Why I Volunteer

I’m fairly new to the world of pit bulls. I rescued my first pit bulls about 2 years ago when I came into the care of a litter of 10 very young pups. I had no idea when I jumped at the opportunity to help them that I would be forever sucked in by the charming, devoted, goofy, loving and special personalities that make pit bulls so amazing (I mean really, I didn’t stand a chance!).

After bottle feedings, sleepless nights, constant phone calls to my veterinarian, and struggling to find homes for the puppies, I was dumbfounded by how difficult it proved to be to find good homes for a bunch of adorable puppies. They were just puppies. Why didn’t anyone want them? I was literally giving away puppies! I just asked their prospective parents for a few things: feed them, walk them, and most importantly, love them. It was just that simple.

(Two of them somehow snuck their way into MY home, which is a completely different story. Dozer and Theresa are featured in the photo above.)

I did find homes for the rest of them eventually, but it bothered me why it was so hard. A quick Google search showed clearly the issues of the “pit bull”. I felt compelled to learn more. The struggles I faced finding homes for all those cute puppies weren’t because there was something really wrong with them; the trouble that I faced was the misconception that so many people have about pit bulls. Those puppies were just a few of the countless wonderful dogs with the name "pit bull" attached to them that are found abused, neglected, feared, forgotten and left behind throughout our city shelters here in Los Angeles.

There had to be something I could do. And then I found Angel City Pit Bulls.

Not only did I find a group of people who are just as passionate as I am, who would do just about anything to help some dogs in need, but I found an entire greater community who cared about the same issues and changes that I was seeking.

As a newbie to the world of rescue it can be daunting to hear all the horrible stories that some of these animals have gone through. At first it felt like there was no end to a HUGE problem that is so far out of my reach. How could little ole me possibly make a difference? As an animal lover I went through a range of emotions that at first broke my heart, enraged me to no end, then had me questioning humanity, broke my heart again, and finally made me realize that there are places and organizations like Angel City Pit Bulls where I could stop watching and listening to the misconceptions and problems and do something about it. I started to volunteer my time not only to learn more about my own newly adopted pit bulls, but to learn about the issues that I wanted to change.

When I tell people that on my free time I volunteer for a pit bull advocacy group there are a list of questions that I usually face (mostly surrounding money) – “why, yes I give up parts of my days and don’t get paid a penny”, “No, I’m not always donating money”, “I just hang out with some dogs all day”, and “no, they don’t always ask me to give them money.”And at the end of all the questions about giving up time I could be getting paid there is always the number one thing that everyone can’t seem to understand - “why do you do it?!”

I volunteer because I love dogs, pit bulls and animals. I volunteer because I think that the dogs who find themselves in shelters deserve a second chance (and a third, and a fourth). I volunteer because I honestly believe that it will make a difference to the seemingly endless problem we have of overcrowding in our city shelters. I volunteer because I want to learn and be able to educate others on the reasons why we should care so much about the welfare and health of all our pets.

I’ve found that by volunteering, little ole me can make a huge difference in this big world of animal welfare.

My role may be small but it’s important. There are many ways beyond donating money that help bring light to the dim view of pit bulls; gifting an afternoon of a nice walk with a new doggy friend, providing a foster home, giving a ride to a training class, or simply sharing an “Adopt Me” video with your Facebook friends, to name a few…

Every little bit counts and every little bit is needed for these amazing dogs who at the end of the day just ask to be fed, walked, and loved. It really is that simple.

Alyss
Assistant Foster Coordinator
Devoted Volunteer

To find out about volunteer opportunities with Angel City Pit Bulls, please visit our Volunteer Page