Preston, Cleveland, OH

My name is Preston, but people sometime call me “Pig,” whatever that means! I’ve heard I snort a lot, so maybe that’s why.

My early life was full of fear; I was saved from a home in Akron, OH, on July 6, 2006 during a drug bust where they used me for fighting. The cops went in for the people and drugs, and the humane officers went in for me and two other dogs that looked like me. We were transported to a shelter, where I was treated for my open wounds and kept as evidence while the court case was going on against my former owners. I was about a year old at the time, and very scared. We never asked for this type of treatment, or this life, to be used and abused.

My story is sad and I didn’t choose my first life, but in Ohio, the only state where there are state-wide laws against dogs like me, I am not looked at as a victim, but an accomplice. Dogs associated with these types of crimes usually don’t make it out alive; not long after I was saved, the shelter killed the two dogs they brought with me to the shelter. But I got lucky.

A nice lady from For The Love of Pits located in Cleveland visited me numerous times during my stay, and I heard that shelter workers liked me a lot, so I had a glimmer of hope.

Then one day they were going to kill me too.

Friday, July 28, 2006 at 4 pm was supposed to be the moment I took my last breath. One of the shelter workers called the nice lady from the rescue a couple hours before my execution time to let her know about my pending fate. She begged and asked if they could wait one more day so she could pick me up — a risky move because often times the shelter kills dogs on hold by mistake. She then scrambled to find someone who could foster me, and the next day she came and busted me out of there.

Over the next two years I went to training classes, learned what it was like to live in house with other dogs, and people who liked me too. I even earned my AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification.

Still, potential adopter after potential adopter passed me up because of my color (I guess people are afraid black dogs like me) and the perceived challenges of sharing a home with a dog with a past like mine.

But in May 2008, Daddy visited the rescue looking for answers for his documentary film about dogs like me called Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent. Within minutes we fell in love. He promised he would bring me home. Unfortunately, soon after, the city he lived in (Lakewood, OH) proposed and eventually passed a ban on pit bull type dogs, which delayed my adoption. So he moved.

On October 4, 2008, Daddy finally was able to bring me home, five months after he started looking for a place out of that city that will allow him to have me. Three years later, I’ve become somewhat of a spoiled little kid. He buys me everything I want…and all I have to do is give him kisses and be a good dog. 🙂

Daddy says we were meant for each other, and recently he found more reasons why. My current life started the month and day I was to be euthanized, but was saved instead. That day was July 28. That day is Daddy’s birthday too. Daddy likes to say my rebirthday is the same day as his birthday.

Every day Daddy takes me out, I change opinions about dogs like me. But many pit bulls never get a chance at the kind of life I have. Please help them have a life worth living — a life full of love and security. End dogfighting and BSL. They both kill dogs like me.

Signed,
Preston Theman

Visit me on my Facebook page, Preston (aka Pig), and on my Daddy’s blog, Preston’s Perch.

Parent: Jeff Theman

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About Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent:
Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent is an independent documentary film chronicling the history of Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) in Ohio since its conception, and challenging its future. The movie questions BSL: Do we have a dangerous dog breed problem, or just dangerous laws targeting dogs? Directed by Jeff Theman and produced by Jeff Theman & Bryan Porter, this film is scheduled for release in Winter 2011.

Website: GTPIfilm.com
Facebook: Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent