Wag along with me
That pit bull "thing"
“I love this dog,” the woman said of the shelter dog who was standing up in order to better lick her hand and gaze at her with hopeful eyes.
“She’s a great little dog,” I replied, hopeful that an animal was about to find its forever home. “You can take her out and play with her.”
“I just can’t get her. It’s that pit bull thing,” the woman replied.
“What pit bull thing?” I asked flabbergasted as the woman obviously adored the little dog, which looked more like a Jack Russell or maybe some kind of fox terrier with maybe just a hint of some bully breed thrown in.
She said she worried her neighbors would be afraid of the dog when she walked it, all 20 pounds of it, down the street or that people would be mad at her for getting a ‘pit bull.’
When I recounted the story later to a friend of mine who does pit bull rescue, she said she was glad the woman didn’t get the dog because, “she would never understand it.”
Now Lexie, one of my former foster dogs has been returned yet again to the shelter, her only crime being that she “looks” like a pit bull. She also looks like a Labrador, she also looks like a catahula leopard dog, she has been listed as a Rhodesian ridgeback cross in her lifetime as well as a hound mix.
According to Wikipedia, “Pit Bull is a term commonly used to describe several breeds of dog in the Molosser family. The breeds most often placed in this category are the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.” But the list of other breeds which can fall into this category is lengthy and can include the boxer and English bulldog.
So, it seems to be totally illogical that someone tries to make an all-encompassing “breed” out of the words “pit bull” with which to exert controls over these dogs.
Lexie, who is a totally sweet dog, has been at the shelter for awhile. As a matter of fact, except for a few months as a puppy, she never had a real home. Instead she was kicked around to various shelters and rescue groups as different people tried to keep her from being euthanized for being a “pit bull” type dog.
And, while the Humane Society of Indianapolis, where Lexie currently resides, is totally accepting of the breed and has done a lot to help stop breed specific legislation in Marion county, getting as enlightened of an attitude from the general public seems more problematic.
I thought Lexie’s forever home had been found when I spoke to James last week. He had fallen in love with Lexie in a video HSI had made of her. I’m on file at the shelter as Lexie’s foster home, and have given permission for my contact information to be given out to potential adopters. James and I spoke for close to an hour over two phone conversations and we exchanged several emails.
James was absolutely perfect for Lexie. The only problem was he lived in an apartment, and while nothing in his lease said anything about breed restrictions, his landlord was unhappy with his choice of pets. James had Lexie one night and then sent me the following email, “I did get her yesterday.. but sadly, my landlord is not happy with her.. He said that he doesn’t want a pit/pit mix in the apartments. I am pretty upset since that wasn’tki in my lease and will have to be taking her back there this AM.. I really wish I could have kept her.. she is a great dog!”
Her first family brought her back because they didn’t have a fenced yard (which they didn’t have when they adopted her, but somehow that became important when they brought her back. Plus the woman said, “my vet says she is pure pit bull.”
On the basis that she has a big head and is brindle in color, Lexie has now been denied a home and been “labeled” by a veterinarian, a person the average pet owner looks up to and trusts when it comes to information about their beloved pet.
No one has assessed her temperament, other than me and the people administering the temp test at HSI. We found her to be safe to be adopted. Some friends of mine who do pit bull rescue question whether Lexie has any of the traditional pit mixes in her at all. They don’t see the “classic” pit bull characteristics in her. But in the end, that doesn’t matter. What matters is what the public “sees” and choose to “believe.”
They see a big brindle dog. They don’t ask to see her “tricks.” Lexie is great at “sit,” “down,” “stand up (on hind legs)”, “shake,” “high five” and “roll over.” They don’t “see” how much Lexie just wants to be a couch potato and sit next to a human on a couch and be loved and have her belly rubbed.
Lexie is not a fighter. She wants to be friends. And what’s amazing is that she wants to be friends even after four years of being shuttled from one home to another, from shelter to shelter and rescue to rescue. Yet, she doesn’t seem to give up. When I have her out in the play yard at HSI she runs up to the fence whenever she sees someone coming in the front door. It is almost as if she understands that the people coming in, could take her out. If only she is good enough. If only she was the right color. If only people would look beyond a stereotype and see her for what she really is: a brown dog, with a white chest, liquid eyes and a wiggling butt.
Is that too much to ask?
“She’s a great little dog,” I replied, hopeful that an animal was about to find its forever home. “You can take her out and play with her.”
“I just can’t get her. It’s that pit bull thing,” the woman replied.
“What pit bull thing?” I asked flabbergasted as the woman obviously adored the little dog, which looked more like a Jack Russell or maybe some kind of fox terrier with maybe just a hint of some bully breed thrown in.
She said she worried her neighbors would be afraid of the dog when she walked it, all 20 pounds of it, down the street or that people would be mad at her for getting a ‘pit bull.’
When I recounted the story later to a friend of mine who does pit bull rescue, she said she was glad the woman didn’t get the dog because, “she would never understand it.”
Now Lexie, one of my former foster dogs has been returned yet again to the shelter, her only crime being that she “looks” like a pit bull. She also looks like a Labrador, she also looks like a catahula leopard dog, she has been listed as a Rhodesian ridgeback cross in her lifetime as well as a hound mix.
According to Wikipedia, “Pit Bull is a term commonly used to describe several breeds of dog in the Molosser family. The breeds most often placed in this category are the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier.” But the list of other breeds which can fall into this category is lengthy and can include the boxer and English bulldog.
So, it seems to be totally illogical that someone tries to make an all-encompassing “breed” out of the words “pit bull” with which to exert controls over these dogs.
Lexie, who is a totally sweet dog, has been at the shelter for awhile. As a matter of fact, except for a few months as a puppy, she never had a real home. Instead she was kicked around to various shelters and rescue groups as different people tried to keep her from being euthanized for being a “pit bull” type dog.
And, while the Humane Society of Indianapolis, where Lexie currently resides, is totally accepting of the breed and has done a lot to help stop breed specific legislation in Marion county, getting as enlightened of an attitude from the general public seems more problematic.
I thought Lexie’s forever home had been found when I spoke to James last week. He had fallen in love with Lexie in a video HSI had made of her. I’m on file at the shelter as Lexie’s foster home, and have given permission for my contact information to be given out to potential adopters. James and I spoke for close to an hour over two phone conversations and we exchanged several emails.
James was absolutely perfect for Lexie. The only problem was he lived in an apartment, and while nothing in his lease said anything about breed restrictions, his landlord was unhappy with his choice of pets. James had Lexie one night and then sent me the following email, “I did get her yesterday.. but sadly, my landlord is not happy with her.. He said that he doesn’t want a pit/pit mix in the apartments. I am pretty upset since that wasn’tki in my lease and will have to be taking her back there this AM.. I really wish I could have kept her.. she is a great dog!”
Her first family brought her back because they didn’t have a fenced yard (which they didn’t have when they adopted her, but somehow that became important when they brought her back. Plus the woman said, “my vet says she is pure pit bull.”
On the basis that she has a big head and is brindle in color, Lexie has now been denied a home and been “labeled” by a veterinarian, a person the average pet owner looks up to and trusts when it comes to information about their beloved pet.
No one has assessed her temperament, other than me and the people administering the temp test at HSI. We found her to be safe to be adopted. Some friends of mine who do pit bull rescue question whether Lexie has any of the traditional pit mixes in her at all. They don’t see the “classic” pit bull characteristics in her. But in the end, that doesn’t matter. What matters is what the public “sees” and choose to “believe.”
They see a big brindle dog. They don’t ask to see her “tricks.” Lexie is great at “sit,” “down,” “stand up (on hind legs)”, “shake,” “high five” and “roll over.” They don’t “see” how much Lexie just wants to be a couch potato and sit next to a human on a couch and be loved and have her belly rubbed.
Lexie is not a fighter. She wants to be friends. And what’s amazing is that she wants to be friends even after four years of being shuttled from one home to another, from shelter to shelter and rescue to rescue. Yet, she doesn’t seem to give up. When I have her out in the play yard at HSI she runs up to the fence whenever she sees someone coming in the front door. It is almost as if she understands that the people coming in, could take her out. If only she is good enough. If only she was the right color. If only people would look beyond a stereotype and see her for what she really is: a brown dog, with a white chest, liquid eyes and a wiggling butt.
Is that too much to ask?
Comment
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Comment by Julie on June 3, 2009 at 7:45pm
- She's beautiful. I know it's not the guy's fault, but if it were me and there was nothing in the lease, I'd fight that landlord. But, that's just me. Sorry Lexie. You WILL find the right home.
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Comment by Woo Brower on May 26, 2009 at 12:48pm -
Aaargh! That #@$% vet needs a whack to the head or at the very least a re-education. How careless and thoughtless and, and, and...ignorant! I mean, a VET! *sigh* I shouldn't be surprised. After all the conversations I've had with vets regarding Carolina's issues, I've learned that not all vets are well informed on many of issues. Some vets are as reactionary and as uninformed as any average joe. They might have medical expertise, but behavioral issues, animal welfare, and breed-specific legislation are areas that SOME do not bother to try to understand.
When I look at Lexie, I don't see any overtly bully characteristics. I don't know why or how brindle=bully. Really, I'm agree with Stacy. Lexie is a dog, more importantly, she's a sweetie, I love sweet dogs.
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Comment by Stacy Hill on May 26, 2009 at 11:06am -
Poor Lexie. I'm so tired of small-minded people and their stereotypes!
I don't think Lexie looks like any certain breed. She's a DOG!!
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Comment by Georgi Coldren on May 25, 2009 at 9:35pm
- If only people would realize that it's not the breed; it's the irresponsible owners!
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Comment by Amy Frazer on May 25, 2009 at 9:14pm
- Connie, you said this all so well. I'm crying for Lexie and for all the "pit bulls" that I see week after week at IACC. I wish people could understand that none of the dogs at HSI and IACC, whether they have a bully breed look or not, would be on the adoption floor if they hadn't passed temperament testing. Most of the bully breeds and mixes I have seen are such big, goofy, loving goobers. It just breaks my heart to see them passed up time after time. When I ask potential adopters what kind of dog they are looking for at IACC, they often mention that they "DON'T want anything with Pit Bull in it." Many times I bite my tongue while they go look at some insanely hyper lab mix or yappy terrier mix, passing by a lovely bully breed mix sitting nicely in her kennel. One of the clicker dogs we have worked with for several week, Elly, a bully mix of some stripe, got adopted last week. It made me feel so good to walk by her kennel and read the I HAVE BEEN ADOPTED sign on the clipboard. She always smiles and sits, wiggling her goofy butt for a treat. I wish a wonderfully happy life for her and whoever chose her to be their companion. I only hope that Lexie is as lucky very, very soon.
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