05/18/2026
At Chicago's overcrowded open-admission city shelter, Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC), dogs arrive every day at an overwhelming rate. This brick and mortar facility is constantly bursting at the seams with animals hoping for a way out, a second chance, and a quiet place to rest. The animal welfare community in Chicago is tenacious and passionate as they work continuously to be the voice for the voiceless.
One of those dogs at CACC was a skinny black-and-white pittie. She came into the shelter as an owner surrender with no notes, no story, just a name.
When One Tail at a Time met her, they knew she deserved a chance. They described her as “a sweet and social girl that did well with other dogs.” They named her Fearless. She landed in a foster home with Jessy and her family, where she quickly became part of their lives. After recovering from a scary case of aspiration pneumonia, she had already nuzzled her way into their hearts and wasn’t going anywhere. “I told myself if I kept this perfect dog then I had to let her make an impact beyond our family on this world.” Fearless became Gusty.
National Rescue Dog Day is approaching and we’d like to bring awareness to the endless number of amazing dogs found in shelters across the country. Gusty and her journey are the perfect example of the AMAZING dogs waiting at our very own city shelter - extremely resilient, adaptable and packed with so much love.
She is a Chicago dog.
She is a rescue dog.
She is a family member.
She is a pit bull.
She is a therapy dog.
She is fearless.
She is Gusty.
"That's the magic of CACC dogs — they don't need to be saved. They need to be seen." - Jessy Grossman
