Is love enough to rehabilitate an abused “Pit Bull” Terrier? The pup was only three months old. Bred to be a fighter, he had been trained in violence and fear to be a killer. One terrible night it becomes too much and the young dog runs away.The pup escapes into the arms of Rick Simpson, another survivor, who gives him a name: Billy Bob. The dog is from champion stock and his owners are searching for him.
The bond between Rick and Billy grows stronger, but will it be enough to defeat the forces trying to recover the pup? Will Billy be able to overcome the negative stereotype of his breed so others will see the loving, loyal animal underneath? The book answers those questions.
Bill Stauss
What a wonderful boy Billy Bob was!
ReplyDeleteKay
Thanks Kay. Yes he was a wonderful dog. Billy Bob brought happiness to a lot of people, young and old. I miss him very much and I'm sure that comes out in the book I wrote about him.
ReplyDeleteBill Stauss - billybobworld.blogspot.com
Billy was an angel on this earth. I can't wait to see his story for all to see. Kim
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim. The book is finally being released. I hope you enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful motivation for a writer...to report on a very special pal as well as help correct the maligned reputation many have given this breed. Well done, Bill Stauss. I look forward to reading your book.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
I too cannot wait to read this book. Although I love all breeds of dogs, my heart is with the pitbulls and I hope to one day see Billy Bob's story on the Big Screen!
ReplyDeleteRuthie
I have been searching top to bottom for a book that gives the true tales of an abused pitbull breed that was rescued/adopted and turned into an ambassador for their breeds. I am involved in a large group with nearly 200 members/owners of bully breeds that advocate for them and try to dismiss BSL legislations, and I am trying to find a book to take to our next meeting for others to read that shows the softer, genuine side of these wonderful, loving creatures, so that to better educate the public about their genuine demeanor. Is everything in the book non-fiction??
ReplyDeleteBilly’s World is a work of fiction based on the real life experiences of the author and his dog, Billy Bob. Billy was acquired at the age of three months from an individual who was connected to a dog fighting operation. He had healed physically at four months, but the author feels it took him much longer to get over the mental trauma.
ReplyDeleteMost of the relationships in the story are true. Billy loved everyone with whom he came in contact. He could almost sense the stamina of the individuals he met. I have seen him be very gentle with my mother and her friends in a nursing home. I have seen him sleep by the side of a napping child with one paw touching an arm or a leg to make sure he woke up when they did so he could play with them.
Unfortunately in some parts of the country dog fighting was not illegal twenty years ago. You could fight dogs till they killed each other, but it was only illegal if you gambled on the outcome of the fight.
Billy Bob lived a long and happy life with my wife and me in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He met and loved most of the people in the story and many others, as well. As I have said at the beginning of the book, “Love given an animal is returned a thousand fold, recharging the soul with cherished memories that reside forever in the heart”…Anonymous. He has been gone for seven years, and we miss him still.
Thanks for going to the Billy’s World Blog (http://billybobworld.blogspot.com). I wish I could have been more helpful to your cause. If you read the book I hope you enjoy it. If the book does nothing else I am hopeful that it will help nudge the negative perception of the breed back toward the positive.
I applaud you for the work you are doing. Some headway is being made against Breed Specific Legislation, but a few battles are being lost. I’m sure you know about the www.pbrc.net/breedspecific.html website. It offers monitoring of legislation action in various states.
Bill Stauss,
Billy’s World
Billy Bob is so cute. Thank you for giving him such a good home. My two beagles were both rescued. Jake came from the Pound, but he was ok. Tex, came from a Beagle Rescue and he just shook for the first year. Bless his heart, I have no idea what happened to him. But he's ok now. You are a good man to have dedicated yourself to bringing out Billy Bob's story. Thanks Bill.
ReplyDeleteJulie
Great book! It reveals what a great companion Billy Bob was for the author during his many trips out west. The author's ability to convey with such expressive detail certain feelings through the dog's eyes adds to what is already a compelling story. This book should be made in to a movie. The next "Marley and Me".
ReplyDeleteDave