On the football field, New Orleans Saints defensive end Bobby McCray is an animal. Within six years in the NFL, this untamed people eater has tallied 123 tackles, knocked down seven passes, forced seven fumbles and after going to the New Orleans Saints last year, he even led the team in sacks.

In his personal life, he likes his canine companions to be just as rough and tough. Maybe it’s because of the dogs’ muscle-bound physique, hyperactive nature and unparalleled power but his prized pit bulldogs have definitely won the heart of this self-professed pet lover.

“I always loved pit bulls,” says the University of Florida alumnus. “In college, a couple of my teammates and I were always getting pit bulls.”

In contrast, though, McCray’s days coming up as a kid in Miami weren’t filled with wet noses, wagging tails and burly barks. Instead, the only four-footed pitter patter he heard was from the purring of his siblings’ best friends- cats. “My brothers and sisters were always involved with animals,” he remembers. “My brother was always fascinated with cats. The cats had kittens and then had more kittens.”

After a while, though, his mother grew weary of the continually multiplying cats and kittens when the children got older. And the family adopted dogs. It wasn’t until college, however, that McCray would own his first pit bulldog- an all-white female named “Bodacious.”

“She was a beast,” he says. “She was the best one I ever had.” Over the four-year stint at the U of Florida, many others would follow. All of them had their own personality with names - like Gotti and Remy- to match their individual identities.