Growing up, I was afraid of dogs. My family never had dogs. Not my mom, dad, aunts, uncles, or grandparents. I still remember going to my childhood best friend's house for the first time and hiding in the corner when his dog barked at me upon walking through the front door1. I just didn't understand dogs. It's natural to fear something you don't understand.
Fast forward a couple of decades — I'm a proud owner of a beautiful 6 - year-old pit bull. I'm ashamed to admit that I likely would have been hesitant to adopt Zoey 5 years ago if I knew she was a pit. The shelter identified her as a "boxer-mix." I now understand why.
Pit bulls have long been seen by society as a naturally aggressive breed. "Pit bulls are dangerous" — is something I've heard countless times. "Make sure it's not a pit" — is something told to parents of young children when they head to the animal shelter in search of a new four-legged member of the family.
The Unfortunate Lethality of Ignorance
These stereotypes are unfounded, misguided, and oftentimes outright malicious. People holding these thoughts in their heads might think they're harmless. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, this misinformed sentiment has had a disastrous impact on the lives of millions of innocent dogs. Below are some jarring statistics:
Dogs labeled as Pit Bulls spend 3x longer in shelters than other dogs2
Only 1 in every 600 Pit Bulls finds a forever home
Studies estimate that up to 1 million Pit Bulls are euthanized per year3
About 75% of municipal shelters euthanize Pit Bulls immediately upon intake
Pit Bulls have a 93% euthanasia rate
It was hard to even type some of those numbers down. My dog, Zoey, is snoring on the couch behind me as I write this. For every one of her, there are 599 pits out there in kennels, on the streets, or already put down.
There must be a good reason for this, right? Surely such harsh consequences must be justified by equally or more heinous actions. The answer is no. Any "evidence" to support breed-specific legislation (BSL) or negative public sentiment has either been misunderstood, misstated, or truly made up out of thin air. Below is a brief summary of studies and statistics that refute these stereotypes:
The vast majority of American Pit Bull Terriers (87.4%) and American Staffordshire Terriers (85.5%) passed temperament testing conducted by the American Temperament Test Society. For a point of reference, Golden Retrievers, often cited by society as safe, family dogs, came in at 85.6%4
A survey among 4,000 dognition.com (service that uses games to establish an archetype of sorts for your dog) users found pit bulls to be among the least aggressive dog types
Per the latest available CDC data, pitbull-type breeds dog bite-related fatality per 100k dogs was less than 1% for pit-bull type breeds; this would be lower than breeds like huskies and chow chows that don't suffer from the same negative bias5
The study from the U.S. National Safety Council from 2014 showed that your chances of dying from a dog bite are 1 in 116,448. You are about twice as likely to die from a hornet, wasp, or bee sting (1 in 55,764) or by coming in contact with a hot substance (1 in 59,093)6.
Senseless and Ineffective Legislation
Here's some additional perspective, when someone is injured and sent to the hospital for a dog bite, the breed is only logged through the victim's self-reporting. Recent studies show that the vast majority of the time, shelter workers can't even correctly identify a dog's breed7. If people who spend all day working with dogs can't even correctly identify a dog's breed, how can we expect the average person to? This results in a huge negative confirmation bias towards pit bulls since they have been unfairly stigmatized by the media as overly aggressive, despite no concrete evidence to support these claims.
So any breed-specific legislation bill that is touting some statistic about pit bull dog bites within their community is likely drastically inflating that data (if they even have any hard data to cite in the first place). But don't just take my word for it, see the below quote from the American Bar Association — the largest voluntary association of lawyers in the world.
“…the American Bar Association urges all state, territorial, and local legislative bodies and governmental agencies to adopt a comprehensive breed-neutral dangerous dog/reckless owner laws that ensure due process protections for owners, encourage responsible pet ownership and focus on the behavior of both dog owners and dogs, and to repeal any breed discriminatory or breed-specific provisions.”
Despite there being 0 studies that conclude that any one breed is inherently more dangerous than any other breed, and a wide array of studies concluding that breed-specific legislation is actually ineffective at achieving its goals, 39 states and over 1,000 cities have some form of BSL8 in the U.S. That's the state of things today. This is the uphill battle that pit bulls and pit bull advocates all around the country are up against. If you're aware of any breed-specific legislation in your local area, vote and speak out against it. It will result in undue harm to innocent animals9.
Some Dogs DO Get a 2nd Chance
Fortunately, it's not all bad news. When rescues and shelters are able to network with one another, pool resources, and share information, positive outcomes can be achieved despite unfavorable odds. All over the country, you will find dedicated shelter and rescue workers/volunteers going above and beyond to save animals' lives. The pay is poor, the environment can be highly emotional, and many days the lows heavily outweigh the highs. But that's the reality for these selfless advocates. These people still show up every day to continue the fight. I'm traveling within my home state of W.V. to shine a light on the folks doing this emotionally taxing and much-needed work.
At Pitbull Second Chance Rescue, located in Bluefield WV/VA micropolitan area, Cindy Mabardy (Owner) and Angel DeHaven (Director) take dogs that are scheduled to be euthanized and successfully re-home them using a network of trusted fosters they have developed over the years; these dogs are mostly pit bulls, which struggle with an unwarranted, negative image. The fosters are provided with donated food, treats, water, and other essentials from people and local businesses that Cindy relentlessly pursues.
Cindy developed a soft spot for the breed after volunteering at a local shelter and witnessing pit bulls continue to fill up the kennel space while not getting adopted (and often not even looked at). Through her own personal experience of working with and owning pit bulls, she knows that the negative storylines unfairly attached to this breed lack any real credibility or science. Cindy's passion for these dogs is on display at all times. She truly has a "sixth sense" with dogs which allows them to approach her without fear and hesitation. Even my new dog who was scared of all people, and still timid with me after 2 weeks together, went right up to Cindy for a treat while wagging her tail.
Angel is described by Cindy as a do-it-all type. She does everything from run their web page and Facebook site to using her local connections to help save dogs' lives across some of this nation's most unsafe and under policed areas. One such occasion sent her to a dangerous, drug-ridden area of Southern WV to save a momma pit bull and her 8 pups from living in deplorable conditions in near-zero temperatures. This particular rescue took over 2 years of having to negotiate with truly awful people in order to finalize, but Angel refused to give up.
Second Chance Rescue had a physical location but unfortunately was forced to close the doors due to lack of funding. This didn't stop them, or even slow them down, from continuing their mission of helping and promoting the wonderful pit bull breed. Second Chance Rescue has partnered with the pet technology company, Cuddly.com, and Stacey Harman (director) at the Mercer County Animal Shelter to help continue her mission. Cuddly uses a modern and transparent approach to help animal-focused non-profits with fundraising and logistical issues. These issues are time-consuming and labor-intensive for animal shelters, so Cuddly is providing a much-needed service by lessening that load. They are building a strong community within the animal welfare space. This technological and community-driven approach is the mindset that is needed if animal lovers, pet owners, shelter/rescue workers, and companies are going to work together in order to solve the biggest problems facing animal welfare and animal rights. Please consider checking out Second Chance Rescue’s page on Cuddly.com and donating to an animal in need.
Superstars in the Animal Welfare Community
Mercer County Animal Shelter is run by Stacey Harman (Director) Heather Mitchell (Rescue Coordinator), and William Smith (Director of Dogs). They are a dedicated staff with a clear comradery that creates a great environment amongst all the chaos in everyday animal shelter life. Due to their combined efforts, the shelter has not euthanized a single dog for space or overcrowding issues in 7+ years. Sometimes health issues and court-ordered cases leave the shelter no choice but to euthanize, but they do a tremendous job of avoiding that fate for the vast majority of animals that pass through their doors. The busiest and most emotionally taxing months are during Summer due to overwhelming numbers and harsh weather. They are bordered next to counties that offer little to no animal control services at the local government level and have histories of dog-fighting and animal abuse. These issues are accompanied by drug addiction problems that spill over to Mercer country, but Stacey, Heather, and William continue to fight for the wellbeing of their local animals in need against all odds.
Stacey Harman is a true "superstar" in the dog adoption community. She has saved 1800+ dogs yearly for 8+ years (those numbers are humble according to Heather and Cindy). She takes in dogs affected by natural disasters and has had dogs adopted out all across the country (she's even placed dogs in China and Canada). Stacey has also worked hard to foster and develop relationships with some of the local colleges and universities (Concord College and Virginia Tech Teaching Hospital). Stacey is extremely proud of these relationships and she should be.
Through the shelter's relationship with Concord College, students can volunteer and earn community service hours. Students volunteering are provided snacks and beverages and are compensated for gas. This program can really help reduce the workload of the shelter workers. More importantly, it helps the dogs become more human socialized by walking more and meeting new people. Any volunteer program that can help a shelter with walking dogs should be replicated, as this is among the best ways to socialize them, increasing their chance of being adopted. Volunteer at your local shelter; the animals and the workers will greatly appreciate you.
The Mercer Co. shelter's relationship with Virginia Tech Teaching Hospital is invaluable to both organizations. Stacey has fostered this relationship with great care and continues to grow it. Each student will get matched with a dog of any breed (VT requested 14 dogs this year and has already signed up for more!). Each dog receives a free spay or neuter and ALL meds, trials, and treatment are free. This program helps shelter dogs with socialization by using activity-based methods and helps students learn how to give exams via hands-on learning. On many occasions, the dogs end up getting adopted by the student. VTU is also a valuable resource the shelter can use whenever they have exhausted all other veterinary options or need a second opinion with a special case.
Changing the Culture
The city of Bluefield, W.V. has a ban on pit bulls within city limits. This fosters a negative image of the breed amongst the community. The pressure this creates on the county shelter and animal control service coupled with the lack of enforcement of breeding and licensing laws result in a woefully underpaid and understaffed workforce in the region. The state of things today in the city of Bluefield is unsustainable for shelters, rescues, and for the local vets as well.
The implications of breed-specific legislation are often fatal, but their influence on public perception can be equally as dangerous when we desensitize ourselves to one specific breed10. Before everyone had cell phone cameras in their pocket, the problem of overcrowding was solved by euthanizing dogs in a homemade gas chamber similar to a dumpster. Dogs and cats from newborns to seniors were dragged to their deaths knowing full well what was about to happen to them. The practice of mass animal euthanization was once seen as acceptable among government officials, and the only reason it was stopped was that it was exposed, followed by public outcry. Who’s to say something like this couldn’t happen again if enough people collectively demean pit bulls or any other type of dog?
The problem with shelters being overcrowded and pit bulls being the main resident breed is an example of how public policy can exacerbate real-world problems, as opposed to helping solve them. Local governments with breed-specific legislation in place show a clear lack of empathy, understanding, and open-mindedness towards animals rights. Leaning on scientific, fact-based animal behavior studies like modern veterinarians and trainers are utilizing today would make the world a better place for animals and for humans.
We can fix this issue in the private sector through creative problem-solving. Using a modern and transparent technological approach can transform the ways in which shelter animals receive donations, as well as the manner in which those funds are issued. Donations should always be issued in a way that is 100% transparent and best serves the immediate needs of the animal without the possibility of outside interference. Animal ownership can be transformed under this new model by giving people more ways to participate in the long-term wellness of a pet by exploring physical + digital ownership scenarios that will allow multiple owners to interact with their pet from almost anywhere on the globe.
Wrapping Up
Thank you for reading the inaugural Pit Bull Partners newsletter! James McManus and Nick Fonseca are Pit Bull owners and advocates. We decided to start writing about the hardships pits have to face in hopes of educating people on these injustices, shining a light on these beautiful animals, and highlighting other people and organizations on the frontline fighting for a better world for all animals in need of a home.
Please share this article to help spread the good work being done by the numerous animal welfare advocates mentioned throughout and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out on future articles. You can also follow James and Nick on Twitter to stay in the loop regarding future Pit Bull Partners content.
Mac was a great dog. We became good buds after I got comfortable with him, and he with me. He was kind, loving, playful, and really fluffy. Sending boops to Mac up in pup heaven.
Source: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0146857
Source: https://animalallianceok.org/programs/pawsitively-pits/
Source: https://atts.org/breed-statistics/statistics-page1/
Source: https://www.pitbullinfo.org/breed-risk-rates.html
Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-lies-damn-lies-and-st_b_8112394
Sources: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10888700902956151 and https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S109002331500310X
Source: https://www.scribd.com/doc/56495216/Estimated-U-S-Cities-Counties-States-and-Military-Facilities-with-Breed-Specific-Pit-Bull-Laws
American Vets Association position on this issue can be found here https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/why-breed-specific-legislation-not-answer
A pit-bull is not actually one specific breed, but rather a term used to group a handful of breeds who descend from bulldogs and terriers