Went to the local animal shelter this past weekend....

[starann]

I was AMAZED at the amount of pit bulls there......95% of the dogs for adoption were pit bulls or PB mixes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So sad!

I took my mom there as they had $35 adoptions this weekend (she wanted a small dog as that is what she already has and her yard will permit, which they had none of). It was HEARTBREAKING seeing all these pits there. If we didn't already have 2 dogs, I would have brought one home. There was one that looked so sweet and the poor thing was deaf.

Thankfully it is a no kill shelter, but the shelter in the next county is not, which makes it even more sad!

 

[sunnyday123]

That's what is mostly in our shelters too ( Delaware ). I am pretty sure in the city they have to be registered, and if they aren't I'm sure they are taken. Unfortunately, most of them older, so they probably wouldn't fight or be as agressive as the owner wanted them to be. To me, owning one is the equivelent of a little guy driving a big truck.... ( most owners not all!) some people just use them as some sort of warped status symbol.

 

[Feralpeg]

Sadly, pitbulls seem to be the "cool" dog to have these days. Unfortunately, they grow up to be big dogs that need training and a lot of care. People start fearing them as they get older. They don't want to deal with the responsibility and the dogs end up in a shelter. It's a shame.

Another factor is that most animal rescue groups will not take pitbulls to try to adopt out. They just don't have success doing it. They take other breeds that will be more likely to find homes. The shelters don't have the resources to take too many dogs, so they go for those with the best possibility of success.

 

[okeydokey]

Ours are the same and Craiglist is flooded with them.

 

[starann]

I think they are the 'in' dog right now for people who have no busniess owning any dog. I do homecare (as a visiting nurse) and have called animal control on situations I have seen (neglect, abuse). I have also seen other people who treat their dogs like a member of the family.

A Lot of our clients don't have a pot to pee in, shut off notices for this or that utility, yet they have a pit puppy...not spayed or neutered, ears clipped (UGH). Now with any puppy they are cute, but a lot of work, a lot of training and if you don;'t put the time in with them, you will end up with a BIG unruley dog that no one will want to take off your hands.


I think it is just sad to see these dogs. So sad infact that once Pokey (a resuce dalmatian/Australian Shepard mx) and Chloe (a resuced greyhound) cross over the rainbow bridge, I might look into a pit. Guess in a few years I will have to research some more!


Anyone here have a pit?

 

[aprilgail2]

Our shelter is full of them because they are unadoptable- either the owners claim them or they put them to sleep...they are not allowed to adopt them out once they are in the shelter.

 

[NikiM20]

Shelters are FULL of pits here. I have a friend who owns one and he is so awesome! He is a big sweet boy.

Pit Bulls are the current "bad" breed. It has been german shepards, dobermans, rottweilers.

I own 2 Great Danes which are on the "dangerous" breed list. Whoever wrote that list has never had a Dane. I got both of mine as adults but there is still alot of training that has to be done.

Unfortunately, until some people realize that you need to do more with a pet than throw it into a backyard, our shelters will always be full

 

[CathrynRose]

Anyone here have a pit?

It's a shame. They're currently the number one 'back yard bred' dog. You have people getting them for the wrong reasons, and this is what you end up with.

I adopted Charley at (about) 17 mos old. He has been a peach since the day we adopted him. Easy, easy, easy to train. We didn't even think he could bark for the longest time, because he just never did. He's quiet, friendly, cuddley, and wonderful.

We tell each other every day how blessed we are to have him.

 

[Mickey527]

Our pound is also overrun with pit bulls. I live in a big city with lots of tough neighborhoods and the pit bulls roam the streets.
I want a dog for my grandson to play with and I wouldn't think of getting a pit bull that hasn't started life with me just in case he had been breed to hurt.
But heres the kicker, I had a wonderful dog that we got from the pound, Conan who we had for 19 years. He was 3-5 when we got him, the owner said he didn't know how old he was, the pound said 3 but our vet estimated at least 5 because of the condition of his teeth.
The owner tried to train him to fight (attack dog) but Conan was too sweet. We tried to change his name but he wouldn't answer to anything else.
He was a german shepard/sheltie mix. I almost wish we hadn't had him spayed, I would have loved to have another Conan.