Jolly Pets, known for its line of durable dog toys, has partnered with charitable companies Project Blue Collar and Fetch Eyewear in #Pittie2020, a campaign featuring Pit Bulls wearing glasses.
Playing off the well-known term for perfect eyesight, Project Blue Collar is setting out to “clear the vision” of the breed. The partnership does this by hosting monthly photo contests with some great prizes, including a $165 gift certificate to Fetch Eyewear, a #Pittie2020 T-shirt from Project Blue Collar, and a $125 toy donation from Jolly Pets, with that last prize going to a designated rescue. We just can’t get over the awesome pictures of Pit Bulls in glasses that have been submitted!
Carole Feeny and Kristin Waters, co-founders of Project Blue Collar, said they came up with the idea to show more people what wonderful dogs Pits Bulls really are.
“We want to encourage people to show Pit Bulls in happy, goofy ways, because we feel that humor and levity can open people to learning more about this often-misunderstood breed. We are exhausted by the discrimination faced by Pit Bulls and their responsible owners, so we wanted to use our reach to send a positive message about them. We’re honored to partner with companies like Fetch Eyewear and Jolly Pets in an effort to advocate for Pit Bulls.”
This five-year photo campaign is intended to collect and feature pictures of Pit Bulls dogs wearing glasses, celebrating each of their personalities. With the help of social media celebrity dogs like Elle the Pit Bull, Chango the Handsome Pittie, and The Whitest Pups You Know, the campaign is already off to a fantastic start, garnering thousands of followers on Facebook and Instagram in the past few months.
While the surface of the #Pittie2020 campaign is light-hearted and fun, the purpose behind it is much more serious. Pit Bulls are still being surrendered to shelters and euthanized at astonishing rates. Many are found as strays, or abandoned, abused, or otherwise neglected. Backyard breeders looking to make a quick buck are churning out puppies faster than you can say “spay/neuter,” and the fate of those puppies is not always happily ever after.
Breed-specific legislation banning Pit Bulls is still active in some areas in the U.S., and the dogs are suffering from it. Sensationalized media stories about any incident involving a dog who could even resemble a Pit Bull continue to sour public opinion about these animals who we know as wonderful, goofy, loyal pets. #Pittie2020 wants to correct the distorted image that the public sees by using photos of real Pit Bulls doing what they do best: being undeniably adorable.
Campaign photos featuring Pit Bull-type dogs sporting glasses while posing with kids, other pets, and even some “high fashion” items, completely debunks the common myth that Pit Bulls are vicious creatures who cannot be trained or trusted. To keep busting these myths and showing the public just what Pit Bulls are really made of, the #Pittie2020 campaign needs your help! Grab some glasses and get your Pit Bull to pose for the camera, and then share the photo on social media with #Pittie2020. If you’re hashtag-savvy, go ahead and add other popular dog and Pit Bull tags to increase your reach.
If you’re having a little trouble getting your dog to pose nicely for the photo, try bribing with a favorite treat like peanut butter! If you can, enlist a friend to help you keep your dog still and focused as you take the picture. It’s okay if your picture doesn’t turn out as professional-looking as others. Just look at my attempt below! The real point is to have fun and to let your Pit Bull’s personality shine through, so that the public can see just how wonderful these dogs are.
To enter a picture of your Pit Bull sporting glasses and get in on the contest, post a picture to Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #Pittie2020. To read the full instructions and rules for the contest, visit Project Blue Collar’s website.
Read more about Pit Bulls:
- Dogly Asks Pit Bull Lovers What It Means to Be “Like a Pit”
- Hey, Shelters: Animal Farm Foundation Wants Your Pit Bulls!
- Actor Jon Bernthal Joins Fellow Pit Bull Advocates in a New PSA for Animal Farm Foundation
About Meghan Lodge: Fits the Aquarius definition to a fault, loves animals, and is always pushing for change. Loves ink, whether it’s in tattoos, books, or writing on that pretty sheet of blank paper. Proud parent of Toby (cat) and Axle (dog). I’m a former quiet nerd who’s turned bubbly animal-obsessed advocate.
