Because of their inherent power, pit bulls are often considered to be nasty, aggressive breed of dog. Interestingly enough, however, the term ‘pit bull’ doesn’t even refer to a specific breed— it is an umbrella term for a few different types of American Pit Bull Terriers and Staffordshire terriers.Still, despite the possibility of mistaken identity, approximately 500,000 pit bulls are killed every single year.
According to Bark Post, “Of all the common dog types to appear in shelters, pit bulls are by far the most likely to be euthanized.”
These statistics are tragic, but even more so in light of the following story about Kiah, New York State’s very first police pit bull.
Kiah was originally discovered with a serious head wound, chained up and abandoned in an icy parking lot. But with the help of Animal Farm Foundation, an organization dedicated to battling the stigma surrounding pit bulls, she was ultimately adopted by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department.
Brad Kroft, Director of Operations for Universal K9 tells the Huffington Post, “Kiah one of the top three dogs I’ve ever placed.”
In another interview with CBS News, he says, “If we were to have some kind of contest, she would outwork [the other dogs] all days of the week. This dog is crazy good.”
Kroft explains that a good detection dog requires a few specific qualities, including confidence, strong nerves, curiosity, and obedience— all of which Kiah has a ton of. He knew Kiah would be a great addition to the force when he noticed her unparalleled energy and strong composition.
Kroft tells the Huffington Post it upsets him when other departments are resistant to using a pit bull, believing they’re no different than Belgian Malinois, German shepherds, and Dutch Shepherds; breeds usually selected for the job.
Kiah’s partner officer Brad Kroft expounds on this point, telling Inside Edition, “All pit bulls are not nasty and aggressive, and she’s the perfect example— she’s loving, she’s friendly. She came from a horrible situation and that is ultimately what makes it the most rewarding— giving her a better life.”
Kiah now also helps the organization that helped her by acting as an Animal Farm Foundation ambassador and battling the stigma against other pit bulls too!
So, the next time you hear someone preaching the aggressiveness of pit bulls, show them Kiah, whom Kroft tells CBS News, is “so friendly, she wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
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