PBF is a very small, all volunteer-based organization with no facility at this time. PBF can only accommodate a few dogs at a time due to lack of available foster homes and funds. While PBF would never turn away a dog based on their breed, appearance, health, or age, our main focus is to rescue, train, re-home, and promote "pit bull" dogs. PBF also holds a firm belief on providing humane education classes on animal kindness, care, and safety to children and teens.
WHO IS PRINCESS BUTTERCUP?
Valerie with Princess Buttercup.
A lot of people think our rescue is named after the movie called The Princess Bride, but sorry to inform everyone, it's not. The Princess Buttercup Foundation was inspired by our first rescue dog known as Princess Buttercup ("PB").
Our Founder & President, Valerie Paster, met PB at the local shelter she used to work for. PB was very mouthy when she first arrived at the shelter. She wasn't aggressive to people, in the least bit, but she was a young, high-energy dog who seemed to have very little training. Nonetheless, she passed her temperament test, which is required by the shelter before placing animals on the adoption floor. PB was on the adoption floor for about a month before she was suddenly taken off and moved into the receiving area. A note was placed on PB's cage that read, "Staff may only walk me." Of course, this sparked Valerie's interest. Why were staff only allowed to walk PB? So, she took PB out for a walk to figure out why she was labeled "staff only". Valerie found PB to be a sweet, loveable, playful dog. Later, Valerie approached the manager and learned that PB was moved back into the receiving area because she was too mouthy for the volunteers. PB became Valerie's project dog.
Our Founder & President, Valerie Paster, met PB at the local shelter she used to work for. PB was very mouthy when she first arrived at the shelter. She wasn't aggressive to people, in the least bit, but she was a young, high-energy dog who seemed to have very little training. Nonetheless, she passed her temperament test, which is required by the shelter before placing animals on the adoption floor. PB was on the adoption floor for about a month before she was suddenly taken off and moved into the receiving area. A note was placed on PB's cage that read, "Staff may only walk me." Of course, this sparked Valerie's interest. Why were staff only allowed to walk PB? So, she took PB out for a walk to figure out why she was labeled "staff only". Valerie found PB to be a sweet, loveable, playful dog. Later, Valerie approached the manager and learned that PB was moved back into the receiving area because she was too mouthy for the volunteers. PB became Valerie's project dog.
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About a month later, Valerie along with a volunteer, formed a Humane Education Program at the shelter. Valerie brought PB to their very first school the Humane Education Team visited to teach the kids about animal kindness and safety. When Valerie brought PB back to the shelter after the Humane Education presentation, all her co-workers were in disbelief that PB was at a school with kids. She showed the staff pictures of PB on her belly while a group of kids were petting her. The staff were still shocked that such a high-energy dog did great with a school full of kids.
A few months later, someone came along and agreed to foster PB. It only lasted a few months until they realized that already having two infant children and 30 horses, |
 PB at her first Humane Education presentation. |
 PB and Colin (our youngest youth volunteer). |
that a dog was the last thing they really needed on their plate. PB had a hard-time at the shelter as it was, so having the foster family bring her back to the shelter was not an option. Valerie worked with the family and tried contacting rescue after rescue, but nobody would take PB because they were already full with rescue dogs. Also, the fact that PB wasn't dog-social was a strike against her from ever being accepted into a rescue.
The Princess Buttercup Foundation was born after no other rescues could accept PB into their rescue. It's understandable why other rescues really couldn't take her even if they wanted to... and that was due to lack of money to care for a dog who'd potentially be a long-term rescue dog. PB was homeless for nearly a year before finally being adopted. It cost us thousands of dollars to pay for PB's boarding fees, veterinarian bills, and so forth. It was a struggle to find PB her forever home, but she eventually did (thanks to a local NJ pit bull rescue for cross-posting her on their website). She now lives with a married couple with two teenage boys, on acres of land that she gets to run and play on daily! |
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Winter was one of Valerie's project dogs at a local animal shelter. She was deaf and had no training, but a heart of gold. She was killed because she was reactive to dogs and deaf. Winter was another big inspiration for the formation of The Princess Buttercup Foundation. Rest in Peace Winter. |
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