National Pit Bull Awareness Day 2024: Date, Origin, and Ways to Celebrate

National Pit Bull Awareness Month occurs every October, with National Pit Bull Awareness Day falling on the last Saturday of the month. The next National Pit Bull Awareness Day is on Saturday, October 26, 2024. Learn about National Pit Bull Awareness Day 2024, including the date, origin, and ways to celebrate everything about the beloved pit bull.

Origin of National Pit Bull Awareness Day

Jodi Preis of Bless The Bullys, a Tennessee-based pit bull rescue and education group, started National Pitbull Awareness Day in 2007. National Pit Bull Awareness Day is a day to recognize, appreciate, and educate others about the pit bull. Preis wanted to change the perception and stereotypes of pit bulls.

Promoting positive experiences and communication about pit bulls aims to reduce the number of pit bulls turned into shelters. National Pit Bull Awareness Day aims to educate the public about pit bulls and restore their public image.

Ways To Celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day

Having a National Pit Bull Awareness Day helps educate the public while advocating for the dog. It is simply a way to start a conversation about the breed that was once the “All-American Dog.” There are several ways to celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day.

• If you live in a city or state with breed-specific legislation regarding pit bulls and the ability to own them in specific locations or municipalities, write to your mayor, city council, or board of aldermen encouraging them to consider changing the legislation.
• Seek to educate others and correct any misinformation about pit bulls.
• Share any positive interactions you’ve had with pit bulls. Encourage those you know with pit bulls to do the same.
• If you are an owner of a pit bull, show off your pet on social media, including reels or movies demonstrating their loving and loyal disposition. Add a #pitbullawarenessday hashtag to commemorate the day. Share others’ pit bull posts to support them as well.
• If you are not an owner, consider adopting or fostering a pit bull.
• If you cannot foster or own a pit bull, consider volunteering at your local shelter to get to know one as perhaps a dog walker or caretaker. Share your positive volunteer experiences with pit bull and pit bull mixes to help change the negative stereotype.
• Make a donation to a pit bull rescue or fostering organization to help with their efforts with pit bulls.

Is Pit Bull an Actual Breed

Pit bulls are technically not a breed unto themselves. Most have descended from the British bull and terrier. The British bull and terrier is a 19th-century dog resulting from a cross between the Old English bulldog and the Old English terrier. The pit bull as we know it today is a descendant of that cross-breeding. The generic term pit bull refers to a group of dogs based solely on their physical attributes and appearance, like the American bully, the American pit bull terrier, the American Staffordshire terrier, and the Staffordshire bull terrier. The American bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Presa Canario, and cane corso sometimes get lumped into the pit bull category as well.

Pitbull Facts

• Through The American Temperament Test Society, pit bulls scored 82.3%, making them one of the five most stable breeds in the country. The average dog population comes in with an average temperament score of 77%.
• Pit bulls have the third strongest bite, coming in behind German shepherds and Rottweilers, respectively.
• The most famous pit bull may be Stubby, a decorated war dog in World War I. Stubby earned a Seargent ranking, demonstrating tremendous bravery and commitment, and returned to America as a hero.
• Due to their loyalty and determination, pit bulls were commonly used as nanny dogs in the early 20th century, regularly left alone with children for protection.
• Pit bulls are very intelligent and highly trainable. They are quick to learn commands and desired repetitive motions and can be successfully socialized early.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Diego Thomazini/Shutterstock.com