DICKSON, Tenn. -- When someone says "pit bull," many people think of dogs that are aggressive.

Video: Group Seeks New Homes For Rescued Dogs

Eleven: Eleven Bully Rescue & Safe Haven in Dickson seeks to change that image as they look for homes for nearly a dozen dogs rescued from a fighting ring in Kentucky.

For Jason Ayers, rescuing these dogs is a labor of love. This year, he's hoping for a Christmas miracle for the pooches.

About two weeks ago, Eleven: Eleven Bully Rescue took in 11 pit bulls that had been seized from an alleged pit bull fighting ring in Graves County, Ky.

Ayers said many of the dogs had been fought, scratched and scarred. Most of them were emaciated, malnourished and hadn't received any vaccinations or shots.

On Sunday, the dogs got a taste of a kinder world while sitting pretty atop the adoption mobile in the Dickson Christmas Parade.

Finding a home that fits isn't always easy. Ayers has to perform background checks on possible parents to make sure the dog doesn't fall back into the wrong hands.

Ayers also has to change the pit bull's image.

"They think, 'Oh, they're going to attack me, kill me,'" Ayers said. "That's not the case at all."

Little Maya, one of the dogs from the fight ring, is the only dog currently available for adoption. The remaining 10 dogs are being tested and retrained, and should be available in two to three weeks.

Ayers said once he trains the dogs against fighting, they are not aggressive and can walk with other dogs.

If you think a rescued pit would make the perfect Christmas present, visit the Eleven: Eleven Bully Rescue & Safe Haven Web site.