Natalie Phillips is a lady with a big heart that’s full of passion for the underdog. Well in this case it’s more of a group of dogs – Bully Breeds: Bulldog Breeds, Pit Bull Breeds, Mastiff Breeds, and any mixes of the aforementioned. Natalie has spearheaded a benefit for Miami Valley Pit Crew (MVPC), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies completely on donations. It’s a network of volunteer foster homes dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of abused, neglected, and misunderstood dogs and puppies. They educate owners and the public, on bully breeds and Breed Specific Legislation (BSL).
This Saturday, July 19th from 1pm – 10pm, Boston’s Bistro and Pub, located at 7500 N Main St, in Dayton, will host Pints and Pin-ups For Pits. Natalie describes this as “a huge event with 100% of proceeds going to MVPC. There will be a cruise in, live local music, pin ups, lots of raffles (including a Big Beers & Barley Wines basket), games, a kissing booth, vendors, food and to celebrate the end of Ohio Beer Week we will have all 17 taps with local/Ohio beer with a few special cask including Rhinegeist, who will be sending their first cask ever to this event.”
Talia Nicole
The Luscious Ladies are a Pin Up group, with chapters all over the United States. Models who specialize in everything vintage with a touch of class and sexiness. These lovely ladies will be volunteering on Saturday serving drinks, taking photos and making the place beautiful!
Steffen Evan Baldwin of Animal Cruelty Task-force of Ohio (ACT) will be doing a dog safety demo for kids at 3pm. Even if you don’t have your child with you, there will be a lot of information you can take home. ACT Ohio travels around the State educating children in an interactive way on dog safety, particularly around stray dogs, as well as helping them to understand in a child friendly way how dogs think and why they do what they do. In addition, your children will learn what the law requires companion animals to have every day (food, water, shelter), and why it’s so important for dogs. Children aged 4-7 are statistically most likely to be bitten by a dog and most bites are at home, and are preventable with a little bit of education! Former MVP Chesty Puller will be the demo dog!
We asked Natalie about how she got involved with Pit Rescue?
NP: My friend was driving behind a car on Stewart St, when all of a sudden the door opens (while driving) and they threw a dog out of the moving vehicle. The dog was a Mastiff breed and got pretty messed up. He called around and no one would help him help the dog… until he stumbled upon Miami Valley Pit Crew (MVPC). They not only took her in, they vetted her and fostered her until she found her forever home. That left a big impact on me. I have always been an advocate for the bully breed. But, I’m not making a difference if I’m yelling at a wall or ranting on Facebook. So, I wanted to get involved. I contacted MVPC had my home visit and became a foster, and always will be…
Wyatt
Can you tell us about fostering these dogs?
NP: My 4th foster, Wyatt came to me at 9 weeks old with ringworm on his tail.. Because of the fungus he was on the “to be destroyed” list. I took him in, kept him separated and sprayed an anti-fungal medicine on his tail and in a week he was just fine! Wyatt is now almost a year old and he was a foster failure.. We connected and I knew that he was already home. I know I can’t fall in love with every dog that comes through, but Wyatt was different.
What I respect the most from MVPC is that there is a strict process that every potential adopter has to go through to ensure the dog will have a great life. This makes it easier for me to love and let go when fosters come through my house. I have no doubt they are going to a fantastic home. Every dog adopted from MVPC is spay/neutered, micro chipped, completely vetted (all vaccines) and heartworm tested.
The MVPC evaluates each rescue request to determine the dogs re-homing probability. We want to ensure each dog we take in can be rehabilitated into a family member. We work hard locally to educate bully breed owners and speak out against Breed Specific Legislation.
How big is the need for Pit Rescue in Dayton?
NP: Bully breeds, the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, are the most misunderstood, abused and euthanized dogs across the nation. They battle discrimination on a daily basis whether it is misinformed minds of society to breed specific legislation. High Kill shelters only allow only a certain number of bully breeds on the adoption floor… all others are killed. Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes average about 33% of shelter intakes nationally, but in large cities the numbers are as high as 40%-65%. About 75% of shelters euthanize Pit Bulls immediately upon intake.(stats thanks to Examiner.com) Even if they do make it to the adoption floor, they are the first to be euthanized when they get overcrowded. It’s sad that this stigma plagues the breed because they are loving, loyal, fun, very smart and want to learn. Education and responsibility is important with any breed of dog. Blame needs to start being put at the other end of the leash.
If you can’t attend Saturday’s event you can still make a difference. You can make donations, share photo’s of adoptables on social media or foster! Check out the adoptables:www.mvpc.petfinder.com. MVPC always need more fosters. You can find foster/adoption applications, or make a donation at www.miamivalleypitcrew.com
