Caitlyn, a chocolate Staffordshire bull terrier mix whose story went viral after she was found in North Charleston at the end of May with her muzzle bound with electrical tape, has continued to grab attention with her incredible recovery.
Now, Caitlyn’s story of survival has prompted a notable dog toy company to donate six boxes full of its products for cats and dogs to the Charleston Animal Society.
After a video was posted on the Charleston Animal Society’s Facebook page of Caitlyn playing with a KONG tennis ball, the pet toy company was inundated with letters suggesting that Caitlyn should be the company’s new “spokesdog,” according to Kay Hyman of the Charleston Animal Society. “It was just organic,” said Hyman of the letter-writing campaign, which the organization found out about through its Facebook page.
“Her favorite thing is the squeaky tennis ball,” said Hyman.
A spokesperson for the company responded to the video and letters with a phone call, six boxes of toys and a note for Caitlyn “letting her know that there were enough toys for all the animals in the shelter.”
After undergoing several surgeries to repair the wounds to her snout, Caitlyn was eventually rehabilitated enough to be placed with a foster family, where she continues to live with a “foster sister” named Oreo, but she has not stayed out of the spotlight.
Hyman said she thought the hashtag #IAmCaitlyn has continued to raise awareness of the dog’s plight. “That was our whole concept,” Hyman said.
Caitlyn was featured at a recent Daniel Island Exchange Club meeting where the Charleston Animal Society’s CEO, Joe Elmore, was the guest speaker. She wore a custom-embrodered scarf given to her by a “secret admirer.”
“She’s gotten quite a few presents. She’s gotten custom-made lockets with her picture inside. She’s gotten two St. Francis Medals and two ID tags,” said Hyman. “And lots and lots of toys and treats,” she added. “She’s a fiend for squeaky balls.”
Although Caitlyn wasn’t able to make it out to Charleston’s Pride Week due to the heat, she was there in spirit — and in the form of a cardboard cutout for photos with fans.
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