2 min read (Articles narrated by Mabel)
Amid the stressful U.S. presidential election, Denver finally lifted their Pit Bull ban. Since 1989, residents of Denver weren’t allowed to have Pit Bulls because of the hurtful stereotypes about them. But now, people are finally realizing the true beauty that all dogs share. So, following the end of the Pit Bull ban, the first Pit Bull adoption took place in Denver after over 30 years.
Meet Odin
Odin, who was known as Gumdrop at the shelter, was recently adopted from the Denver Animal Shelter. He’s now known as the first Denver Pit Bull to get adopted following the new laws. In the past, some Pit Bulls were labeled as “mixed breeds” in shelters to get around this ban, but it wasn’t easy. Now, these sweet pups no longer have to be ashamed of who they really are.
Odin was found as a stray with no microchip or identification tags. Thus, he was put up for adoption after the required holding period. While most Pit Bulls have to wait a long time to find a family, Odin was spoken for in no time.
A family drove about an hour just to meet Odin. They had a special feeling about him because they knew he was worth it. Odin now has a human infant for a sibling, and he’s the only animal in the house. But most importantly, he’s now happier than ever! Denver is finally starting to see more and more Pit Bulls up for adoption thanks to this necessary change in breed restriction laws.
Pit Bulls Deserve Love
Denver is certainly headed in the right direction, but there are still a lot of requirements that make it harder for Pit Bulls to get adopted. Their new families must have a permit to adopt a Pit Bull, they must get their dog microchipped, and their Pit Bull can’t have any issues for their first three years in the home. Pit Bulls also have a higher adoption fee than other breeds.
It’s a lot to ask, especially since most dogs don’t require these strict rules to get adopted. But it’s much better than the alternative, which is Pit Bulls dying because no one can adopt them. Hopefully, these dogs will one day be equal to all other dogs, especially since a “Pit Bull” isn’t just one breed. But until then, we’ll celebrate the little victories like Odin’s story.
There will always be humans that don’t like Pit Bulls. In fact, there were many people angry reacting to Odin’s story on Facebook. But discriminating against anyone is just never okay. Any dog can be dangerous if not trained properly, so we need to blame the humans, not the dogs. And if you want to adopt a Pit Bull, make sure you’re ready to spend extra time training them to ensure that people see them for the lovable dogs that they truly are.
Congratulations, Odin! Have an amazing time with your new family!
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Images from @DenverAnimalShelter/Facebook
Mabel the Rescue Dog 