Commonly used terms in the dog rescuing/adoption world.

Pit bull rescue dog-A dog that has become homeless usually picked up off the street, confiscated or surrendered.

Pit bull Rescue-A group of people, usually non-profit and breed specific (e.g. Pit Bulls, Shar-pei, Chow Chow, and Great Dane) that try to find families that are willing to give these dogs a second chance at life.

Shelter or Humane Society-An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless lost or abandoned animals. The animal is kept at the shelter until it is either reclaimed by an owner, adopted to a new owner or placed with another organization such as a breed specific rescue. Many of these Pit Bulls are killed before they find a family. 

No Kill Shelter-Many people do not realize that “no-kill” does not mean “no euthanasia”. What “no-kill” really means is selective admission- meaning services are not provided to all of the animals in the community who need help. Selective admission facilities turn away pets if they do not appear to be highly adoptable due to age, temperament or health.

Foster Parent-Foster parent is a person willing to take in homeless Pit Bulls through a rescue or shelter.  They are responsible for housing a rescue dog on a temporary basis and providing basic training while the Pit Bull is in their home until permanent placement is found. The rescue or humane society usually covers all cost except wear and tear on your house.

Adoption-Adopting a pet means taking in a homeless or unwanted Pit Bull as apposed to buying a dog from a breeder or pet store.

Puppy Mill-Puppy mills are large-scale dog-breeding facilities that operate under substandard breeding conditions. This can cause chronic health problems, temperament issues, and hereditary defects in puppies. Animals that have been produced in mills are most commonly sold at pet stores to unsuspecting consumers.
Pit Bulls bred in puppy mills are usually kept in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. They usually do not receive adequate food, water or veterinary care. They are housed in cramped conditions, often exposed to the elements. Females are breed every time they are in heat to increase profits. Puppies are weaned from their mothers well before the eight weeks recommended. The puppies may come with pedigrees but the pedigree itself is neither an indication of quality nor authenticity, many pedigrees produced by puppy mills are fake.

Rehome-To rehome a Pit Bull simply means to remove from one home environment that was not successful for whatever reason and to place the dog in a new “forever” home.

Breed specific legislation (BSL)- There two versions of written law that I’m aware of 1) prohibits ownership of or anything that looks like a Pit bull 2) they make you comply with very strict confinement rules and carry liability insurance.

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