American Pit Bull Terrier Educational Materials
Pit Bulls are one of the most at-risk groups of animals in Indiana, and lose their lives at a staggering rate here. Therefore, Indiana-PAW is proud to partner with ASTRO (American Pit Bull Terrier/American Staffordshire Rescue Organization) to provide Hoosiers with the information they need if they are considering the adoption of a pit bull, and/or if they are already a pit bull owner.
ASTRO is an Indianapolis-based rescue group and an Indiana-PAW partner. ASTRO is dedicated to placing deserving pit bull and pit-mixes in homes that both understand and appreciate the breed. In addition, ASTRO works to stem the flood of abuse and over population problems that plague this breed of dogs, by educating the public about what excellent companions and family pets pit bulls can be.
Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls (BAD RAP) is a California-based non-profit organization of pit bull owners, rescuers and supporters.
The following materials are from ASTRO and BAD RAP, used with their permission:
- Introduction to ASTRO [PDF]
- So, You've Been Thinking About Adopting An American Pit Bull Terrier?
- Ten Commandments Of Pit Bull Ownership [PDF]
- The Pros And Cons Of Owning A Pit Bull
- Top 15 Tips for Being a Responsible Dog Owner
- A Common Sense Approach to Dog Parks and Pit Bulls
- Living Peaceably in a Home with More Than One Pit Bull
For additional information on pit bulls, visit the following websites:
Courtesy Postings
Casa Del Toro Bully Breed Education & Rescue now has a page at their website that provides a place for people who have found stray pit bulls, or owners who need an outlet to responsibly list their dogs for adoption. Casa Del Toro created the page in the hopes that these dogs will gain more attention and exposure, and hopefully find new homes. Note that while these "courtesy dog postings" do not fall under Casa del Toro's adoption guidelines, they will assist anyone who is responsibly trying to find new homes for pitbulls.
Click here for Casa Del Toro's Courtesy Postings.
Thank you, Casa Del Toro, for making this wonderful resource available!
Court Cases
The Indy Pit Crew and Casa Del Toro Bully Breed Education & Rescue have put together an online calendar to track upcoming court hearings, as well as maps and information to the courts, for the dog fighting cases in Marion County. It is important that the community attend these hearings/cases to show the judge and jury that animal abuse is NOT acceptable in this day and age. You can view the
calendar online by clicking here.
If you do decide to attend court, please abide by the following "Attending The Court Room Guidelines" supplied by Casa Del Toro:
- Arrive Early: Too much shuffling in and out of the court room is looked down upon by the judge & the bailiff.
- Be Prepared To Be There For A While: You'll be there for at least 2 hours. Bring something to read, balance your checkbook, something to occupy the time.
- Be Polite & Courteous: Be quiet. As much as we like to think they can't hear us whispering, they can, and the bailiff DOES watch for whispering in the audience. We want to be seen and not heard during the court hearings.
- Dress Appropriately: Dress in a manner that suits the serious nature of the business conducted in court (if you have an animal welfare group shirt or an Indy Pit Crew shirt that would be ideal. We want them to know that ALL animal welfare groups are watching the court trials). And don't forget to remove your hat when entering the courtroom.
- Be A Positive Representative Of Animal Welfare: Don't forget you are in court. Do not attend court under the influence. Do not smoke, eat or drink in the courtroom.
- No Recordings: Do not make audio or video recordings or take photographs in the courtroom. It's not allowed.
- No Animals: Do not bring cats or dogs (other than guide dogs) into the courtroom.
- No Children: Do not bring children under the age of 14 (other than babies). Childcare facilities are not currently available in courts.
You may be held to be in contempt of court if you ignore these guidelines. We want the judges, prosecutors, defenders, and juries to know that we are professional and present watching these court cases. It is extremely important to be very respectful to the court, and to remember this isn't somewhere we can just voice our opinions: this is someone's criminal case. If we do not present ourselves accordingly, it could cost us not only the case, but any future opportunities to be heard an taken seriously.
If we stand together, united, as concerned citizens of this community, we will make a difference.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to e-mail Indiana-PAW or ASTRO or Casa Del Toro.