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National promotion aims to control area pit bull population

July 24, 2012

In an effort to control the pit bull population, PetSmart Charities will hold a nation-wide campaign to encourage owners to spay and neuter their pets.

The Capital Area Humane Society received a grant from the company to participate in the “Primp your Pit (bull)” promotion during the month of August.

The first 80 pit bull owners to call and schedule an appointment are eligible to the special discounted rate of $20 to spay or neuter a pit bull, and comes with a free nail trimming.

“What they’re trying to do across the country is increase pit bull spay and neuter,” Capital Area Humane Society President and CEO Julia Palmer said. “Primarily because the breed is the most common breed found in shelters, so really trying to encourage people to spay and neuter those type of animals to decrease the population issues we have with them right now.”

Palmer encouraged pit bull owners to schedule an appointment soon, as the 80 available surgery slots are quickly filling up well into August, if they want to take advantage of the discounted rate. The normal cost to spay or neuter a pet at the society is $100, which Palmer said is one of the lower cost facilities in the area.

Dogs can return home after their day-long procedure and typically require a few days of rest and recovery afterwards.

According to Palmer, the pit bull population has risen over the last 10 years and have become the most common breed found in shelters across the country. Although some have negative misconceptions about pit bulls because they are often associated with dog fighting, gangs and human attacks, Palmer said the breed has a very positive historic reputation.

“People have called them nanny dogs and trusted them with their children,” she said. “The dogs, in history, were hailed as war heroes in the Civil War and became dogs that fought besides their human comrades in battle.”

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