What to Do If You've Found a Pit Bull
If you are reading this, you've likely found a Pit Bull and aren’t sure where to start to help. You may have already contacted local shelters only to find out that many of them have a policy against the breed and don't adopt out Pit Bulls. Those that do are full to the brim. No-Kill shelters have a long waiting list, and open-door facilities offer no guaranty the dog will be adopted out to a good home. Yes, the situation is dire, but don’t get discouraged. There are ways you can help.
Bellow are the first steps to take when trying to help a lost or abandoned Pit Bull:
1- Have the dog scanned for a microchip (a permanent form of ID implanted between the shoulder blades) at your local shelter or veterinarian's office.
2- Check the "lost" ads and/or post a "found" ad in your local paper and on Craigslist to see if someone is looking for their dog. Give very little information about the dog (e.g. found Pit Bull). If an owner contacts you they will need to provide some identifying characteristics (gender, collar information, color, etc.). This will ensure that the correct owner claims the dog.
3- There are has several Lost Pets resources on-line.
PawBoost Lost & Found Pets (Web site - Nation Wide)
Lost Pet Registry KC - Lost Pet Registry KC Facebook group
Lost/Found Pets KANSAS CITY AREA (Facebook group)
Kansas City, Missouri Lost & Found Paws (Facebook group)
Lost and Found Pets Of Johnson County Kansas (Facebook group)
Petco Love Lost (Web site - Nation Wide)
4- Visit PBRC.NET. Pit Bull Rescue Central is an educational, funding and listing resource for owners and caretakers of Pit Bull type dogs. One of PBRC’s mission is to facilitate the rescue and placement of homeless dogs identified primarily as pit bulls and mixes thereof, into responsible homes. PBRC provides vital breed information and placement recommendations. Lastly, PBRC features a nationwide listing of Pit Bull friendly or breed specific rescue groups and shelters.
If you chose to find the dog a home, please don't risk seeing your protégé contribute to the homeless dog problem. The dog should be spayed or neutered prior to being listed for adoption and have current vaccinations. Keep in mind that responsible and caring individuals will prefer adopting an altered dog while dog fighters and abusive owners seek intact dogs. You will increase the dog's chance of finding a better home if he/she is altered before placement.
See a list of low cost resources: Missouri Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Resources
MPR recommends Pet Resource Center of Kansas City and The Humane Society of Greater KC as excellent low-cost resources in the Kansas City region for assistance with spaying and neutering pets. You can also call the following numbers for low cost spay/neuter referrals and vouchers: 1-800-248-SPAY or 1-800-321-PETS. Click here for a list of free or low cost spay/neuter programs for Pit Bulls.
Don't rely ONLY on one listing to place your dog because, as you'll notice, there are a lot of Pit Bulls available for adoption nationwide. Other ways to advertise include posting flyers at veterinarian's offices, grooming shops, pet supply stores and anywhere there is a public bulletin board. There are many places online to advertise, too, including www.adoptapet.com and www.petfinder.com. Please visit PBRC.NET for more information.