Even Chance Pit Bull Rescue

Last week we met a special dog that almost no one knows about. His name is Bigfoot. Consider this your unsolicited introduction.

He’s young, dog friendly, people obsessed, great in the car, loves toys, hikes, walks and now swimming. He also happens to be a black pit bull mix in a very crowded shelter, that tends to look overly exuberant behind his kennel door which means he is incredibly easy to pass by without consideration.

He spent this entire summer in a shelter. Let’s not let him spend the next one there too. Please swipe through, meet the Bigfoot we want you to know about, then share the hell out of him. He’s available for adoption at StL County Pet Adoption Center

We want to do everything we can to support the incredible humans at Saint Louis County Pet Adoption Center. In our book, they are heroes. They are constantly on our minds as we watch the animal welfare crisis unfold around us, knowing they are in triage every single day because of it.

They are being asked to do more with less. There are more dogs than homes, more dogs than fosters, more dogs than space. They are human beings working inside an impossible system, making decisions most of us will never have to make.

The dogs need them. We need to make sure we don't lose them.

Last Sunday, we invited their staff and volunteers to Purina Farms for our first-ever Shelter Heroes Splash Day. They brought along some of the shelter’s longest-stay dogs, and we spent the afternoon working together to teach them how to swim, use the ramp and fetch a toy from the water. We ate, laughed, cheered each other on and got some much-needed vitamin D.

Imagine a shelter dog who has spent months without a person of their own getting to experience something completely new. At first they’re unsure. They have to trust the hands telling them they’re safe, even as those hands carry them into the water. They work up the nerve to try the thing and then, suddenly, it clicks. They’re not scared anymore. They’re learning, advancing, being brave, surrounded by the contagious joy of the people cheering on every little win. And then, when it’s all over, they crash on the ride back to the shelter, physically and mentally exhausted in the very best way.

We know a day at the pool doesn’t solve any of the problems they are facing. It’s a Band-Aid on a much bigger problem. But that really wasn’t the goal.

For one afternoon, we wanted to give this team a chance to step away from intake, kennels, medical cases, behavior concerns and hard decisions and just enjoy the dogs they work so hard for. Because we knew giving the dogs a day full of joy might give some of that joy right back to them.

It was really, really good to see them having fun. There was a lot of cheering. And by the end of the afternoon, there were a whole lot of proud dogs and proud humans.

We are still smiling about it.

We have SO many photos, videos and stories from this day that we can’t wait to share. But before we get to all of that, we just want this team to know that we are thinking about them. We appreciate them. And we know how much they are carrying.

These dogs need good people in their corner. We need to make sure those people know we’re in theirs.

A special thank you to Purina Farms and Petfinder.com for supporting this little idea and going above and beyond to help us make it happen. ❤️

We want to do everything we can to support the incredible humans at Saint Louis County Pet Adoption Center. In our book, they are heroes.
They are constantly on our minds as we watch the animal welfare crisis unfold around us and know that they are in triage every single day because of it. They are being asked to do more, with less, while caring for animals who are often scared, stressed, sick, or worse.

We know a day at the pool doesn’t solve any of that. It was a little more than a bandaid on a much bigger problem. But for one afternoon, we got to see these people laugh, smile, cheer each other on and work together as a team while helping some of the shelter’s longest-stay dogs learn to swim.
We are still smiling.

Sometimes when you’re in the middle of a crisis, you don’t get to see the impact of the work you’re doing. You just keep moving on to the next dog, the next intake, the next emergency. Accomplishment, recognition and empathy are so very important and this team isn't getting enough of it. We all say it, "We could never do what they do, we could never step in their shoes..." and that is ok, but please join us in the comments and let them read your support, the dogs will not be ok without the humans that are behind them. We need this team.

This day gave everyone a chance to stop for a minute and see what happens when you give a dog time, patience, encouragement and a little trust. There was a little work up front (for the humans and the dogs) but seeing the proud, happy and ultimately fulfilled faces of the dogs as we ended the day with so many wins was more than worth it. We’re so grateful we got to be a small part of giving this team that moment.

We’re just getting started, we have SO many photos, videos and stories from this special day that we can’t wait to share with you. ❤️ More to come, this week!

A special thank you to Purina Farms and Petfinder.com for supporting this idea and going above and beyond to help us make it happen.

UPDATE ON LEGEND — AND WE’RE ALREADY HALFWAY TO OUR GOAL. ❤️

Thank you SO much for all of your generosity so far. Legend made it through surgery and is currently recovering at VSS.

He’s not out of the woods yet. He’s still not eating and can’t come home until he does, so our bill may climb beyond the $7,500 estimate.

Once home, he’ll also have a tough two weeks ahead — strict crate rest and a cone, which is especially challenging for a higher-drive dog, risk for infection is real, so he needs all of your good vibes!

We’ve buried a gross photo of what was found lodged in Legend’s intestines in the comments. We have no idea where or when he picked this thing up, but apparently Legend had plans for it. Unfortunately, those plans involved a very expensive surgery. Dogs gonna dog. 🤦‍♀️

Please help us get Legend the rest of the way home. Even $5 or $10 helps, and sharing this post helps too.

Donate: evenchance.org/donate
Venmo:

Please help us save Legend.

Legend recently became part of Even Chance Pit Bull Rescue after being rescued from an alleged dog fighting operation. After everything he’s already been through, he’s now fighting for his life again.
Legend was extremely lethargic, wouldn’t eat, and was vomiting and having diarrhea. He’s been at VSS since yesterday, and an ultrasound today found a possible foreign body in his abdomen that wasn’t seen on his previous X-rays. His medical team is concerned it may be sharp.
We’ve been told that without surgery, Legend has no chance of passing this obstruction on his own. Surgery is his only chance. His hospital stay and surgery estimates are around $7,500, which is a huge amount for a rescue, but we can’t give up on him now.
Legend has already survived so much. He deserves the chance to finally have a safe and happy life.
If you can donate, even $5 or $10 helps. If you can’t, please share this post. You never know who might see it and be able to help.
Donate to Even Chance Pit Bull Rescue through this post, evenchance.org/donate or Venmo:
Please keep Legend in your thoughts today. We’re praying this sweet boy makes it through. ❤️

Check out Adoptable Dovie! Email us at [email protected] or apply at https://evenchance.org/adopt/adoption-application/

What is your name? Dovie!

How old are you? I’m probably somewhere between 1 and 2. I’ve still got some of that young pup energy!


What do you look like? I’m beeeee-yooooo–tiii-fulllll! Some people might call me a red nose pit bull, but I’m actually 100% American Bully! I’m red with some white markings. I’m a big girl..about 65 lbs now, but an ideal weight for me is probably in the 65-70 lb range.

What do you like to eat? I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE food! I eat a salmon and sweet potato kibble and I love every treat I’ve ever met. Unfortunately, I also love to eat random things in the yard…like leaves..and sticks…My foster mom has to tell me to knock it off so I don’t get sick…I don’t understand why she isn’t grateful to me for doing her landscaping.

What kind of personality do you have? I’m a total lover. I LOVE people…Sometimes I forget how big I am, so I do need a family that can help give me some boundaries, but I just ADORE humans. I’m goofy, playful, confident, and curious. I’m an adventurous kind of gal-I’m up for pretty much anything!

Describe your perfect day: Oooooh! My perfect day would have me hanging out with my human…We would play outside, and then play inside, and then play outside, and then play inside. And then I’d take a nap before we play outside again.

What is your favorite toy? That’s a tough question because I love so many toys! I have a stuffed cheeseburger toy that I like to walk around with, but it’s starting to fall apart so I may need an upgrade on it. I like to play tug with ropes and I like to chew on moose antlers and goughnuts. I love chasing a ball in the yard and sometimes play “soccer” with it!

Do you know any tricks? I know how to sit, but I haven’t figured out much else yet. Can you teach me?


What scares you? I’m a pretty confident lady so I don’t really get scared by much. Sometimes I don’t love being alone, but I think that’s less because I’m scared and more because I just would rather be with people because I love them so intensely.

Do you like cats? I’m not sure. My foster mom hasn’t seen me meet one. She worries that I might think it was really fun to chase and terrorize a cat…

Do you have any doggie best friends? Since I’m such a confident lady, some dogs do better with me than others. I coexist really well with another female dog in my foster home. I met a male dog in my home, but I was being really bossy and it made him mad. I can definitely live with other dogs, but it needs to be a dog that can tolerate a confident girl like myself.


How is your health? I’m doing well! When I first went to animal control, I was really skinny for my frame..I was only 46 lbs. I’m up to 65 lbs now! When I was in the shelter (before being in my foster home), I had some weird spells that seemed like I was kind of spacing out or having fainting spells. We think that was because of medication I was on at the time because since being in my foster home, I haven’t had a single episode like that again. I’ve dealt with kennel cough, a UTI, and giardia, but I’m doing really well now. I have been spayed and am ready for a family!

How long have you lived in your foster home? I moved into my foster home in June of 2026.

Who do you live with in your foster home and who is your closest companion? I live with my foster mom and three other dogs. However, I never got to meet one of those dogs because my foster mom thought we might not mesh well. Something about that other dog being a “problem child” or something? My foster mom is definitely my best friend in the home!

Where do you hang out when you are home alone? I hang out in a crate when my foster mom isn’t home. She has me in a fancier crate (called a Ruffland) because I may be so strong that I can bust right out of a regular crate.

Where do you sleep?
I sleep in my crate most nights! My foster mom has let me sleep in her bed a few times, but usually that spot is reserved for the “problem child” dog that she won’t let meet me.

What do you love about your foster family?
I love just getting to spend time with them! I love that they took a chance on me and that they’ve helped me grow and heal into the pretty, confident girl that I am now.

What was life like before you were rescued by Even Chance and brought into the welcoming arms of your foster parents?
I was found left behind in a home in May of 2026. I was in really rough shape and they don’t know how long I was alone or why I was left. Some nice people from Animal Control took me to the shelter from there. I was in the shelter for about a month before my foster mom met me and brought me to her home. I’ve been in my foster home since June of 2026.

Even Chance does not operate on a first come, first serve basis. In most cases we have already decided the type of home and owner we want for our dogs. These opinions are based on the temperament tests we perform prior to accepting the dog into our program and the behaviors the dogs display as they spend time in our homes. Our agency reserves the right to deny acceptance of any dog to an owner who we feel the lifestyle does not match that of the dog. We are in no way judging you or your lifestyle; we simply want to put our dogs in the best living situation possible. We take very seriously the decision we make when it comes to placing one of our dogs in a forever home. If I sound like the perfect pit bull for you and your family and you are interested in giving me a forever home, do not hesitate! Please fill out an application at evenchance.org/adopt. We look forward to meeting any and all interested applicants.