Seattle Humane Society Pitches for Pit Bulls

Handsome and friendly. Sweet and calm.

Those are the descriptions of some of the pit bulls that the has been promoting for adoption this month, as the society tries to clear up any misconceptions about what it says is a misunderstood breed.

“We want the breed to be looked at as any other breed with their tongue hanging out, wagging their tail and an all-around happy dog,” said Katie Olsen, the society’s shelter manager.

The Seattle Humane Society, based in Bellevue, is working to educate potential owners about the breed, which has a reputation as being aggressive or dangerous because of news reports of fighting dogs or attacks.

“Our goal is a humane and civil society, where people and pets are safe–including pit bulls and other breeds that have been unfairly targeted as dangerous,” said Divya Kumar, the society’s marketing and media relations associate.

Pit bulls often are depicted as dangerous dogs, especially when a serious attack on humans or other dogs is highlighted in news reports. In King County, Enumclaw bans them, while SeaTac and Auburn regulate them as dangerous or potentially dangerous, according to the county's Regional Animal Services.

But the breed is unfairly maligned, Olsen said.  

“Loving, loyal, athletic and people-loving is a true pit bull,” said Olsen. “As a breed they are supposed to be truly wonderful with people.”

The Seattle Humane Society says on its pit bull information page that dangerous dogs get their bad behavior from bad ownership and abuse.

"It is not right to blame an entire breed for the behavior of the few dogs who make headlines. Dangerous dogs are often victims of irresponsible owners and poor breeding,” according to the website.

Kumar says that Seattle Humane tests all of its dogs for any aggressive tendencies--no matter what breed. Pit bulls get two assessments because of the breed's reputation as a fighting dog, she said.

"We don't accept any dog with a bite history," Kumar said.

The humans who want to adopt pit bulls also get a thorough screening, she said.

"We are looking for families that are very active, who have a fenced yard, who have experience with dogs and who can commit to constant socialization," she said. "We want them and the dogs to be ambassadors for the breed."

Before a pit bull can be adopted, the shelter has potential owners go through an application process to ensure the dog goes to a home that will treat it as a family member, Kumar said.

The shelter also requires training classes for dogs and owners when a pit bull has been adopted, Kumar said.

There are at least 1,556 licensed pit bulls in King County, according to the Regional Animal Services of King County, although there may be more.

To highlight the “Pitties” this year, the shelter is running its Pick-a-Pitunia promotion through March.

Adoptees who choose a pit bull one year or older receive 50 percent off the normal adoption fee and a free starter kit, said Kumar. The starter kit includes a collar, leash, food bowls, a toy and a brush.

For pit bulls younger than a year, the adoptee will receive a free starter kit, added Kumar.

“'Spring for a Dog’ is our spring campaign to promote dog adoptions, and this year we decided to concentrate on pit bull adoptions,” Kumar said. “Since we had a considerable amount of pit bull mixes up for adoption, we wanted to be proactive and improve their adoption rates.”

The idea came from a video the shelter received from a foster parent. The foster parent filmed a dog named Diesel Daffodil running around the yard with a flower-shaped toy in his mouth, said Kumar.

For more information, visit the Seattle Humane Society’s website.