National Pit Bull Awareness Month

October is National Pit Bull Awareness Month — a time to celebrate bully breed dogs. Many people feel nervous when it comes to pit bulls and being in their presence. This month allows people and organizations to share the joy and love that pit bulls bring to the world.

Maybe you already have one or more goofy, smiling pitties in your home. If so, you know what loyal family pets they are and just how quickly a pit bull can steal your heart. We hope you’ll share your positive experiences with those who have yet to know a pit! Whether you have a bully breed or not, we’ve gathered a few ways you can get involved during this special and important month.

What Is National Pit Bull Awareness Month?

In 2007, National Pit Bull Awareness Day (NPBAD) was started by Jodi Preis of Bless the Bullys, a pit bull rescue and education group located in Tennessee. She founded the nationwide initiative to educate and restore the image of American pit bull terriers (APBTs). NPBAD is a day in October dedicated to changing perceptions and challenging stereotypes about bully breed dogs, commonly known as “pit bulls.”¹

In 2011, after an overwhelmingly positive response to NPBAD, Preis started National Pit Bull Awareness Month, which spans the entire month of October.²

Ever since, people have been coming together throughout the month of October intending to change the way pit bulls are perceived. The ultimate goal of this effort is to spread the truth about pit bulls and other bully breeds. Changing hearts and minds through education, celebration, and adoption events can ultimately lower the number of pit bull breeds that end up in shelters.^1,2

How To Help During Pit Bull Awareness Month and Beyond

Interested in how you can get involved this Pit Bull Awareness Month? Check out these simple tips for some inspiration.

Volunteer with pit bulls

Pit bulls and pit mixes make up the vast majority of the dogs in shelters across cities in America.³ Because they’re enthusiastic dogs who bond so closely with humans, the isolation of shelter life can be tough on pit bulls.^4,5

Volunteer to help exercise, walk, or socialize a shelter pittie this month. Some shelters even have programs where people can come in and read to animals. You could also volunteer to help a shelter or rescue during their National Pit Bull Awareness Month outreach events.

Educate other people about pit bulls

Sometimes, you can’t help but fall in love with a pit bull. In doing so, you may become increasingly aware of the negative (and untrue) stereotypes about pit bull breeds. Have some factual information ready to share with others when you hear the next pit bull stereotype. You may be surprised by what you learn!

For example, pit bulls are routinely found to have winning temperaments. In fact, each year, the American Temperament Testing Society (ATTS) tests around 200 dog breeds. When it comes to pit bull-type dogs, they consistently achieve a higher passing score.^5,6 Here’s some other pit bull breed information you might be interested in researching and sharing.

• Breed-specific legislation (BSL) — aimed at decreasing dog bite incidents in humans — frequently targets pit bull-type breeds. But a dog’s breed isn’t the sole determining factor when it comes to the likelihood of biting, any dog can bite for a number of reasons. BSLs can be devastating for innocent pit bulls, simply because of how they look.⁷
• A dog who’s aggressive toward other dogs may NOT go after people next. Aggression toward other animals and aggression toward humans are entirely different behaviors. Friendliness toward people, even strangers, is a defined characteristic of pit bull breeds.^4,5
• Like any dog breed, pit bulls can run the gamut from dog-aggressive to dog-friendly behavior. Every dog is unique and will behave differently. Environment and socialization tend to play a bigger role in the development of aggressive behaviors than genetics.^5,6

Pit bull-type dogs can be great companions. But it’s advised that these dogs have owners who understand the potential challenges of the breed, and will take responsibility in properly training, socializing, and handling their powerful pup.⁵

Help adoptable pitties find homes

Looking for ways to help pit bulls find their new home? Consider adding an adoptable pit bull search widget to your website, social media profile, or email signature. You can also search through the adoptable pits and share them directly on your social media accounts. You might even consider taking an adoptable pit bull out for a day so other people can see them, or fostering one if you’re a good candidate.

Helping pets find their forever homes is part of the mission at MetLife Pet Insurance. We work with shelter and rescue organizations across the country to provide support in a number of ways — including sponsoring walks, adoption events, individual pet needs, and long-stay residents.

Safeguard Your Pittie With MetLife Pet Dog Insurance

If you already have a pit bull in your family, or are looking to add one, consider purchasing a dog insurance policy with MetLife Pet. There are no enrollment breed restrictions, and we can reimburse you up to 90% on covered vet expenses if your pittie gets injured or sick.⁸ In fact, we’ve reimbursed quite a few pit bull medical bills over the years. Here are some of their stories:⁹

• Moses’s family got over $850 back after he injured his hind leg. This made the $950 vet bill a little less stressful to handle, so his family could focus on helping their fur baby heal.
• Breena’s family got over $600 back after her $700 vet exam when she was itching and losing fur. This exam helped diagnose her with environmental allergies so she could get some relief.
• Stormy’s family got more than $1,250 back on the $1,400 bill when the vet surgically removed a mast cell tumor that was causing Stormy discomfort.

Show your bully some love this Pit Bull Awareness Month. Enroll them in a MetLife Pet policy to help you with their future vet care costs. Start with a free quote today.