The Story of Ace

Over the past week there has been a lot of buzz on the internet about a stray and emaciated Pit Bull that was found near a hardware store in Detroit. The dog was taken to the City shelter, and as is their policy, was put down yesterday after a 4 day holding period. Because no previous owner claimed the dog, the City's policy does not allow adopting out strays with Pit Bull heritage. Many people volunteered to adopt this dog.

While this seems harsh, the City did not wish to change policy for one dog that received notoriety. While the concept of "no kill" shelters is popular, in reality there are more dogs than homes, and not every shelter can be a "no kill" shelter - there are those that have to make hard decisions. Because Pit Bulls face a number a difficult social and economic hurdles, many shelters place them low on adopt-a-bility lists.

With this in mind, next Friday is "Black Friday", and many shelters around the country will be pushing an "adopt, don't shop" day. If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family or home, please remember dogs like Ace. Our shelters are full of many great animals that can make great pets.

You can read more about Ace at:

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/detroit-refuses-to-release-ace-the-stray-dog-to-rescue-league-20111108-ms

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/dog%27s-life-ends,-legal-battle-begins-20111111-as