RESCUE ME

Woman offers shelter to abused pit bulls

Chris Moore / The Item Romeo is a pit bull who was rescued by Nicole Milligan. Milligan, a Sumter resident, is an advocate for these dogs because she believes their reputation as violent animals is undeserved and is, in fact, a result of abuse or neglect.

By CRYSTAL OWENS
Item Staff Writer

It was completely by chance that Sumter resident Nicole Milligan became involved in the rescue of abused pit bulls. One night, years ago, while working at a Super Petz, Milligan offered a pit bull shelter in her store after some neighborhood kids, for no apparent reason, began hurling rocks at the cowering animal in the parking lot.

Little did she know that years later she would be fighting for the dogs' rights —- and against the stereotype that they're violent, dangerous dogs.

"Even then I didn't have a clue what these dogs were up against ..." she said. "They're not bad dogs. They just get a bad rap. It's in their lineage to be nice to people, not to bite people."

Milligan and pit bull advocates say it's irresponsible owners and poor breeding that fuel the stereotypes about the dogs. Leaving any dog unattended, without food, water or love will eventually make it aggressive, they say.

Milligan has seen it all: Pit bulls left behind while still tied to trees, their skin crawling with ant bites and infections. Dogs so badly mistreated by their owners that they shiver at the very sight of people. Some so badly abused they couldn't be saved.

These days, pit bulls are seen as a "tough status symbol," she said, which only fuels the stereotypes.

Chris Moore / The Item Nicole Milligan actively works against the stereotype that pit bulls are inherently violent and dangerous.

Stories of brutal dog attacks have led some communities to propose breed bans, especially when a pit bull is involved. These laws declare an entire breed of dog "dangerous or vicious" and allow authorities to take healthy — and innocent — dogs away from their owners to be killed.

So far 12 states — California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia — have state level laws prohibiting local municipalities from passing breed-specific legislation.

A pit bull ban in Denver, Colo., in 2005 allowed city control officers to round up hundreds of dogs — even if they only resembled a pit bull — and destroy them.

Advocates for the dogs say these laws are shocking, especially since studies have proven pit bull dogs are not the most temperamental of the breeds.

"They make wonderful pets if they are raised to be a pet," said Wedgefield resident Jane King-Shirer, an advocate for pit bull rights. "Unfortunately, it seems now they are being bred to fight, a totally disgusting practice."

The American Temperament Test Society, which conducts tests every year on thousands of dogs to determine the soundness of their temperament, says the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier consistently rank in the average range, and well above many "popular" breeds such as the beagle, collie, Doberman pinscher, cocker spaniel and great Dane.

Chris Moore / The Item Milligan worries about the dogs she's rescued — like Macy.

Pit bull experts say the dogs can run the gamut from very "dog aggressive" to exceptionally "dog friendly," but each shares some degree of inbred potential to fight other dogs encoded in their genetic makeup.

That's why advocates like Milligan encourage anyone thinking of owning a pit bull dog to do their research.

"Pit bulls are a strong, loyal, active breed that does require responsible owners. Proper mental and physical exercise as well as extensive socialization is required to have healthy, happy dogs," she said. "And when you meet a pit bull that has been raised properly, you won't be able to find a better dog. Even my mother fell in love with my first rescued bully and has wanted to adopt bullies of her own ever since."

Contact Staff Writer Crystal Owens at cowens@theitem.com or (803) 774-1270.