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Tag: Pit bull

  • German shepherd no longer Ohio’s most popular dog breed. American pit bull terrier is.

    German Shepherds once ruled as Ohio’s favorite dog breed, but they have now been dethroned in 2025.

    A different dog has stolen the hearts of dog owners in the Buckeye State, according to a new study from U.S. News & World Report, which analyzed the most popular breed of dogs in every state. Nationally, that title belongs to the Labrador retriever, but German Shepherds remain in the country’s top five most popular dog breeds.

    What is Ohio’s most beloved dog breed? Here’s which breed is most popular.

    What is Ohio’s favorite dog breed? Meet the American pit bull terrier

    Top dog breeds in America: American pit bull terrier

    American pit bull terriers take the top spot as the most popular dog breed in Ohio. They also stand among the top five dog breeds in the nation, sitting at No. 4, according to the U.S. News study. The publication describes American pit bull terriers as an energetic breed and a good choice for active households.

    The state’s most popular dog breed was followed closely by the golden retriever as the second-favorite. German shepherds held the No. 3 spot for most popular dog breeds in Ohio.

    American pit bull terrier is the No. 1 dog breed in Ohio. Here’s why

    American pit bull terriers jumped in popularity in 2025, taking fourth place nationwide, up from No. 8.

    The U.S. News & World Report study analyzed 1,261,285 data points (which include dog breeds, dog owner ZIP codes and state residences) from Fletch, a third-party pet insurance industry partner, from January 2022 to July 2025. The information was used to determine the most popular dog breeds in every state, including Ohio.

    Pros and cons of owning an American pit bull terrier

    Despite the longstanding myth that pit bulls are always aggressive, American pit bull terriers are generally known to be extremely friendly, loyal and affectionate. They are also highly intelligent and healthy, according to DogTime.

    However, the site adds that as high-energy animals, American pit bull terriers need plenty of exercise and strong leadership. While generally friendly to humans, they can show some aggression toward other animals without proper training. Breed-specific legislation can also make it more challenging and expensive to own a pit bull in some locations.

    As Dog Time notes, any poorly trained or abused dog may have the capacity to become overly aggressive, even if aggression is not inherently in their nature.

    Is it illegal to own a pit bull in Ohio? No statewide ban

    Owning a pit bull is legal in Ohio, but Michigan State University’s Animal Legal & Historical Center notes, there may be local laws and ordinances in place. Those laws can ban or place significant restrictions on owning a specific dog breed, such as requiring a dog to be spayed or neutered, obtaining liability insurance and registering your dog with the county. Rules can vary based on your location.

    The American Kennel Club does not recognize the American pit bull terrier as a breed, but it does have official entries for the American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier and American bulldog.

    The 10 most popular dog breeds in the U.S.

    These are America’s favorite dog breeds, per U.S. News & World Report:

    3. Golden retrievers (No. 2 in Ohio)

    4. American pit bull terriers (No. 1 in Ohio)

    5. German shepherds (No. 3 in Ohio)

    This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: German shepherd dethroned as Ohio’s most popular dog breed

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  • Tampa Photographer Aims to Photograph 100 Adoptable Pit Bulls – AGoldPhoto Pet Photography

    Tampa Photographer Aims to Photograph 100 Adoptable Pit Bulls – AGoldPhoto Pet Photography

    October is Pit Bull Awareness Month! Throughout the month, Tampa Pet Photographer, Adam Goldberg (agoldphoto), will be photographing 100 adoptable Pit Bull and Pit Bull type dogs at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

    Goldberg has been photographing adoptable pets, mostly at the Humane Society of Tampa Bay, since 2016. His mission is to give adoptable pets a Second Shot at adoption with a second photo. He’s recently started working with local area rescues too.

    The first of five photo sessions for this project was at the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center. This county facility has over 220 dogs in their care and over half of them are Pit Bull Type Dogs.

    The goal of this project is to raise awareness about Pit Bulls and give them some positive PR. Goldberg says that Pit Bulls are usually the easiest type of dog to photograph because they aim to please and they tend to love people. They often get a bad rap in the media and the goal of this project is to change that.

    The first 12 dogs to get adopted will also be featured in a 2025 Pit Bull Wall Calendar. Proceeds from the calendar will benefit future Second Shot photo shoots. Stay tuned for a pre-sale link.

    The Humane Society of Tampa Bay, nor the Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center, euthanizes pets for space.

    Below is a gallery of the first 20 dogs to be photographed. You can visit the AGoldPhoto Facebook page for clickable links to each dog’s online profile.

    Thanks to the shelter staff, volunteers and Ilana with Fairytail Pet Care for helping!

    Want to support Second Shot? Please consider giving to our Patreon. You can support us and Second Shot for as little as $5/month.

    AGoldPhoto

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  • 13 pit bulls euthanized, including 8 puppies, after owner is mauled to death

    13 pit bulls euthanized, including 8 puppies, after owner is mauled to death

    Authorities have euthanized all 13 pit bulls that were found in a Compton man’s backyard, where he was mauled to death last week.

    The dogs — five adult pit bulls and eight puppies — were all put down “due to evidence linking them to the attack,” according to a statement from Don Belton, spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control.

    “Given the potential threat they posed to the community, this action was deemed necessary,” Belton said. He didn’t immediately respond to questions about what evidence led to the decision.

    Deputy Miesha McClendon, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, said there were no updates in the case Tuesday night but that the decision to euthanize the dogs was made by Animal Care and Control.

    Initially, deputies said the dogs’ owner had been mauled by one or more of his pit bulls.

    The owner was identified as 35-year-old Dominic Cooper, according to KTLA-TV Channel 5.

    Deputies and firefighters responded to a call about a person who appeared to have been attacked by his dog on North Thorson Avenue in Compton early Friday, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

    Upon arriving, they encountered the 13 dogs. Sheriff’s investigators initially said it appeared that Cooper had been feeding them when he was attacked.

    Animal control officials said he appeared to have been involved in breeding and selling pit bulls.

    Animal control later took them all of the dogs into custody with the consent of Cooper’s father, according to the agency.

    Times saff writer Karen Garcia contributed to this report.

    Grace Toohey

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  • Shelter dog’s face after getting adopted just in time for Christmas

    Shelter dog’s face after getting adopted just in time for Christmas

    After winding up in a shelter in December 2021, this dog has spent the last two years hoping that one day he will find his forever home. Finally, his wish has come true this holiday season as he’s been adopted just in time for Christmas.

    The lovable pit bull mix found his world turned upside down when he ended up in a shelter just four days before Christmas in 2021, as his owner sadly died. The staff at Associated Human Societies (AHS) in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, were devastated for the poor pup, who would no longer be enjoying scraps of turkey or opening presents with his owner.

    Despite his heartbreaking experience, Mack continued smiling and brightening people’s days at the shelter. Sandy Hickman, the media coordinator for the AHS Popcorn Park Shelter, told Newsweek that “to know Mack is to love him.”

    Staff spent the subsequent two years trying to find a home for Mack so he could live the rest of his years in peace and happiness. It may have taken longer than planned, but that day finally came in November 2023, and this Christmas looks a whole lot brighter for Mack.

    Mack the pit bull mix at an adoption event before his adoption in November 2023. Mack wound up in a New Jersey shelter on December 21, 2021 when his owner sadly passed away.
    Associated Humane Popcorn Park Shelter

    Hickman continued: “Mack was very big, happy, and healthy when he came to our shelter. He received lots of attention from our staff and volunteers who walked him and spent time with him on a regular basis. He attended several adoption events as well.

    “His adopter loved him immediately, and she came in several times to spend time with him so she could get to know him prior to taking him home for good.”

    While Mack’s story ends on a happier note, that isn’t true for every shelter animal. With an estimated 6.3 million companion animals winding up in shelters across the country each year, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals believes that only 4.1 million of those eventually get adopted.

    With such an influx of animals in need of a home, around 3.1 million are thought to be dogs, there’s little surprise that shelters are struggling to cope with the intake. As Newsweek has previously reported, many shelters are way over capacity and seeing a substantial drop in adoptions. It’s thought that this is in part due to expensive living costs and unethical breeding.

    After seeing one of their long-term residents finally find a home, the shelter shared pictures of Mack smiling gleefully on Facebook, showing that he’s now “living his very best life.” The post warmed many hearts and generated more than 1,600 reactions and 170 comments in a matter of days.

    While so many people were delighted by the news that Mack has a home for the holidays, the shelter has many more dogs waiting for their day to come.

    Mack from New Jersey shelter
    Mack is a pit bull mix who had to wait two years before finding a forever home. Mack received plenty of interest while at the shelter, but not enough to finally get adopted until November 2023.
    Associated Humane Popcorn Park Shelter

    “All three of our AHS shelters in New Jersey have so many wonderful dogs like Mack, who have been waiting for so long to be noticed,” Hickman said. “Mack is one of so many pit bull-types in shelters and we feel that there is a stigma attached to the breed, which negatively impacts their chances for adoption.

    “They are all unique in their own way and we ask that potential adopters keep an open mind, meet the ones that are a little older or a little shy. You would be surprised at what you find when you spend some time with a shelter dog outside of the kennel environment and not judge them based solely on age or breed.”

    Among the delighted comments on the post, one Facebook user wrote: “OMG awesome news! Happy life Mack!”

    Another person responded: “So happy for Mack.”

    While one person commented: “I love these adoption stories. You can just see the happiness on the dog’s face.”

    Do you have any amazing rescue or adoption stories you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.