This post is sponsored by The Animal Farm Foundation and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about the The Majority Project, but OMD! only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Animal Farm Foundation is not responsible for the content of this article.

I love my three dogs to the ends of the earth. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them, and it’s my job to take care of them, keep the safe, fed, trained, and loved.

Two of those three dogs happen to be pit-bull-type dogs, and I discovered very early on that it’s also my job to defend and advocate on their behalf. There are just so many myths about “pit bull” dogs, and many people don’t take the time to learn the truth. We were having dinner with a colleague and his wife, and he said, “Oh, we’re both terrified of pit bulls.” But he wasn’t sure why. He just knew what he heard about them on the evening news.

In an effort to challenge the negative stereotypes about “pit bull” dog owners, Animal Farm Foundation created The Majority Project, a photo collection illustrating how countless “pit bull” dog owners make valuable contributions to their communities and families every day. Animal Farm Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation, which has been rescuing and re-homing animals, as well as making grants to other humane organizations, since the mid-1980s. It is Animal Farm Foundation’s mission to secure equal treatment and opportunity for “pit bull” dogs.

Plus, Animal Farm Foundation partnered with actor and “pit bull” dog owner, Jon Bernthal to create a video about the project, which you can check out below!

The Majority Project with Jon Bernthal from Animal Farm Foundation on Vimeo.

We jumped on the chance to participate because those of us who love and care for these dogs need to stand up and give our dogs a voice. Emmett was the first pit-bull-type dog we welcomed into our lives, and he’s been challenging stereotypes since day one. In one of the very first training classes we took with him, a woman asked us if we’d put him down if we had kids. Since then, Emmett has trained and worked as a therapy dog – around kids of all ages, sizes, and ability. He’s traveled around the country, stayed in hotels, been on photoshoots, napped a whole lot, met people and dogs and even a couple more cats. It’s important to me to take him with me whenever it’s somewhere he’ll have fun and be safe because, well, I like having him with me, of course. But, more importantly, he spreads joy and love, and he changes hearts and minds.

We were thrilled to take part in this campaign, although I probably should’ve planned better! We didn’t snap this pic until after Cooper had spent the day running, jumping, and playing at doggy daycare. As you can see, he can hardly hold his head up, the little dear! (Yep, another myth busted: “pit bull” dogs can and do thrive in group play sessions like doggy daycare!) Emmett, on the other hand, pretty much always looks relaxed.

But, then Newt corrected me. She reminded me that SHE is the “pit bull” dog owner around here. So, we let her be a part of the campaign, too. (Another myth busted: “Pit bull” dogs can be in families with cats and other tiny animals! Newt and Cooper are best buds and spend a good chunk of their afternoon wrestling with each other.)

As dog owners – no matter what kind of dog you love – we need to treat them all as individuals and empower pet owners to be responsible. That is the only way to create safe communities – NOT by targeting a specific dog breed. Creating and enforcing non-discriminatory Responsible Pet Ownership laws is the most effective path to building safe, humane communities. Reckless dog owners cannot be correlated with any particular breed or type of dog; the only factor reckless dog owners have in common is their problematic behavior resulting from a disregard of public safety and animal welfare.

“Pit bull” dog owners: Help change public perception of the average “pit bull” dog owner by disproving existing stereotypes! Join The Majority Project by visiting themajorityproject.com, printing and personalizing an “I am the MAJORITY” sign and submitting a photo with YOUR dog! And join them on Facebook or Twitter!

We ARE the majority!