Daily Inspiration: Meet Alyssa Faith

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Faith.  

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I founded an organization in 2015 that advocates for animals-specifically shelter/rescue dogs-and one of our rescue groups is known as “The Pitty Committee”. We spearhead campaigns that focus on animal rights, animal rescue, and animal legislation. The shelter dogs we work with are mainly in Southern California and are labeled “Pit Bulls” or “Bully Breeds”. 

There was a pregnant mother dog who was found on the side of a busy road without any food or water. And I’m talking SUPER pregnant…like ready to pop out babies at any moment pregnant. She was rescued and days after -she gave birth to a healthy litter of puppies. This was in early 2020 when Covid restrictions were in place and many people were adopting dogs and puppies. 

When they turned 8 weeks old, I was going to adopt them ALL out. However, I was somewhat uneasy about rehoming them because I had gotten very attached to them and I wanted to make sure that whoever adopted them was super responsible, loving, and fully dedicated to their commitment of having a dog. 

I found a few pups a home with people I legitimately trusted and knew would be amazing owners. The rest of the pups ended up staying at our organization, and that is how term “California Chipits” came about. Oh, I should probably mention they are Pit Bull-Chihuahua mixes (with a few other breeds thrown in there). Don’t ask me how that worked out. But a DNA test said the dad was a Chihuahua and the mom was a Pit. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
One thing that many outside the “rescue community” don’t know, is that shelters in California are BEYOND overcrowded. Good dogs are being euthanized right and left. It happens literally every single day with amazing, family dogs, that unfortunately were given up because of a variety of reasons (AKA I’m moving…I got a new job…I don’t have the time to train them). 

Taking a dog to a shelter does NOT guarantee them a good home with a good family. Shelter dogs react differently to certain stimuli in that sort of loud, confusing environment. The majority are ENTIRELY different in a shelter environment, versus outside of it. It’s scary for them! 

Dogs are constantly barking and crying. etc. Just that factor alone makes other dogs very nervous. Some will “react” out of fear. If they don’t immediately mesh well with other dogs in a play yard, they’ll deem the dog “RESCUE only”. That means only a verified 501c3 who is already a vetted shelter partner, will be allowed to adopt the dog. Even if a member of the community likes the dog and is willing to adopt them, the shelter won’t allow it. 

This is super unfair because as I said, dogs react differently in a shelter environment. The staff and volunteers are overworked and they really try the best that they can with what they have. Oftentimes, it takes an expert-level trainer to assess these dogs best, and the shelters unfortunately mostly don’t have those extra resources to hire on someone like that. So, dogs get handled in a way that deems them “rescue-only”, when many are just confused (but super friendly) animals. They don’t know how to react. 

It’s extremely difficult and draining trying so hard to network these dogs and not everyone making it out alive. You form a “love” for an animal you don’t even know and are rooting for them for weeks, only to have them get euthanized. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I founded a 501c3 organization called Pits and Tits. Pits and Tits is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to animal advocacy and breast cancer research. 

We strongly advocate for “Pit Bull” type dogs through education outreach, animal rights legislation, and rescue efforts. Our organization brings positive awareness to “Bully” breeds and promotes responsible pet ownership. 

We also support “Finding A Cure” efforts directed toward eliminating breast cancer. 

So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
The rescue dogs at our organization (including the California Chipits) and family. 

Contact Info:

• Email: hello@pits-and-tits,org
• Website: www.pits-and-tits.org
• Instagram: instagram.com/pitsandtits
• Facebook: Facebook.com/lovepitsandtits
• Twitter: twitter.com/pitsandtits
• Other: https://donorbox.org/land-for-rescue-sanctuary-expansion