Perfect Fit: Why “Pit Bull” Dogs Are Flying Out Our Doors

Guest post written by Stephanie Filer, Manager of Special Gifts & Partnerships, Animal Rescue League of Iowa. A young newlywed recently asked us for help. She wanted to surprise her husband with a new dog for his birthday. Excited to assist, we created a gift that included a dog application with the words “APPROVED” on it and some dog toys. After she surprised him with […]

More Animal Shelters Remove Breed Labels: Is Software Catching Up?

Guest post written by Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer at Austin Animal Center in Austin, TX. In 2008, Dr. Amy Marder wrote, “Instead of depending on inaccurate breed labels, we want people to choose their future companions based on accurate personality profiles.” To this end, she introduced the idea of using “American Shelter Dog” in place of a […]

Breed Labels: When Guesses Turn Into Predictions

As we travel around the country, having conversations with shelters and rescues about the “pit bull” dogs in their care, we find that there are always a few big a-ha! moments that help people understand that all dogs are individuals just a bit better. One of the more exciting moments typically happens during our Labels […]

In Praise of Normal

Normal. In a world where we’re all jockeying to stand out from the crowd, being normal gets a bad rap. We confuse normal with ordinary and boring.   Those of us that love, live with, and advocate for “pit bull” dogs naturally see our dogs as anything but ordinary. In our minds, “pit bull” dogs […]

Removing Breed Labels: Easier Than You Think

This is a guest post from Kristen Auerbach, Deputy Chief Animal Services Officer at Austin Animal Center. At the time of this post, she was with Fairfax County Animal Shelter in VA. About a month ago, Fairfax County Animal Shelter removed all breed labels from our adoption kennels. There was much discussion and debate prior to us […]

Breed Identification, Labels, and Perceptions Revisited

The following is an updated version of a blog posted in 2013. In 2015, we’re still being asked: What role should breed – breed identification and breed labeling – play in today’s animal shelters? Thanks to years of research we all know about the inaccuracy of breed labeling based on visual inspection, so perhaps the question should be: Why […]

Raising Awareness: We’ve Come A Long Way!

Every October, groups around the country host a variety of “Pit Bull Awareness” events. These are positive, educational events. However, we know that language shapes how we perceive the world and, as animal welfare evolves, it’s important that we occasionally stop and take a critical look at how we frame “pit bull” dogs with our […]

How Does Your Organization Influence The Public’s Actions?

“No one wants to adopt our “pit bull” dogs.” In our work with shelters around the country, it’s not uncommon to hear some version of this statement. When we hear this, we like to jump in to offer what we know works to boost adoptions – better policies, welcoming adoption counseling, kennel enrichment, positive marketing. You name it; we […]

Can Animal Trainers and Behaviorists Be Divorced from Animal Advocacy?

We recently read a blog by the good folks at Your Pit Bull and You called: Can Animal Advocacy be Divorced from Animal Behavior? In this thoughtful post, the authors contemplate if animal welfare advocates would be more effective in the long run if they were as educated in animal learning and behavior as they […]

“Pit Bull” Dogs: A Petfinder Photo Sampler

  We’ve picked this random group of dogs from Petfinder to illustrate three things: 1. There is no agreed upon or standard definition of a “Pit Bull.” Through our work we have come to understand that the phrase “pit bull” means something different to everyone. Animal welfare workers don’t agree on how to define “pit bull”. Law […]

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