Cabin Fever: What your (Unexpected Pit Bull) Calendar bought!

With so many dogs in need, we learned long ago that a rescue-only focus was going to bury us quick and burn us out even faster. So our 'teach a man to fish' philosophy was born: As much and as often as we can, we share what we know with animal care professionals around the country in conference presentations, workshops, articles, mentorships and internships that we call Pit Ed Camp.

The work intensive jam sessions of 'Camp' have been especially gratifying because they give shelter staffers hands-on opportunities to work on learning projects that matter: Everything from exercises to keep kenneled dogs content and well socialized, to setting up dog play dates, to running a public training class and a spay/neuter outreach event in low income neighborhoods. Then the real fun happens - After our guests go home, we get to watch them implement lasting change in their home shelters as a result of what they learned.

Budget Challenges

With shrinking animal control budgets, covering the travel/housing costs of internships can be the biggest obstacle to seeding progressive bay area practices in other cities. In 2011, we were honored to receive a grant from PetSmart Charities to bring shelter workers here via a partnership with Best Friends Animal Society for a busy four days of instruction. But the cost to house them ate up a big chunk of the budget (over 10K) - money that could've gone to other pressing needs - like, providing more free spay/neuters for low income neighborhoods.

Enter the Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar. This generous group of dog loving photographers from organization HeARTs Speak pour their hearts into incredible calendar photos and then give 100% of the profits away to rescue groups. One hundred percent of proceeds donated!

Last year, the UPBC helped us build an addition on our Rescue Barn, which gave us laundry and allowed us to save the lives of some very special dogs including Star.

In the new year, their generosity continues. Thanks to the UPBC's vision, we've been able to buy ... drumroll please ... on-site accommodations for interns in the form of this small guest cabin! How fabulous is that? The cabin will make Pit Ed Camp more affordable and will also allow us to welcome out-of-area adopters and other special visitors. Look how cute this thing is! It will live right next to the Rescue Barn so - of course - the foster dogs will also get a chance to try out real world house skills with visiting guests. Would we have it any other way?



We're thrilled, delighted and downright giddy about the chance to continue this important work and help other communities get the info they need to help their dogs back home. Thank you Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar!

A note about internships: Although the cabin won't be here until after our winter rains end, we're happy to hear from shelter workers and rescue groups who hope to gain experience in favorite methods and polices practiced by BADRAP and our community partners. One of our criteria is that attendees have the authority and their supervisors' blessings to make changes in their shelters based on what they learn in camp. If you have interest, please let us know so we can alert you to dates in 2012. contact@badrap.org

Vick Dogs 'sign' books in Pacifica this Saturday - Come join us!

(Press Release January 18)

A benefit book launch at Pacifica dog boutique AnnaBee's will host three former 'Michael Vick dogs' on Saturday, January 21 from 1-4pm. The dogs appear in photographer Melissa McDaniel's newest book titled, "Pit Bulls & Pit Bull Type Dogs - 82 Dogs the Media Doesn't Want You to Meet."

Bay Area dog fans will have an opportunity to meet three dogs who survived Michael Vick's dog fighting operation on Saturday, January 21, from 1-4pm. Dogs Jonny Justice, Teddles and Uba will be offering paw print autographs, friendly licks and photos in celebration of the launch of Melissa McDaniel's third and newest book in The Photo Book Projects series, titled: "Pit Bulls & Pit Bull Type Dogs - 82 Dogs the Media Doesn't Want You to Meet."

The event is a fundraiser for BADRAP, the Oakland-based non-profit that participated in the landmark animal welfare case through the evaluation, rescue and recovery of Vick's former dogs. BADRAP brought 13 of the dogs back to the SF bay area after a federal judge in Virginia cleared their release. All of the dogs - including Jonny, Teddles and Uba - have been adopted by local families. Each dog has earned his Canine Good Citizen Certification and Jonny went on to become a therapy dog, helping learning disabled children find the confidence to read.

Philadelphia-based portrait photographer Melissa McDaniel first spent time around pit bulls when she volunteered to photograph dogs at her local shelter several years ago. "I admit I was a little hesitant around these dogs at first since I had never spent much time around them and I believed the negative media hype. However, after the third or fourth pit bull type dog I photographed wanted nothing more than to wag his tail and lick my face, I quickly realized that the media has it all wrong."

To create her latest book, McDaniel toured the US for six months, traveling 12,550 miles to photograph 82 pit bull or pit bull type dogs. She said, "Ever since I decided to create a series of photo books on dogs, I knew I would be devoting an entire book to pit bulls. You only have to visit your local shelter to understand why."

BADRAP Director Donna Reynolds noted, "Watching Melissa work with the dogs was fascinating. She drew out their joyful natures and just poured their personalities into her photographs. These photos can probably do more to help the public see the souls of these dogs than just about anything we could ever hope to say or do!"

The event is Saturday, January 21 from 1-4pm at AnnaBee's in the Pedro Point Shopping Center at Linda Mar Beach. Suggested donation five dollars.

Directions to AnnaBee's

About AnnaBee's
Established in 2009, AnnaBee's Doggie Boutique & Cafe is a pet fashion boutique and indoor cafe for dogs located in the Pedro Point Shopping Center in Pacifica, CA. AnnaBee's boutique offers ready-to-wear couture garments for dogs of all sizes and a unique selection of handmade accessories and eco-friendly toys for cats and dogs.

About BADRAP
BADRAP formed in 1999 to tackle the difficult issues that had been bringing early death and suffering to San Francisco bay area pit bull type dogs. They soon developed into a nationally recognized resource for both dog owners and shelters, offering desirable pets for adopters, training classes for dog owners and presentations and professional consultations to animal welfare leaders around the country.

About The Photo Book Projects
The Photo Book Projects is a series of photo books (and more!) designed to raise awareness about companion animals in the U.S. and Canada today, especially those that are mistreated or abused. Issues addressed include the pet overpopulation problem, breed-specific legislation, puppy mills and myths about deaf dogs. A percentage of the proceeds from the first three photo books, Deaf Dogs, Rescued in America and Pit Bulls & Pit Bull Type Dogs, is donated to animal rescue and advocacy groups.

Contacts
Maureen (Mo) Murray, owner AnnaBee's
tel: (650) 735-5566
email: annabeesboutique(at)gmail(dot)com

Progress in Ohio (HB14) - What could change?

The state of Ohio is a few short steps away from dismantling a dog control law that has defined "dogs commonly known as pit bulls" as "dangerous and vicious" for the past twenty five years. House Bill 14 - which would remove the breed-specific definition from the Ohio state law and make much needed improvements to the dangerous dog law - was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday 1/10 and is expected to move through a Senate vote as soon as next week before heading to the governor for his consideration.

The current law that singles out pit bulls for discriminatory treatment has been around so long that most animal care professionals and dog wardens we polled had no idea what caused it to end up on the books in the first place, but most everyone agrees that it's done nothing to reduce dog bites, decease shelter numbers or make communities safe from the deeds of irresponsible and reckless dog owners. Just the opposite: Pit bull popularity flourished after Ohio's state law condemned the dogs, shelters have stayed crowded, euthanasia rates are depressingly high and the dogs continue to cycle through some of the most irresponsible hands in Ohio communities. The outcry against the current law has been gaining momentum since notorious pit bull-hating dog warden Tom Skeldon resigned from his position as dog warden in Lucas County. Progressive voices agree: The current law is defective, it's discriminatory and it's gotta go.

Will breed specific legislation end in Ohio the minute HB14 becomes law? Well, no. HB14 is not a magic wand that will wave BSL away in cities that have it, and it won't stop municipalities from enacting it. Fighting those battles will take the usual blood, sweat and tears - one city council meeting at a time. But without the state mandated definitions that currently malign "dogs commonly known as pit bulls," it will make for a much easier fight.

So if it can't bump BSL, what's HB14 good for? Passage of this legislation will ring in a new era of common sense and will allow Ohio to tackle dog issues more effectively and without victimizing typey dogs and responsible owners. It will signal to the public, to local law makers, and even to our friend the media, that the state regards dogs as individuals whose behaviors cannot be pre-determined by breed make-up - All of which will make room for strategies that directly target the human element in dog ownership.

Insurance obstacles will be neatly removed. Without the dangerous/vicious label and its built-in liability factor, companies like State Farm will be able to fully embrace pit bulls and write non-discriminatory policies just as they do in the rest of the country, allowing more responsible homes to own the dogs. Shelters that have held off will finally get the green light to promote pit bulls for adoption, stealing business away from the backyard breeders who've been so busy all these years.

Right - This 17lb mixed breed adult dog was caught up in an Ohio shelter's pit bull adoption ban and set to be destroyed. Needless to say, Blink came back to Oakland with us after we met her. She's another reason that breed discriminatory policies victimize perfectly adoptable dogs whose only sin is being born with short fur and a blocky head.

An important piece of HB14 will give Ohio dog wardens more tools to seize and hold dogs whose behavior defines them as dangerous or vicious - regardless of breed type. Once this piece was added to the bill, the Ohio County Dog Wardens Association signed on with its support - an important endorsement for obvious reasons. It also restores the responsible dog owners' ability to enjoy their pets, comply with licensing requirements, and reclaim strays without fear of penalties, restrictions, or loss of insurance. New adoptions, increased licensing, more owner returns and fewer enforcement headaches will be a boost to dwindling animal control budgets.

Like a dress rehearsal for HB14, The City of Cleveland stuck their necks out last June by amending their vicious dog ordinance, removing its definition of pit bulls as "dangerous" and classifying dogs based on behavior rather than appearance. (News) Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone explained, "The breed of a dog is not an indicator of its personality. Any dog who is poorly trained and neglected can be vicious and a threat to our community. These revisions shift the focus from the type of dog to its behavior and neglectful actions of its owner." Animal pros in that town pushed the progress one step further when Cleveland Animal Protective League (CAPL) lifted its 20-some year ban on pit bull adoptions. Since they put their first pit bull on the adoption floor in June ('Joliette' - right), they've enjoyed steady adoption success with at least one pit bull type dog going home every week. Not bad for a shelter operating in the shadow of Ohio's discriminatory state law. CAPL tells us they expect to be able to save many more lives once insurance obstacles are removed through the passage of HB14.

Another shelter that deserves a big bow for embracing pit bulls is the
Humane Society of Greater Akron. They never wavered in their commitment to helping the neediest dogs in their community and have absorbed numerous victims of cruelty over the years, regardless of breed. They're also very excited about the prospect of easier adoptions when HB14 passes and insurance obstacles are removed.

We spent two of our most exciting weeks of 2011 in Ohio, working with CAPL to noodle best practices for their adoption program, meeting with city officials and later presenting to Ohio dog wardens in preparation for big changes ahead. This spring, we'll be back yet again to help another shelter take the leap and put pit bulls on their adoption floor. The invitations extended by these agencies reflect an encouraging optimism that a new era has indeed come to Ohio and especially, to the pit bull type dogs that have suffered and died for over two decades.

While we celebrate the progress made, it's important to remember that good news will come with an incredibly big workload for dog advocates in Ohio. Re-tooling shelter policies, re-educating the public, re-distributing the resources in a way that advances the cause of building safe humane communities will take ball-busting efforts. From our vantage point, Ohio's players are more than ready.

* Visit this site for a break down of dangerous/vicious definitions under HB14.

* NOTE: In spite of the encouraging news, Ohio residents are strongly encouraged to contact their Senators and ask for their full support of HB14.

To all our Santas, with love

milestones and transitions for notable 'bust dogs'

Dogs that were once passed over as too broken to be helped have been passing milestones and making news. Here are a few must-mentions from recent days and weeks...

Audie - the Vick dog survivor who inspired the children's book listed in our sidebar- could care less about his past and is anxious to tear up the agility course now that his once-faulty knees are fully healed.

He competed in his first AKC sponsored show last weekend at the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of America Agility trial and did very well. Lookit that proud boy and his ribbons. Who would've guessed?

To add to his happy day, when Audie and his handler Linda Chwistek were driving home from the trial, they learned that Audie had been announced as the high scoring Novice Staffordshire Bull Terrier of the weekend. Not bad, little man!

Pretty Gigi is finally home for good. She came to us via the large dog fighting operation known as the 'Missouri 500' bust, named in honor of the 500+ victims pulled from various dog fighters around the midwest in the summer of 2009.

What took so long to get home? Gigi's story is especially sad. She was one of several dogs who were hurt very badly by Missouri-based humane investigators who fought dogs during their undercover investigations in 2008. (Video and Story) Gigi's scarred body tells the story of numerous fights during the time period that she was owned by investigators. After they were done with her, she was transferred into our program along with nine other dogs - most of whom did not survive the transition to real life. Just a Dog Rescue in San Diego then opened their doors to her and provided ongoing support for her health care needs and rehabilitation. It was a rough road for this little one. She suffered from an advance case of heart worm and several injuries including the mental damage that comes from a life of mishandling and abuse.

Several months into her recovery, Gigi's foster parents confessed that they couldn't imagine being without her in their lives, and signed adoption papers to announce their commitment. She enjoys the beach as part of her new life, and attends Just A Dog's obedience classes to visit her old friends and forever saviors. Welcome Home, Gigi.

Please thank Just A Dog for all they did for Gigi on their facebook page: here

Leo - once known as Bouncer - has died of natural causes after several years of service as a therapy dog. He was the lucky resident of Hopewell Animal Control in VA when we met him - the only Vick dog in their shelter and a certain celebrity. Thankfully, he was never fought by Vick and received daily outings and kennel enrichment at Hopewell, all of which allowed him to streamline right into real life when he was transferred to Our Pack. He is one of five Vick dogs to have died since their rescue in 2007 and follows Aretha/Seven, Sweet Jasmine, Bonita and Red. He will be dearly missed by the world of Vick Dog fans. Right: Guardian Master Rebecca Huss enjoys Leo during his evaluations in VA.

Mikey - another survivor from the Missouri 500 case - flew back to Oakland with us after we met her during our evaluations of dogs sent to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Full of spirit and drive, she was accepted into the Washington State Patrol as a bomb detection dog, but budget cuts in WA grounded her in Oakland. Not to be discouraged, she was adopted by our Ambassadog trainer Sara Scott, who has been competing her in nosework trials. Mikey recently earned her NW1 title in a nosework competition, along with the 'Harry Award,' which is given to rescued dogs who impress the judges. Way to go Mikey!

Another happy note: Inspired by the MO500 dogs who did so well post-rescue, the Animal Welfare League of Iowa lifted its ban on pit bull adoptions and has been enjoying great success and happy adoptions ever since 2010 through the ARL Pit Crew Club. Visit their dogs on this project's facebook page here.

Finally, ten of the Vick dogs including Hector, Jonny Justice, Uba and Teddles are appearing in the very luscious photo book by Melissa McDaniel. This edition of 'The Photo Book Projects' highlights pit bulls and pit bull type dogs. Melissa shot the dogs on a white background so viewers are treated to nothing but a big blast of DOG on every fabulous, glossy page. Her work is exceptional - We hope a copy lands in your hands so you can enjoy! More Info Here

Home for the Holidays

Except for those cases where photo evidence is needed for cruelty charges, I don't have the heart to point my camera at dying or suffering dogs. I think it's unnecessary and rather exploitive and we see far too much of that in the constant "Save This Dog!" posts that get cross posted round and round and jam our mailboxes. But I bit the bullet and took this photo of Miss Birdy when she first came to us, hoping we'd be able to post it with a happy ending at some point. We are.

Birdy was found as a starving stray in late October - a Halloween skeleton, barely making it down a street in Oakland. A very lost dog or the victim of the foreclosure trends in Oakland? Possibly. Her finder was on her way to work, but pulled over without a second thought. She phoned for a friend to bring kibble - hurry! - and laid a bread crumb trail back to her car. Miss Birdy happily obliged and pulled herself in to the car, nearly dead from the starvation. (photo below after a week of food, if you know what I mean)



She did a detour in the parking lot of Oakland Animal Services where an officer winked the finder off to Berkeley Animal Care Services. And so off she went to BACS and then to our barn to enjoy many, many tiny meals, warm raincoats and new friendships.



We hold our breath with dogs like this. She's a senior dog with a list of health issues, and we won't know 'who she is' until she feels better. Will she die on our watch? Will we have to make a difficult decision and let her go? How much should we budget for her care? How long will she need us and how do we plan for her? A veterinary exam revealed that Birdy has lymphoma, and while she isn't suffering, her days would be limited. Weeks? Months? A year or more? All we knew is that Birdy was very very grateful for any and all attention. She gained weight, demanded affection and even flirted a bit with the boy dogs. The longer she was with us, the more we realized we were helping a living dog, not a dog who needed us to fuss over her end.



Here's the happy part -- And where I can finally justify taking that awful photo when Birdy was at her worst. The former street stray went home yesterday, and her adopter Anneke is just thrilled about her new pet. She asked, "What should I feed her?" My answer: "Anything she wants." They shared a burger on her way home from the barn, and we're quite sure they're going to be living a very, very nice life together. Miss Birdy is home and all is right with the world.



With many thanks to Erin G. for saving this girl when so many others kept on driving.

More (early) photos of Miss Birdy here from the very talented creator of the Love and a Six Foot Leash blog Thanks again, Aleksandra.

Anneke has promised us a blog of Miss Birdy's exploits, so we'll post that link here if and when she does. And more early niblets of our team helping Birdy get acclimated are lined up in our Barn Dog Blog.

Grateful - For everyone who steps outside of their comfort zone

The world is not a safe place right now for people who've lost their income. It's important for those of us who have incomes to stay optimistic and to use our resources wisely to grow a sustainable future, but that optimism should never be allowed to blind us from the realities that too many less fortunate are facing. This is equally true of dog owners who are having a hard time meeting the needs of their pets.

On behalf of those people who are committed to their pets in spite of their hardships, we want to thank every volunteer, rescue group and granting organization who've made giving to low income dog owners a priority in their mission this year. We simply can't help the dogs we've assigned ourselves to help without addressing the needs of their owners first. We have to put blame and judgement aside and value the bond every pet owner deserves to have with his pet, even if he has to make decisions that more privileged dog owners might disagree with. Selling puppies to keep the lights on and feed the kids. Wouldn't you?… Giving your dog away on craigslist when too many landlords turn you away? What choice do they have? … Sleeping outside on the cold cement because local homeless shelters won't allow pets? You know you'd do the same.

The photo on the right has served as a wake-up reminder to me since badrapper Christine Allen snapped it at one of our owner support events. Clearly not a woman of means - it doesn't look like she can afford dog sweaters from etsy much less obedience lessons much less quality vet care. To make sure her puppy got her (free) vaccinations, she showed up four hours early to one of our events in a not-so-safe East Oakland park to secure her place in line. Whenever I find myself slogging to muster the energy to sew together the pieces of another shots fair, I call her image up and presto, my attitude gets itself in line.

We're incredibly grateful to PetSmart Charities, who "gets it" - that dog owners need support, and who helped us help hundreds just like this lady in 2011. And to our diehard volunteers who've perfected the art of compassion in these communities. And to everyone reading who nods 'Yes' when we mention the need to extend ourselves outside of our comfort zone in order to help the dogs by helping their people.

Below is a thanksgiving story from a cyber friend Amanda Verlander in Massachusetts about a moment when she realized how lucky she was. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

_____________________________

Hi BadRap Friends:

I am a follower of yours from way out here in Massachusetts. I had to share this story – well – some reflections on a chance meeting really, in New York City last week.

I was in NYC last week on business, and I was walking up Sixth Ave around 5pm on a crazy cold and busy Friday night. There, on the ground, propped against the wall of a bank, was a homeless woman sitting with a sign asking for money to feed her dog. As I got closer, I saw that covered in a blanket next to her was a very tired, white pit bull. The dog lay, its belly against the cold concrete, quiet and almost unmoving, as the thousands of rush hour footsteps brushed past her curled up body.

I spoke to the woman – her eyes fluttered open. I said that I have a pit bull too, and handed her some money. I noticed one tiny star tattooed under each eye on each cheek. Really? She asked, as she emerged from a kind of trance. Then she laughed – do you dress yours up in silly outfits too? I looked and saw that her dog had a little wool hat pulled down around her bully ears. A pool of wet saliva or drool or something lay on the ground beneath the dog’s nose. I said a quick prayer inside – please don’t let it be from a respiratory infection. It was such a cold night. I laughed and said that my girl has a banana costume that we dress her up in it because she loves bananas. The woman smiled – Really? Bananas, she asked? MMM hmmm – take care of your momma, I said out loud to the dog, as I walked away.

I ran back to the building where I’d been working all day and grabbed two leftover turkey sandwiches from lunch – and then jogged back to where the woman sat outside. I bent down and she opened her tired eyes again. I said, here – take these – and she said, I’ll only take one. I said, no – please – take one for you and one for your dog. That’s why I brought the turkey. She said ok – the dog lifted its nose for a moment, sniffing, showing a mild interest in the plastic box containing the sandwiches. Then she put her weary head back down on the sidewalk. What’s her name, I asked – her name’s “Keelo,” the woman said.

I said good bye again. I wished so much that I had a camera at that very moment, to capture their picture and this moment in time, before I walked away. I would send it to every person who has ever doubted the souls of these dogs. To the same people who doubt the souls of those who love and need these dogs, and who try so hard to care for them, even under the most desolate of circumstances.

A train ride and six hours later, I climbed out of a cab in my small town in western Massachusetts, I looked up gratefully at my little, one hundred year old brick house, so warm and strong against the cold, clear darkness. Within these walls, I knew that my little girl and sweet husband lay sleeping, peacefully. I unlocked the door and tiptoed inside, waking my 9 year old dog, Rosalind. . .who may be getting grey around the muzzle, but she is still the most energetic and pushiest broad I know (besides my 5 year old human daughter). And yes, she is a pit bull type dog – more of a staffy – squat and chesty – I bent down to give her a big juicy kiss on her soft black cheek, scratched her ears, and said, I missed you my girl. . .thank you thank you my lovely girl, for always being there for me – for all of us.

Happy Thanksgiving, Bad Rap. Thank you for all that you do for these dogs and for the people, rich or poor, who love them.

Amanda Verlander
Greenfield MA

the problem of police and dogs

A puppyish foster dog from Lucky Dog Animal Rescue getting his photo taken with a stranger at the at the Adams Morgan festival in Washington, D.C on September 12, 2010.

One hour later, DC Officer Scott Fike has the same dog pinned to the ground with his knee pushed into his back. He then hurled the dog down a concrete stairwell, pulled out his weapon and shot the dog dead in front of shocked witnesses.

Police had been called when the dog (Parrot) and a second dog got into a fight at the event. The caretakers had broken it up and the trouble was over when police arrived and proceded to execute one of the most stunningly inhumane decisions ever captured in photos during a routine dog call.

According to change.org, "The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department "investigated" the incident, as did the Office of Police Complaints. Both recommended that the U.S. Attorney prosecute Officer Fike criminally. Unbelievably, the U.S. Attorney declined. Soon thereafter, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department dismissed Lucky Dog's complaint against Officer Fike. No action was taken against him." Their petition is asking the Metropolitan Police to "change your policies to prevent future tragedies like Parrot's death and once again instill trust in the police department."

We urge you to sign this: Petition

A long history of poor handling of dog incidents by police inspired a new booklet directed at this topic. The U. S. Department of Justice recently published "The Problem of Dog Related Incidents and Encounters," through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). It was created to help police departments examine and improve the same kinds of policies that rolled out into tragedy in DC in 2010.

Bernard K. Melekian - Director of COPS - states in his forward:

"In the United States, dogs are an integral part of society, which means police engage with dogs quite often in the line of duty. There are a variety of circumstances where a dog could be involved in a police call, and it is critical that police departments not only develop effective departmental strategies advocating for the proper handling of dog-related incidents and encounters, but also proactively create tactical-response strategies, ensuring humane treatment of dogs and safety for the public and officers."

According to COPS research, "In most police departments, the majority of shooting incidents involve animals, most frequently dogs. For example, nearly three-fourths of the shooting incidents in Milwaukee from January 2000–September 2002 involved shots fired at dogs, with 44 dogs killed by officers during that period. Information furnished by various California law enforcement agencies indicated that at least one-half of all intentional discharges of a firearm by an officer from 2000–2005 involved animals."

While reckless owners with problem dogs pose very real problems for officers, the shooting of a dog like Parrot demonstrates how easy it is for an officer to lose perspective and put family pets at risk. According to the COPS report, factors that contribute to the liberal use of firearms on a community's animals are "insufficiently trained police officers" including

• Officers who make judgments concerning a dog they encounter based on its presumed breed or physical appearance rather than its behavior.
• Officers who view a dog running toward them as a threat (the dog could be friendly and merely greeting the officer).
• Officers who are unaware of leash laws or the laws governing potentially dangerous, dangerous, or vicious dogs in their city or state.
• Officers who lack knowledge of available animal-welfare resources.
• Officers who lack skills in handling dogs or reading dog body language.
• Officers who lack needed canine-communication skills.

As police departments play catch-up with humane policies and their obligations to their communities, we continue to urge dog owners to use extreme caution in situations where police may interact with your pets.

To quote our legal affairs director Christine Allen in this blog post, written in response to a local shooting of a bull terrier puppy "... if the police knock on your door, don't assume they're going to be friendly to your dog. In general, if they want to enter your house, they need to knock, and announce who they are. Then, they're supposed to wait a reasonable time (or be refused entrance) before they can do anything else. So, if they come to your door, please put your dog away before you open that door. Without commenting on whether or not police officers are truly justified in shooting a pet because they felt threatened, suffice it to say that officers are granted great leeway in the eyes of the law as to whether their actions were "reasonable" depending on the circumstances. In these situations, oftentimes the only evidence you'll have is your word against theirs. I'm sure that we'd all prefer not to even get to that point. So please, as a matter of precaution, put your dogs safely away when you're not around, and before you open the door to any potential non-dog friendly strangers."

Please be safe and urge your locale police departments to use the COPS booklet to help educate their officers. We don't want you to be this guy: Parrot's foster dad below, just after the shooting.


For more info, Washington Post looked at the incident involving Parrot in this news article.

Meanwhile, in Berkeley

Yes, Detroit's situation with its care of shelter animals is depressing. The shining light, the beacon for change is over 2000 miles and seemingly light years away.

Over fifty directors from animal welfare orgs including shelters from around the country descended on the sweet town of Berkeley yesterday to learn how one very motivated and passionate community of people helps its pit bull type dogs. Boasting a 98% live release rate of all dogs including pit bull type dogs, Berkeley is not a town to be ignored. (Nope - Detroit was not represented at this event. Maybe next time?)

We're so grateful to SAWA (Society of Animal Welfare Administrators) for including BADRAP in their field trip plans for conference guests. With a little luck and a lot of work, we know that Berkeley's example can become the mainstream.

Ace: A fitting mascot for Detroit city policy

It's not hard to see why Detroit has an image problem. With a trashed economy, hungry businesses and hungrier residents, and approximately 40,000 abandoned properties within its borders, Mayor David Bing is attempting to run a nearly dead city. In the middle of so much desperation, we can imagine how easy it is for the leadership to let stray dogs fall flat to the bottom of their to-do list, especially those skinny pit bulls who routinely fill the dead barrels at Detroit Animal Control's city shelter. (City policy will not permit DAC to transfer pit bull type dogs out to even the most highly qualified shelters or rescue groups. Nope. Not one.)



Detroit's mandatory destruction of unclaimed pit bull type dogs has marched on for years with little protest until last week when a starving dog showed up in an Ace hardware store in need of compassion and help. Today, despite quick thinking and the best efforts of several organizations, citizens and a judge to save him, that dog is dead - destroyed by DAC. What happened between his original rescue and his death tells us more about the state of a visionless city than it does of so-called pit bull type dogs.

Ace symbolizes Detroit in so many ways: Lost, forgotten - once beautiful, now dying. The untouchable dog that most would veer hard to avoid. He was destined to die on the streets without so much of a shrug, until a kind Ace Hardware worker noticed him and gathered the skeleton boy up from the corner of his store. (Side note: Detroit's citizens tend to have some of the biggest hearts you will meet. True grit and full of soul.)

Technically, he did the right thing when he found Ace. Just as you'd call an ambulance for a fallen citizen, you call the right city people who are charged with caring for its animals, right? Unfortunately that call sent Ace on a death march, and four days after he went unclaimed (DAC has stated that no one was able to satisfactorily identify him as their property, despite several failed attempts), he was duly destroyed at the shelter - business as usual. The Ace Hardware employee stated in a media interview how much he regrets making that phone call. Who knew?

Before Ace died - or maybe while he was dying - a miracle of sorts happened: Thousands of people found out about him through the Internet and, after learning about the city's 100% kill policy of all pit bull type dogs, pleaded for his life. Rescue groups raised their hands and lawyers were called in to request a euthanasia injunction from the courts. The large and influential Michigan Humane Society begged and pleaded and negotiated for his release (DAC refused their request). Even school kids got involved and sent letters to the mayor...

Dear Mayor Bing - My name is Veronica. I’m 9 years old. I go to The Roeper school. At my school we like to make a difference. Hearing Ace’s story broke my heart. I want to make a difference, that’s why I sent you this letter. Please save Ace because he is a innocent dog. Just because he’s a pit bull doesn’t mean he’s going to harm anybody. Please dig in your heart & think about how many people have sent you letters because they care about Ace & dogs like him. - Sincerely, Veronica

A judge agreed with Veronica - let the poor thing live so we can sort this mess out. (News Link) DAC has probably never heard such a racket (for a pit bull? good god), but the walls of the shelter must be pretty darn thick, because Ace was dead before the ink was dry on the judge's orders to keep him alive.

The city says it never received the court order, but Bruce King, general manager of the Environment Health Services Division explained in a statement why it was okay to kill Ace:

"If we grant this one exception, we are simply not set up for what will undoubtedly lead to overwhelming appeals in similar cases."

Read: "Screw the courts. If we let this dog be absorbed by people who want to take responsibility for him, we'll be stuck with helping other needy dogs find help too." Sadly, no one who's familiar with the city seems remotely surprised by the position it took, including the Michigan Humane Society. After all, it's Detroit and Detroit government has become a bit of an expert at allowing things in its care to die. Through his unnecessary death, Ace has unwittingly become a fitting mascot for the city leadership.

So what now? The cat's officially out of the bag about the city's inhumane policy regarding pit bulls, and everyone's rightfully pissed off, but reforming a city shelter in the middle of a collapsed economy with this kind of discouraging leadership would make anyone want to bang their head on rocks. We're certainly disheartened. Some are banging drums and vowing revenge, but to add to frustrations, some of the rescue groups in the Detroit area fight with other like cats and dogs. Their movement tends to be emotion driven, disorganized and territorial - a reflection of the chaos that reigns in a town without direction. Whether this horrible situation can evolve into something positive for the city animals is yet to be seen.

I'm so sorry about Ace - So sorry about Detroit. You were once beautiful (you were once my home) and you deserve so much better than what you've gotten: Arrogant, apathetic leadership, heartless policies, lost and ignored opportunities.

Rest in peace, little buddy. Good luck Detroit.

Detroit News coverage on Ace.

A revealing and important series in Time Magazine on why Detroit is so screwed up. The Tragedy of Detroit.

new feature: vintage goodies

Announcing our new Vintage Photo Gallery Page with great photos of dogs & their families that we've dug up along the way. Because while we keep our sights set on the future, these smiling faces from the past are constantly reminding us to enjoy the present.

If you have a favorite family photo or ebay treasure, first, lucky you! - Second, please consider letting it hang in our online gallery for all to enjoy. Thank you.

Vintage Photo Gallery

using intimidation in Wilmington DE

According to the animal control officers interviewed in this news report, Wilmington DE has been rounding up dogs from low income people who can't afford special licensing fees and spay/neuter surgeries and warehousing them since 2000. Some are housed in overcrowded kennels for up to two years until they get too sick to keep. The euthanasia numbers must be staggering.

Mandatory Spay Neuter. San Francisco tells us that it's working for them, yet the city shelter recently alerted its public that it would not be able to accept any more dogs because of overcrowding. Pit bulls (as well as other breeds) continue to pour in the doors. SF-based rescues post desperate ads for foster homes on Craigslist, and dogs that can't be reached in time continue to die.

Are laws that target pit bull owners working? This report from DE is one of the most to-the-point demonstrations we've seen of the practice in action. Please take a minute to watch the video attached to the news report and tell us what you think.

Wilmington "crack down."

In the meantime, pit bull owners have been streaming in to fill appointments for free spay neuter surgeries offered at our recent Celebrate Your Pit Bull fair. From one event, thirty four surgeries completed on site and 58 are scheduled. One gentleman told me "Thank you. You saved my life. My female got pregnant by her son and I didn't have money to end the pregnancy." She was spayed during the event. Her son is getting fixed this week. Photos of the event.

When it's so easy to help under-served dog owners get their dogs fixed using a welcoming, voluntary approach, why would anyone want to use coercive laws and intimidation?

alerting you about new posts

Someone asked why they haven't been getting prompts about new posts on our blog. Answer: I don't know. So to make sure you get 'in the system' I moved the email alert gadget up to the top of the page. See it? Sign up, over there --->

BR blog posts will come to you in email form, pretty pictures and all. Thanks for asking, btw. While you're at it, sign on for alerts for our Barn Dog Blog. There's always something going on in foster dog land and we don't want you to miss out on news. Like this weekend. Fun news coming up as a few special visitors stop by to say hello.

EDIT: Rochelle tells us that she organizes her daily reads on Bloglovin. Nice.

And can I just say how much we love Jondi? Her story is excruciating, but things have been looking up for our red girl.

Ta Da! - New Website

We've lived with our old website for nearly 12 years so it was an interesting walk-down-memory-lane experience to revamp and redo a new site. Back when we originally built it (thank you Heather Capp), we had a very small roadmap for doing this work and no idea what the future would hold. We went into this project with a blind optimism that if we did some good work, some good things would happen for the dogs and their people. We were a pee-wee rescue group only trying to find a way to help the dogs that were standing right in front of us.

Building the new site has made me ever more appreciative of how much has changed over the years and the people we've met along the way. Jane Berkey and Stacey Coleman of Animal Farm Foundation, Ledy VanKavage of Best Friends Animal Society, Don Cleary and Karen Delise of National Canine Research Council - their bones and their wisdom are now a part of who we are and though you may not see them in our website, their good influence is inside so much of the content. So are the officers of our group who've been with us from the beginning and who embody the soul of pit bull activism: Christine Allen, Susi Ming, Linda Chwistek. And the diehard volunteers who are too big-hearted and too stubborn to walk away from this work: Kim Ramirez, Donyale Hoye, our incredible foster homes and dog handlers.

When the facebook based software company Zynga gave a gift to help us move our project into the future, it seemed like the right time to say good-bye to our past with a new and improved site. Your feedback is welcome as we pick at it, edit it, add to it and make this vision real. Thank you.

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