Police Departments Required Cheaper K-9s So They Have Started Adopting Pit Bulls From Dog Shelters

Dec 16, 2019 by apost team

German Shepherds long served as the traditional police dogs in K-9 units, but now they have some friendly competition. Police departments across the United States are learning that Pit Bulls can also help out with law enforcement duties. Pit Bulls also come with another benefit: they aren't as expensive to acquire.

The expenses to acquire formally trained K-9 dogs isn't easy for many departments. Their budgets won't allow them to procure the necessary number of canines. A solution exists, though. Many smart and loyal Pit Bulls sit in local shelters awaiting adoption. These dogs can prove helpful to police departments requiring their assistance.

Pit Bulls have a reputation for being unfriendly and dangerous. Many owners of this breed disagree with the assessment. They contend the way a dog is treated and/or trained factors into its behavior. Protect Pit Bulls from BSL, an organization dedicated to protecting Pit Bulls from harsh legislation, works tirelessly to change perceptions. 

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At least some police departments don't fear working with the dogs according to Animal Farm Foundation. And they are getting help. Animal training organizations like the aforementioned Animal Farm Foundation, Austin Pets Alive!, and Universal K9 are offering their services to police departments. A department that rescues a Pit Bull from a shelter may be able to call on a local organization for training assistance.

And these dogs do need help. Many won't find a forever home, and becoming conscripted by a police department may be their only way out of the shelter. Thankfully, the kind work of police departments and animal care organizations lends a caring hand to these creatures.

"It's about leveling the playing field, it's about proving once and for all that the dogs labeled 'pit bull' can do all the things that the dogs not labeled 'pit bull' can do," Stacey Coleman, spokesperson for Animal Farm Foundation told the Associated Press. 

If you know someone who is an animal lover, tell them about the good deeds of law enforcement officials. And let them know a police-trained Pit Bull is out there making society a little safer.