BENTON CITY, Wash. – The Pit Bull Pen in Benton City has a goal, to show Pit Bulls are not a dog you should be afraid of, but are really just big softies according to Trish Trickit, the Executive Director of the Pit Bull Pen.
“They love so hard and they are so dedicated,” said Trickit. “When you raise them properly, they are beyond any other breed as far as attachment and dedication.”
Trickit tells me she started the Pit Bull Pen after adopting a puppy that needed more help than she could provide. Trickit tells me the puppy wasn’t taken care of properly and didn’t get along with her other dog.
The two animals eventually got into an altercation which resulted in both dogs having to be euthanized.
“Then it was just like, I’m not letting this happen to any other dogs,” said Trickit.
The pen has more than 70 dogs in the care of the shelter and out in foster homes. Trickit says they are over their resource limit and need foster, volunteers and adopters. This is why she and her rescue are taking part in August’s Clear the Shelter month.
“We need our dogs seen,” she says. “It’s hard when we’re busy cleaning and taking care of them and it’s hard when we can’t go to Petsmart and do the events.”
Trickit says they are dropping their adoption fees by $100 for certain dogs. In addition to dropping the fees, any dogs that get adopted from the Pit Bull Pen will get any help they need from the shelter.
Trickit says that’s not just for Clear the Shelter, they do this year-round and says you’ll always have help from them.
“We back our dogs,” said Trickit. “If there’s an issue, we’re going to work with our adopters and our fosters on training, medical, anything.”
The process starts with an application, you meet the dog, interview and go through a background check to make sure you and the dog are a good fit.
Trickit says the background check could be as short as a week to complete, depending on how close you’re paying attention to your phone.
She says sometimes people get in over their heads when adopting a new friend, so the Pit Bull Pen will be with you and your new friend for life.
“We hope that they are treated like royalty,” said Trickit. “They get everything their hearts desire.’
