News-Record.com

No offense to the people at the Guilford County Animal Shelter, but I find it hard to go there -- not because the staff isn't working hard, and for a noble cause.

But because so many of us leave our animals there when we don't want them anymore. That's sad to see.

Around this time of year, the shelter gets about 80 abandoned animals a day.

I went there to see the 15 pit bulls that are being kept there as evidence in a dogfighting case. You might be surprised at how friendly these dogs are. To humans at least.

They just don't like other dogs.

I told a co-worker how pretty I found a pair of brown pit bulls, two energetic females with bright eyes and flapping tongues..

He looked at me funny.

Chances are, of course, that all of the pit bulls I saw today will be put to death.

But there is a good side to all the news about Michael Vick, who has confessed now to his involvement in dogfighting.

The increased publicity has raised public awareness. Adoptions are up. Now, if we could only do better on the front end of the equation and decrease the new arrivals.