When Stephanie Doris first saw a photo of a senior pit bull on a Los Angeles city shelter's website in 2013, she didn't see a "vicious" animal or a project. She saw a dog whose face had been through a war. That dog was Nana. Now, if you’ve spent any time in the rescue corners of Instagram or Facebook over the last decade, you likely know her as Nana the earless pibble.
She wasn't just another rescue. She was a survivor of the kind of systemic cruelty that makes you lose sleep. Honestly, the details are hard to stomach. But her story isn’t about the abuse; it’s about what happened after she was saved.
The Reality Behind the Scars
People often asked what happened to Nana's ears. It wasn't an accident. Before she was surrendered to the shelter, her previous owners had crudely cut off her ears. But the cruelty didn't stop there.
Nana had been used as a "brood bitch," forced to produce an estimated 15 litters of puppies. When she could no longer breed, her owners reportedly pulled out her teeth and dumped her. She was nine years old, toothless, earless, and facing euthanasia in a high-kill shelter.
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When Stephanie rescued her, the medical reality was grim.
- Her ear canals were filled with fungus and polyps from the botched removal.
- She required a bilateral ear canal ablation to remove two pounds of scar tissue.
- The surgery left her completely deaf, but finally pain-free.
It’s a miracle she trusted anyone. Seriously. After nearly a decade of being treated like a machine, she had every reason to fear a human hand. Instead, she became a face for the "Journey of a Pibble" movement.
Life Began at Nine
The first few weeks weren't some movie montage of wagging tails. Nana didn't know what toys were. She would freeze if someone tried to pet her. Stephanie even admitted to second-guessing the decision, wondering if she was equipped to heal a soul that broken.
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But then, the "pibble" personality started leaking out.
Nana eventually discovered the joy of leashes. She learned that a hand reaching out usually meant a scratch on the neck, not a blow. She spent her senior years—which she shouldn't have even had—lounging on soft beds and wearing pajamas. Those pajamas weren't just for "cute" social media photos; they helped keep her warm and made her look less "scary" to a public that often discriminates against her breed.
Why Nana’s Legacy Matters for Rescue Today
Nana passed away in 2018, but her impact is still felt in the rescue community. She changed the narrative around three specific groups of dogs:
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- Senior Rescues: She proved that a dog’s life isn't over at eight or nine.
- Abuse Survivors: She showed that "broken" dogs can be rehabilitated into gentle companions.
- Pit Bulls: She helped dismantle the "vicious" stereotype, one toothless smile at a time.
Her story helped support organizations like the Stand Up For Pits Foundation, highlighting the need for better animal welfare laws and the importance of fostering.
What You Can Do Now
If Nana’s journey moves you, don't just "like" a photo. There are tangible ways to help the thousands of "Nanas" still sitting in shelters right now.
- Foster a Senior: Shelter environments are hardest on older dogs. Fostering for even two weeks can provide the data a shelter needs to find them a permanent home.
- Support Specialized Surgeries: Many rescues take on dogs like Nana who need expensive surgeries (like ear canal ablations). Donating specifically to "medical funds" saves lives that would otherwise be "unadoptable."
- Educate on Breed Myths: When you see breed discrimination, share stories like Nana’s. Evidence-based advocacy is the only way to shift public perception.
Nana the earless pibble spent nine years in hell and five years in heaven. She didn't let her past define her future, and she gave a voice to the voiceless. That’s a legacy that won't be forgotten.