WHY GIVING UP YOUR PIT BULL IS ALMOST CERTAINLY A DEATH SENTENCE FOR YOUR DOG

Sorry if this post is a little harsh/angry, but it’s tough love time, aka…

WHY GIVING UP YOUR PIT BULL IS ALMOST CERTAINLY A DEATH SENTENCE FOR YOUR DOG.

The odds of placing a pit bull type dog anywhere they’ll survive, let alone have a halfway-decent chance at life, are LONG against. These “odds” are multiplied by the seemingly casual/flippant attitude many people have about DUMPING their dog (read: FAMILY member) The “loving” owner who HAS TO give up his/her dog may post once or twice, adopt a “hey, I tried!” position, and then condemn their beautiful baby to being euthanized by surrendering them to a shelter.

It takes love and work —ALOT of work— to find a good home these days.

WHY GIVING UP YOUR PIT BULL IS ALMOST CERTAINLY A DEATH SENTENCE FOR YOUR DOG.

Every day, the Bully Dog Rescue Coalition –and all other pit bull-centric rescues– get e-mails and Facebook messages from bully owners pleading with us to take their dogs. They’ll tell us a story, which is oftentimes genuine and heartfelt, and just as often lazy and disengenous, about how much they love their beautiful bully, and go on to WHY they HAVE TO give them up. (It’s usually because they have to move, although there are many reasons). Just as we are plead with, I am now going to beg the bully owners in return. If you get a pit bull… NO MATTER WHAT… PLEASE MAKE A COMMITMENT TO KEEP HIM, OR HER, FOR LIFE. Here are some facts and figures to think about:

— Statistics on how many dogs are euthanized in shelters each year vary from organization to organization. With that, let’s for a moment rely on the ASPCA, which says that in 2022:

— 670,000 dogs were put down in the US.
— Of those, roughly 270,000– about FORTY PERCENT(!)– were pit bull-type dogs. That is in comparison to the estimate that only a mere 35,000 pit bulls are adopted out from shelters each
year. The math is simple… nearly 9 out of 10 pit bulls enter shelters with a DEATH SENTENCE.

So, why can’t we rescues just simply take your dog off your hands, and save him from his fate at the local shelter?

Believe me when I say… WE WANT TO. But, and sincere apologies for how cold this may sound, … it’s math again. There may be 100 or so rescues in the US that actually own property and safe harbor 20 dogs or more. These AMAZING rescues/sanctuaries–like Shadow’s Fund (CA), Dog’s Nation (MO), Villalobos (LA) , Best Friends (UT), Luvable (OR), Friends to the Forlorn (GA), Maui Pitbull Rescue (HI) and The Linda Blair Worldheart Foundation (CA)– are larger, and may have over 100 dogs. Still, AT BEST, there is room for maybe 5000 pups at land-based rescues in the US. And (assuming 5000 is a fair estimate) this mix of 5000 is comprised of many breeds.

We rescues get almost all of our dogs straight off of doggie death row, shortly before they’re scheduled to be put down.

And NO, leaving your dog at a shelter, with the HOPE that one of us rescues will pick he or she up, is NOT a good idea. The odds are long, LONG against. We are simply at maximum capacity –ALWAYS– and are giving a chance at life to those who are at the very end of their rope. And mentally and emotionally beating ourselves up for all the beauties we see every day in shelters that we’re just not able to save.

Pit Bulls make very, very cute puppies. And they’re so darned overbred (a story for another day) that they’re available practically everywhere. People pick them up left and right; we get it, they’re hard to resist! And then later, many of these same folks find themselves in an “impossible” situation and “have” to give up their beloved family member. I stand by the notion that there is ALWAYS a way to defeat “impossible.” Today, I am the proud parent of 5 beautiful bullies. I’ve had my share of challenging times, including sleeping in OUR car while without a home, and “outdoors” –while sick– when WE didn’t even have a car. I put “our” and “we” in capital letters, because my babies were together in these situations; we were one. It had been suggested to me by some during those times, that I GIVE UP my pups so that I could accept offers of having a roof over MY head. “My,” not OUR heads, as those invitations didn’t include Ramone & GoGo (and later, Eos). Even as connected to the world of pit bull rescue as I am, I knew there was little-to-no chance I could place all 3 of my pups in a safe, forever, caring rescue. There’s just not room (and even if there was, I wouldn’t do it anyways; they are too much a part of my heart). I made a lifelong commitment to my dogs, and I will honor that. ALWAYS.

The point of this diatribe? There are two:

1. PLEASE, think long, hard and carefully, before acquiring a pit bull. (Well, any dog, for that matter). Be certain that you can –and WILL–commit to this dog for life.
2. For those who already have a bully, and who truly love them, and absolutely are convinced that there is no alternative to giving them up…

DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to place your dog in a loving, private home. I can tell you this… it will be a campaign of real love and dedication to be successful in your mission, but it CAN be done. I always suggest going to www.badrap.org and
making a study of their “Resources & Training” section, for very smart guidelines and suggestions, written by good folks with real experience.

If anyone reading this is thinking of getting a bully, and you’ve absolutely committed yourself –100%– to providing a home for life, search “pit bull rescue” in your area.

Blessedly, there are now hundreds of “foster-based” rescues operating in the US, and they are a possible resource as well (for those who may think you can place the dog you have to leave behind with a foster-based rescue, be advised, they too are ALWAYS operating at the edge of their capacities and capabilities). If you can’t find a land or foster-based rescue in your area from which to adopt, please go to your local shelter and adopt a beautiful bully there, and give he or she the loving, FOREVER home that the beautiful baby deserves. (In other words, RESCUE that pup from a near-certain death sentence).

In the meantime, we rescues will go on doing the work we do… promoting spay & neuter, fighting against Breed Specific Legislation, educating the public to responsible pit bull owenrship, and yes… we will continue to take in AS MANY BEAUTIFUL BULLIES AS POSSIBLE; although sadly, it’s never enough. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH.

One more fact/figure I want to leave you with for now… I mentioned early in this post that 40% of all dogs euthanized in shelters are pit bull type dogs. In 2024, the American Kennel Club recognizes 200 separate breeds of dog. Arguably, there are more than a dozen different breeds that are sometimes labeled as “pit bull type dogs.” That’s when you stretch all the way to include breeds such as French Bulldogs and Boston Terriers, but for now, for the sake of illustration, let’s call them “pit bulls.” That said, with 12 pit bull “breeds,” only 5% of all breeds are pit bull type dogs. Yet, 40% of all dogs being euthanized are represented by these breeds. FORTY PERCENT! Why the huge –and ridiculous–disparity? Also a story for a different day…

In the interim, if you HAVE TO give up your “beloved” pit bull baby, one or two (or ten) posts is not enough, before you dump him or her at a shelter because you have to go out of town. Campaign, campaign, CAMPAIGN. Again, here is a comprehensive guide on giving “YOUR” dog a chance to find a home: https://badrap.org/training-resources/rehoming-dog STUDY, AND APPLY YOURSELF! PLEASE.

Bless the bullies, and think again —take a good, hard look at the why behind you “having” to give up YOUR family member.