Iris was welcomed into the Philly Bully Team foster-based rescue after her owner surrendered her, having come from a backyard breeder in Brooklyn.
This extraordinary girl was so frightened and withdrawn that the mere sound of a treat bag would make her flinch and retreat.
The details of Iris’s past were unclear, but her demeanor suggested she had either faced severe physical mistreatment or had lived without any human interaction, leaving her craving love and tenderness.
However, in the arms of her rescuer, she discovered a sense of security. Although the path to recovery was arduous, she took daily steps toward healing.
The Shy Pit Bull Girl
Upon her arrival at her foster home, Iris was still quite withdrawn, with each day presenting its own hurdles.
“You could see she didn’t really understand why anyone was near her. She would flinch and seemed so downcast,” Lauryn, Iris’s foster mom, shared with The Dodo.
Iris resisted going indoors, preferring to remain in a single spot in the backyard. Despite their calls and coaxing, she would stay tucked away in a corner behind a planter.
“Sometimes her head would pop up, and it looked like she was sprouting from the planter,” Lauryn joked light-heartedly.
Iris’s foster family exhibited immense patience, fully aware that with time to acclimate and heal, she would eventually come into her own.
They kept the door to the backyard open throughout the first month. “She would come in, peek her head, then exit, doing this about 15 times,” recounted Lauryn.
Gaining her trust took a significant amount of time, but she eventually crossed the threshold into the house.
Iris had to learn that being around others was safe, that accepting affection and finding comfort in her new secure environment was okay.
Her trauma made everything a learning experience for her.
“I doubt she truly grasped what human engagement meant. I would hug her and pet her, and she’d gaze at me as if to say, ‘I don’t know what you’re doing, but I enjoy it,’” Lauryn remarked.
Playing For The First Time
About a month after arriving at her foster home, Iris’s caregivers decided to slowly integrate her with their dog, Max.
During the initial weeks, Max would simply sit near Iris, perched behind a tree in the backyard. They would stay there together, maintaining some distance while doing absolutely nothing.
Gradually, they began to interact more. As their connection deepened, Iris’s progress moved forward significantly, signifying a beautiful milestone in her recovery.
Experiencing Iris play for the first time was an incredibly joyous moment for everyone involved.
“She was bounding around our yard, bouncing like a baby elephant. I was just there thinking, ‘Oh my God, who is this dog?’” Lauryn exclaimed.
Not long after, one of Lauryn’s close friends expressed interest in learning more about Iris.
Iris In Her Forever Home
Jacki and Matt, friends of Lauryn from Philadelphia, officially adopted Iris. They were the ideal match for her, especially since they already had a lovely dog named Clio, who would assist Iris in coming out of her shell.
“On her first night, she hopped onto the bed immediately without hesitation,” Matt revealed to The Dodo.
Clio, her new sister, showed Iris how to enjoy being a dog. Wherever Clio went, Iris wanted to follow. The two soon became inseparable.
And Iris – she engaged in even more play each day.
“She’s an absolute sweetheart with not a vicious bone in her body. She adores Clio. We feel incredibly fortunate to have her and love her dearly,” Iris’s new parents expressed.
