A neglected and starved pit bull was nursed back to health by Street Dogz and now the dog serves a new purpose in life.
Blue Ivy was rescued from a homeless camp because she was not being well cared for or fed.
"Ivy was in really bad shape," said Street Dogz volunteer Robert Schweigart Jr. "Her rib cage, her back hip bone, everything was coming through the skin."
Schweigart started volunteering with Street Dogz after they helped take care of his dog when he was homeless for five months. Now he does everything he can to pay it forward.
"I like to pay them back as much as possible," he said. "I don't tell them no. Every time they ask me to help, I'm right there."
And he was right there for Ivy through her journey being nursed back to health.
Once she was healthy enough to join a forever home, Street Dogz got in touch with Randy Jackson.
"A friend of mine had told me about her and told me she was a really great dog that had a terrible life,"
Jackson is a veteran with PTSD. His service dog recently passed away.
"Wilson was my favorite dog that I ever had in my life."
He wasn't sure about Ivy. He had never had a pit bull before. But when he met her, it was love at first sight.
"As soon as she came in, she came right to me and it's like she lived here all the time," he said. "She loves everything, she loves everybody and she's a fantastic dog."
The first weekend Jackson had Ivy, he had the flu. Ivy did not leave his side.
"As long as she's with me, she's happy."
It's a heartwarming story that has truly come full circle.
"She's just a special, special dog," said Schweigart.
