After a local Vietnam veteran and Marine Ed Mangum died on Valentine’s Day, he left behind two loves of his life, his six year old pit bull mix dogs, Edie and Magnus. Now his daughter Elizabeth is on a mission to find them a new home, together. “They are really loving, incredibly warm dogs that have offered a lot of emotional companionship to my father. It’s absolutely crucial that they stay together. I don’t have the capacity to take them into the house myself,” Elizabeth told Fox 17 on Monday.
Tanelle McFadyen is with the Grand Rapids Pitbull Alliance, an advocacy outreach organization which is helping with the search after a foster family recently fell through. “To remove them from each other which they know so well would cause even more stress, so it’s essential that people know that these are two dogs that have to be together,” explained McFadyen.
The home in which they were raised since they were pups, Ed’s house, is now for sale, so time is of the essence for Elizabeth, with her fear being that she may have to put them in a shelter. “They’re my Dad’s children, so they’re like our siblings and I love them very much and am really hoping that we can find a loving home for them,” explained Elizabeth, be it a permanent or foster home.
They each have their own special personality according to Elizabeth, with Edie being a snuggler and Magnus as the entertainer, sitting up in a chair and “singing” or howling to Patsy Cline music.
If you’re interested in fostering or adopting Edie and Magnus, email grpitbullalliance@gmail.com, check out their Facebook page or call 616-710-1068.
