Allow people to adopt PitBulls, Chows and rottweilers from Guilford County Animal shelter

My past conversations with Guilford County Animal Shelter has me and others very concerned with how they run this facility.I called in to see about a friend of mine wanting to adopt a PitBull. The shelter told me they do not adopt out PitBulls, Chows or Rottweilers. I then asked about me getting a friend using their 501 c 3 papers to pull for me, they said they would have to speak with the director and he usually doesnt do this. We also have an issue with them telling people they are a no kill shelter when in fact they are and I was able to get them to admit it on their facebook page.
PitBulls, Rottweilers and Chows are no different than any other dog. In fact here is a web link that shows the most viscious dogs  http://dogobedienceadvice.com/which_dog_breeds_are_most_aggressive.php

This comes from the National Canine Research Council  about how the media portrays the PitBull type dogs as the only ones who attack or bite  http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dog-bites/dog-bites-and-the-media/

Reasons like this is why it is so hard to get a PitBull or Bully breed from a shelter. It is bias and unfair discrimination against the breeds.

How big is the pit bull problem? Thirty-five percent of the responding shelters take in at least one pit bull a day. In one out of four shelters, pits and pit mixes make up more than 20 percent of their shelter dog population. New York, Chicago, Boston, Phoenix and Honolulu each saw 3,000 to 7,500 pits turned in last year

The problem with pits
Pit bulls are descendants of the original English bull-baiting bulldogs and have historically been bred to excel in combat with other dogs. Their strength, loyalty and genetic predisposition to engage in attack has made them a popular breed with less than upstanding individuals, who began to breed them for protection and fighting purposes. The social status attached to owning a "mean dog" has resulted in pit bulls being selectively bred not only for dog aggressiveness, but also for human aggressiveness. Furthermore, with the increase in backyard breeders and poor breeding standards, an increase in news stories about pit bull attacks on young children and other animals has developed. Pit bulls are getting a bad reputation, whether it's their fault or not, and it's that image that is creating problems in shelters across the country.

While 17 percent of the shelters that responded to the survey felt that the pit bulls they handled were no different than any other dogs, breed-specific behaviors were noted by the majority. The following differences received the most nods by participating shelters: more aggressive toward other dogs (65 percent), more energetic (43 percent), more difficult to "read" (28 percent), more difficult to handle due to physical strength (26 percent) and do not kennel well (24 percent). The very traits that shelter workers found problematic are the essence of the breed-at least historically. A pit fighting dog needs strength, stamina and tenacity. It is to his disadvantage to give away his next move by telegraphing it to his opponent via his body language. Above all, he must be willing to fight other dogs. This said, should shelters put pit bulls up for adoption?

"Yes," says nationally acclaimed dog trainer and shelter dog advocate Sue Sternberg, "as long as the shelter can keep them from lunging at other dogs while in the shelter and provide mental stimulation, training and calm time daily. And a knowledgeable staffer must do a hands-on temperament evaluation first." Sternberg has designed a temperament test for dogs in shelters, which is approved by the ASPCA, that helps shelter staff better determine which dogs are adoptable and which dogs cannot be rehabilitated. She also warns that many inappropriate dogs appear friendly when in their cages (Author's note: especially during the first few weeks at the kennel), so in-kennel evaluations are not adequate. "We must put up the crème de la crème . . . the pits we put up must be ambassadors for the breed. They cannot be dog-aggressive!" Is she suggesting shelters put up atypical pit bulls? In a word, "yes." Sternberg believes that the pits that will make the best pets are the ones in which shelters should invest their limited time and money. As is true with many other breeds, the individuals with the highest working drives take the most effort to live with and are the dogs most likely to be returned to the shelter-unless adopted by dog professionals.If your local shelter doesn't already have an evaluation program, encourage it to temperament-test pit bulls and pit mixes before putting them up for adoption. Volunteer to help keep evaluated shelter pit bulls mentally and physically fit while awaiting adoption by exercising them or taking them to obedience classes. Lead a chew toy drive at work to collect rawhides or hard rubber playthings to keep them busy while kenneled. And encourage your shelter or local veterinary hospital to offer free sterilization to owners of pit bulls. If they can't afford such a program, help create a fund-raiser to support one. It's a win-win situation.

These are stories the media fail to report  a stray PitBull saves a woman and child from an attacker http://www.zootoo.com/petnews/straydogsaveswomanchildheldatk-993
story of an abused PitBull who saves his new family 3 months after they got him http://insolublevitality.com/735-2/

I can go on all day with these stories. I am asking to please have GCAS to adopt out APBT'S, Rotties and Chows. It isnt fair to judge all dogs based on their breed.

The shelter can do like many others do and like rescues do. Have someone volunteer to do home checks, periodicly do walk ins to check on the dogs and request monthly calls to the shelter with updates, obtain the vet number so they can keep check to see if they are truly taking care of the dog. I ma sure people will volunteer to do this in order to save the breed. I will volunteer daily for this and recurit others to do this
If we could pass laws like Detroit has, where a perswon under 18 is not allowed to own one, stop known drug dealers from having them and stop known gang members from having them aqnd people with violent crimes we would see a huge drop in bites by this breed. Also make it mandatory to spay and neuter these breeds. Allow the reputable breeders to breed only a certain amount of liters per year nd if anyone is caught breeding or having an unspayed or unaltered male should be fined $1,000.00 and if caughte fighting them or abusing them they deserve 2 years in jail and. pay all vet costs, boarding costs and a fine greater than $1,500.00. This will cut out alot of the shelter pitbulls and the dog bites.
          NC Senates and Govenors to contact to push to get Guilford County Animal Shelter to allow these breeds to adopted out. 
          

Street Address

4525 West Wendover Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27409

Mailing Address

PO Box 8
Jamestown, NC 27282

Telephone & Fax

Tel (336) 297-5020
Fax (336) 297-5023

Email

info@adoptshelterpets.org

their website http://www.guilfordcountyanimalshelter.com/contact-us/

Kay Hagen locAL US senate http://hagan.senate.gov/

Kay Hagen%u3000

Washington office WASHINGTON, DC

GREENSBORO

RALEIGH

CHARLOTTE

ASHEVILLE

GREENVILLE

521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6342 202-228-2563

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Greensboro office WASHINGTON, DC

GREENSBORO

RALEIGH

CHARLOTTE

ASHEVILLE

GREENVILLE

521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-6342 202-228-2563

701 Green Valley Rd;
Suite 201
Greensboro, NC 27408 1-877-852-9462 336-333-5311 336-333-5331

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Richard Burr Asheville
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NC Governor

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Michael Easley (D)

Office of the Governor
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nc senators

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Richard Burr (R)

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Elizabeth Dole (R)

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NC Representatives

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Patrick McHenry (R)

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nc house of representatives

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