Those are "some" of the countless Pit Bulls held at the Kansas City Animal Control facility. Most of them will be euthanised 5 to 10 days after their arrival depending on their case and if not claimed by their owner.

Those dogs are not part of MPR's program. For the sake of our current dogs, MPR can't bail any of them out until we make adoptions. Even if we could afford boarding (which we can't), we want to see our current dogs find loving homes before we bring more into the program.

MPR dogs have been evaluated and proven to have good disposition and stable temperament. They have been socialized, are receiving training and most of them are housebroken and crate trained. When a MPR dog finds a good home, it makes room in our program to rescue a shelter dog.

By opening your home to a MPR dog, you are saving TWO LIVES!

Once we bring in a new shelter dog in the program we can then proceed with proper temperament evaluation, proper training and socialization.

Boarding is a life-saving option for the few lucky dogs we can afford to help that way, but we cant do it unless we receive financial assistance from people like you.

We have several programs available. Every penny counts! Become a Helping Hand

As it is, we can't afford helping anymore dogs until our boarding dogs are in foster care. In the meantime, our boarding dogs are in desperate need of foster care. Not only is boarding very expensive, but living in a cage is hard for any dog as sociable as a Pit Bull.

Boarding is a life-saving opportunity for dogs that have no other options. For dogs that came from a difficult situation, boarding is often a step up in life. But boarding needs to be a temporary solution. In order to find a home, our rescue dogs need to learn how to be well-behaved family companions. You can make a difference... PLEASE open your heart and home for one of these sweethearts. They desperately need YOU! Become a Foster Home

Most often, the answer is no.  The biggest factor in the downfall of the reputation of "America's dog" is in fact the person on the other end of the leash.

Although I'll be the first person to admit that I'm not exactly sure of everything that has lead up to the sad state that things are in today, it does seem to me that everything goes in a cycle.  This cycle being one of cruelty, greed, ignorance and fear. 

Cruelty and greed in the fact that back-alley and "professional" dog fighting rings are on the rise and is already a billion dollar international industry.  Pit bulls all over the United States, and even in other countries where dog fighting is legal, are being tortured and abused in the name of a "sport" that is financially profitable for their abusers, who claim to love the breed. 

Once these dogs lose a fight, or become of no further monetary worth to their "owners", they are shot, set on fire, electrocuted, or in the very best case scenario put to sleep.  The news media catches wind of these events and even of some dog attacks. 

This is where ignorance and fear come in.  All of a sudden, there is a pit bull attack on every street corner and the townspeople are living in fear of these "monsters" who live in the backyards next to them.  No one stops to notice that half of the "pit bulls" featured in news stories don't even resemble a pit bull but just got labeled as such simply because they bit someone.  Or the fact that dogs of all breeds and sizes bite people every day but that doesn't seem to garner much news coverage or merit any real attention.  Or even the fact that when it is a pit bull in question, it is usually an abused or neglected dog that was involved in an incident.

Then the breed bans started in and in many cases all this solved was responsible owners losing their beloved pets and criminals and thugs ignoring the laws and continuing to keep unstable and uncared for animals. 

From as much as I can gather, this is the chain of events that has led up to where we currently stand.  All of these events the evils of man, none the fault of this loyal and loving breed.  So please remember the next time you see the latest news story about a chained up pit bull attacking someone, that is NOT the real Pit Bull. 

The real American Pit Bull terriers of the world are at home snuggled up on the couch with a child, sitting at their owners feet or even busy working as certified therapy dogs.  Sadly a lot of them are even sitting in countless shelters waiting for their turn to die; their punishment for doing nothing more than existing and wanting to be loved. And that need for love and beautiful personality will always be what makes pit bulls, at least my eyes, America's dog.

Katie Olson, MPR Volunteer