Thomas is a 2 1/2 year old American Staffordshire Terrier.  Thomas was one of the 500 dogs taken in a giant dog-fighting bust in Missouri in 2009 (click here for more info:  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1942950,00.html)  and we got Thomas and his best friend Umizoomi (also available for adoption) from the U.S. Department of Justice. This was a groundbreaking event because prior to this seizure of fighting dogs, most dogs taken from fighting rings were just euthanized when their owners were brought to justice. This bust happened right after the Vick case, and there was a lot of pressure on officials to "save" the dogs instead of just killing them. Because of this, both these dogs are part of an ongoing study conducted by the task force to determine if the fighting dogs do well in rescue/adoptive homes long-term. If either are adopted the adopter must agree to participate in the study (which just involves one brief phone call per year).

Thomas was never "fought" by the dog-fighting ring (he was only about 6 months old when they seized him in the summer of 2009). He plays regularly with Zoomi (who came from the same raid) and they do great together, but he is not good with dominant female dogs or any male dogs.

Another thing to know about Thomas is that he has babesia gibsoni (info here: http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=60100). This is common in fighting pit bulls. Because he was bred to fight, he probably inherited the babesia from his mother. If he bites another dog, that dog could get it. So we want to mitigate the chances of that happening. Thomas is asymptomatic but depending on the immune system of an infected dog, they may have very serious medical issues, including death

Thomas will do best and will have the best chance of long-term success as either an "only dog" or with one compatible female dog.

He is a big-headed boy who is built like a Tank (though tanks can't wiggle all over out of pure joy whenever they see a person). He is a beautiful dog who is the physical embodiment of the Am Staff breed standard. He is a very well-bred dog. He has such a zest for life and is one of the happiest and most loving dogs ever. He loves stuffed animals and hanging out with people. He is developing quite a fondness for lying on the couch and watching Animal Planet with the kids in his foster home.
 
Thomas loves to cuddle and participate in any activity involving people. Thomas already knows to stay, come, lay down,  and sit. He does reasonably well on walks, rides great in the car, and loves all treats.

Under the Ohio Revised Code, Thomas is considered a "pit bull type dog" and his adopting family must follow all the Ohio and local municipal laws (Ohio Laws Regarding Pit Bulls) regarding "pit bull type dogs."

Thomas is housebroken and crate-trained, has been neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, is on heartworm prevention and flea/tick prevention, and is microchipped.

He is ready for a forever home - are you ready to adopt a phenomenal family companion?