Today is National Pit Bull Awareness Day, a date dedicated to educating and changing perceptions and stereotypes about Pit Bulls

Disclaimer: I own two Pit Bulls (or they own me). And as a responsible Pit owner, I was eager to celebrate this holiday to help educate and foster positive communication about this loving yet often misunderstood breed.

It’s been a busy year for Pit Bulls and their fans. Thousands of people marched in Washington, D.C., to bring awareness to the detriments of breed-specific legislation. Pit Bulls have won prestigious awards, starred in movies and warmed countless hearts with viral videos featuring second-chance tales of love. In honor of this special day, I wanted to share some of my favorite stories from vetstreet.com from this past year.

Participants in front of the Capitol at the One Million Pibble March in Washington, D.C.

Pit Bulls in the News

Thousands March in Washington, D.C., to End Discrimination and Abuse Against Pit Bulls
Living close to Washington, D.C., I had the opportunity to attend the One Million Pibble March. It was a beautiful day on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol as thousands gathered for a rally to fight against legislation aimed at bully breeds. Though breed-specific legislation still exists in the United States, efforts like these show a united voice for breeds that don’t have one of their own.

Pit Bull Alerts Deaf Boy to House Fire
I’m always amazed when I hear stories of heroism credited to a pet. The story of Ace, a 2-year-old Pit Bull, is no different. Ace saved 13-year-old Nick Lamb from a fire in his Indianapolis home. Lamb is deaf and had taken his cochlear implants off for an afternoon nap. A fire soon sparked, and Ace alerted Lamb to the impending danger.

Pit Bulls in Hollywood

Pit Bull Puppy Stars in New Movie
Three Pit Bull puppies shared the starring role of Rocco in the crime thriller The Drop. Written by Dennis Lehane, the movie revolves around a Brooklyn bartender and his cousin who run a bar that launders money for gangsters. The movie will have you rooting for the abused Pit Bull puppy found in a trash can, and all who seek to love him.

Susie, American Humane Association's Hero Dog

Pit Bull Mix Who Overcame Trauma Wins Hero Dog Award
For the second year in a row, a Pit Bull has been named the American Humane Association’s Hero Dog in the therapy dog category. This year, Susie, a Pit Bull mix who suffered terrible abuse as a puppy before being rescued and becoming a therapy dog, was named the Hero Dog Awards winner at a star-studded ceremony in Hollywood. Susie goes to schools, hospitals and churches to bring messages of kindness, respect and responsibility to children and adults. According to her owner, she is an inspiration to many and always offers a friendly smile and tail wag. 

Pit Bulls Go Viral

Viral videos of a dog’s rescue and subsequent transformation are sure to tug at any pet lover’s heart strings. Vetstreet.com featured two stories this year that have brought me to tears, and I’m sure they’ll do the same for you. Both videos prove that Pit Bulls have a tremendous ability to live and love, if given the chance.

Dog Gets Another Chance After Craigslist Post Goes Viral
No one can doubt the power that social media has had when it comes to animals, from connecting pets with their owners after a natural disaster to helping raise funds for shelter pets on death row. Mama Jade, a terribly abused Pit Bull from Tennessee, got another chance at life after a Craigslist post about her plight went viral. Read her touching tale and check out her Facebook page to see where she is now, a little over a year later.

Pit Bulls and Their Families

As a mom of a rescued Pit Bull, I hold adoption stories near and dear to my heart. Rescuing a dog is not an easy task. In fact, it is not a task at all. It is a labor of love to rehabilitate and train a creature who has been abandoned — especially a bully breed with negative stereotypes to contradict. We featured two Pit Bull rescue stories on vetstreet.com this year. Both are poignant tales of abandoned Pit Bulls who became loving members of their new families.

Mason snuggles with the kids

The Story of Mason: How a Stray Pit Bull Changed the Lives of One Family
Jan Jeffries Jr. was working on the single most miserable project of his career when he met a homeless Pit Bull on the jobsite.

Rescue Story: Budreaux the Pit Bull Finds a Home
Cindy Holbrook shares why she rescued a stray Pit Bull — and how even her watchdog Heeler accepted the newcomer.

Have a great Pit Bull story for us? Tell us in the comments below.