RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - It's a breed that makes headlines often. 13-year-old Austin Dixon was attacked by a neighbor's pit bull last week. He finds out Thursday if he'll need surgery to correct the bites to his upper lip.
Austin's mom is furious that her son was attacked and that her son bears a constant reminder on his face of what happened that day. But, she also says she believes pit bulls can be loving dogs, when trained.
It's one reason a local group is helping pit bull owners train their dogs for free.
"You know, lots of people want them for the wrong reasons and as a result, they run into lots of issues," said Will Lowrey with Gracie's Guardians, a division of the Richmond Animal League named after Michael Vick's pit bull, Gracie.
The group is dedicated to finding homes for pit bulls in need and altering the negative perception of this breed of dogs.
"People actually fight them or they chain them in their backyard or they over breed them," added Lowrey.
As a result, experts say the city and surrounding areas have seen an influx in pit bulls also bearing the scars of their circumstances.
"They're not bred to be aggressive toward people," said trainer Valerie Paul, with Impawsible Pups. "A lot of people think oh it's an aggressive dog. They're bred to listen to people, just like a lab."
That's the message at this training session, meant to help the dog owners train their pets lovingly. Cherie Williams loves her pit, "Ox", but needs some help getting control over him. "He's very hyperactive, he'll jump on you and play around. Things of that nature. He never wants to sit down."
The session also provides much needed care to owners who may not otherwise have the means for vaccinations or spay and neuter.
Many of the dogs in Saturday's program came from good homes. But, organizers hope what these dogs learn will filter down to others in the neighborhood too.
"You get dog fighting, dog fighting is often associated narcotics, weapons charges, those sorts of things," explained Lowrey. "And so as you start to get to the core and build a better relationship with people and their dogs, you reduce all those things."
If you do find yourself face to face with an aggressive dog, don't run. It may go against your instincts, but experts say you should stand very still and fold your arms across your chest, then look away from the dog. Running will likely encourage it to attack.
To contact someone with Gracie's Guardians, email Will Lowrey at wclowrey@hotmail.com.
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