Pit Bull Project Offers Workshops, Free Services

The Responsi-Bull Project, a local animal-welfare collective, is hosting a series of free workshops, obedience training and spay/neuter services for local pit bulls and their owners.

The series was created in an effort to curb the rising trends of pit bull abandonment and homelessness in Pierce County.

According to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County, 14 percent of all the dogs that entered the shelter between January and October 2010 were pit bulls, and 62 percent of them were euthanized.

Generally, a third of the dogs brought into Pierce County shelters are pit bulls or pit-mixes, and 90 percent won’t find a new home, according to Pawsitive Alliance, a charity dedicated to ending the “killing of adoptable dogs and cats in Washington” through programs to increase pet retention. 

Through the Responsi-Bull Project, pit bull owners can bring their dogs to the HUMAnE Spray & Neuter Clinic in Tacoma for free spay/neuter services through June.

There will also be a free responsible pit bull ownership workshop hosted by BullsEye Dog Rescue from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.Sunday at Play Bow Dog Training in Tacoma. Topics will include the “dos and don’ts” of responsible pit bull ownership and how to combat misconceptions of the breed.

Owners can also sign up for a five-week basic obedience class for pit bulls, free for those who complete the entire course. Classes will be offered through June at Play Bow Dog Training and focus on leadership practices and bonding with your dog. Space is limited and signups are available through the BullsEye Rescue website.

Pasado’s Safe Haven is an animal-rescue organization located in Sultan, Snohomish County, and operates a traveling "spay station," which offers free spay/neuter services to low-income pet owners and those on government assistance.

The organization's volunteer van visits a different Pierce County location every day through June and has stopped most recently in Lakewood and University Place. It will be at the Sumner Food Bank on June 9 and the Bread of Life Food Bank in Bonney Lake June 14-15.