Hurricane season keeps us hoppin'

What busy times. We call the autumn months our hurricane season, since, for the past three years, they represent our busiest, craziest season. Larger rescue projects, our conference at home as well as others that we attend, and big events like Tuff Love all seem to come crashing in at the same time. ACK. Somebody throw us a lifeline.

The bigger news of course, is about the Vick dogs. Although we're not at liberty to discuss details, we can report that BR's Tim Racer flew back to VA to assist attorney Rebecca Huss in re-evaluating the dogs in order to create solid placement recommendations, and, we helped organize the transfer of 16 Vick dogs that were deemed foster care candidates to warm and ready foster homes for TLC and observation. News Report: V-Dog Updates

Rebecca is now collecting applications from 501(c)3 organizations who wish to take custody of one or more dogs. Interested orgs must jump some pretty big hoops; a good thing for the dogs.

More News and Updates
On the home front, good news and sad news. First, the good news: Dogs Dango and Harvey both found new homes this week, and Ruckus has an interested suitor already. Next step: shopping local shelters for their replacements, starting with the Oakland Animal Shelter. Shopacholics that we are, we love looking for new dogs. More...

In the Lap of Luxury
Big Headed Boris - once abandoned because he couldn't leave the shelter without his balls - traveled to his forever home this month, with new parents Jim and Patty. We always wait on those photo updates, and this family has not disappointed. Our Bubba friend has landed in the lap of laps, the home of homes, with the heart of hearts. Waddayathink - Is he happy?





Little Man, the Refuge
Little Man, our heart-throb rescue from Hillsborough County Animal Control in Tampa, FL, was evacuated just as he was settling in to his new Southern CA home. His proud person is Mike Kaviani, a Pit Ed Camp graduate and Senior Animal Care Specialist at Irvine Animal Care Center. Mike had to overnight at his shelter, ready for instructions on how to help local pets displaced by the fires - and Little Man's job was to entertain the staff and keep everyone happy during those tense hours....A fitting job for a natural clown. Go Little Man! We're happy to report that all are safe.


Gary - My Angel
I'm very sad to report that we made the painful decision to put Gary to sleep. He was our compassion case who came to our house after suckering us in with warm brown eyes sunken in a starved, skeleton frame. Gary grew to love his new life and greeted us with 'thanks' and happy woo-woo's. Unfortunately, the world outside of our home was too scary for 'Scary Gary.' We let him go to peace under a waterfall of tears.


Our final movie of Gary. We were actually saying good-bye to Little Man the day this was filmed, not realizing it would be Gary's good-bye as well. Rest in peace, my love. You were our good, good boy.

Soundbite inhibition

Everybody loves to talk about dogfighting.

Heck, people who have never met a pit bull love to talk about dogfighting, especially if talking about dogfighting is going to get them on TV or bring in some donor money or make a headline or keep viewers watching an uninsipired television show.

We're not really sure why people love to talk about dogfighting so much, but in the wake of the Michael Vick case people keep on talking. And talking.

There was a big fight bust in Missouri this week - and kudos go to the teams that made that happen. One nice thing about the initial article is that the reporter did include relevant and positive quotes by Stoddard County Sheriff, Carl Hefner, who noted about the dogs:

"They weren’t aggressive to us at all," he said. "You could walk up to them, and they’d jump up and lick you."

Those of us who work with pit bulls regularly - often rescued from abusive or neglectful situations, including fighting rings - are never surprised to hear that dogs from these circumstances are fantastic with people and grateful for some human attention.

What is a bit disappointing, though, is that people (especially reporters) tend to try to exaggerate a "bred to be fighters" angle, as though any dog can be specifically bred for a single activity and forget that it's a dog. This isn't new - but it's getting old.

Because we've had so much success living with dogs that have come out of horrendous circumstances - including fighting situations - imagine our chagrin when a followup article came out about the Missouri situation that included inflammatory and just plain untrue quotes from the Humane Society of the United States:

"When we are talking about dogs that have been bred to kill other dogs, you can't really rehabilitate them," said John Goodwin, manager of the Human Society of the United States' Animal Fighting Campaign. Advertisement

And, Goodwin and other shelter operators say, don't let the Michael Vick case fool you.

All but one of the more than 50 dogs in that case have been tentatively spared, in large part because the millionaire NFL quarterback is paying for the dogs' rehabilitation as part of his plea agreement.

Sigh.

There are so many things wrong with these statements that it's hard to know where to start, so we'll just start at the beginning. And by the beginning I mean the very beginning.

Pit bulls are dogs, and dogs are domestic animals. 15,000 years of evolution cannot be undone because some random idiot and his friends decided to purchase or breed a bunch of dogs and abuse them. All pit bulls come from the same lineage, whether we're talking about Petey and the Little Rascals or the little tan dog that was photographed after a fight bust. This doesn't make them monsters or weapons, any more than the Jack Russel (bred to kill rats!) or the Ridgeback (bred to hunt lions, the King of the Jungle!) are monsters or weapons. They're just dogs, folks.

There is a difference between temperament and behavior, and that difference is the reason that BAD RAP and other pit bull rescuers and owners have had so much success rehoming discarded dogs as family pets.

We at BAD RAP specifically evaluate all our dogs on their core temperaments, and that includes dogs that come out of fighting rings or have obvious scars from incidental fights. By and large, we find that this resilient breed retains it's wiggly-butted-love-slut nature with people, and what that means is that sparking off with other dogs is something that will become less important to a stable, normal individual dog than pleasing its handler is.

This really and truly isn't rocket science, and it isn't "rehabilitation" either. It's simply a matter of understanding normal breed traits, evaluating individual dogs and their temperaments, and putting dogs into situations with handlers who can show them what's expected of them. They're dogs, not robots.

The other ironic thing about John Goodwin's soundbite is that he's made it without mention of HSUS's fundraising activities - including an eBay auction of Michael Vick's apology speech - that brought in tens of thousands of dollars (if not considerably more) on behalf of the Vick dogs.

Thing is, the HSUS has nothing to do with the Vick dogs. So where is this money going? If money is the true concern of HSUS and it's the gating issue preventing them from stepping in to help the Missouri dogs, why not use the funds brought in by the Vick dogs to help out?

HSUS has a fund that specifically states that it will:

• Provide care for animals seized in animal cruelty and fighting cases. Without this assistance, police are often reluctant to pursue cases involving large numbers of animals.

HSUS also has 200 million dollars in the bank. $113 million of their money came from contributions, grants and bequests.

Somehow, money does not seem to be the real issue here. And that is because money is not the real issue here. BAD RAP has been operating on a shoestring budget since its inception, and we still manage to find wonderful homes for around 50 deserving pit bulls a year - some of these dogs have been in fights, others abused, still more neglected. The commonality: they all retain the solid pit bull temperament.

The other commonality: there are people around willing to do something for the dogs - and that can-do attitude can start with a single shelter worker, administrator, or volunteer.

So: what about those Missouri dogs?

We recognize based on our experience with these types of cases that it would be very likely that dogs in that Missouri group may be quite fine around other animals. Every dog deserves to be evaluated as an individual, and America has said so much by making large donations to groups like HSUS on behalf of the victims.

Wouldn't it be great if those donations could be used to actually help the victims? Perhaps then, we would be able see something good come out these tragic situations.

Soundbites make newspapers, but action makes a difference.

Honey Still Works Better than Vinegar

This weekend, hundreds of pet owners from a low-income Oakland neighborhood will be lining up in a park to receive free shots for their animals at the East Bay SPCA Shots Fair Clinic. Young men like this will be greeted warmly by the diehard BR volunteers. If he needs one, his dog will be fitted with a collar and leash. After all, pit bull owners who care enough to give up part of their Sunday to do right by their dog deserve to be treated with respect.

Guys like this will also get free training tips and a chance to talk with other pit bull owners about ways to be a good steward. His dog will probably get a hug or two, and before he leaves, he'll get an invitation to free training classes and a voucher to get his pet neutered for free. If he's like more than half of the people who come to these fairs, he'll follow through and we'll run into him again at the East Bay SPCA's spay/neuter clinic.

In just two years time, over 1700 pit bull owners in the east bay have fixed their pets without needing to be coerced, shamed or threatened via mandatory measures. Instead, they get Oakland-style support, encouragement and education. We like that about the east bay; it makes us proud to call it our home.

One of the movers and shakers behind organizing BR's troops to action at the Shots Fair is Kim Ramirez. Kim's work with pit bulls and their people is a true labor of love. We were happy when Fetch the Paper asked Kim for an interview....They picked a good'un. Thank you Fetch, and thank you Kim!

Read about Kim here: "Making a Difference"

Let's Talk About Dog Aggression

Dog aggression - or, dog-intolerance as we like to call it - is a hot topic whenever pit bulls come up in a conversation. Aren't they a dog aggressive breed? Well, some individuals can be...in the same way that people can be violent. Some of us are nasty bastards, ready to pummel loved ones or the guy who offends by stealing the last parking space. You know the type.

Maybe the warrior types had a bad upbringing, or maybe they have mean genes, or a combo of both. Your guess is as good as mine...


Thankfully, most of us are better at biting our tongues and kicking the wall instead of our co-workers. Although let's admit it - many of us enjoy amping ourselves up by watching violence. We scream and yell and jump out of our stadium seats like a leash-reactive dog spittin' fire at his neighbor. Woo! Get'em!...Hollering is such a gratifying way to charge up a life-affirming adrenalin rush. Yep, many unschooled dogs would agree.

I have a theory that some people despise pit bulls (usually, without actually having met one) because the dogs mirror us so faithfully: Our very best sides, our most outrageous sides, and in the case of the naysayers, the side of us that can be lured into battle. We are them; they are us.

At the end of the day, most of us learn to manage our hot-buttons and to suppress our warrior instincts so we can enjoy a quieter, happier life. Same is true for dogs. Especially those with good (human) parents.



Before you assign dog aggression to any one breed, take this quiz and fill in the blanks.

Which breed is being described? Link to the source of the quotes to find your answers. I think you'll be surprised.

Dog Aggression Quiz: Name the Breed

1. __X__ are often aggressive with other dogs. Same-sex aggression and aggression towards other breeds of dogs is well documented with this __X__. It is strongly recommended that no more than two __X__ (of opposite sex only) ever be permitted to stay together unattended.

2. They require a great deal of socialization as puppies, and obedience training is very important as __X__ are dominant dogs and tend to be aggressive towards other dogs, especially of the same sex.

3.When it comes to other dogs, however - especially dogs of the same sex - __X__ are not so likely to get along without incident. Dog aggression seems most common among females, although un-neutered males can also fight. Once two __X__ have had an argument, it's never over. They hold a grudge, and they will be enemies forever and can't be trusted to be together.

4.__X__are often aggressive with other dogs, for pretty much the same reasons. They tend to be picky about their friends and pack and not really like anyone who isn't part of their normal circle.

5. Some __X__ are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Some have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.

6. Some __X__ also exhibit considerable aggression toward other dogs, and prospective owners must be willing to socialize and train their terriers to curb this tendency.

Hmm. Will the real pit bull please stand up?

For info on creating healthy dog-dog interactions:

Living Peaceably in a Multi-Dog Home
Understanding Dog Tolerance Levels
Socializing Tips
Monitoring Dog-Dog Interactions

Woo Woo! Gary

A little update on our Skeleton Man...

Finally, Gary has enough energy to show us some personality. His body is starting to repair itself and a his gums are a pale shade of pink.

The first thing he said about his fate was:
Woo Woo Woo!
Roughly translated, we think that means, "This is all so crazy! I like being alive. Can I eat now?"

Check Out:
Gary's Lil Movie

We've started considering the possibilty of finding him a foster-to-adopt home, which is a big step. A few weeks ago, we just wanted him to die in peace. But, fate might have other plans.

Gary is a simple kinda guy. He's not quite a pit bull; he seems to be his own special brand of leggy, backyard bred ghetto hound....Not that there's anything WRONG with leggy backyard-bred ghetto hounds. But, hey.

He's a bit of a Wimp and he has some learning to do: Ladders are scary and so are digital cameras (we're working on it). Strangers are happy and dogs are A-Okay, but a person carrying a phone might be worth avoiding. Clapping your hands so he doesn't lift his leg on the patio table is WAY scary. Yeah - Our boy has been around some rough people and he's got some Worry Wart baggage. Not surprising.

Stay tuned while we ruminate on the Future According to Gary. Woo Woo!

They Said It First...

We were surprised to see this leak (leak?) out into the press, but there it is....

Vick Dogs Evaluation News

For an insider's scoop on how this is even possible - Abused pit bulls with placement potential? - we'll have to refer you to Sophie: Blogs below.

Once again, doG bless the ASPCA for organizing the evals and for believing in the right for every companion animal to be treated and evaluated as an individual.

Turn Up the Volume

I'm dreaming that I'm in a world class hotel...and it's full of pit bulls and their friends...People are smiling at us...and well dressed valets are holding the door for us as our wriggly dogs glide in like movie stars over polished wooden floors...
Wait...Not a dream. We were really there, at the Claremont Resort with our pit bulls, for the third annual Turn Up the Volume BAD RAP Conference. *Pinch me.



Last weekend's event really did have a dream-like quality. Overlooking the gorgeous San Francisco bay, we discussed pit bulls non-stop for two days with movers & shakers from around the country. Heaven!

Bambi and the crew pulled off a seamless event full of great food and new inspirations in a top notch setting. Claremont staff was more than welcoming, and only one person freaked out at the sight of our dogs. ...There's one in every crowd, I guess.

A hot topic this year was Marcel Harnois' (Solano County Humane AS) presentation on American Bulldog history and particulars. More than a few animal welfare professionals were shocked to realize how easy it is to misidentify ABs as pit bulls. To help illustrate the futility of trying to identify breeds, Leslie Nuccio (BR) marched several dogs up to the front for a live version of the 'Find the Pit Bull' game. Not easy! A small bull mastiff stumped more than a few people by pretending to be a funny looking brown pit bull.

ASPCA's Ledy VanKavage roused everyone awake by pointing out some of the media's bigger fiasco's in 2007, and Sergeant Cronin from the OPD gave us his sage advice on ways to curb animal cruelty in our cities. There was so much more ... Loads of video of dog intros and rowdy play sessions; dog evaluations and kennel enrichment.



Conference goers watched a demo of 21 pit bulls at our Pit Ed Class training grounds, then, handlers turned their leashes over to our guests and they practiced what they'd learned. One guest actually teared up at the sight of so many well loved pit bulls in one place -- a good reminder that what's commonplace in our corners is not so common in other towns.

It was one of those weekends when you feel something bigger happening just beneath the surface of the calm goings-on; sort of like realizing a mild earthquake is rumbling beneath your feet while you're absorbed in doing the dishes. We look forward to watching the ripple effects of this event and are grateful to everyone who added their fire so this special gathering could come to life. Thank you!


Update: Sophie

The Queen of our Hearts enjoyed her first weekend with the comfort of warm blankets, good food and - luxury! - a pedicure. Her foster mom Stephanie tells us that she's so happy to have a cozy bed that she's reluctant to leave it. Can't say that I blame her.

Respect Your Elders, Dammit

Our 3rd annual conference at the Claremont Inn was wonderful ... but before we could decompress and digest, the dogs started calling. Right now, this little lady has us all distracted....



She's a senior pit bull who lived much of her 11 years tied up out a yard. She may look a little beat up (Well okay, a LOT beat up) but she's somehow maintained the optimism of a puppy.

Sophie is missing an eye and an ear and is full of fight scars. She's been way-way-waaaaay overbred and she walks on wrists that have been broken and left unmended. Her jaw was broken somewhere along the way, and she doesn't have many teeth left. Her skin is bad, and her titties are hanging low from a very recent litter. (WTF!?) Despite the obvious trauma, drama and hard knocks, she loves people. Viva pit bull resiliency.

A BR member just brought her home so she could have some comfort while we scratch our heads and try to figure out what to do with her. For now, we plan to do a lot of standing back in amazement. More news to come as we get to know this beautiful soul.

Watch: Sophie's Movie

Update on Gary - Our other compassion case is improving very slowly. He loves chicken livers, but distrusts digital cameras. He's still sleeping off years of neglect, but comes alive and "Woo Woo!s" to hurry us along at dinner time. He's a funny, sorta simple kind of guy.

Bubble Head Boris

Ahhh Boris. Such a good excuse to try out a new Internet toy.
Enjoy!

Tellings v. Toledo: Revisited

Did anybody else see this article?

It's a piece written by Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer that showed up in the opinion section of Ohio's Marion Star newspaper. After the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the challenged breed specific laws were constitutional, Paul Tellings, and the amici parties filed a motion to reconsider the case. That motion is still pending before the court.

Not long after that motion was filed, however, Justice Pfeifer published that opinion piece in the paper.

Tsk tsk.

So much for judicial ethics and Ohio's own canon that says, "While a proceeding is pending or impending in any court, a judge shall not make any public comment that might reasonably be expected to affect its outcome or impair its fairness or make any nonpublic comment that might substantially interfere with a fair trial or hearing."

'Course I sent in a letter to the editor. In case it never appears in their newspaper, I copied it below. If anyone else is inspired to send your own comments, please do. Psst to you Ohioans out there -- your judges are elected, and, should he run, Judge Pfeifer comes up for re-election in 2011.

===========

As an attorney and dog lover, I have been following this case with interest. Both the factual findings adopted by the Ohio Supreme Court and the legal analyses made are illogical and contradictory.

Judge Pfeifer confirms, "there is no evidence that pit bulls bite more frequently than other breeds," but then reports, "The trial court cited the substantial evidence supporting its conclusion that pit bulls, compared to other breeds, cause a disproportionate amount of danger to people."

Is no one else scratching their heads at this contradiction?

The "substantial evidence" relied upon was taken solely from the testimony of one witness -- the dog warden who so proudly touts that he has set the record for the most pit bull seizures. Let's look at what that substantial evidence is.

First, pit bulls cause the most severe damage when they bite. But Warden Skeldon testified that, actually, bites by the chow breed caused the most severe damage.

Second, pit bulls have killed more Ohioans than any other breed. According to the testimony, the plain statement that pit bulls have killed more Ohioans than any other breed is incomplete without evidence of the total population of dogs by breed. In other words, if there are 1000 poodles, 50 border collies, and 5 retrievers in a given population, and a statistic that showed 20 poodle-related fatalities, 10 border collie-related fatalities, and 4retriever-related fatalities, it would be illogical to give any great weight to the fact that poodles have killed more people than the other breeds. By having the total number of dog breeds available, the percentage calculation would show that poodle fatalities are 1 in 50; border collie fatalities are 1 in 5; and retriever related fatalities are 4 in 5.

So far, the first two factors are not persuasive, much less "substantial" evidence.

Third and fourth, police officers shoot at more pit bulls than any other breed and pit bulls are frequently shot at because police officers encounter them more during drug raids more than any other breed. I can only assume that these are the "problem circumstances" that pit bulls have the unfortunate luck with which to be associated. The subtle problem with this rationale is that being "associated with problem circumstances" focuses only outside environmental factors that have nothing to do with the inherent nature of a dog breed. Being "associated with problem circumstances" has no relationship to statutory language that sweepingly defines a breed of dog as inherently vicious.

Notably, there was no evidence that police officers shot at pit bulls because they felt threatened or because they were under attack or because the dogs were in any way dangerous or acted improperly. The state of Ohio elected to define an entire "breed" of dog solely because some individual dogs of that breed are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Let's summarize. Ohio's statute defines "vicious" dog as any dog commonly known as a "pit bull." The courts found that there's no evidence that pit bulls are inherently dangerous or vicious. Because police officers see and shoot at pit bulls more than any other breed, a statute defining the entire BREED as vicious is rationally related to public safety.

How can that statute be related at all, much less, rationally, to the legitimate interest of public safety?

Because Paul Tellings, the plaintiff, violated these laws, he was forced to give away one of his three family pets and had another taken from him and killed. Did that further public safety? How about the fact that since these laws were enacted, dog fighting complaints have doubled in number and dog bites in Mr. Tellings' county reached a record high in recent years? Furthering public safety, eh?

Perhaps public safety would be better served if the government would crack down on the root cause of "problem circumstances" rather than focus its misdirected energies on restricting, and in too many cases, euthanizing, those things "associated" with them.

I am also more than a little disturbed that Judge Pfeifer wrote this public piece that so plainly states his opinion on the constitutionality of the Ohio and Toledo laws while the case is still pending a motion for reconsideration. I can only hope that he upholds his duty as a judicial officer to be impartial and apply the law to the facts when ruling on that motion, and if not, that he remove himself as a decision-maker.

Gary

I guess I can talk about Gary now.

We didn't plan on bringing a Special Needs foster dog into our home with everything on our plates right now: BAD RAP's conference just hours away, more travel plans to the east coast just ahead, November's Pit Ed Camp to plan for and the Tuff Love Art Show all breathing down our necks. But sometimes louder voices call to you and you just have to listen.

This boney guy was covered in hundreds of fleas on his scarred, filthy dirty, starving little body. Just another day in an urban animal shelter. He was nobody's dog and he was basically, already dead. But he managed to look us in the eye with the calmest look of quiet resignation. Suckers-R-We ... we only meant to give him a bath before he went to meet his Maker, but his brown eyes sold us a bill of goods and five baths later, we loaded him up in the car.

When we can manage it, our group will take home compassion cases for the purpose of letting them die in peace after a few days of rest, love and sunshine. We don't talk about it much because, frankly, it's both painful and controversial. Why save a dog only to put it to sleep? In some cases, a dog's temperament is iffy, or - like Gary here - a dog might be too injured or too sick to invest limited resources into. I wish we could take on more of these cases, because there sure are a lot of shelter dogs that deserve a few days of quiet comfort before they pass on.

So, Gary.

Its hard to know exactly what his temperament is like. He's just too sick and shut down to care about much except mealtime and long naps. But today, after four days of food and sleep, he trotted outside, smiled at everyone, threw himself on the ground and did the classic Doggy Joy Dance on his back...legs kicking happily, tail wagging. We were thrilled. Even our personal dogs were happy to see it (he seems to like our dogs too).

Because dogs live in the Now rather than the 'What happens tomorrow?' future, we're happy just knowing that he's finally living. Whether or not he can be a part of our adoption program is still an unknown. Of course, we're hopeful...

Now onto that Conference! We so look forward to seeing old and new friends so we can plan better days for the Garys of the world. Bravo to all the participants and to the organizers who have been working long hours to create a fantastic event.

Media: Some Days, It's all Good

Every now and again, we up meet with someone who just wants to do a nice little story to help the dogs. Imagine that.

KPIX Story on Pit Bull Hall

This was one of those stories and producer Michael Murray is one of those people. Working with Mike and his ever-patient camera-man Brian was a very sweet experience, and a nice break from the norm.

Deja Vu in Fremont

In April 2003, an 80lb registered American Bulldog named Kain attacked a small boy in Fremont, ripping off part of his ear. The media immediately reported it as a pit bull attack, despite the fact that the dog's owner and the shelter knew it to be an entirely different breed.

Here we are again. A large male dog reported to be between 80-130lbs attacked a Fremont mother and child, and once again, the Diana Diamonds of the world have been clucking and tsking about banning these horrible pit bulls. Never mind that this current attack - not unlike the one in 2003 - was certainly not a surprise -- the dog had a well known reputation for being a problem dog and human aggressive biter.

Why did it happen? Well, not because of his breed. It happened because - in each situation - very troubled dogs that were known to have issues with people were not properly contained.

It's THAT horrifically, tragically simple.

A reporter contacted us for an interview and wanted to know what would lead a pit bull to attack a child. (I'm always amazed at these kinds of questions; somehow our experience with pleasant family pets gives us license to speculate on the behavior of sketchy randomly-bred dogs we've never met. Scary, huh?) I asked if she was sure that it even WAS a pit bull. Pit bulls typically don't come super-sized unless they're mixed with something else or are imposters altogether. I was pleasantly surprised when she hesitated and admitted that, No, she hadn't considered that the police may have made assumptions.

Of course, the police are not trained in Breed ID. And, breed misidentification is as common as plantar warts at the YMCA...a disturbing trend that is bedeviling wonderful dogs everywhere.

I reminded her that whether or not the dog was a pit bull or an AB or a mix or something completely unknown, the real issue wasn't the label, but the "perfect storm" of circumstances that lead to such frightening events.

We're so very relieved that the Fremont mom in this storm was brave, resourceful and that her child is safe. And we can only hope that this reporter helps her, and the rest of the bay area understand that blaming a breed is just another way to confuse people away from the real issue: Troubled dogs need to be obsessively contained, or put to peace. Period.

By the way, we haven't met this dog, but he doesn't look very much like a pit bull to us. Then again, who cares? His rap sheet is the only thing that anyone should be looking at.

Double your pleasure, double your fun...

This weekend, the BAD RAP crew was out in full force at the Marin county Bay Area Pet Fair.

This fair has a ton of people and dogs, cats and other critters of all shapes and sizes. This year the organizers also put on a dog show for the homeless animals among us, called "The Other Dog Show," which had fabulous categories like "Best Lap Dog" and "Most Muttalicious," as well as "Best Non-Dog."

My dog Gunther is a natural at these events, and it turns out that his doppleganger Millie - currently up for adoption in our program, and the dog in the above photo - is following in his footsteps.

Millie's appearance would, incidentally, indicate that I won't have to be one of those people cloning dogs; it would seem that whoever made Gunther is awfully busy.

As luck would have it, the wonderful folks at C&M photography were at the booth next to ours and captured a variety of shots of the dynamic duo.

Is it real or is it Memorex?













Because Millie and Gunther are such similar dogs, they always attract a lot of attention when they're out in public - to the point that I'm generally slightly embarrassed because I probably look like I'm breeding these diluted lightbulb-headed dodos. The most common questions are the "Are they related?" inquiries. The answer, of course is: They darn well must be. Gunther and Millie showed up at the same shelter 5 years apart. Are they littermates? Is one a parent to the other? Are they from the same parent but different litters?

We don't know, but we do know that they look and act so freakishly similar that I can mistake my own dog for Millie at a glance.

In any case, Gunther took a backseat to Millie's charms at this particular show, as Millie racked up two ribbons in "The Other Dog Show" - she won Third Place in "Best Underdog," and racked up a First Place ribbon in "Best Lap Dog," which she won by sitting quite nicely (and upside-down) on the lap of a 10-year-old judge. On her way to collect her First Place ribbon, she was actually attacked by a Dalmation on a too-long leash, but just jumped away and kept on trucking (good girl).

Fame has its price...

Because Millie is The Poster Child for homeless pit bulls with an all-too-common story - used as a breeding machine, lived in a yard as a cheap alarm system, dumped to die at the shelter after a preventable scrap with another female guarding the yard - we were all very proud that she was such a hit at this event.

For her part, Millie seems to know that the worst is over, and despite her uber-mellow nature keeps showing us that's she's enjoying her new life.

We can't wait for her to find her forever home so that she can really and truly know that she's home for good!

Money keeps talking...

Oh, irony, my fickle little friend.

No sooner had I just finished my blog post about Vick's apology than we received an article claiming that the Humane Society of the United States is auctioning off Vick's apology notes - notes that were apparently left on the podium during his press conference - on eBay.

The auction is live, and the last bid I saw was for $10,100.

This is the kind of stunt expected out of PETA or a private enterprise - headline vultures hellbent on cashing in on this tragedy by any means possible, regardless as to how their missions, beliefs or actions align (or conflict) with the well-being of the pit bull breed - or the Vick dogs in particular. PETA of course has continued to send out newsletters soliciting donations on behalf of dogfighting victims, yet their position on the breed has not changed. PETA wants to eliminate the pit bull breed and supports breed-specific-legislation, and one rationale stated was that only by eliminating pit bulls will the abuse to them cease.

Why are people so quick to blame and demonize the victims of abuse and exploitation for the abuse and exploitation?

In any case, that this means is that PETA's idea of "helping" the pit bull victims out there is to put them down and take steps to eliminate their cousins forever. Is this where the money being collected on behalf of all the dogfighting victims is going?

Hmm.

As for the HSUS auction, I simply hope that the money raised will be donated directly toward the care of the Vick dogs themselves, or toward the benefit of any real-live pit bull currently suffering at the hands of cruel owners, an overpopulation epidemic, an overcrowded shelter system ($10,000 can buy a lot of Kuranda beds and kennel enrichment toys, as well as spay/neuters), and a public discourse shaped by a sensationalist media machine most recently fueled by self-proclaimed pit bull experts who are only too happy to provide damaging, dramatic and untrue quotes about the breed - as long as those quotes are reported by a source with wide distribution.

Indeed, money keeps talking... and talking...

Actions speak louder than words...

I was on vacation when the Michael Vick "apology" hit the L.A. times. As much as I was trying to stay away from skewed media stories and sensationalized reports complete with uneducated guests blathering away trying to pass themselves off as pit bull experts when in reality they were just talking heads seizing a chance to be on CNN, I was unable to avoid this particular article, as I ran across it trying to find the Jumble puzzle for my grandma.

Now, I don't expect much out of the mainstream media these days, and I most especially don't expect any hard news out of the Los Angeles times. But this slant on the Vick apology even disgusted my Mom - who's deathly allergic to dogs, doesn't think about them one way or another, isn't sure about the whole pit bull thing (she doesn't know any, so gets most of her information from the headlines), and has never had a dog in her life.

The title in the print edition of the Times was "Remorseful Vick enters guilty plea."

Remorseful? Really? Reading talking points crafted by PR people that carefully and specifically avoid all mention of the word "dog" or "animals" and refers to "the incident" as though this was an isolated, single transgressive event (of course, to Vick getting caught is the tragic event) counts as being "remorseful?" Huh - it would seem that sports writers are more easily impressed by words than actions - as long as those actions don't involve throwing a football really far, that is.

My mom and I - who are not, as it happens, sports writers - didn't buy the "remorseful" angle (it doesn't count as true remorse when you're just sorry you got caught), and we both received Vick's public "apology" with disappointment and disgust. Then again, I didn't expect much more out of a guy who got off on killing and torturing dogs with his own two hands.

That being said, it turns out that my disgust lies with the Atlanta Falcons franchise and the media outlets and commentators who seem all too eager to have an excuse to portray Vick as a repentant and worthy victim of circumstance.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised that Atlanta Falcons owner, Arthur Blank, has no plans to dismiss Vick from the team's roster. Money talks, and this is a $130 million dollar investment parroting his meticulously scripted talking points. Of course, Blank was quick to pin his decision on (his version of) the greater good, noting that pulling him off the team would be "not in our fans' or franchise's best interest. It would be a short-term fix at the expense of our long-term success."

Rich McKay, President of the Atlanta Falcons, went on to say that the team would "aggressively" seek to recoup the bonus paid to Vick - an amount around 29 million dollars.

Gotta love this one - "We're OK with having a dog-murderer, felon and sociopath on our team, but we're not going to pay him extra money on a job well done for it!"

Sigh.

Clearly, it is much more important that the Atlanta Falcons owners protect their business investment than it is to do anything remotely ethical or moral in this case, making the Atlanta franchise no better than Vick himself.

Michael Vick did not only purchase a facility specifically to train and stage dogfights, nor did he merely sit and watch the numerous dogfights held at his location. Michael Vick tortured and abused the animals at his facility - he ordered the killing of, and killed dogs in horrific fashion with his own two hands, and this kind of amoral behavior is inexcusable. How much money does it take to make someone forget that the hands throwing a football are the same hands that enjoyed killing an innocent dog?

In this case, it would seem that it's around $130 million dollars.

It is vastly unfortunate that the Atlanta Falcons and the various news outlets are so ready to take a scripted "I'm sorry" statement as an excuse to portray an animal abuser and killer as a tragic, downtrodden victim worthy of sympathy. There are real victims in the Vick case - victims who were beaten, tortured and used to kill each other as entertainment - but apparently those lives, not being worth $130 million in contracts or $30 million in bonuses, aren't worth mentioning.

Pit bulls are dogs. Had Michael Vick been hanging, electrocuting, beating, drowning and otherwise torturing Golden Retrievers until they died, I wonder whether the Atlanta Falcons, the ESPN and CNN commentators, and the rest of the reporters calling his scripted apology to his fans "heartfelt" would be so forgiving.

Michael Vick has made it clear that he is not sorry for torturing and killing animals; his apology makes it obvious that his first priority is his image and his fan support. Not once was any regret mentioned as to the innocent dogs that were killed at his own hands; not once was an apology offered to the animals themselves or the organizations that routinely deal with the fallout from animal abuse. Vick's PR people are making a very concerted effort to avoid any mention of his actions or the word "dog" at all, and are making it very clear that what Vick is sorry for is getting caught, and getting caught so publicly.

Actions speak louder than words. But money talks the loudest of all.

Partnering to Eval the Vick dogs

We're so pleased to announce that the pit bulls from the Vick property will be getting a fair trial after all. Thanks to the outpouring of public concern about the dogs' fate, the feds gave the green light to evaluate the dogs, and BAD RAP will be partnering with the ASPCA in Virginia to get the job done. Press Release

doG bless the ASPCA, whose committment to the project clearly demonstrates this very important point: Every dog is an individual and deserves to be treated as such.

While we were busy making arrangements, Murphy's Law decided to make some mischief and tear our hearts out at home. Our personal dog, Sally - who's been living with mast cell cancer for over two and a half years - decided to have an emergency today. Scary symptoms inspired a trip to the vet and x-rays. A large and funny mass in her internal organs popped up on the lightbox and spun Tim and I into a low level panic. Internal mass = Very bad news.

Nooooo. Not today, not now, not our Sally.

We practiced ignoring our stomach knots while reviewing press releases, writing to-do lists and waiting for ultra sound results....Four hours spent ruminating on how much this girl has taught us over the years about dogs-otherwise-known-as-pit bulls, and how deeply she's entrenched us in this cause. Amazing how much influence a once-lowly shelter dog can hold over her humans' lives.

Man, it really hit home today: I love this dog, I love this breed, I can't stand knowing that 50-some pit bulls in Virginia were cheated out of the kind of worry and adoration that Sally lucked into 9 years ago.

Photo Above: Pathetic shot of our girl after mast cell removal earlier this summer.

No worries for Sally! The ultra-sound revealed gastritis, and the funny mass was just fluid from a plastic toy stuck in her busy intestinal tract, soon to make an explosive appearance via the magic of Mother Nature. In all, a $750 dollar case of a dog being a dog at the worst possible time. She'll be fine.

Breathing.

Onward ho: Please understand that, out of respect to this unique situation and the process of giving fair evaluations, our group will not be able to reveal any details or opinions about the Vick dogs until it makes sense for us to do so. Which roughly translated means, we aren't talking until the rest of the team, including the feds, all believe the time is right.

But you can trust that we'll give them our very best....And for that, you can blame it ALL on Sally.

Jon Stewart on the NFL & Vick's Rub

Give it up for Jon Stewart:

Daily Show - Vick's Rub

'Course Jon owns two pit bulls himself - Shamsky and Monkey. No wonder we like this guy so much.

'Racial Profiling Alive in the Animal Kingdom'

Yikes. This Texas shelter's condemation of pit bulls earned them a stinging headline from the editors of The Empire Tribune

But don't let one shelter's opinions get you down. In another part of Texas - Austin to be exact - two shelters are working away to do right by the dogs and their adopters. Town Lake Animal Shelter and Austin Humane Society each sent two people to BR's week-long Pit Ed Camp last week to learn ways to make their pit bull adoption programs more successful. Anchorage Animal Control (Yes, Alaska!) and Philly sent their finest, too.

Each of the four shelters are planning new and better ways to help good dogs find their way to great homes. Viva free thinkers.

How much do we love these ladies? We had a blast with this motivated group and look forward to seeing what they come up with to turn the tide for the dogs in their communities. - Camp Photos Here -

Slow Burn

What's harder? Reading about dogs' heads being held down in buckets of water by overpaid sports stars until they drown? Or reading agency folklore that condemns these same dogs without the benefit of a good old fashioned temperament evaluation? After all, the poor things earned their torture because they didn't have enough heart for combat.

Oh the irony: One man's shameful loser becomes another man's out of control monster.

Pity the living, breathing dogs that are stuck in the middle of these extremes.

Note to self: Reading the news is generally not a good way 1) to learn the truths of the world or, 2) to stay healthy and happy. This has been a particularly bad summer for both endeavors.

As the world ponders the fate of the Vick dogs, today seems like as good a time as any to share Pearl's story. Pearl is a former fighter, turned BAD RAP Ambassadog, turned beloved pet. Most likely, she was the brood bitch of her abuser. She's covered in scars and, perhaps because she showed some heart to fight, her owner bred the hell out of her.

Below, a scenario laid out by her person, Nicole Rattay. Nicole's a BR volunteer and an open-minded sort who didn't fall for folklore when she fell into Pearl's eyes. Pearl is her heart-dog, although ends up that she spends a lot of time defending their bond....

"Isn’t it hard to keep a dog like that?”

Do you mean, is it hard to keep a loving, silly, eager to please, smallish black dog? Nope. Not hard at all. She cracks me up with her goofy antics. After having her in our family for two years, she still makes me laugh when she jumps 2 feet up in the air like a hurdler before running down the lawn to chase a tennis ball.

Oh…Not what you mean?

Do you mean is it hard to keep Pearl because she has been bred so many times by her previous owner that her nipples will forever hang low, prompting the question, “Do you have puppies for sale?” Admittedly, this is a tough one for me. I cringe at the thought of people making the assumption that I am contributing to the dog overpopulation problem.

Oh…Not what you mean?

Do you mean is it hard to keep a pit bull? No, it’s not. I have long gotten over being offended by breed prejudice. I have three pit bulls and usually a foster or two. They are each, in turn; fabulous, frustrating, silly, loving, stubborn, dependable (you get the point) just like me and every other member of my family.
They are individuals.

Oh…Still not what you mean?

Sorry, but I'm at a loss. What are you asking me?

Aaahhh, well yes, Pearl does have scars from fighting. But to her credit she has lived under my roof for two years with two other resident pit bulls, a cat and various foster dogs without so much as a snarf. Pearl prefers the company of people to that of dogs, but so does the cat, and we just don’t make an issue of it. She is not defined by her sagging nipples and scars. She is defined, and rightly so, by her wonderful temperament and her appropriate people focused behavior."

You just go on with your bad selves, Nicole and Pearl. We get it.

Pssst.... I've got a secret

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone, but we haven't yet changed the conference registration price so if you register soon there's a good chance you can still get in for the early bird rate and save $25! You'd better hurry beacuse I have no idea when Tom, our busy tech guru, will get around to changing the form.

www.badrap.org/conference2007

We've had great fun in the past meeting rescuers, shelter staff and pit bull owners - it's one of the few places that we can all get together and share information about the breed we love!

Bambi

Calling All Hams

Are you a BR adopter or friend? This is just too much fun: Pet Food Express is feeling the bully love vibe and has kindly offered to do a donation match with us on their MyMutt Program. Imagine; stores full of smiling pit bulls looking down on store visitors all over the bay area. I love it. (These are mine and Tim's two dogs, by the way. Cute, huh?)



If you'd like to see your dog on a big poster like this and know that your donation to BR is doubled, dust off the bling collars and call out the dogs. Or - If you're not local but want to participate, you can sponsor one of our current foster orphans to be on a poster. Here's how:

1) Paypal or Snail Mail a check to BR for your donation amount. (Address Here)

2) E-mail Leslie and tell her your donation amount and snail mail address. Please note how many dogs you'd like included, and whether it's your own dog or if you'd like to gift this opportunity to another. If you're sponsoring a specific BR dog, please let us know which dog you'd like photographed.

3) Leslie will send you a form to fill out and e-mail to Pet Food Express, and you'll schedule your shoot with their talented photographer, Alexis (who happens to own pit bulls herself).

Ham it up, Pit bulls!

Babies Tug Too!

Pit bulls love to tug. Mine is no exception. Spencer loves to tug with his doggie pals, and he loves to play tug with his family. My husband and I play tug with him often and Spencer enthusiastically throws his whole body into the effort. Like most pit bulls, he’s an excellent tugger.

His love for playing tug with the family includes playing with our 14 month old daughter Piper. What I have learned recently is that babies love to tug too, at least our does.

Every day, one of them initiates a tug session. Usually it starts when Spencer is chewing on his tug ball. Piper sees him, walks over, grabs the ball and the games begin. She pulls, he pulls gently (a stark contrast to the wild tug sessions that Spencer has with me), she lets go and giggles. Spencer brings the ball back to her and the game repeats. Throughout the session, Spencer checks in with me to see if he’s doing well and to occasionally seek permission before continuing the game.

While I think it’s completely adorable and often hysterical, it also warms my heart. The sound of my daughter's laughter combined with the gentle way that Spencer tugs with her is quite possibly sweetest thing in the world.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7933492867745291349&pr=goog-sl

Bambi

Thank you, Fresno

KFSN News: Fresno police say they busted a dog fighting ring in southwest Fresno and the bloody fights were videotaped. Most of the video is too graphic and disturbing for Action News to air....

Police Chief Dyer: "These were dogs that were completely taken advantage of..."
Fresno SPCA Director Beth Caffrey: "They're exploiting attributes of animals and of human beings and they're bringing out the worst in everyone."

Thank you Fresno PD, Fresno SPCA....and to the media!

For ending these dogs' torture.
For choosing to blur out the bloody images of victimized pets.
For your obvious compassion towards these animals.
You're all heroes today.

News Story - Worth a look.

Hey Sailor, Wanna See My Etchings?

---

One of the upshots of slogging through the trials this work is that, at the end of the day, our crew really knows how to unwind and have a good time. With all the funk in the news, we're already setting our sights on the best party of the year: the Tuff Love Art Show on Nov 10 in Berkeley.

It's a one night benefit fundraiser that will bring dozens of artists, photographers and supporters together to taste saki, enjoy live music, bid on sweet auction items (like, a week's stay in Jackson Hole WY - YeeHAW!) and - especially - to enjoy the quality art pieces that will be available for sale. All in time for holiday gift giving.

Originally the brainchild of Ana Poe (Paco Collars), Tuff Love is a "Celebration of Pit bulls through Art." Because artists have taken on the role as the sage free thinkers in our society, we can rely on them to give us an honest, thoughtful perspective on pit bulls that you're not likely to get in the news. Last year's juried show brought great talent, including the photo documentary work of Marc Joseph, the oil magic of Eric Bailey, the wimsy of Heidi Zumbrun and the carvings of Tim Racer (below). With a little luck, this year's show will bring yet more inspired appreciation for the breed.

The event takes place in the classy tasting room of the Takara Sake Factory We love their slogan, by the way. Their website explains, "We proclaim ourselves a "Harmonist" a term coined out of our sincere desire to act proactively in creating a positive rapport between people and nature." Word.


Calling All Artists!
Calling All Donors!

We're accepting art submissions for pit bull themed art to be displayed and sold, AND for items and services for our silent auction. If you're an artist, or know an artist with an eye for the breed, please pass word along. And if you might have an item that you're willing to donate to our silent auction, we'd sure love to talk with you. More Tuff Love INFO

Oh, and the Tuff Love logo is looking mighty fine on tshirts. If you'd like your own, check out BR's Store.

---

Two Steps Forward, One Back

The Los Angeles City Council put a temporary hold on Animal Service's plans to allow trained parolees to work with sheltered pit bulls this week. News of the program kicked up some of the most blatant biases we've seen in print in a long time.

"Notoriously vicious dogs"..."liability waiting to happen"..."sketchy trainers desperate for jobs to work with sketchier dogs." Huh?

Deep breaths, deeeep breaths.....No one ever said breed education would be easy.


We can point to dozens of dogs, including Hemi the Law Dog and Bailey, the mascot for a special kids program (right), who are alive and well thanks, in large part, to inmates at a Louisiana prison. The Louisiana prison system doesn't kid around when it comes to putting their population to work; it's one of the main reasons they were contracted to take care of pets during the Katrina disaster (above). The fact that most of the dogs that landed in their care were pit bulls from every background was never an issue....This was the population of animals that needed help.

It's amazing what a natural disaster will do to set people's priorities straight.

We're gnashing our teeth over the flack that the Pit Bull Training Academy is getting, but Tia Torres of Villalobos is the right man for the job. She's one of those people who, when the going gets rough, just gets tougher. Best wishes to all involved in this wonderful project!

Pollarded Ears and Expensive Balls

Adoptions have been going well this summer, so we went to the shelters to look for a new dog for our program. Before going inside, Tim wondered out loud if we should look for dogs that have been fought to help more people understand how adoptable solid dogs with fight scars can be. Huh. After all, pit bull rescue is as much a political statement as anything, and every dog tells a story about myths and misperceptions. So, we looked.

No dice. In the SF bay area, the abandoned but 'clean' dogs far out number the very unfortunate fight victims. But as always, there are plenty of stories to be told in every kennel you peek inside: Dozens of nice dogs, frightened dogs, mangey dogs, lactating dogs, barking dogs, hopeful dogs, sick dogs.



We decided to take this young cutie with cropped ears home with us today. She's darling; we named her Miso.

Contrary to popular belief, she does not have a 'fighting crop.' This look is, basically, a really stupid fashion statement made by young owners who've come to believe that pit bulls' ears should be chopped, much the same way that amateur arborists think beautiful trees should be hacked - er - pollarded. Never mind what you read in the papers about fighting crops. Ask the kids who own these dogs if you want to know the scoop.

Kids around here tell us that they pay $100 for this cut, purchased through one of Oakland's shadier veterinarians. Hec, he even advertises the crop in his yellow pages ad. It would be hard for the shelter to find her a home with those ears, but we'll give it a go. Miso is not a 'fighter' or a 'bait dog.' Miso is a victim of bad fashion.


Story number two. (This one haunts.)

Handsome boy here has an owner who came in to the shelter to claim him. After all, his fad color - lilac - makes for highly desirable puppies, so she invested a pretty penny in the cute guy. She even taught him to 'shake.'

Thing is, she doesn't want him back neutered, even though the alternative is death. So she walked away from him - Left him to die and went back to her life. He's a victim of the all-too-common belief that dogs must be bred to be worth their kibble.

No fighters in the crowd, but lots of victims.

"Pit bulls are not inherently dangerous."

That's what Ohio courts all determined in Tellings v. Toledo .

Of course, we already knew that.

So why did Ohio's Supreme Court then decide to uphold the constitution-ality of its statutes that include pit bulls in its definition of "vicious" dog? And why did Ohio's Supreme Court uphold the constitutionality of Toledo's ordinance restricting ownership of pit bulls and pit bull mixes?

The Ohio appellate court's opinion included lengthy and logical reasoning based on the entire record before it, and gave us hope that finally, the judiciary was going to stop believing the myths and unsupported maligning that this breed has endured for much too long.

Then the Ohio Supreme Court reversed, basing its rulings almost wholly on the testimony of a dog warden, and brushing over the fact that the trial court found that the breed is no more dangerous than any other breed. It's especially absurd in light of the fact that the record in both the trial and appellate courts contradicts the Supreme Court's recount of testimony. The opinion reads as if the court was determined to find a way to get to the result it wanted, as opposed to analyzing and applying the law to the evidence.

Deep, long breaths. The Ohio case was so close to being a big victory for all of us, and we are so grateful to all those who worked so hard to support Mr. Tellings.

The silver lining here is that the two of the Court of Appeals judges and the separate, concurring opinion of the Supreme Court judge took great pains to express their differing opinions, stray from the crowd, and not blindly buy into assumptions that were not supported by the record. It may not seem like much, but the dissension here wouldn't have happened years ago. The pit bull community's education and outreach efforts are making a difference. Although the end result of Ohio is a loss, the meaty middle – the part that finds the breed not inherently dangerous or vicious, and that there's no support for the proposition that pit bulls bite more frequently than other breeds – is a significant step forward for us, and a judicial concession that we should use to our advantage in the ongoing fight against BSL.

Politicians and the judiciary are recycling the same erroneous and political beliefs to support the implementation of BSL. It's a vicious cycle that has to stop. In a society that thrives on shock-value and fear of the unknown, it's surely an uphill battle. But we have to keep working to shift the public mind away from perpetuating myths and assumptions, and toward focusing on reality and facts.

The tide can turn and the time is now.

re-ha-bil-i-tate

re·ha·bil·i·tate

tr.v. re·ha·bil·i·tat·ed, re·ha·bil·i·tat·ing, re·ha·bil·i·tates

1. To restore to good health or useful life, as through therapy and education.
2. To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity.
3. To reinstate the good name of.
4. To restore the former rank, privileges, or rights of.

1. Katie Jane on intake to Oakland Animal Shelter.
Ouchy. Bad fight boo boos.


2. Katie Jane
in new home.

myth (mith) n.
1. an invented story, fictitious person, etc. 2. a belief or set of beliefs, often unproven or false, that have accrued around a person, phenomena or institution.
ie: 'fought pit bulls are dangerous to children.'





3. Katie Jane adopter report one year later:

"I just wanted to check in with you and let you know that Katie Jane is still the perfect dog. She is such a love dog. She loves being near the kids and surprisingly she listens to their commands. She has been going with us on our family walks about two to three times a day and has began to make a pretty good running partner. She listens to all of our commands, walks on a flat collar and does not pull at all. She actually walks so close that she brushes up against our legs. She is great! We are so glad that everything has worked out so well."

Most revealing pit bull related quote of the day:

Surry County Animal Control Officer James Smith about the Vick dogs, “They are in good shape,” he said. “They are not violent to humans.” - New York Times 8/1/07

Thanks for saying so, James. We thought as much.

"Because it's the right thing to do."

How much do we appreciate this Washington Post article?

Best pit bull related quote of the day:

"Before, we euthanized every pit bull that was older than 6 months and did not have a history. Now, we make an investment in every dog that walks through our shelter -- because it's the right thing to do." - J.C. Crist, chief executive Montgomery County Humane Society, VA. in Washington Post article

Easier said than done. Loudoun County Animal Shelter staff is trying so hard to do the right thing for the pit bulls in their care. We met them this spring when we flew out to do a two day workshop on developing a pit bull adoption program. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place ... They have to contend with unrealistic "Save them all" advocates, and people who'd be just as happy to see every sheltered pit bull turned into fertilizer. Their job: Find common ground between the two extremes and do right by the dogs.




Visting them was a big reminder: We have it so damn easy in the bay area.

Our hats are off to any agency that tries as hard as this shelter to do the right thing for the animals in their care. Best luck to you guys.

When the Bad Guys Look Like Us

Yep. Vick is turning out to be quite the poster child for bad boy dog fighters.

Unfortunately, abuse against pit bulls has become as All-American as domestic violence, and just as hard to eradicate. We can be horrified by the indictment details and demand that Nike pull the rest of those Number 7 jerseys off the shelves, but when it comes down to it, our outrage alone isn't going to do a damn thing to slow the violence committed against these dogs

Dog fighters are the bad guys. But what about those who've made it socially acceptable to defame the breed? Ask any pit bull owner how many times they've had to defend their pet from co-workers or family based on something horrible that was said about the breed in the news. The media condemns them regularly and labels them 'unpredictable' and 'aggressive,' the city of Denver is busy hunting them down and killing them, and groups like PeTA are big on telling legislators why they should be banned out of existence. So why NOT torture them? Don't they deserve it? Aren't they just really bad animals?

Nothing will change for the better until people chill out on these poor dogs. They've become the victims of a hatred that extends far outside the boundaries of Vick's property, and the real killer is a warped bias that's made them very convenient punching bags.

We see a lot of bad stuff in this line of work, but always prefer to let the dogs to the telling. Check out this News Report
about BR's Sadie.

Sadie (right) was originally named 'Tina' by the staff of the Oakland Animal Shelter because of some horrible injuries on her front legs. She's such an awesome dog that it's easy to forget how bad they look. Finding her a home brought up some interesting reactions: At least one applicant in Marin County rejected her when he learned about the legs, explaining that he didn't want a pet that had "seen combat." (Nevermind that she's quite nonreactive and even social with other dogs.) I spent half a day feeling infuriated for her after that exchange. Would he reject a friend who'd been beaten and mugged?

Sadie on the other hand, was much better at staying positive and looking on the bright side of things. Flash to the present: She's in a fantastic new home AND she just passed her CGC (Canine Good Citizen) test this weekend. That's like flipping a double bird at the guy who fought her and the people who would condemn her for being a pit bull, much less a chewed up pit bull. You go Sadie.

Six other pit bulls passed their CGC exam in Berkeley this weekend, and we're mighty impressed. See them here at on our Pit Bull Hall of Fame page.

Bad Newz Capitalism

In the wake of the Michael Vick dogfighting case, we've seen all kinds of outlets for news and editorials - from newspaper headlines to CNN specials to personal blogs and message boards, people are voicing their opinions. Letting the world know what you think is, after all, the American Way.

Perhaps it was inevitable that this kind of sensationalist news story would lend itself to another American icon - the T-shirt. PETA came out, guns blazing, with an anti-Vick shirt that sports a 7 in a circle with a line through it - the same art they have on their protest signs. While it's nice that the sentiment on the shirts is anti-Vick, it is somewhat ironic that PETA is collecting money on behalf of a breed that they actively call to be eliminated.

While some are questioning PETA's actions due to their anti-pit-bull stance, the worst form was demonstrated today when we received a newsletter from Busted Tees. The subject line read: "PreSale: All of Michael Vick's Dogs Go To Heaven" (No, we are not making this up.)

The content of this newsletter was this shirt, which proudly displays the name of Michael Vick's kennel:

Now, seriously: at a time when Nike and Reebok are pulling endorsements and merchandise, what kind of thought process led Busted Tees to decide to pull this stunt? And who, we wonder, would actually consider buying and wearing one of these shirts?

Perhaps Busted Tees might consider sharing their buyers with federal authorities, since clearly anyone who'd want to wear this shirt is either a criminal or someone with a criminal lack of a social conscience and any semblance of good taste.

The fact that Busted Tees is pimping a kennel name that tortured and abused animals is despicable; the fact that their marketing messaging makes fun of it is worse. But the worst thing about this ploy is, perhaps, that they're providing the world with a pro-dogfighting icon, and a way to wear it proudly. That they're profiting off the latter is the worst kind of capitalism.

Busted Tees is run by Connected Ventures. These are the same folks that bring us defunker and CollegeHumor.com. The content guy and co-founder is named Rick VanVeen, and I called him today about this shirt. Oddly, he didn't seem particularly happy to hear from me, and got off the phone as fast as possible with a "I'll pass it along."

Apparently, an office environment with a ping pong table and a bunch of twentysomethings in T-shirts looking out over Manhattan isn't a place where folks like Ricky are comfortable discussing real life tragedy.

It's a shame that the staff at Connected Ventures hasn't given a second thought to the dogs that were tortured and abused, or to the fact that the remaining Vick dogs are in custody with an unknown fate; usually, these dogs end up sitting in kennels as evidence for some portion of the trial and are then euthanized. Then again, they must have a lot on their minds; there's ping pong to be played, lip synching to record and T-shirts to sell.

Given the folks selling shirts and the messaging on them, we decided to make our own T-shirts to allow people who care about these dogs to remind the world that there are victims in the Michael Vick dogfighting case, and those victims are not Atlanta football fans. Perhaps we should send one of these to the founders of Connected Ventures, since they after all can wear T-shirts to work:

Best Pit Bull Related Quote of the Day:

"We don't racially profile out on the roads, nor do we do that with our dogs. We don't care what type of breed the dogs are."
- Steve Gardner WA State Patrol about the pit bulls that work as drug detection dogs in their canine unit.

Thank you Steve, and thank you LawDogs. See the LAW DOGS News Clip

Best Near-Perfect Interview of the Day: Larry King Live

Question from show viewer,
John in Glendale:
"Can a dog that has been trained to fight be rehabilitated to live a normal family life?"

Answer from dog trainer Tamara Gellar:
No. The answer is no. A complete normal life, absolutely not. There are degrees -- there are degrees of how much you can rehabilitate a dog like that, which obviously, you want to teach him qualities that he should have learned as a puppy, of love and trust and connecting and being socialized, like Barbara said.

Ahh. But of course, on THIS we have to disagree.....

BAD RAP: While some of the dogs are forever ruined by their fighting pasts; driven insane by the isolation, conditioning and abuse, others survive it with sanity intact. Some are happy to never fight again, and given the opportunity to succeed, do just that.

Many of the dogs from these situations are lousy fighters. Some turn tail, or freeze up and refuse to fight. Hence, the torture of dogs that embarrass their cruel owners.

Meet Nike (from photo above) who was very happy to live a completely normal life and never see another dog fight for the rest of his days.



Just as Issues Specialist for the HSUS Companion Animals program Adam Goldfarb states in this very nice article about pit bulls ..."It's important to remember that every animal is an individual."

So true. And, thanks for saying so, Adam.