Rescued pit bulls fight stigma by guiding people in need
Feb 11, 4:55 PM EST
LOS ANGELES
(AP) -- When former Marine Joe Bonfiglio starts thrashing in his sleep,
his pit bull service dog jumps on the bed, climbs on top of him and
wakes him up to end the flashback.
The dog
named Zen has allowed Bonfiglio, 24, who was diagnosed with
post-traumatic stress disorder after returning from a five-month tour in
Afghanistan, to get back to everyday activities. He can now do things
such as shop at malls in Poughkeepsie, New York, because Zen helps calm
Bonfiglio when crowds trigger a panic attack.
"I
used to go to bars with my friends. And war movies. I am not going to
see `American Sniper,'" he said. "It would bring me back to a place I
don't want to be."
Pit bulls aren't the
typical choice for a service dog. They are feared, banned in hundreds of
cities and blamed for sometimes deadly attacks. The Animal Farm
Foundation in Dutchess County, New York, wants to change that stigma
through a program that trains and donates rescued pit bulls to push
wheelchairs or help people regain their mobility and avoid falls.
The effort faces opposition from those who believe the breed is dangerous.
The
Assistance Dog Training Program is believed to be the only U.S.
training school exclusively for service dogs that uses pit bulls from
shelters, said Apryl Lea, the foundation's certified trainer. It's
placed five dogs that require two years to socialize, train and acquaint
with handlers.
A smaller group, Pits for
Patriots, trains rescued pit bulls as comfort, therapy and support dogs
for veterans, police officers and firefighters but has yet to place any
service dogs. Comfort dogs are pets that get a few weeks of training,
while therapy animals receive at least six months of training to help
calm people who haven't received a diagnosis as severe as PTSD.
"Veterans
and first responders can identify with pit bulls because they either
have seen a lot of trauma or been through a lot of trauma," said Kelly
Yearwood, co-founder Pits for Patriots in Chicago, whose group started
the same year as the Animal Farm Foundation's program, in 2011.
The
handful of major training schools and a few smaller ones all typically
breed German shepherds, Labradors and golden retrievers for the lengthy,
costly process to become a service dog.
Shelters
nationwide watch for canine candidates for the foundation's program,
which trains dogs based on Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines,
Lea said. With pit bull breeds making up a huge percentage of dogs in
shelters, she has to carefully decide which dogs are accepted. They must
have the right build, aptitude and focus to help a person get through
life with disabilities or injuries.
"My job is not just to train the dog but to help the handler be a good trainer, too," she said.
But the program faces pushback.
"There
are over 100 dog breeds that are far more suitable to perform tasks for
persons with disabilities than pit bulls, especially rescued pit bulls
with unknown backgrounds," said Colleen Lynn, founder and president of
DogsBite.org, a national group that tracks bites and works to reduce
attacks through bans and other laws.
Pit bulls can be unpredictable and kill or maim when they attack, she said.
From
2005 to 2014, dog attacks killed 326 people in the United States,
according to data compiled by DogsBite.org, which blames pit bull breeds
for 62 percent of the deaths.
"There is
simply no need for pit bulls, rescued or otherwise, to be utilized as
service dogs for people with disabilities," Lynn said.
Pit
bulls have helped people like Bonfiglio get back to their normal lives.
The former Marine has made such progress with Zen that he's now taking
cybersecurity classes at Mercy College in New York.
"Zen
is a fantastic dog; the best thing that's happened to me since I've
been home," said Bonfiglio, whose other family dogs also provide
comfort. "They are all great supporters. They don't talk back, just put a
smile on your face."
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