While this isn’t a typical 1010ParkPlace Fashion Friday post I think you’ll be interested in what the original supermodel and the oh, so fashionable, Kim Alexis, is up to these days. Kim is one of my favorite people. She’s so real and down-to-earth and has a giant capacity for love whether it’s people or animals. Kim wrote this post for 1010ParkPlace. Thank you, Kim. xoxox, Brenda

“Wow, there are so many dogs,” was one of the many thoughts going through my head as I walked through my first “dog pound” visit.

My husband and I had just been to the dog park with our two Briard females. They were still in the back of the car when my husband took a detour on the way home. It was December and everyone was getting ready for Christmas. It was cold so I knew our dogs would be fine in the car as we pulled up to the Maricopa County Animal Shelter.

Kim Alexis and her new rescue dog, Stump.

I knew never to set foot in a place like this because I have a huge heart and “out of sight, out of mind” has been a better way for me to deal with helpless animals who needed a home.

As we opened the door the sound of barking dogs assailed me.

What were we doing here and “NO, darn it, I didn’t want another dog!”

There were four aisles with cages on both sides filled with dogs. Rows and rows of dogs in all different conditions. Most were Pit Bulls in every size, shape and color imaginable. Some were barking furiously; others were cowering miserably and some were trying to get through the cage.

My husband had worked with the people at the Maricopa County Animal Shelter years ago so he knew what to expect. He and I have a pinky promise to each other never to bring home an animal without the other’s consent since we are both softies and can’t be trusted to make a decision, alone, about bring home extra animals.

As we walked down the aisles I kept saying to myself, “It’s okay. He can’t get another dog unless I agree, and we DON’T need another dog!” Then I see a dog that is not a Pit Bull, quiet with huge brown eyes that just wanted to be loved through the wires of the cage. He didn’t seem concerned with the other furiously barking animals. His only focus was to be petted.

We looked at the information tag on his cage, #208, and saw he had been picked up the day before and was on the 72 hour wait list for his owner to claim him at the shelter. After the 72 hours, he could be released and adopted.

We left the shelter soon after, and I thought we were done. We had two dogs already, and I didn’t see how I could add another one. For the next two days I couldn’t get him out of my head. I even named him. Since he was mostly Rottweiler with some German Shepherd mixed in, and he had no tail, I named him Stump.

So… You guessed it! After the 72 hour hold, and no one came to get him, back to the pound we went and brought him home. He had kennel cough and had to be fixed so he is still apart from our other two dogs. Hopefully they will all learn to play together, and he becomes the best dog imaginable.

I was impressed with the animal shelter and how they took care of the dogs. If you need a companion, head to your local animal shelter or the “pound” and find your Stump!