Dog lovers do understand that it’s not the breed of the dog but how that dog is raised, handled and loved, writes ilovemydogsomuch

For Pit Bulls, their reputation has cost them way too many lives to count. But for one police officer, he is trying to change that perception, one inaccurate assumption at a time:

Meet Officer Justin Bruzgul: Office Bruzgul rescued Kiah from a horrible life. He found her chained up in the snow, freezing, and begging for help. He saw in her what was obvious to him: unwavering loyalty, intelligence and a heart of gold. He knew she could help people and decided to take Kiah under his wing and train her to be a K9 officer:

Kiah passed the test with flying colors and she became the first Pit Bull K9 officer in New York State. Kiah’s rescue and transformation proves one thing for certain… Pit Bulls are good dogs! In fact, besides working hard on the job, Kiah and Officer Bruzgul make it their mission to educate others on the reality of the breed. Pit Bulls and Pit Bull mixes are the #1 breeds in shelters. If more people are made aware of their true potential and who these dogs really are, it can place thousands (upon thousands) of dogs in forever homes.

The K9 duo has also proved that Pit Bulls are qualified to serve. So, instead of spending, on average, $20,000 for a police dog, police departments can turn to shelters where plenty of qualified dogs sit and wait. Many dogs that are euthanized due to overcrowding can find a new purpose. Isn’t that something to smile about?