He’s one of the lucky ones. Where he once faced life as one of  Michael Vick’s fighting dogs, Hector is now a proud Pit Bull ambassador representing all that is good and sweet about this misunderstood breed.

Hector, who was adopted by  Roo and Clara Yori of Minnesota, recently paid a visit to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where Hello Bully and the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society organized a day of events in honor of Hector. The day included raffles, items for purchase, and dinner at a local restaurant where 10 percent of diners’ checks was donated to Hello Bully and the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society.

Hundreds of people came out to meet Hector and have their picture taken with him. People young and old, posed, hugged and in some cases, even gave Hector a well-deserved kiss.

The goal of Hector’s visit was to help promote positive Pit Bull perceptions instead of the negative stereotypes that are so commonly portrayed in the media.

The Yoris, who were already the proud parents of another famous Pit Bull Terrier, Wallace, the national K9 flying disc champion plus four other dogs, couldn’t resist the opportunity to adopt Hector. Once he was slowly integrated into their family, it was obvious that it was to be the start of a wonderful new life for this once misunderstood dog.

Along with being a canine ambassador, Hector is also a certified therapy dog who has passed his Canine Good Citizen test several times.

See more about Hector here!

Story by Elaine Furst for  Dog Files