In August 2012, a pit bull mix was left for dead on the streets of New York City. Her owner suffered a seizure on the street, and police shot the dog point-blank in the face when she became agitated.
Her owner, a homeless man, eventually received medical attention, but everyone presumed the pup was dead except for Charlie Cifarelli of Lincoln, Nebraska.
Cifarelli couldn’t get the video, taken by witnesses at the scene in Manhattan’s East Village, out his head. He used his connections as the C.O.O. of a recycling company to contact officials in New York’s animal care services department. He led them to believe he wanted to speak about recycling opportunities.
Cifarelli wasn’t prepared for what he was about to hear. She had lived. The pit bull mix had suffered extreme soft tissue damage and bone damage, and she had lost an eye, but she was alive.
“I couldn’t believe it. Once I got that info, I went wild,” Cifarelli, who is originally from New York, told dogster. So, he created a Facebook page dedicated to the pup, who he named Star, and alerted the media. “I got the public really behind me. This dog goes from being dead to having a Lazarus-type turnaround,” he said.
As quickly as hope was found, it was lost. No one knew where Star had gone. Cifarelli dedicated his time to finding her when, finally, he got a break. He spotted a picture of Star and after some impressive detective work, narrowed her location down to Pennsylvania. He started calling every rescue group in the area in hopes of finding her. He called hundreds until he finally found her. It took him four months. Cifarelli immediately booked a trip, and after just one visit, he knew Star was meant to be his.
He bought a house with enough space for kennels as well as an 8-foot fence. Cifarelli networked with the owner of Star’s current home as well as the Mayor’s Alliance and in April 2013, Star was officially his. But that isn’t the end of the story.
Cifarelli knew Star was extremely lucky. He was aware of the misconception of the “aggressive” pit bull being a dangerous pet. He couldn’t help but think of the other dogs out there that wouldn’t be able to get a second chance like Star. So he and his partner Jenn Sanchez started their involvement in the STAR Project - a project dedicated to helping high-risk dogs get rescued and adopted out to qualifying homes using an extremely thorough screening process.
Last year alone, more than 20 dogs were saved through STAR. Education is the foundation of the project. It seeks to educate people about canine behavior, dog ownership, children and dogs as well as the importance of spaying and neutering.
But Sanchez and Cifarelli want to expand the STAR Project. They want to create a “dog food bank” for owners as well as get land for a dog sanctuary out in the Midwest. The duo also plan on writing children’s books to educate and inspire kids about proper dog ownership and rescue.
“I’m willing to dedicate my life for this. It would be wonderful to get up every day and do this . . . STAR has been the best part of our lives,” Cifarelli said.
Don't you love this inspiring story? Why not SHARE it with your friends and family on Facebook?