April 14, 2008 Victim of canine profiling seeks new owner Play video

(Brian Burnell, NECN: Trumbull, Conn.) - Mindy is a canine victim of profiling. She was labeled a pitbull and that made it hard to find someone to adopt her, so shelter volunteers turned to science.

NECN’s Brian Burnell has the story.

Script:

Meet Mindy. For the past 6 months, she's lived at the Trumbull, Connecticut Canine Shelter. She was abandoned.

As tough as it is to find homes for shelter dogs, it was even tougher for Mindy, because of her look. She looks like a pitbull and because of the bad rap pitbull's carry, warranted or not, that bit of "poochie profiling" has cost her.

So volunteers at the shelter turned to science. They solicited $200 dollars in donations and used the money for a DNA test to find out exactly what Mindy really is.

Mindy is about 70-percent boxer and also bull terrier. She has some bulldog further down the line and a little bit of English cocker. So much for pit bull. What Mindy also has is a great personality and a bouncing, prancing way of getting around.

Now the prancing may come from the 70-percent boxer but really the breed is not an issue. The issue is getting Mindy paired up with a family who can handle a dog that has the energy that she's got.

She's already had some obedience training at the shelter.

Lynn Dellabianca, Animal Control officer: “She's about 6-years-old, or so. 6 or 7, so she's not a youngster but she still is very lively, still likes her exercise. She loves

to go for walks. Bounces around. She has a little bit of a strong personality, so we want someone that understands that type of dog, that they make sure they follow through with her obedience.”

This is the first time a dog at the shelter has had its DNA checked to help get it adopted. If it works Mindy, she may not be the last.