When Michelle Sathe turned 40, she decided to skip her midlife crisis… and, instead, to go on a cross-country road trip with a female pitbull rescue named Loren. Sathe, an animal advocate, is a champion for pitbulls, who she sees as one of the country’s most under-appreciated and misunderstood animals.
“I always wanted to go cross country and write a book,” Sathe says. “And I was a volunteer at no-kill dog rescue. I fell in love with the dogs, and felt I (and they) needed a vacation. My favorite dog of all was a pink-nosed pitbull named Loren. So I took her with me to spread the word about pitbulls and homeless pet adoption. Pitbulls are the most overbred and euthanized dogs in America. Depending on where you go in the country, which shelter, pitbulls make up 50-80% of large dogs.”
“They’re the most beautiful dogs,” she explains. “Just their markings, and the way they’re built. They’re the funniest. They have a real sense of humor, and they love people. They get a bad rap, because they’re often not treated the way a dog should be treated. Loren is one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met. She’s a great ambassador for the breed. She’s very, very sweet.”
“You know when people get out of high school and they go travel or do something exciting? I never did that, so when I turned forty, I felt that it was time for me to go out and explore my country. I visited twenty-nine states in fifty days. It showed me that I can be alone for that length of time and adapt to new situations, and it was so interesting to see the different cultures and landscapes of this country. It’s a pretty unique place. There were times that I felt I couldn’t do it, I was lonely and out of my comfort zone, but my boyfriend discouraged me from quitting, and I kept going. It made me feel good that I could follow something through. That was new for me.”
Does she have any advice for women who may be considering making such a huge leap?
“Do it!” she urges. “Even if you think it’s totally crazy, do it, because life is short, and you may never have the opportunity again. I don’t like wondering ‘what if’. It’s important to get out of your comfort zone, and stretch yourself to see what you’re made of… I had a lot of support. Some people questioned the idea of me traveling alone, even though I had a dog with me – but I think that you hear and see more when you’re alone.”
“Women are generally in the caregiver or nurturer role,” she continues. “It’s really important for women not to lose themselves, or their own spirits. It’s really important for women to pursue their dreams. You can’t lose sight of yourself.”
When Michelle was planning the launch of her book about her experiences, she turned to a familiar helping hand to assist her – California Psychics.
“I called Ciarra ext. 8624,” she says. “She was great. I asked her about the agent for the book. She didn’t see one coming through, so she thought I should self-publish and market through rescue communities. A month or two later, my agent dumped me – but because of Ciarra, it wasn’t a total shock. There was a backup plan that she had planted in me, and I could say perhaps this is all for the good, perhaps it is meant to be. Ciarra saw nothing but good coming out of this book, that it would turn things around, and help bring awareness to pitbulls. She’s very straightforward, and compassionate. She gave me a lot of insight. I felt I had somebody in my corner. She didn’t sugarcoat it at all, but she did assure me it was going to be OK.”
Check out Michelle’s book at www.pitstopbook.com
