Читать книгу Pit Bulls For Dummies - D. Caroline Coile - Страница 23

In 2007, football star Michael Vick was convicted for his actions related to dogfighting. At that time, Pit Bulls confiscated from dog-fighting rings were usually euthanized, but nearly all of the dozens of Pit Bulls taken from Vick’s kennel were, instead, made the subjects of intensive rehabilitation efforts, each accompanied with a stipend of $5,000 to $20,000 toward their housing and training.

Vick’s dogs became the faces of fundraising, and millions of dollars poured into Pit Bull rescue and advocacy groups. Even groups such as the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which initially spoke out against rehabilitating fighting dogs, changed their positions.

Some people suddenly saw a financial profit in promoting Pit Bulls. Whether motivated by money or love for animals (or both), they embraced the idea that all it took was a little love, and even the most bloodied gladiator could become a child’s best friend. Although many of Vick’s dogs were never able to leave the rehab facility, some were reportedly rehabbed successfully and went on to live as family pets. They became all the proof people needed that any Pit Bull, no matter the dog’s background, could become a loving and trustworthy family member.

But only two years after Vick’s conviction, serious Pit Bull attacks started to rise. It wasn’t just that Pit Bull numbers were rising; it was that Pit Bull shelter adoptions were rising, too. All of a sudden, adopting a Pit Bull, especially one with an underdog story, was the fashionable thing to do. Totally convinced that all you add is love, well-meaning adopters made the shelter Pit Bull their pet project. That may sound great, but the results haven’t always been as planned.