The Ohio Legislature has approved and Governor Kasich has signed a change in state law that removes pit bull dogs from automatic designation as vicious dogs.

Heather Kinaitis of the Humane Society of Greater Akron tells AkronNewsNow her organization supports the change.  

" A lot of people have been handicapped when they want to adopt a pit bull, due to their insurance restrictions. A lot of insurers will drop them, so that was a barrier. Also you have to have different licensing and things, and city restrictions."

Kinaitis says the old law discouraged a lot of dog rescue operations from offering pit bull dogs for adoption, and that resulted in many being euthanized.

Kinaitis says pit bulls have gotten a bad and undeserved rap that they have tendencies towards violence. She says they, like other dogs are a reflection of their environment and training. " A person can be bad to their dogs, and have them under socialized . There can be bad labs, bad collies, bad yorkies. It depends on their environment, how they're brought up, and the owner's lifestyle, things like that," says Kinaitis .

Kinaitis says pit bulls can actually make great pets. " A lot of people hate them, and its great to put really great dogs out there, and be like look how awesome this dog is, and it's a pit bull. THey're just great. They're so wiggly and eager to please and such happy dogs."