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Here's little Patton!

A Tacoma Dog Needs A Home While His Soldier Deploys To Afghanistan

BY Rachel Belle  on February 28, 2013 @ 3:03 pm (Updated: 3:22 pm - 2/28/13 )

Tacoma's Matt Conley is a Black Hawk pilot deploying to Afghanistan next Thursday. But he's found himself in a conundrum: he desperately needs someone to take care of his three year old Shar Pei pitbull mix, Patton.

"The condo I live in with my girlfriend doesn't allow pets, so he's been kind of illegally staying there the last four or five months. The landlord found out about it so he's going to evict her if I don't move him. I deploy next week for Afghanistan so that's why it's such a rush, all of a sudden."

Matt rescued Patton two years ago, when he was in flight school in Alabama.

"I actually had no interest in buying a dog, flight school's pretty stressful. But I went into a pet store with my friend and they had all these dogs outside and I just saw Patton and was like, 'That's a good looking dog.' He had what's called Entopia so his eyes were folded in on themselves, kind of, and they were just constantly tearing and he was really skinny. I went home and I couldn't stop thinking about the dog so I called the pet store. They said, 'Oh yeah, those random people bring those dogs here every Saturday to see if anyone wants to rescue him. So we don't know exactly where he is but here are a couple of numbers you can try.' So I called around and finally located him at the city pound. They told me he was up for execution that day so I decided to take him. He's been with me two years."

Patton is now happy and healthy, but desperately needs a place to call home for the next year.

"People that will just take good care of him. I'm willing and want to pay all the bills for him while I'm gone. Food, if he needs to go to the vet, routine baths, stuff like that. It's all on my dime."

He says Patton's pitbull half makes some people a little nervous, but Matt says he's a super sweet, chill dog.

"He's good with kids, he's good with people. He's sometimes scared of men. Not aggressive, just scared. My guess is that he was a bait dog before I picked him up. Are you familiar with bait dogs? He's not a pure bred pitbull so they'll just tie him up and let the other dogs beat up on him to make them mean. So, yeah, good with people, good with kids. He loves to hang out on the couch and snuggle, a little tug of war. He is not good with aggressive, Type A dogs. Docile, Type B dogs he's fine with."

So, listen up dog lovers: we are on a tight tight deadline. Ideally, Matt would like to find Patton a home by tomorrow, the sooner the better.

"I'm worried about two things. One, that my girlfriend is going to be evicted if I can't find a place for him. Two, that he's going to have to go back to the pound because I don't know what else to do with him."

Matt says all Patton really needs is a loving home where someone will walk him once a day.

"He's a great dog. Even the pound that I adopted him from, they loved him and were really happy to find someone to adopt him. I feel terrible having adopted him and two years later having to foster him. Every vet I take him to, they love him. I mean, he's just a great dog."

If you're interested in watching Patton for the year, you can email Matt at Boneconley@gmail.com. If you're trying to get in touch after March 4th, email Matt's girlfriend at Lindseyjoneswa@yahoo.com

Rachel Belle, Ron and Don Show Reporter
Rachel Belle is a feature contributor and personality on The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio (weekdays 3-7pm), and host of Ring My Belle Weekends (Saturdays at 5pm and Sundays at 3pm).
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Comments (18)


  • Add A Comment

  • Hectic wrote...
    Are you nuts?
    February 28, 2013 4:31 pm
    An ex-bait dog, part pit bull is good with kids? Are you out of your mind? Ms. Bell is going to get KIRO sued. I can't believe she would be recommending this menace to a family with kids! If anyone with kids adopts this thing they should be investigated by child services. This dog is dangerous!!!
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  • 2112 wrote...
    He is just Hypothesizing
    February 28, 2013 5:05 pm
    That is is a bait dog. You have no clue if you think a pit in a good home can't be a great family dog.
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  • Pebohead wrote...
    True!
    March 1, 2013 3:33 am
    For a long time Pit Bull Terriers were considered the dog of America, much like the Bulldog is of England. They used to be considered fantastic family dogs, until they started being used primarily for fighting.
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  • ChartryC wrote...
    SICK
    February 28, 2013 6:43 pm
    YOU are Sick Sick Sick, You are nuts you need to get a life!!!!!!!!!!!! You are a Moron and need to shut your FACE NOW!!!!!!!!!!! Idiot!!!!
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  • RonJ wrote...
    A little
    March 1, 2013 10:27 am
    repressed anger Chantry?
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  • ChartryC wrote...
    Hectic
    February 28, 2013 6:45 pm
    You are such a MORON! typical idiot!! Seattle freak
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  • DeereJon wrote...
    Hectic
    March 1, 2013 9:19 am
    "Menace"? I take it you know the dog personally? Or maybe you "know a guy..etc"? Or maybe dogs frighten you? Wish they would have spayed and neutered your parents.
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  • 2112 wrote...
    And it is Entropia
    February 28, 2013 5:07 pm
    Not entopia
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  • pepsRpetty wrote...
    Wheres your compassion
    February 28, 2013 6:26 pm
    Really, this guy is putting it all out there about his dog, and the only comments here are petty comments. I would help this soldier out if I my property was fenced. I posted this article on my FB page in hopes someone will be able to help. Good Luck Soldier, my son has done 2 tours in Afgan, and is currently in Japan for another 6m tour.
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  • andyfish wrote...
    Irresponsible Dog Owner - Sorry!
    February 28, 2013 6:53 pm
    Classic case of a kid getting a dog he isn't ready for on an impulse and now he can't take care of it. I think it would be better for the dog to find a permanent home rather than be shuttled around because the guy can't provide a stable home for him. There are also a lot of red flags here; former bait dog (maybe) doesn't get along with "alpha" dogs, only needs a "walk a day", and sharpeis aren't easy dogs, either. There a lot of no-kill shelters out there who will take this dog and test him and train him and make sure he goes to an appropriate, forever home. This story IS irresponsible. Call a local shelter for referrals to a good rescue group, please! Also, Rachel, enough with the animal stories when you obviously know nothing about pets...a flying squirrel living for months with multiple fractures?
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  • AKAF wrote...
    Perect...then...
    March 1, 2013 12:06 am
    Provide the names of those shelters? This Army gent needs a loving home...not a shelter. Did he wait to long? Maybe...no telling why.
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  • andyfish wrote...
    Options for shelters...
    March 1, 2013 6:33 am
    I agree he needs a loving home...a permanent one! There are a lot of dog rescue organizations that can be found on a website called "Petfinders dot com", the owner can search for a local rescue by zip code. I looked and there is a pit bull rescue place on Whidbey Island. I urge the dog owner or his girlfriend to do some research or contact their local humane society and ask them about options. Again, this dog doesn't need to be shuttled around, he needs a good permanent home.
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  • longwayhome wrote...
    Chartry
    February 28, 2013 7:50 pm
    Do you need some help? You sound angry and out of control. Call 911 if these republican symptoms persist.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • AKAF wrote...
    Geez...seriously...
    March 1, 2013 12:11 am
    Republican symptoms? Seek help in not voting for the D in the next election and decide on the candidates actual position. If you, and your ilk, do that we may not be in our in current position in four years.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • bdoll wrote...
    WARNING: Pit Bulls are dangerous
    February 28, 2013 8:02 pm
    Tha fact that 90% of insurers today will cancel/not cover you if they know you have a pit bull mix is founded on facts based on claims paid for injuries caused by these dogs. My friend was attacked by a dog she has wealked by and greeted for 2 years. Always seemed happy to see her until the day she was attacked. Same story from the owners: he's the sweetest dog, never agressive...blah, blah, blah. If you have kids, don't take this dog.
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  • Tyrone DeVille wrote...
    bdoll !
    February 28, 2013 11:04 pm
    Do you like Gladiator Movies and warm showers?
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  • thewifey253 wrote...
    Are you kidding me Rachel?
    March 1, 2013 8:08 am
    This is such horrible journalism, you should be ashamed of yourself. While I appreciate the dog owner serving our country, he should not have gotten a dog unless he could be certain someone could take care of him while he was deployed. I understand this was a pity situation and an "impulse" rescue/purchase, however why would you get an apartment/condo/etc where they didn't allow pets or your breed of pets. Better question, why would you write an article about this? He needs to contact a local no-kill shelter and relinquish ownership. They will make sure the goes to a home that best fits his needs, not the first person who randomly replies to him from this article. If they want to keep the dog then the girlfriend needs to move to somewhere they allow them. Probably not going to be a big shocker, however I am a proud Pit Bull mix owner, I adopted him, he was on the euth list for that night and he is the best dog I've ever had. He was also attacked 3 weeks ago from another Pit Bull mix (she seemed very quiet, sweet, gentle)that we adopted and had less than 18 hours. That said, I personally have been attacked by 2 dogs, a Black Lab and the other a smaller dog mix. EVERY dog has the potential to be a "bad dog" but it's almost always the way they were raised and the people that own them. Those bad people tend to gravitate towards Pit Bulls because they "look tough". So what happens Rachel if they find someone from your article? The year goes by and now they wont give the dog back? Or for some reason the owner is unable or unwilling to pay for the medical expenses/food/etc. What happens if the dog gets out and runs away? Should they contact you? I hope someone is smart enough to get a contact together, good dog food is expensive and he is a large dog.
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  • HeatherE wrote...
    Pit Bull Rescue & No-Kill Shelters
    March 1, 2013 8:41 am
    I applaud Rachel Belle for bringing light to a huge problem faced by our service men and women. Very few people are aware of the urgent need for housing for pets while their owner is deployed. I also see several things this man could have/should have done things differently, but he didn't. The reality right now is he is committed to his dog and would love to have him when he comes back. That's a wonderful thing when so many are being dumped when they're no longer convenient. Pit Bull Rescues and so called "no-kill" shelters are overflowing with unwanted animals, so beautiful and very adoptable cats/dogs are being killed every single day due to lack of space. I am with a rescue and we were approached to help this dog and have absolutely no space for him because of the massive amount of dogs being dumped daily. There is a group call Dogs on Deployment, however they are also always short on foster homes. For those that believe all of the stereotypes about Pit Bulls, I urge you to go to www.happypitbull.com and do some research. They are not the right dog for everyone, but they are not monsters. Tragically for them, a lot of monsters want them because they are a strong breed. Bad people with bad intentions can equal bad dogs. But both that sentence and the reality....starts with the PEOPLE. The dog itself is not inherently bad. Rachel Belle, thank you for trying to help someone serving our country do the right thing by his dog.
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