Speak!

Day 2: A shelter volunteer learning the ropes

2010-04-25T17:05:00.001-07:00

After yesterday, my second day as as a volunteer at the Contra Costa County Animal Services shelter in Martinez, I feel like I’m getting very close to actually doing some good.

My shift began by taking inventory of the dogs in the adoption kennels. These are the kennels that are the first ones visible in the building. They’re meant for the dogs that are ready to go to new homes. There are 24 individual kennels in all divided up into four wards of six kennels each.

Following that I was paired up with an experienced volunteer whom I would “shadow”, basically just observe as she took out the dogs for their exercise. Ideally, I’ll eventually be doing this by myself.

This was what I was looking forward to for a long time, interaction with the dogs.

The first dog we were assigned was a German Shepherd named “Tessa”. Before taking her out Jody, the volunteer I was paired with, reviewed Tessa’s temperament test results and notes from Tessa’s previous exercise sessions. We grabbed a tennis ball and a few treats and headed for Tessa’s kennel. Getting a leash on dog in a kennel is a little harder than it may sound. Tessa didn’t quite know what to do, but eventually she got her leash on.

Being a German Shepherd, Tessa’s a big dog. She was full of energy and was good at chasing the ball but not so good at giving it back. She jumped up a lot as well, something absolutely not tolerated, but it was easy enough to deal with by just turning your back. I’m worried though that this behavior may scare off potential adopters. She’d probably be better off being taken in by a rescue first.

What really made me feel like a real volunteer was taking out Princess, who was listed as a German Shepherd mix, but her blue tongue told me she was part-Chow as well. When I mentioned this to Jody she speculated that perhaps it was purposefully omitted as Chows have reputations as biters. Princess’ tests indicated that she did well on a leash but she pulled, and pulled hard.

When we got her out onto the dog run she gave us a clue about why she might have been pulling so hard. Right away she squatted down and began peeing for what seemed like 5 minutes. When she was done she then found another spot and left what was quite possibly the biggest pile of dog crap I have ever seen in my life. It honestly looked like something that came out of a horse. After having to use two dog cleanup bags to get it all I felt like I had paid some dues.

She’ll make a great pet for someone’s family. She had a very even disposition and was absolutely beautiful. And as we had just witnessed there was no doubt that she’s housetrained. I hope I’m right in believing she won’t have wait very long before someone adopts her.

We also took out a few Pit Bulls. They were all pleasant to deal with but one of them really touched me.

When I first saw Coltrane I thought to myself, “Jesus, look at this one. I’ll bet some dogfighter would love to get a hold of him.” Coltrane was a big, red Pit Bull with beady eyes and a disproportionately large head. He looked like he’d be more at home with a spiked collar and a large chain for a leash. My experience with him yesterday taught me a lesson in making pre-judgements.

When we got Coltrane out on the dog run he did as most of them do. He stretched his legs a little and relieved himself. But he wasn’t interested in sniffing around or running or playing. What he responded to was affection. All he wanted was love. He even rolled over for a belly rub.

I felt bad for him. His sweet and loving disposition was completely contradictory to his intimidating appearance. When you also factor in his breed’s reputation this guy’s got the odds against him. I can only hope that someone will give him a chance to let his personality shine through and that he can end up somewhere where he’ll get all the love and attention he desires.

My experiences over the last two weeks have reinforced the continuing need to educate, educate, educate. There are too many people who need to know why spaying and neutering is absolutely essential as well as fighting misconceptions about breed.

Check out the Contra Costa County Animal Services’ website at http://www.ccasd.org

A volunteer's first day on the job

2010-04-19T10:55:00.001-07:00

Saturday I began my world of volunteer work. There’s not a ton to tell about my experience but it was educational.

I began my shift with some obligatory reading. Along with some of the obligatory statements about volunteer safety, security procedures, the various services provided, and the department’s mission statement, there was also some very useful information about temperament testing and interpreting dog body language. Some things came up that I had never thought of that in retrospect was just good common sense.

They stressed the importance of a uniform reaction to certain behaviors. For example, if a dog jumps up on you you are to turn around for 5 seconds, ignoring the dog completely for the 5 seconds, and how to handle a dog that insists on pulling on the leash. The Volunteer Director, Cindy, acknowledged more than a few times the stress these dogs are experiencing and the importance of minimizing it whenever possible.

If you’ve ever seen “Hotel for Dogs” or are aware of the old traditional images of what a municipal shelter is like the reality I was experiencing here was a sharp contrast. Municipal shelters, up until recent years, have been more often referred to as “the pound”, a place where unlucky dogs go to meet their deaths. Animal Control Officers, or ACOs, were little more than “dog catchers”. I found the atmosphere and attitude of the staff members remarkably compassionate. I know I’ll be proud the day when my volunteer status becomes official.

After reading it was time for a tour of the facilities. I was given a passkey and a map and was sent off to explore the shelter. I was familiar with the public areas, but now I had access to “staff only” areas. I got to see the small dispatch station the ACOs had, the surgery and recovery rooms, isolation wards, the barn where 3 roosters, an emaciated horse, and a turkey (!) were up for adoption. There was also the euthanasia room. This was understandably off-limits.

Along the way I met 3 pit bulls, 2 chihuahuas, and 2 month old puppy that appeared to be a german shepherd/rottweiler mix that I would’ve all loved to have taken home with me.

Eddie was a black pit mix. He was just a pup, 6 months old. He seemed to be a happy ball of energy, not a care in the world. What bothered me about him was that his ears had already been cropped. I have no doubt he’s better off with us at the shelter than with his previous owner. It sure seemed like someone has aspirations of making him a fighter.

Hercules was a grey and white male pit bull, about a year and a half old. I saw him outdoors while he was on a run. He was running around chasing tennis balls, just being a dog. He obeyed his “sit” command without hesitation. When he saw me he looked at me expectantly without any sign of aggression or hostility, just simple curiosity.

My favorite pit bull was a 15 month old girl named Cricket. In a kennel next to a very large, scared, and vocal dog, Cricket sat patiently and attentively, not barking, but her body language seemed to say, “Please choose me. I’ll be good.” She was definitely deserving of a forever home.

The little puppy was adorable as all little puppies are. By the end of my shift his card had been stamped “adopted”.

In the small dog ward sitting in adjacent kennels were two teeny tiny applehead chihuahuas, one was a 6 year old female, the other a 3 year old male. Neither one could’ve weighed over 5 pounds. They were both whining, crying, pawing at their kennel doors. I was imagining my own two chihuahuas being in their position, and it was heartbreaking.

Following my tour I watched a pretty intensive video about reading dog body language. It was interesting but a bit overwhelming.

The thing I think I’ll have the toughest time with is the concept of keeping a professional emotional distance. It’s really hard not to take pity and want to take them all home with you. I’m looking forward to next week.

A volunteer’s journey moves forward

2010-04-17T08:32:00.001-07:00

Speak! has returned. I’m sorry for having been dormant for so long. There are a few excuses I could offer, but really, what does it matter? What’s more important is what’s triggered the return.

Last year I intended to chronicle my experiences as a volunteer at an animal shelter, specifically the main shelter in Martinez for Contra Costa County’s Animal Services department. After a few rounds of phone tag following the submission of my application I never did get to speak with anyone and the journey ended there. Probably further complicating the matter was the fact that one of my dogs’ licenses had recently expired and the county requires all their volunteers’ pets have up to date licensing.

I decided to give it another try. I made sure the shots and licenses were in order and was more persistent with the phone tag. It got me a step further. As I write this I’m preparing for my first shift.

I hope to have stories to share. A lot of them. Stay tuned.

Time’s running out for this cute puppy

2009-10-18T18:08:00.001-07:00

From our Facebook friend, Jennifer Warner:

Sooo cute!!! URGENT "Max" 5 month rednose chocolate kissabull pup is on the euth list if space is needed (so at any time) at the Pasadena shelter. Max was adopted out when he was tiny, but returned when their dog attacked him. His wounds healed perfectly. He is energetic and shelter staff reported he will play tug of war with the leash, and was stiff at first when introduced to the female tester dog, but then initiated play with a bow. Here's his adorable video of him showing off his sit like a star: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ariyOkh3yQw -- please msg me if you can FOSTER or to adopt or rescue call 626-792-7151 for #A256278

Vick’s insincerity becoming more apparent

2009-10-16T09:22:00.001-07:00

Earlier this week BAD RAP, the Oakland-based pit bull rescue organization that was instrumental in determining the fate of the Vick dogs, made the difficult decision of extending to Michael Vick an invitation to visit with some of his former dogs while Vick is in town with his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles, to play against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

Although it may have been a painful meeting it would have been an opportunity to bring healing and closure on many levels. It would have been a positive gesture on Vick’s part toward the rescue community, pit bull advocates, and dog lovers in general, not to mention the dogs themselves.

Vick didn’t even bother to answer himself. Through the Eagles’ PR director he declined.

Considering the fact that Vick has never mentioned the dogs in his many apologies and that his participation in the Humane Society of the United States’ anti-dog fighting campaign has consisted of three speeches at community-based events Vick seems to be coming way short of his pre-prison term promise to “redeem” himself.

His “no” answer also brings up other questions.

Whose advice is he following or is this solely his decision? If it was for legal reasons would he want to if legalities were not an issue?

As of this writing it has been a little more than 24 hours since Vick’s “no” to BAD RAP made the news. BAD RAP has a full post about it on their blog site. In Defense of Animals has a story along with plans for a protest at this Sunday’s game. The story’s being reported by all major news agencies. Since Vick now works with the HSUS why have they remained absolutely silent about it? I’ve been monitoring their website along with HSUS President Wayne Pacelle’s blog site. There hasn’t been a peep. What is the HSUS’s position on Vick’s answer? As the one animal rights organization that chose to associate themselves with him I think they owe us an explanation.

If this answer was solely Vick’s decision I’d like to know why. Is it that he doesn’t care about them and couldn’t be bothered? Are you too ashamed? Are you afraid of looking those dogs in the face or facing the questions of their new owners?

Are you afraid that the dogs might remember you? Are you afraid that they might attack you like you trained them to do or are you afraid they’ll cower?

In Defense of Animals is planning a peaceful protest of Vick at the Raiders-Eagles game at the Oakland Coliseum this Sunday. Visit the IDA website for more details.

BSL issue heats up in Denver

2009-10-14T09:01:00.001-07:00

From the Denver Daily News:

Were innocent dogs killed?

Pit bull advocates wonder if city has put down misidentified dogs

Peter Marcus, DDN Staff Writer

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

“Pit bull advocates would like to know just how many innocent dogs have been killed by the city simply because the dogs were wrongly identified as being part of the banned breed.

Suggesting that hundreds of innocent dogs may have been killed by the city, advocates are calling for an immediate re-evaluation of the city’s controversial ordinance.

At the center of the debate is a recent case in which an administrative judge ruled that animal control officers wrongly labeled a boxer-mix as a pit bull. Three so-called experts with Denver Animal Care and Control had labeled Kevin O’Connell’s dog Dexter a pit bull. But O’Connell’s own experts — American Kennel Club judges and professional dog handlers — testified last week that Dexter was in no way a pit bull.

The ruling was a victory for O’Connell and Dexter — but it came with a price. The owner will spend thousands of dollars in legal and city fees by the time all his bills are paid — all for an error on the city’s part. He will even need to pay boarding fees for the 10 days his dog was locked up — during which time Dexter developed kennel cough just from being inside the shelter.

While O’Connell was fortunate enough to have the money to fight for his dog, many are not, pointed out Jennifer Edwards, founder of the Wheat Ridge-based Animal Law Center and O’Connell’s lead attorney. She and her organization believe hundreds of dogs wrongly identified as pit bulls may have already been killed by the city or are currently sitting on “pit bull row.”

‘

“It desperately needs to be addressed,” said Edwards. “I am positive that there are potentially hundreds, if not thousands of dogs that are similarly situated to Dexter, and I think that we need to call into question Denver’s procedures as far as their breed recognition and determination of these prohibited breeds.””

Click here for the full text of the article.

The horror of what’s taking place to Denver’s pit bulls can easily happen in any community where BSL is allowed to pass. That’s why we cannot give up and continue to fight. Kudos to the anti-BSL movement in Denver for not accepting defeat.

Dog fighting ring busted in Buffalo

2009-10-09T10:24:00.001-07:00

This is from the Buffalo News. The full article can be read here.

This is one of three pit bulls found Thursday at 39 Laurel St., where the attic floor was coated with animal waste.

Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News

Battle against dogfighting brings rescue of 25 pit bulls

In less than 24 hours, dogs found at 6 sites by animal control officers

By Lou Michel

NEWS STAFF REPORTER

Updated: October 09, 2009, 12:34 AM / 3 comments

In the battle to halt illegal dogfighting in Buffalo, animal control officers rescued 25 pit bulls in less than 24 hours at six locations.

Score a win for the battered and scarred dogs now safe in sanitized kennels at the city's Animal Shelter on North Oak Street. The owners of the dogs have not claimed them, and no arrests have been made so far.

In rescuing the dogs, animal control officers once again yanked back a curtain exposing the secretive world of dogfighting.

It wasn't a pretty picture.

"This dog was tied to a one-foot leash at the top of the stairs leading to the attic. You can see where railings to the banister have been chewed," said animal control officer Mark Young, pointing to wooden posts that were nearly shredded in half.

In the attic at 39 Laurel St. were even more disturbing sights: animal waste coating the floor, shredded stuffing from seat cushions, kennels bedded with straw to keep down the flea population, and dry dog food scattered amid the filth.

What’s more disturbing is the first reader comment below the article:

“I hope every da.n one of those pitbulls are put down.
An absolutely worthless and very dangerous canine.
I will not enter a building/home that houses a pitbull nor will I interact with any moron who publicly displays their total lack of concern by walking a pitbull w/out a muzzle.
The owners should be forced to wear muzzles as well.”

This is the kind of ignorance and prejudice we’re fighting. I hope this helps serve to spur us on to keep going.

Michael Vick’s new Nike commercial

2009-10-08T09:53:00.001-07:00

The new commercial was recently debuted on the Jimmy Kimmel show. Check it out.

Top honors given to Richmond dog park

2009-10-07T17:45:00.001-07:00

Petside.com recently named it’s “Top 10 Dog Parks in the U.S.”. Topping the list is the dog park at Point Isabel in Richmond, California.

Having visited the park a few times myself I can tell you first hand what a great place it is to take your dog for a terrific off-leash experience. It’s located on the shores of the San Francisco Bay so there’s a usually a cinematic (but often fogged) view of the San Francisco skyline.

At the park’s entrance you’ll find the Sit & Stay Cafe where you can enjoy some very good sandwiches, gourmet coffee, sodas and ice cream. Situated right next to it is Mudpuppy’s which offers a dog wash along with treats, doggy toys, leashes, and other supplies. Many dog owner clubs use the facilities for meet-ups.

The approximately 1/2 mile paved path turns inward where a creek runs alongside giving water loving dogs a nice opportunity to romp and get themselves nice and muddy. Not to worry about the dirty factor, there’s a rinse-off at the end of the path.

I’ve only been there a few times but it’s always a treat to see dogs of all sizes running and playing together, catching frisbees, and just having a pleasant off-leash walk with their owners.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and haven’t yet paid a visit, come see for yourself why this is the best dog park in the nation. You won’t regret it.

Please help this victim of extreme cruelty

2009-10-06T13:11:00.001-07:00

From Facebook (warning: the pictures on the link are extremely graphic):

The story:
”My sister called me today while I was doing transport for the pregnant pitty. She had went to a yard sale in Kings Mtn, NC. The guy came out side and a dog came out with him that was skin and bones. The guy yelled at the dog and forced it back inside. When the dog turned around my sister noticed the back end of the dog was missing and appeared to have flies and bugs all over it. She called me....

I called animal control who did go there and the man denied it. He said the dog ran away. The officer searched his house and property but no dog was found. After speaking to a neighbor I confirmed the dog has been there for the last year or two and has been roaming the neighborhood with this wound for at least 2 weeks. I decided to take matters into my own hands and went and explained to the gut that I was not with animal control and am an independent rescuer and that if he would sign the dog over to me I would get it taken care of. He said ok and went outside and got the dog out of a drain pipe. He put the dog in my car and signed the papers. I informed animal control of this and he said he would take care of it from there.

The owner, if that is what you call him, claims the dog chewed his tail off and he could not afford to take it to the vet. In my opinion the it looks like an axe was used and chopped his tail off to make a wound for a bait dog.

Now, I have the dog at my house. If anyone is interested in helping with medical bills please let me know. The Shar Pei rescue of Virgina has agreed to take the dog if they can find a home for it. Until then he is here at my house.

10/3/09: I brought Cezar to the vet and vet tech at my local animal control who suggested that I get him on antibiotics and pain medications ASAP. I started him on some Keflex and Tramadol. They gave him a rabies vaccine. I brought him home and made him a soft bed which after he did his scratching the blanket to make it comfy just for him he took a nap. I gave him dinner and had to give water by syringe. He slept well.

7:00 AM 10/4/09: I got up this morning to check on Cezar and took him outside where he did urinate and then promptly wanted to go back in. He ate his breakfast but still did not want to drink water so I gave it to him by syringe again. He looked up at me and gave me some kisses. I cried my eyes out. He then went back to his bed an went to sleep.

10:00AM 10/4/09: Got a message from Samatha that she knew a vet that would see him today. I went and got Cezar and he went to his water bowl and drank by himself. Went outside and he urinated again and then off to the vet.

11:15 AM 10/4/09: Just left the vet. The vet says that his wound looks older, but needs to be cleaned and have the rectum evaluated since the wound does encompass the rectum. The vet gave him a pain shot and is going to give him some anesthesia so the wound can be cleaned today. He is going to put in a drain to help the infection drain. He also think that one of Cezar's front legs has been fractured in the past and has healed bad, but does not appear to give him any problems. He says that he has typical Shar Pei eyes with excess skin and does not think the infection is a problem.

12:45 PM 10/4/09: Just got a call from the vet and he says Cezar did wonderful and is up and awake. He said there was a dead piece of bone lodged in the wound (probably part of his tail) that he removed. He did put a few stitches in that area because it was so deep. He said it will need to granulate closed. As for his rectum he said that it was not as bad as we expected and is actually barely involved in the injury, just towards the bottom of the wound. He is keeping him overnight and will call me tomorrow. He thinks that Cezar will be just fine.

Thanks to Samantha Hodge, I was able to get a vet to take him in today with out emergency charge fees:

Dr. Thomas A Wallrichs, DVM
Animal Hospital of East Burke
202 Eldred St, NE
Valdese, NC 28690
828-874-8387
***Please let him know how much you appreciate him coming in on a Sunday morning to take care of Cezar!!!!

Donations can be sent to my paypal account I just set up for him: (Cezar's Medical Funds): https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=ZG26DP3NWE3WA&lc=US&item_name=Cezar%27s%20Medical%20Fund&currency_code=USD&bn=PP%2dDonationsBF%3abtn_donateCC_LG%2egif%3aNonHosted

Marin Humane Society shuts down San Rafael pet adoption center

2009-10-06T08:53:00.001-07:00

from the San Jose Mercury News

SAN RAFAEL — The Marin Humane Society shut down an animal rescue group's San Rafael operations after uncovering "shocking conditions" at the center.

The Milo Foundation was forced to close its adoption center and animal holding site at 2060 Fourth St. on Friday, one day after an inspection by the Marin Humane Society uncovered health and safety violations including triple the number of dogs and cats allowed at the site, animals living in their own feces and untreated for contagious diseases and inadequate staffing or medical supervision.

"It was overwhelming," said Capt. Cindy Machado of the Marin Humane Society. "After witnessing shocking conditions for the animals at Milo in San Rafael, we issued a directive to the Milo Foundation that operations at its San Rafael facility must stop immediately."

Machado said last week's inspection was in response to complaints of mismanagement at the San Rafael site. In July, she accompanied an inspection of the foundation's sanctuary in Willits by the Humane Society of the United States that uncovered similar animal health and safety issues of inadequate housing and lack of care. That inspection was prompted by complaints from former sanctuary staffers.

Lynn Tingle, Milo's executive director, disputed the allegations, although she agreed the center had more dogs on hand than its city permit allowed. She said the foundation was in the process of requesting the city to update its permit to allow an additional 10 dogs on site.

"I disagree with their findings," said Tingle, of Berkeley. "I just think there's a big difference between animal control and animal rescue. We're about saving lives. We're going to fight this."

The foundation surrendered 19 animals to the Marin Humane Society for treatment.

The San Rafael center opened in 2008. The nonprofit foundation was created in 1994 to provide homes for unwanted pets.

The Milo Foundation is a reputable and well-established animal rescue in the San Francisco Bay Area and has found homes for countless cats and dogs over the years. Let’s hope their issues get resolved and the adoption center gets to re-open soon.

Update on a volunteer’s journey

2009-10-05T10:50:00.001-07:00

My June 21, 2009 posting was about my attempt to join the volunteers at the Contra Costa County Animal Services facility in Martinez, California. I haven’t posted an update because, well, there’s nothing to report.

I didn’t realize this at the time, but until recently I’ve been ineligible because, frankly, I’ve been an irresponsible dog owner. The county requires that any volunteer that owns dogs must have their registrations up to date and I had foolishly allowed one of my dogs’ registrations to expire. This has now been taken care of.

I will be giving the shelter’s director a call this week to see whether or not I need to re-apply. Stay tuned and cross your fingers.

Another dog magazine to avoid: Atomic Dogg

2009-10-04T09:19:00.001-07:00

While visiting a local book store’s magazine section I ran across a title I had never seen before nestled amongst all the dog magazines. I had never seen a copy nor had ever heard of “Atomic Dogg”. I turned to the first page of the magazine and was instantly disappointed. It was a full page ad from a pit bull breeder.

With trepidation I began thumbing through the rest of it, finding more and more to dislike with each turn of the page. There were pictures from various “bully events” that all had a similar theme to them. Tough guys in their best gansta poses holding their pit bulls that I guess were supposed to look similarly “gangsta”. Most were heavily muscled with cropped ears. Many were wearing collars with long metal spikes. There were a few pictures of dogs doing dead weight pulls.

What was even more disturbing were the breeder ads. They all boasted of things like their dogs being from “Gotti” and “Razor’s Edge” breeding lines and impressive pedigrees. This is the same kind of breed prejudice that produces the slanderous attitude that shelter dogs are somehow inferior.

Sprinkled throughout the magazine were a couple of phrases that might sound good to the rescue community, “helping to dispell the myth” and “stop BSL”. But not a word about “shelter” or “rescue”.

Even the pictures of the dogs themselves were disturbing. All the adult pits had their ears cropped and were all so heavily muscled they looked like they were all on steroids. Clearly, the owners of these dogs have gone to great lengths to give them a sinister appearance. It was particularly hard for me see pit bulls that looked that way. There are two things I love about the way pit bulls look. In addition to their big goofy smiles their ears are just the right length for them to give them the absolute perfect-looking ear flop. Seeing all those cropped ears just made me cringe.

Out of a morbid curiosity I visited their web site. (I’m not going to put a link to it.) The home page has videos that start playing automatically when the site comes up. The videos themselves were uninteresting. More tough guys in gangsta poses, more roided out pits with cropped ears. What did pique my interest is that one video began by saying it was being sponsored by “Killinois Kennels”.

What? I looked again. I did see it correctly the first time. “Kill”-inois. At this point I had to know. It’s that same kind of curiosity that keeps you staring at a train wreck in spite of the moral part of your brain that tells you to stop.

Sure enough “KILLinois Kennels” were based out of Springfield, Illinois. On the home page they tell us “Our dogs will possess immense strength for such activities as weight-pulling, along with quickness & agility, as well as non-stop determination & drive. Our dogs do not sit in kennels all day; we have a very large yard and our dogs use every bit of it: they have 200 foot zip lines to run on all day and get the exercise they need.” Of course, there’s a disclaimer near the bottom of the page they’re not bred or sold for illegal purposes but who are they kidding? Hmm, what kind of person needs a dog that “possess immense strength”, and needs to have quickness, agility, non-stop determination, and drive? We’re certainly not talking about ones that are going to be taught to catch frisbees. And maybe they didn’t realize that outside of the dog fighting community telling us that they’re chained dogs is not you should be boasting about.

Did I say dog fighting? I’ve been dancing around that term the whole time just like this magazine does. They might as well call this rag “Dog Fighting Illustrated”. At best it’s dog fighting culture they’re promoting.

Another cute catchphrase they used was, “protecting the breed”. This is what these people use to justify their activities as breeders. Don’t be fooled into thinking they’re doing something noble. These people are the rescue community’s worst enemy. It’s not bad enough that they’re breeders, but they’re breeding pit bulls. Aren’t our shelters filled enough with unwanted pits?

Let’s be frank about why they are on the same side as us when it comes to BSL. They don’t care about the injustice of breed prejudice like we do, it’s because it would hurt their pit bull breeding businesses. For people like us BSL is an issue compassion and justice, for them it’s all about protecting their bank accounts.

If you should happen to see this piece of trash magazine at your local book seller or newsstand please encourage the owner to stop carrying it. I’ll publish a copy of the letter I’m sending to Barnes & Noble.

And just FYI, frisbee-catching pit bulls do exist. One of them is named Wallace, and he’s incredible! And guess what? He’s a rescued shelter dog. Wallace’s owner also fosters Hector, a Vick dog

Orphaned newborn chihuahua taken in by an unlikely foster mother

2009-10-02T10:10:00.001-07:00

If you’re the type of dog lover that doesn’t particularly care for cats take a look at this news report from 3TV in Phoenix. You may feel a little different about them afterwards.

Michael Vick’s “redemption” has been a failure

2009-09-30T20:28:00.001-07:00

In August 2008 I took a viewpoint of the then then-federal prisoner Michael Vick that was shared by very, very few in the rescue community. I wrote:

“…I'm sure that there are many who feel that Vick he is a horrible person that did horrible things and should be thoroughly punished and should not be allowed to play football ever again. And while that sentiment is understandable I believe it would be unfair to have given those dogs a chance at redemption but not extend that same chance at redemption to Vick as well…

…Here's my crazy wish for Michael Vick. My wish is that he really has seen the error of his ways, that decides to champion the fight against animal cruelty when he is released from prison, regains his superstardom in the NFL, and uses his fame to raise awareness for the cause.

I know it's nuts of me to hope for such a thing, but wouldn't it be great if it happened? I think it's worth giving it a chance."

It’s now 14 months later and 3 months since Vick’s release from federal custody. To those of you in the rescue community that disagreed with me I have something to say to you.

I was wrong.

Vick has been a total disappointment in his promise to redeem himself. To this date there is no indication that Vick nor anyone representing him have done anything to check on the welfare of the so-called “Vick dogs”. In his first statement to the press following his prison release he apologized to his fans, family, teammates, his former NFL team, but failed to mention the actual victims, the dogs themselves.

He failed to make any conciliatory acts or gestures before the NFL chose to reinstate him. And when he did finally chose a public path toward redemption who did he align himself with? The Humane Society of the United States, the same organization that called for the summary execution of the Vick dogs before any of them had been evaluated for possible rehabilitation. There’s something ironic about that.

I’m not a professional writer. Anthony Brown of Bleacher Report makes this case much better than I do:

Michael Vick May Be Sincere. His Publicity Campaign Is Fake.

by

Anthony Brown

Scribe Written on September 30, 2009

Michael Vick made an entirely too clandestine visit to D.C. to preach against the dangers of dog fighting. he gave his message to a group of at risk...churchgoers.

The story of Vick's visit appears in today's Washington Post and on www.churchsolutionsmag.com.

According to The Post, Vick expressed the false glamour of the thug life and its impact on his family.

"Anything can happen when you're fighting dogs at two or three in the morning," he said. "I'm blessed to be before you and still have my life. It's like standing on the corner and dealing drugs. It's a criminal life."

It's a message that needs to be heard. The Humane Society thinks Michael Vick is a channel to a population they do not reach.

It's piddly-poor publicity when news of Vick's visit reaches us after he's left.

Michael Vick's agreement to make two public appearances a month to speak against dog fighting played a role in his reinstatement to the NFL. He's made similar appearances in Chicago, Philadelphia and Atlanta. The story at the Church Solutions web site says the Humane Society reached out to inner-city churches that "often bear much weight in these urban communities and influence people’s behavior."

Laudable--if the target audience hears the message. The Post reported that "there was a small mix of high school-aged kids among the roughly 75 in attendance." Vick has also pitched his story at schools in other cities where there are more young people, at least.

Inadequate publicity of his visits makes the whole thing a charade. I get it with the church. But if you are in church, you already get that message. A church ringed by police officers deters the very at-risk youth The Humane Society wants to reach. The Post's article suggested as much.

Everybody needs to rethink the best, maximum use of Mr. Vick.

A good start would be the Humane Society itself. They sponsor Vick appearances and appear jointly with him. Yet, Michael Vick's speaking schedule appears nowhere on its own web site as I write this.

Michael Vick's official web page has no anti-cruelty message of any kind. What a missed opportunity!

Young people are unlikely to visit the Humane Society's web page, but they will look at Vick's. There's no better place to weave Mr. Vick's message, direct and edited by the man himself.

Where was the viral text message campaign informing teens that Michael Vick was coming to town? Why was there a police presence outside and inside Covenant Baptist Church where he appeared?

Will we see this on YouTube?

Where's the thought process to place Vick where young people are instead of where they ought to be? And why isn't he appearing at animal shelters to raise funds and volunteers?

Maybe there's a concern about animal rights extremists at a Vick sighting. Know what? There are a lot more people who want to see Michael Vick play and hear what he has to say.

Come on people, you are smarter than this. Or, is it all a charade?

For another eloquent opinion on the subject please check out the statement made to the Philadelphia Inquirer by Best Friends Animal Society co-founder Francis Battista.

Father Turns In Son After Finding Dead Dogs

2009-09-23T07:48:00.001-07:00

This report comes from Fox 12 in Portland, Oregon. Thanks to Bob Hall for alerting us.

Joshua Stitt Faces 7 Counts Of Animal Abuse

POSTED: 6:22 pm PDT September 22, 2009

UPDATED: 6:57 pm PDT September 22, 2009

OREGON CITY, Ore. -- A father turned his son over to authorities after finding six dead puppies Thursday.

Joshua Stitt was charged Monday and faces seven counts of first-degree animal abuse.

John Stitt, the suspect's father, said he called the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office after he found his son had killed a litter of puppies and destroyed a kennel.

"I guess he killed them with a long steel bar," Stitt said.

"(It's) very upsetting, not easy for a father who loves his child very much to turn him in for such a horrific thing. But I felt he might move on from animals to people," Stitt said.

Stitt said his son's problems started before the puppies were killed.

On Sept. 4, Stitt said he came home and found his son covered in blood.

Stitt said his son had stabbed a dog to death and was bragging about slitting its throat with a three-inch pocket knife because the dog had nipped at his leg.

"He killed it for that and it was in a dog run. He didn't even need to be over there where the dog was," Stitt said

Stitt said the Marines discharged Joshua in May for mental health issues.

"I want him to get medical help. I want him to get a good doctor. I want him to have medication that will keep him calm and I want him to realize his problems," Stitt said.

Joshua Stitt's bail is set at $150,000. He will be back in court Sept. 28.

Tibetan Mastiff becomes world's priciest dog: Chinese woman pays $600,000

2009-09-12T17:20:00.001-07:00

I’m happy that the Chinese value dogs so much, but this is silly. This is from AOL’s Daily Finance.

Would you pay more than a half a million dollars for a dog? A woman from Northern China has just taken delivery of what has reportedly become the most expensive dog in the world for which she paid 4 million yuan, or about $600,000.
The 18-month-old Tibetan mastiff, called Yangtze River Number Two, arrived at its new home in Xi'an yesterday.

Upon its arrival in Xi'an airport, Yangtze River Number Two was greeted by dog lovers waving welcome banners. According to reports, the dog's owner, identified only as Mrs. Wang, arranged for a motorcade of 30 black Mercedes-Benz cars led by two sports utility vehicles to transport the canine to its new home in style.
To guarantee that her massive expenditure was not overlooked among her social circle, reports say that Mrs. Wang contacted her wealthy friends after making the purchase, and spread the word about the exact price of her new pet as well as her arrival time in Xi'an. The dog's welcome crowd was so large and lavish, that passersby gathered round thinking a human celebrity was in their midst.
The millionairess has reportedly been searching for the perfect dog for years. This dog, which she spotted in Yushu made the grade. "Gold has a price," she said, "But this Tibetan mastiff doesn't."
In China, this ancient breed goes by nicknames such as "Miraculous Beast", "Number One Dog" and "Antique Dog." Buddha and Genghis Khan kept them as companions. Marco Polo wrote of seeing them in the Orient. They are fabled to play a huge part in maintaining ecological balance (both spiritually and physically) in their native habitat, the Tibetan Plateau, where sadly, they are now quite rare. They are reputed to be one of the oldest breeds still in existence and archaeological evidence suggests they served as guard dogs in China as early as 1000 B.C..
With fewer than 160 pure bred descendants of the original Tibetan mastiffs currently in existence, these dogs are certainly rare. Mrs. Wang's new companion has a good shot at padding away with a trophy at a major kennel show if he's properly trained. In 2008, the breed was entered in the renowned Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for the first time, although the ultimate prize was taken home by a much smaller dog -- a Beagle named Uno.
Chinese dog-watchers are certainly a new phenomenon in a land where keeping dogs as pets was banned under the reign of Mao Zedong who described dog owners as time-wasters. Large dogs are still outlawed in Beijing where it is illegal to register a dog larger than 35 cms (13 inches). Dog ownership in general is reserved for the wealthier population in cities like Beijing, where the annual license fee can run as high as 1,000 yuan or ($150) – an astronomical sum for the city's blue collar workers (textile workers' salaries averaged averaged less than 20,000 yuan or $5,689 in 2008).
Perhaps China's dog-loving elite, who now enjoy a level of wealth previously reserved for non-Chinese, will help shift the reputation of the lowly dog from a restaurant entree, to the position the animals enjoy in the rest of the world -- that of man's (or woman's) best friend.

What was that about lining up 30 Mercedes-Benz to greet him? "Chinese millionaires”? The last time I checked China was a communist country. What is going on here? Seriously though, if such a rare breed is such a big deal what are mutts or shelter dogs worth?

Lucy Lou doesn't want to go blind!

2009-07-05T18:20:00.001-07:00

From our friend Stacy Parmer, who runs the San Diego dog rescue, The Barking Lot.

So this is sweet little Lucy Lou...she came to us from Mexico. Lucy was sitting in the Perrera (Mexican dog pound) awaiting her fate of electrocution when we happened upon her. We brought her back to the states thinking this little gal would be a slam dunk for getting adopted quickly, but all that got sidetracked when we discovered that Lucy Lou could hardly see!! Who knew this gorgeous, pudgy purebred Cocker was going blind? Yep, Lucy is 23 lbs and only 2 yrs old & has juvenile cataracts...all she sees is fuzz at the moment and she bumps into the occasional wall, but there is a treasure at the end of the rainbow! Lucy Lou's cataracts can BE FIXED!! She needs some rather expensive surgery ($4000), but once she's had her operation, our little lady will be able to see better than ever & our fun-loving gal can get on with life! She's an ABSOLUTE doll!! She loves people and is so engaging & excited to say hello, clumsy as it may be! Her friendly & outgoing disposition wins her many canine companions and she loves their company too!! Lucy deserves to have her sight and family that's willing to love and adore her for years to come! Please, please, please do what you can to help!! Even $10 will move us toward our goal & Lucy will once again be able to see!

Thanks, Stacy. Please go to Lucy Lou’s Fundable’s site to make a donation.

California Assembly Bill 250 Needs Your Support

2009-07-04T12:13:00.001-07:00

From the Best Friends website:

Bill that aims to reduce pet overpopulation and euthanasia in California moves forward in Senate
To California Residents Only
SB 250, the Pet Responsibility Act, needs your help to pass.
This legislation aims to reduce pet overpopulation and euthanasia in California.
The group Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) has set up an entire website devoted to this bill.
Over half of the 1 million animals in CA shelters are euthanized
According to SCIL, each year, over $250 million dollars is spent housing and euthanizing homeless dogs and cats in California. Approximately 1 million dogs and cats enter California’s shelters each year, and over half of them are euthanized (killed) simply because there are not enough homes.
This enormous number of homeless pets actually means that every dog born in the state of California today has nearly a 1 in 4 chance of ultimately becoming homeless and dying in a shelter. Two-thirds of the cats entering California shelters are euthanized. And, the number of dogs and cats entering our shelters is currently on the rise.
SCIL reports that SB 250 provides a reasonable, fiscally responsible step towards reducing pet overpopulation in California. The bill simply requires that dogs be spayed or neutered unless their owner/guardian obtains an unaltered dog license when they license their animal.

This bill deals a blow to irresponsible dog and cat owners throughout the state and will help to drive breeders out of business.

Similar ordinances were passed in Santa Cruz County and it has been a clear success in driving down the number of euthanizations. The SF Examiner interviewed the director of the Santa Cruz SPCA. Read about how it’s worked here.

Fourth of July Advice for Dog Owners

2009-07-03T17:53:00.001-07:00

From the ASPCA website’s July 3, 2009 News Alerts.

As the country dons its red, white and blue to celebrate Independence Day, nothing says patriotism like a good old-fashioned barbecue with a side of fireworks. But beware pet parents, what’s fun for people can be a downright drag for our furry friends.

The ASPCA recommends keeping your pooch indoors as much as possible during backyard parties and Fourth of July festivities, even if he is a pro picnicker. From toxic food and beverages to raucous guests and fireworks, the holiday weekend is a minefield of potential pet problems.

"Even the most timid dog can leap a six-foot fence if he’s spooked by loud noises," says Dr. Pamela Reid, Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Behavior Center. If your dog shows signs of distress from fireworks or boisterous revelers, Dr. Reid suggests giving him a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter. "The persistent licking should calm his nerves," she says.

The ASPCA offers some more expert advice to keep your pet singing, "Oh Say Can You See," all the way to the fifth and beyond:

Keep your pet on the wagon. Since alcohol is potentially poisonous to pets, place all wine, beer and spirits well out of paws’ way.
Avoid scraps from the grill. Stick with your pet’s normal diet—any change, even for a day, can result in stomach upset. Certain foods like onions, avocado, chocolate, grapes and raisins are especially toxic to pets.
Skip the sunscreen. Avoid lathering your pet with any insect repellent or sunscreen not intended for the four-legged kind. Ingestion can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy.
Stay fire-smart. Keep your pet away from fireworks, matches, citronella candles and lighter fluid, which if eaten can irritate the stomach, lungs and central nervous system.
Be cool near the pool. Don’t leave pets unsupervised around a pool or lake—not all dogs are expert swimmers! Also, pools aren’t large water bowls—they contain chlorine and other toxic chemicals that can cause stomach problems.

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous from the picnic table, please contact your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. And be sure to check out our more complete list of holiday pet care tips for a safe and happy Fourth!

Twins arrested in pit bull's death face new charges

2009-06-26T12:07:00.001-07:00

Two teenage twin brothers charged as juveniles with fatally burning a pit bull are being held without bail on new adult charges after police said they raided their Southwest Baltimore rowhouse and found guns and marijuana inside.
Travers and Tremayne Johnson, 17, are each charged with possession of firearms, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to police and prosecutors. Court documents say the two were suspects in the dog burning last month, and their father confirmed that they are charged as juveniles with animal cruelty in the case.
The death of the dog, which had been doused with gasoline and set aflame, attracted national attention, led to donations for a reward fund that grew to $26,000 and prompted calls for stiffer penalties in animal cruelty cases. Caregivers, who named the dog Phoenix, had to euthanize the animal because she had burns on 95 percent of her body.

This depressing story comes from the June 25 Baltimore Sun.

A Volunteer’s Journey

2009-06-21T22:53:00.001-07:00

This is the first in what I hope will be an ongoing feature. Wanting to be a little more “hands on” with rescuing I recently decided to become a volunteer at the Contra Costa Animal Services facility in Martinez. I’ll hopefully be chronicling my thoughts and experiences.

I attended the orientation yesterday. I haven’t actually been accepted yet so I don’t have experiences to share as an actual volunteer but I learned quite a few things from the orientation.

Contra Costa County Animal Services serves as the county’s law enforcement agency where animals are concerned. It’s their ACOs (Animal Control Officers) that serve the same kind of duties as the ones featured on Animal Planet programs such as Animal Precinct, Animal Cops Detroit, etc. They’re not simply the “dog catchers”.

The one criticism I have of the otherwise wonderful “Hotel for Dogs” movie is that the municipal animal shelter portrayed in the film was basically a death camp and its ACOs were mean spirited buffoons. These individuals are total animal advocates that definitely don’t fit the “dog catcher” stereotype.

In recent years the county’s euthanization rate has dropped from 70% to 30%, still one of the highest in the Bay Area, but hardly makes it a “death house”.

County regulations require all abandoned, stray, and seized animals go through animal services first, and are not allowed to turn any animal away. This is a double-edged sword because the most attractive, most healthy, most adoptable dogs must go through the county first, all the least of those dogs go through as well. Further, other rescue organizations get their dogs from animal services as well, including “no-kill” rescues such as ARF and non-profits such as the SPCA. They get their pick of which dogs to take into their care. But don’t take that as a complaint. Without them it’s all up to the county to get them adopted out and euthanization rates go up accordingly.

My older dog, Zoe, was one of those that had originally been taken in by Contra Costa Animal Services and moved over to the East Bay SPCA branch in Dublin where we found and adopted her.

Please remember that while nearly all non-profits like ARF and the SPCA are solely supported by public donations and county shelters do receive funding from local government municipal shelters are often no better off, sometimes worse. When there are budget cuts during hard economic times like now local municipal animal shelters suffer greatly.

Hopefully, Contra Costa County will accept me as a volunteer and I’ll have more to report later.

Child Flushed Puppy Down Toilet

2009-06-17T08:51:00.001-07:00

from NBC Bay Area News:

By LORI PREUITT

Updated 3:30 AM PDT, Wed, Jun 17, 2009

You can tell by this kid's face that he has done something wrong.

A little boy's love for his new puppy nearly cost the animal its life this week in England.

A little boy learned a big lesson about bathing a dog.

Daniel Blair decided his new pet needed a bath and what better place to do that then in a toilet bowl?

The four year old was going for a rinse when the one week old cocker spaniel was flushed right down the drain.

Daniel's mom said she panicked when she heard what had happened.

"As soon as Daniel told me what he'd done, I ran out of the house where the manhole was behind the toilet," said Alison Blair.

Alison Blair said she lifted the manhole cover, hoping to find the puppy. She couldn't see him, but she could hear him.

The flushed pup was stuck for hours. His ordeal was captured and posted on YouTube.

Rescue crews didn't have the right equipment so they finally called in a plumber.

A little camera designed to take a peek in sewage pipes not only found the stuck pup, it was also used to push him out the other end to the loving arms of a fireman.

The tool is called a Dyno-rod. The once nameless puppy is now called Dyno in its honor.

Although getting flushed down the toilet had to be dramatic, the little guy made it through the ordeal without a scratch, proving cats are not the only ones who have nine lives.

This is a great illustration of why unsupervised small children and puppies don’t mix. Please do your best to educate your dog-owning friends and loved ones with small children.

Little Cutie Needs to be Rescued

2009-06-15T12:57:00.001-07:00

Those who know me personally know I have a soft spot in my heart for little dogs and pit bulls. That makes this little runt pit bull below just about perfect. Thanks again, Ryoko.

This is a MUST see video, guaranteed to make you smile. Please share this video on your page and network her far and wide. The Pasadena Humane Society is full again and this playful girl is in danger. She is a little insecure and can be shy in new situations, but I have no doubt she will blossom in a foster/forever home with a patient loving family. Another friendly dog or two will speed up the process as she LOVES to play with other dogs. Please give this 10 month old pup a second chance. If you can rescue or adopt, please call 626/792-7151 x137 and e-mail mobile@phsspca.org IMMEDIATELY. Thank you.

Gypsy

2009-06-15T11:54:00.001-07:00

From our friend Ryoko Matsui:

“Gypsy” (A250822), 1 year-old pit/catahoula mix at the Pasadena Humane Society needs networking! Please help her find her “forever home”! She has a beautiful white and red merle coat, and weighs around 47 pounds.

In her time here she has quickly become a favorite of the behavior department since she is so good with other dogs. She has been one of the “tester dogs” for behavior evaluations because she is so playful with everyone.

She has been out with the mobile outreach unit a couple of times, and at both events was terrific with everyone she met. She adores people and has a lot of affection for kids. She enjoys playing with toys, especially chasing tennis balls.

Gypsy would definitely do well in an obedience class- she quickly learned both “sit” and “down” commands. She needs some work on walking on leash without pulling, but she is manageable. Watch her show off:

Gypsy also has a very calm demeanor in the kennels. She quietly sits and waits for attention, even when other dogs around her are raucously barking.

Because of the high number of dogs coming in every day, we have to get a commitment for this lovely gal by June 19th.

If you are able to rescue or adopt “Gypsy” (A250822), please contact the Pasadena Humane Society adoptions office at (626) 792-7151 x 137, Kevin at x 119, or Ute at x 117. Or email Kevin at mobile@phsspca.org or Ute at ute@phsspca.org

See how quiet she was amidst all that barking? And how about that sit on the wet concrete? Neither one of mine will even sit on linoleum!

Alabama Dog Fighting Bust—45 Dogs Seized, Remains Found

2009-06-05T10:03:00.001-07:00

from the ASPCA website:

On Monday, June 1, a dog fighting operation in Randolph County, AL, was raided by the state’s 5th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force. The ASPCA dispatched forensic veterinarian Dr. Melinda Merck and our Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation Unit to collect evidence in the investigation and aid in the prosecution of the case.

Dr. Merck examined 45 dogs who were discovered tied to heavy chains and living in deplorable conditions on two properties. She also examined partially buried skeletal remains of a dog found on site. In addition, controlled substances, illicit drugs and other paraphernalia related to dog fighting have been collected into evidence.

“These dogs definitely suffered abuse and inhumane treatment at the hands of dog fighters,” says Dr. Merck, Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics for the ASPCA. “So far, we’ve seen that one is unable to walk, another who is limping, and many who are injured, some severely.”

As a result of ASPCA participation, two suspects have been formally charged. William Alsabrook was charged with two counts of possession of dogs for fighting, and Artis Kyle was charged with one count of possession of dogs for fighting, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Check out video footage of the scene, and don’t miss our one-on-one chat with Dr. Merck about her role in this case.

Learn more about the brutal world of dog fighting and what you can do to help end this cruel “sport.”

Great work, ASPCA! You see? You don’t need to contribute to the HSUS or PETA to help the campaign to stop dog fighting.

No charges for K-9 officer whose dog died

2009-06-03T13:11:00.001-07:00

ALAMEDA, Calif., June 2 (UPI) -- Officials have declined to charge a San Francisco-area K-9 officer whose dog died of heat stroke after being left in a car for several hours.

The officer, whose name has not been released, could still face internal discipline in Alameda for the death of the Belgian malinois, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The officer was at a training session on the use of force for more than three hours while the dog sat in his personal sport utility vehicle.

Lt. Bill Scott of the Alameda police said the officer left a window rolled down and the high temperature that day was only 70 degrees at Oakland International Airport.

Charlotte Green, senior deputy district attorney for Alameda County, said there was not enough evidence to justify a criminal charge.

"It is very tragic when an animal dies under these circumstances, but there is insufficient evidence to prove that the officer acted unreasonably," Green said.

Considering that the Alameda Police had been withholding this from the press it’s not surprising that the officer is getting off scott-free. This incident took place a month ago.

Fighting Ignorance

2009-05-29T09:50:00.001-07:00

While browsing through a Chihuahua discussion group on Flickr, I ran across this one particular thread where this person was contemplating acquiring himself one Chihuahua or a pair of them. One of statements caught my eye:

…I'm going to get my dogs from a local breeder, by the way, I am all for rescuing dogs or adopting dogs, but most of those pets tend to have issues and/or need extra or special care which I do not feel like I can deal with or provide.
So I doubt if I got one it would have behavioral issues from being alone. It's still possible. Nonetheless, I am wanting two because even without noticeable effects, your pet's mental health is much better off having another member of the pack always by their side when I'm away...

Oh, boy, did that set me off. I had no choice but to reply:

It is absolutely not true that rescue dogs tend to have issues or special needs. There is no reason to ever assume a rescue dog is inferior or flawed. Nowadays many, many dogs that end up in shelters come from good families forced to move somewhere where they can't take their dogs because of the bad economy. It's not uncommon to find beautiful purebreds of all breeds in local shelters.
Have you ever seen Beverly Hills Chihuahua? The star Chihuahua, Papi, was discovered in an animal shelter.
Breeders are the real problem. Shelters and rescues are full of perfectly fine dogs needing permanent homes and yet these breeders keep adding to the population. And you know what happens to the ones that don't get adopted. They get euthanized, which is a nice way of saying "killed".
I realize that your original post was months ago so this information can't help you now, but anyone reading this should know that the number of Chihuahuas and other small breeds in shelters have boomed. In some places the Chihuahuas actually outnumber the Pit Bulls.
Please make going to a breeder a last resort, or even better yet, not an option at all.

Folks, please don’t ever let anyone devalue the worth of a shelter dog.

Oregonian cougar run off by Chihuahua

2009-05-29T08:42:00.001-07:00

from the May 27, 2009 Corvallis Gazette Times:

Contributed photo
Rosie the border terrier and Chiquita the Chihuahua.

By KYLE ODEGARD
Gazette-Times reporter

Mountain lion seen in yard, rebuffed in Philomath
PHILOMATH — A local cougar picked the wrong backyard to prowl at Neabeack Hill on Monday night. Two small dogs — Rosie the border terrier and Chiquita the Chihuahua — charged the mountain lion after it jumped over a low-level fence, confronting the big cat, had a brief standoff and ultimately chased it away.
Pet owner Loren Wingert said her dogs are “invincible.”
“My dogs see something in the yard, they go after it,” she added. “Actually, they were pretty lucky. One little bite there and they probably would have been seriously injured, but they didn’t have a scratch on them.”
During the backyard melee, the cougar pinned down Rosie, who squealed, but Chiquita convinced the big cat to flee by barking ferociously.
“I think we’re more traumatized than they are. They’re fine,” Wingert said.

Ban on adopting Pit Bulls to stand

2009-05-28T10:32:00.001-07:00

Loudoun (VA) Judge Rules in Lawsuit

By Kafia A. Hosh

Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 28, 2009

A Loudoun County judge has ruled that the county can continue its long-standing policy banning residents from adopting pit pulls from the county animal shelter.

Ruling in a lawsuit that sought to overturn the ban, Circuit Court Judge Burke F. McCahill said that the county's policy does not violate state law and that publicly funded shelters are not required to make every breed of dog available for adoption.

For years, Loudoun euthanized all abandoned pit bulls. The county revised its policy in 2007, allowing the animals to be transferred to rescue groups or shelters in other jurisdictions if they passed a temperament test.

A Norfolk-based animal rescue group and Sterling resident Ronald Litz sued the county and its animal shelter in 2007, after Litz was turned down when he tried to adopt a pit bull from the shelter. During a two-day trial this month, the plaintiffs' attorney alleged that Loudoun was violating a state law that bars officials from finding a dog to be dangerous or vicious based solely on its breed.

In his 13-page ruling last Thursday, McCahill said that the state prohibition applies to courts trying to determine whether a dog is dangerous. But it does not prevent a public pound from having an adoption policy that treats some breeds differently from others, the judge said.

"We're obviously pleased with the decision and feel he put a lot of thought and careful consideration into it," said Laura Rizer, a spokeswoman for the Loudoun Department of Animal Care and Control.

Shelter officials have said that all of their unclaimed dogs go through behavior monitoring and a temperament test to determine whether they are adoptable and that breed characteristics are part of that determination.

"Any decision that we make regarding the disposition of an animal is based on a number of factors," Rizer said.

Lynne C. Rhode, an attorney for Litz and Animal Rescue of Tidewater, said she was disappointed in the ruling.

"The practical result of this ruling is that any public shelter can kill any dog if that particular shelter's management doesn't like the dog's breed," she said. "In other words, the court has ruled that a pound can kill every single adoptable golden retriever or pit bull or poodle if it wants to, without restriction or recourse."

The plaintiffs presented evidence that the Loudoun shelter had euthanized more than 80 percent of abandoned pit bulls since it began allowing the animals to be transferred, compared to a euthanization rate of 48 percent for other dogs.

"If one were to rely on the statistics . . . alone, one may come to a conclusion that there is 'breed bias,' " McCahill wrote.

But, he added, "if I were to rely on the statistics alone, I would have to ignore the evidence that there are differences in breed characteristics. More importantly, the statistics do not account for the individual characteristics that are attempted to be observed . . . as part of the overall assessment of the individual dog."

During the trial, the plaintiffs contended that the Loudoun shelter showed a clear pattern of bias against pit bulls. Sherry Woodard, animal behavior expert for Best Friends Animal Society, said that pit bulls that did well on behavior assessments were put down but that other breeds that did not do as well on the assessments were trained and put up for adoption.

"This discrimination against pit bulls is becoming a topic of discussion across the country," Woodard said in a statement Tuesday. "There are golden retrievers who attack other dogs, labs who bite people, pit bulls that love children, dogs and cats. Every dog, every time, deserves to be evaluated as an individual."

Loudoun's decision to allow some pit bulls to be transferred to rescue groups or other shelters came after a 2006 nonbinding opinion by then-Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell (R), who said that pit bulls taken to public pounds could not be euthanized based solely on their breed. In his ruling, McCahill disagreed with that portion of McDonnell's opinion.

Anthony F. Troy, one of the plaintiffs' attorneys, said he feared that the judge's ruling would have a ripple effect in other localities.

"Under this opinion, the clear prohibition on euthanizing based on breed is applicable solely to those incidents of judicial cases," he said. "If other courts follow the logic, then you would have a public policy of the commonwealth being very narrowly defined."

Troy said the plaintiffs were considering their options, including appealing the judge's ruling to the Virginia Supreme Court or asking the General Assembly to clarify the state law.

THIS is what can happen when BSL is allowed. We must take every opportunity to fight it whenever and whereever it rears its ugly head.

Police dog, alone in SUV, dies – probe launched

2009-05-28T10:01:00.001-07:00

from today’s San Francisco Chronicle

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

(05-27) 14:56 PDT ALAMEDA -- An Alameda police K-9 officer is under investigation after his dog died when he left it in his personal sports utility vehicle for several hours during a training session, authorities said Wednesday.

The officer, whose name was not released, left the 6 1/2-year-old Belgian Malinois inside his SUV while attending a use-of-force training exercise May 5 on Lincoln Avenue, police Lt. Bill Scott said.

The SUV had at least one window down for ventilation, Scott said. It also was not an unusually warm day - according to the National Weather Service, the high temperature that day at nearby Oakland International Airport was 70 degrees.

But when the officer returned to his vehicle after about three hours and 15 minutes, he found his dog "in distress," Scott said. It was declared dead at a veterinary hospital. The cause is under investigation.

Police investigators forwarded the case Wednesday to the Alameda County district attorney's office, which will decide whether to charge the officer with a crime.

Police dogs are supposed to be protected under a wider umbrella than other animals under animal welfare laws. Please phone, write, or fax Alameda County District Attorney Tom Orloff and urge him to not dismiss this poor dog’s rights and not to be swayed by the fact that the perpetrator of this crime is a cop. This is the DA’s contact information from their website:

1225 Fallon Street, Room 900
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 272-6222
FAX: (510) 271-5157

The Chief of Police of Alameda is Walter Tibbets. He can be contacted at 510-337-8323. Considering the fact that police dog training can take months of time, cost upwards of $10,0000, and typically only the most dedicated officers are considered for K-9 duty, wasn’t this cop derelict of his duties? What if he had destroyed $10,000 worth of equipment due to negligence?

Pittsburgh Steeler considers letting his Pit Bull live

2009-05-27T12:52:00.001-07:00

From today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

By Lillian Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Bob Donaldson/Post-Gazette

Patron, the pit bull owned by Steelers linebacker James Harrison, is under quarantine at Triangle Pet Control Service in McKees Rocks after biting Harrison's 2-year-old son.

Now that James Harrison III is up and walking, his father is seeking a way to avoid putting down the dog that bit the 2-year-old.

Patron, the pit bull owned by Steelers linebacker James Harrison, became agitated when the toddler began crying last Wednesday at their Franklin Park home and bit the child. James III was released from Children's Hospital of UPMC and is now home. The child's mother, Beth Tibbott, and a friend also were injured as they tried to separate dog and boy. Both women have recovered. Mr. Harrison was not at home during the attack.

The dog was taken to Animal Control of McKees Rocks, and Mr. Harrison said he would have him put down after a 10-day quarantine.

A number of people responded to the planned euthanization by saying there were organizations that might take the dog. Mr. Harrison's agent, Bill Parise, said yesterday that they were seeking an alternative for Patron.

"I'm a dog lover, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost [my dog]," Mr. Parise said. "James was that close with Patron. One of the things James and I talked about was that this was a real tragedy -- the injury to his baby, and the baby's mother, and the loss of the dog. It's hard."

The responsibility to the family obviously had to come first, Mr. Parise said, and there was the issue of whether Patron could ever be trusted with people.

But with James III's improvement -- "the baby was actually walking [Monday], there is no muscle or nerve damage, no infection," Mr Parise said -- Mr. Harrison wanted to see whether there was a way to avoid putting Patron down.

"I just got done talking to James," he said yesterday afternoon, "and he would love to find a home for him, but only if it was a home that would provide maximum security. This decision is not being made lightly, and it would have to be in the best interest of the welfare of the animal as well as of people."

It won't be an easy task. Many shelters won't take dogs that have bitten people.

"No reputable rescue organization will take a dog that has bitten a person," said Daisy Balawejder of Hello Bully, a local group that rehabilitates and places pit bulls.

"When a dog is in the media, everyone wants to save that dog," she said. But her organizations and many like it are overloaded with dogs that are well-socialized and have no problems with people, she said.

Best Friends, the organization that has taken in former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's fighting pit bulls, said space is severely limited.

"Some dogs can be rehabilitated with training," said Ledy VanKavage, legislative analyst for Best Friends. "But so many healthy dogs are being put down. If we had room, we would [take dogs that bite people], but we're pretty full. Unfortunately there aren't enough sanctuaries out there."

A spokeswoman for Animal Friends in Ohio Township said her organization considers animals on a case-by-case basis.

"That's such a sad story, especially since pit bulls are always getting such a bad reputation," said Jolene Miklas, director of communications.

Some dogs might have a particular problem related to their background, she said.

"It may be a dog has been a stray and is now aggressive around food. In that case, that might be something that can be managed. We might say this dog is not good for a household where little kids might grab during feeding time."

If Patron were brought to the shelter, she said, he would work with the behavior team. If the group didn't believe there was any way to find a home for him, it would be one of the "sad instances in which we do consider euthanasia."

All of the shelter representatives contacted yesterday said breed-specific rules don't make sense.

"Any dog can bite," said Ms. VanKavage of Best Friends. "We had a woman killed by dachshunds in Florida, a child killed by a Pomeranian. Any dog can bite and kill."

Mr. Harrison hopes his dog will get a second chance, his agent said.

"This dog -- it's first time in his life he ever did attack," said Mr. Parise. "It's hard. I think what happens, when you try to get away from emotion, which is almost impossible, you have to weigh your responsibilities."

It’s disturbing that the article implies that the dog is some kind of unpredictable monster, that he was angered by the crying baby and somehow “snapped” and attacked. It’s too bad that in articles like this the dog’s owner is never evaluated for how good of an owner he or she has been.

Save Scarface

2009-04-29T21:30:00.001-07:00

Our friends from the Paws for the Cause dog rescue in South Dakota recently told us of a particularly special dog that has run into some extraordinary circumstances.

Hi everyone- meet Scarface! He is a 2 year old American Pit Bull Terrier. Scarface had a sad start to life- the backyard breeder whose dog had Scarface was going to kill the little guy because of his cleft palate- even though it caused him no problems. Luckily he was saved for the first time by a family who took him in. Unfortunately, a little over 2 months ago, Scarfaces' owners lost their home and had nowhere for him to go. So, instead of taking him to a pound or shelter (where he most likely would have been euthanized or ended up in the wrong hands) they took him to a boarding facility until we could find Scarface a safe, responsible and caring rescue and foster home. The days passed and now Scarface has been in boarding for 2 months with no rescue. We are working hard on getting him out of there but he has quite a boarding bill- $700- and since our rescue is funded only by kind and caring donators, I am asking for your help. We all know that things are tough for bully breeds, so especially for all of you bully breed lovers, PLEASE HELP SCARFACE!!! Scarface is a wonderful, sweet and loving dog who gets along great with cats, dogs and kids. This dog has a heart of gold and is a perfect example of all the good qualities so many pit bulls out there possess. I am begging for everyone to forward and cross-post this to help poor Scarface. Also, please contact me if you would like to contact his boarding facility to verify any information!
Kitra Nelson
Paws for the Cause
(701)219-3315
kitra80@yahoo.com
www.pawsforthecause.webs.com/

It’s not often that Paws for the Cause makes a special appeal like this, but as you’ve just read Scarface is in need of some special consideration. Please help him however you can. A special site has been set up for him fundable.com.

Giving up pets: Animals' fortunes fall in tough economy

2009-04-25T12:48:00.001-07:00

From the Chicago Tribune:

More owners blame finances for giving up animals to shelters

By Sara Olkon | Tribune reporter

April 21, 2009

Bruiser, whose owner put the boxer in foster care at PAWS Chicago, waits to be placed with a temporary family. (Tribune photo by Charles Cherney / April 14, 2009)

When people showed up to give away their dogs and cats at a local shelter last year, the main reasons they cited were "no time" and accidental pet pregnancies. This year, the No. 1 reason is a lot simpler: no money.

As the recession takes hold, Chicago animal control workers are taking in about 11 percent more pets than they did a year ago. And shelters are caring for more high-priced pets, including purebred and "designer" dogs, as people who are unaccustomed to economic distress start feeling the pinch.

Animal care workers are seeing more neglected pets, as well as animals who have had ID chips implanted, indicating that someone loved and cared for them before the financial downturn made ownership untenable.
"People are making very hard choices," said Rochelle Michalek, executive director of PAWS Chicago, a no-kill shelter. "Do I put food on the table? Do I feed my kids? It's heartbreaking."

Jeff Lapp, 47, is among those making difficult choices.

The Braidwood man was laid off from his job as a personnel investigator last June. By March, Lapp and his wife had lost their home. With four dogs to care for, they decided their two youngest and healthiest dogs would have the easiest time getting adopted. Lapp called Midwest Dachshund Rescue, which found a new home for 2-year-old Sammie. They brought Thor, a 6-year-old Norwegian elkhound, to PAWS, where he was snapped up within two days.

"You feel like you let them down," Lapp said of letting the two go.
For now, the motel where they are staying is letting them keep Rex, a purebred golden retriever who is 11 and has epilepsy, and Art, an elkhound-coyote mix who the couple found orphaned and rolling in mud a decade ago in Aurora.

At Chicago Animal Care and Control, staff took in 11.5 percent more animals that were lost, abandoned or surrendered in the quarter ending March 31 as compared with a year ago. Charles Craft, director of programs and services, said 5,201 animals were taken in during that period, versus 4,666 from the same period in 2008.

Some pet owners bring in animals in need of expensive veterinary care. In one case, a pet owner turned in a 7-year-old toy poodle that had multiple mammary tumors, staff later learned. The dog received surgery and was adopted, Craft said.

In March, Nadine Walmsley, vice president of development for the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago, watched as 33 pets were relinquished by owners citing poor finances. In March 2008, only four pet owners cited money as the reason, she said.

About twice as many dogs who end up homeless these days appear to have come from good homes: Their coats look good, they are plump and they are well-socialized, Walmsley said.

"They were in a very stable environment—and suddenly they are in a cage," Michalek said.

The difficulties can reduce the most stoic of pet owners to tears. In February, Rebecca Weeks' divorce was finalized, shortly before her family's Bartlett home went into foreclosure. Forced to crash with friends, she was heartbroken to learn that she couldn't take along Hamper, her 4-year-old collie-Rottweiler-shepherd mix.

Desperate, Weeks searched online and learned that PAWS Chicago had a foster program for pet owners in crisis. A week after she left Hamper at PAWS, a family scooped him up for safekeeping. Weeks plans to take Hamper back by the end of the month, after she moves into her own home.

"They say he is getting along with everybody," said Weeks, 29, who gets updates from PAWS staffers but isn't allowed to visit Hamper during his foster stay.

Similarly, dogs named Sasha and Kaiser had to adjust to life at PAWS Chicago's Little Village shelter after their owner lost her home in unincorporated Hinsdale.

"All my reserves were gone," said Maria D., 48, a real estate agent who didn't want her full name published because she was ashamed of temporarily giving up her dogs. She is now living with her adult daughter in Burr Ridge, a home where the dogs are not welcome.
Since March 31, Maria's dogs have shared quarters at PAWS while staff members search for a foster home. The program is designed to accommodate 30-day foster stays, although pet owners in crisis sometimes request more time, Michalek said. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis. In some instances, people end up relinquishing ownership.

Of course, animal welfare workers would rather owners bring their pets to a shelter than leave the animals to their own devices.
Sandra Alfred, acting executive director at Chicago Animal Care and Control, said her staff members have been picking up more and more ostensibly "lost" dogs who are outfitted with microchip IDs—tiny chips injected under the animal's skin that contain the owner's contact information.

"We call, and they say, 'Um, we can't take him back,' " Alfred said.
True street animals seem to have an easier time in the shelters, observers said. Perhaps the animals appreciate the steady food supply. Once-pampered animals, on the other hand, often experience terrible stress, bark and pant like mad and obsessively pace in circles inside their cages, Michalek said.

At PAWS Chicago, 35 percent to 40 percent of the dogs are purebreds, up from 20 percent to 25 percent in previous years. On a recent day, a sampling of such dogs at the Little Village shelter included a 6-month-old golden retriever; a young, fluffy white Samoyed; and an 8-year-old Pomeranian who likes to eat wet food only.

Their fate hints at a new desperation that many pet lovers never expected to face.

Allison Rhode, a house painter from Rogers Park, placed her dog, Dollar, in PAWS foster care after she was evicted from her apartment.
She took him back a little more than a month later, after she settled into a new place.

Pets "make you forget about hard times," she said. "They are the one thing that helps you get through."
solkon@tribune.com

♥ In the Shelter of the Heart ♥: Lucy Is Lost! Can you help?

2009-04-24T19:05:00.001-07:00

From today’s In the Shelter of the Heart

Friday, April 24, 2009

Just today, while sunning herself in the yard, Lucy disappeared. The Story family is searching for their beloved Jack Russell Terrier.

It is quite possible she is a stolen dog. Lucy's unbuckled collar was found near the street side of the property and her tether she'd been attached to was left behind.

Lucy is spayed, and loves children. She is from the East 49th St. area of Sioux Falls. If you have any information leading to her safe return please contact the local animal control or animal shelters in the area.

Bring Lucy Home!

Meet Marco…

2009-04-22T11:26:00.001-07:00

Catherine Hedges is an extraordinary person. She’s dedicated her life to rescuing animals and has become a true hero in the rescue community. She works tirelessly to raise awareness and has even participated in rescue operations, some of them hundreds and hundreds of miles away.

Rescuing animals is not the kind of thing you do for the money, but there other kinds of rewards, the kind you cannot measure in terms of dollars and cents.

She recently shared this with us on Facebook.

“Meet Marco....he saved my life.

Marco was the Katrina dog that was the catalyst to our renting a van and driving back from Katrina with dogs instead of flying home. If I had not promised him he would go back with me, my car accident never would have happened, and the cancer would not have been diagnosed when it was. I saved Marco's life and he saved mine.

See the video of my journey (and Marco's!):

Rest in peace, Marco.”

Marco

Marco (left)

Catherine, I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to share your story.

Dog honored for tackling burglar

2009-04-21T22:19:00.001-07:00

From BBC NEWS, England:

A Labrador who fought to protect its owners from a knife-wielding burglar has been honoured for his bravery.

Toby was stabbed four times in the chest and legs by the intruder but still managed to chase him out.

The Morton family, from Barnoldswick in Lancashire, had been staying at Leconfield Barracks in East Yorkshire.

They awoke to find their pet in a pool of blood. But the eight-month-old survived and has been awarded by the animal charity, PDSA.

The armed burglar, who attacked Toby with three knives taken from the kitchen, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years for the offence.

Toby suffered a punctured lung in the attack, in June 2007, as he fought to stop the offender going upstairs to the sleeping family.

After succeeding in chasing the offender out of the building Toby then woke

his owner, Jonathan Morton, by barking.

“ Had it not been for Toby's determined barking and lunging at the intruder, Mr Morton would not have been aware of the threat to his family. ”
Chris Heaps, PDSA deputy chairman

Mr Morton and his wife Samantha praised their pet's actions.

He said: "Toby is our hero. I dread to think what could have happened if he had not intervened that night."

The Labrador has been presented with the PDSA Certificate for Animal Bravery by the charity's senior deputy chairman Chris Heaps.

He said: "Had it not been for Toby's determined barking and lunging at the intruder, Mr Morton would not have been aware of the threat to his family.

"Toby is indeed a worthy recipient of the PDSA Certificate for Animal Bravery."

Animal groups summit to improve treatment of dogs seized in dog fighting raids

2009-04-20T20:31:00.001-07:00

From the San Francisco Examiner online:

April 18, 8:43 PM

Courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society

Several animal welfare groups, including Best Friends Animal Society and the Humane Society of the United States, met in Las Vegas on April 8th to address the need for humane ways to deal with dogs confiscated from dog fighting operations. The summit convened in response to cruelty investigations associated with expanded HSUS led crackdowns on dog fighting rings. Following the Wilkes County, North Carolina bust last December, 127 dogs, including nursing puppies, were declared a public threat in court by the HSUS according to Nathan J. Winograd, national director of the No Kill Advocacy Center. Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the HSUS, admitted they were summarily killed without given a chance for evaluation to see if they could be rehabilitated reports Winograd, author of Redemption, acclaimed book on animal shelters and the “No Kill” movement. The dogs have been doubly victimized by being subject to violent living conditions of the dog fighting industry and killed by virtue of being confiscated from these rackets.

Over the years, numerous incidents have betrayed the HSUS’ propensity toward going back on its word and killing animals according to Winograd. Best Friends was instrumental in pushing for positive changes in HSUS policy.

New protocols that came of the summit include:
• The HSUS recommends all dogs be evaluated to measure adoptability. Dogs determined adoptable will be available to suitable adopters and rescue organizations. The HSUS law enforcement training manual will be updated to reflect these changes.
• Dogs will be regarded as individuals and the ultimate victims of organized crime. Law enforcement and animal control agencies will be supported in their decisions regarding the disposal of dogs determined unsuitable for adoption and when adopters and rescue organizations are unable to accept adoptable dogs within a reasonable period.
• Participating groups, Best Friends Animal Society, HSUS, ASPCA, BAD RAP, Maddie’s Fund, National Animal Control Association, Nevada Humane Society and Spartanburg Humane Society, formed a coalition to coordinate in assisting dogs seized in dog fighting syndicate raids and develop procedures for the provision of housing and evaluation of dogs and screening of potential adopters.

Let’s hope the coalition ensures HSUS follow through on the changes and keeps HSUS true to its word.

Best Friends Animal Society works with shelter and rescue groups across the country to promote animal welfare through legislation.

The No Kill Advocacy Center is the nation’s first organization dedicated to promoting a No Kill nation. It is made up of people who have created and worked in No Kill communities thus proving it possible and viable.

‘URGENT! SOS! PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!’ Revisited

2009-04-20T10:52:00.001-07:00

Last month I made the most desperate plea for help I’ve ever made for a charming little Pit Bull mix at the Pasadena (California) that was set to be euthanized the following day.

Swooping in like Superman, the good people with The Barking Lot, a San Diego rescue group, and saved the little cutie who had only been known as animal #A244630.

I recently heard from The Barking Lot’s Stacy Parmer who had some good news. Animal #A244630 now has a name, Twinkle. Stacy herself is fostering Twinkle, and she’s doing just great. She’s made friends with Stacy’s other dogs and it seems like she has having a lot of fun playing with them. Stacy also believes she’s mixed with Whippet which would explain why she’s such a little one. And if she wasn’t perfect enough Stacy also reports that Twinkle’s housebroken, too!

She sent a few pictures. This one was my favorite:

To top it all off Stacy took a video of Twinkle in action.

Twinkle is still available for adoption. She has a profile on Petfinder. I know there’s someone out there who can help her complete the final chapter of her comeback story, the one where she lives happily ever after.

Stacy, thank you so much for everything you do for all the dogs! Folks, please visit The Barking Lot online to learn more about their miracle work.

Ellen Degeneres is a phony

2009-04-17T00:10:00.001-07:00

Recently, talk show host Ellen Degeneres got her name in the news. As Hollyscoop puts it, "Ellen Degeneris is known as a huge animal lover. And she’s decided to show her support by selling the clothes right off her back!"

Before you get all warm and fuzzy about her take a closer look at the benefactor of all this hulabaloo, The Humane Society of the United States. That's just great, Ellen. Of the multitudes of organizations you could have chosen you picked the one that needed the money the least, the one that does not own, operate, or financially support even ONE shelter, the one that called for execution of newborn puppies seized in a dogfighting ring just two months ago even though the puppies hadn't yet been born when the raid took place. Them.

She couldn't have picked the ASPCA, or the Best Friends Animal Society, or any thousands of local shelters and rescues around the country. It just had to be the HSUS. And certainly, she wouldn’t even consider a mom and pop rescue operation like Mutts & Moms, the dog rescue she nearly single-handedly destroyed by her thoughtless and selfish acts back in October 2007.

Ellen began one of her shows in October 2007 with a monologue where she wept while telling the story of Iggy, a rescue dog she had recently adopted. She claimed that Iggy couldn’t get along with her cats and had given him to her hairdresser. The hairdressers kids had bonded with Iggy, but when Mutts & Moms found out they demanded the dog be returned. Through her tears she asked why they had to take Iggy from his new home where was loved and cared for. Why do this to Iggy? Why do this to those kids? It was quite the heart-wrencher.

What she didn’t tell everyone was that she signed a contract that very clearly stated that Ellen had “no right to transfer” Iggy to another person or organization and that Mutts & Moms would have the right take the dog back if she did not abide by that term. Clauses like this are not uncommon. It’s done to ensure that the dog doesn’t end up with the wrong person or back in another shelter if things don’t work out.

As a result of her weeping and whining Mutts & Moms’ reputation had been destroyed. Their donations had dried up. Death threats had been made not only to the Mutts & Moms’ operators but to the rescue dogs as well. That’ll show ‘em, huh, Ellen?

In the wake of this incident it was revealed that this hadn’t been the first time Ellen had done such a thing. Inside Edition had discovered that there had been at least five and potentially as many as nine separate occasions where Ellen had adopted a dog and then pawned it off to someone else a few weeks later. The term they used to describe her was “serial adopter”.

Ellen can fool her fans but can’t fool the rescue community. She can put her mug on all the sacks of dog food she wants. Actually, it’s quite fitting that she’s chosen the HSUS. A phony celebrity that takes no direct action to help dogs giving money to an phony organization that takes no direct action to help dogs.

One final note about Mutts & Moms. Thankfully, they survived Ellen’s bad-mouthing and are still rescuing dogs. Please visit their website and make a donation if you can.

Reward Offered to Capture Whoever Cut Off Dog's Ears

2009-04-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

This sick story comes from KRON in San Francisco.

Created by Brian Shields on 4/9/2009 6:21:57 PM

HOLLISTER (BCN) -- A puppy was dropped off at a Hollister animal shelter Wednesday morning with its ears cut off, prompting the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County to offer a $1,000 reward today to help find the person or people responsible.

A four-month-old brown and white puppy was left Wednesday at the drop box at the Hollister Animal Shelter at 375 Fifth St.

The puppy, who has been named Oliver by SPCA staff, appeared to have its ears cut off and cauterized in a crude attempt at ear cropping, according to Beth Brookhouser, the director of community outreach with SPCA for Monterey County.

"It appears they probably used scissors without any sort of anesthesia or pain medication," Brookhouser said. "Whoever did it, it looks like they also tried to cauterize the wounds, because there's some blackened burn marks too."

The Hollister Police Department contacted SPCA for Monterey County for assistance in the investigation, and the puppy was handed over to their center, located at 1002 Highway 68 in Monterey, for examination.

Brookhouser said Oliver is expected to survive, but "he's never going to look the same." She said veterinarians are going to put the puppy under anesthesia later today to look at the wounds more closely.

Oliver is "definitely in pain, but a very sweet puppy," Brookhouser said. "Since the moment he came through the door he's been happy and licking everyone he meets."

Brookhouser said the staff is not sure what breed the puppy is. "We don't think he's a pitbull, although he may have some in him," she said.

The owner "most likely thought he was a pitbull and wanted him to look tough and did this cruel act," Brookhouser said.

She said ear cropping is something that should always be done by a licensed veterinarian using proper procedures, pain medications, and follow-up care.

The SPCA for Monterey County investigates animal cruelty and shelters homeless, neglected and abused pets and livestock. The $1,000 reward is for information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the case.

Smartest Dogs: Moscow Stray Dogs

2009-04-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting story from English Russia.

Russian scientists say that Moscow stray dogs became much smarter. The four legged oldest human’s friends demonstrate real smartness such as riding the Moscow metro every morning to get from their suburban places of living to the fat regions of Moscow center. Once they arrive to the downtown they demonstrate different new, previously unseen for the dog skills. Those skills can include “the hunt for shawarma” for example, the popular among Muscovites eastern cuisine dish. This hunt scene can be seen as this:

Regular Moscow busy street with some small food kiosks. A middle-aged man buys himself a piece of hot fast food and walks aside chewing it without a rush. Then just in a second he jumps up frightened - some doggy has sneaked up on him and barked out loudly. His tasty snack falls out from his hands down to the ground and the dog gets it. Just ten minutes later, on the same place, the teen youngster loses his dinner in exactly the same manner. The modern Russian dogs are on their urban hunt.

“This method of ambushing people from their back is widely exercised by Moscow dogs”, saying A. Poiarkov, working in Ecology and Evolution Institute of Moscow. “The main point here is to define who would drop the food scared and who won’t, but the dogs are great psychologists they can do it better than us”.

Moscow ecologists think that dogs started acquiring this habits in 1990s, when the Soviet Union collapsed and Moscow has fell into the hands of new class of Russian capitalists. They understood the true value of the downtown realty underestimated by previous Communist owners and became removing all the industrial complexes Moscow had in its centre to its outskirts. Those places were used by homeless dogs as a shelter often, so the dogs had to move together with their houses, so they had to learn how to travel Moscow subway - first to get to the centre in the morning then back home in the evening, just as us people.

“Sometimes dogs are doing mistakes adapting in metro, but they are studying.”

The commercial revolution of Moscow made their usual feeding places like trash bins out of direct reach, so they had to get to know new ways of getting their piece of food. That’s how appeared those “Shawarma hunts”. Sometimes though they use more gentle methods. Young girl sits on the bench to eat her hot dog - a big cute looking dog appears from the surrounding bushes and puts her head on her knees. The girl can’t help herself sharing the hotdog with a dog.

Among some more amazing skill those Moscow dogs are the ability not to miss their stop while going on the subway train. Biologists say dogs have very nice sense of time which helps them not to miss their destination. Another skill they have is to cross the road on the green traffic light. “They don’t react on color, but on the picture they see on the traffic light”, Moscow scientist tells. Also they choose often the last or the first metro car - those are less crowded usually.

It’s funny but the ecologists studying Moscow stray dogs also tell the dogs don’t miss a chance to get some play while on their travel in the subway. They are fond of jumping in the train just seconds before the doors shut closed risking their tails be jammed. “They do it for fun, just they have enough food”, they conclude.

“Traveling first class, compared to this human”

“Practice makes perfect, true.”

“Just a regular member of busy day underground stream”

“Waiting for the right train”

“What? Questions you’ve got?”

Tom Thumb: The tiny puppy set to be the world's smallest dog

2009-04-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

From the Daily Mail (UK). I just couldn't resist.

By Sarah Bruce
Last updated at 6:12 PM on 05th April 2009

He is a third of the size of an average guinea pig, and weighs in at just a few ounces - but this tiny puppy could be a big deal when it comes to world records.
The miniscule chihuahua-Jack Russell cross - appropriately named Tom Thumb by its owners - is a serious contender for the title of being the smallest dog on the planet.

Little Tom was born just three weeks ago as part of a surprise litter to mum Spice, a chihuahua.
Tom Thumb

Unbelievable: The tiny puppy, called Tom Thumb, peers out of a coffee cup

Owners Susan and Archie Thomson were delighted when he and his brothers and sister were born at the family's West Dunbartonshire home.

His siblings are three times the size of the tiny dog, who can fit inside a teacup and cannot reach his mum to feed when she is standing up.

And he is unlikely to get much bigger - with some previous experience of rearing puppies through their early weeks, the couple are convinced that Tom is almost fully grown now.

Care development officer Mr Thomson, 54, said: 'In the past 10 years we've had six chihuahua litters and I've been involved with other breeds for most of my life - but I've never seen a dog this small.

'He's perfectly proportioned but absolutely miniscule.

'Judging by the size of his paws and head I'd be surprised if he grew much bigger than an inch or two more.

'He's a great wee dog and Susan's convinced he's a record breaker.'
Tom Thumb

Miniature! Little Tom sits easily in his owner Susan Thomson's hand, pictured with husband Archie

With his tan-and-black markings, Tom Thumb measures less than four inches from the tip of his nose to the end of his tail and only weighs about three ounces.

He was born last month as part of a five-dog litter - although, sadly, one of Tom's brothers has died since then.

And the Thomsons thought it might also be touch-and-go for Tom Thumb, because he was so small - but he has proved them wrong.

For although Tom's siblings tower above him, he has plenty of fighting spirit to make sure he gets his fair share at feeding time.

Care worker Mrs Thomson, 51, added: 'He’s the first in there at feeding time and doesn’t let the bigger ones bully him.

'In fact, when Spice stands up, Tom Thumb goes with her because his suck is so strong.'

No-one was available for comment at Guinness World Records yesterday, but their website records the smallest living dog in the world as Heaven Sent Brandy, a four-year-old chihuahua from Florida in the USA, who is six inches long.

That means Tom Thumb is seriously in the running to challenge for the title - juts as long as he doesn't get too much bigger.

Family Survives Fire Thanks to Neighborhood Pit Bull

2009-03-30T06:14:00.000-07:00

from the Washington Post:

Sunday, March 29, 2009

A barking pit bull alerted a family of five to a smoldering fire in the basement of an Alexandria townhouse this weekend, fire officials said.

Jasmine, a young pit bull, began barking after a fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday in the basement of a brick duplex at 37 South Gordon St. Smoke alarms sounded, but the family only heard the barking before emergency responders arrived.

Firefighters discovered a fire inside a wall behind a washer and dryer, which had started in the dryer vent. Damage was estimated at $20,000. Officials installed new smoke alarms. The family is staying with relatives and friends, officials said.

-- Staff Writer Derek Kravitz

Cat survives being shot 27 times

2009-03-26T04:54:00.000-07:00

Stories about cats usually don't make a blip on our radars, but this is so horrific it couldn't be ignored. From The Cairns Post online in Queensland, Australia:

Cat shot 27 times - and lives
Ben Blomfield
Monday, March 2, 2009
© The Cairns Post

THE relentless torture of a pet cat that was shot 27 times at point-blank range in the head and neck with an air rifle has outraged animal welfare authorities.

Possum, a two-year-old male domestic cat, somehow survived shocking cruelty after cowards trapped him in a cage about 9pm on Friday.
The gun was shoved in the animal’s face and mouth with two direct shots penetrating his tongue and lodging in his nasal cavity.
Police are investigating the violent attack on the cat, which will have surgery today to remove 15 remaining pellets.
Owner Jodi Mulley pulled out five of the pellets herself while seven other pellets that punctured the skin were not found.
It is believed the animal was caught in a cat trap somewhere at Portsmith and repeatedly shot with the slug gun. One lead pellet narrowly missed the cat’s jugular vein.
Ms Mulley rang four veterinarians who told her they would not see Possum unless they received a $150 emergency call-out fee.
"One vet told me if I didn’t take him to the vet ASAP, they would have me fined for trying to clean him up myself,’’ she said. "I spent the whole night crying because I thought my baby was going to die."
Greencross Veterinarians principal surgeon Max Fargher, who treated Possum around 1.30pm on Saturday, said: "The cat is going to be fixed regardless of the cost."
He said in 18 years working as a vet, he had never seen such a disturbing attack on an animal.
"In general, this is the worst episode of animal cruelty I’ve ever seen," he said.
An RSPCA spokesman said Possum’s incident was part of a new wave of animal cruelty cases reported in the past 12 months.
"We’ve had some instances in the last year where the level of violence has been taken to a new level," he said.
"The extent of the violence of the crimes is getting more intense."
Possum will undergo surgery today, estimated to cost $700.

Proposed Law Would Remove Pit Bulls from Ohio's Vicious Dog Law

2009-03-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

From Fox8 in Cleveland, OH:

By Dan Jovic | dan.jovic@fox8.com
March 23, 2009
Vicious or Not ?

Proposed legislation in the Ohio State House would remove pit bulls from the definition of a "vicious dog" in the state of Ohio.

House Bill 79, which was introduced by Rep. Barbara Sears, (R - Sylvania) last week, looks to amend section 955.11 of the Revised Code.

Under Ohio law, pit bulls are deemed dangerous and vicious based on their breed, not based on if the dog has killed, caused serious injury to any person or killed another dog.

"In the 1970's it was German Shepherd, in the 80's Dobermans, in the 90's it was Rottweilers, now it's Pit Bulls. Breed specific legislation does not accomplish the goal." said Sears, "We want to take the focus of the law away from the breed and have it on the behavior of the animal, then hold the owner of the animal accountable."

Under the proposed legislation the following section of the Ohio Revised code would be removed:

"(iii) Belongs to a breed that is commonly known as a pit bull dog. The ownership, keeping, or harboring of such a breed of dog shall be prima-facie evidence of the ownership, keeping, or harboring of a vicious dog."

The proposed legislation has had one staunch opponent in Lucas County Dog Warden, Tom Skeldon, who e-mailed Rep. Sears a case report regarding Pit Bull mauling deaths in Detroit, Michigan over a 19-year period. The email contained an autopsy picture of a child who had been mauled to death by a pit bull.

Skeldon tells Fox 8 News the picture was necessary to show what the animal is capable of doing.

"The [Vicious Dog] law has been a valuable tool in protecting the public, it puts restrictions on Pit Bulls, requires the dog to be fenced or caged and requires owners to have liability insurance." said Skeldon, "That would all go away with this law. This proposal is totally reactive, there is no proactive element involved. The law is proactive, it prevents accidents."

Skeldon says his agency impounded 50 pit bulls in 1993, in 2007 that number was 1354.

Thank you, Representative Sears. We love you! Let her know you feel district46@ohr.state.oh.us

Dogs Help in Hunt for New Cancer Drugs

2009-03-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

From US News & World Report:

Research with canines may one day lead to new therapies to benefit humans

Posted March 23, 2009

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Joe Bauer got the call on a Friday afternoon.

A 10-year-old bichon frise named Oscar had developed anal sac adenocarcinoma, a particularly virulent cancer in dogs, and had been given only three months, at best, to live. The dog's owners, from Milford, Mass., were heartbroken and planned to have Oscar put down the next day.

Instead, Bauer, who at the time was a staff scientist at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Hematology & Oncology Molecular Therapeutics, shipped an experimental cancer drug free-of-charge to Oscar's veterinarian -- essentially enrolling Oscar in a clinical trial that could end up benefitting not only suffering dogs but humans as well.

Treating dogs as a prelude to finding new cancer drugs for humans is an idea that's catching on.

"Dogs are benefiting more and more as [people] recognize the value of studying new cancer therapies -- not just drugs -- in dogs," said Dr. Ann E. Hohenhaus, a staff veterinarian and board-certified dog/cat oncologist at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. "There are a couple of reasons why the dog is so good."

For one thing, the mice usually studied in cancer research are genetically bred to develop tumors. Dogs, like humans, spontaneously develop tumors.

"The tumors we ultimately want to treat in people spontaneously happen because people have darn bad luck," Hohenhaus said. "The same thing is true for dogs. That aspect of tumors in dogs is fabulous in terms of mimicking what happens in humans."

Also, not only are dogs similar to humans in their genetic makeup (certainly more similar than mice), they are also exposed to the same environmental factors that humans are.

Experimental chemotherapy drugs might garner response rates of 80 percent or higher in mice, but that figure often plunges to 10 or 15 percent when applied to humans, added Bauer, who said he now directs scientific research at the Bauer Research Foundation in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

It's been five years since Oscar's death-sentence reprieve with the new drug, and he's still going strong.

Since then, three other dogs have been treated and have responded to the drug, called nitrosylcobalamin (NO-Cbl), without any negative reactions, Bauer said. He was to present the findings Monday at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Salt Lake City.

The research field appears so promising that the U.S. National Cancer Institute has established the Comparative Oncology Program to evaluate chemotherapy drugs in dogs.

And the first U.S. canine tumor tissue bank started accepting tissue and blood samples from dogs with cancer in 2007. The new "biospecimen repository" facility lies adjacent to the National Cancer Institute's own library of human cancer samples.

NO-Cbl works like a "Trojan horse," binding to vitamin B12 receptors on cell surfaces. This blocks the action of B12, which aids and abets the potentially deadly divide-and-multiply process of cancer cells.

Since Oscar, Bauer has treated a 13-year-old giant schnauzer named Haley with thyroid cancer and a 6-year-old Golden Retriever named Buddy with malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor.

Buddy's tumor shrank 40 percent after 10 months of daily treatment, he said. Haley's shrank by 77 percent.

Bauer's group is now doing research with 10 dogs. They will be tracked for a year with the help of their own veterinarians. Based on the results of that research, Bauer said, he hopes to file for an investigational new drug application for NO-Cbl from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a phase I clinical trial on humans.

"There's a great inequity for drugs available for veterinary use and those available for human use," Bauer said. "Most of those used to treat dogs and other pets were developed in the 1950s."

Hohenhaus added: "This helps my animal patients have access to treatments they wouldn't have access to otherwise. We look at this as a benefit to both species."

Puppy Mill Victims Find New Homes

2009-03-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Puppy mill dogs adopted from Everett shelter

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

EVERETT, Wash. -- This time a dog's life was not so bad, at least for 68 animals seized from what authorities believe was a puppy mill near Gold Bar.

Adoptive owners came from as far as Idaho to Evergreen Fairgrounds at Monroe to pick up 68 of the dogs Sunday.

A few prospective owners decided the animal allotted to them was not suitable, but Everett Animal Shelter officials say they'll have little trouble placing those dogs because they got 450 adoption applications.

The dogs were among about 150 that were seized in January from a filthy and overcrowded operation near Gold Bar. About 450 more were seized in related raids in Skagit County.

Officials say the dogs put up for adoption were mostly used for breeding and included very few puppies.

---

Information from: The Herald, http://www.heraldnet.com

Las Vegas hosts gala to benefit Pit Bull rescue group

2009-03-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

From the Las Vegas Sun:

By Jerry Fink

Wed, Mar 11, 2009 (12:48 p.m.)

Pit Bull rescuers will host a fundraiser this weekend featuring a movie premiere, chef’s dinner, art auction, concert and a VIP after party.

The Great Pit Ball will be held at The Palms and Mandalay Bay to raise money for the Villalobos Animal Rescue Center in Canyon Country, Calif., near Los Angeles.

The Center is a rescue, rehabilitation and placement facility for abused and abandoned Pit Bulls. The facility, the largest of its kind in the world, is owned and operated by Tia Maria Torres and her family who tend to and help rehabilitate the 150-250 Pit Bulls who are in her care at any time. They have a daily average of 200 dogs in their care with an average placement rate of about one dog per month. For more information, visit www.vrcpitbull.com.

Spearheaded by Brandon Bond, renowned tattoo artist and owner of All or Nothing Tattoo in Atlanta, and Ralph Perazzo, award-winning pastry chef and owner of Rare Concepts Group, the Great Pit Ball will feature:

• 5 p.m. - Dining for the Dogs Dinner at The Palms – Ralph Perazzo has gathered some of his favorite Las Vegas chefs, including Rick Moonen of RM Seafood (Mandalay Bay) and Joe Elevado of Social House (Treasure Island), to serve up their favorite dishes at a station-style dinner. Additionally, Nashville sensation Kimber Cleveland will perform a private acoustic concert for guests. $50 per person. Event also features an art auction and private concert by Kimber Cleveland.

• 8 p.m. - Red Carpet

• 9 p.m. - World premiere of "Vicktory to the Underdog" at Brenden Theaters at The Palms – hosted by Bond (the film’s director), with several of the film’s stars on hand, including actors Danny Trejo ("Heat," "From Dusk Till Dawn"), Donal Logue (TV’s “Life,” Zodiac, Ghost Rider), Bob Barker (TV’s “The Price is Right”), Michael Berryman ("The Devil’s Rejects," "Weird Science") and Pixie Acia (TV’s “LA Ink”). The film takes an in-depth look at Bond’s efforts to rescue Pit Bulls, including the infamous Michael Vick dogs. $25 per person.

• Art Show – The nation’s top tattoo and alternative artists have donated an incredible collection of art for sale. Some artists will be present to sign autographs and take photographs with guests who purchase their pieces.

• Concert and VIP After Party – A show after the movie featuring Sick of it All, Madball, The Spyderz and Toetag. The bands will rock at the famed House of Blues. $25 per person.

Animal Planet will film the Great Pit Ball as the season finale for “Outlaw Dogz,” a program currently in production scheduled to air in 2009. The six episode series, based on Villalobos Animal Rescue Center and its work saving Pit Bulls, is being filmed on location at Villalobos.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.allornothingtattoo.com.

Attendees can purchase the complete VIP package for $150, which includes entry into all of the day’s events, reserved VIP seating at the movie premiere, chef’s dinner and concert, as well as a gift bag containing autographed limited-edition copies of the film, the bands’ CDs, a concert poster and more. In addition to bypassing all lines, VIP ticket holders will also receive free drinks at some of the events.

Chihuahua Completes Two-Year Journey Home

2009-03-11T10:19:00.000-07:00

This item comes from the Best Friends Animal Society:

Oh, Bebe!

March 10, 2009 : 1:54 PM ET

A Chihuahua named Little Bebe – missing for two years – has been found 700 miles from home. And she’s about to be reunited with her person.

A Best Friends employee is driving Bebe to Los Angeles to meet up with Renee Clark today (March 10).

Two years ago, Clark took Little Bebe to a Los Angeles-area shelter to get a companion dog for Bebe. She’d already filled out the paperwork and was picking up the dog. She left Bebe in the car while she ran inside. When she returned, her car had been broken into and Little Bebe was gone.

Bebe

On March 5, Bebe turned up in Salt Lake City at the Humane Society of Utah, after a woman gave her up, telling the shelter she and her husband had a new baby and couldn’t keep the dog. The shelter, in turn, discovered that the three-year-old dog was implanted with a microchip. The microchip company had her listed as stolen and still under her original person’s name, says Jessica Almeida, the rescue coordinator for the shelter.

So shelter staff called the phone number and it was still in service. “We called and Renee was shocked,” Almeida says. “She told us, ‘Oh, my gosh, Bebe was taken from me two years ago!’ She was elated. She was ready to hop on a plane and come up here.”

Coincidentally, a staffer with Best Friends’ Los Angeles Programs was scheduled to transport 31 rescued shelter dogs from Los Angeles to the Humane Society of Utah for placement in foster homes and just happened to be driving up March 9.

“They asked if I’d take Little Bebe to Los Angeles to be reunited,” says Jameson Yu, a Best Friends staffer who is taking Bebe back to California. Yu says he’s happy to be the one to reunite them. “It’s good to get them back together again after so long.”

Check back with bestfriends.org for the reunion story and photos.

Written by Cathy Scott
Photos of Bebe and Jameson Yu by Michael Rinker

Shelter Dog of the Week

2009-03-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

My shelter dog of the week was delayed a bit because of the sad reality of the municipal shelter I normally visit is that they're understaffed and simply couldn't spare the enough time to allow me to visit with any of the dogs one-on-one. Another sad reality is that the Martinez Animal Shelter still had no shortage of perfectly adoptable dogs.

I asked the shelter's lone volunteer that was attending to the dogs what was the single dog she could identify that had the most hard luck story she surprised me. Her first response, naturally, was that they all had hard luck stories, and there's no disputing that, but instead of picking one of the numerous Pit Bulls she told me it was it was Nathan, a short-haired Chihuahua mix. Apparently, small dogs are not as adoptable these days. Nathan has been there the longest.

I didn't want to take up any more of the volunteer's time so I didn't ask to visit with him. Unfortunately, the only photos I have of him are behind the metal door of his kennel. Here's a better picture of him from the shelter's website.

Unfortunately, last week's shelter dog of the week, Sheba, was still in her same kennel, right next to Star. Those two have both been there for a while now. If something doesn't happen soon they could be facing an unfortunate end.

Another thing that I found surprising was a cute little puppy named Beauty was still there. I hadn't mentioned her previously figuring that a cute little baby puppy would be adopted quickly. Yet there she still is. If you're a sucker for adorable little puppy dogs Beauty's only 2-3 months old. And she'll certainly be a very pretty girl when she grows up.

Finally, I asked the volunteer for her personal favorite. She told me it was Brie, a 13-month old black and white Pit Bull. She said Brie's sweetness is what made her so special.

All the dogs you see here are available at the Contra Costa Animal Services facility in Martinez, CA. Their telephone number is 925-335-8300.

Mutt 911

2009-03-09T12:05:00.000-07:00

From MSNBC:

Dog Comes To Woman's Rescue, Bites Intruder
Westmoreland County Trailer Resident Kicks Attacker In Groin
hePittsburghChannel.Com
updated 47 minutes ago
HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A woman and her dog fought off an intruder late Friday night who likely has some bruises.
State police said a man wearing all black clothing with a hood pulled over his head and black paint on his face tried to subdue Stephanie Darnell inside her trailer on Apple Jack Lane in Hempfield Township shortly before midnight.
"He didn't even say a word, not one word, not 'shut up.' Nothing," Darnell said.
Investigators said Darnell awoke when the man entered her trailer and subsequently grabbed her around the neck.
"He pushed me down on the bed and we were struggling, and he choked me and went behind and he went to duct-tape my feet together," Darnell said.
Neighbors became worried when they started hearing noises.
"I will never forget that scream as long as I live. I've never heard anything like it," said a neighbor who declined to be identified.
Darnell, 23, was able to struggle with the man, kick him in the groin and pinch his stomach area, according to state police. At some point during the struggle, Darnell's dog, a border collie-German shepherd mix named Dozier, attacked the man and bit him.
"I think the dog bit him really good. He slammed the dog, and then he ran out of the house and screamed out the door," Darnell said. "I'm grateful. I'm so glad I have him."
The break-in has put residents of the Suburban Acres Trailer Park community on edge. They've already formed a neighborhood watch group.
"I don't know if someone was checking the place out. I have no idea. So, many things run through your mind," said George Pitonyak, Darnell's boyfriend, who was at work during the incident.
Since Friday night, Darnell said it's been tough for her to get any sleep. She and her boyfriend plan to move soon.
State police had only a vague description of the man who fled the trailer, saying he is between 5 feet 6 inches tall and 5 feet 8 inches tall.

2009-03-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

The Friday edition of the San Gabriel Valley Times ran an article mentioning our blue Pit Bull from the Pasadena Humane Society:

Pasadena Humane Society shelter at capacity
By Sharon Hardwick, Correspondent
Posted: 03/05/2009 04:53:23 PM PST

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Maddie Mayes,15 , of South Pasadena visits the Pasadena Humane Society to look at the many dogs at the shelter Thursday, March 5, 2009. The Pasadena Humane Society is filled to capacity with dogs and is hoping that their will be an increase in dog and cat adoptions. Many owners have turned in their dogs and cats because of the downturn in the economy. (SGVN/Staff Photo by Walt Mancini)
PASADENA- One of Pasadena Humane Society's longest resident pooches, rumored to be faced with certain death, finally found a home Thursday.
Sort of.
The pit bull of kennel number 112 was getting a new home, but not a new family.
A local rescue group had answered an appeal by the society, which, according to spokeswoman Ricky Whitman, is bursting at the seams.
"We are at capacity," Whitman said. "We are full with some wonderful pet-quality dogs. Many people are turning in animals and we are assuming it has to do with the economy. To them it's setting the animal free; to us it's abandonment."
Taking in animals from seven cities including Pasadena, the shelter has seen an increase of 2000 animals since last year. The rise in relinquishments and rescues has forced the staff to network even harder with outside rescue organizations.
"We weren't built to house animals for long periods of time," Whitman said. These days rescue groups come by more than once a week to collect animals the shelter can't provide for, she said.
But the sinking economy is having a general effect and, she said, the reality is there just aren't enough homes.
Whitman hopes that families will contact the shelter before making the decision to give up their pet.
"We are in a position to provide assistance to someone who wants to give their pet up," she said. "We just ask them to give us a call beforehand, because by the time they get here people have made the decision to relinquish."
The Pasadena shelter can assist pet-owners with veterinary costs, food, counseling and advice on how to take care of their pet. Relinquishing a pet should be a last resort, she said, especially when finding homes is so difficult.
"There comes a time when dogs no longer `kennel' well," she said, and once their behavior and health begin to deteriorate, the animal's future looks bleak.
"The decision for euthanasia is really difficult for staff," Whitman said, adding that discussion is often long and recommendations must come from staff at every level.
However, as the economy worsens and families feel forced to make decisions about where finances are best spent, it's often the pets that get left behind.
The society, she said, is seeing the direct result.
In all Whitman's time at the shelter, she said, "I've never seen anything like this."

SAVED! Pasadena Pit Bull Granted Stay of Execution

2009-03-05T20:52:00.000-08:00

Wonderful news! I learned around 2pm PST that our girl I wrote about in yesterday's blog post has been spared execution. A San Diego rescue group called The Barking Lot stepped up and took her in. Thank you, Barking Lot!

It seemed to be her fate to die unwanted and unnamed. As far as I know she's still just "A244630", but I'm sure she'll be given a name soon. I hope to make contact with them soon and hopefully keep track of her until she finds a permanent home.

You can visit their website at www.thebarkinglot.net.

URGENT! SOS! PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!

2009-03-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

I've never used this forum to make a plea like this. I hope I never have to again. Take a look at the little cutie below.

Jennifer Warner, fellow Pit Bull crusader originally told us this about her.

Yesterday this sweet little girl had so much sadness in her eyes, she is loosing hope after being in a kennel for so long... you can see the video I did of her a few weeks ago and how happy, gentle and adorable she is.

Please post her on your profile so she can find a home before her time is up! Adopters can go to meet her at the Pasadena shelter www.phsspca.org or call 626-792-7151

Earlier today she had this update.

Update 3/4 5pm: authorized for euth tomorrow. Call 626-792-7151 ask for #A244630 if you can adopt or rescue her. She's had zero interest, the shelter is full, and she's been there the longest. :*(

Just looking at her picture doesn't do her justice. Look at her in this video:

I have never been affected by a single dog as much as I have by this one. This adorable little runt is so innocent and charming it's heartbreaking to think of her being put to death. If anyone reading this is in a position to help or knows of someone else that can please tell them about her. She deserves better than this.

Dog-related Magazines Reviewed

2009-03-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

Intrigued by the photo of President Obama holding a small three-legged Bichon Frise on its cover I picked up the current issue of The American Dog. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and range of content. Not only did this magazine exceed my expectations, it raised my standards.

They covered an extremely wide spectrum of subjects from snobby doggy fashions and the latest boutique designs to nitty gritty issues like fighting puppy mills and breed specific legislation. There was a touching story about that little white dog on the cover and what then-Senator Obama helped do for her, expert advice from lawyers, trainers, vets, and even a section from TV celebrity trainer Victoria Stillwell from “It’s Me or The Dog”. Major players like Best Friends, the ASPCA, PETA (boo!), and the HSUS (despite recent events, they still get a “boo!”) also had contributions. Full pages were reserved for ads from shelters, rescues, and PSAs. And NO ads from breeders! Now THIS is what I’d call a perfect dog magazine.

My lone complaint is that it’s just a quarterly. They don’t publish as often as they should.

I noticed that the news rack actually had many dog magazines so I decided to check them out and see how well they all stood up the newly-raised bar that The American Dog had set.

My basic criteria for consideration was that it could not cater to breeders. The magazines that failed that first litmus test were Dog Fancy, Dogs USA, Puppies USA, and local periodical in Hawaii called Ilio. I found that not only did these titles accept ads from breeders there were a fair share of material that promotes breed snobbery, thus further devaluating shelter dogs.

The Bark is winner. This bi-monthly is based out of nearby Berkeley and it shows. There’s a kind a middle-aged, former 60’s hippie driving a Volvo station wagon with an “I support NPR radio” sticker in the window feel to it. That’s not a complaint though. My mother lives in nearby El Cerrito so I’m familiar those folks. They make great dog owners!

There are well-written articles about the efforts of shelters and rescues and rescue efforts. There’s always very strong coverage of dog-related book releases. I found there were very few articles that failed to hold my interest. There’s even a monthly contribution from dog authority and animal behavioralist Dr. Patricia McConnell that never fails to bring up issues that warrant further thought and exploration.

The one monthly feature that really put The Bark over the top is a two-page section filled with dozens of reader-submitted pictures of their smiling dogs. Now of the features of Pit Bulls I’ve always loved are their smiles. No dog has a bigger smile than a pibble. Or so I thought until picking up my first issue of The Bark. There are dogs of every breed in this section. I’ve since changed my opinion about Pit Bulls having cornered the market on the big smiles. You absolutely cannot flip through any given issue and not stop for an extra moment or two to smile back.

Fido Friendly is really a niche magazine. Inside you’ll find standard fare like dog fashion, a vet advice page, etc. The real eye-grabber of the issue I picked up was a picture of Beth Stern, a.k.a. Mrs. Howard Stern on the cover with an accompanying interview inside.

The niche this magazine attempts to fill is for the traveler. There are extensive advertising from pet friendly hotels and other motor lodges. This is a magazine I’d regularly turn to if I traveled more often but based upon the non-travel related material here there just isn’t enough to bring me back otherwise.

If the title “Doggie Aficionado” makes you think of something snooty and superficial you wouldn’t be far off base with this quarterly. Although you won’t find any ads from breeders you won’t find any from shelters or rescues either. There were articles about the top high end products for your dog and high end dog-friendly vacation spots. Most of the ads were for expensive dog jewelry, art, clothing and beds. This isn’t one I’d recommend either.

Modern Dog was a pleasant surprise. It looked much like Doggie Aficionado until I took a closer look. Along with celebrity dog owner profiles, ads for pricey accessories, and a section for a “dog psychic” is some surprisingly gripping articles that included a look at what become of the Hurricane Katrina dogs, the profile of a cartoon artist that does a daily strip featuring shelter dogs as the main characters, and a fascinating look at a prison that has a program where selected inmates are chosen to rehabilitate shelter dogs. All in all, I’d say this quarterly is worth reading regularly.

The final title can’t really be considered a “dog” periodical. It’s the bi-monthly magazine of the Best Friends Animal Society, the largest animal sanctuary in the U.S., and home to the popular National Geographic network show “Dogtown”. Because they rescue animals of all kinds it’s about a lot more than dogs alone. Indeed, the Best Friends magazine writes about all kinds of shelter animals, cats, horses, birds, and more. No, they don’t discriminate. Not only do I wholeheartedly endorse this magazine, I’d urge anyone that has an interest in shelter animals to subscribe to it, as proceeds directly benefit them.

They also had another great suggestion that would be a good idea for any of these great magazines. When you’re done reading pass it on. Leave it at the vet’s office, or the groomer’s, anywhere where people are reading. Spreading the word is where it’s at. What a great idea.

New Feature! Shelter Dog of the Week

2009-02-28T16:52:00.000-08:00

This is the first of what I hope will be a weekly installment. This is my shelter dog of the week. These dogs are from the Contra Costa County Animal Services Center in Martinez, California.

Speak's first Shelter Dog of the Week is Sheba. I first noticed her on the Martinez Animal Shelter dog listings. I spent some time with her today. She wasn't too interested in me.

The other dogs that passed by were much more interesting. It's understandable and a little sad, too. She doesn't share her kennel with another dog so she doesn't have any interaction. But she did take a moment to completely cover my face with kisses.

Little is known about her. She had some rather large healing wounds on her back and side. She's estimated to be approximately 13 months old and clearly not aggressive and had plenty of affection to give. She doesn't like giving balls back, so "fetch" is one game you won't be able to play with her. Here's a much better picture of her from the shelter's website.

They were busy at the shelter today so I didn't get to spend time with these other two, but I thought they were worth mentioning. Sheba's neighbor in the adjacent kennel was a big boy named Brutus. He wasn't a barker and just seemed to want some attention. He's about two years old.

Finally, there was Star. She, like Brutus, just seemed to want a little attention. She had a very skinny body so she must have been neglected. What an adorable face on this one.

It's still heartbreaking to know that not all these dogs will make it. The Martinez shelter is NOT a "no-kill" facility but please remember that ALL shelters would be "no-kill" if only they had the resources.

Best Friends Reports on Abandoned Dogs in Missouri

2009-02-28T09:04:00.000-08:00

From Best Friends Animal Society:

Day One Complete for River Valley Rescue

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Today at 8:28am

As the morning sun begins to shine on the bare branches surrounding the Missouri Ozarks, the bay of a dog echoes across the fields ringing in a new day for nearly 150 abandoned dogs.

The night before, a trio of three dedicated rescue workers—Rich Crook, Best Friends field team leader; Kelli Ohrtman, Best Friends field communications officer; and Elizabeth Wainwright from the Missouri Department of Agriculture—sat huddled around a table at Ruby Tuesday’s in Southwest Missouri discussing plans to remove the dogs from the property the following morning.

An Ambitious Day

Capture. Assess. Identify. Tag and kennel. The process seems simple enough. It’s the execution of that process over 100 times in a row that complicates things. That and winning over the shy dogs that have learned nothing good comes from humans—and dealing with the occasional escape artist.

Best Friends was on site to help stabilize a situation that careened out of control after the kennel owner, who did not have a breeder’s license for his River Valley Puppies Kennels, set fire to the property after state officials arrived to take over custody of the dogs.

Working alongside Noah’s Wish, a California-based animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to rescuing and sheltering animals in disasters, the teams spent the day wrangling and caring for dogs.

Dispersed across 100 partially fenced acres, the teams used food to attract dogs to them, traps to ensnare the more shy ones, and stealth maneuvers to sneak up on others.

Says Ohrtman, “Groups of dogs would be huddled together in a field sleeping. We would sneak up on them, put cables around their necks, they’d wake up and we lead them away.”

And if that didn’t work, a leftover quesadilla from Ruby Tuesday’s was certain to do the trick.

Sammy: Liver and White Springer Spaniel, First Time On A Leash

Curled up on a cement slab in a deep sleep, Ohrtman tiptoed up to the slumbering dog and carefully looped a leash around his neck. Having lived most of his life in a cage, the sensation of a leash was new to him, and one he did not like.

Says Ohrtman, “He stopped struggling after he realized we weren’t fighting back. Then he began to shake, flopped over and froze.” Team members gently pet the dog and talked in soothing voices to try and reassure the terrified animal. Then ever so gently, they tipped him into a kennel, took off the leash at which point he got up and was fine.

Sissy: German Short Hair, Pregnant and Emaciated

Sissy is a young liver and white German shorthaired pointer. She’s carrying a sagging belly full of unborn puppies on a too skinny body that shows every rib.

Sissy found herself contained after she wandered into a trap in search of food. After being transferred to a kennel, Sissy surprised her captures by bolting out the kennel door as it was opened to provide fresh water. And even though her antics required workers to chase her down for a second time, Ohrtman remarks, “She’s very sweet. And who could blame her for not wanting to go back into a cage.”

No Name: Black and White Springer Spaniel, Possible Health Complication

Just as the team was ready to call it a night, a Best Friends team member stumbled upon a black and white bundled curled into the corner of an old barn. “We’re worried about this one,” she says. “The poor thing has a large lump on the side of her face. And she was so easy to catch—scared, but very gentle and sweet.”

Day One Ends, Day Two On The Horizon

And so, the first day of wrangling dogs comes to a close. To be repeated again tomorrow. The crew left with approximately 50 dogs still on site and yet to be captured.

Says Ohrtman, “It’s a really chaotic and tragic situation.” The burned down buildings are still smoldering. And the dogs are covered in grey ash.

She adds, “Ninety percent of these dogs are friendly. They just need to be in a safe place and they’ll come around just fine.”

Integral to the success of the rescue effort are the organizations who are taking the dogs to adopt them out. Some of these groups include:

• No More Homeless Pets, KC
• English Springer Rescue of America
• Central Missouri Humane Society in Columbia

How You Can Help

• Volunteers are not needed at the puppy mill site, but people interested in helping can make a donation for the care of the dogs by visiting our Facebook Cause.

• Never purchase a dog over the internet without inspecting the property from where the dogs were raised.

Man Breaks Puppy's Legs, Faces Felony Charges

2009-02-28T00:19:00.000-08:00

From Oakland Animal Services:

Man Charged with Two Counts of Felony Animal Abuse February 27, 2009
Posted by oaklandanimalservices in News.
trackback
Pomeranian puppy suffers broken front legs.

The Oakland Police Department arrested Kem Eap on February 20, 2009, for breaking both front legs of a four-month-old Pomeranian puppy. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office has charged Eap with two felony counts of animal abuse. Oakland Police Department’s Criminal Investigation and Oakland Animal Services are investigating the incident.

An anonymous caller informed the Oakland Police Department of the injured puppy, and both police and animal control officers responded. Baby Chloe, who was found hiding under a television set when officers arrived, was unable to use her front legs and had to depend on only her hind legs to stand.

Baby Chloe has now had extensive surgery to repair her fractured legs. Friends of the Oakland Animal Shelter, a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to helping improve the quality of life for shelter animals, is collecting donations to pay for Baby Chloe’s surgery and for the veterinary care of other injured shelter animals. Donations can be sent to Friends of the Oakland Animal Shelter at PO Box 3132, Oakland, CA 94609, or online at www.oaklandsanimals.org.

“We are focusing on assisting with the investigation of this case and ensuring that this puppy makes a full recovery from her serious injuries,” states Adam Parascandola, Oakland Animal Services Director.

Sheboygan man, 29, gets jail for abandoning pit bull in a snowstorm

2009-02-27T18:28:00.000-08:00

This sick story comes from today's Sheboygan Press:

A 29-year-old Sheboygan man has been sentenced to 60 days in jail for abandoning an emaciated pit bull by tying it outside during a snowstorm.
Chouncey A. Love, of 1937 N. Eighth St., Apt. 1, tied the dog to a stake in an alley near his home the morning of Dec. 9 as a snowstorm dropped 10 inches of snow on Sheboygan. The dog was rescued after a neighbor spotted it.
According to court records released Thursday, Love was sentenced last week and ordered to pay $2,731 restitution to the Sheboygan County Humane Society, which nursed the animal back to health. He was convicted on misdemeanor counts of intentionally abandoning an animal and bail jumping after pleading no contest as part of a plea agreement.
A criminal complaint said the pit bull was rescued quickly after a neighbor saw Love tie the dog outside and leave.
The complaint said the 26-pound dog was barely able to stand, and Humane Society Shelter Manager Carey Payne said at the time the dog had a body score of 1 on a scale that ranges from 1 to 9 and should be 4 or 5 for a healthy dog.
Love said he left the dog in the alley assuming someone else would notice it and contact authorities or the Humane Society, the complaint said. He told police the dog belonged to a friend whom he had not seen for a month.

Obamas Closing in on First Dog

2009-02-26T19:44:00.000-08:00

From the LA Times

Some fans of Portuguese water dogs aren't so happy about the Obamas' interest

3:58 PM, February 26, 2009

First Lady Michelle Obama's highly publicized interview with People Magazine, which started dog lovers everywhere talking about the possibility of the president's family bringing home an energetic Portuguese water dog, was big news yesterday.

Even Mrs. Obama's press secretary's comment that the Obamas "have not selected a breed.... Mrs. Obama likes the Portuguese water dog, but she is only one of four votes" wasn't enough to stop tongues from wagging about the allergy-friendly -- and somewhat uncommon -- breed.

"Porties," as the dogs are often called by fanciers, don't need the publicity that such high-profile owners would bring, says Stu Freeman, president of the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America.

Many of the breed's fans don't want to see it saddled with "101 Dalmatians Syndrome" -- a phenomenon often reported by animal rescue professionals who find large numbers of people rushing out to buy the "it" animal of the moment. Once the animal grows and the reality of its needs -- for instance, Dalmatians, while unquestionably adorable, are a high-energy breed whose exercise requirements are too much for many owners -- become clear, the animals wind up dumped in shelters. "There's always the danger of something like that," Freeman told the Associated Press.

And the AP reports on another fear of Portie fans:
[Elena Gretch, a dog trainer and owner of two Portuguese water dogs] worries that if the Obamas choose the breed, puppy mills will sprout up. The dogs cost $1,800 to $2,500 and aren't as common as other popular breeds. They're prone to hip dysplasia, so finding a good breeder is important, she said, and the dogs don't often end up in shelters for adoption.

The dogs also require a lot of attention, grooming and outdoor exercise. "It's agile, it's a great swimmer, it loves to be outdoors," said Gretch, founder of the pet care and training service It's A Dog's Life in New York City.

But Portuguese water dogs are usually not great for first-time dog owners, said Freeman, because it takes experience to train them.

"These are dogs that if you don't keep them busy, they will be busy and do something you don't want them to do," he said.
Readers responding to Michelle Obama's comments about the future first dog yesterday were split on the idea of the Obamas bringing a Portie to the White House. What do you think -- is this the wrong breed for the first family, or are some Portie fans just trying to keep the breed all to themselves?

-- Lindsay Barnett

The HSUS Flinches

2009-02-24T14:06:00.000-08:00

The Best Friends Animal Society website is reporting:

February 23, 2009 : 8:44 PM ET
The Humane Society of the United States on February 23 issued an interim policy recommending all dogs be evaluated as individuals, and is calling a meeting of leading animal welfare organizations concerning dogs victimized by dog fighting.
Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer and president of the Humane Society of the United States, suggested the meeting of major stakeholders in Las Vegas to work through the associated issues. This meeting is in response to concerns expressed by Best Friends Animal Society in December 2008 regarding HSUS policies related to animals confiscated in dog-fighting busts.
Pacelle said the meeting, scheduled for April, will include the participation of national stakeholder organizations that deal with pit bulls. The meeting was in the planning stages before Superior Court Judge Ed Wilson Jr. ruled that 145 pit bulls, including approximately 70 puppies, confiscated from Wildside Kennels in Wilkes County, North Carolina, would be euthanized without evaluation to determine suitability for placement.
The new interim policy announced by the HSUS, pending the outcome of the meeting, recommends that local law enforcement and animal control evaluate such dogs as individuals rather than as a category before any decision is made regarding their future.
“We expect government, corporations, and individuals to constantly re-evaluate how they deal with animal issues,” Pacelle said. “Likewise, we regularly review our own policies and procedures here at HSUS, and we think it is important to talk with professional colleagues in the movement to examine issues related to the disposition of fighting dogs.
“I am pleased to discuss these issues with personnel from Best Friends and other organizations interested in the welfare of pit bulls.”
Julie Castle, director of Community Programs and Services for Best Friends said, “There had been more than enough airing of feelings and outrage that the dogs were not evaluated prior to being summarily euthanized. It was time to hit the reset button on this in order to move things forward in a constructive way. Mr. Pacelle was open and receptive to what we had to say and we are looking forward to our meetings in April.”
Best Friends, through its campaign, “Pit Bulls: Saving America’s Dogs,” is looking forward working cooperatively with HSUS, according to Castle.
The campaign is aimed in part at educating the public and the media about pit bulls in order to help save the breed’s reputation. “Our goal is to bring positive change to lives and image of pit bulls,” she said.
Written by Best Friends staff

Now, before we start jumping for joy and making peace with the HSUS let's remember how much it took for them to just flinch. And they have only flinched. They haven't actually done anything yet. It's a possible step in the right direction. Just save your cheers for when there's something to actually celebrate.,

2009-02-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

from the Houston Examiner:

The Great Pit Bull Debate: A Great Success

February 23, 12:32 PM

by Amber Biddle, Houston Dogs Examiner

I almost entitled this as In Conclusion, but I chose A Great Success instead. Why? Because I don’t believe this is a subject that will ever stop being debated in our country, but also I do believe this debate, no matter how ugly it got, was a tremendous success. I believe that all who came to the table in this particular debate brought something valuable. Everyone brought either expertise, experience, statistics, or opinion. This debate has been fun, critical, educational, and for some, eye opening. One of the biggest things I learned was that the mere subjects that I discussed in my column were only scratching the surface of the plight of the American Pit Bull Terrier. There are more than two sides to this fence.

There seemed to be one common thread, however, that is my muse for this article. All those who took the time to comment, regardless of their experience or opinion, are passionate about their animals. Pit Bull or otherwise we all love this animal and feel compelled to defend this animal and it’s mixes to the death. And that, my friends, is one of those beautiful things about life we all seem to forget. We are truly blessed to be graced with any dog in our lives. Any and all dog breeds are subject to abuse in this country which merely adds fuel to any dog lover’s fire. As I continue to hear stories of “pit bulls” in the news I do find myself wondering the history of the dog and whether or not it is in fact pure pit, or mixed, or a pit at all, however, that doesn’t really matter when I am overwhelmed at the treatment of the animal and the living conditions with which it has been living. As a participant in animal rescue and rehabilitation, this always was and still remains my biggest concern. I am sure no matter how much time I and my colleagues spend rehabbing dogs, there will always be a need for rehab. But we do it because we love them and we know they too can love.

So in honor of the dogs, as well as all the dog lovers who participated I would love to share with you some foundations that you may find you would love to participate in or donate to yourselves. Many of you already do this, so PLEASE share your own ideas in the comment section.

Pit Bull Rescue Central www.pbrc.net/

Noah's Ark Animal Samctuary www.noahs-ark-sanctuary.org/foster.html

Animal Charities of Americe www.animalfunds.org/index.asp

PBS' Nature Hits a Winning Note

2009-02-22T20:53:00.000-08:00

PBS recently aired an episode of Nature called "Why We Love Cats and Dogs". Based upon the title alone wouldn't make it noteworthy, but one of the segments will absolutely tear your heart out.

It's called "Jerry Gets Sick". Here's pbs.org's description:

Jim Nelson and Rene Agredano’s dog Jerry was the CFO (Canine Fun Officer) in the business they ran from their home office. But when Jerry became ill, Jim and Rene decided to sell their business and their house — and they hit the road with Jerry.

It's a must watch. If you don't come away from this segment without tears in your eye then you just ain't a dog lover. Click here to watch the full segment on the PBS Nature website.

Mickey Rourke's Beloved Dog Dies

2009-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

Being a PETA spokesman doesn't exactly make MIckey Rourke my favorite person in the world but as a person who loves his dogs so much you can't help but sympathize with him.

From ABC News:

Mickey Rourke's Beloved Dog Dies Days Before Oscars
Star of 'The Wrestler' Sits Down With Barbara Walters for Annual Oscar Special
By KATIE ESCHERICH
Feb. 18, 2009

Mickey Rourke, who is nominated for a best actor Academy Award for his role in "The Wrestler," always thought that he'd get a second chance at success in Hollywood.

Oscar-nominated actor says 'The Wrestler' is the hardest movie he's ever made.
The 52-year-old actor told Barbara Walters that his performance as aging professional wrestler Randy "the Ram" Robinson represents the best work of his career.
"It's the hardest movie I ever made, and it's the best movie I ever made, with one of the best directors that I ever worked with," Rourke told Walters for an interview to air on her Oscar night special.

Rourke, who thanked his dogs -- "the ones who are here and the ones who aren't here anymore" -- in his Golden Globes acceptance speech, said goodbye to one of his best friends this week. Rourke's Chihuaua Loki died early Tuesday morning, his representatives confirmed to ABC News.

He told Walters that "the dogs were there when no one else was there."

"I sort of self-destructed. … The wife had left, the career was over, the money was not an ounce."
When he was at rock bottom, he said he realized, "I don't have kids. The dogs became everything to me. The dog was looking at me going, 'Who's going to take care of me?'"

Man Beats Puppy, Breaks Ribs, Jaw

2009-02-19T20:04:00.000-08:00

The following story and accompanying photo come from the February 8, 2009 Los Angeles Times.

Furious that his girlfriend had broken up with him and stopped taking his calls, Steven Butcher decided to take his anger out on the couple's small puppy.

"Every time you . . . don't pick up the phone, I am beating the dog," Butcher said in an angry voice-mail message he left for his ex-girlfriend. In a later message, as the dog yelped and cried in the background, he said: "You got some more of the dog getting beat."

When police officers arrived at Butcher's Reseda home, they found Nelia, the pit bull puppy, shivering in a sink with cold water running over her. The animal's jaw had been broken, her eye sockets had been fractured and several of her ribs had been cracked.

Butcher, 23, was charged and convicted last year of animal cruelty -- one of a growing number of serious animal abuse cases in Los Angeles, where police and prosecutors say they are taking crimes against animals more seriously than ever.

The Los Angeles Police Department has devoted five officers and detectives to a task force dedicated to investigating animal abuse and neglect. The county district attorney's office recently began training a select group of prosecutors to handle animal-related cases and is seeking tougher sentences for repeat offenders.

In the case of Nelia, the beaten puppy, police said her owner also threatened to kill his girlfriend during some of his phone calls. He was sentenced last year to 270 days in jail for animal cruelty, placed on five years' probation and ordered to undergo counseling. The puppy survived and was adopted out when authorities suspected that Butcher's ex-girlfriend might reconcile with him, police said.

The optimist may find the proverbial silver lining in the dark cloud by observing the fact that the pup ended up in her "forever home", but I ask you how much abuse must a Pit Bull take before it gets someone's attention? You've also got to wonder about the possibility of the girlfriend reconciling with this person. What is she thinking? Let's just hope they never end up with another dog.

The Dog Files

2009-02-18T21:55:00.000-08:00

Kenn Bell is a man of many talents. He runs a company called GraphicPlanet Creative. While you can describe GraphicPlanet as a multimedia operation it wouldn't adequately express the multitude of needs they are capable of filling. They handle commercial and corporate videos, web creation, design and photography.

Oh, and Kenn used to be a comic book writer, too. But what REALLY makes him special is not juat the fact that he's a dog lover, but what he does with that love. He's taken his passion and turned it into "The Dog Files", a video show about how dogs affect, improve and enrich our lives.

All eight episodes are network TV quality hi-def productions and are available on the world wide web at http://www.thedogfiles.com.

Michael Vick's Moment of Truth Not Far Away

2009-02-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

Last week the Atlanta Falcons announced their plans on trading their rights to the infamous Michael Vick. Vick is still in prison serving his 23-month term for dogfighting-related crimes. He is scheduled to be released in July which, theoretically, means he could be back in the NFL for the 2009 season. There are a number of things that would have to fall into place for this to happen but it is not outside of the realm of possibility.

Now I know that to many dog welfare advocates and Pit Bull crusaders Mike Vick is pretty much persona non grata, but I have a different take on it. A few months ago I made this comment on the Bad Rap blog site:

"I know there are those who will disagree with what I'm about to say but I feel it needs to be said. I'm rooting for Michael Vick. I feel the man should be given a chance to redeem himself like he said he would at that press conference. I want to believe that he really is sorry. I want to believe he really has seen the error of his ways. I hope that he leads a successful career when he is released from prison.

The dogs given to BAD RAP are the perfect analogy. These were animals that would have been put to death if it weren't for BAD RAP stepping in and saying, "Wait a minute. These dogs shouldn't summarily judged as being beyond help. Just give them a chance." (or words to that effect).

I'm sure that there are many who feel that Vick he is a horrible person that did horrible things and should be thoroughly punished and should not be allowed to play football ever again. And while that sentiment is understandable I believe it would be unfair to have given those dogs a chance at redemption but not extend that same chance at redemption to Vick as well.

Malcolm X is one of my heroes. He was a drug user, a drug dealer, a pimp, and a thief before he went to prison, turned his life around and became one of the greatest heroes of the civil rights movement. People CAN redeem themselves, but only if they're given the opportunity.

Here's my crazy wish for Michael Vick. My wish is that he really has seen the error of his ways, that decides to champion the fight against animal cruelty when he is released from prison, regains his superstardom in the NFL, and uses his fame to raise awareness for the cause.

I know it's nuts of me to hope for such a thing, but wouldn't it be great if it happened? I think it's worth giving it a chance."

Vick may be released early into a halfway house so he may be exiting prison very soon.

Mike, you said in your press conference that you WILL redeem yourself. Well, talk is cheap. It's will soon be time for you to put up or shut up. I'm keeping an open mind but it's not going to stay that way for very long. This is your last chance. Don't let us down.

Speak! Changes Gears

2009-02-13T05:40:00.000-08:00

I'd like to being this post with plans of a slight reset for this site. I have purposely avoided talking about myself in the first person. Instead of saying "I" visited a shelter, I'd say "we" visited a shelter. I did this because I didn't want this site to be about me. I wanted, and still want this site to be about dogs. I just felt that saying "we" all the time started to sound a little pretentious, and at times, a little dishonest to boot. So no more "we", just "me".

If you are a new visitor to this site I'd like you to know what this site is about, and what my values and beliefs are. A few months back I wrote a short essay on my personal blog that pretty much sums up my passion:

I have always felt that every creature, every species we share the planet with was put here to serve a purpose. There is a balance that exists in nature. Every creature exists because it has its own role to play in maintaining that balance. What is the role of dogs in the natural order? I have come to believe that dogs are here to be with human beings, us, that nature has uniquely intended dogs to be our companions.

Evidence exists that would suggest that wolves, from which all dogs are descended, have accompanied man as many as 15,000 years ago. The first pet wolves probably assisted their human masters with hunting and defending. Man has made pets out of all sorts of animals besides dogs. Amongst them are cats, fishes, birds, reptiles, rodents, and horses to name a few. Some even make pets out of insects. But it is the dog that has just the right combination of attributes that fit us perfectly.

Dogs possess just enough intelligence to be teachable but not so much that its needs for mental stimulation are too burdensome to reasonably provide. Dogs have a pack mentality with the capacity to accept humans as pack members and are protected and defended as such. Big dogs are strong enough to adequately defend against attackers but not so big that they require any kind of special housing. Dogs do not have special dietary needs. Dogs are genetically easy enough to breed into variations that fulfill specific needs like pulling sleds, herding livestock, or hunting rats. Nowadays, if we need an animal to provide assistance to the blind, or assist the police in catching a criminal, or detect drugs, explosives, or survivors in pile of rubble that we might not otherwise be able to find it is the dog that we turn to.

Sure, a cat can keep you company but will never protect you against an attacker. You can't pet a fish. Reptiles and birds aren't capable of thinking of you as family. You can't take a hamster or a rabbit for a walk. Don't get me started on insects. And while a dog can't plow your field or give you a ride like a horse can, a dog can still herd the horse and keep watch over it.

Dogs have been called "man's best friend" with good reason. They've earned it.

So now you know how I feel about them. Here are my specific values. I oppose the breeding of dogs and strongly encourage any potential new dog owner to consider adopting from a rescue or shelter and to not even consider a breeder. There are simply too many dogs filling too many shelters already. Overbreeding is perhaps the greatest enemy facing dogs today.

Pit Bulls have been the popular breed that the general public just love to hate and they need our protection. There is too much misinformation about them. They are subjects of far too much prejudice. They have been victimized by cruel, selfish people that only acquire one for the purposes of being a status symbol, or worse, being forced to fight.

PETA and the Humane Society of the United States are BAD. Their position on dogs rescued from fighting rings is that they are not worth the time and money to be rehabilitated and should summarily be put to death.

It is my belief that the solution to these issues first lie in education. People need to know the truth about dogs in general and Pit Bulls in particular. Misperceptions need to be changed. Let us network and educate each other and support each other. Man's Best Friend is worth crusading for, and it's a battle we can win.

More Pit Bull Slander

2009-01-31T17:49:00.000-08:00

The January 29, 2009 published a story about yet another boy that was attacked, victimized by yet another 'Pit Bull'. Yet upon observing the photo the dog in question is clearly not a Pit Bull.

Here's the photo that was run by Jackson Sun's website:

One of the pit bulls that attacked a boy on Monday sits in a cage on Tuesday at the Madison County Rabies Control center. (KATIE MORGAN /The Jackson Sun)

That's no more a Pit Bull than it is a Poodle. Good reporting, Jackson Sun.

Thanks to Jeni McNamara for directing us to this story.

Save Shelter Dogs by Web Surfing

2009-01-31T16:39:00.001-08:00

If you're ever encounter this ad on Facebook don't dismiss it. The link leads you a page that tells you about the Dogpile toolbar site where you can download a Dogpile toolbar. Every Dogpile search contributes to help the ASPCA. Now you can surf the web and help shelter animals at the same time.

Download to Save Animals

Every download contributes money to help save animals. It takes only a few seconds and every download makes a huge difference!

Dogpile.com is one of Infospace’s metasearch engines that returns highly relevant results from all major search engines, including:

SI Praises Vick Dogs and Exposes PETA and HSUS Hypocracy

2009-01-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

The current issue of Sports Illustrated ran a terrific article on the current state of a number of Vick dogs. In addition to that they also exposed PETA and the HSUS for their lack of compassion for the individual dogs. About cover girl Jasmine they tell us:

"PETA wanted Jasmine dead. Not just Jasmine, and not just PETA. The Humane Society of the U.S., agreeing with PETA, took the position that Michael Vick's pit bulls, like all dogs saved from fight rings, were beyond rehabilitation and that trying to save them was a misappropriation of time and money. "The cruelty they've suffered is such that they can't lead what anyone who loves dogs would consider a normal life," says PETA spokesman Dan Shannon. "We feel it's better that they have their suffering ended once and for all." If you're a dog and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals suggests you be put down, you've got problems. Jasmine has problems."

We also learn of Zippy, another Vick dog, who has been adopted by a family here in Northern California. A typical interaction with the family’s two young girls:

“…over the next 15 minutes the two girls do everything possible to provoke an abused and neglected pit bull who's been rescued from a dogfighting ring. They grab Zippy's face, yank her tail, roll on top of her, roll under her, pick her up, swing her around, stick their hands in her mouth. Eliana and Zippy end up nose to nose. The girl kisses the dog. The dog licks the girl's entire face.

Zippy is proof that pit bulls have an image problem. In truth these dogs are among the most people-friendly on the planet. It has to be. In an organized dogfight three or four people are in the ring, and the dogs are often pulled apart to rest before resuming combat. (The fight usually ends when one of the dogs refuses to reengage.) When separating two angry, adrenaline-filled animals, the handlers have to be sure the dogs won't turn on them, so over the years dogfighters have either killed or not bred dogs that showed signs of aggression toward humans. "Of all dogs," says Dr. Frank McMillan, the director of well-being studies at Best Friends Animal Society, a 33,000-acre sanctuary in southern Utah, "pit bulls possess the single greatest ability to bond with people."

We then go on to learn about Vick dogs Jonny Justice and cover girl Jasmine, and the heroic efforts of Northern California’s BAD RAP.

Disappointingly:

PETA's position is unchanged. "Some [of the dogs] will end up with something resembling a normal life," Shannon says, "but the chances are very slim, and it's not a good risk to take."

At the end of the article they list the web addresses of all the “good” organizations listed in the article like Best Friends, the ASPCA, and BAD RAP, while omitting the HSUS and PETA. Please feel free to let the hypocrites at PETA and the HSUS know what you think of them.

The issue of Sports Illustrated cited in this post is the Dec. 29, 2008 edition currently on newsstands. The full article can also be found at http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/magazine/12/22/vick.dogs/index.html

Animal Planet to Produce Pit Bull-Related Show

2008-12-31T13:45:00.000-08:00

The Pit Bull Resource Center's blog site reports that Animal Planet will soon begin filming a reality show based upon the lives of Pit Bull shelter dogs:

The show centers around a nationally recognized rescue facility devoted to rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned and mistreated Pit Bulls and the day-to-day activities that take place in animal rescue.

The full story is available at http://pitbullrescuecentral.blogspot.com/2008/12/new-unscripted-show-for-animal-planet.html

A Friend Passes

2008-12-30T20:53:00.000-08:00

We are saddened to announce to passing of Smokey, the Pit Bull family member of our colleague and fellow blogger Jeni McNamara, a champion of Pit Bulls and shelter dogs everywhere. On her current blog, In the Shelter of your Heart, she tells us:

"Today, we took him to our veterinary clinic. We knew what we had to do. Casey spent the morning reading to him, her reading buddy to the last day. She told him good bye, and to be happy, after today there would be no more pain. Clint and I went with him to the clinic. We were with him to the last minute. To see him relax, stretch out, and rest with us with out pain, it made our decision no easier, but somehow less tragic for me. The tragedy would have been to watch him suffer on, make him suffer on."

We first learned on Smokey on her November 18 blog post:

"November is Adopt a Senior Pet month! I love my senior dog Smokey. He's well trained, and settled in. When we feel like going for a walk or out to play, he's ready to go. When it's time to tuck in and watch our favorite movies, he's the first under the covers to cuddle.

He's just turned 9 years old this month. Displaced when his original (and previously only) family had to relocate, Smokey didn't like shelter life.

It was loud, not like his quiet home.

There were strangers every where, he didn't know where his family went.

His favorite spot at the end of the bed was gone, he was sleeping on the floor.

No toys of his own, and there were the volunteers at the shelter wanted to but couldn't play with just him every day, there were so many dogs to help.

He just need to go home."

Our hearts go out to Jeni and her family and for memory of Smokey. To learn more about Smokey and the other dogs she has fought for please visit her site at http://shelteroftheheart.blogspot.com.

Dogfighting Making a Comeback in Afghanistan

2008-12-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

From the New York Times:

By KIRK SEMPLE
Published: December 27, 2008

KABUL, Afghanistan — In a dingy butcher’s shop reeking of slaughter, a half-dozen sheep’s carcasses dangled from hooks, and two men spoke of dogs.

Dogfighting tournaments in Kabul draw thousands of men and boys as spectators.

“My dog is younger than his dog, I have the advantage,” said one of the men, known as Abdul Sabour, 49. “And my dog is more energetic than his dog.”

“He’s lying,” grumbled the other man, Kefayatullah, 50. “His dog is old. He’s just here wasting his time. How many dogs has my dog beaten? Sixty! My dog has been a champion for three years!”

The men were arranging a dogfight, largely in the international language of trash-talking. They represented two groups of bettors. The purse, they said, was $50,000, a fortune in this impoverished country and one of the biggest prizes here in recent memory.

Afghans like to fight. They will boast about this. They will say that fighting is in their blood. And for all the horrors of three decades of war, they still find room to fight for fun, most often through proxies: cocks, rams, goats, camels, kites.

And dogs. Dogfighting was banned under the Taliban, who considered it un-Islamic. But since the Taliban’s ouster in 2001, the sport has regained its earlier popularity, with dogfighters entering their charges in informal weekly tournaments on dusty lots in the country’s major cities.

The sport has even experienced a resurgence in the south, where the influence of the Taliban is strongest, though the crowds have thinned somewhat since February, when a suicide bomber detonated himself at a dogfighting match. About 80 people were killed and more were wounded.

Here in the capital, there are two tournaments every week, both on Friday, the day of prayer. The bigger one unfolds in the morning in a natural dirt amphitheater at the bottom of a craggy slope on the city’s outskirts. It draws thousands of men and boys as spectators — like most sports and sporting events in Afghanistan, it is almost exclusively a male pursuit.

“It’s something from our ancestors,” said Ghulam Yahya Amirzadah, 21, whose family owns 17 dogs in Kabul and in their hometown in the northwest province of Badghis.

Mr. Amirzadah, who is known in dogfighting circles as Lala Herati, said he inherited the pastime from his father, who ran fighting dogs in his youth.

“It’s not about money,” Mr. Amirzadah said. “If my dog beats another dog, it makes me feel like I’ve won $100,000. I can survive just from the happiness.”

On a recent Friday, Mr. Amirzadah was at the dogfighting amphitheater, though without his dogs. He was watching the fights and arranging future matches for his stable.

More than 2,000 people were there — poor men who had arrived on foot as well as former warlords in sport utility vehicles accompanied by Kalashnikov-toting guards. And there were dozens of dogs — hulking, big-headed mastiff breeds that, in the right light and the wrong setting, might be mistaken for small bears. Some were so big that they had to be restrained by two men. A few owners, their arms tired, had lashed their dogs to the wheels of cars.

An informal committee of arbiters, including Mr. Kefayatullah and Abdul Sabour, was selecting the fights and matching up the dogs. Some fights had been organized days in advance, with hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands, riding on each.

A ringmaster, a toothless old man with a turban and a limp, presided over the event. He carried a wooden staff that he used to beat spectators who crowded the dirt arena and members of the dogfighters’ entourages who blocked the view.

Though dogfighting is again popular here, it is far from universally embraced. The country’s elite disparage it as the domain of the uncultured and the criminal.

“In my personal view, it’s not a good thing,” said Ghulam Nabi Farahi, deputy minister of information and culture. “In today’s world, these animals should be treated well. But unfortunately, there’s a lot of fighting.”

But dogfighters generally shrug at these sorts of remarks. In modern Afghan society, there are not many sources of entertainment, they argue. In addition, they say, the dogs are well fed and well treated.
Skip to next paragraph
Times Topics: Afghanistan

“The interest of the people is increasing day by day,” said Sher Mohammad Sheywaki, 50, who was standing on the edge of the fighting pitch. “Even if people are starving, they’ll still keep dogfighting.”

A fight was about to begin. Two dogs were brought close by their owners, then released. They lunged at each other, thrusting upward on hind legs and clamping their jaws onto each other’s face. They tugged and twisted each other, looking for leverage, each trying to knock the other off balance.

Their handlers pressed in, shouting encouragement and slapping the dogs on their haunches, as a jockey would a racehorse. A cameraman crouched nearby, recording the fight for collectors’ DVDs. A large cloud of dust enveloped the scrum.

This fight, like most others, was over in a few minutes when one dog had pinned the other to the ground and held him there. They were pulled apart and hauled out of the ring.

In some countries, dogfighters will fight their dogs to the death. But Afghan dogfighting is more akin to Greco-Roman wrestling. A dog is declared the victor when he clearly establishes his dominance over the other, or when the weaker dog displays one of the telltale signs of submission, including backing off from the fight or putting its tail between its legs. They are usually pulled apart before they can inflict serious damage on each other.

The stakes for dogfighters are too high to risk their charges any further. Dogs may be a costly investment for the average Afghan, but they can also make their owners money.

On the eve of the fight between Mr. Kefayatullah’s dog, Palang (meaning tiger), and Abdul Sabour’s dog, Zambur (bee), the planned $50,000 purse dropped to $10,000, according to Mr. Kefayatullah.

The fight took place on a sunny and chilly Friday morning this month. It was heavily anticipated, and the crowd was large. For more than 10 minutes, Palang and Zambur tore against each other, drawing blood. Mr. Kefayatullah, Abdul Sabour and others with money riding on the fight stayed close and yelled encouragement, according to Mr. Amirzadah, who attended.

Eventually, Zambur, Abdul Sabour’s dog, ran out of steam and Palang overwhelmed him, prompting the men to call a halt to the fight. In celebration, friends of Mr. Kefayatullah swarmed Palang, whose fur was wet with blood, and showered him with Afghani bills.

Except for deep wounds on a leg and an ear, Palang was O.K. But his owner was not. Minutes after the fight, Mr. Kefayatullah collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. He had a heart attack.

“It was a stroke of joy and happiness!” he joked a week later, as he lay in a ward in the Wazir Akhbar Khan Hospital in Kabul. His wife and daughter sat at his bedside. “I’ll be up in no time,” he said, “and everything will be back to normal, like before.”

His wife’s face visibly tensed. “No you won’t!” she said, glaring. She was serious. He was smiling. The daughter looked embarrassed.

“It’s over,” Mr. Kefayatullah’s wife continued. “I will kill the dogs! I will give them some pills.”

Mr. Kefayatullah shrugged and smiled again, trying to defuse the situation. “She says a lot, but I don’t listen,” he said, and he vowed to be back at the Friday dogfights — with his champion dogs — soon enough.

Member of British Royal Family Accused of Beating Dog

2008-12-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

This sad and disappointing story comes from the London Times Online.

Did he or didn’t he? Earl of Wessex accused of dog beating
December 29, 2008
by Valentine Low

As festive traditions go, it is as integral a part of the Christmas holiday as turkey leftovers and high street sales - the hapless member of the Royal Family pilloried by the animal rights brigade for some transgression of fur or feather.

This year it was the turn of the Earl of Wessex, who was accused yesterday of setting a “sickening example” for apparently hitting a dog with a stick while shooting at Sandringham.

The rumpus had all the usual elements of the annual Royal-Family-as-heartless-barbarians fixture. There was the photographic evidence (in this case, Prince Edward standing over two dogs as they fought over a dead pheasant, stick raised as if to beat one of them); there was the element of doubt, without which these affairs would not have the staying power (here, the question of whether the Prince actually hit the dog); and, of course, the outraged remarks by the usual suspects.

Step forward Andrew Tyler, director of Animal Aid, who said: “It is an offence to cause an animal unnecessary suffering. Hitting a dog is a pathetic, cowardly and vicious act - it would appear he has had a royal tantrum.” Barry Hugill, spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports, added: “He has set a truly sickening example.”

Only one thing was missing, however: the queue of field sports enthusiasts rushing forward to defend the Prince. While none was ever going to condemn him, several suggested that hitting a dog with a stick was an action of last resort.

Assuming, that is, that the Prince did hit the dog. One onlooker who witnessed the incident said: “What I saw looked to me as if he hit the dog at least three times. But because it was such a long way away I cannot say he definitely did. He swung at the dog, then swung at it again, chasing it round the field. He was really angry.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “He broke up the fight with the dogs and pictures show him waving his stick around. We cannot confirm, however, whether he struck the dog.”

According to one field sports aficionado, it is a crucial difference. Jona-than Young, editor of The Field magazine, said: “There are occasions when you need to physically chastise a dog. But you would try to avoid using a stick if you could. Mostly with a well-trained gun dog if you growl at them and there is a threat of physical action, that is usually enough to do the trick.”

The countryside writer Duff Hart-Davis said that striking a dog with a stick was counter-productive, but not cruel. “You can alienate a dog quite easily. You can make it lose confidence in you if you are too rough with it.”

However, the Hampshire farmer Hugh Oliver-Bellasis, another well-known figure in the field sports world, said that using a stick was better than running the risk of being bitten. “I had an incident at the Royal Show where I had to separate two dogs and it was really quite difficult. If I had had a stick to hand I would have solved the problem a good deal more easily. Now and again with dogs one has to tap them with a stick to make sure they do what you want.”

The as yet unresolved question, though, is what the Prince’s mother would have made of it all. The Queen is a robust countrywoman, after all, but not known for raising a stick to her corgis, even under provocation.

As a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said in the Prince’s defence: “The Royal Family are great dog lovers . . . they don’t want to hurt dogs.”

Pits Receive Some Rare Good Press

2008-11-17T15:31:00.000-08:00

We just don't see many stories like this so we're happy to see them. From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Pit bulls out to prove breed is great family dog, not aggressive
Sunday, November 16, 2008
By Anya Sostek, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Buddy uses a plastic green donut to play tug of war with his cage mate. Camden licks her handler's face as he feeds her a hot dog. And Franco has eyes only for his tennis ball.

Those three dogs were among a group of "Super Seven" pit bulls on display yesterday at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society, which held its first-ever "Super Star Pit Bull'' adoption event.

"We're trying to bring them back into the home," said Susie Gilbert, intake team leader for the North Side humane society and organizer of the event. "This dog is a great family dog. It can live with children. It's not going to be aggressive."

The "Super Seven" program, which started in July, gives special behavioral training to a group of seven pit bulls at the shelter. The idea is to make the dogs into "goodwill ambassadors" that may ease the fears of prospective adopters who might be nervous about pit bulls' bad reputation.

That reputation has suffered from their use in dog fighting rings, as well as from widely reported attacks on children around the country.

Since the "Super Seven" program began in July, however, 24 of the 27 dogs that have gone through the program have been adopted.

The dogs are taught commands such as "sit" and "down," they are discouraged from jumping up on people, and they are instructed on properly walking on a leash.

Nutmeg, a member of the Super Seven with a Little Rascals-esque brown ring around his eye, still needed work on his jumping lessons, as he nearly lept into the lap of a volunteer in the hallway yesterday.

Innately, pit bulls tend to be "giant goofballs," said Ms. Gilbert. "They're like giant puppies for four years. They don't know that they are big dogs."

Because of the Humane Society's urban location, the majority of the dogs that the shelter receives are pit bulls, she said.

All dogs that come into the shelter are inspected for scars or other signs that they were used for fighting or breeding, she said, and are given behavioral tests to determine whether they would be safe pets.

Any dogs deemed to be unsafe -- aggressive against humans or other dogs -- are not put up for adoption.

During the event yesterday, individual dogs were showcased in a makeshift pen in the Humane Society's hallway, while volunteers sold raffle tickets and distributed goody bags.

Across the street, visitors took tours of the 82-foot-long Rescue Rig of the American Humane Association. The giant bus -- equipped as a full veterinary hospital with living accommodations for 12 volunteers -- was deployed earlier this year during Hurricane Ike and rescued thousands of animals during Hurricane Katrina.

When it is not used to rescue animals from natural disasters, hoarders or puppy mills, the Rescue Rig tours the country to raise awareness about its work.

Program manager Connor Michael has worked on the Rescue Rig, or on one of its earlier incarnations, for the past 13 years.

He worked with cadaver-seeking dogs during the aftermath of Sept. 11 and coordinated rescue efforts as searchers used boats to reach abandoned animals during Hurricane Katrina.

"It seemed like you never, ever finished," he said. "There was no sense of closure down there."

Dogfighters Walk Free, But Dogs Destroyed

2008-10-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

Thanks to some barbaric animal control laws in Louisiana this father and son dog fighting duo walks away as free men while the dogs they victimized by forcing them to fight have already been judged and executed.

From the Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, LA:

Two acquitted of dogfighting
Father, son had faced 48 counts

Shay Randle • grandle@theadvertiser.com • October 16, 2008

A 15th District Court judge acquitted two men of 48 counts of dogfighting on Wednesday.

The judge said a state prosecutor failed to provide substantial evidence of their involvement in the illegal sport.

Floyd Boudreaux, 74, and his son Guy Boudreaux, 44, were on trial for three days for the charges after being arrested more than three years ago.

The men faced the charges after an investigation led Louisiana State Police officers on March 11, 2005, to seize 57 pit bulls the officers believed were being used for illegal dogfighting. The dogs were seized from the men's Youngsville home.

Dogfighting has been illegal since 1982.

Investigators also seized and photographed items prosecutor Ronald Dauterive referred to as items associated with the training of dogs for dog fighting.

Those included home videos, dogfighting magazines, treadmills, break sticks and steroids, among other items.

During the seizure, the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals took custody of the animals and euthanized them the next day.

This left the defendants' attorney, Jason Robideaux, questioning why further investigation of the animals was not conducted before they were killed.

On Wednesday, prosecution witness Kathyrn Destreza with SPCA could not answer who gave direct orders to kill the dogs before the lead investigator and witness trooper Jacob Dickinson was notified.

The trial began Monday afternoon after the defendants waived their rights to a jury and opted for a judge to make a decision on the case.

The case began to unravel for Dauterive on Wednesday after Robideaux was granted the motion to exclude the prosecution's expert witness from the case.

Kathy Strouse, a superintendent for the Chesapeake Animal Control Unit in Virginia, was brought in as an expert witness by the United States Humane Society. She was involved in the dogfighting prosecution of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

Vick pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge in August 2007.

Strouse also testified that she helped investigate and testify against another Virginia man who was convicted of dogfighting charges.

The 15th Judicial District Court Judge Kristian Earls agreed with Robideaux's argument that Strouse's experience was not adequate, as this would have been the first time she was an expert witness in a case she had not helped investigate.

She was also not considered an expert because she had not established herself as an expert through written works.

Earlier in the trial, Dauterive brought forth veterinarian Wendy Wolfson, who reviewed her evaluation of the dogs at the scene during the seizure.

She testified that many of them had scar tissue and scars on the front of their bodies, which usually results from dogfighting.

But this, Robideaux argued, is all the prosecution had that stood as evidence that dogfighting may have taken place among the dogs.

Break sticks, which are used to pry open a pit bull's mouth, were used as evidence against the defendants.

But the sticks had no visible bite marks.

Home videos showed dog training and some dogfighting, but never showed either defendant as taking part of the activities.

"The only evidence the state has is scars," Robideaux said adding that the veterinarian was not able to date the scars or verify who had custody of the dogs before the defendants.

Dauterive said that although no single piece of evidence conclusively pointed to the Boudreauxs engaging in dogfighting, the "cumulative nature of the evidence" demonstrated that the illegal sport was being done.

But Earls agreed that the evidence was not enough.

"I'm not firmly convinced," he said.

The Boudreaux family and friends were overcome with emotion as they hugged and cried after the judge gave his ruling.

Guy Boudreaux, a single parent, said he is relieved that he can finally go back to raising his son after "3 1/2 years of having to worry" about his future.

His father was just as pleased with the news.

"I feel great in the justice system," Floyd Bordeaux said. "I thank the judge and my super lawyer."

Prosecutor Ronald Dauterive refused to comment on the court's decision.

BAD RAP's Donna Reynolds pointed out on the BAD RAP Blog:

We'll let Floyd's Maker sort out his life choices, but we can't let this go without highlighting the archaic Louisiana State Animal Law that gave investigators the green light to destroy nearly 50 dogs within 3 days of Boudreaux's arrest ---and all for naught.

(2) The legislature finds and declares that fighting dogs used or employed in violation of R.S. 14:102.5 are dangerous, vicious, and a threat to the health and safety of the public. Therefore, fighting dogs seized in accordance with this Section are declared to be contraband and, notwithstanding R.S. 14:102.1, officer may cause them to be humanely euthanized as soon as possible by a licensed veterinarian or a qualified technician and shall not be civilly or criminally liable for so doing. Fighting dogs not destroyed immediately shall be disposed of in accordance with R.S. 14:102.2. - LA State Animal Law

When we first learned of Floyd's arrest, we got on the phone to plead for the lives of his dogs, but they were already dead. The news was personally devastating to many of us - Not only were the dogs lost, they were branded as killers, and without any evidence or trial. That case subsequently lead to our fire to help the Vick dogs, before they fell to the same ugly fate.

Pit Bulls Betrayed by Houston SPCA

2008-10-10T22:43:00.000-07:00

This recent report in the Houston Press revealed an ugly, unthinkable attitude taken by the Houston SPCA.

Pit Bull Laundering By The Houston SPCA

Mon Oct 06, 2008 at 05:04:53 PM

The Houston SPCA, in the form of Meera Nandlal, who’s in charge of public relations, got back to us finally today and made it clear there has absolutely been no change in policy by the SPCA about adopting out pit bulls.
The Houston SPCA, as we've noted, makes a big point of saying they do not adopt out pit bulls because they consider them unsafe.

Asked about the apparent change in policy -- why the SPCA didn’t kill the dozen pit bulls it picked up on Galveston Island after Hurricane Ike but instead handed them over to other rescue organizations -- Nandlal replied forcefully: “Explain to me how that’s an adoption!”

Complaining she was having trouble understanding my questions, Nandlal put me on speaker phone. Asked for the name of anyone else listening in – especially the person who she said would answer my questions – Nandlal replied: “Why do you need to know that?”

Eventually she relented and identified Ana Perez, the SPCA employee who worked with the rescue groups to facilitate the transfer of the pit bulls. (Actually, Perez was the first person we called today before we were bounced to two other people).

Perez seemed to understand my questions. “We do not adopt out pit bulls.” OK then, what did you do? “We asked our adoption partners to help out.” She said the dogs were “”behaviorally sound” and healthy.

Do you normally do this in cases with pit bulls? Send them out to other rescue groups?

“No.”

Why this time?

“The circumstances with Hurricane Ike, we felt all the animals should get a chance.”

So we can all rest easy. The Houston SPCA will not adopt out pit bulls ever and it didn’t this time either. Because of Hurricane Ike and maybe the bad publicity that might come with killing perfectly healthy dogs that the humanitarian SPCA had just rescued (film at 10), this lucky dozen got spared. But make no mistake, it will probably never happen again (and they didn’t do it this time either!).

– Margaret Downing

BAD RAP's Donna Reynolds had some interesting thoughts on this subject on the BAD RAP blog site.

It is beyond disappointing to learn that an authority like the Houston SPCA practices such breed prejudice.

Please keep in mind that all SPCA branches operate independently from each other. The Houston SPCA's backwards position about Pit Bulls do not in any way, shape, or form reflect on any other SPCA branch.

In spite of the good work they did during the Hurricane Ike disaster, their practice of breed prejudice have proven them unworthy of any support.

Dog dies after saving man in Trinidad from fire

2008-10-10T22:32:00.000-07:00

from today's AP Wire:

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) — A man whose dog rescued him from a house fire in Trinidad said the animal died after running back into the burning building. Trinidad & Tobago Express newspaper quoted Anderson Marcano as saying that he woke up because the dog kept barking and tugging at his pants. Marcano said he smelled the smoke and was shocked to find his house on fire.
The story published Friday did not say why the dog ran back in. Marcano said no one else was inside the house at the time.
Marcano did not immediately return a call for comment.
He said firefighters on Wednesday found the body of his dog, "Rebel," as well as the remains of the family's pet parrot.

Let's hope Rebel is given the honors he's earned.

"Marley & Me" Coming This Christmas

2008-10-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

"Marley & Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan was a best-seller when it was released in 2005. The true-life story of John & Jenny Grogan's trials and tribulations with their Yellow Lab Marley was filled with many laugh out loud moments and tears as well. "Marley & Me" has been made into a major motion picture starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. It will be released on Christmas Day. A short trailer can now be seen on the film's official website.

Oakland dog receives honor as a hero

2008-10-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

From SFGate.com:

Dog that saved owner honored for courage

Henry K. Lee

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Buffy, the German shepherd who was shot and killed after fending off a gunman robbing her owner in East Oakland, has been posthumously named Valor Dog of the Year by the Humane Society of the United States.

Buffy was chosen to receive the highest honor in the companion dog category of the Dogs of Valor Awards "because of the extraordinary courage she exhibited when she intervened during a robbery to save her owner's life," the Humane Society said.

On Jan. 10, 2007, a gunman robbed Will Bartley of $400 and credit cards at his home.

That's when Buffy ran from the yard and jumped onto the gunman, who fired two shots. One shot hit the dog in her left forelimb.

The 7-year-old dog had a previously undiagnosed kidney problem that was exacerbated by the loss of blood after she was shot. Doctors at Bay Area Veterinary Specialists in San Leandro managed to save her leg.

Buffy eventually went home but had to return to the hospital twice because of complications. She grew weak and stopped eating. Buffy was euthanized Feb. 15, 2007.

The robber was never caught.

"We still love and miss Buffy dearly, but this award and the countless cards and letters of sympathy we have received have gone a long way to help us heal," Bartley said in a statement.

Woman shoots dog claiming couldn't afford vet

2008-10-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

This tale of unbelievable irresponsibility come to us from Examiner.com:

Dog shot, owner says she couldn't pay for vet

Oct 7, 2008

GREELEY, Colo.

GREELEY, Colo. (Map, News) - A Greeley woman faces animal cruelty charges after she killed her sick dog by shooting it several times because she says she couldn't afford to euthanize it.

Police say 33-year-old Paula Harding was crying Sunday when police arrived at her house, saying she'd shot the dog because she "couldn't deal with it anymore."

Police say Harding first tried to kill the 15-year-old terrier/poodle mix by giving it as many as five anti-anxiety pills Saturday. Harding allegedly gave the dog more pills the next day but later shot it four times with a .22-caliber handgun because the medication didn't kill it.

Harding is free on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.

Harding called the dog "a good friend" but says financial problems prevented her from affording a veterinarian.

OK, first of all, one of the first basic rules about being a dog owner is that if you cannot afford to pay a vet then you shouldn't own a dog in the first place. Second, if your dog needs veterinary care that you cannot afford, you can always surrender it to the local SPCA or Humane Society. And finally, if you have no other choice your vet can have your dog HUMANELY euthanized. According to the Greeley Tribune her local SPCA could have done it for $35.

BSL battle brewing in Mississipi community

2008-10-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

from the Clarion Ledger in Jackson, MS:

Ridgeland postpones vote on dog ban
Aldermen may revise ordinance that would forbid certain breeds

Leah Square • October 8, 2008

RIDGELAND — City leaders had planned to vote Tuesday on a proposal banning certain dog breeds in the city but postponed the vote to gather more information and, possibly, soften the proposal.

The mayor and Board of Aldermen announced Monday they were considering amending the city's animal control ordinance to ban American pit bull terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers and Rottweilers. Also named were dogs whose mothers or fathers are one of those breeds, dogs resembling one of the named breeds and dogs deemed "vicious" by a Ridgeland Municipal Court judge.

City leaders Tuesday decided to table the measure after being inundated with phone calls and e-mails regarding the proposed ban. Several residents showed up for the board meeting Tuesday intending to voice concerns.

"It's a very emotional issue on both sides," Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee said.

McGee said the city may tweak its original proposal and revisit the issue at its next board meetings Oct. 20-21.

"We'll try to come up with something that does not penalize responsible animal owners and deal with those that are not responsible."

A breed-specific ban, however, is not off the table, McGee said.

The breed ban discussion comes after months of feuding between Pete and Gloria Grantham of 615 Ralde Circle and their next-door neighbor, April Scott, over the Granthams' pit bulls and Rottweiler.

Aldermen appear to be split on the possibility of an amendment that singles out certain breeds.

Gerald Steen, the alderman most vocally for a breed ban, said Tuesday he is willing to consider alternatives.

"We have a challenge in front of us. I am very open-minded to look and listen."

Alderman Scott Jones is against a breed ban and suggested instead amending the animal control ordinance to obligate owners of certain breeds to take "extra steps" in order to keep their dogs.

Jones also said he is unsure if citywide breed bans have been successful and would like to look further into those statistics before making a "knee-jerk" decision.

Clinton does not allow pit bulls or Rottweilers. Madison city leaders last month began talk of a pit bull ban.

Pete and Gloria Grantham, who own pit bulls and a Rottweiler, showed up at the board meeting Tuesday to protest the proposed ban and said they were upset the city didn't call a public hearing to allow residents to comment.

"If they're going to ban anything citywide, they need to have a public (hearing)," Pete Grantham said. "That's only right."

The Granthams have been involved in a heated battle with Scott over their dogs for months. Scott, the mother of two young girls, has said the couple's dogs are a danger and a nuisance - a claim the Granthams dispute.

All attempts at a private compromise on the dogs between the neighbors, as suggested by a Ridgeland Municipal Court judge, have been unsuccessful.

The parties are due to make a third appearance in court over the issue Monday.

Ridgeland aldermen voted unanimously last month to revoke a permit they had granted the Granthams in May that allowed them to keep six dogs on their property despite a city ordinance limiting households to three.

The Granthams at one time owned four pit bulls, a Rottweiler and a Jack Russell terrier. The couple now keeps two pit bulls and the Rottweiler on their property.

It's unfortunate that, once again, it's the bully breeds that get bullied because of the inability of human beings to get along with one another. Let's hope Alderman Jones stands his ground.

Halloween safety considerations for dog owners

2008-10-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

from Marketwatch.com:

Halloween Can Be a Scary Holiday ... for Pets

Last update: 5:08 a.m. EDT Oct. 9, 2008
SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Oct 09, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Ghosts and goblins walk the streets, approaching homes collecting treats. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) cautions people about keeping their pets safe and preventing dog bite injuries this Halloween.

While some dogs may understand that costumes and excited children are all part of the holiday fun, many dogs are fearful of common Halloween activities. This creates an increased potential for dog bites.

"Dogs believe they are the guardians of their homes, and they can feel threatened if a stranger enters their space," explains Dr. James O. Cook, president of the AVMA. "If your dog is apprehensive in these situations, you need to be sensitive to that and make preparations before Halloween to keep your dog -- and all the little neighborhood ghosts and goblins-safe."

Dr. Cook explains that costumes can be very confusing for dogs and this can cause them to react in ways that they might not otherwise. For example, some dogs will bark in alarm or show signs of aggression even when an owner or friend puts on a mask or costume.

"What's important is that you be responsive to your dog and prepare ahead of time for the holiday," he says. "If your dog gets nervous when the doorbell rings, put the dog in a place where it will feel safe. This could be inside a crate with a favorite toy or treat, or inside a familiar room with the door closed. This will make the dog feel safer and calmer."

"If your dog appears to be excessively stressed, look to your veterinarian for help," Dr. Cook adds.
Dog bite injuries and stress are not the only hazards for dogs and their owners on Halloween; candy is another common Halloween problem. Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, and so is xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in many chewing gums. Make sure you store Halloween candy where your dog cannot reach it, because most pets will eat it if given the opportunity.

"Children tend to want to share their treats with their pets, and the dog is all too happy to oblige," Dr. Cook explains. "Warn your children beforehand that table scraps are unhealthy for pets, and that candy can be deadly."

For more information, visit http://www.avma.org.
SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association

Did You Know?

2008-10-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

Did you know that your local SPCA or Humane Society is not financially supported from any national SPCA or Humane Society organization?

The ASPCA has commercials and advertising that reaches out on a nationwide scale, but they are not a parent organization to any local SPCA. Any donation you make to the ASPCA will not 'trickle down' to any other branch. The ASPCA, in fact, is the Manhattan branch of the SPCA.

This is not to say, or even imply, that they have been deceptive in any way. This is not to say that it is not a bad decision to donate to them. Quite the opposite, they provide law enforcement to animal-related issues in Manhattan as seen on Animal Planet's "Animal Precinct". Their Mission: Orange campaign reaches out to cities on both coasts. They offer pet insurance that is available nationally. They have provided valuable assistance in natural disasters like Hurricanes Katrina and Ike and were asked to provide expert assistance in the Michael Vick case. Indeed, they are an admirable organization worthy of supporting. Just understand that they are not tied in to your local SPCA in any way.

By the same token the Humane Society of the United States does not provide support for any local humane society. In fact, the HSUS does not own or operate ANY shelter.

If you wish to help your local animal shelter please give to them directly. Most rely solely on public donations.

October is Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month

2008-10-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

This month is national adopt-a-shelter-dog month and this year it just so happens to coincide with the release of Disney's "Beverly Hills Chihuahua". If you know of someone or are yourself considering adopting a chihuahua, or any dog for that matter, please keep a few things in mind.

First, of course, always make a shelter dog your first consideration. In any given area there are literally hundreds of dogs available for adoption at shelters or in foster homes that may otherwise face euthanizing. Most organizations will make sure the dog has been spayed or neutered and in relatively good health before taking it home. Most local SPCAs and Humane Societies that offer dog training courses will give a discount for a shelter dog.

Second, do your homework before you adopt. Read, read, read about what keeping a dog involves. Contact local veterinarians and find one you like. Find out if they take insurance. Pet insurance is available! Compare insurers, their different plans, and their costs and deductibles. You will, no doubt, want to let your dog off leash once in a while. Find out where to dog parks are in your area. They're great places to network with other dog owners.

Third, figure out how a new dog would fit into your life. Can you afford the food, supplies, medicines, and veterinary costs? Would your neighbors complain? Who looks after the dog while you're at work? Who looks after the dog while you're on vacation? Are you able to put in the time to walk and spend time with the dog? These are all things to consider.

Finally, research the breed you want to adopt. Understand that while all dogs are dogs every breed has characteristics that cannot be ignored. Chihuahuas in particular tend to be high strung and tend to attach themselves to one person and will aggressively defend that person. Chihuahuas can be biters and are usually not a good choice for households with small children. Another dog that should be heavily researched and carefully considered are Jack Russell terriers. Jacks are very intelligent and thrive in an environment where they receive lots of mental stimulation. Conversely, they can be easily bored and become destructive when mental stimulation is lacking. Those are just two examples.

Above all, remember that good dog owners are responsible owners. Adopting a puppy means a 13 to 15 year commitment. This is not a decision that should never be taken lightly.

♥ In the Shelter of your Heart ♥: Thank You

2008-10-04T17:22:00.000-07:00

Last month we told you about a fundraiser that was set up in the name of abused dog named Charlie. We are very happy to report that fundraising targets were not just met, but exceeded!
Thanks to all the donors, and a special thanks to author Nola Kelsey who generously donated advance copies of her upcoming book, "Dogs: Funny Side Up", due to be released October 15.
Please read on:
♥ In the Shelter of your Heart ♥: Thank You

Obama Will Adopt Shelter Dog

2008-10-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

It has been reported that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is currently petless but the Obama family plans to remedy that condition after Election Day. Spurred on with the help of a petition of 50,000 signatures Michelle Obama has recently declared that the family will adopt from a rescue shelter.

Ecorazzi.com reports:

Senator Barack Obama To Adopt Rescued Animal From Shelter
Potential "First Dog" in a rags-to-riches story...
Filed under: animals — parrish @ 11:05 am

While Sarah Palin chooses to spend her free time shooting animals from helicopters and trying to manipulate the endangered species list, Senator Barack Obama is out and about rescuing animals from shelters.

Earlier this year, rumors began circulating that the Obamas were planning to add a doggy addition to their family. Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA, quickly penned a letter to Barack saying: “Senator, no one needs to tell you that this country is proud to be a melting pot and that there is something deeply wrong and elitist about wanting only a purebred dog. Millions of Great American Mutts—the dog that should be our national dog—are set to die in our nation’s extremely overcrowded pounds and shelters for lack of good homes. When you are ready, please adopt a homeless pound puppy—a grateful refugee from a society that has not always treated the true “underdog” kindly—rather than cater to special interests who do not have dogs’ interests at heart.”

Well it looks like the Obama family listened to PETA!! Michelle Obama announced yesterday on Entertainment Tonight that her family was indeed planning to “adopt a rescue dog,” and we couldn’t be happier about it! It’s no surprise that Obama is making the responsible decision here...

The Best Friends Animal Society have stepped forward to offer their assistance. Best Friends operates the country's largest facility for homeless animals, including "Dogtown". "Dogtown" is the famous canine arm of Best Friends that are best known for their weekly show on the National Geographic Channel, and for being host for some of the Vick dogs.

It should be noted that although the article implies it was PETA that was responsible for swaying the Obamas' decision there is no reason to believe that is the case as it also failed to mention the efforts of ObamaFamilyDog.com, a site run by the Best Friends Animal Society.

Republican candidate John McCain reportedly owns four himself, although it is not known if any are shelter dogs.

Meet Faith, One Incredible Dog

2008-10-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

If you haven't yet seen her on Oprah or Animal Planet, Faith is one of the most amazing dogs you'll have ever seen. She was born with only two good legs, her rear ones. What she has done in learning to adapt has got to be seen to be believed.

Faith has her own website. Hopefully, we'll be seeing and hearing more from her soon.

Coast Guard bids sad farewell to dog hero

2008-10-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

A touching story from the Contra Costa Times:

By Lucinda Ryan
Correspondent
Article Launched: 10/02/2008 05:43:58 PM PDT

The yellow Labrador, outfitted in a badged U.S. Coast Guard vest, stood smiling that friendly lab smile at his retirement ceremony Thursday.

The picnic table in the park area at Coast Guard Island, Alameda, was set with the usual outdoor party fare of hot dogs and chips and soft drinks, but most of the roughly 100 people weren't snacking.

Hawk, his front leg occasionally involuntarily folding inward, remained happily near his steady companion and handler, Boatswain's Mate 2 Sandor Csitar, who, by the end of the ceremony, was unable to speak when the moment came to make his address.

By then, the words and memorial gifts from his Coast Guard peers, Alameda and Oakland police departments and other law enforcement agencies had moved Csitar to tears. He beckoned to Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Greg Thomas, who stepped to Csitar's side, patted his shoulder, and said a few words for him.

"Words can't express our loss, or our joy," Thomas said.

At age 6, Hawk is retiring from his service as an explosives-search dog. Such occasions are not always so emotional, but Hawk has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, and this day of honor came one day before he would be euthanized at Travis Air Force Base, before his quality of life further diminished.

The gentle dog has in his four-year career found fireworks, submachine guns, handguns, live artillery and narcotics. He has searched baggage, freight, aircraft, piers, people and buildings to protect former presidents and foreign dignitaries. He took a trip to New Orleans where he searched through facilities.

Hawk first met Csitar in 2004 after being trained in search and rescue. His trainer donated him to the Customs and Border Protection training center in 2003. The two trained together for four months and Hawk officially went to work with Csitar on Dec. 23, 2004.

Csitar said of the many memories of working with Hawk among the best were when he worked with other law enforcement agencies, such as Alameda, Oakland and Berkeley police and the county sheriff's office. Besides the benefit of learning more ways to handle service dogs, it was the camaraderie, he said, gesturing toward several attending officers from those police departments.

Before the addresses began on the lawn, Csitar looked down as someone kneeled and petted Hawk, who gladly accepted the stranger's touch.

"He has no problem being gentle," Csitar said. "He's got nothing but gentle."

Csitar's 10-year-old stepson, Steel Jones, came up to stroke Hawk, who clearly was enjoying the visits from family and strangers.

Speaking of Hawk after the ceremony, Thomas said, "He literally worked himself to death for us."

Coast Guard Chief Clifford Fuller recalled his first meeting with Hawk.

"Three years ago when I first reported to Alameda for duty and saw the Canine Team was under my supervision, Sandor introduced me to Hawk, and Hawk (got up on his hind legs) and shed all over me," Fuller said. "I didn't know there was fur on my uniform and when I went to the CEO's office later, he said. 'I didn't know we had mohair uniforms.'"

"If someone decided to have a good Samaritan hanging around, they put him in the right place at the right time. He's one of those people who always helps out, whether it has anything to do with the Coast Guard or not," Fuller said of Csitar.

Hawk was awarded a citation of outstanding achievement for his work. After noting the details of his service, the document notes his presence after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"As a direct result of his positive attitude and unfailing spirit, his role as a canine was invaluable providing much needed stress relief and positive reinforcement to rescue workers, displaced families and distraught children in the area," the citation says.

After the speeches and awards, Hawk quietly lay on the grass, again enjoying the company of his young friend Steel.

Another BSL Battleground

2008-09-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

America's midwest provides another stage for the same old battle. From KSPR in Springfield, Missouri:

Councilman Opposes Pit Bull Law
By Natalie Swallow

Story Created: Sep 29, 2008

Story Updated: Sep 29, 2008
Springfield's pit bull law faces new opposition from within city government.

Councilman Doug Burlison says he's been against the pit bull ordinance since before he ran for city council last year.

He says the law is wrong because it singles out one specific breed, pit bulls.

Pit bull owner Betty Browning says her five pound Chihuahua is the dog with the bite, not her pit bulls.

She says people have a misconception about the dogs.

"They're labeled and it's not a good label, it's not a good label, and it's not a deserved label," Browning said.

Browning says she registered her pit bulls after the city's pit bull ordinance went into effect.

"We complied. We complied because responsible owners, they take care of their animals," Browning said.

She says the real danger is pit bull owners who don't comply with the law, making it ineffective.

Councilman Burlison agrees.

"I feel the ordinance itself is not very enforceable," Burlison said. "It's not like we can go visit every household and inspect for pit bulls or anything."

Officials at the health department refused to go on camera for an interview, but said according to department statistics, the ordinance is effective and has had a positive impact on the community.

But, Burlison also takes issue with the bill being breed specific.

"It makes an assumption that every pit bull that is out there is a vicious animal and not a correct assumption," Burlison said.

Just ask Browning, she says her pit bulls, Lilly and Blue-B, are anything but vicious.

"It's just a total misconception," Browning said.

Burlison says he is working on getting more council members on his side before bringing forward a formal proposal to repeal the ordinance.

Governator Terminates Anti-Lap-Riding Bill

2008-09-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

Score one for "The Governator". California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill that would have outlawed dogs from riding in the laps of drivers last week. Thanks to Republican Assemblyman Bill Maze for wasting everyone's time with this.

From the LA Times:

Yes, it's still OK to drive with the dog in your lap
11:17 AM, September 28, 2008

Think it's OK to drive with your puppy in your lap? Some folks in Sacramento were hoping to outlaw such behavior. But it looks like it won't happen this time. Times staff writer Patrick McGreevy reports:

Facing a backlog of legislation that he refused to sign until a state budget was passed, [Gov. Arnold] Schwarzenegger took his veto pen to 95 bills, including a measure that would have prohibited dogs from riding on the laps of motorists.

Many of the vetoed bills, including the lap-riding measure, received the same message from Schwarzenegger: "Given the delay, I am only signing bills that are the highest priority for California. This bill does not meet that standard and I cannot sign it at this time."

Man Travels 2800 Miles to Rescue Pit Bulls

2008-09-24T15:36:00.000-07:00

Now THIS is a story with a happy ending. We first heard about Forrest in the Bad Rap Blog. Destined to be yet another victim of BSL, Forrest, a Pit Bull, had committed the dastardly crime of being born a Pit Bull. Did he attack someone? No. Did he do something else that would warrant identifying him as a menace? No. According to Denver, Colorado law you don't have to ANYTHING to be sentenced to DEATH beyond being born a Pit Bull. Forrest has thankfully been granted a reprieve thanks to a Southern California man who drove halfway across the country to come to his rescue.

This comes to us from the OC Register:

Wednesday, September 24, 2008
2 'Denver death row' pit bulls come to O.C.
Fullerton man drives 2,800 miles to pick up dogs caught in mile-high city's ban.
By BARBARA GIASONE
The Orange County Register

FULLERTON – David Edelstein could have driven four miles from his Fullerton home to the county animal shelter last week to pick up one of three pit bulls available for adoption.

Instead, Edelstein traveled 2,800 miles round trip to rescue two pit bulls from what he calls "death row in Denver."

The animals were targets of the mile-high city's law that bans pit bulls from that city and its county.

One of the dogs, Forrest, grabbed national headlines last month when he was led away under police escort from the Denver Animal Care and Control Center for transport to a St. Louis, Mo., rescue group.

His owner, Chris McGahey, was facing a rule under which the city has the right to euthanize pit bulls if they are caught twice roaming Denver streets.

The pit bull revolt was linked to a 1989 law – and empowered again in 2005 – that prohibits people from keeping or selling a pit bull in the city and county of Denver. Pet owners were given 30 days to remove their pit bulls from the area.

"I'm totally against breed-specific legislation that outlaws certain dogs," said Edelstein, who introduced the dogs to Fullerton's Pooch Park on Tuesday.

The Fullerton resident read about McGahey's case and a protest in Denver. He put in an application to adopt Forrest, age 2, after the Best Friends Rescue Center in Utah stepped in to help – one of many rescue agencies in the country that takes dogs from the mile-high city.

While waiting for a reply, Edelstein learned that the Denver ruling was based on several deaths allegedly caused by the pit bull breed. He also learned 1,600 pit bulls have been euthanized by Denver Animal Control in the past three years, according to news reports.

Doug Kelley, the city's animal control director, agreed that if McGahey signed an affidavit, Forrest could escape death and be relocated to a rescue center, according to reports in the Rocky Mountain News. Kelley did not return calls to his office this week.

After Edelstein learned the Utah agency had too many relocated dogs, he tracked Forrest to St. Louis.

"I waited 10 days to hear if I could get the dog," said Edelstein, watching Forrest romp around the pooch park. "When a volunteer rescue group heard I was approved to get Forrest, they asked if I was willing to bring a rescued Rottweiler dog from Long Beach to Colorado, they would bring Forrest to Colorado."

Edelstein met up with Forrest at the Denkai Animal Sanctuary in Grover, Colo. – a 640-acre ranch where the owner has rescued and rejuvenated 300 animals.

The Fullerton activist learned about another pit bull in trouble in the Denver area, and made arrangements to adopt Kane, 18 months.

On Monday, Edelstein arrived back in Fullerton to introduce the rescued dogs to his own pit bull-mix, Daze, 2, which he rescued.

"I never owned a dog until last year," said Edelstein. "And now I want fair treatment for all breeds."

He hopes to find a foster owner for Kane, and promised to someday to reunite Forrest with McGahey.

Meanwhile, he's an active spokesman for Roverlution.org, an organization that protests breed-specific legislation.

The group will stage its fourth-annual Luv-A-Bully march at 10 a.m. on Oct. 25 in Brea to change the negative stereotype of pit bull breeds. The event will take place at Founders Vet Clinic, 330 N. Brea Blvd.

Passionate about the cause, Edelstein – who owns a catering and personal-chef business – said he is in a position to spend time fighting against the mistreatment of pit bulls.

"It's how the owners treat the dogs, not the breed, that determines their behavior," Edelstein said.

This guy's a true hero. Makes you proud to be a Californian, doesn't it?

Baby Killed by Dog Ruled Accidental

2008-09-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

A tragic story from Youngstown, Ohio's vindy.com:

Published:Wednesday, September 24, 2008

By Ed Runyan

The parents wanted to bring the baby into the kitchen, but her bed was too large to fit through the doorway.

LEAVITTSBURG — The Trumbull County coroner’s office has ruled the death of a 3-day-old girl, killed by the family dog Monday morning, an accident.

But Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, the county’s forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy on the infant, said the death reinforces the need for people to understand that dogs are not people.

“An animal cannot tell the difference between a plaything and a human being,” Dr. Germaniuk said, adding that dogs are “guided by instinct” and are sometimes territorial.

The baby had been home from the hospital only one day when the family dog, a Siberian husky, pulled her from her baby bed in the parents’ bedroom and dragged her into another room, police said.

The baby’s mother had fed the child before 10 a.m, put her back in her bed and had gone to the kitchen to make the family breakfast.

A little while later, at around 10 a.m., she and her husband realized the husky had the baby in its mouth in the family room, police said.

The husky complied when the husband ordered the dog to let go of the baby, but the child had suffered multiple blunt-force and sharp-force injuries and died at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital at about 10:45 a.m. The baby had been born there Friday.

Dr. Germaniuk said the baby suffered injuries to nearly all of her body, including chest, back, arms, legs and face. The baby weighed a little more than 5 pounds.

The baby had a pulse when paramedics first arrived but died either en route to or at the hospital, Dr. Germaniuk said.

The father told police he had let the dogs outside but thinks he may have let them back into the house a short time before the attack. The couple also has a beagle dog, police said.

Debbie Agostinelli, shelter director for the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County, said it appears the dog did not attack the child but more likely viewed her as a toy.

She said she has spoken with a member of the baby’s family, who said the 7-year-old dog was used to playing with squeaky toys and stuffed animals. Based on what the family member told her, it looks like the dog “simply mistook the baby for a toy,” Agostinelli said.

It’s possible the baby may have made a noise that excited the dog and made the animal want to play, she said.

Agostinelli said it is her understanding that the dog, which is being housed at Trumbull County Dog Kennel in Howland, will be euthanized.

She said standard advice given to parents bringing a newborn home to a house with a dog is to begin to make the dog feel comfortable with the child by introducing the baby’s smells to the dog before the baby comes home by wrapping the baby in a blanket and letting the dog smell the blanket.

Warren Township Police have not completed their investigation, Lt. Don Bishop said Tuesday.

Other sources that the fate of the husky has yet to be decided. Let's hope someone comes to their senses and realizes the poor dog had no idea he was doing anything wrong. It seems senseless to compound this tragedy by killing the dog, too.

The Dog Guide online has some very good advice about introducing dogs to newborns.

Heroic Pit Bull Saves Man From House Fire

2008-09-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Usually when you see the words "Pit Bull" appearing in a news report it's almost always something bad. Well, this was a nice change of pace. Not only is the following a good Pit Bull story, but the Pit Bull in question is a true hero.

From the Southeastern Missourian:

Saturday, September 20, 2008
By Paul Davis

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — After a fire gutted a house and basement apartment Jacob Ford lived in last Friday afternoon, the 20-year-old Poplar Bluff man said he's thankful to be alive, and even more so for the dog he "never really paid any attention to."

Ford was awakened Friday afternoon by the persistent whining of a pit bull owned by his mother's boyfriend, and knew something must be wrong.

"As soon as I stood up, I had smoke in my face," he said.

Grabbing a fire extinguisher, Ford headed upstairs, only to find the house's hallway full of smoke as well. He then ran outside to call the fire department and his mother.

Ford then realized the pit bull, Butch, had saved his life, because smoke alarms in the house failed to sound. Butch, however, was nowhere to be found.

"I went to the top of the stairs twice," Ford said. "I was yelling for Butch at the top of my lungs, but he didn't respond. That's when I figured he was probably gone."

A Butler County firefighter eventually found the dog, still alive and hiding in the smoke-filled basement, and led him to safety.

Tina Mobley, Ford's mother, said the dog apparently lost a lifelong fear of basements while attempting to wake her son. Butch, she said, had been abused as a puppy before she purchased him with "the last $52 I had on me."

The dog, Mobley said, had "only been in that basement one time up until that day," because he was terrified of the place, having been kept locked in one as a puppy.

Mobley, who's raised American pit bulls for years, said while the breed has a poor image, not all of the dogs are troublesome.

"They just need a lot of attention," she said.

Ford agreed, saying pit bulls are "family-oriented dogs if they're raised right."

For Mobley, all the extra work she went through to raise Butch from an abused puppy was worth the effort, and now, she said, she'll be forever indebted to him.

"He's a pretty heroic pit bull," she said. "That's the best $52 I ever spent in my life.

"If it had not been for that dog, there's no doubt in my mind my son would have died."

For his efforts, Butch received singe marks on his muzzle but seems to have has suffered no health problems. He has regained much of his puppy fear, though. "He doesn't want to be left alone now," said Mobley, "because he's scared all over again." Ford hopes to change that, he said, starting with the big steak dinner he's promised his new best friend.

Michigan Woman Gets Prison for Dog Attacks

2008-09-22T08:59:00.000-07:00

from Thursday's AP:

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — A woman whose bulldogs mauled two people to death, including a 91-year-old man, was sentenced Thursday to up to 15 years in prison.

Circuit Judge Stanley Latreille ordered Diane Cockrell to pay more than $30,000 in restitution as well as serve from 43 months to 15 years.

Cockrell, 52, pleaded no contest last month to two felony counts of keeping dangerous animals causing death and a third lesser charge. A no-contest plea isn't an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes.

Authorities said four of Cockrell's dogs attacked 91-year-old Edward Gierlach in his driveway and pounced on 56-year-old Cheryl Harper, who was walking or jogging nearby. The attacks happened last September near Cockrell's home, about 45 miles west of Detroit.

Cockrell had a horse farm on the property, and authorities said the wooden fencing surrounding it was not adequate to keep dogs from escaping. Authorities euthanized her 10 dogs.

Defense attorney Daniel Blank said Cockrell "had no idea" the dogs were capable of killing people, and the case should be a lesson to all dog owners.

Cockrell will report to prison Jan. 2. The delay is to allow her to receive treatment for health problems, Blank said.

When you first see the headline you might think, "Good, make the owner responsible for once." But as you read further you see that there were four dogs involved in the attack but the powers that be decided to euthanize ALL of her dogs. Six of them didn't have anything to do with the attack yet have to pay for the irresponsibility of their owner with their lives.