Pit Bull Adoption Program Ends In D.C. As The Money Runs Out

WASHINGTON -- For the last year, Kirstyn Northrop Cobb's job has been to convince people in the D.C. area to adopt more pit bulls. The Washington Humane Society's shelter is full of them. Cobb, who wears a pit bull T-shirt and paw print earrings, said that about 60 of the shelter's 120 dogs are pit bulls and that more are always coming in.

As Gary Weitzman, CEO of the Washington Animal Rescue League, put it in a HuffPost blog post: "[I]t's the pits who are most in need of adoption, yet the least likely to get adopted."

"Pitties and kitties," said Cobb, describing the shelter's chief inhabitants. Then, petting a cat and watching a shelter worker put fresh fruit into a rabbit's cage, she added, "And a fair amount of bunnies."

Starting in late December 2010, PetSmart Charities has funded five one-year pit bull booster pilot programs, run in partnership with the Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society, including Cobb's Washington D.C. Pit Crew. Cobb, a former veterinary technician, coordinates the D.C. Pit Crew, holding adoption events, walking a pit bull ambassador on the National Mall and showcasing adoptable pit bulls on Facebook. She declined to give specific numbers about how many pit bulls have been adopted since she took the helm, but said that the shelter's rate of pit bull adoption has increased by 15 percent. The PetSmart grant money has also paid for the spaying or neutering of almost 70 pit bulls.

But the program hasn't been refunded, and Thursday is Cobb's last day at the Humane Society. She said that the Humane Society's dogs should fare all right: The Humane Society is a pro-pit bull environment, and its staff will continue to encourage pit bull adoptions. The free spaying and neutering will end, but the shelter will continue to provide these operations for reduced fees, said Cobb.

More broadly, the public's perception of pit bulls is improving, if incrementally.

Challenges remain. Size and breed restrictions at many Northwest Washington apartment buildings are a big problem. The pit bull ban in Prince George's County, Md., is an even bigger one. Cobb said that even before she became the grant coordinator, she was working "behind the scenes" to overturn the ban and to otherwise make pit bull ownership easier and more inviting.

Cobb isn't quite sure what she'll do next professionally, but expects to keep working with her local humane society in Calvert County, Md., to promote pit bulls as happy, lovable pets with big smiles, dogs who are no more dangerous than any other breed.

The truth of this assertion was recently examined yet again, this time on an episode of the science podcast "Skeptoid". Brian Dunning, host of "Skeptoid," found that bite for bite, the pit bull's chomp is among the worst, but there are no definitive data to prove pit bulls are more dangerous and no good data to show pit bull bans do any good. He said:

This is a case where the value of good science is to drive policy. Most researchers agree that breed-specific legislation -- a nice term for pit bull bans -- are inappropriate. No good data exists to demonstrate that such bans have had any impact. Improved enforcement of existing laws, and improved education for dog owners, are far more likely to reduce the number of dog bites, fatal or not.

"What we're hoping is that in the long run, all dogs will be judged as individuals," Cobb said.

Outside in the shelter's fenced dog run, she plays with a pit bull named Ciera. Cobb kisses Ciera on the head. Ciera is around five years old, white with liver spots, and was given up about a month ago when her owner was deployed overseas. White dogs and older dogs are adopted less frequently than younger dogs of other colors.

Cobb said that she might end up taking in Ciera or other shelter dogs as foster pets in order to free up more space for the inevitable new pit bulls who will need their beds.

"I'm just 40 minutes down the road," Cobb said to the dog. "I'm just taking a vacation."

Comments

[SirCoolBreeze]

07:13 AM on 01/11/2012

Pit Bull Blues - John Shipe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQnOn76Uh0o&feature=related

[klwarner]

06:21 PM on 01/04/2012

I really hope they can find good homes for these dogs, despite the difficulty of folks who would normally be able to adopt an animal and can't, and the funding cuts to the programs designed to help them.

[rebtris]

11:16 AM on 01/02/2012

Everybody's so concerned about the poor pit bulls that might get euthanized.. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary spends loads of money on these dogs yet there are just as many cages filled with cats & small dogs who have NEVER hurt anyone, NEVER would hurt anyone guaranteed. They spend the money on these dogs that may or may not end up killing someone's kid, neighbor or pet. I won't be donating any more $ EVER to Best Friends Sanctuary if this is how they use it. They let hundreds of innocent animals die and concentrate their efforts on these malicious ill bred dogs. Pathetic.

[klwarner]

06:20 PM on 01/04/2012

You cannot guarantee a small dog wouldn't ever hurt anybody. Nor a cat. That's absurd. Yes it's a shame this place closed down and alternate housing can't be found for all the pets, but it's not the pitbull's fault.

[rebtris]

08:49 PM on 01/04/2012

Yes I can guarantee that a small dog or a house cat will never KILL anybody.. you can't guarantee that about any pit bull. The facts speak for themselves. Pit bulls KILLED 22 people last year!

[rebtris]

12:38 PM on 01/05/2012

Yeah you're right, it is a good thing I'm not running things or pit bulls would be banned nationwide like they are in other countries that have better sense. Be forewarned though, I'm NOT the only one who thinks these dogs are too dangerous to be kept as pets in neighborhoods. They've been banned in many cities across the country already. Anybody that lets a pit bull run loose may find that their dog has been shot by a neighbor who is fed up with vicious dogs running free. So until they are banned, better keep them up or you might end up burying them :-)

[FEsrigoHL]

11:34 PM on 01/01/2012

Sad but true. Some breeds are more prone to bite. Any "varmint" dog, such as Dachshunds were bred to KILL, just like pit bulls. Surely not people. However that does not mean they won't bite people. Further moist PB are owned by people that live in areas such as the Bronx, NY; Camden, NJ and Lakewod which are heavily minority areas. Such people are not likely to have extensive knowledge on how to train & keep dogs, nor do they educate themselves. They also tend NOT to have 6ft high cyclone fencing in the back yard to contain the dog. Kids are often home alone & are not careful enough in keeping the dogs contained or able to keep them secure on a leash on the street. A boy just had his throat taken out by the family pit bill in the metro NY area. Two months ago 2 PBs killed the owner in Camden. So all tyou PB lovers should stop saying they are not dangerous, as some are. All PB pets should be neutered. All unwanted dogs should be the responsibility of the breeder. By a law that ALL dogs must be chipped before leaving the mother the breeder will be found. All pets living in residential area should be spayed BY LAW. Also anyone owning a dog over 40 lbs should be mandated to be inspected for proper facilities & have taken a round of obedience lessons, BEFORE they get the dog.

[sylviafnj]

11:58 AM on 01/06/2012

True some are that is because they were tained by a human who wants to make a monster out of them.You train a child to be a killer & it will kill helloooooooooooooooo

[JeanVA]

02:58 PM on 01/06/2012

"All pets living in residentia­l area should be spayed BY LAW."

Wasn't too long ago that I agreed with you.

But no longer. Purebred dogs are heading toward extinction as people are pushed more and more toward adopting from shelters.

I am SO conflicted on this. I've loved many a mutt in my life. But what I want are Belgian Sheepdogs and Shetland Sheepdogs. (I know what their 'breed characteristics' are. and I LIKE them.)

I actually feel better knowing that most shelter dogs are pit bulls. Under no circumstances would I adopt one. So buying another purebred becomes far more feasible to me.

One of my neighbors has a pit that's well trained and seems like a perfectly fine dog. But just over a year ago, someone else's pet pit got loose - attacked and killed the Sheltie who was my SERVICE dog. For no reason at all.

Seeing something like that kinda changes your perspective.

[Andrew Profaci]

05:13 PM on 01/01/2012

This lady has done some great work, it's a shame how much money is wasted in Washington meanwhile a place like this is going broke.
I will be posting this story on my website at http://TheBullyBreedBlog.com in hopes to garner more support and maybe, just maybe we can save this awesome organization.

[madcityy]

12:29 PM on 01/01/2012

SADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

[Thismortalcoil]

01:39 PM on 12/31/2011

Absolutely tragic for the dogs to be blamed for the problems caused by their owners.

So many dogs are put down every day, but we can all make a difference by choosing rescue dogs instead of buying puppies and by getting our dogs neutered.

[Sammie55]

08:25 PM on 12/30/2011

I love all dogs.. but especially pit bulls. And I'm not at all sure the ban is bad idea.

Most pit bulls in this country live in misery.. fought, abused, bred over and over. Let them go. Stop breeding them, stop creating them only to suffer in pits or be euthanized in shelters. Grandather in the existing ones and let the breed come to an end.

[Electraglide]

05:19 PM on 12/30/2011

A dog lives as it learns, including pits. Close friends of mine just had their 17 year old pit put down after caring for the animal for years as she battled diabetes. She was no longer able to see, and could barely walk by herself any longer. She was a loving animal that lived at peace in a houseful of cats for years, and actually thought of herself as a lapdog. She is greatly missed.

[thebigbike]

03:59 PM on 12/30/2011

we were adopted by a female stray/lost/abandoned blue bully about6 months ago. ( "she followed me home can we keep her?" ) She is absolutely the most loving dog, doing wonderfully well with obedience training, and the best friend forever of our big boy we adopted from SPCA a couple of years ago. Finding the two of them for each other has been a blessing, they play and play and play til they are exhausted, even though - if you didn't know them - you'd think they were trying to kill each other, or playing tog of war with a 6 foot rope, and then collapse in a heap together, or he will lie down and she'll plop her butt down on him like he's a bench, and then lay down.

and of course she's spayed and microchipped.

[Kelly McCafferty]

01:19 PM on 12/30/2011

A dog, is a dog, is a dog. I run a non-profit rescue that specializes in bully breed rescue, adoption and education. My local county shelter euthanizes 150+ pit bulls a month, they are not put up for adoption to the public. We are able to save roughly 5-10 each month. I am sure you can do the math on how many wonderful dogs are dying here each month, and this is a "nice" shelter most people think is "no-kill". We need to have mandatory spay/neuter laws for ALL companion animals. And we need people to meet more of these wonderful dogs, it's the only way to change people's minds and save their lives. Statistics say only 1 in 600 pit bulls ever born ends up in a permanent forever home. It's an American travesty what has been allowed to happen in this country.

[Chad Wheeler]

07:25 PM on 12/30/2011

So you are in favor of dogs going extinct, then?

[Sammie55]

08:21 PM on 12/30/2011

There is not a snowballs' chance in heII of dogs "going extinct"... grow up.

[klwarner]

06:23 PM on 01/04/2012

Why on earth are all of the pitbulls euthanized without being available to the public?

[Kelly McCafferty]

08:36 PM on 01/04/2012

In the State of Ohio all bully breed dogs ("pit bulls") are considered vicious the day they are born. Because of this our county commissioners use it as an excuse where they don't want to accept additional liability for adopting out "vicious" dogs, even though they aren't being deemed vicious due to their behavior, but instead what they look like.

[cuttingman]

12:55 PM on 12/30/2011

Hmmm, when's the last time you heard of a kid or grandmother killed by a poodle? or a golden retriever? or a greyhound? or a dalmatian?

Sorry, pitbulls have a deservedly bad reputation. If you get one, you are (or at least should be) liable for their behavior.

[Kelly McCafferty]

01:30 PM on 12/30/2011

You should be liable for your dog's behavior regardless of if it's a pit bull, yorkie or golden retriever. Period. And, as someone that works in the veterinary industry I can personally tell you that the 2 nastiest dogs I have yet to encounter were: 1. An adult male boxer that would have mauled in a heartbeat without a muzzle and 2. An 8 month old labradoodle a family got from Craigslist. All dogs can bite, that's why socialization and responsible ownership are so important, REGARDLESS of the type of dog you have.

[sylviafnj]

12:06 PM on 01/06/2012

Thank you for being true. People can be stubborn and close minded. They just refuse to see the real picture.God Bless you for all that you do for all the animals.

[Dirk van Dongen]

01:43 PM on 12/30/2011

I take it that you've never been around them. If you've been around a properly raised one you'd find that they are sweet friendly and great with kids. The ones that fight usually have been terribly mistreated and are made violent. All the above dogs you mention have hurt and killed people too, just not as well publicized. the dogs that tend to bite the most are usually the smaller breeds, because they only draw a little blood no one cares. Pit bulls weren't the only fighting dogs Malamutes and other large dogs were used as well. In the 70's Dobermans were the dog most accused of hurting people. Why don't you do a little studying on the subject go to your local humane society and see for yourself. You'll find it's not the breed, but the owner who is at fault.

[cuttingman]

03:19 PM on 12/30/2011

I have a dog, I have been around pitbulls, Rottweilers, German Shepards, mastiffs and others. Agreed that most are fine and that it is their upbringing. But I also suspect that some dogs have shorter fuses, revert to pack hunting mentality more easily, than others. While I know other dog breeds are responsible for deaths, according to a CDC study published in 2000, pitbull terriers were responsible for 32% of all dog related deaths, by far the greatest percentage, with Rottweilers accounting for 18%.

For those that think they are immune from pitbull attacks, see the following story, which is unfortunately not uncommon in the media.

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-07-24/news/21996226_1_pit-bulls-dangerous-breed-dogs

Asked if he believed pit bulls are a dangerous breed, Hayashi paused and said, "What I know now? Yes." He added, "Pit bulls - all dogs in general - I don't want them. I don't care for them."

Before the tragedy, Hayashi said he had always believed that pit bull owners - and not the dogs themselves - were the problem.

"Well, I used to think that way," he said. "That's what got me into this mess, just thinking that they're just regular dogs. I can understand a dog biting or nipping, but to maul somebody until he's dead? To tear out somebody's face?"

[gracecfl]

03:43 PM on 12/30/2011

The misconception is that pits are bad. It's not the dog, it's their owners, and unfortunately the majority of owners teach them to be mean. You make a very valid point, however I'd still stick to my pugs, most loveable dogs on the planet. I have met a couple of very sweet pitbulls but have seen more mean ones. In all of my life I have only met one mean pug.

[elgeezr]

12:55 PM on 12/30/2011

I think it's terribly unfair to characterize all pitt bulls as dangerous. But I must acknowledge the truth of the statement that it's not the dogs, it's the owners. Like most of us, I have pitt bulls in my neighborhood. My conversations with the owners reveal that they own these animals for 1 of 2 reasons: to train them to be agressive toward strangers & to prove a point.

Those who are trying to prove a point are either trying to show that the dogs are lovable & safe or are trying to show that there is no dog that they can't handle. Kind of a macho thing.

Personally, I treat all pitt bulls the same. I avoid them & when I can't I am very guarded while in their presence.

[cuttingman]

01:50 PM on 12/30/2011

http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-07-24/news/21996226_1_pit-bulls-dangerous-breed-dogs

Asked if he believed pit bulls are a dangerous breed, Hayashi paused and said, "What I know now? Yes." He added, "Pit bulls - all dogs in general - I don't want them. I don't care for them."

Before the tragedy, Hayashi said he had always believed that pit bull owners - and not the dogs themselves - were the problem.

"Well, I used to think that way," he said. "That's what got me into this mess, just thinking that they're just regular dogs. I can understand a dog biting or nipping, but to maul somebody until he's dead? To tear out somebody's face?"

[Chad Wheeler]

07:29 PM on 12/30/2011

The man himself states "ALL DOGS IN GENERAL. I don't want them."

[baltimoregal]

02:28 PM on 12/30/2011

I am guarded around ALL dogs until i get to know them. that's just smart. but if you're doing that with only pit bulls, you are missing out on great dogs and exposing yourself to danger from other dogs. (And I live in Baltimore, which i don't think anyone will deny can be quite dangerous.)

[hellsfury31]

11:31 AM on 12/30/2011

many pitbulls have suffered enough at the hands of there owners if anything the owners should be punished not the dog..there are no such thing as bad breeds its the owners that do this, the dog does what they are taught...If people start banning breeds its only a matter of time till your breed is on the list..

[Evil Twin Rove]

11:08 AM on 12/30/2011

Pit Bulls are great dogs - they get a bad rap and people buy into it unfortunately.