SAN ANTONIO – Barbells for Bullies is a nonprofit that hosts fitness competitions to help raise funds and awareness for animal shelters in the United States.
The organization has donated more than $75,000 to local animal rescues and initiatives since it's formation in 2016.
A local gym, Crossfit Unshaken, held a Barbells for Bullies event Saturday to help the Alamo City Pit Bull Rescue help save some local pups. "We're the only breed-specific pit bull rescue in San Antonio, which is crazy because pit bulls get euthanized more than any other dog at our local animal care services," said Izzy Norwood, of Alamo City Pitbull Rescue. Norwood rescued her first pitbull six years ago and hasn't looked back. "We do a lot of local dog-friendly events in general, but usually it's just kind of an amalgam of all different types of breeds. So we're really excited that they were wanting to partner with us just for the bullies because we're rooting for the underdog here," Norwood said.
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Izzy and the Alamo City Pitbull Rescue save 2,000 dogs a year. “So we’re 100% donation based. We are also a rehab rescue, a medical rehab rescue,” Norwood said. “So we’ll get heartworm positive dogs almost all the time ... and that’s about $900 a pop for heartworm treatment for every dog. We also take dogs that have been hit by mange, emaciation, abuse cases, so that money goes a long way.” This is an important event for Alamo City Pit Bull Rescue, but the goal doesn’t end here. There are many more ways you can help out. "We need people to be willing to open up their homes in order to save more dogs because the more fosters we have, the more lives we can save, " Norwood said. Crossfit Unshaken was happy to help, bringing in athletes, families and local vendors. They say it’s a cause their workout community can relate to and want to help. “It’s all about changing stereotypes and stigmas associated with some of these breeds that have been deemed aggressive, when all they just want is to be loved just like us, man,” said Jay Torres, of Crossfit Unshaken.