WASHINGTON -- There's good news for pit bulls and the people who love them.
In December, HuffPost reported on a Washington Humane Society pit bull outreach program ending when PetSmart Charities didn't renew its funding. But that organization announced last week that it would be funding a new $1 million grant program to help pit bulls and to reduce shelter overcrowding.
The charity will fund spay-neuter surgeries for cats and pit bulls, the two most common animals to find at shelters and clinics across the country. Two Virginia clinics will get funding -- Mountain View Humane in Christianburg and the Shenandoah Valley Spay/Neuter Clinic in Harrisonburg.
Closer to home, D.C. rescue groups are also helping pit bulls.
The Washington Animal Rescue League provides basic obedience training to pit bulls waiting for adoption, and come summer WARL will be waiving fees for pit bull adoptions. WARL also has a number of other programs, like a low cost spay/neuter program and a low cost dog training program for all dogs.
Lucky Dog Animal Rescue set up Parrot's Fund in honor of the pit bull shot by the Metropolitan Police Department at an Adams Morgan street festival in 2010. The fund goes toward pit bull outreach and toward rescuing pit bulls from high-kill shelters -- more than 50 dogs have benefitted from the fund since it was created.
The Washington Humane Society is still helping pit bulls as well. Shelter dogs -- the majority of which are pits -- get exercise from WHS's PACK program and also get behavior training while they're waiting to be adopted.
And in the last month, WHS started providing free spays and neuters for any pit bull. WHS President Lisa LaFontaine told HuffPost that the shelter will keep providing the surgeries until the $15,000 grant paying for this program runs out.
Interested in adopting? You will be after seeing this slideshow of area pit bulls looking for homes.
RELATED VIDEO: Michael Vick's rehabilitated pit bulls.