Pippi Mae Hudson

When we adopted a Rednose Pitbull named Pippi in early 2007, we had no idea that she would be able to support herself. But, as they say, talent will out. Pippi has been a hit, and everywhere we go, everyone wants to know about her story. And now, Pippi has become a TV star!   She is in two of our commercials. Here they are: Commercial #1 Commercial #2 Every weekend, Pippi goes out to meet the public. She loves to go to Cha Cha Coconuts on St. Armands Circle. When she approaches, they get her a bowl of water and sweet potato fries. And every child who comes past asks about this friendly little girl. And she usually answers with a "Pippi facial," licks from the face to the toes that usually leave the recipient laughing. But St. Armands Circle is not the only place that Pippi visits. She also goes to O'Leary's on the bay, and to Mattison's downtown. (Remember to support your local dog-friendly restaurants).  And everywhere we go, Pippi leaves them with smiles on their faces!

We first heard about Pippi when Dr. Laurie Walmsley asked us if we wanted another dog.  We already had two dogs:  a Black Lab mix named Lucky and a pitbull-boxer mix named Rosie.    But Dr. Walmsley insisted that Pippi was a great dog.  She had been brought to the Ashton Animal Clinic by a couple of students at New College.   She wasn't in good shape:  her ears were all torn up and she had a nasty gash across her throat.  But worst of all, her right shoulder was dislocated.  From her condition and the part of town where she was found, it appeared that she was a victim of the odious practice of dogfighting.  Due to the delay in getting medical treatment, her leg could not be saved.  But thanks to Dr. Laurie, Pippi began her recovery.  After six weeks at the Ashton Animal Clinic, it was time for Pippi to be adopted. 

As we mentioned, we already had a houseful of pets when Pippi was introduced to us.  The oldest was a regal cat named Potter, who had been a part of the family since 1998.  He had been the smallest of a litter of cats in the family of a girl from my daughter's school.   He had some health problems, but they didn't stop him from growing into a 20 pound cat.  And the Alpha creature, even in a household with 2 pits.  Don't nobody mess with Potter! The dogs had their own stories.  We adopted Lucky and Rosie in 2005 and 2006, respectively.   Lucky was adopted from the Manatee County Humane Society, where he had stayed for eight months without being adopted.  Rosie was patched up by Dr. Walmsley after having her pelvis shattered by a car when she was a stray.  We had no idea that Lucky and Rosie were about to get a baby sister when, in March, 2007, Dr. Walmsley told us about this "really cute pitbull" whose right front leg she had just amputated.  At first, we thought it was out of the question. A third dog? How could we do it? But our daughter Sarah insisted that we couldn't take a chance that this little creature might be euthanized. So after initially declining to adopt Pippi, we went back and saw her again. Nobody could say "no" to Pippi twice. So we didn't. She came home with us, and the rest is history. We found out Pippi had a personality like Tigger.  She bounces off the walls, but you gotta love her. She became a part of the family.  Every morning after breakfast, she chases her brother and sister around the house and out into the yard.

Potter Lucky Rosie

Pippi was with us for over a year before we realized that wherever we went, it was always Pippi that everyone remembered. It just seemed natural to make her a part of our advertising. After all, nobody knows better than Pippi how much a catastrophic injury can change the rest of a person's life. When Tom's mother was ill in June, 2008, she was hospitalized at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Sarasota for about a week.  At HealthSouth, they encourage the families of their patients to bring pets to visit the patients during their hospital stays.  When Pippi went to visit Ellen Hudson, she was "discovered" by the HealthSouth staff.  Everyone who saw Pippi remarked about how she would lift the spirits of someone who had just lost a limb.

On the day Ellen Hudson was discharged, one of the RN's at HealthSouth approached Tom in the hallway and remarked about how everyone seemed to love Pippi. She observed that HealthSouth is a rehabilitation hospital, and that it has a lot of patients who are dealing with amputations. "What would you think," she asked, "about Pippi becoming a volunteer dog to cheer up the patients?"

Tom thought about it for a moment, envisioning the strains of running a business. "I don't know. I'm pretty busy these days."

The nurse smiled and replied, "I didn't say we needed you."

Having been brought down a peg, Tom thought about it, and decided that Pippi is a gift who should be shared. So now, Pippi has begun a new chapter.  She is a volunteer at HealthSouth, visiting the patients every weekend. And you should see how a visit from Pippi puts a smile on the patients' faces!

At the Hudson Law Office, we have been helping individuals to get justice for a quarter of a century.   Let us help you.   Contact us by confidential email or at (941) 358-5400.   You will never pay a penny out of your pocket for aggressive and tough representation against the insurance company's professionals.  We invite you to call for a free consultation.   We hope to hear from you.