Episode 16. Shannon Glenn, Executive Director of My Pit Bull is Family
I don’t know about where you live, but I see stickers for My Pit Bull is Family all over Baltimore and throughout Maryland. This organization was so supportive when Maryland’s pit bull advocates were working to get a breed specific law changed from 2012 – 2014 and I still these stickers daily.
My Pit Bull is Family has become a national animal welfare leader on the issues of breed discriminatory housing and insurance practices as well as a leader in programs keeping pets & their families together. Shannon has a unique combination of expertise and experience in these areas from both her professional and volunteer activities.
Based in Minneapolis, My Pit Bull is Family has been affected by the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd earlier this year.
Shannon & I discuss:
Her childhood pets and how Shannon started volunteering in the animal welfare world;
The “why” behind discrimination against pit bull owners;
How My Pit Bull is Family has been responsive to the needs of their community during the civil unrest in their city of Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd;
Challenging “old school” animal welfare beliefs that “people shouldn’t have pets unless they can afford them” or “I’d live in my car before giving up my pet”;
The rise of more proactive programs in the animal welfare world that help keep families with their pets;
How My Pit Bull is Family is creating inclusive programs to help people and pets without barriers to access and what that means during COVID;
Breed discrimination and restrictions in housing and insurance;
All dogs are individuals and bringing back the saying: Don’t judge a book by its cover

 
Find My Pit Bull is Family online:
Website: https://www.mypitbullisfamily.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyPitBullisFamily/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mypitbullisfamily/
North Minneapolis Pet Resource Center:
https://www.facebook.com/North-Minneapolis-Pet-Resource-Center-100298391502139/
 
My Recommendations:
Movie: Gridlock’d
https://smile.amazon.com/Gridlockd-Tim-Roth/dp/B00007ELEN/
Podcast: Best Friends Animal Society Podcast – Episode 31
https://network.bestfriends.org/tools-and-information/best-friends-podcast/best-friends-podcast-ep-31
Book: Scarcity by authors Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir
https://smile.amazon.com/Scarcity-Science-Having-Defines-Lives/dp/125005611X/
 
Links Discussed:
My Pit Bull is Family’s national database of pet friendly housing
https://www.mypitbullisfamily.org/housing/
Visual Breed Identification – Literature Review:
https://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/research-library/visual-breed-identification-literature-review
Study: Comparison of Visual and DNA Breed Identification of Dogs and Inter-Observer Reliability
http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.sociology.20130302.02.html
Study: “Pit Bulls” misidentified in animal shelters:
https://www.maddiesfund.org/incorrect-breed-identification.htm
Animal Farm Foundation
https://animalfarmfoundation.org/shelter-rescues/removing-breed-labels/
 
Let's Connect:
Facebook: @believeindogpodcast
Instagram: @believe_in_dog_podcast
Email: erin@believeindogpodcast.com
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