To anyone out there that still thinks
pit bulls are mean or dangerous dogs, this video is about to change your mind.This is Cruz.
He was rescued and brought to the San Bernadino city shelter earlier this year. When he was processed, they labeled him as
“aggressive” and he was isolated from the rest of the dogs, likely to be put down. People are not likely to adopt a dog marked “aggressive,” especially if they are a pit bull.However, when shelter volunteer Maria Sanchez saw Cruz alone in his concrete cell, she saw something different. Rather than see him as a monster with violent tendencies, she saw a dog in the grips of fear and uncertainty, lashing out as a means of self-preservation and not aggression.So she took a chance.Maria knelt down, stuck her fingers through the bars, and in a soft, soothing voice, she
coaxed the “aggressive” dog into letting her touch him. And the results, well, they speak for themselves.Watch Cruz’s Amazing Transformation
The Pit Bull Dilemma
People are quick to label pit bulls as “aggressive” or “dangerous” because of the breed’s inherent size and strength. Also, they are often raised by unscrupulous people who abuse them, and are taught to be wary of people. This unfavorable combination has yielded one of the most unfair and detrimental stigmas in the world of pets.Our shelters are full of perfectly lovable pit bulls, but because of their image, people are less likely to invite them into their homes to live amongst their family. And this needs to stop.Luckily for Cruz, he was
able to make the jump from “aggressive” and an unlikely candidate for adoption to a totally lovable and unabashed mush.