The Impact of Pit Bull Bias
- It is estimated that 5% of all dogs in the U.S. are pit bulls, yet approx. 20% of dogs in shelters are pit bulls
- 22% of shelters in the U.S. euthanize pit bulls as a policy, simply because they are pit bulls, regardless of the dog’s disposition and temperament
- The head of Chicago’s Animal Care & Control (CACC) was fired in June of 2018 for not euthanizing pit bulls at the same rate they previously had been, making extra efforts to work with rescues to place pits
- During our first therapy dog visit, a kind gentleman who misunderstood our introduction said, “They should make that [pit bull] breed extinct.”
- We were verbally harassed by a man at a garage sale, as Mojave sat on the sidewalk, paying no attention to him whatsoever (though, he only harassed us once Hubby handed the leash to Wifey and went into the garage)
- Mojave’s owner’s sister threatened to not come over to the house if the dog they adopted was a pit
