Adopted in Greenwich, 'Shaqueeta' is a Long Way from Texas

Traveling from Texas to Byram, with a layover at Greenwich Animal Control, a discarded brindle dog found a "forever home" with Vicky Camacho.

Camacho's first step was to name her adopted dog "Shaqueeta." 

"Usually people think pit bulls are from the 'hood – owned by drug dealers," Camacho said. "I didn't want her to get too 'Greenwich.' So, she's Shaqueeta. Shaqueeta from the 'hood."

Naming Shaqueeta was probably the easiest part of the adoption process.

"Animal Control was reluctant to give her to me," said Camacho. "I came back three times to visit her before it was a done deal."

The fee to adopt a neutered dog at animal control is $5.00. That part of the equation was not a hurdle.

After being abandoned and then spending nearly a year at Greenwich Animal Control, Shaqueeta had some issues to work through.

"You're getting an animal out of a cage when you go to animal control," said Camacho, who was fully aware this dog would be a challenge.

"This dog was not socialized when she was younger. You have to realize you're both going to have to do rehabilitation. You are helping them to be free. You have to teach them boundaries and limitations."

Camacho, who refers to Shaqueeta as "my little dynamo," has worked with the dog through overcome her fears. "Cars, rain, loud noises..." Camacho said, starting to list fears that set the dog off barking. "Oh, and motorcycles," she added, shaking her head and rolling her eyes. "They'll stop at a light when I'm walking her and I swear they rev their engines just to watch this dog react."

There weren't many details available about Shaqueeta, but unlike many other dogs who are dumped in Greenwich and wind up available for adoption at Animal Control, Shaqueeta did have a microchip in her foot.

Animal Control officer Suzanne Carlin remembers Shaqueeta well. "We weren't able to prosecute the previous owner for dumping the dog," said Carlin, who helped care for the dog at Greenwich's animal control facility for about a year. The 35lb. dog had never been spayed and had been through several heats before animal control had her fixed.

"If a dog looks like a pit, they're hard to adopt out. They have a stigma. Most people have probably not even met a pit bull, but they don't want one because of what they've heard."

Carlin said the microchip traced back to a woman in Texas who said the dog had been her son's and that her son who had moved East. The microchip company relayed a message back to Greenwich Animal Control that the owner didn't want his dog back.

Animal Control also learned the dog's previous owner had named her "Red" and that she was 4-1/2 when Camacho adopted her.

"She turns seven in October," Camacho said beaming like a proud mother.

Shaqueeta is one lucky girl to have wound up with Camacho, who lives alone and describes feeling safe with a dog people people assume is vicious.

"It was either a gun or a dog," said Camacho. 

And though Camacho feels safe owning a dog that many people perceive as vicious, she said it's hard to reconcile that feeling with what she considers an unfair bias against pit bull type dogs.

"I don't like the reputation these dogs have. It's not fair to the dogs. I think it's the fault of men. It's men who make pit bulls mean and aggressive. It's men who enjoy watching them fight," she said snuggling with Shaqueeta in the park on a recent Sunday. "These dogs are not fighters. They're lovers."

"I see Vicky walking that dog all over town, sometimes the dog is wearing a yellow raincoat," said Carlin. "The pair of them are two peas in a pod," she added. "That is one lucky dog."

Greenwich Animal Control is located at 393 North St., and dogs can be viewed by appointment between 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., but it is important to call first. Contact (203) 622-8299. The animal control officers are Suzanne Carlin and Stacy Rameor. The kennel maintainer is Bill Peterson.