I’ll admit it, I am one of those people who will SQUEE and run across the street to meet every dog I see with a blocky head and stocky body. In my head I think, “Wow! Another pittie owner! I should say hello and let them know I also have a pittie!” But really, a blocky head and stocky body does not a pit bull make (necessarily).

Each of these dogs is classified as a “pit bull” because of the blocky shape of their heads and their muscular bodies, although they vary in weight from 40 lbs (Turk) to nearly 70 lbs (Ginger Rogers) and each has a unique look. But because of a few choice features, these dogs cannot live in certain cities within the Kansas City metro area due to BSL. Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) are laws put in place with the intent to keep people safe from “dangerous dogs” (i.e. pit bull type dogs, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, etc.) but has actually been shown to be ineffective and very costly.

Who wouldn’t like me, Foster Mama?

While many cities and states have overturned their BSL, we as pit bull advocates still have a lot of work to do in terms of educating the public on the dogs we love so much. The reality is, many people still believe the pit bull myths, like that they have a locking jaw (not true), they can hold on with their front teeth while chewing with their back teeth (um….what the whaaaat?), their brains can swell and cause them to snap (dumb), pit bulls don’t feel pain (nonsense), and pit bulls attack more than any other breed (false). Enter National Pit Bull Awareness Day, which, according to their website, “was established as a day to educate and foster positive communications and experiences in the communities in which we and our dogs live. It is an opportunity to be a positive role model for responsible dog ownership, as well as introduce the truth about the grouping of dogs commonly known as ‘pit bulls’ right in your town.”

You mean National Polly Pocket Awareness Day, right?

In honor of National Pit Bull Awareness Day and Pit Bull Awareness Month, this Saturday, October 27th, the KC Pittie Pack is participating in the Coast to Coast Bully Walk at Mill Creek Park and the Country Club Plaza. We will be walking at 10 a.m. with our dogs (some will even be in costume) to show the public what pit bull type-dogs really are: just dogs. We’ll also be photographing our walkers holding signs saying “I am a pit bull owner” or “I am a pit bull supporter” as part of the “I am the Majority” project. If you would like to participate in the walk with us, please sign up on our meetup page. We look forward to seeing you there and showing Kansas City that pit bulls are just dogs and responsible owners are the majority, not the minority!

Let’s re-pittie-sent for the pitties!

Check out KC Pittie Pack co-founder Crystal’s blog posts about the Coast to Coast Bully Walk and the “pit bull issue.“

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