Community Corner

PITSburgh Shirts Raise Awareness for Pit Bull Organization

A Pittsburgh woman is helping to repair the reputation of pit bulls.

Samantha Ginsburg is using her small business to help promote and rehabilitate the image of pit bulls in the Pittsburgh community, an animal she holds dear to her heart.

A volunteer with , Ginsburg also is co-owner of Teerex Syndicate and CottonFactory.com, a T-shirt design and production company based out of Friendship.

Through a partnership with Hello Bully, that company created a shirt with a pit bull design and Steeler-like logo that read “PITSburgh,” with some proceeds going back to support the rescue organization. Those limited edition shirts were sold locally at pet store in Regent Square.

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“I had approached Hello Bully before I was a volunteer and said I would love to help,” Ginsburg of Braddock Hills said.

Another T-shirt also was sold to help Hello Bully raise money and featured one of two pit bulls Ginsburg has rescued and added to her own family. The shirt had a photo of the dog along with, “Bully Love,” in print. About 317 shirts total were sold in a 30-day limited edition period.

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“We were excited because that’s a pretty good response,” Ginsburg said.

Then, the company created hoodies with the same “PITSburgh” design, selling about 160 of them as well. Those were sold for $27 with $7 from each sale going to Hello Bully.

Ginsburg said they plan to sell the shirts again for the same cause in May and November 2012.

“Since we did the initial Hello Bully, we have been contacted by national agencies of some sort for auctions and interviews,” Ginsburg said of their efforts. “The biggest and happiest thing for me is that I am making a difference without having to be at the shelter every day, crying and seeing that because I am a super softy—everyone ends up getting something they wanted.”

Next year, it will be even more successful and the team will come up with an equally cute design, she said.

Ginsburg said she has always been an animal lover, but she holds a special place in her heart for pit bulls.

“The largest misconception is that they are just killers,” she said. “People say, ‘Oh, I would never live with one of those, it’d kill your daughter,’ and it’s just not true.”

Her own pit bull weighs 65 pounds and lays in her lap like a baby, she said. It’s all about being a good owner and understanding where the animal is coming from.

“Have I been bit by a pit bull? Yea. Was it one that wasn’t trained and in a bad situation? Yes,” she said. “But I have also been bit by a Shih Tzu—I just think it really comes down to responsible ownership.”

Her own pit bull is dog aggressive, therefore she never goes to dog parks and makes smart choices that involve everyone around her.

“There are way more responsible pit bull owners out there,” she said. “One in 600 pit bulls finds a new home every year.”

Teerex Syndicate is hosting a T-shirt sale from 6 to 10 p.m. this Friday at the business, located at 5440 Penn Ave. For more information, click here. For more information on Hello Bully, visit www.hellobully.com.

This article first appeared on Forest Hills-Regent Square Patch.

What is your take on pit bulls? Loving, misunderstood animals or dangerous pets? Tell us in the comments.


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