Pitbulls can be seen as big, scary dogs, often referred to as “bully” breeds, which people tend to fear or shy away from. But bully and scary are not words you can associate with Haddonfield’s hometown pet therapy dog, Aladdin.
Instead, Aladdin is the exact opposite. He is little, kind, sweet and loving, and enjoys interacting with people and canines alike. Instead of “bullying,” he likes to give back to the community, as he is an educator and ambassador for many organizations.
For all Aladdin has done, he has been honored as one of 50 dogs in the United States and Canada to be nominated for the ASPCA Hero Dog Awards for service to others and the community in the Therapy Dog category. The winner
is determined by votes. The voting for Hero Dog awards runs until May 15, and you can vote every day to help him win $2,500 for The Good Dog Foundation, whose mission is to elevate the stature and promote society’s understanding of the therapeutic value of the human-animal bond, and $5,000 for Lilo’s Promise Animal Rescue, a group of dedicated volunteers who provide love, veterinary care, obedience training, socialization and safe housing for homeless dogs.
“It is such an honor to be chosen as one of the dogs for the Hero Dog Awards. He’s truly wonderful and so gentle. It would be an amazing honor to win,” said Michele Schaffer, his rescuer and owner.
Aladdin’s journey began when he was found severely emaciated with his back legs broken, tail broken, various wounds and 12 missing teeth in April 2013. Because of his condition, Aladdin would’ve been euthanized. However, Schaffer heard about him and came to his rescue. Through Lilo’s Promise Animal Rescue and Schaffer, Aladdin was brought back to full health.
Throughout his healing process, he had met so many people, and despite how badly he had been abused, he loved everyone. Schaffer felt he was a perfect fit to become a therapy dog, and within just about a year, he was a certified therapy dog with Therapy Dogs, Inc.
“Seeing the way people react with him, it makes such a difference. He’s just so good and gentle, never jumping up. He has yet to not win anyone over,” Schaffer said.
Today, Aladdin is a model for the nationwide animal abuse campaign called “Show Your Soft Side” with Philadelphia Eagles long snapper Jon Dorenbos. He is also part of a pilot program in Philadelphia with Temple University to help bring therapy dogs in the classroom as part of the regular curriculum for children with special needs. He is a Ronald McDonald House ambassador dog and visits the kids there several times a month.
Another significant honor Aladdin will be bestowed soon is Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter’s Pawject Runway Dog of the Year. The event, which was supposed to be May 11, but is postponed to a later date, will have Aladdin as a VIP guest for his award. All proceeds of that event go to Frankie’s Fund, which helps to pay for medical costs for the BARCS.
Aladdin spends most of his days visiting area schools and educating children about animal abuse and bullying. As a pitbull, he is often judged by his appearance. He helps to teach the kids not to judge someone by the way they look, to get to know people and that everyone is different.
“We go into schools and teach children not to hurt an animal, but to be kind. We teach them the proper way to introduce themselves and how to treat animals, and then we’ll answer questions. We really focus on bullying and not to judge a book by its cover as well, for both dogs and people,” Schaffer said.
Aladdin’s resume for therapy and helping others is long, which, along with his loving personality, is probably why he was one of 50 dogs chosen in the Therapy Dog category.
To vote for Aladdin, go to www.herodogawards.org/hda2015vote-aladdin. Voting is open until May 15 and he can be voted for once a day through that date.
“He’s been through so much and is so great to everyone. No matter what, he doesn’t hold a grudge. It would be a great honor for him to be chosen as one of the ASPCA’s Hero Dog winners,” Schaffer said.
For those who wish to help out other dogs like Aladdin, they can donate to Lilo’s Promise Animal Rescue, which helps to pay for animals’ medical cost. Their website is www.lilospromise.com.
