Former fighting dog helps BVSPCA win $5,000

WEST WHITELAND » Brandywine Valley SPCA won a $5,000 grant from the Petco Foundation on Friday as part of Petco Foundation’s Holiday Wishes campaign. The award was a result of BVSPCA volunteer Anne Tenaglia’s essay talking about her pit bull, and former fighting dog Jingle which she fostered then adopted from BVSPCA.

“He was kind of tough as a foster. He bit off his own tail and broke every cone we put on her, sometimes two or three a day,” said Tenaglia, speaking about the plastic safety cones that are put over pets heads to keep them from biting their surgical site. “He had broken bones and scars from the dog fighting that were still healing.”

Tenaglia began fostering the 2-yearold dog which had been taken from a dog fighting ring in Parkersburg in October 2015. Until the court case was over, Jingle could not be placed in a permanent home. Tenaglia said the previous owner was resisting giving up the dog but eventually the man got a new lawyer who convinced him to give up the dogs.

For the first six weeks of fostering, they took Jingle to the BVSPCA clinic every day. During that time Tenaglia and her husband, Vic, found the only way to calm the dog was by walking her extensively. After 11 months of walking between 2 and 4 miles a day the couple each lost 40 pounds.

Eleven other dogs were rescued along with Jingle. Many were puppies. They were named for Santa’s reindeer because they came into the SPCA during the holidays. Tenaglia runs a Facebook page that keeps up with all the pet families. In addition Tenaglia, a retired Philadelphia teacher, is publishing a children’s book on Jingle, she hopes it will be finished from the publisher in the spring.

“We were really surprised and thrilled,” said BVSPCA official Julie Landy. “Anne and Vic have been longtime volunteers.

In addition to Brandywine SPCA, Providence Animal Center in Upper Providence also won a grant of $10,000. Alexandra and James Gentile’s winning contest entry tells how their adopted dog, Sophie, found her way into their hearts and wedding as the Dog of Honor. Susan Cosby, director of Life Saving at Petco, said there were 3,400 entries in the Holiday Wishes campaign. She said that since 1997 Petco has given out over $200 million dollars animal welfare awards. An additional People’s Choice voting award allows the public for the winner of an additional $25,000 in funding. The website is www. petcofoundation.org/holidaywishes.