Too many really nice pets are losing their homes, so What the hec .. We're giving them away. Pit bulls adopters are getting the red carpet treatment at Oakland Animal Services during the month of November. With any luck, a few of OAS's best will be in new homes begging for turkey trimmings come Thanksgiving.
* Dollar-A-Dog Days at OAS *
Your help needed. Got any favorite bulletin boards around town? Please help us spread the good word by posting this flyer around town, and we'll report back with any good news. Thank you!
25 comments:
Time to head to the piggy bank!
www.trinitythepitbull.com
Wow, things must be getting really tough! ={ You guys are amazing though, I hope this pays off (so to speak, hehe) in finding some good dogs back into the good life in good homes with good families. Can I say 'good' one more time?! ;)
These dogs are priceless! As a new OAS dog volunteer I'm amazed at the optimism and love they display. So some are a little rough around the edges, you didn't think owning a dog would be without responsibility, did you? Check out pitties Ginger and Loretta in LM ward!
And what happens when one of these dogs gets injured or sick? Do they get to bring them back to the shelter? Or do they suffer in the backyard until they pass away because the people who could only afford a dollar for a dog aren't going to spend the money to get that dog to the vet. I'm all for getting dogs into responsible homes, but I hear too many stories in the classrooms from kids whose parents got their dogs for cheap and the dogs ended up dying because they didn't want to pay for the vet care. Sales like these worry me. We've found they draw in the wrong kinds of owners.
What`s with the face?
The face without the floppy ears.
Looks like pain.
Ya mean Tim's face anon 5:10? ... I think he just got slurped up the nostril.
No worries anon 4:33. OAS retains the right to refuse any adoption that isn't a good match. Those of us in BAD RAP have given away plenty-o free or nearly free dogs in our day. No regrets, no horror stories to report.
slurped up the nostril, what a thrill!
Donna, I more than trust your judgement (and Tim's). You're nothing short of gods to many of us in the rescue community. We strive to emulate you both. You've more than proven it in the past. It's the overworked adoptions managers at the city and county shelters who face the tough decisions. We happened to have had more than one over the years who were only concerned about the numbers at the end of the day when budgets rely on how many have gotten out versus how many have been euthanized. It's a good thing to retain that right to refuse, but even better to be attempting good matches!
- Anon 4:33
Thank you for your confidence, anon. Caution is always healthy in any adoption. Note the flyer: This give-away comes with hoops ... the orientation, questionnaire, home visit, one training class. I only wish we could snare more of the adopters that pay full price into these kinds of requirements.
And yes, the numbers game drives me batty, too! I understand overworked, but will never understand the "get 'em out the door" rush that's so popular in so many shelters. The dogs are counting on all of us for balance, and stoic resolve for each with every decision that affects their lives. A shelter has to be more than a bus station.
I was going to say that anon hadn`t read the flyer which says that OAS has the right to refuse any adoption so they`re not just handing out dogs willy nilly and about not having the money for Vet care...
Just because you HAVE the money doesn`t mean you`ll be a good owner who takes care of their dog when needed.
Wealth does not equal caring person,good pet owner or exceptional human being.
I was also wondering about Tim`s face.It did look like he was injured just as photo was snapped.
Glad to hear it was just a slobber "injury"
I've filled out the 5 page dog adoption questionnaire, allowed the home visit, and brought backup photos of my fenced yard PRIOR to even meeting the dog I brought home! BADRAP does a very thorough job of checking out potential adopters. It's easier to pass a driver's license or notary public test! Keep up the hard tests, BADRAP....keep our dogs in safe hands!
I realize this is probably a confusing blog entry to anyone who doesn't know that we've moved some of our operations into Oakland Animal Services.
We're helping OAS help their pit bulls with this promotion. Of course, the line gets blurred ...'their' pit bulls and 'our' pit bulls are getting harder to distinguish since of course we all care about the survival of every adoptable sheltered dog.
I plan to do more writing on this partnership in the future ... Sorry for confusing anybody!
When I see Tim's face in this picture I don't see pain, I see joy. The joy that you get when you get pit bull tongue up your nose. How do they do that with such big tongues?
Agree, No free lunch or pibble in this world, but everyone likes a sale. Kind of like "bull-o-nomics" stimulation, as it lets'em feel committed to using their savings on the pibble w/ improved yard fencing, commitment to training, future proper health care, ...
Remember caring for you dog is cheeper for all. In that light, demand all you owners young and old to keep their pibble in their yard and off the street, and please with a tag or better chipped. My folks got called from a friend last night to help a pit bull who got hit by a car. This beautiful red-nose young male, with balls in tact and without tags, got the worst of it. EMC visit costs to find internal and head injuries, with more costs to 'put him to rest'.
Tim's expression of pleasure-w-pain sums up working with Pit Bulls. At times it seems to requires extra equipment like eye protection and masks to avoid slurp overspray. To be honest, it might sting at first but slobber has medicinal value.
Slobber & Slurp King, Boris
Well, they say desperate times call for desperate measures... I think it's a great idea-- a really good way to help alleviate shelter overcrowding, and get the doggins home faster. Looks like there are precautions in place to ensure good matches are made.
And for the record, Tim's 'I've just been totally slobbered on' laugh is unmistakable to me. The incriminating tongue is in still in shot! :)
Donna,
Is there any way I could get a copy of the adoption questionnaire? I volunteer at a shelter in an urban area of NJ that gets a large amount of pit bulls and mixes. I wish we did home checks or follow ups which I feel are important. That way if there are any behavior issues, they can be addressed before they become bigger problems.
Ayup, looks like a "wet willie" injury to me, all right. And I'm a nurse. I know these things.
Only cure is the same treatment on the other side. That way he won't walk with a list.
Them Pibbles sure are dangerous... woo.
Windy and the Pittie Grrls
I'd much rather the dog LIVE than die from the FEAR something might happen in the future. As long as support is in place for new adopters (which should be regardless) then let's do what we can to save them.
Are there any programs in place to help people keep their dogs? Forgive me if I missed it somewhere...
MichelleD - The bulk of the surrendering dog owners tend to be low-income, so once the bank or the landlord say 'Leave,' there's not much any of us can do.
Donna:
What about starting up a sanctuary, similar to Best Friends in Utah?
Do you ever feel like just smacking (people)...I mean Reporters?
Bush`s dog bites a reporter sending him to hospital for medical treatment but apparently Roosevelt`s pit almost caused a diplomatic incident when it "attacked" a pair of trousers.
Fu...dge I hate Reporters today.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/President_Bushs_dog_bites_Reuters_reporter_1106.html
[quote]"Theodore Roosevelt, who worked hard on his macho image, kept a pitbull, Pete, that nearly provoked a diplomatic incident when it attacked the French Ambassador, tearing the seat out of his trousers," Blair wrote. "Pete was banished to Roosevelt's home on Long Island."[/quote]
Will this ever end?
Are they this hard up for Readers?
WTF is the matter with these people?
Oh boy - a sanctuary for out-of-luck pit bulls would scare me --- It would go into overload in less than a week's time. That would be rough. I love the idea of a sanctuary for the seniors, though ... With sleep overs for anyone who wanted to spend a week and cuddle with a senior of their choice. Yum.
anon - That's quite a tidbit about Pete biting an ambassador's pants! Wouldn't you love to know the details behind that story? It's got to be good. I can't imagine Roosevelt having a nervy fear-biter dog ... I'm betting the 'diplomatic incident' had more to do with whatever lead up to the dog's reaction!
For the record, he got me in my mouth before his tongue made it up my nostril. My mind went back to the old Peanuts cartoon and Lucy after getting slurped by Snoopy - Yuuuuck, dog germs!!! And by the looks in Harley's eyes, I have a stunning taste.
We couldn't fathom opening a sanctuary - too much on our plates already. You'd end up having to put us in a sanctuary.
Wouldn`t it be great if President Elect Barack Obama and family would adopt one of these dogs?
Wouldn`t that be an interesting "thug" story to share?
I`m going to assume he follows this blog.
Congratulations Mr President Elect and please give it some thought.
Thank You
Need some good news?
http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/11/06/the_lawrence_ledger/news/doc49121a62e9017173793810.txt
[quote]
”I heard they can be kind of mean. People sometimes send them to fight (each other). Now, I think differently about pit bulls. My mind is totally changed. They can be good and they can be nice,” the LIS fourth-grader said.[/quote]
The future lawmakers...maybe there is hope.
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