BAD RAP Blog

Our first givers - Thank you!

2009-07-15T09:00:00.001-07:00

Aww. See how excited TugTug is?

He overheard us say that kind hearts donated $2500 yesterday towards the big $8500 matching gift challenge. The bigger gift was offered up by dog lovers Aaron Woolman, Jackson Thomas, Tuck Souto and friends, who are watching closely to see if their challenge is met.

Enormous thanks for getting this started: Andrea Jones, Jennifer Clark, Joanne Jaimedes, Melea Cassell, Aubrey Strause, Jennifer Varkoly, Diane Androvich, Karen Ilier -- and special thanks to Pam and Glyn Quarterly for your most generous donation from the shores of Bermuda. Fundraiser link.

We're almost one third of the way to this match. Not bad! With a little luck, we can help the odds:

AP Article - '450 dogs seized in raids face tough odds'

Did somebody say fundraiser? Help us build a barn!

2009-07-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Dogs like Nelly must have super-psychic abilities -- they seem to call out for help at all hours from photos taken at bust cases as well as the kennels of crowded shelters.

YES NELLY - We hear you and your kinfolk loud and clear!

A Barn Raising

Rescue can never seem to do enough, but we can always try to create more ways to be a help. In our corners, we recognized the need for a landing pad for dogs that arrive from emergency situations. But this stuff is expensive, and since the country's donations generally slide towards the larger orgs that have a bigger public presence, we're now reaching out like we've never reached out before.

To help us do this work, we've got plans on the drawing board (below) for a modest holding facility. It will be just under 1000 square feet -- not huge, but big enough to allow us to say Yes more often to bust cases as well as emergency situations here at home. We're asking for a big 100K to get this moving, and to be honest, we're feeling a bit of pressure due to the bust in the midwest that may land dogs in all our laps sometime late summer or early fall. There's no time like the present to kick this campaign into gear.

Our first donor gave $1000 to kick this off. Hurrah for kind hearts! Thank you to Roller's family, Carolyn and Joseph Noble.

What we need listed in green chart below.
HOW TO DONATE

Check it: Our first big Matching Gift Challenge.

A special friend in North Carolina whipped up a fundraiser in his circles and organized a $8500 matching gift challenge to get this bar moving up. Please help us meet this challenge! Thank you to those who've already sent donations. Your gifts will be tallied up and offered here as the bar starts to nudge it's way up towards the goal. Feel free to tap Tim (tim@badrap.org) for ways you can fundraise for this campaign. And check back here often for frequent updates.

Print and Share this fundraiser! Link to PDF (11MB)

Thank you, Thank you!

The Ripple Effect of Giving

Salvador Update

Speaking of gifts and well spent generosity, we want to thank the Friends of Oakland Animal Services for donating a big $700 towards Salvador's leg surgery. Sal's video here. This special boy has been limping since he first came into the shelter as a stray from what appeared to be a collision injury (hit by car?). We held him at the shelter for longer than usual while vets puzzled over the best surgical treatment and frankly, because he didn't have a foster spot where he could heal.

But the bully gods must've seen us tossing and turning over Sal's predicament because they sent us the fairy godmother of healers. Jackie Gunbar is the CA chair of the Delta Society, and now she's Sal's new mom! Her org's mission is to "help lead the world in advancing human health and well-being through positive interactions with animals." Our beloved Salvador, who had his surgery last week, is now recuperating in the safety of her home. Touch-Junkie Sal is a natural for the therapy work that Jackie does thru Delta Society, so when she and her husband Greg agreed to adopt him as their next family member and therapy dog star, our hearts soared.

Thanks to all of our donors including FOAS, the little Oakland street stray is about to start an important new career healing others under Jackie's tutelage. How's that for good news?

How to DONATE to the barn raising.

St. Louis MO - Been there, Done that

2009-07-10T14:41:00.000-07:00

... Now what?

Most animal folks who watch the news know by now that the Humane Society Missouri spearheaded one doozie of a raid this week, resulting in the arrest of 26 suspected dog fighters and sweeping over 400 dogs from several states into custody. ROCK ON HSMO!

This isn't the first time they nabbed a bad guy. We all cheered when they broke up a large dog fighting operation in 2007, and we were honored to work with them to eval all 27 of the dogs from that raid (right). As a result of their good working relationship with rescue orgs, over one third of the dogs went on to new lives. Here's just one: Caelyn

As expected, we're getting a lot of mail from people who want to see the dogs from this recent bust evaluated and given a chance to be rescued. First thing's first tho': Remember that the dogs still belong to the accused, and they deserve their due process. If and when the dogs are released to the authorities, that's when we can begin speculating about their rescue.

Yes, it's a big case but it's good to note that the animal welfare community has had many dress rehearsals for helping animals from bigger disasters, so - I'd like to think - we're getting better at helping the victims. We're trying, at least. During Hurricane Katrina, groups worked together to help thousands of pit bulls as well as non-pits. (Below, one of the hundreds of Hurricane Katrina pit bulls at Lamar Dixon waiting for 'What's next?' ... Did she survive? Most did not.)

Now the bad news. One of more difficult lessons from Katrina however may play out in this case. This is, reputable rescues and shelters may not be able (or in some cases, not willing) to collectively absorb all the foster status dogs from this case. There are just too few of us. And that may be the most difficult lesson of all.

The St. Louis case faithfully mimics what's going on in shelters all over this country: Too many needy pit bulls, never enough adopters or rescues willing/able to meet their needs. No one knows that more than our own local Oakland Animal Services, where staff and a team of dedicated volunteers work butts off daily to deal with adoptable pit bull and pit mixes - their numbers on the increase since the economy took a nosedive. Long story short: even with hardcore efforts, good dogs still lose out.

While we need to stay hopeful, let's also remember that 1) reputable rescue groups need to identify qualified foster homes now more than ever and 2) When we have to let dogs go as we so often do, it's never the dogs' fault. We just have too damn many dogs and never enough helpers. The bitch that was Katrina is a reminder that in all kinds of disasters, including the economic disaster and this cruelty disaster, good efforts do not always add up to the widespread happy endings that victims of these cases so richly deserve.

What you can do: Find out if your local rescue takes in cruelty cases, and if they do, suck up and offer to foster. Seriously. I'll outline the things foster homes need to know in a separate blog. If you have a lease that won't allow you to have a temporary dog, consider fundraising for the rescues are set to raise their hands for these dogs. (Like, - ahem - ours!)

Stay tuned. This case won't be going away anytime soon and there will be lots of twists and turns in the road to report as we humans decide how much room we have in our lives for out-of-luck pit bulls.

Answer to the question above. Yes! This was one of the (few) lucky dogs that did survive Katrina post-rescue.

Gracie - Another Vick dog heard from

2009-07-07T18:33:00.000-07:00

We nearly missed this one, published May 9. Gracie is very likely related to our dear Frodo. Kudos to the Richmond Animal League for stepping up for the dogs from this case. How eerie it must've been to have this happen almost right in your own backyard.
Richmond-Times Dispatch Link

Nelly News

2009-07-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

For all the Nelly fans out there who want an update on our dragon imp, you'll be happy to know that she is happy as ever and even had the energy to march in the pride parade last weekend. We were prepared to put her in the truck if she tired, but she didn't miss a step and charmed the masses ta boot. I think pink is her color and The Little Man below just might agree, even if he does play hard to get. Thanks to all who care so much about her to write and ask - it means a lot to us! - Tim

Growing up and out - Your help needed for an important fundraiser

2009-07-02T00:25:00.000-07:00

This senior dog's name wasn't supposed to stick, but she came into Oakland Animal Services with toenails so long that they curled into her pads, causing her toes to swell. So, meet 'Toes.' Dumb name, I know, but when your day is a busy blur, that creativity can just fly out the window. We figured she was so sweet that a new friend will certainly re-name her, right?

Unfortunately Toes had a seizure in the shelter lobby last week, which led to the discovery of a tumor on her pancreas - dammit. It's bad. It's causing her to wobble a bit and it threatens to shake her like a SF quake again if her blood sugar dips close to empty. If you're a crowded shelter, heartbreak decisions about very sick dogs are relatively cut and dry. And if you're a rescue, you weigh out all the other dogs that need medical care and you make the tough but necessary decision to let go. Toe's prognosis is bad, so we've got to get ready to say good bye. But not so fast -- first we have to give this girl an extended party.

We're giving Toes a compassion hold, meaning, she gets a few days or hopefully weeks living just like a spoiled princess. She's in a home now and is sleeping on soft blankies, playing with new dog friends, eating the best table scraps and getting opps to smell the air and lie in the grass. Readers may know that we do a number of these kinds of cases throughout the year, and while they aren't as sexy or headline worthy as bust dog cases, we believe they're just as important.

Because compassion cases as well as dog fighting and other cruelty cases tend to show up without much warning, it's not unusual for our living rooms to get crowded with last minute crates. After the Vick dogs arrived, we had thirteen dogs spread around in our living/dining room before they finally left to waiting foster homes. Crazy, man (don't tell the neighbors!) We grin and bear it, but there are clearly better ways to do this work.

So what took us so long? After slapping our foreheads and realizing that we need to create a more appropriate setting, we kept our eyes open and finally found the perfect half acre setting to build a barn - or, 'guest house' with exercise grounds for incoming dogs. No more pushing the sofa aside for new dogs, and no more long hours in a crate. New dogs deserve roomier kennels to unwind in.

I had no idea what a pole barn was until we started pouring over internet sites that sell kit houses and kit barns. What a fascinating shopping mission! We settled on a modest but attractive design that will allow us to house compassion holds like Toes in roomy comfort as well as provide decompression relief for fight bust dogs that land here en route to their next way stations. It's very exciting, and sorta scary.

Capital Campaign

To make the barn a reality, we'll be doing our first ever capital campaign. But before we launch the fundraiser, we're looking for a few matching gift challenges to boost the project. Can you help?

What's a matching gift? --> INFO

If your employer has a matching gift program, or if you're willing to arrange one as an individual, please send a note to Tim so we can 1) remind ourselves that we're not altogether crazy for fundraising during an economic downturn and 2) so we can have your challenge ready and waiting to be met when we launch the campaign. Tim will help you get your paperwork in order.

For all the dogs who will benefit, a million thanks!

More Pride!

2009-06-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the Shouts!

2009-06-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who gave up shouts for our dogs that marched down Market Street in the SF Pride Parade yesterday. We're all peeling ourselves and our deliciously tired dogs off the floor today after a great weekend celebrating diversity in SF.

Until we dust off our brains and download the fun into a slideshow, here's a little teaser of the day ... Our fearless organizer Donyale Hoye and playgirl Muggy -- down at the T & A Market, natch!

Road Pup

2009-06-25T23:44:00.000-07:00

We received one of the nicest-ever applications from someone whose beloved pit bull had just passed at a ripe old age. Mary Jo has a lot of dog smarts and laid out a very specific wish list for her next companion: She was looking for a dog that could handle a certain amount of confinement, and who was resilient and accepting of change and big adventure. She should be a committed sofa surfer, but spunky enough to gobble up a good dose of exercise when the time was right. She couldn't be the least bit shy with people because she was going to meet a LOT of them, and she had to tolerate other dogs well enough to enjoy a good play session with friends' dogs, but ignore dumb dog manners of strange dogs. Mary Jo knew pit bulls well enough to know there were lots of dogs out there that fit the bill, and she had decided that she wanted to adopt a dog from Oakland. No problem!

The home visit was going to be easy because she was willing to drive her house up to us -- all the way from New Mexico in her RV. How cool is that? Now retired, she's living right by spending her days traveling around the country. We were honored to help her find a suitable dog. After sizing up a few prospects waiting in the kennels at Oakland Animal Services, a cutie pie from the Bully Crew program named Cata Girl won the pit bull lottery. Some paperwork and a peek into Cata's new home, and they were off.

Mary Jo wrote to us from the road and told us a little bit about their first few days together:

Right now we are heading back to NM and camping in the state parks. I call Cata Girl, Katy. Katy is getting used to big noisy semis with air brakes and generators running. Not much seems to faze her. She has seen some dogs and notices them but does not seem to be aggressive or agitated by them. She was interested in a prairie dog today.

She is very sweet and very loveable. Loves her tummy rubbed like most all Pit Bulls. Katy took to the RV right away when I started up the engine. Didn't bother her one little bit. When I go outside to do something or fill the tank with gas, Katy watches me at the window. She is a real love bug.

I think this is the first adoption we've ever worked on that included a prairie dog report in the first follow up.

Thanks for going to distance to find a new co-pilot, Mary Jo. We envy your gypsy lifestyle and look forward to more reports from the road.

Progress Report: From the Victims of Cruelty Working Group

2009-06-23T12:21:00.001-07:00

Altho' it's been quiet on the outside since leaving the big multi-org meeting in Vegas last April, inside, busy brains are rockin' towards creating ways to work collectively to help the victims of cruelty: aka the pit bulls confiscated from abusive situations including dog fighting operations.

Here's a link to our e-news alert with the PROGRESS STATEMENT from the Victims of Cruelty Working Group included.

I decided to paste this photo in the blog post because, even though I hate pix of myself (Tim is way cuter), I remember exactly how I was feeling at that very moment it was taken when I see it ... Connecting with that ever-grateful dog and the realization that all this crazy work that we all do is so worth it.

This blog post and the progress report is for him ... Mr. Hopeful.

Home

2009-06-20T20:59:00.000-07:00

A big day for Salvador and Retha. These best friends leaned on each other for companionship and fun while at the shelter, and today they got to leave the shelter together to go to their new (separate) homes.

After all these years, we're not supposed to get choked up when they leave us...right?

*SOB*

Lessons from the late, great Dirk

2009-06-16T18:49:00.000-07:00

After working with boatloads of shelter dogs over the years, we've dropped the belief that pit bulls are an inherently dog aggressive breed. We certainly consider them to be one of the more improperly socialized breeds in our crowded cities right now, however. We don't always do right by dogs in this big busy world of ours: Rushing them into dicey nose-to-nose greets with strange dogs, setting them up for failure in chaotic, poorly run dog parks, leaving them to their own devices at home with other dogs and no playground monitor to enforce the rules - or just plain isolating them from other dogs altogether in lonely backyards. Then, when they get into trouble or come to the shelter and show bad manners with other dogs, we blame them instead of their handlers - or especially - we blame their breed. "Damn pit bulls! Can't trust them with other dogs!"

Poor dogs - What have we done to them!

The sadder side of this story is how much damage we can do to a dog's psyche within the shelter walls. Shelters are impossible places for dogs to live - What, with raging hormones, constant noise and stress, fence fighting with neighbor dogs, distracted handlers and never enough time to help a dog stay exercised or improve his dog-dog skills.

We faced these challenges head-on last summer, when we started selecting dogs for our Ambassadog program at Oakland Animal Services.

Dirk was a big, sexy beast who showed us that he was able to co-exist and even play appropriately with other dogs. A good start. We got him going with training (he was a champ!), took loads of photos and fell ever more in love with his handsome face. And then, the worst happened ... We learned of an accidental fight that occurred between him and another large male in the outdoor kennels during the noise and chaos of the morning cleaning routine. After that fight, Dirk started looking for trouble at cleaning time. And then, he started creating trouble whenever a dog walked near his kennel. And finally, he triggered whenever he was near a dog that offended him. Watching him unravel from dog tolerant to dog aggressive behavior was a heart crusher. With no experienced foster home available and no way to re-school him at the shelter, we made the painful decision to put Dirk to sleep. It was AWFUL. He died because the world, and finally, our system failed him.

Out of this tragedy came a new gameplan: All dogs designated for the Ambassdog program were now to be shuffled to a smaller, quieter, calmer ward where all would get used to each other's presence and live like roommates rather than jailhouse gangstas. Peace and quiet was rewarded and reinforced. And best of all, we created a little oasis (photo: above) where dogs could get out of their kennels and become socialized to other dogs in a relaxed, safe setting.

Every shelter needs an oasis for their long term dogs. In this environment, they learn that they have to follow rules and good things happen to them when they show appropriate behavior. They looove this place and what it represents (learning! attention! fun!) and scramble to get inside during their out times. Dog intros can go as slow as we need here using crates and tie-outs, and everyone is rewarded for loose, happy body language around other dogs. They hear us laughing here and they get to let go of their stress and be a real dog - a pet dog - for a small but very important part of their day.

I was especially grateful for this space the other day when we introduced Salvador to a dog who is brand to the program. Salvador had been snippy with dogs when he first came to us. Not surprising, he had an injured front leg, he was skinny, unneutered, and the shelter was full of edgy dogs ready to push his frazzled buttons. 'Not to worry,' we said - 'We'll get him over this.' Thanks to the team's guidance and especially, Miss Retha, Sal has learned to expect that only good things will come from other dogs - All this, while living among dozens of reactive, barking shelter residents. Last week, Salvador imparted an "All is well" lesson to new dog 'Bemis.' Here's a video of their first play session, inside the oasis otherwise know as our trailer. Listen to how Tim and Mike are rewarding the dogs for their appropriate play. Look at how damn happy those dogs are. Every shelter needs a space like this - Really.

Many, many thanks to our supporters who helped make this tiny island a reality. And forever thanks to Dirk for a lesson that's saving so many dogs.

S'more pit bulls, please. June Pit Ed Camp.

2009-06-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Every shelter worker deserves a good get away. Here's a little peek into what our Pit Ed campers get to do when they come to Oakland to play with pit bulls. From June Camp: All work and no play! (Not)

1. Everyone gets to see bay area shelters from the inside out.

2. Environmental enrichment work: Flirt pole practice keeps everybody on their toes. Heather Hart, Interim Director of Operations, Baltimore Humane Society

3. Learning handling skills in Pit Ed class.

4. We stop to watch an Ambassadog meet his prospective family.
5. Helping out at a Shots Fair: Greeting clients and learning what life is like for pit bull owners in this town. Ed Fritz, Campaign Specialist, Best Friends Animal Society
6. Meeting local celeb Jonny Justice.

7. No visit is complete without a snuggle from a snoring Nelly.

Jessica Dolce of the Animal Refuge League (Maine!)

8. Potty breaks for the dogs interrupt an afternoon of policy talk.

9. Entertaining Ambassadog Retha after hours

(Shhh .. don't let the hotel desk catch you.)

10. Evaluating dogs at Berkeley Animal Care Services.

11. Celebrating a great week with new friends.

12. And finally, a video made during camp by Jessica Dolce in honor of her new buddy, Retha. Thank you Jessica! We had a great time and look forward to highlighting all the wonderful things you diehards will be doing for the pit bulls in your corners in upcoming months.

For more info on Pit Ed Camp, visit Partners in Shelter Services

Watsonville Shots Fair - A family event!

2009-06-09T09:29:00.001-07:00

Last summer, the small farming town of Watsonville spent a few scary days talking about breed specific regulations after two dogs ended up in the spotlight for killing neighborhood cats. Thankfully, that talk subsided once cooler minds recognized that loose running dogs had everything to do with irresponsible owners and nothing to do with breed. Whew When the city council decided to reject targeted discrimination, we promised to do what we could to help bring education and resources to pit bull owners in that community. We put them on our list for one of the four Shots Fairs we do each year and looked forward to becoming more familiar with the dogs and the people of this little town.

Last Sunday, we were greeted by nearly a hundred bee-u-ti-ful pit bulls and some very appreciative families in the green fields of Ramsay Park. Many dog owners shook our hands and told us that no one had ever done anything like this for them before. They'd learned about the fair from fliers we left on their door or from neighbors who shared the news around. Some residents showed up early and helped us unload gear from our trucks. One man kept the first arrivers organized for us.

A number of the dogs already had shots (we vaccinated 65 dogs in total) but their owners were eager to stand in the long line and wait for a free microchip (50 chips distributed) and behavior and training advice, much of it offered in their native language. Many were excited to receive vouchers for free spay/neuter surgeries. Some pit bull owners had everything they needed, but they came out anyway just watch and enjoy the scene: Everyone seemed delighted to be part of this important day.

It was clear to all of us that Watsonville has some very well loved dogs. We hope this city continues to embrace and support the kind people who consider pit bulls to be an important part of their family. Below: A family with their pride and joy, a pup named 'Beast.'

Thanks to everyone who said Yes to this event - including our diehard volunteer crew and veterinarian Dr. Sequoia, who were undaunted by the long and twisty drive to get to the dogs in this town. We have two more Shots Fairs to do in 2009 and rely on private donations to make this real. Big thanks to our donors who vote for projects like these with their hard earned dollars. You are the lifeblood of this work! To help with the next two fairs, hit up our PayPal button in the right hand column and make sure to let us know that you'd like to sponsor our Owner Support work. Thank you, Thank you!

Gargoyle Shade

2009-06-06T19:35:00.001-07:00

TugTug and Nelly, Saturday afternoon.

Eight dogs meet two big hearts

2009-06-02T06:50:00.000-07:00

These kinds of stories are better than a good cup of strong coffee: Two unemployed brothers took on eight abandoned pit bulls in Phoenix this week when their owner was deported. They seem like great guys and great dogs. Donations are pouring in to help them with the burden of vet care costs.

Two paws up for random acts of kindness today! Phoenix Story

Hat tips to Samantha!

Good times in NorCA - Let's get the party rollin'

2009-06-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

We've been banging our head on tuff topics for too long. It's time for a pick me up with some yellow duckees in Truckee and some rockin' good times at the upcoming SF Pride parade.

Truckee Duckee Derbee & Dogs in Duds Contest - June 7

NorCA pit bull peeps can find some fun comin' up in the beautiful mountain town of Truckee, CA, where the Truckee Humane Society is honoring V-dogs Uba and Jonny Justice at their annual fundraiser. Come on out and meet them and donate to a good cause! Full details: Article

Two dogs rescued from the infamous Michael Vick Bad Newz Kennels will be the special "pets of honor" at the sixth annual Truckee Duckee Derbee & Dogs in Duds Contest at the River Ranch Lodge on June 7. The TDD pre-race party starts at 2 p.m. with live music and the "Dogs in Duds" at 3 p.m. The Derbee, which starts at 4 p.m., is billed as the "most unpredictable 2 minutes in Tahoe" as the rubber ducks must negotiate the whimsical currents and eddies of the Truckee River to the finish line at the River Ranch patio.

SF Pride Parade - Sunday June 28

Needless to say, this event is all about feeling fabulous and PROUD. The GLBT community has always been so welcoming to our dogs and our diverse community of pit bull owners. We look forward to marching in support of equal rights for all once again. Please look for us as we head down Market Street on June 28. Holler LOUD so we know who you are, pit bull people! Pride Details

Here's a re-run for a little taste of last year's parade. Get those walkin' boots ready.

Hitting a wall with stereotypes

2009-05-27T15:23:00.000-07:00

It's a bad joke in BR circles, but on more than one occasion, different members of a local SPCA cornered BR diehard and foster dad Jesse Hernandez at our Shots Fairs and, in a well intentioned but super-DUMB maneuver to do good, asked him how much money it would take for him to speuter his (already altered) dogs.

Oh. Good. God. Somebody's stereotypes were clearly showing that day. (Bribing dog owners is not a tactic BR uses when promoting responsible ownership by the way). Nevermind that Jesse - a family man and accomplished artist whose art pieces are selling faster than hotcakes - was taking time out of his insanely busy schedule to help low income pit bull owners at the fair - Someone figured he looked the part and needed a talkin' to. You know, the backwards hat, baggy pants dude who probably has a litter of blue puppies for sale at home, right? NOT.

We laugh about it, but not in a happy ha-ha way. More like one of those Oh-my-god, can it get much worse than THAT? laughs.

And so we're faced - in our own community and even with so-called progressive animal welfare partners - the unmistakably annoying head bang of stereotypes. They're the same biases that lead so many to believe that "urban youth" is a code word for street fighting gangsters. That anyone who wears a black hoodie or lives the hip hop culture and is attracted to pit bulls MUST be overbreeding or - very likely - fighting them.

Those biases will continue to damage the dogs by making it so much harder to build bridges to under-resourced pit bull owners. I'll go one step further and call these the same biases that have lead some to believe that "urban youth" is SO very lost and unreachable that only a convicted torturer can reach through to inspire - ahem - empathy for their animals.

Shelters that deal with pit bulls on a daily basis are not so convinced that street fighting is bigger than other issues that affect the breed. In fact, when the HSUS surveyed animal shelters at their expo in 2006, only 18% saw dog fighting as a key problem. Survey Link (Page 12)

One open-ended question asked, “What do you think is the single biggest problem facing pit bulls today?” Forty-seven percent pointed to abusive or otherwise bad owners, while 43 percent said the pit bull’s image and reputation is his main obstacle. Thirty-three percent blamed overpopulation, backyard breeders, and indiscriminate breeding, while 18 percent considered dogfighting to be the culprit. - HSUS Animal Sheltering Mag Oct 06

So why the hype about urban youth and street fighting? Without hardcore data, we have no idea if labels like "epidemic" accurately describe the trend, and we certainly don't know that it's so widespread that desperate measures - ie employing highly controversial role models like Vick - are warranted. The consequence of unbalanced red flagging of any crime is that it can feed the fascination, resulting in copycat crimes, while creating an atmosphere where stereotypes flourish. There's no doubt that street fighting is a common form of animal abuse in our cities, but our experience as well as in our ongoing communications with shelters around the country shows us a very different perspective that matches the results of the 2006 HSUS survey. Most report these key causes for the breed's suffering: POVERTY. Lack of accessible resources - vet care, housing, training. And the heart wrenching consequences of breed bias and discrimination.

"The real truth is, problems in life are never as simple as we want them to be. But the answer is not to stereotype. Don't avoid the issue, but find the real problem and speak to people before believing what you read." - Fairbridge Narrator

I can't speak to how it feels to be under the microscope of owner bias that "urban youth" are under because I'm - you know - a middle aged gringa. But these young people in the UK do and I want to kiss every one of them for telling us what it's like to be stared at and pre-judged as dog fighters and thugs - just for owning a pit bull. Rock on Fairbridge filmmakers - you done good.

Op-Eds on the Vick news

2009-05-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

This email inquiry came in last night.

Hello. I have been following the Michael Vick story and am wondering where BADRAP stands. I didn't see anything on the badrap.org web site. I read in the news that the HSUS has met with him. Since BADRAP took in so many of his beautiful dogs, I thought you guys would be worth listening to on the topic. Is there any indication that he is sincere and recognizes how bad his actions were? Has he actually done anything to show remorse for his cruelty to the dogs you took in? My gut-reaction is to be very dubious. There's just too much money at stake for him if no NFL team will take him on because of this. I think that any public-service ad he does for the HSUS is too little ... too easy. But, I'm just an observer in the whole mess. You guys saw it up-close and I would trust your judgment on the current situation.

Good question. Because we're a group of many individuals who've been deeply involved as well as personally affected by the case, we've resisted forming an official BR statement on Vick's reported attempts to redeem his image. But I thought I would post a few of our individual opinions here for those who may be curious.

From Tim Racer - It is no mystery that Michael Vick wants another chance at the game, the money, and the fame that he once possessed. I am all about forgiveness and second chances – when one is truly remorseful . There is of course a world of difference between feeling badly about a wrong doing, and feeling badly about being caught. Who knows where Roger Goodell stands on this? I am disappointed that there has to be so much time spent to make such a seemingly simple decision about whether this man should ever play the game again. He ran a major felony dog-fighting operation since he first became a professional ball player – for his entire six year career. He fought and he killed countless innocent animals, some by repeatedly slamming their skulls and spines into the ground until they broke. What exactly *does it take to be released from the NFL?

Twenty three months in prison does not make a sick (in the truly medical sense of the term) individual like Vick, better. Mike has teamed up with the HSUS to to good things now. His agents made it so. Good move. Maybe that will help him play again.

For those who believe Vick has paid his dues, I would have to differ. He has not and will not spend a single day behind bars for animal cruelty as his federal charges were for racketeering. And as for remorse, Vick pled NOT GUILTY to animal cruelty charges at his state trial – and it was dropped in a plea deal. How can this man be remorseful for his crimes if he does not even believe he was cruel to animals?

From Nicole Rattay, who cared for the dogs in VA, and now provides a home for the very damaged Iggy -
Michael Vick has a history of negative behavior. His release from incarceration is only the most recent chance he has been given. How many does he deserve? I don't know. What I do know is that real, lasting change takes hard work. Work that so far Mr. Vick has failed to demonstrate a willingness or ability to do. It would be nice if he were able to maintain some positive changes in his life, I guess time will tell.

From Letti, Uba's adopter - Vick has a huge opportunity to turn his life around and make some very positive changes for himself and the dogs he tortured. Pit bulls and their owners have to constantly prove to the world that pre-concieved notions about pit bulls are misguided. Vick is facing the same up hill battle to show dog lovers that he truly understands his offenses and that he can change. When we take our dogs out in public, we hope that people are open minded enough to accept our dogs and learn about the true nature of pit bulls, so we should also endeavor to be open minded enough to allow Vick to attempt his own redemption. As Kathleen said, I hope that Vick has the tools to change.

From me (Donna) - I admit I'm stuck on this one because I just can't get myself away from the swimming pool in Vick's yard. I first learned about it while riding in the back seat of a federal agent's car that sweltering Tuesday back in Sept 07. The agent was assigned with escorting us to the various Virginia shelters so we could evaluate "the evidence" otherwise known as 49 pit bulls - now known as cherished family pets: Hector, Uba, Jhumpa, Georgia, Sweet Jasmine and the rest. I'm not sure if sharing insider information with us was kosher, but you know how driving down long country roads can get you talking. I imagine she just needed to get some things off her chest. She said she was having trouble sleeping since the day they exhumed the bodies on the Moonlight Road property. She said that when she watched the investigators uncover the shallow graves, she was compelled to want to climb in and pick up the decomposing dogs and comfort and cradle them. She knew that was crazy talk, and she was grappling with trying to understand such a surprising impulse.

Her candor set the tone for this entire saga. Everyone we worked with was deeply affected by the case. The details that got to me then and stay with me today involve the swimming pool that was used to kill some of the dogs. Jumper cables were clipped onto the ears of underperforming dogs, then, just like with a car, the cables were connected to the terminals of car batteries before lifting and tossing the shamed dogs into the water. Most of Vick's dogs were small - 40lbs or so - so tossing them in would've been fast and easy work for thick athlete arms. We don't know how many suffered this premeditated murder, but the damage to the pool walls tells a story. It seems that while they were scrambling to escape, they scratched and clawed at the pool liner and bit at the dented aluminum sides like a hungry dog on a tin can.

I wear some pretty thick skin during our work with dogs, but I can't shake my minds-eye image of a little black dog splashing frantically in bloody water ... screaming in pain and terror ... brown eyes saucer wide and tiny black white-toed feet clawing at anything, desperate to get ahold. This death did not come quickly. The rescuer in me keeps trying to think of a way to go back in time and somehow stop this torture and pull the little dog to safety. I think I'll be looking for ways to pull that dog out for the rest of my life.

So that's where I'm at. A second chance for Vick?
An HSUS sponsored spokesman for ending torture? In my mind's eye Vick is still in the shadows at the side of that pool. As many times as this scene plays out my head, he hasn't yet moved towards that dog to pull him out. Not there yet.

That's it for now. We may hear from more of the foster homes and adopters as the news unfolds.

Jhumpa meets the world thru CNN

2009-05-20T11:59:00.000-07:00

Thank you Kathleen, for being such a great spokes-mama for your Vick dog!

Happy news for Okie dogs

2009-05-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

Nearly five months after leaving their freezing hell hole, the Kay County Oklahoma bust dogs are starting to find their way to permanent homes. It's such a good feeling, I can't even tellya.

This runny-eyed old guy broke our hearts into a thousand pieces when we first spotted him weighed down under his heavy chain. Reps from MABBR (Mid-America Bully Breed Rescue) scooped him right up and took him home. Brandi Smith told us "I don't think his tail has stopped wagging since he went into a home." Even better, his people haven't stopped wagging since he showed up. They just asked to be his forever people.

The skateboard vibe of his new home must have rubbed off, because the dog we all thought was old has dropped a number of years since his recovery and is now thought to be middle aged. That's the power of love. Congrats to his family and huge thank yous to MABBR for taking this special dog along with so many others and giving them a life.

...And look how HAPPY this little stinker looks!

More Happy: Our funny duck pup Emmett has two people that can't wait to bring him home. He was found on this same yard, weak from hunger and crammed into a too-tiny crate with his starving siblings. Due to the horror of his beginnings, his recovery has been slooow but steady.

The people as well as the adult dogs in his foster homes helped remind Emmett that life is good. Now he gets his own doting humans for keeps along with a female pit bull who wants to show him how her world works. Well done, pony boy. Your kind of good fortune is worth a ticker tape parade.

Here's a little video of the pup back in December, finally being reunited with his mama after a long road trip home. Kudos again to Best Friends for helping our dogs get to California.

So what about Okie girl Nelly?

Some have noticed that she's got an 'Adopted' notice tagged onto her website bio. We pulled her out of the adoption pool when her health issues starting adding up. Turns out that our dragon girl has babesia on top of everything else. Babesia is a blood parasite that causes anemia and as it cycles, it causes her to have low periods. It's treatable but not necessarily curable. Combined with her breathing difficulty, funky little chicken legs and digestion problems, we did not feel comfortable offering her as an adoptable dog, especially if her time may be short..

On the same hand, this girl's constitution is stronger than most of us put together! So we decided that, as long as she's wagging happy and acting herself, she'll stay with us and enjoy a life of luxury.

Heads up: We are open to finding the wonderful Miss Nelly a hospice situation that can give her more one-on-one than we can provide - provided that home stay realistic about her quality of life. So in a nutshell, she's reminding us all to live one day at a time, and to enjoy every minute while we're in it with her. Thank you, little girl.

E60 - Online, now

If you haven't seen the recent E60 show on the Vick dogs, it's online now. Dare you to watch it without tearing up when Nicole Rattay offers her two cents. E60 ONLINE

Friday Brags - Campers that kick ass

2009-05-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's time to start prepping for our spring Pit Ed Camp, held at Oakland Animal Services. These quarterly gatherings designed for shelter workers have turned into hyper-busy think tanks with some of the most motivated pit bull activists in the country. After a long week of non-stop gabbing, sussing, ruminating, bantering and scheming about pit bulls pit bulls pit bulls, we all go home and collapse. And then, those of us in Cali get to sit back and watch what the Campers do with their inspiration. That's my favorite part.

This past group, the 'February Camp' (below) outdid itself within the first few weeks of getting home.

Indy Fire

Stinging high fives to our friends in Indianapolis who hit the ground running by designing program improvements at the same time they helped punch an annoying BSL threat in the nose. Let me tell you, those Indy girls don't take no prisoners. Even while at camp, they were shooting rapid fire emails to comrades at home and scheming around best ways to help their shelter's pit bulls and defeat whisperings of breed specific additions to dangerous dog ordinance at the same time. Their efforts paid off: BSL got kicked in the ass on Tuesday night. Dangerous dog ordinance tabled --- Good work Indy grrrrls!

"It's (the BSL proposal) wasting valuable time council members and animal welfare groups could be spending elsewhere in a productive way." - Angela Mansfield, Democratic Councilor

Not a fan of wasting time, Nina Gaither - a behaviorist at the Humane Society of Indianapolis - turned into a whirling dervish when she got home from Camp and, after debriefing HSI staff on lessons learned in Oakland, started up immediately with improvements including enrichments big and small for the dogs in her care. We look forward to her six month report that will outline how things are going back at home.

Bringing it to Harlem

Aimee Hartmann of the ASPCA hung out with us in the pouring rain during our recent Shots Fair in East Oakland. She barely had time to unpack before she hammered out a similar style event in Harlem. Her goal was to bring good will and resources to low income pet owners, especially the pit bull owners. She called her event the 'ASPCA Harlem Community Block Party.'

These are the results of their big day. We're so impressed!

ASPCA Community Harlem Block Party
114 pets were spay/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped.
More than 250 s/n appointments scheduled on clinics within the next 5 weeks.
150 pets licensed and registered. Hundreds of pet parents outreached and networked

Mendocino Pit Crew

Camper Alum Leslie Dodds from 2007 has been going so hot and heavy with her Pit Crew program at Mendocino Animal Care and Control that Mendocino County Child Services has asked her to create a pit bull focused program for at risk teens. They couldn't have chosen a better organizer for this new program. We look forward to updates as Pit Crew moves forward with helping more members of Mendocino's community as well as its dogs. (Left, A Pit Crew volunteer works a shelter dog during training class.)

Our June Camp will host shelter workers from Maine, Delaware, Texas and - Kanab Utah. (Hmm... I wonder who that could be?) Campers will end their week by helping us bring education and resources to low income pit bull owners in the form of a Shots Fair in Watsonville, CA, where city council members rejected measures to discriminate against select breeds last summer. We're more than happy to help with solutions in this town.

"Dogs aren't the problem. People are. That was the conclusion of the Watsonville City Council on Tuesday, when they rejected enacting regulations targeting specific breeds of dogs." - Santa Cruz Sentinel Aug 2008

Reject discrimination, and open the door to community activism. Love it.

If you know a shelter worker who would benefit from a week long shot in the arm for their work with pit bulls, please send them this Flyer. We'd love to shake things up with them.

A lesson for landlords

2009-05-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

"Dog People Only Need Apply" - Becoming a Pet-Friendly Landlord

I love when this happens....This is the 'Ejicate the Landlord' article I've been meaning to write but haven't gotten around to. Authored by attorney Elaine Lee, who specializes in landlord-tenant law among other things. In Bay Woof this month. Thank you Bay Woof!

While the Net is filled with great info for scoring pet friendly rentals, we really should be working just as hard to show landlords why responsible pet owners make some of the most mature, committed and long term residents.

"I discriminate and it's legal. I rent exclusively to my own kind, people who share their lives with dogs ...
Having a dogs-only policy over the years has confirmed what I instinctively knew from the outset: responsible dog people make fantastic tenants" - Elaine Lee

Tim and I are property owners and have lucked out with some of the nicest people on the planet in our apartments - mostly pit bull owners, natch. Their common denominator is that they all dig making animals an important part of their lives, so have devoted themselves to making their rental a home rather than just a hopscotch landing pad. But we have the luxury of our years of rescue work to help us make match-up decisions. Without that experience, I imagine it could be difficult to know who to say 'Yes' to when scads of pet owners respond to a Pets/Yes ad. Hopefully Elaine's article will help other landlords find the confidence to give committed pet owners the home they deserve. Some tips from her article on selecting the right pet owners for your rentals:

Carefully evaluate the relationship between the people and their dog. For example: Is the dog under voice control? Is there genuine caring between each person and the dog? Is the dog at ease during interactions? Is there a lack of fear/cowering on the dog's part?

Notice the temperament of the dog. Is he calm and content? If so, that usually means the animal is being well cared for and is getting enough exercise. I don't even consider renting to a person whose dog is pulling at the leash or appears hyperactive, because this can mean that the steward doesn't train or exercise him adequately.

Check the work schedule of the person (people). I like to rent to couples who have staggered schedules so the dog has adequate care and company and is not left alone indoors for long periods of time. I also like to rent to people who work at home, come home for lunch, or take their dogs to work with them.

Under no circumstances do I rent to people whose dog I haven't met. Despite great dog resumes, references, and pictures, there is no substitute for checking things out for yourself. Regardless of the offers of cash or the pleading and promises, keep in mind that you are in the process of creating a long-term relationship with someone and their pet. You don't want to go through needless acrimony down the line with this or your other tenants, or with neighbors, much less a possible eviction proceeding if the dog does not live up to the hype.

Make sure the prospective tenant's dog gets along well with the other dog(s) on the property. Once you have narrowed it down to a few candidates, try to schedule meetings where prospective tenants and their dogs can interact with your current tenants and dogs in a neutral setting, like a nearby park, or even on the sidewalk in front of the building. If the dogs get along well, they are likely to play together regularly, meaning the dogs get more exercise and the people can exchange pet care. This can make for happy, long-term tenants.

Be sure to check out references. For novice property owners, it is a good idea to take the extra step of visiting the prospective tenants in their current living situation to see how they live with their dog.

Fenced yards are a must. They prevent dogs from being cooped up indoors needlessly, decreasing the possibility of your property being damaged or soiled. I always allow tenants to install dog doors, if they want them.

Make sure that prospective tenants walk their dogs at least once a day. This cuts down on dog waste in the yard and usually results in happier animals and people and nicer living conditions. Do not rent to people who plan to tie their dogs up in the backyard. More info from Elaine's article.

Above: Carolyn Jones and her girl Penny (dog on left) have become an important part of the BR 'family' since answering our ad several years ago.

Some tips for those on the other side of the fence who plan to look for housing this summer: Renting with Pit Bulls
Don't forget the magic of getting your dog's Canine Good Citizen Certification for opening doors. In the SF bay area, register with Linda to see if your pit bull is ready: CGC

Do you haiku?

2009-05-08T12:02:00.000-07:00

What a fun way to celebrate your obsession: SFgate columnist Amelia Glynn launched a happy little contest in her Tails of the City column this week. Pet Haiku Contest

Since nothing inspires quite like our favorite fat heads, we're counting on a steady stream of haiku jewels from the pit bull front. Submit your masterpieces by May 22. Here's mine:

The Tao of Sally

You're my religion.
The world's best secrets revealed
in your pink lipped grin.

When labels won't stick

2009-05-06T22:52:00.000-07:00

Oh holy conundrums. Tuesday brought new faces to a familiar dilemma: Ten 'pit bull type' dogs came into the shelter where only one adoption kennel was waiting to welcome them. The problem grew tougher as we got to know each lovely dog.

Two of the new intakes were a mated pair, brought in off the streets by kind Oakland Police officers. The female (left) - named 'Mamas' - is pregnant, somewhat aloof and workably reactive to other dogs. The male, obviously someone's pride and joy, showed a warmer people-soft personality and desire to connect. As unlicensed strays, they had to be fixed before they could leave the shelter.

The owner was upset about losing out on his litter but after battling the desk staff, finally came to the decision to surrender his female to be adopted out or destroyed, whichever came first. He promised to come back for his pride and joy male - the bubble headed blue - but never returned.

His unlicensed stray problem then became our problem. With only one spot for a lucky Ambassadog, we're faced once again with the hardest question of all: As we work to keep our ambassador program moving forward, what do we do with perfectly good dogs that look like pit bulls but aren't really pit bulls at all?

The mated pair were a 4K investment for their owner. They're registered as American Bully Dogs, a new fangled creation of English Bulldog, Neo Mastiff and, yes, Pit bull - Designed to appeal to a demographic that likes its dogs to mimic low riders in every way.

Low. Ri. Der. Don't drive too fast now.

The personality of these offshoots is anything but pit bull. It's normal for them to be low key and pretty darn aloof ... Not the traits pit bull fans generally go for. This particular pair has the added challenge of edgy dog/dog manners - totally workable, but still. They aren't the love-to-please-you types that help make our job with true pit bulls so very easy.

We bantered back and forth for hours. Do we make room for one of these Pit bull imposters and put some resources into polishing up their manners? They tend to be very desirable because of their looks and - after all - it's not their fault they're mixes! OR do we give the coveted kennel to one of the many wriggly dogs who are practically oozing through the bars to push their fat heads into our laps?

Sometimes you have to just relax and let your answers come to you. In between sussing out an alarming plethora of blue puppies today, this sweet senior made his way into our eval line up. He was so sure that we were there to make him happy that all those 'What do we do?' questions melted away. He is - for lack of a better word - a Real Pit bull. Or, what we want Pit bulls to be: Social, sentimental even. Even keeled. Funny. Cheerful to a fault.

He reminded me that, when we're looking for dogs that get to wear the Pit bull label, we're looking for personalities rather than exteriors. And those personalities tend to match an ideal version of a dog that we've collectively agreed is a Pit bull, DNA be damned.

I'm sorry for the American Bullies. They're a fad breed and will hit a rock bottom as their numbers increase. Until their advocates get busy with rescue (and reducing their production), the unlucky dogs that land in the shelters will be stuck in No Man's Land like a lot of mixy dogs and will either be condemned for looking too much like Pit bulls or, in situations like ours, declined for not being Pit bull enough. We can only hope that the American Bully fanciers heed our call for help for this unlucky pair and throw them and other dogs like them a quick lifeline. Stay tuned for updates.