Zeus is the best gift that life has ever given me. I adopted him my sophomore year of college because I was having a hard time coping with school and anxiety. I'd grown up in a household with four dogs, and I was missing that support I was used to.

I met Zeus at an Austin Pets Alive! foster event. I’ll give credit to my mom because she saw him first, but as soon as she pointed out the four-year-old pit bull/lab mix, I knew he was the dog I wanted to adopt. His foster mom told me that he was quiet and enjoyed his rest but also loved to play with other dogs when they were around. He sounded perfect to me.

As I spent more time with Zeus, I realized just how lucky I was to have him. Every time I get frustrated with my homework or start to show signs of anxiety, he gets up on my lap and starts to lick my face. I don’t know how he got so smart, but he knows that all I need to prevent an anxiety attack or take a refreshed look at my homework is a little puppy love and distraction. I’ve never had a dog react to my emotions like this, but he makes me feel so loved and calm.

Zeus is a pit bull/lab mix, and he’s one of those dogs who makes it very clear that the stigma against pit bulls is so wrong. He is friendly toward every dog and person he meets, and he shows love and compassion for all of the people he’s close to. I don’t know what I’d do without him. I’ll forever be grateful for shelters like APA! that stop at nothing to find animals their forever homes.