Given a choice between aiding a person on the streets or helping a dog, most Americans will choose the dog every time. We adore our canine pets because they love us as much as we love them, despite our shortcomings.

Shorty Rossi learned this lesson early in life. No matter what he was going through, be it legal trouble or his new found fame as the star of the Animal Plant show, Pit Boss, his pitbulls have always been there for him. Recently when Rossi was experiencing back problems, his pitbull Hercules stepped up to provide him some support. Now the reality show star takes Hercules everywhere as a service dog and as an ambassador for the breed.

Party Like a Pinup at Roxy's Gala was organized to support the charity programs, Pinups for Pit Bulls and Pit Stop Bully's Rescue. Roxy, the mascot for The Don Vicente De Ybor Historic Inn, inspired the hotel's owner, Tessa Shiver, to host Roxy's 10th birthday as a themed party to raise money and awareness for the plight of pitbulls. As Rossi pointed out, Hercules is just one example of how pitbulls

This article appears in Aug 26 – Sep 1, 2010.