Andrea Rosebrock 
Jacob Ford, 20, of Poplar Bluff, MO, says he never really paid much attention to Butch, a pitbull owned by his mother’s boyfriend. Now Jacob owes his very life to Butch, his new best friend.
Last Friday afternoon Jacob was sleeping as smoke filled the house. He was awakened by Butch’s whining and knew immediately something was wrong.
“As soon as I stood up, I had smoke in my face,” he said.
He grabbed the fire extinguisher but it was quickly apparent that he would have no chance against the fire so he left the house. He called the fire department and his mother then looked for Butch who saved his life. The dog was no where to be found.
Jacob rushed back to the house, “I went to the top of the stairs twice,” Ford said. “I was yelling for Butch at the top of my lungs, but he didn’t respond. That’s when I figured he was probably gone.”
The Butler County fire department showed up to battle the blaze and finally found Butch huddled in the basement where he went for safety.
Tina Mobley, Ford’s mother, said the dog apparently lost a lifelong fear of basements while attempting to wake her son. Butch, she said, had been abused as a puppy before she purchased him with “the last $52 I had on me.”
The dog, Mobley said, had “only been in that basement one time up until that day,” because he was terrified of the place, having been kept locked in one as a puppy. (SE Missourian)
Mobley spent a great deal of time raising and training Butch after she rescued him but there’s no doubt that he has paid her back more than she could have ever imagined.
“He’s a pretty heroic pit bull,” she said. “That’s the best $52 I ever spent in my life. If it had not been for that dog, there’s no doubt in my mind my son would have died.”
As for Butch, a little singeing on his muzzle was all that marked his efforts but he does seem to have regained his fear and wariness again.
“He doesn’t want to be left alone now,” said Mobley, “because he’s scared all over again.”
Jacob said he’s going to help Butch with that, starting with a nice steak dinner for his new best friend.
Yet again a dog shows us he is man’s best friend and this dog, a pitbull, the most maligned of breeds and horribly abused to boot. They show us every day their unconditional love and forgiving nature.
So this one is for all you pitbull haters and BSL proponents out there.
a great story. but the sad part is that anyone who knows a pit, knows that this is the way they are. heroic in the face of their own fears to care for their humans. and those that don't know them, still fear them.
Yea, take that BSL people!!Great story..Thanks for sharing this…The good stories are so precious to me…keeps me from going nuts with all the evil walking around among us..
I agree with Bernice 100%. I volunteer with rescues, and I have known other rescue/transporters who will not have anything to do with pittis. They are indeed the most loving of dogs. I hate the stigma that has been attached to them. Yes, it is all in how they are brought up, but they want the same as any other dog in this world. Love, praise, companionship and be treated nicely.
On one transport I had, the gal I was picking up a pitti and two rottis from would not even go near the pitti's transport crate. I went right up to him, said hello and told him I would be right back after I got a lead for him. When I went back, I said hello again, and what did I get? A big wet sloppy kiss. We ended up being best buds the whole trip back to the city (about 1.5 hours), and he sat in the front seat with me, his head on my lap the whole time. They are so misunderstood.
I really wonder how many articles have been written about this event. Probably a little in that area, and this one. It's safe to bet it did not make national news, nor end up on CNN. Missouri Pitbull Rescue is full of pitties that have been starved, abused, neglected, abandoned, etc., yet we have NONE that would harm a human. Not one! They are full of love, smiles, and kisses.
@bernice – Sad but true, Bernice. All we can do it to continue to help educate the ignorant… of course there are some who will never believe.
@Kerry – My friend, I do try… gotta balance the horror. This is a great one on two fronts… a feel good story and a wonderful pitbull story.:)
@Susie – Oh I believe it 100%! Believe it or not, my guy was one of those people who believed the hype and myths… until he actually finally met a pittie puppy. Now he is a major convert. I love it!
@Betty Howard (Gig) – Gig, that's exactly why I make sure to highlight stories like this! The media loves the bad stories about pitties, builds the hype. But stories like this, if they actually happen to even get written, tend to be small town and back pages. I love to show everyone what pitties can really be like with love and training and socialization.
Hey, by evil I was referring to humans…not pitbulls…Just wanted to make that clear…I mean, probably everybody knows how I feel about the Bull Sh– ignorance of BSL….but just wanted to make sure…
@Kerry – I don't think you have to worry about anyone thinking you were talking about pitbulls… we all know who the 'evil' ones are and dogs are not even capable of evil. *hugs*
Deanna