Pit bulls and pit bull-type breeds face numerous challenges that affect their overall survival and well-being through no fault of their own. 

Some of the critical challenges to our beloved bully breeds include:

Reputation / Stigma 

While it’s true that pit bulls were initially crossbred from the Terrier and the Bulldog breeds for the purposes of fighting and hunting (the terrier’s agility and tenacity with the inherent strength of the bulldog), numerous studies have proven that pit bulls, (not actually a breed itself but rather a categorization of dogs descended from four recognized pit bull-type breeds), are not aggressive at birth. 

Instead, those same studies have shown that the sometimes combative nature of most pit bulls or put bull-type dogs that exhibit such behaviors were trained as fighting dogs; abused and exploited by their uncaring owners who only sought to profit from their dog’s learned violence. By nature, pit bulls are born as loving, loyal, dependable dog citizens, often protective of their pit bull parents and siblings. This distinction has earned our beloved pit bulls the moniker of “The Nanny Dog,” for their devout protectiveness, affection and loyalty. 

Misidentification / Miscatergorization 

Varying studies show that pit bulls and pit bull-type breeds account for anywhere from 5% to up to 20% of the overall dog population yet comprise an estimated 70-80% of all shelter and rescue kenneled dogs. This egregious disparity brings to light several key concerns, the first of which is that an estimated 60-65% of dogs in shelters and rescues are oftentimes misidentified as pit bulls when in fact, they share zero DNA lineage with any recognized bully breeds. 

The second is that due to the public misunderstanding of pit bull and bully-type breeds, a grossly disproportionate number of pit bulls go unadopted, or adopted and returned, and in too many cases, destroyed, often due to being rescued from abusive environments and thought to be beyond rehabilitation. This is hardly the case. In fact, a vast majority of pit bulls rescued from violent or exploitative situations are successfully and happily rehomed with loving, understanding forever homes by responsible, caring pit bull parents who recognize what an incredible, rewarding joy they can bring! 

(Remember the infamous dog fighting ex-NFL player Michael Vick? Following his arrest for illegal dog fighting 50 pit bulls were rescued from his estate, all of which were said by PETA to be “ticking time bombs,” with the Humane Society referring to them as “the most aggressively trained pit bulls in the country.” With several groups insisting that these mistreated animals be destroyed, pit bull rescues and advocacy groups stepped up to the challenge and, as shown in Darcy Dennett’s moving documentary The Champions, most of the dogs were successfully placed into loving, adopted homes!) 

Mischaracterization 

The popularization of the aggressive, dangerous pit bull continues to be debunked as a media-perpetrated myth. While news outlets, music stars, and film continue to perpetuate this false narrative, statistical data consistently shows the opposite to be true. Recent temperament test data concludes that pit bull and bully-type breeds often perform in the top 20% of all breeds tested, aligning with multiple studies on canine behavior that have reached similar conclusions about the positive temperament of pitbull-type dogs. 

In fact, pit bulls commonly serve as the most commonly successful as trusted service, therapy, U.S. due largely to their renown disposition and comparatively positive temperament. 

Breeding / Overpopulation 

Owing to the earlier-mentioned history of pit bull and pit bull-type breeds and the misrepresentation of these dog types in popular culture and mainstream media, with bully-type breeds being used in everything from advertising and status as a symbol of strength, power, and aggression, and media outlets often sensationalizing them as “dangerous” (incidents largely attributed to “pit bulls” by outlets without confirmation of actual breed type), interested would-be pit bull parents often make the fear-based decision to purchase from a breeder rather than to adopt from a shelter or rescue. Oftentimes, these breeders act without any care, regard, or regulation of the animal and are motivated purely by profit. 

This is at the heart of the “Adopt, Don’t Shop!” movement, which attempts to educate and motivate would-be pit bull parents to save one of our beloved pitbull pups from a local rescue or shelter. This often saves the pup from euthanasia, an occurrence that has surpassed crisis-level numbers. Thanks largely to these greedy breeders, the kennels remain full of bully breeds longing for a forever home, driving overpopulation. 

Breed-Specific Legislation (BSL) 

Thanks, in most part, due to the aforementioned unjust and relentless public persecution of our beloved pit bulls, the vilification of pit bull dogs has even proliferated into the Law. Breed-specific legislation (BSL) in varying municipalities across the U.S. and abroad leads to unfair legal restrictions that allow for outward prejudice toward pit bulls and pit bull-type dog parents in the form of requiring liability insurance specific to bully breeds, outright bans and exclusions from home rentals and even some air travel, restrictive laws regarding pit bull ownership often requiring such extremes as muzzling, and homeowner/renter insurance hikes. 

These laws place an undue and discriminatory burden on pit bulls and pit bull parents simply for being or having a pit bull. Moreover, most of these legalities don’t even require any sort of proof or confirmation of breed-type; most laws state that an “expert” able to simply identify a bully breed as having identifiable physical characteristics, many of which pit bulls share with over 20 other canine breeds, is sufficient to declare an offending pup a “pit bull,” even though that classification is specifically identifiable by confirming DNA descendancy from one of the four recognized pit bull breeds. 

However, numerous studies and veterinary experts strongly reject BSL based on overwhelming scientific data that proves that there is no factual basis that conclude that pit bulls vary from any other dog breed percentage-wise in terms of any fear-metric these municipalities base their BSL on. So much so that all reputable research, public safety and canine organizations oppose BSL, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), National Animal Control Association (NACA), American Bar Association (ABA), as well as the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS), the American Kennel Club (AKL). Even the The U.S. Department of Justice has called for the repeal of such legislation, determining them as ineffective. 

Since 2018, over 100 cities and towns have repealed BSL, often by landslide majority public vote. No municipalities have added new ones. 

Sources: pitbullinfo.org, animals24/7.org, L.A. Times, American Kennel Club, Insurance Information Institute, American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Animal Law Review, The Veterinary Journal, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, Public Library of Science, Journal of Evolutionary Applications, science.org, Irish Veterinary Journal, Journal of Anatomy, Frontiers of Veterinary Science Journal, The Canadian Veterinary Journal, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)