9 Investigates: Pit Bulls Taken To Charlotte Shelter Costing Taxpayers

About 2,500 pit bulls come through pit bull row at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control each year.

Most never leave -- at least not alive.

Eighty percent go to the euthanasia room.

“Shelters are just inundated with pit bulls,” said spokeswoman Melissa Knicely.

She said that poses a special challenge at Charlotte’s facility because pit bulls can't be adopted out. But most have to be kept at least 72 hours, which means they have to get shots.

“Any animal that comes into the shelter, including cats or dogs, has to be vaccinated when they come into the shelter to control the spread of disease and that sort of thing,” Knicely said.

Vaccinations are mandatory for every breed and they run about $5 a dog. Multiply that by the more than 2,500 pit bulls that came to the shelter last year and that's nearly $12,000 public tax dollars to vaccinate dogs that aren't adoptable.

“You're spending that money for dogs that are then most likely going to be put to sleep,” said Eyewitness News anchor Erica Bryant.

“I don't think that not vaccinating . . . is necessarily going to be the answer because of the spread of disease that that could cause when they come into the shelter,” Knicely said.

A very small percentage of pit bulls are spared whenever there's room for them with an approved rescue group, which can screen applicants more thoroughly.

But Rhonda Thomas, who runs Project Halo, said it's not easy.

“I love the breed, but finding a good home for a pit bull has always been a challenge for us,” she said.

Right now, she has three pit bulls she'd like to adopt out, including Xavier, who was used in dog fighting.

“I've never seen a dog in worse shape in my life,” Thomas said.

She said many people who want to adopt pit bulls aren't the type who should adopt them.

Until she finds suitable owners for the three she already has, she can't take anymore in.

“It's hard to find a home for them,” she said. “In the 12 years I've been doing this, I've placed two.”

Knicely said there is some talk of changing the policy that prevents direct adoption of pit bulls from the shelter, but she said it's very preliminary.

“(We) are really just formulating ideas. We're reaching out to different members of the community, not just Animal Care and Control, but with the Humane Society and different organizations,” she said.

Leslie Wright, who some days has to bring 20 dogs down the hall and up onto the euthanization table, said he’s all for anything to cut those numbers.

“You have a perfectly healthy, friendly animal, but you can't keep it because it's a certain type of dog,” he said.

Animal Care and Control workers said the real solution is spaying and neutering.

Knicely said if they didn't have to spend so much vaccinating animals they can't adopt out, that's probably what they'd put that money toward. But, they have to vaccinate to protect other animals there.

To change the policy about not adopting out pit bulls, the department would need city council approval and extra staff. But before it even got that far, they'd want to hear from the public because they realize some people might be very opposed.

To learn more about Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control and see animals that are up for adoption, click here.

To visit Project Halo, click here.

Xavier, one of the pit bulls currently residing at Project Halo, was trained to fight.

He was nearly dead when Project Halo founder Rhonda Thomas discovered him, but she said he’s now healthy and very friendly. She would like to adopt him out if she could find the right family for him.

To see images of Xavier when he was first found and now, click here. WARNING: the images are graphic images.

• RAW VIDEO: Homeless Pit Bulls At Charlotte-Mecklenburg's Animal Care and Control