PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla.-- A Putnam County man has set out on a mission to rescue breeds with a reputation as dangerous dogs, starting an organization to help dogs like pit bulls, bull dogs and other breeds find homes when other people and shelters won't accept them.

Dog breeds that are often cast aside and that don't generate a lot of public sympathy do get sympathy from Vermette. That's why he has been constantly rescuing as many of the animals as he can handle.

"This shows you how many people own pit bulls. When all these people are calling us with pit bulls because they can't take them where they're going to rent," Vermette said.

Vermette runs Mike's Dog House, where he rescues and cares for dogs -- mostly pit bulls -- and puts them up for adoption.

He said the number of pit bulls he has rescued has been on the rise lately because of the foreclosure crisis. When families have to find new places to live and landlords don't allow pit bulls, some owners have turned to Mike's Dog House for help.

"It shows how many are out there, and they have good owners. Of course you don't hear about those, you just hear about the ones that attack somebody and they make the news," Vermette said.

Mike's Dog House has made the news itself lately, gaining a lot of press. For Vermette's organization, that means getting a lot more calls about abandoned dogs.

"I've got a dog coming from Alabama next week. We've had ones coming from California, Puerto Rico -- and we're a small outfit here," Vermette said.

Vermette runs the organization with his wife and son, and he said he has to turn away a lot of dogs because he doesn't get the amount of donations or volunteers that other shelters do because he said many people don't have a good perception of pit bulls.

"Every time we do interviews, people say,'I saw you on the news and they bring pit bulls.' What we need more is financial support," Vermette said.

Vermette said with foreclosures increasing along with his notoriety means more dogs are being turned away unless something is done.

"We've had people call that have four 5-year-old pit bulls and they can't bring them with them, so they call us," Vermette said.

For more information about Mike's Dog House visit, MikesDogHouse.org .

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