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Pit bulls find adoptive homes in San Francisco
April 18, 1997Web posted at: 10:10 p.m. EDT (0210 GMT)
SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- A handful of pit bulls are getting another chance at a normal life through a program that places them with new masters.
As many as 500 pit bulls, including strays, are tagged at the pound as dangerous and put to sleep each year. The city had required that pit bulls that wound up at the pound be put to sleep, but it relaxed those laws last summer to allow for adoption.
(990K/26 sec. QuickTime movie)
So far, about 40 puppies have been placed. Some come to the shelter abused -- one named Smiley had been soaked in motor oil and nearly died.
Katie Dinneen was among the first to adopt a pit bull under the new policy nine months ago. She named her abused puppy Megan.
"I think she's seen a lot of fairly awful things," Dinneen said. " ... She didn't at first know what going for a walk was -- she didn't understand why we put on a leash, walk around and go back home."
Because the breed has a propensity toward violence, both the dogs and the prospective owners are carefully screened.
CNN affiliate KRON contributed to this report.
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser window- Dog Zone on-line magazine and breeder's exchange
- American Pit Bull Terrier: A gentle and courageous pet;a victim of bad press
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