Summary Homework: Pit Bull Discrimination Is Never OK -- Especially For A Superhero Therapy Dog

Aladdin is a rescued pit bull and is now a volunteer therapy dog for hospitals, schools, libraries, etc. In April 2013, he arrived at an animal shelter in New Jersey. He was skin and bones with broken legs, a broken tail and several bruises. "He loves dressing up. To him, that's a sign that he's going to work," says his owner, Michele Schaffer-Stevens, who has been caring for Aladdin for about a year and a half now. Michele was called in to look at Aladdin. She took him home to her three children and her three pit bulls. It took Aladdin time to trust and be comfortable around Michele and her children. Obviously Aladdin has been through a history of getting beaten and abuse. 

Michele Schaffer-Stevens recently encountered a disturbing situation at the Virtua due to the breed of the dog they didn't want to have it as a therapy dog. This led to other therapeutic dog owners to refuse to volunteer at the Virtua. For example, "Judy Hutnik, said in an email to other therapy dog owners -- shared with HuffPost -- that her German shepherd Desi will no longer visit the hospital because 'even though Desi and I love volunteering at Virtua, I have decided that doing what is right is more important than all the hard work we have gone through to be a part of Visiting Paws. If loving dogs like Aladdin are not given a fair chance at becoming therapy dogs at Virtua because of their BREED, then Desi and I wish to remove ourselves from the program.'" Another dog owner decided to stop volunteering at the Virtua, "Sometimes you just have to take a stand for what is right. And I have and will continue to share my decision with everyone I know in the therapy dog and rescue community as we cannot allow this to continue." Dogs should not be hated or dislike due to its breed. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/30/pit-bull-therapy-discrimination_n_5901888.html