44 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com THIS DOG’S LIFE. FROM PUPPY MILL SURVIVOR TO SOCIAL MEDIA STAR. Kevin Pittman’s family has been affected by heart disease. This year marks his second year on the committee of Tampa General Hospital’s American Heart Association Heart Walk. Last year they incorporated dogs into marketing the walk. “We posted Ezra as a coach and people signed up to walk with him. Barks for Hearts was created to be part of the annual event.” The dog teams raised $1818. This year's event on November 6, Barks for Hearts dog bandanas will be available as will a Barks for Hearts snapchat filter. –by Anna Cooke Photographs, courtesy of Kevin Bowen. Photograph of Robert, Ezra and Kevin by Joseph Photography. Ezra. The Puppy Mill Wonder Dog Who Survived To Help Others. The self-professed cat lover walked past the booth during a street festival in Greensboro, North Carolina. Focused perhaps more on where he was headed than homeless animals, Kevin was snapped back into the present when the paw reached out for him through the bars of a crate. The SPCA had a booth at the festival with four dogs up for adoption. One crate had twoYorkies, and Kevin asked to hold the one who had reached out to him. “As soon as I picked him up, he latched onto my neck. I wasn’t used to dogs nor had I ever seen one so frightened,” said Kevin.“He had been part of a puppy mill raid, and I knew I had to help him. His adoption fee was one hundred dollars, so I ran to the ATM and right back to the table.”