Metro man looking to create first-of-its-kind sanctuary for pit bulls, pit mixes

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — One man is working to change the narrative on a breed of dog that is often left behind at the pound.

He's building a halfway house on 46 acres just for pit bulls and pit bull mixes. It will be a first-of-its-kind shelter.

In every corner of Jason Flatt's house, you'll find kennels of pit bull and pit bull mixes.

"We don't give up on dogs. We never have," Flatt told Channel 2's Lauren Pozen. "Some of them are definitely adoptable. But, like anything, adoptable to the right home."

Flatt and his small team care for the dogs around the clock.

"Most of our dogs have experienced some sort of trauma," he said.

Some of the dogs at the halfway house were hand-picked by Flatt from local shelters.

Flatt told Pozen that, for one reason or another, 80% to 85% of the dogs couldn't get adopted

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"Everybody assumes these dogs are like these baby killing monsters. Pit bulls have a problem, a big problem, in every major city. Every pound is full of them and there's not enough rescues to take them," Flatt said.

It's a narrative that Flatt is working to change by taking what he already does and putting it on a much bigger scale

Earlier this month, with the help of donations, Flatt bought a 46-acre property in a remote area of Paulding County.

"What we are looking to do is build the world's first pit bull facility, like an actual state-of-the-art facility for these animals," Flatt said.

He told Pozen that the goal is to raise as much money as he can to break ground within the next three years.

"Every dog will have a 40-foot run, half covered, half concrete, half open, half grass. We are going to have a vet area, indoor play area, pool for the dogs," Flatt said.

Flatt said he'll work to get every dog into the right home. Those that aren't adopted will live out their lives with him on the property.

"Every one of them has a story. The stories don't matter. It's the endings that we look to change," Flatt said.

Cox Media Group