Pit Bulls in the Park: Successful Outreach Event!

It was 11 am on May 7, 2011. CCB pulled into the parking lot of Fairview Park in Hillsborough, and began to unload the donations. A few dedicated pit bull owners were already there, walking their dogs. As we organized the leashes, collars, food, and treats, we all were astounded by the overwhelming amount of freebies we had been blessed with for our first community outreach event. So many goodie bags, we were bound to go home with leftovers for the CCB foster dogs. We were wrong.

By the start of Pit Bulls in the Park an hour later, a line had formed at the microchip table, the weight-pulling demo area; and people were picking out new collars for their dogs. We did not have time to survey the activity among us; there was work to be done. We fitted dog after dog for collars, and for some dogs, it was the first one they had ever had. The line for the free microchip table didn’t let up for hours, as we promised dog after dog that they would never wait unclaimed as a “stray” at the shelter again.

Two hours in, we were running low. The donated food was gone. And how many treat bags had we distributed? 50? 100? No one had time to count at the start, but we knew we were down now to our last dozen or so. AnimalKind reported that they had given a half a dozen spay/neuter vouchers, and Orange County Animal Services had vaccinated at least a dozen dogs for their rabies vaccines. Dog trainer Lisa Mayhew of AttaGirl! K9 had spent most of the afternoon consulting with people about dog behavior issues. The kids table had been abuzz with children who loved to tell us about their beloved dogs.

We learned a lot of things that day, the first being, we are not much different from these families, these pit bull owners. We all take pride in our dogs, and we all love them for what they are. We may have different ideas about what makes a responsible owner; about spay/neuter; or about just where these dogs fit into our families. But one thing can not be disputed – we all love our dogs.

By 3:45 pm, the tables were empty. We turned away people interested in getting microchips, collars, leashes, and food; because there was nothing left to give. Physically, and emotionally, we were drained. But we were smiling. Empty tables meant we had succeeded. This was a community that needed us. And Carolina Care Bullies had come though.

We will not soon forget the experience of the first ever Pit Bulls in the Park hosted in the Fairview community, in the small historic town of Hillsborough, North Carolina. It reminded us that there is more to rescue than finding good homes for good dogs. It is about connecting with the community on a personal level, and helping to turn the tide for the pit bulls of tomorrow.