About Pawsitively Pit Bull

Pawsitively Pit Bull founders Darren Linder and Amanda Gribben.

Amanda Gribben grew up in upstate New York and moved to Eugene, Oregon in 1993. Darren Linder grew up in Eugene, Oregon and moved to Portland in 1996. Both went to college at the University of Oregon in Eugene, after which they began careers in the mental health field working with adults and children. They have each worked in the social service field helping people for eighteen years. They both grew up around animals and always had a special affinity for dogs.

The early days of PPB

After meeting in Portland in 1998, they began adopting rescued dogs from area shelters and got their first pit bull in 2000. They continued to rescue pit bulls and decided to focus solely on helping this wonderful breed. Traveling to Hawaii in 2003 and visiting with the Maui Humane Society resulted in their bringing a pit bull back with them, and helped them to finalize their plans for starting a non-profit pit bull rescue and sanctuary in Portland.

Later in 2003 they officially founded Pawsitively Pit Bull Inc. Services, doing rehabilitation, foster care, outreach, adoptions, training, boarding, and rescue. PPBIS was set up as a 501(c)(3) non-profit dog rescue and sanctuary. The Board of Directors was elected and networking with local agencies strengthened. In 2004 they relocated their sanctuary to a larger area outside of Portland with more land for their facility.  In 2007, the sanctuary pit bulls came to live with Amanda in her home due to flooding at the sanctuary.  In 2009, Amanda proposed creating another division of PPBIS in the midwest. 

They strive to change the negative stereotype of the pit bull and continue to rescue and rehabilitate pit bulls in need.

Board of Directors 2009

Special Thanks

Special Thanks to Pumpkin, Flower, and Peanut for putting up with all of this!

Carrie Meech

Justyne Moore

Shannon Schaeffer

Carrie Davis

Mariyah Stimson

Dennis and Rebecca Gring

Suzzette Fasching
Tiffany Scheel
Chris Border

Sandra Haugan

Stacy Fletcher

Will Key

Omi Zielsdorf

Alice Osborn

Brian Haugan

Michael Sanders

Heidi Liedeker of Meat
Nedra Rezinas
Dr. Nancy Curran DVM, CVA
Dr. Ingrid Hamann DVM

Robin Munro
Martin Kilbourne, Sunbourne Media LLC

Thank you to all of our supporters, donors, volunteers, foster families, and friends for enabling us to continue to work for this cause.

A thank you with much love to J&P who have accepted us

"rogues of the world" and for being a consistent, loving and patient part of our family.

And a huge thank you to the original three dogs that I began with, who have shown patience by graciously teaching all of these pit bulls a thing or two. To Pumpkin 1993-2008, Flower 1994-2009, and Peanut, who have allowed their home to be invaded by pit bulls, but have shown them nothing but love.  Love, Mom (Amanda)