Pit Bull Population Overwhelming Shelters
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Despite a record number of pet adoptions last year, Rochester Animal Services has a growing challenge on its hands.
Out of the approximately 3,000 dogs that were taken in at the Verona Street shelter, nearly half of them were some type of pit bull.
Pit bulls can be unattractive dogs to adopt just because of the large volume occupying shelters. However, there are other reasons people shy away from adopting that type of breed.
"In a lot of cases, they're high energy dogs, so it's not going to be the best fit for every home or lifestyle. In some cases, they may show some aggression or dominance issues toward other animals,” said Chris Fitzgerald of Rochester Animal Services.
Then there's the stigma that's attached to pit bulls.
"Because the breed has been associated with being sort of a tough dog and in some cases an aggressive dog, and you hear the stories about dog bites and attacks caused by pit bull-type dogs more so than other dogs, those are realities that a new adopter has to face,” Fitzgerald said.
Backyard breeding is part of the problem with the overpopulation of pit bulls in animal shelters, according to Jenn Fedele, owner of Pitty Love Rescue in Irondequoit. She takes in stray or abandoned pit bulls then tries to place them in foster homes.
"There's a lot going on and a lot that people don't see. People buy these dogs at really young ages, sometimes two or three weeks old. They shouldn't even be separated from their mom and they really don't know the breed. They're not experienced dog owners and they turn six months old and they're too much to handle and they just dump them off at the shelter," said Fedele.
In many cases, these dogs are not adopted and end up having to be put down.
Experts say with a little education and training, pit bulls can become good family pets.
"It's important for everybody that has a pit bull or any pet to make sure that they're spayed or neutered, that they're vaccinated for rabies, and that they're going for their annual shots with their veterinarian. Each municipality requires that the dogs be licensed, so these are all requirements that are there for a reason," Fitzgerald said.