Passionate Arkansans are fighting the vilification of pit bulls and other stigmatized breeds through Facebook advocacy and breed-specific rescues. Twenty-nine states in the U.S. allow the passage of breed-specific legislation, which regulates or bans certain breeds, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Among the breeds most commonly affected are American pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, English bull terriers and other âbully breeds.â In Arkansas, about 40 municipalities had some form of BSL in April 2020, according to the Animal Farm Foundation. However, pit bull stigma is prevalent even in areas without BSL, said Michael Smith, 57, a Berryville, Arkansas, resident who created a Facebook group called âPitbull Mania of NW Arkansas!â in 2016. His mission is to promote breed safety and responsibility, and to dispel negative stereotypes surrounding pit bulls, like aggressiveness and danger to children.