St. Thomas University outfielder helps abandoned puppy survive and thrive

It was a Chance meeting, and it was life altering.

Chance, the 90-pound pit bull/mastiff with a glittering Cuban link chain around his neck and 200 Instagram followers to his credit, hasn’t always been such a star.

Nearly two years ago, on July 3, 2019, Chance showed up on the North Miami front porch of Gus Guerra, a St. Thomas University Bobcats left fielder.

Chance was in horrible shape when he met Guerra, weighing just 30 pounds and suffering from mange, a type of skin disease caused by parasitic mites. Female mites can burrow into an animal’s skin to lay eggs, and this had left Chance’s coat full of hard sores and crusty patches.

“Chance’s skin felt like a rock,” Guerra said. “I’ve touched an alligator before, and that’s what it felt like.

“He was full of mange from his eyelids down to his tail — every single inch of him.”

Chance — a three-month-old puppy at that time — was so sick that he could barely move, and his paws were swollen three times their normal size.

Guerra, not knowing if Chance was contagious, handled him with gloves at first, feeding the dog and giving him water while figuring out where to take him for help.

Chance, though, was very hesitant to get close to anyone, especially men.

“It’s obvious Chance was neglected by his previous owner,” Guerra said. “Around guys, he backs up and is uncomfortable. He had probably been mistreated by a man.”

Chance’s second day since meeting the Guerra family was July 4, and the animal shelters and veterinarian offices were closed because of the holiday. The fireworks further spooked Chance, and Guerra found him hiding in the bushes.

Slowly, though, Guerra gained Chance’s confidence. Finally, after three days on the porch, Guerra and his father were able to carry Chance into their car and drive him to a veterinarian.

The vet, Allen Fusco, was shocked.

“I’ve been a vet for 30 years,” Fusco told Guerra, “and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Once Fusco started treating Chance, the Guerras learned the dog wasn’t contagious. It was safe to bring Chance inside, introducing him to Guerra’s 13-year-old dog, a nine-pound Shih Tzu named Chiqui. The two dogs look like the Odd Couple, but they are best buddies.

“Cheeky is tiny, but she’s the master of the house,” Guerra said. “My biggest fear in the beginning was that they wouldn’t get along. Chance is a pit bull mix, but he’s afraid of his own shadow.

“He will be eating, and Chiqui will stick her head in and push him out of the way. Chance will sit back and let her finish. He knows she’s the queen of the house.”

Once Chance became a part of the family, he earned the Cuban link chain, which is a Guerra family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation.

The next item on the agenda was finding him a name. Guerra’s initial thought was Pablo.

“I thought it was a funny name, but it didn’t fit him,” Guerra said. “My mom suggested ‘Lucky,’ but that was cheesy. My sister suggested ‘Chance’.

“One day, I called him Chance, and he looked at me right away.”

After that, Chance became a media sensation.

Guerra posted a photo of his new pet and immediately got more than 60 messages from people wanting to help.

Chance came into Guerra’s life at a tough time. The Bobcats, coached by Jorge Perez, had just lost in the NAIA national championships, finishing second.

“That was a difficult defeat,” Guerra said. “But Chance’s recovery became my No. 1 priority. He became my new best friend.”

Perez said what Guerra has done to save Chance’s life is a reflection of his character.

Guerra arrived at St. Thomas from Monsignor Pace as a middle infielder, and he has successfully transitioned to the outfield.

He played just 11 games his first three years, but he became a starter in 2019 and hit .365 last season.

“Gus is kind of like Chance, right?” Perez said of Guerra, who has already earned a Master’s Degree in Sports Administration. “When Gus first got here, he wasn’t looking too good. But now he’s a team leader, a tremendous person and a really good college baseball player.”

Chance, meanwhile, is healthy, although his mange is a life-long condition that must be managed with frequent visits to the vet.

There’s no doubt Chance is loved. He sleeps in Guerra’s bed, invariably moving his master around.

“He’s like my son,” Guerra said. “He’s with me every day. I can’t sleep without him.”

In public, Chance catches most everyone’s attention.

“People will see his chain, and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, that guy spent all his money on this dog’s chain,’ and they’re right,” Guerra said.

“That’s not some knockoff chain.”