Deaf pit bull finds a loving home after viral photo captures hearts: ‘She is a doll’
A once-overlooked deaf pit bull, rescued after a tragic accident, now thrives in her new home following a viral before-and-after photo.
At the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, a pit bull named Betsy—later renamed Ghost for her striking white fur—was once a dejected face in a busy shelter. After being abandoned in a car and injured in a separate collision, she arrived at the shelter with little more than a tired, downcast expression. During intake, staff hurriedly snapped an identification photo as she underwent vaccinations and a thorough check-up.
As Regan Blessinger, the shelter’s marketing and content manager, explains, “When they first come in during the intake process, they’re getting shots and checked out, and it’s a lot. So the pictures that the intake staff get, that’s really just like an ID card. So unfortunately, sometimes the pictures don’t show their personality because either they’re stressed because they just got here, or there’s just a lot happening: smells, sounds, lots of people.”
For 73 long days, Betsy remained in the shelter, her true nature hidden behind the stress of her surroundings. That is until professional pet photographer Adam Goldberg arranged a special session on March 26, 2024, aiming to capture a more authentic image of the gentle, deaf dog. Using treats to lure her out, Goldberg’s session revealed a radiant transformation. As he observed, “That initial photo of her looking defeated with the leash up in the air, it’s just a terrible picture. You can’t picture that dog in your home. But then you look at her second photo, and it changes the mindset. You could potentially adopt this dog.”
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Viral photo helps deaf shelter dog find a loving home
After Goldberg shared the dramatic before-and-after images on social media—highlighting Betsy’s overlooked status at the shelter—the photos quickly went viral. The post caught the attention of Christian Pesantes, whose fiancé Michelle Robles-Aponte urged him to meet the dog. Despite a busy workday, Pesantes dropped everything to visit the shelter, determined to see if Betsy would be a good fit for their family, which also included three cats and a toddler. “As soon as I saw her, I was like, ‘OK, that’s it. We’ve got to get her,’” he recalled.
During a two-week trial period, the family discovered that the once-forlorn pit bull was not only gentle and patient with their toddler, Voltaire, but also quickly bonded with their cats. Delighted by her affectionate nature, they decided to adopt her permanently, renaming her Ghost for her luminous, almost ethereal fur, especially noticeable when wet. Pesantes fondly described her: “When she gets wet, you can see she’s all spotted. She’s almost like a secret Dalmatian. Not only is she absolutely beautiful, but she’s just a compassionate, very intelligent dog.”
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Pesantes, initially apprehensive about adopting an adult dog, expressed his joy at the new addition to their family, stating, “I was kind of nervous adopting an adult dog for the first time, but she turned out to be everything we wanted and more. She’s perfect with our family.” Grateful for Goldberg’s role in transforming Betsy’s image, he added, “I’m grateful that he does what he does, because otherwise we never would’ve found her.”
In addition to helping Ghost find a forever home, Goldberg’s “Second Shot” program has provided over 600 shelter animals annually with the opportunity to shine through professional photography. With the support of sponsors, his work continues to inspire shelters worldwide, while also offering an online course to help others capture the best angles of adoptable pets. The transformation of Ghost’s story stands as a testament to the power of compassion, a second chance, and a well-timed photograph.
