Who's a good dog
Rock-A-Bully event sets out to prove that pit bulls aren't so bad
Every dog has its day, and for pit bulls, that day will be Sunday, November 4, when a dog-happy event called Rock-A-Bully takes place at Sue Ellen's. Pit bulls are welcome to attend, and there'll be a guest appearance by Shorty Rossi, star of the Animal Planet reality TV series Pit Boss.
Organizer Mia Bissette, well-known in the animal-rescue community as an advocate who owns and fosters pit bulls herself, created the fundraiser in 2011 to show the public that pit bulls are not innately dangerous.
"We want to educate people about how misunderstood and mistreated this breed is," Bissette says.
"We want to stress the importance of adopting instead of breeding," says Rock-A-Bully founder Mia Bissette.
Pit bulls have become vilified in the past 20 years in the wake of heavily reported stories in which the dogs have attacked and sometimes killed humans. Because of their physical strength, the dogs are the favorite breed for illegal dog-fighting and are often used as guard dogs. Opponents say that they're aggressive, while advocates say that it's all a matter of training.
"We want to stress the importance of adopting instead of breeding," Bissette says. "Shelters are full of wonderful pit bulls, and many rescue groups won't even take them because of the negative stereotypes. Our goal is to raise funds for the three rescue groups in Dallas – Dog Star Pit Bull Rescue, Animal Rescue of Texas and DFW Rescue Me – who welcome pit bull-type breeds with open arms."
The event will also include raffles, pet demos and live music by Barefoot Hippies, KickBack, Bandmates, Mojo Dolls and The Catdaddies.
Rossi, whose reality TV series Pit Boss airs on Saturday nights, will be at the event with his own pit bull, Hercules, in tow. He'll speak about breed specific legislation, which makes it a crime to own a pit bull within designated city limits.
Rossi is also the owner Shorty’s Pit Bull Rescue, which rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes pit bulls into loving, nurturing environments. In addition to his hands-on work with pit bulls, he works to help restore the reputation of pit bulls through education, activism and positive pit bull involvement in the community.
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Photo courtesy of Dallas Cowboys