It’s one thing to break up a dogfight.
It’s quite another to make sure those growing up around dogfighting do not repeat the behavior of their elders.
Since 2011, Toledo’s PET Bull Project has been attempting just that.
Reaching the youth
PET stands for “Preventing” animal cruelty and dogfighting, “Educating” pet owners about spaying and neutering and “Training” those owners to be advocates for their pet, whatever the breed.
“I really wanted to do some sort of educational program with kids,” said Cindy Reinsel, PET Bull Project founder and director. “We had all these great rescue [shelters], but we really needed someone to try to educate people so we don’t continue to get back in the same cycle of getting dogs in a home and out of rescue.”
Reinsel gathered up a group of animal-loving friends and dog trainers and got started with her mission of keeping dogs— pit bulls and other breeds— in homes and out of shelters.
PET Bull Project now offers free training sessions, works with at-risk youth in the Lucas County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) to help train dogs, conducts a dog adoption program, runs a rescue shelter for abused dogs, supports a dog curriculum program at Scott High School, hosts a weekly pet food pantry and helps pet owners get their dogs spayed or neutered.
“Dogfighting is a problem and I don’t think people realize it,” Reinsel said. “Our group is trying to not only combat the animal cruelty problem, but teach empathy to our young people and others. When they can care for something that is weaker than them, it gives them some confidence.”
Jay Barman, the lead trainer with the PET Bull Project, said more than half of the youth he works with at JDC have witnessed a dogfight.
“They’re good kids— they’re just kids who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, or had a rough situation growing up,” he said. “They’ve just never learned empathy or compassion. One of the best ways of doing that is through an animal. Dogs in particular seem to have a bond with people.”
For teens that have grown up in the dogfighting arena, the PET Bull Project gives them a chance to see things differently, Barman said.
Before participating in the program, “they don’t see the dogs as having emotions or souls,” he said. “Just getting them to see what dogs can do and meeting some of the dogs seems to change their perspective.”
The program closest to Reinsel’s heart is the Teacher’s PET effort, which pairs at-risk youth with trainers. The teens help train the dogs in the project’s adoption program.
“It teaches the kids empathy and responsibility, while at the same time, we’re getting the dogs trained and making them more adoptable,” she said. “It’s a win-win program.”
Spreading the word
Future plans include expanding the project’s curriculum to all high schools within the Toledo Public Schools system and developing a flyer with a dog “code of conduct,” according to Barman. The brochure would include guidelines for both pet owners and members of the public on etiquette concerning dogs.
For now, the 25 active volunteers and six trainers in the group are set on spreading their message of prevention, education and training.
“At this point we’re trying to prevent as many dogfights as we can, so we’re trying to reach as many people as we can,” Reinsel said.
Toledo’s PET Bull Project headquarters are located at 12 E. Bancroft St. The pet food pantry is open to income-eligible residents on Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm. “Donations are always needed to meet demand for the pantry,” Reinsel said.
In warmer weather, volunteers visit parks on the third Saturday of each month to provide training and distribute food and other pet necessities. This month’s session is from 2-4pm on Saturday, September 19 at the Old West End’s Glenwood Park.
Offices are generally open year-round from 6-9pm weekdays
Call 567-315-8051 or visit toledospetbullproject.com for more information or to make a donation.
