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Portage Co. Rescue Dog Stars in Animal Planet Series

Posted: 1:26 PM Dec 20, 2011
Reporter: Madeline Anderson

Dog Star
Local Dog Appears on Animal Planet

Most animals at the pound just want a loving family to go home to. But for one dog at the Humane Society of Portage County, he can add 'celebrity' to the list. Digger is a four-legged friend who's proving even rescue dogs can make it big.

"It all kind of happened really fast,” Iola resident Tara Ginter said. “We went just to look around and see what dogs were available. And we ended up leaving that day with a dog."

For the Ginters, a trip to the Humane Society ended happily with a new addition to their family

"We talked to the people at the Humane Society and they said he would be the perfect fit for us,” Ginter said. “Spent a little time with him, and he's just the sweetest dog ever, the biggest lover. He has to always be on you, in your face and loving you.”

Ginter, her husband and their two kids fell in love with the pit-bull-terrier mix, who they named Digger, and welcomed him into their home. But they were unaware of his secret past.

"We didn't even know this had happened until we went to get him,” Ginter said. “They told us, oh yeah, by the way…”

Back in March, when Digger was still known as Alex at the Humane Society, and still just another mut at the pound, the Humane Society received an unexpected call.

"And the woman on the other end said, ‘Hi, my name is Rissa, and I'm from Animal Planet. We would like to use one of your dogs in an upcoming TV series,’” said Jennifer Blum, the director of the Humane Society of Portage County. “And of course we were all a little bit star struck. Wow, Animal Planet is calling us.”

The show “Saved” about animals that risked their lives to save humans was struggling to cast the perfect dog for one of its episodes, until finding Alex's picture online.

"Alex was the spitting image of a dog that had saved his owner's life, the dog's name was Dude, and he had saved his owner from a bear attack."

Alex made the day-trip to Sparta, Wis. for his acting debut. Producers say he was a natural and his new family isn't surprised.

"He's so smart, he's such a quick learner,” Ginter said. “He'll do anything you'll ask him to. It was very neat. It's very exciting for our family.”