all, a Pit Bull mix dubbed Orpheus has found a forever family with the multi-platinum selling rock icon and his fiancée Jamie Wachtel, thanks to The Bill Foundation.

A touching tale that will be music to the ears of every dog devotee, Annie Hart– The Bill Foundation’s Executive Director– recounts Orpheus’s rescue and recent adoption:

In late November, Eldad (from Hope For Paws) and I both received pleas to rescue an abandoned pit bull mix in Compton. Together, we used a humane trap with a tasty food trail leading to it, to safely rescue the dog. Orpheus was quick to “take the bait” and surrendered to being rescued, without a fight.

Orpheus at the time of his rescue:

Once Orpheus was in our care, Eldad and I noticed he only had one, yet abnormally large, testicle. We took him to our vet for a thorough examination. Even with X-rays, we couldn’t see a second testicle internally. Because the chances he would had a single testicle were quite rare, we scheduled a neuter, along with exploratory surgery for the next day. (If there was a second testicle internally, it could have become cancerous down the road if not removed.)

Orpheus during his time at The Bill Foundation:

We were stunned the next day when the vet called and said that there wasn’t another testicle, however they found ovaries, a uterus and fallopian tubes! Yes, that does indeed mean that Orpheus has a very rare hermaphroditic condition.

His surgeon successfully removed all reproductive organs associated with a spay and neuter.

Orpheus’ biological condition is quite rare, but sadly, the abandoned situation he came from is not. And the negative stigma attached to the Bully breed leads them to be: feared, abandoned and often euthanized.

Orpheus was incredibly gentle, loving and sweet, but lacked any confidence and was incredibly timid. Bill Foundation sent Orpheus to one of our best behaviorists (named Pete) to train, rehabilitate and learn to socialize with people and other dogs. About a week into his training, Orpheus had made so much progress that Pete called me and jokingly asked why Orpheus was there. Even so, we gave Orpheus a little more time to fully complete the program before looking for a forever home for him.

Orpheus only had the chance to attend two adoption events before he met the family he had been waiting for. Jamie Wachtel, a past adopter and great supporter of Bill Foundation came by with her fiancé, Scott Weiland, looking for a new dog to add to their family. It was love at first sight. They instantly fell madly in love with Orpheus and he reciprocated by showing off his snuggly side.

When I took Orpheus to his new home, I had the opportunity to spend a little time getting to know Scott and Jamie. I was thrilled to see how incredibly intuitive and loving they both were with Orpheus, and I could tell that they would be wonderful, down to earth adopters. Without a doubt, they have exactly what Orpheus needs to live a happy, well-balanced life.

I knew it was a magical match, but walking out I was so grateful that a rock star like Weiland could see past the illusion and negative stigma regarding Bully breads, and recognize the pure joy they have to offer. Perhaps artists are just a step ahead of the acceptance game sometimes. I do hope that this is a sign of good things to come and that many people will follow Scott’s example as surely they follow Stone Temple Pilot’s music.

A Los Angeles-based non-profit organization, The Bill Foundation– which provides comfort and care for 30 – 60 canines at any given time– has rescued more than 2,000 dogs from area shelters since its founding in 2000.

For more information:

• visit www.billfoundation.org

Photo Credit: The Bill Foundation