http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2009/12/28/news/doc4b38eb2a2ef28761962406.txt
Pit bulls faring well locally
By LIZ HOCHSTEDLER
liz.hochstedler@lee.net
TUESDAY DECEMBER 29, 2009In many areas of the country, pit bulls are left in shelters, waiting for a home. (For much more on this, see story in Monday’s Chippewa Herald.)
But that hasn’t been a problem at the Chippewa County Humane Association.
At the Chippewa Falls shelter, there are generally very few pit bulls, and when they are in, they’re usually adopted quickly.
“They are one of the biggest draws,” shelter manager Vickie Price said.
The breed is popular with many people who want their dog to be noticed.
“They can be a status dog,” Price said. “A lot of people like to walk around with them as accessories.”
But not everyone is a fan.
“There are a lot of restrictions. A lot of landlords don’t want bully breeds,” Price said, adding that some area municipalities also have ordinances prohibiting the dogs within their borders.
In Chippewa County, a few extra steps are taken when pit bulls and other “bully breeds” are adopted, including strong recommendation of obedience classes, checking with insurance carriers, checking with landlords and verifying the dogs fit into municipal ordinances.
“We are very specific with all our animals with how we place them,” Price said.
The shelter explains the behaviors of the breed before each dog is adopted, which doesn’t always bode well for the dog. One dog that was at the shelter that came from another breed in the pit bull family was close to being adopted by a woman who had played with it for many days, but after the woman learned it had similar genetics of the pit bull, she decided against the adoption.
However, Price said pit bulls can be very loving dogs. “I’ve actually had worse experiences with springer spaniels and some of the tea-cup dogs.”
Only two pit bulls have had problems being adopted in the past two years — one that was deaf and had special needs, and one that was “boisterous,” according to to Price. But both have since been adopted and are enjoying their new homes.
