Jon Bernthal is taking a stand against the common myth that pit bulls are an aggressive dog breed that should be feared.
The Odyssey star, 49, is the proud owner of three rescue pit bulls, named Boss, Venice and Bam Bam.
“My dogs are the greatest; they’re unbelievably well trained,” Bernthal said on a recent episode of The Howard Stern Show.
Recalling his 2009 arrest for punching a supposedly inebriated man in the face after the man grabbed Boss during a walk, the The Bear alum said he felt “so disgusted” by his actions. The incident ultimately resulted in a sentence of three years’ probation.
Host Stern questioned why Bernthal’s dog didn’t just “attack” the man, asking if pit bulls’ reputations are just a “myth.”
“People have got to stop that,” the Punisher star said.
“It’s just racism. It’s just dog racism. To be afraid of a breed of dog is completely ridiculous. It’s like being afraid of somebody for their race or their sexual orientation. It’s completely ridiculous,” Bernthal added. “Look, if a pit bull bites you, it’s going to suck. But they’re no more likely to bite you than a Chihuahua or another breed.”
The actor is known for regularly bringing his dogs to work and press events. Bernthal first adopted Boss and Venice as older rescues sometime in the 2010s. He later adopted Bam Bam as a puppy in 2017. “Introducing Lil Bam Bam Bernthal,” he announced on Instagram at the time. “Rescue a Pit Bull. They just may rescue you back. Big love.”
In 2015, Bernthal appeared in a PSA video for the non-profit Animal Farm Foundation to debunk stereotypes about pit bulls. “Our dogs are part of our family,” he told CBS News.
“I think these dogs face enormous prejudice out there in the world and the ramifications of that are as benign as people crossing the street every time they see a pit bull, and I think they can become as acute as people getting kicked out of their apartment building and forced to separate from their pets. Certain places won’t let breed-specific dogs in an apartment building or a rented home,” Berthal added.
“A pit bull is a great family pet. You have thousands of these dogs in these shelters looking for homes, and unfortunately the stigma attached to the dog keeps people from adopting them.”
Bernthal currently stars as Menelaus, King of Sparta, in Christopher Nolan’s new epic, The Odyssey, as well as Frank Castle/The Punisher in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Both movies are out now in theaters and are taking the box office by storm.
