PAWS, the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, announced the launch of their Save-a-Bull Initiative, aimed at giving pit bulls and pit bull mixes a “reputation makeover,” promoting their responsible adoption and guardianship, and ultimately reducing the number of dogs killed in shelters.

The initiative, centered around the web site www.bulladelphia.org, features educational information about pit bulls and other pit-bull-type dogs, dispels myths, offers training advice and resources, and tells the stories of some of the pit bulls that were once homeless and are now living happily in families of all kinds. It also features profiles of PAWS dogs waiting to be adopted.

“As strong advocates for these at-risk and often misunderstood dogs, we felt it was our responsibility to help reshape some of the misperceptions that exist about pit bulls and, in the process, create new lifesaving opportunities for them via foster care and adoption,” says Melissa Levy, PAWS executive director. “Through this initiative, we hope to show the public what wonderful pets, family members, and companions pit bulls can be. We have saved thousands of them and they all have a story to tell. By sharing those stories, we hope to give other pit bulls the chance at finding the loving homes they so badly need and deserve.”

The site will also serve as a resource for current pit bull guardians and fosters, featuring listings of pit bull-friendly events, businesses, and services. In offering this support, it will help ensure that dogs are successful in their homes and make them less likely to end up back in the over-crowded shelter system.

Pamela Browner Crawley, Philadelphia Eagles’ senior vice president of Public Affairs, said, “We have spent the last couple of months learning a great deal about the homeless animal problem in Philadelphia, and about bully breeds in particular. Since then, we have met many pit bulls and pit bull mixes up for adoption, and have come to understand, given the proper circumstances, what great family pets they can be. We look forward to working with PAWS on this and other efforts to save Philadelphia's homeless animals.”

“Nearly 10,000 homeless dogs enter the city shelter each year, and most of them are pit bulls or pit mixes,” Levy says. “They need a reputation makeover if the majority of them are going to survive. We expect the Save-a-Bull Initiative to play a major role in doing just that.”

For more information, visit www.bulladelphia.org.

For more information about Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society, please click here.


Stock photo by Clay Myers, Best Friends photographer.