Christi Smith saved a pit bull named TatorTot just hours before he was scheduled to be euthanized at Minneapolis Animal Care and Control. Less than a week later TatorTot returned the favor when he helped save her 4-year-old son.
Christi Smith came to TatorTot’s rescue and saved him from death and planned to foster the pit bull until she could find him a good home. She was afraid he’d be too high energy for her to keep permanently. On September 28th Smith took TatorTot into her home and she soon realized that the home TatorTot belonged in permanently was her own.
“I took him to the dog park and let him run around,” said Smith. “When I brought him back home, that’s when he mellowed out. By that evening, I already had a feeling I wanted to keep him.”
On only his fourth night with Smith, TatorTot made it clear he belonged with her family.
“I put my son to bed at about 8:30 in the evening,” said Smith. “He woke up between 12 and 1:30 to ask for something to drink. He was acting weird – really out of it. I chalked it up to being deliriously tired. I wasn’t too concerned.”
TatorTot sensed something was wrong though. The pit bull began barking and running back and forth between Smith and her son Peyton. Smith thought at first that TatorTot just hadn’t exercised out all of his energy, but the pit bull wouldn’t give up.
“Finally I went to check on my son,” said Smith. “He was barely breathing, TatorTot was on his bed, barking and pawing at him, licking his face. Any normal child would have woken up. He wasn’t waking up.”
Smith raced Peyton to the emergency room where they discovered his blood sugar was dangerously low. Peyton tested negative for diabetes and doctors are still unsure what caused his blood sugar to drop so low that night, but one thing Smith is sure of is that TatorTot saved Peyton’s life.
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It is true. If you rescue a dog they will return the favor 10 fold. Way to go Tater Tot!!
looks like Patrick. What a good TaterTot.
It’s amazing what dogs can do if only given the chance! Kudos to the family for rescuing him!
I love to hear great stories like that!
Wow truly amazing I’m so happy for that Beautiful angel that he got a forever home so many great beautiful dogs get put down high five to the amazing woman that took him in n showed him what love is I’m so happy her son is okay also
A story such as this one can make me cry. Talk about a Happy ending for this incredible dog. A life saver to a mom gets her wonderful favor returned almost instantly. Many happy years to come for the whole family.
I always have liked tater tots
Wow………………gave me chills…………….pitties get such a bad rap, and they are really great family dogs……………..way to go Christi and Tator Tot!
Way to go, Tater Tot! I love this story! And to Christy I would recommend testing Peyton for Addison’s disease. I have known people and dogs who have had it, and the big symptom is severe drop in blood sugar, absent diabetes. Blessings to you all!
OH MY GOD. Get rid of the pop up ads so I can actually read the articles. I don’t come on this site to stare at a blank white box and click furiously for 20 minutes because the ad won’t even load. WHAT A JOKE.
This is SO sweet and heartwarming! More people need to hear about this story.
Only 1 out of 600 Pit Bulls make it out of a shelter so I am not surprised, sadly, that Tater Tot was within hours of being euthanized. I am so, so happy he found a foster home – he still had at least one important job to do on this earth. Pit Bulls are great with kids and trained correctly, incredible wonderful dogs.
you have a graet point guys i dont get why people are trying to get rid of them there a graet like really awesome breed
I love this story. It really makes me feel great inside. Thanks for sharing!
Who wrote this article?
Good boy.
can a 10 year old foster a dog?
i love this story its awesome
Dogs and kids when they play in a general space make all things and needs for a dog are around the room. For that, if you provide a whelping box to such dogs and kids can fulfill their desire to play in a specific area.