Pit Bull Heroes

 

When most people hear the word Pit Bull they think of the countless stories they have heard on TV about Pit Bulls attacking people. These sensationalistic stories are often told to increase ratings. Unfortunately these stories also add to the public's prejudice against these dogs and their owners.

Below are the stories of Pit Bulls who have shown immeasurable strength, courage, and loyalty. These are the stories the media should be telling the public. These stories illustrate the type of animals these dogs are. They are not evil killers; they are intelligent, loving, loyal companions to many. They also excel in search and rescue, obedience, agility and many are therapy dogs for the elderly or disabled.

 

DestinyFort Collins, CO.- In July of this year, Destiny, the family dog, saved “her” 9-year-old boy from being abducted from the backyard. The would-be kidnapper attempted to pull the boy over the fence while covering his mouth to prevent him from screaming. Destiny charged the assailant, who let go of the child and fled. Good thing this didn’t happen in Denver, where a pit bull ban is in place.

 

 

 

 

Marley

A three-year-old pit bull named Marley is credited with saving a little girl in Alaska from a house fire. Marley, a black and white dog who looks like Petey from the Little Rascals, grabbed the back of six-year-old Autumn Marley's jacket to drag her out of the burning house. Marley pulled Autumn through the door of the house outside to safety. Jennifer Ingram, Marley's guardian, said that, "She's always been an awesome dog, but I didn't know she was capable of doing this." Ingram has raised Marley from a puppy.

Thanks to Marley no one was injured in the fire.

Maverick

To Mary Brown and her family, Maverick the pit bull is a hero. Maverick was severely injured while fending off a stray dog who was trying to attack Brown's mother. Maverick belongs to Brown's daughter, Anna Emmons, and his act of bravery has left the family both proud and sad all at once. According to Brown, her mother was taking Maverick out early that morning. She said Maverick immediately started growling and that was when her mother saw the stray coming toward her. Maverick took charge of the situation at once. "Mama said it was just like he put his body in front of her... That other dog was shaking him (Maverick) like a rag doll, but he wouldn't stop," Brown explained. She said the dog did everything in his power to keep the stray away from her mother. By the time Brown got outside and realized what was happening, the stray dog ran off. One of MaverickÂ’s legs had been severely broken and had to be amputated. Brown said they are lucky the dog was there to fight off the attack. Brown remarked "This dog wouldn't give up. He really deserves a medal." From THE SAMPSON INDEPENDENT, Clinton, North Carolina

Jessie

Fremont, Neb.- J.J. Fritz got a wonderful wakeup call from a pit bull. Fritz had had surgery on his elbow, and was told that he might have a little bleeding and to keep an eye on it. Fritz was at home asleep the night after his surgery when Jessie began whining, pulling on his left sleeve and nosing his arm. His large bandage was soaked with blood. Upon FritzÂ’s visit to the emergency room it was discovered a small artery had been nicked during the surgery. It had taken a while for blood to soak through the bandage. Fritz might have lost a significant amount of blood had it not been for Jessie. "It's really great what his dog did," the emergency room doctor said. "Those dogs (pit bulls) get a bad rap. At least they should get a good rap for doing the right thing."

Fritz is pretty pleased with Jessie, too: "She's always been a great dog," he said.

Therapy and Search and Rescue Pits

One of the most convincing cases for the value of pit bull terriers is those pits involved in therapy and in search and rescue work. Alexis and Rose, two pit bulls owned by the president of Out of the Pits, are certified therapy dogs. They regularly work in schools to educate children and visit nursing homes and hospitals. Cheyenne, Dakota, and Tahoe participate in the Valley Humane Society Animal Assisted Therapy program, as well as locate missing persons. Their determination, so characteristic of pit bull terriers, makes them wonderful search dogs. In rough and dangerous terrain, where other dogs and handlers turn back, these dogs keep going. Pit bulls will struggle through bushes and thorns, to the point of needing stitches, to find a missing person. Ruby is a big hit at a Bayport, MN nursing home, nuzzling and licking faces, doing a few tricks and climbing onto laps. The folks all said they'd never seen a calmer, gentler or more patient dog -- which might come as a surprise to some, because Ruby is a pit bull. Ruby is a certified therapy dog rescued from abuse three years ago. Popsicle is The Number One United States Customs Dog. In 1999, Popsicle helped the feds seize 3,075 pounds of cocaine from a pineapple-laden truck at the Mexican border-the biggest drug bust ever at the Hidalgo, Texas, and port of entry.

 

These ambassadors for the breed support the claims of responsible pit bull trainers, vets and owners. We as informed citizens MUST look past the sensational headlines and find out the TRUTH about these courageous and wonderful dogs.

 

We wouldnÂ’t own any other breed.

 

 

Information compiled from various sources

For information on more pit bull heroes: http://www.geocities.com/pitbullstop/index.html