If you spend any time at Memphis Animal Services, you will notice something pretty quickly: a lot of the dogs waiting for foster homes are pit bull type dogs. Blocky heads, muscular builds, wide smiles, wiggly back ends. They are everywhere in the Memphis shelter system, and they wait longer than almost any other type of dog.
The reason is not that they are dangerous. The reason is that people are afraid of them before they ever meet one. That fear is understandable given the way pit bulls have been portrayed in media and popular culture for decades. It is also, for the vast majority of these dogs, completely unfounded.
This post is for anyone who has ever scrolled past a pit bull on the foster availability list and kept going. We want to talk about where the stigma comes from, what the research actually says, and why pit bull type dogs are some of the most rewarding foster placements out there.
First, What Even Is a Pit Bull?
“Pit bull” is not a breed. It is a loose term applied to a wide range of dogs that share certain physical traits: a muscular, medium-sized build, a broad head, and a short coat. American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and American Bulldogs all fall under the umbrella. So do countless mixed-breed dogs who happen to look the part.
This matters because breed identification in shelters is notoriously unreliable. Studies have shown that shelter staff misidentify breed visually in the majority of cases, and that DNA testing regularly reveals dogs labeled as pit bulls to be something else entirely. A dog gets called a pit bull based on how it looks, not what it is. That label then follows it through the system and shapes how people respond to it.
The dog in the kennel is not a label. It is an individual with its own personality, history, and capacity for love. The label is doing a lot of heavy lifting that the dog itself would not justify.
Where the Stigma Came From
Pit bull type dogs have not always had this reputation. For much of American history they were considered family dogs, valued for their loyalty, affection, and people-oriented temperament. They appeared in early advertising, served as military mascots, and were one of the most popular companion breeds in the country through the mid-twentieth century.
The shift happened in the 1980s, driven largely by media coverage of dog fighting and a handful of high-profile attack stories. News outlets began using the term “pit bull” as a catch-all for any large dog involved in a serious incident, regardless of actual breed. The coverage was disproportionate and often inaccurate, and the effect was lasting. Entire municipalities began banning the dogs. Insurance companies added them to exclusion lists. And shelters started seeing them come in by the thousands with almost nobody willing to take them home.
The fear preceded the evidence. And the evidence, when researchers actually looked at it carefully, told a different story.
What the Research Actually Shows
The American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Kennel Club, the National Canine Research Council, and the Centers for Disease Control have all reviewed the evidence on breed-specific legislation and dog bite data. Their conclusions are consistent: breed is a poor predictor of individual dog behavior, and targeting specific breeds does not reduce bite rates in communities that adopt such policies.
The factors that actually predict dog aggression toward humans are individual history, socialization, training, owner behavior, and situational context. A dog who has been neglected, abused, unsocialized, or deliberately trained toward aggression is at higher risk regardless of breed. A dog who has been raised with care, socialized well, and treated humanely is low risk regardless of what they look like.
Pit bull type dogs consistently score well on temperament tests administered by organizations like the American Temperament Test Society. They are people-oriented by nature, which is precisely why they can be shaped by their environment in either direction. In the hands of a responsible person, that people-orientation makes them extraordinarily loving companions. It is the same quality that bad actors have historically tried to exploit, and it is not the dog’s fault.
The Myths, One at a Time
Myth
“Pit bulls have locking jaws.”
Fact
There is no anatomical mechanism in any dog breed that causes the jaw to lock. Pit bull type dogs have the same jaw structure as any other dog. This claim has been thoroughly debunked by veterinary researchers and has no basis in biology.
Myth
“They will turn on you without warning.”
Fact
Dogs communicate constantly through body language, and the idea of a dog attacking without warning is almost always a case of missed signals. Pit bull type dogs are not wired differently in this regard. They show stress, fear, and discomfort the same way other dogs do. Learning to read those signals is what matters, with any dog.
Myth
“Once they have been used for fighting, they cannot be rehabilitated.”
Fact
The dogs rescued from Michael Vick’s fighting operation are the most documented counterexample to this claim. The majority of those dogs were successfully rehabilitated and placed in homes. Some went on to become therapy dogs. Resilience and the capacity for change are among the most consistent traits of pit bull type dogs in rescue contexts.
Myth
“They are not safe around children.”
Fact
Pit bull type dogs were historically nicknamed “nanny dogs” for their gentle, tolerant behavior around children. That nickname oversimplifies things no dog should be left unsupervised with young children regardless of breed but it reflects a real tendency toward affection and patience with people that these dogs are known for.
Why They Make Such Good Foster Dogs
Setting the myths aside, here is what people who have actually fostered pit bull type dogs consistently report.
They are people-obsessed in the best way. These dogs want to be with you. They want to be near you, touching you if possible, involved in whatever you are doing. That drive toward human connection makes them highly responsive to training, quick to bond, and deeply satisfying to work with.
They are resilient. Pit bull type dogs in Memphis shelters have often had hard lives. They have been surrendered, neglected, or simply overlooked for months. And yet many of them come into a foster home and within days are wagging their whole body and trying to climb into your lap. The capacity for joy and trust that these dogs carry despite their circumstances is something that fosters talk about over and over.
They show you who they are quickly. Because they are so oriented toward people, you get a clear picture of a pit bull type dog’s personality fast. Within a week or two you usually know whether you have a goofy, social dog or a quieter, more reserved one. Whether they are playful or mellow. Whether they love other dogs or prefer being the only pet. That clarity helps you write a better bio and find them a better match.
What to Keep in Mind When Fostering a Pit Bull Type Dog
- Check your lease or HOA rules before committing, as some have breed restrictions. Be upfront with your rescue coordinator about any restrictions so they can match you appropriately.
- Some pit bull type dogs do not do well with other dogs. Others are social and playful. Ask your coordinator what is known about the individual dog before placement.
- These dogs are strong and enthusiastic. A front-clip harness and basic leash manners training early in the placement makes walks much more enjoyable for both of you.
- They can be world-class escape artists if bored or under-exercised. Mental enrichment and regular physical activity are not optional for this type of dog.
- Take good photos and write a thorough bio. Pit bull type dogs face more adoption bias than almost any other type, and a great photo and an honest, compelling write-up can make a real difference in how quickly they find a home.
The Numbers in Memphis
Memphis Animal Services takes in thousands of dogs each year, and pit bull type dogs make up a disproportionately large share of that intake. They also make up a disproportionately large share of the dogs who wait the longest and who run out of time when foster homes are not available.
Every pit bull type dog who gets a foster placement gets a real chance. They get to decompress in a home. They get to show who they actually are, outside of a stressful kennel environment. They get a story that can be told to a potential adopter: what they are like in the morning, how they do on a leash, whether they like cats, how they handled a thunderstorm. They go from a statistic to a dog with a personality.
That story is often what gets them adopted. And you are the one who gets to tell it.
If You Have Never Considered It, Consider It Now
Fostering a pit bull type dog is not for every household, and nobody is saying it should be. Breed restrictions are real, and some living situations genuinely are not a fit. But if the only thing standing between you and saying yes is the stigma, it is worth taking a second look at where that stigma came from and what the evidence actually says.
The dogs waiting at Memphis Animal Services right now are not abstractions. They are individuals with names and personalities and a very real need for someone to open their door. Many of them happen to have blocky heads and wide smiles. Most of them are sitting in a kennel wondering what they did wrong.
They did not do anything wrong. They just need someone to give them a chance.
A Memphis Pit Bull Is Waiting for You Right Now
Pit bull type dogs are the most overlooked and longest-waiting dogs in Memphis shelters. Apply to foster today and give one of them the chance they deserve.
