LC Animal Experts Warn of Pit Bull Over-Crowding at Shelters

Willow,?a pit?bull mix,?is the most recent addition to the number of rescued pit bulls saved by the Malachi Foundation at Three Black Dogs kennel in Bluffton.

"She was starving she was covered in fleas, covered in ticks," said Holly Zusack.

Zusack runs the foundation and the kennel and says she's seeing more and more pit bulls being turned-in or being rescued. In just the last month they've taken in and rehabbed between 20-25 pits, and she says this is the case all around the lowcountry.

"It is happening all over our area, to the point that other shelters won't take them, so they end up in the county shelter, because nobody really wants the breed."

Zusack has taken-in dogs from the county shelter as well as rescues but she's maxed out and there's no more room at the inn.

"We have space for seven and right now we have thirteen dogs in-house, we have thirteen pits that we are rehabbing...thirteen good dogs that need good homes."

At Three Black Dogs they are already at double capacity with even more pits being housed by volunteers off-site and they say the problem is so bad that they have to turn dogs away almost everyday.

"We just have to work on them and try to get them adopted out, one dog at a time, one day at a time. We have 3-5 telephone calls a day where someone wants to turn in their pit."

But turning in your pit isn't the answer according to experts, it comes down to training, and next month voulnteers will offer training for families and their pits.

"People can come and bring their bullies, and present what problems they're having, and I'll give that time each week to help them, whether it be not liking strangers or whatever the case may be, so that they can move forward with their dogs in their own homes without having to rehome them," said Cera Fletcher, of her program Faye's Way.

The classes will be offered every Sunday night at 6:30p.m. starting July 1. There is no fee, but donations are welcome.

As for Zusack she says education may be the best way for all of us to work together to save these animals.

"I?believe if we don't save them in the right way and educate humans about this breed, than we're going to lose the breed totally."

If you would like to adopt a pet, or donate to the Malachi Foundation at Three Black Dogs, log onto www.threeblackdogsbluffton.com

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