Thunder's Angels
Dog Rescue
Here at Thunder's Angels, we love underdogs. And there is no greater underdog than a Pit Bull. Shelters all over our country are filled with Pit Bulls - and unfortunately, they're often the first to be euthanized because of low adoption rates that are the result of misconceptions about the breed. Some estimates suggest that for every 1 Pit Bull that gets placed into a loving home, 599 Pit Bulls are euthanized. As a group, we try to rescue as many Pit Bulls as we can, but we can only save as many as we can get adopted.... We hear from so many families that they are looking for a dog but "...No Pit Bulls!" Breed bias is unfair to the dogs - every Pit Bull is unique and should be judged based upon their own temperament. Some Pit Bulls are dog aggressive but others love playing with other dogs. Some like to chase cats but others just want to cuddle with them. Some are high energy while others are couch potatoes. Several of the Pit Bulls we've adopted out through our rescue are now Canine Good Citizen's and some are so gentle that they now work as therapy dogs. We've created this page to educate the community about how wonderful Pit Bulls can be and to hopefully prevent loving families from overlooking these sweethearts!
(Click the photo)
Hellen Keller was an
animal lover and
kept Pit Bulls her
whole life.
The Pit Bull Terrier was the most popular dog at the start of the 20th century. Pit Bulls were seen as a symbol of strength and friendliness.
According to the American Temperament Testing Association, Pit Bulls have an 86% passing rate, compared to a passing rate of 81.9% for all breeds on average.
Petey, the faithful pup on the Little Rascals was a Pit Bull. He spent countless hours with children day after day and never hurt anyone - he used his powerful jaws to pull members of the Little Rascals cast from danger and some consider him to me one of the most intelligent Hollywood dogs of all time.
MYTH: Pit Bulls are more aggressive than other dogs.
FACT: Pit Bulls are no more aggressive than golden retrievers, pomeranians, or other popular dogs. In a recent study of 122 dog breeds tested by the American Temperament Testing Association, Pit Bulls achieved a passing rate of 86.0%...which is higher than the national average and better than the golden retreivers 83.2% and the pomeranians 75.8%.
Check out how well your favorite breed did by clicking here.
MYTH: Most attacks and bites are from Pit Bulls.
FACT: As a breed, Pit Bulls don't bite more often than other dogs. Wrong breed IDs are often presented to the public when it comes to dog bite cases. Click here for accurate reports on dog bites and the different types of dog breeds that caused them. And look here and here for media misinterpretations.
MYTH: If a Pit Bull is aggressive with other dogs, it will turn on people next.
FACT: Pit Bulls were bred to fight other dogs because of their trainability and eagerness to please their people. However, while certain traits were bred into the bloodlines for the purpose of winning dog fights (high pain tolerance, high prey drive, etc) human aggression was actually bred OUT of the dogs. Human-aggressive dogs were undesirable since every fighting dog required extensive handling prior to and during their fights so no human aggression was ever tolerated. And if a dog bit it's handler (even when breaking up a dog fight), it was typically killed immediately, meaning that only human-friendly bloodlines were perpetuated and desired. It has been said that a Pit Bull never met a stranger. They love and adore humans and long to be companions more than anything else. We have seen severely abused and neglected Pit Bulls who can't wait to be petted and loved - even after the abuse, they want nothing more than to be with a family of their own!
Pit Bulls have different levels of dog tolerance. The links below provide helpful information for Pit Bull guardians regarding dog-dog interations.
Click here for information on managing multiple dog households.
Click here for basic socializing techniques that can help you ensure your Pit Bulls dog-dog interactions remain positive.
Click here to learn about different tolerance levels and see where your dog fits in.
Two Pit Bulls help mother
and 9 month old baby
escape house fire!
Click to read.
Find other
Positive Pit Bull stories at:
http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/pospress.html
Click through to see some of the Pit Bulls that have been saved by Thunder's Angels.
Khloe (formerly Spice) came to us with a torn ACL. Even with her injury, she never stopped smiling. Khloe underwent surgery while in foster care and recovered faster than expected. Khloe doesn't get along with other dogs or cats so we thought she would be hard to place but soon after her leg healed, she found the perfect home. When Khloe introduced herself to her new family, she instantly melted their hearts with her charm! Khloe now spends her days filled with more love than she ever knew before rescue - and she's turned her family into advocates for Pit Bulls too! She loves cuddling with her mom, watching sports with her dad, playing dress-up with her sister, and running around in her big fenced yard!
Roxy (previously Suki) was shy and skittish when she came into rescue. When she was adopted, her family immediately enrolled her in dog training classes to help her with socialization and they are proud to announce that she recently passed her AKC Canine Good Citizen Test! Roxy is a total sweetheart - she gets along with both of the cats in her home (one is 17 years old!) and loves interacting with other dogs at doggie daycare and dog parks. Whenever they take her out, her parents get comments on how cute and full of character she is -- she has even endeared herself to some who are normally terrified of dogs! Her adoptive family is so grateful to have a loving companion like Roxy in their lives.
Rufus is a "pocket-pit". He's so tiny that when he arrived to our rescue, we thought he was only about 3 months old -- as it turned out, he was 8 months and fully grown. Rufus had a rough start in life...he was never vaccinated before being dumped at a gassing shelter so he caught a deadly virus called Parvo immediately after we rescued him. Rufus proved to be strong though and he survived treatment for the illness and bounced back stronger than ever! He now lives happily with his dad and is very popular in his neighborhood. Rufus loves other dogs and gets along with cats and children too. He is one of the most docile dogs you'll ever meet --though he's tiny, he's definitely an ambassador for the Pit Bull breed!
Lucy (previously Angel) was one of our favorite rescues. She is Pit Bull mixed with Dogo Argentino and weighs about 80lbs. Despite her size, Lucy is nothing but a lap dog! Lucy was dumped at a gassing shelter after being used for breeding and many other rescues didn't want to take her because of her breed and background. The poor girl had even had her ears hacked off with scissors....but the shelter staff couldn't rave enough about her wonderful temperament and we couldn't help but give her a second chance at life! While in foster care, Lucy was always patient with other dogs, even puppies that annoyed her. She now lives with several cats, whom she loves to kiss and cuddle with. She's also a favorite with neighbors and loves to go out for ice cream with her mom!
Lenny (previously Aries) is a stocky and strong dog that would never hurt a fly! He was taken in by animal control when he broke loose and when his family wanted to reclaim him, due to Breed-Specific-Legislation, they were unable to get him back since their homeowner's insurance policy did not have enough coverage for him to "house a Pit Bull". The family was incredibly upset that this precious boy was about to be gassed due to a technicality....so we rescued him in and found him a wonderful home. His adopters were searching specifically for a Pit Bull because they were extreemly impressed with the companionship and loyalty of the breed. Lenny now spends his days playing with his family's grandkids and other dogs - he couldn't be happier and neither could his new family!
Victoria is a tiny Pit Bull that was just moments away from death in the gas chamber when we rescued her. She was infected with deadly parvo virus and needed to be immediately removed from the shelter setting. We had her hospitalized and treated for the virus for two weeks - she had a hard time with it (lost half of her body weight, developed rickets, etc) but in the end, she survived! Once healed, Vicky's energy level spiked and she was acting like a puppy again. Her first foster family failed her when they weren't prepared for her puppy antics but when she met her second foster family, it was instant true love! They provided Vicky with the exercise and positive reinforcement she needed and she blossomed into a loving and healthy sweetheart. After watching her come so far, they couldn't bear to part with her and they adopted her into their pack. Victoria now lives with 4 other pit mixes and a few cats -- they all spend their days romping around the house, snuggling like sardines on the couch, and wrestling in the backyard. Her family continues to rescue and foster this incredible breed - they say that the highlight of their day is coming home to cuddle up with all of their loving Pit Bulls & forget the daily stressors of life!
Loki (previously Carl) was adopted by a loving family -- he was their first Pit Bull but has gotten them hooked on the breed and they now couldn't imagine their lives without him! They said, "He is the absolute sweetest, most loving, wonderful, happy dog. He listens very well (we did one set of obedience classes and incorporate training into his daily routine) and he's happiest either chilling out with us or chasing after his ball. We've been told by numerous people 1) that he is one of the most well-behaved dogs they ever met, and 2) he has changed their thoughts on pit bulls/pit mixes. He loves playing with other dogs and people, and he rarely barks. He's great with our two cats and especially children."
How could anyone pass up a dog like that?
NEXT
Lucy was just another brokenhearted Pit Bull in the shelter when we rescued her. When we contacted the people who surrendered her to ask them why, they weren't very forthcoming - they just said that she lived outside on the end of a chain and "never had a name". Since being rescued, Lucy's life has been completely turned around. She's now living the good life. Her new family told us,
"You won't be surprised to hear that Lucy has been such a great dog for us. We just love her, and every time someone meets her, she ends up being a big hit as well. She attends day camp at Wagsworth Manor in Great Valley, and gets great reviews. She loves playing with the other dogs and the staff there is so excited to see her whenever we bring her in. She recently passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test with flying colors! Her performance was so good that I am now starting down the path of getting her certified for Therapy Dog work. I really think she'd be a great fit for that kind of work because she's so calm and gentle. I just wanted to let you know how happy we are with her and how much we appreciate all your efforts. I can't imagine that Lucy could have been anyone's dog but ours, and I'm so happy we found her."
We're so happy that they found Lucy too! Every Pit Bull deserves a happy ending (and a family!) as great as this!
Lenny is a Pit Bull mix that loves everyone he meets! He's very puppy-like; always ready to play and always smiling. He was rescued from an area with BSL that would have caused him to die needlessly in the gas chamber. Lenny had a hard time when he was first rescued because of a family that made him anxious with their dominance techniques (which are not recommended on any dog, but especially not on a loving breed like the Pit Bull which is so affection motivated and eager to please people). When Lenny was placed in the right situation, he began thriving and showing his true personality and easily got along with other dogs, children, and even small animals like cats and ferrets. With positive reinforcement and a lot of love, Lenny has recovered and now spends his days romping with his doggie-sister Lola. Lenny loves to cuddle and his adoptive family couldnt be happier with him! Lenny is a great example of why it is so important to be properly-educated about the Pit Bull breed before attempting to
overpower them or make judgments.
Summer and Sky were two Australian Shepherd /
Pit Bull mix puppies that we rescued with their littermates when they were just 8 weeks old. None of the puppies had been vaccinated by the people who bred them and they were living outside in the bitter cold winter weather. We vaccinated them right away but all of the puppies ended up being infected with deadly parvovirus anyway. Their littermates passed away in the hospital but these two girls found the strength to survive. Once recovered, they were adopted into separate families - each with a doggie sibling and their families couldn't be happier with them! One of them recently sent us an email saying,
"We can't say enough about what a wonderful dog she is and how happy we are to have her. Like many, I was a little nervous when I found out that she was part pitbull. But any concerns I had were quickly erased when we met her. She is nothing like the reputation her breed has. She is so incredibly loving, always giving kisses, and has such a fun, playful energy about her. She is ALWAYS happily wagging her tail. She absolutely adores her big sister and loves playing with her other doggies friends and chasing squirrells. We can't thank you enough!"
WHEN YOU SHOULDN'T GET A PIT BULL.....
Copied and revised from an article by Pam Green (copyright 1992), titled "Don't Buy a Bouvier." Pam writes:
"I first wrote this article nearly 10 years ago. Since then it has become a classic of Bouvier literature, reprinted many times. Since then I have spent nearly 5 years in Bouvier Rescue, personally rescuing, rehabilitating, and placing 3 or 4 per year and assisting in the placement of others. Very little has needed revision in this new addition.....I give my permission freely to all who wish to reprint and distribute it in hopes of saving innocent Bouviers (note: it is Pit Bulls here!) from neglect and abandonment by those who should never have acquired them in the first place.
THE PIT BULL IS NOT THE PERFECT BREED FOR EVERYONE.
First and Foremost – let’s get Breed ID out of the way. Pit bull is not a breed but a generic category of similar breeds including the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. As a breed there are features that some people find charming, but that some people find mildly unpleasant and some people find downright intolerable. There are different breeds for different needs. There are over 200 purebred breeds of dogs in the world. Maybe you'd be better off with some other breed. Maybe you'd be better off with a cat. Maybe you'd be better off with goldfish, a parakeet, a hamster, or some house plants.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you are attracted to the breed chiefly by its appearance. Once they grow out of their "cute" puppy stage, the Pit bull is an average sized dog, generally between 40-60 lbs, with lots of energy and larger than life personality. They require a lot of work from their owners. Most pit bulls tend to be people soft so dominant behaviors towards their owners are generally not an issue. They are however a lot of dog to own in many other ways. Because they are the most legislated against dog in the country, they require owners who are going to be extra responsible and work hard to maintain their dog’s place in society. Finding places to rent can be very hard and sometimes finding homeowner’s insurance can be a real challenge. These are thing to work out BEFORE you get the dog. These aren’t shelties or labs, they are a performance breed prone to interspecies aggression.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you don't intend to educate (train) your dog. Basic obedience and household rules training is not optional for the pit bull. As an absolute minimum, you must teach him to reliably respond to commands to come, to lie down, to stay, and to walk at your side, on leash and regardless of temptations. You must also teach him to respect your household rules: e.g., is he allowed to get on the furniture? Is he allowed to beg at the table? What you allow or forbid is unimportant; but it is critical that you, not the dog, make these choices and that you enforce your rules consistently. You must commit yourself to attending an 8 to 10 week series of weekly lessons at a local obedience club or professional trainer and to doing one or two short (5 to 20 minutes) homework sessions per day. As commands are learned, they must be integrated into your daily life by being used whenever appropriate and enforced consistently. Having a well trained pit bull at your side is the least you can do for your dog.
Young PB puppies are relatively easy to train: they are eager to please, intelligent, with a relatively good attention span but have a lot of desire to play and have fun. Once a PB has learned something, he tends to retain it well. Your cute, sweet little pit bull puppy will grow up to be a powerful dog with a goofy, mischievous personality and the determination to finish whatever he starts. If he has grown up respecting you and your rules, then all his physical and mental strength will work for you. But if he has grown up without rules and guidance from you, he will make his own rules, and his physical and mental powers will often act in opposition to your needs and desires. For example: he may tow you down the street as if competing in a weight pull trial; he may grab food off the table; he may climb all over the furniture, jump on your guests (who may be frightened of a pit bull), or bolt out the door. This training should not be delegated to someone else, e.g., by sending the dog away to "boarding school," because the relationship of respect and obedience is personal between the dog and the individual who does the training. This is true of all dogs to a greater or lesser degree. While you definitely may want the help of an experienced trainer to teach you how to train your dog, you yourself should actually train your pit bull. As each lesson is well learned, then the rest of the household must also work with the dog, insisting he obey them as well. Using positive reinforcement is EXTREMELY important.
Many of the PB's that are rescued from pounds and shelters show clearly that they have received little or no basic training, neither in obedience nor in household department; yet these same dogs respond well to such training by the rescuer or the adopter. It seems likely that a failure to train the dog is a significant cause of PB abandonment. If you don't intend to educate your dog, you would be better off with a breed that is both small and socially submissive, e.g., a Shetland Sheepdog. Such a dog does require training, but a little bit goes further than with a PB. PB's can, with adequate training, excel at such working competitions as field trials and hunt tests, obedience, agility, and tracking. You can check out dog activities at (www.workingpitbull.com).
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you want an aggressive, guarding or protective dog. Pit bulls were simply not designed for this activity and to encourage it is WRONG. PB’s generally have a very people soft disposition and do whatever they can to please. They love to make new friends and are not naturally aggressive towards people. These dogs are often targets for theft and are stolen right out of their owner’s yards; cars and sometimes people break into your home just to steal your dog.
DON’T GET A PIT BULL if you want a dog that will always get along with all other animals. This is a breed that is GENETICALLY PREDISPOSED to animal aggression. This is a FACT! This breed was originally designed first for bull baiting and then dog fighting. Dog fighting was LEGAL until very recently in history and unfortunately is still alive and well. It is illegal in all 50 states but remains legal in other countries. Generally a pit bull WILL develop some degree of intolerance towards other dogs – especially same sex dogs. Even in pit bulls that are not generally considered dog aggressive, they will still have a "low crap threshold" or the inability to turn down what is perceived as a challenge by another dog. This comes from hundreds of years of manipulating the "fight or flight" mechanism of stress coping into a fight mechanism. When challenged by other dogs, a different breed may simply posture or run away, a pit bull will stand its ground regardless of the odds. This cannot be loved or trained away, it must be responsibly managed. You may be the one lucky person who has never had a problem [yet] but pit bulls will get along with other dogs…until they don’t. So just because it hasn’t happened [yet] doesn’t mean it won’t. Pit bulls may not start the fight but they will be more than happy to help finish it. Being a pit bull also means they will get the blame and may end up paying for any altercation with their life. For this reason alone, an adult pit bull or a pit bull over 12 months does not belong in a dog park. A dog park is not the same as a well controlled playgroup with dogs known to each other. A dogpark is a random grouping of dogs, known to each other or not and has a dynamic all of it’s own.
Dog tolerances change in all breeds around the time of social maturity and pit bulls are no exception. Contrary to what many believe, it is not all in how you raise them. A good amount of a dog’s disposition comes from it’s parents genetic nature. Controlled socialization with other dogs is always a good thing but is no guarantee that your dog will continue to like other dogs as a mature adult. You cannot counter 100s of years of breeding for the willingness to engage other dogs and challenge more powerful animals with trips to the dog park as a puppy. (Thunder’s Angels also does not support the use of Dog parks for appropriate exercise or socialization.) Your pit bull requires training and supervision around other animals.
The “Am Staff” was the Pit Bull prior to the AKC design in 1936. The first “Am Staffs” registered were American Pit Bull Terriers that fit the newly designed standard. The Staffy Bull is believed to be the original UK breed that sprouted the APBT. Aggression towards animals runs very real in these breeds as well. Don’t fool yourself by thinking you don’t have to worry about animal aggression if you buy or rescue one of the “other bully breeds”.
A Pit Bull is also a TERRIER and can be very prey driven towards small furry animals, like squirrels, ferrets……cats and small dogs. Combine a high prey drive with strength, determination and potential animal aggression means NEVER HAVE YOUR PIT BULL OFF LEASH PERIOD.
If you have a mixed breed pit bull, please understand that your dog will act on either side of its pedigree. It may act like a pit bull or it may act like the other breeds that have been included in its genetic history. Being mixed may or may not have any affect on whether or not the dog will become dog aggressive as an adult.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you are unwilling to share your house and your life with your dog. PB's thrive in close companionship with their families. They want to be wherever you are. They are happiest living with you in your house and going with you when you go out. While they usually tolerate being left at home by themselves, they should not be relegated to the backyard or kennel. A puppy exiled from the house is likely to grow up to be unsociable (fearful and/or potentially aggressive), unruly, and unhappy. He may well develop pastimes, such as digging or barking, that will displease you and/or your neighbors. An adult so exiled will be miserable too. If you don't strongly prefer to have your dog's companionship as much as possible, enjoying having him sleep in your bedroom at night and sharing many of your activities by day, you should choose a breed less oriented to human companionship. Likewise, if your job or other obligations prevent you from spending much time with your dog. No dog is really happy without companionship, but the pack hounds are more tolerant of being kenneled or yarded so long as it is in groups of 2 or more. A better choice would be a cat, as they are solitary by nature.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you are fastidious about the neatness of your home. Although it is technically true that Pit Bulls do not require professional grooming, they do "shed" at least twice a year and your house will be full of short slick hairs that have a tendency to stick in fabric. I don't mean to imply that you must be a slob or slattern to live happily with a Pit Bull, but you do have to have the attitude that your dog's company means more to you than neatness and you do have to be comfortable with a less than immaculate house. All dogs, like all children, create a greater or lesser degree of household mess. The Basenji is perhaps the cleanest, due to its cat-like habits; but cats are cleaner yet, and goldfish hardly ever mess up the house.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you don't value affection and loyalty. Pit Bulls are extremely affectionate dogs. A PB becomes deeply attached and devoted to his own family. They are equally gregarious with strangers and are always happy to meet new people and go places where they can be the center of attention getting rubbed and patted. They are usually exuberantly demonstrative of their affection. They make remarkable eye contact with their favorite people. They like to be near you, usually in the same room, preferably on a comfortable pad or cushion in a corner or under a table, just "keeping you company." They enjoy conversation, petting and cuddling when you offer it. They are clownish and goofy and live to make you smile. Having a pit bull is having your own adoring fan club. PB's are famous for their butt tucking zoomies around the house, yard or where ever they can get going. A pit bull can seem downright giddy and clingingly dependent. They stay puppyish for a long time and remain just as joyful and playful well into old age.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you dislike daily physical exercise. PB's need exercise to maintain the health of heart and lungs and to maintain muscle tone. Most young pit bulls need at least (AT LEAST) 20-30 minutes of hard exercise on a daily basis. This is a hardy, energetic, performance type dog that loves physical activity. If you do not provide a physical outlet for your dog’s excessive energy, behavior problems most likely will occur. They can show up as anxiety or destructive behaviors. PB’s are a performance breed and are not couch potato dogs. Anyone who owns one should be able to devote at least 20 minutes a day, working, training, retrieving, jogging, or playing with them. PB's that are not worked - both physically and mentally - are prone to mischief and will not "think." These active, intelligent dogs need jobs and responsibilities.
All dogs need daily exercise of greater or lesser length and vigor. If providing this exercise and work is beyond you, physically or temperamentally, then choose one of the many small and breeds that can exercise itself within your fenced yard. Most of the Toys and Terriers fit this description, but don't be surprised if a Terrier is inclined to dig in the earth since digging out critters is the job that they were bred to do. Cats can be exercised indoors with mouse-on-a-string toys. Hamsters will exercise themselves on a wire wheel. House plants don't need exercise. Or, you may be able to find an older settled pit bull in rescue with less exercise requirements.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you believe that dogs should run "free." Whether you live in town or country, no dog can safely be left to run "free" outside your fenced property and without your direct supervision and control. The price of such "freedom" is inevitably injury or death: from dogfights, from automobiles, from the Pound or from justifiably irate neighbors. An unfenced, uncontrolled, or uncontained Pit Bull is destined for disaster. A Pit Bull should never be off leash outside of a fenced yard. If you don't want the responsibility of confining and supervising your pet, then no breed of dog is suitable for you. A neutered cat will survive such irresponsibly given "freedom" somewhat longer than a dog, but will eventually come to grief. A better answer for those who crave a "free" pet is to set out feeding stations for some of the indigenous wildlife, such as raccoons, squirrels or birds, which will visit for handouts and which may eventually tolerate your close observation.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you can't afford to buy, feed, and provide health care for one – upkeep of another living being is not cheap. All dogs deserve a quality diet so make sure you read labels on dog foods to find a meat based food. This will vary in cost, this is a case where cheaper is not always better but the most expensive may also be the wrong choice for your particular dog. Cheap food will be reflected in the dog’s overall health and appearance. Large dogs tend to have larger veterinary bills, as the amount of anesthesia and of most medications is proportional to body weight. Spaying or neutering, which costs more for larger dogs, is an essential expense for all pet PB's, as it prevents serious health problems in later life, and makes the dog a more pleasant companion. PB's have generally been a very healthy breed but more and more are becoming subject to hip dysplasia and skin problems because if indiscriminant breeding. Hip Dysplasia along with luxating patellas can be costly to treat. Finally, the modest fee for participation in a series of basic obedience training classes is an essential investment in harmonious living with your dog; such fees are the same for all breeds, although conceivably you will need to travel a bit further from home to find a training class teacher who pit bull friendly. (In the Philadelphia Area, Thunder’s Angels recommends Carol Siegrist http://www.dogtraininginthecity.com/ ) The modest annual outlays for immunizations and for local licensing are generally the same for all breeds, although some counties have a lower license fee for spayed/neutered dogs. All dogs, of whatever breed and however cheaply acquired, require significant upkeep costs, and all are subject to highly expensive veterinary emergencies. Likewise all cats.
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you are not willing to commit yourself for the dog's entire lifetime. No dog deserves to be cast out because his owners want to move to a no-pet apartment or because he is no longer a cute puppy or didn't grow up to be a beauty contest winner or because his owners through lack of leadership and training have allowed him to become an unruly juvenile delinquent with a repertoire of undesirable behaviors. The prospects of a responsible and affectionate second home for a "used" dog are never very bright, but they are especially dim for a large, poorly mannered dog. A Pit Bull dumped into a Pound or Shelter has almost no chance of survival unless he has the great good fortune to be spotted by someone dedicated to Pit Bull Rescue and even then, the odds are stacked against him as there are an overwhelming number of purebred pit bulls already in shelters. The prospects for adoption for a youngish, well-trained PB whose owner seeks the assistance of the nearest Pit Bull friendly rescue group are fairly good, provided that time is not an issue and the owner is willing to retain the dog while a home is being searched. An older PB has diminishing prospects. Be sure to make arrangements in your will or with your family to ensure continued care or adoptive home for your PB if you should pre-decease him.
The life span of a Pit Bull is from 12 to 16 years. If that seems too long a time for you to give an unequivocal loyalty to your pit bull, then please do not get one! Indeed, as most dogs have a life expectancy that is as long or longer, please do not get any dog!
DON'T GET A PIT BULL if you are thin skinned, or easily offended. As a pit bull owner, you will be constantly required to defend your choice of pet. You will have friends, family members, co-workers who will not understand and pointedly tell you all they know about "those dogs" and what "those dogs" will do. God forbid you raise your children around "those dogs"........"don't you know what they could do?", "don't you read the papers". Every move you make as a pit bull owner will affect your ability and everyone else's ability to own this breed of dog. Whether you like it or not, your dog is a breed ambassador and you will be forced to educate others on an almost daily basis. People will walk to the other side of the street as you walk your dog. Some people will happily meet your dog and tell you how pretty he is and when you tell them your dog is a pit bull, they will recoil in fear and act as though they have been struck by a bolt of electricity. Some will refuse to let their children play at your house. Your only defense is a well trained, well socialized companion pet that shows them how wonderful these dogs can be in the right hands and homes.
CONCLUSION: If all the preceding "bad news" about PB's hasn't turned you away from the breed, then by all means DO GET A PIT BULL! They are every bit as wonderful as you have heard! Most rescued PB’s make superb family companions for responsible and affectionate owners despite the irresponsibility of their previous owners. Rescues conduct temperament evaluations and provide remedial training before offering dogs for placement and will continue to provide advisory support afterwards.
Thunder's Angels, Inc. PO Box 1105 Kulpsville, PA 19443 ThundersAngels_yahoo.com
