From Dr. McKinney:
Meet Sherwin
As a small and timid puppy, he was found wandering around the village of Geneva. In addition to his short hair and fawn color, he had white spots randomly dispersed throughout his coat. While the white on his chest and belly was fur, the white scattered elsewhere was paint. As a result of his painted coat, the shelter workers named him “Sherwin Williams." His picture was posted online with a brief narrative that stated: “Sherwin is an energetic and loving dog, who would love to help you around the house.”
After observing Sherwin interact with other dogs, my Father was in disbelief. He was so impressed that he began to tell the rest of the family about Sherwin’s obedience and self control around other dogs. He then started to read about Pit Bulls, and discovered how dependable they can be when raised in a healthy environment with the right training. After having spent much of his life, spreading dislike for the breed and advocating for their end, my father said he would love to own a Pit Bull.
So that's a little about Sherwin, my best friend and side-kick. I hope you will stop by to meet him and look beyond stereotypes and image (I'm also friendly and don't bite). I'd also like to invite you to take a brief quiz to see if you can identify an American Pit Bull Terrier. There are so many mix breeds that resemble the Pit Bull. Visit http://www.pitbullsontheweb.com/petbull/findpit.html. As social workers, we resist discriminating based on race, gender, sexuality, and so on. Please consider joining me, after doing your own research, in resisting the movements across the United States that discriminate against dogs based on breed. It's called Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), and many large cities (e.g., NYC) have been fighting to have all American Pit Bull Terriers put down or shipped out of the county. I can't imagine being forced to put Sherwin to sleep because someone else doesn't like the breed. On a positive note... I have witnessed several success stories, from perceptions changing to friends rescuing Pit Bulls from kill shelters. The world can be made a better place, one small act of kindness at a time.
I am so eager to meet and get to know all of you! Though I am not going to be physically present until August, I will have access to email this summer. Have a warm and happy summer vacation!
Warmest regards,
Jason McKinney
