Pitbull Awareness Day at Dakin

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - On October 22nd, our nation celebrates Pit Bull Awareness Day, an event dedicated to bringing positive attention to these special, and misunderstood, dogs. Joining us this morning to share more is Candy Lash, Director of Community & Media Relations for Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society and Paul, Cherry's loyal owner... along with Madison.

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What do Helen Keller, Fred Astaire, Woodrow Wilson, Mary Tyler Moore, John Steinbeck, Rachael Ray, Shaq O’Neal, Mo Vaughn, Rosie Perez, Pink, and Orlando Bloom (just to name a few famous folks) have in common? They’ve all been the human companion of a much loved pit bull!
Saturday, October 22 is National Pit Bull Awareness Day and Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society is planning a special day to celebrate all that is Love-a-Bull about this American icon. Pit bulls, once a family dog of choice, have fallen upon some hard times due in part to sensational media stories about dog attacks, discriminatory insurance regulations, and legislation restricting their ownership. No type of dog is more misunderstood, mistreated, or maligned than the pit bull. These loyal, loving, intelligent dogs bear the burden of bad publicity.
According to Leslie Harris, Executive Director of Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, “While commonly associated with the criminal underworld of dog fighting and gang violence, most pit bulls lead happy lives as family pets. Sadly, they are also the most common type of dog surrendered to both municipal animal control agencies and private adoption centers like Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. The characteristics people love about pit bulls - their athleticism, loyalty, intelligence, and trainability - are often the exact characteristics that appeal to people wishing to mistreat these dogs or use them for criminal gain.”
Visit Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, 171 Union Street in Springfield from 12-3 p.m. to join in the celebration and meet some new friends. Special four-legged guests with “tails” of triumph over tragedy will be on hand to greet visitors including Cherry Garcia, one of 22 Vicktory Dogs, taken from the home of Michael Vick. At the time of his rescue, Cherry who had been used as a bait dog that wouldn’t fight, was so emotionally shut down he would not walk. Now a happy and charismatic family member, Cherry makes many public appearances to raise awareness about his breed.

Meet Sweet Pea, a pit bull, who enjoys her life to its fullest helped by Eddie’s Wheels. Six years ago, Sweet Pea was brought in to the Brooklyn Dog Pound. She weighed 28 pounds and was paralyzed in a rear leg. A humane investigation followed but was dismissed for insufficient evidence. In the meantime, the owners of Eddie’s Wheels had built her a cart, met her, and the rest is history. Sweet Pea has been their Love-a-Bull ambassador on wheels ever since.
PittieLove Rescue will join the celebration with some of their special, adoptable dogs in need of good homes.
Dakin will also offer special adoption fees for their pit bull and pit bull mixes and attendees can register for Dakin’s Pit Bull Parenting Workshop in November. On Monday, October 24, the Community Spay/Neuter Clinic will offer free spay/neuter surgeries for 18 pit/pit mix dogs in honor of Pit Bull Awareness Day. Those interested should contact the clinic directly at 781-4019.