Pit bull convention meant to honor dog

Hundreds of pit bulls and their owners are expected Saturday at a Dalton, Ga., convention aimed at connecting breeders, supply sellers and owners of the often-maligned dog breed.

But before anyone gets the wrong idea, the organizer behind Bosses of the Bullies cautions that this event isn't about dog-fighting stereotypes that often accompany mentions of pit bulls: the notion that pit bulls have locking jaws and can exact more than 300 pounds of pressure per square inch when they bite.

Instead, Jaiy Brady would like the public to see the well-trained, dog-show competitor-class pit bulls that will be at his event.

"It's not the dogs that are bad," Mr. Brady said. "The people that own the dogs are the ones who make them bad. I want to create awareness about what these pit bulls actually are."

The event is decidedly business-oriented. Mr. Brady, who lives south of Atlanta in Hampton, Ga., is selling vendor space to breeders, veterinarians and retailers that cater to pit bulls. Entry fees are $20 per person or $40 per dog and owner.

He chose Dalton for its central location to Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Birmingham, Ala., he said.

The centerpiece to the event is an American Bully Kennel Club-sanctioned dog show that will award cash prizes and the chance to enter to win a sport-bike motorcycle. Professional dog owners, those who take their pets on national tours, will participate in the show to earn points for national contests, Mr. Brady said.

The Humane Society of the United States is encouraging events such as Mr. Brady's across the country in an effort to focus pit bull owners on training their animals for agility and obedience rather than protection and fighting.

"The Humane Society of the United States is always pleased to see events that celebrate these dogs for being loyal, loving companions," said Leighan McCollum, director of the Tennessee Humane Society chapter.

"There are thousands of healthy, adoptable bully breeds euthanized in shelters every year, so we encourage everyone to consider adopting from their local shelter or rescue group," she said.

In Hamilton County, nearly 20 pit bulls are waiting in shelters. Guy Bilyeu, executive director of the Hamilton County Humane Educational Society, said the breed is hard to adopt but, in his years running the facility, he's encountered very few problems.

"They are absolutely wonderful pets. They just need to be in the right hands," Mr. Bilyeu said.

Pit bulls suffer high euthanasia rates in shelters because families are afraid to adopt them, he said. National data shows pit bulls are euthanized at a 93 percent rate because they can't find homes or because previous owners trained them to be aggressive.

"As a breed, they are not vicious, aggressive animals," said Karen Walsh, executive director of the McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center in Chattanooga. "We do behavior assessments on every dog that comes into the shelter, however."