Because of their muscular frames and years of bad press, pit bulls are often unfairly stereotyped as ‘aggressive’ dogs. But most pit bulls are goofy, friendly, and simply want to be loved. Sadly, though, many people don’t realize this.
Because of this, pit bulls at shelters often have trouble finding forever homes.
Kiah, New York State’s very first police pit bull, is working to break stereotypes about pit bulls, though.
Kiah was originally discovered with a serious head wound, chained up and abandoned in an icy parking lot. But with the help of Animal Farm Foundation, an organization dedicated to battling the stigma surrounding pit bulls, she was ultimately adopted by the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department.
Brad Kroft, Director of Operations for Universal K9, tells the Huffington Post:
“Kiah is one of the top three dogs I’ve ever placed.”
In another interview with CBS News, he says:
“If we were to have some kind of contest, she would outwork [the other dogs] all days of the week. This dog is crazy good.”
Kroft explains that a good detection dog requires a few specific qualities, including confidence, strong nerves, curiosity, and obedience— all of which Kiah has a ton of.
He knew Kiah would be a great addition to the force when he noticed her unparalleled energy and strong composition.
Kroft tells the Huffington Post it upsets him when other departments are resistant to using a pit bull, believing they’re no different than Belgian Malinois, German shepherds, and Dutch Shepherds; breeds usually selected for the job.
Kiah’s partner officer Brad Kroft expounds on this point.
He tells Inside Edition:
“All pit bulls are not nasty and aggressive, and she’s the perfect example— she’s loving, she’s friendly. She came from a horrible situation and that is ultimately what makes it the most rewarding— giving her a better life.”
Kiah now also helps the organization that helped her by acting as an Animal Farm Foundation ambassador and battling the stigma against other pit bulls too!
So, the next time you hear someone preaching the aggressiveness of pit bulls, show them Kiah, whom Kroft tells CBS News, is “so friendly, she wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Kiah is a sweet dog who’s doing great work as an ambassador for her breed. What a good pup.
Check out a video about Kiah below!
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