Hello Bully gala raising money for pit bull rescue
Meegan Walsh with Princess “Pear” Bear at last year’s gala
Meegan Walsh with Princess “Pear” Bear at last year’s gala
Through no fault of its own, a certain type of dog carries the stigma of ferociousness that comes with being trained to fight.
“The American pit bull terrier is the most abused, neglected, overbred and euthanized breed in history,” Meegan Walsh explained. “They desperately need our help.”
The Upper St. Clair High School alumna is doing her part by serving as community relations volunteer for Hello Bully, a Ross Township-based nonprofit that has been rescuing pit bulls since 2005. The organization’s major fundraising event, the ninth annual Lovers Not Fighters Gala, is scheduled from 7 to 11 p.m. April 29 at the Wintergarden at PPG in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Walsh started volunteering for Hello Bully – which has the stated mission “to rescue, rehabilitate and repair the reputation of the American pit bull terrier” – three years ago.
“I was very keen as to how misrepresented the breed was,” she said. “So I wanted to find an organization that helped debunk those myths and to promote the breed in the area of how truly special the breed is.”
She subsequently met a dog named Princess “Pear” Bear.
“We started out as a foster relationship throughout the summer, and she decided that she wanted to spend the rest of her days with me. So we made the adoption official,” Walsh recalled.
Princess – she has her own Facebook page – is accredited through the American Kennel Club as a Canine Good Citizen, through a program designed to reward dogs that display good manners at home and in the community.
“Both of us wanted to continue our volunteer efforts with Hello Bully, so that’s why she did get her CGC, to become a ‘spokesbull’ for the organization,” Walsh explained. “They need to be CGC-certified or equivalent, so that we can show the positive side of the pit bull to the world.”
Along with spreading the good word about the dogs, Hello Bully operates a halfway house where rescued dogs enjoy life as volunteers work to match them with families or individuals for adoption.
The organization also conducts Pit Fix Plus, a free pit bull spay/neuter and vaccine program, and Pittsburgh Pets community outreach program to provide free veterinary care, food, and pet supplies in the city’s most underserved communities.
During the Lovers Not Fighters Gala, Dan Rossi, chief executive officer of the Animal Rescue League/Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, will receive the Hello Bully Hero Award.
“He’s always been an advocate for pit bulls and has definitely been a part of the positive change we’ve seen in recent years,” Walsh said.
Special guests at the gala will be three rescued dogs, including one from a case in which 367 pit bulls were taken in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia in 2013, in what is believed to be the second-largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history.
For more information about the organization and gala, visit www.hellobully.com.