A calendar's worth 12,000 words

Kids and pit bulls - what's the big whoop? They're just dogs.

Somehow, the media monster has created a climate wherein perfectly nice folks can be out enjoying a perfectly nice day with their perfectly nice pit bull, and they suddenly receive an unsolicited editorial from someone with kids.

Or worse, they're with their own kids, who suddenly get an earful from a perfect stranger criticizing their parenting skills - and their best pal! What gives? This kind of rudeness doesn't happen to folks who have other large-breed dogs with children, but somehow society has decided that it's entirely acceptable for a perfect stranger to provide his or her own unsolicited and ill-informed public service announcement to anyone who will listen whenever there's a pit bull out and about and anywhere near a child.

At a local festival, my own dog Gunther had just been set upon by a group of rowdy toddlers (he rolled around on his back for belly rubs in the grass - his favorite thing), when my trip for a first beer led to him almost being run down by yet another wee human on an out-of-control Big Wheel. Being the cool cucumber Gunther is, he just sort of looked at me like, "Um - Mom? I think that kid needs some help." So I put my foot out to prevent the toddler from taking a tumble off the curb, and as I was doing so some random guy walked by with his wife and, very loudly to everyone (but not looking directly at me), said, "Yeah, that's a GREAT idea, having a dog like THAT around CHILDREN!"

Snappy retorts and actual education escaped me at that moment, I'm sorry to say. I did manage to fit in something not fit for print (or young ears, regrettably) - hey, we're only human. (And the young ears in question were being commandeered by Mom, who'd suddenly realized that her youngster's motor skills might not be honed enough to maneuver his fly plastic ride through the madding crowd...)

In any case, the simple fact of the matter is: normal pit bulls adore children. And, we're pleased to say, lots of children adore dogs - and pit bulls are just dogs, after all.

So, for everyone who's had to endure a lecture about endangering their children or someone else's simply because of their choice of family pet, we have the perfect holiday gift for you, which we tentatively entitled:

Bad Rap's 2008 Unsolicited Rude and Unwelcome Editorial Eliminator / A Picture's Worth a Thousand Rude Hand Gestures and/or Snappy Retorts / Gift for the Naysayers / Pit Bulls and Their Favorite Kid Pals Calendar Extravaganza 5000!


That was the working title, anyway. It didn't fit on the cover particularly well, so we went with Pibbles 'n Kids.

Heartfelt thanks go out to all the families that so generously donated their time - and kids! - to this calendar project. Most the dogs in the calendar are Bad Rap alums, but there's a couple shots sent in by some supporters that were so amazing that we just had to use them.

So, for those of you who want a G-rated pit bull calendar for next year's date-keeping, this one's for y'all. We think it makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone who's ever given you grief about your best pal - and yes, that includes your mother-in-law.

Teflon Tuff

Oh my aching head. On the heels of a fantastic evening last night (see notes below), we're reminded just how tuff we really have to be to own and enjoy our pit bulls. Not tuff as in, "Wow am I tres cool and muy macho," but tuff enough to teflon biased opinions such as those in: Vallejo Times Herald's weekend piece on 'pet psychology.'

The headline of the article reads, "Pet Psychology What does your pet choice say about you?" Although I propose a different headline: "Pets and Armchair Psychology. What does your personal prejudice say about you?"

Apparently pit bull owners, we've been diagnosed. The tens of thousands of us who own and enjoy pit bulls in the bay area, specifically in Solano County, are merely fine tuning our bad boy macho image. Oy vey. If we REALLY meant to have "family member type pets" according to clinical psychologist Dr. Kelly Horton, we'd be by-passing these fat head dogs up for labrador retrievers.

Baby Clare is much too busy enjoying her friend to care what people think about her parent's breed choice.


The article suggests that our income and even our EDUCATION level may have something to our breed choice. "Income and education level and where they live may dictate why some people have certain kinds of animals," one north bay shelter worker said. Presumably, the less educated we are, the more attracted we will be to pit bulls. More: "Terriers have a strong prey drive, which can be a problem with kids going by on skateboards or on bikes, or the postman or pizza delivery guy gets bit."

Whoa! Wait a minute. The last time we checked, responsibly owned pit bulls weren't chasing the pizza guy any more than responsibly owned labradors - the supposed ideal family pets. In fact, two irresponsibly owned lab-mixes made the paper this spring when they chased and bit up a passer-by in the North Bay. Lab Attack, Of course, we would never blame the breed or the income level of dog owner. But rather, we would look at the circumstances. Prior history? Yes, the dogs had been at large before, barking scarily at some neighborhood kids. Containment problems? Absolutely.

Solano County pit bull owners, you have a right to be pissy at your local paper today. Yes, yes, we know there are irresponsible pit bull owners out there as well as irresponsible lab owners, but generalizing and supporting stereotypes is sooo 1950's. Not to mention, it's sensationalistic and smacks of tabloid journalism. Kudos though to Darlene Jelonek, who does animal control for the Benicia Police Department. She said most of the dogs she picks up in town are loose running labs and retrievers. She rarely encounters an aggressive pit bull, and said. "We got the friendlier, family dogs here, I guess," she said. Thank you Darlene. Score one for Benicia.

Speaking of Tuff Love

Last night's event exceeded all expectations. The tasting room was packed, the guests were dressed to the nines, the sake was flowing, the music was jamming and atmosphere was all about love and appreciation for the breed. Sales were good and everyone seemed walk out the door with an auction score, a BR Exposed Calendar and/or an original work of art.
We'll post a link to fun photos when we unfog our brains, but for now, THANK YOU to everyone who came out and showed so much generosity and kindness.



Photographer Anne Truitt had good reason to celebrate. Her Exposed calendar photos were a hit and her framed prints nearly sold out. Congrats Anne! and thank you again.

Cheap Thrills, Fine Art & a Detroit Transplant

Some may be coming out to see the naked butts in our BAD RAP Exposed Calendar this Saturday, Nov 10, at the Tuff Love Show, but the real stars will be the many works of art that will be on display.

Petal (left)- a life size portrait carving by Tim Racer - will be prancing across the gorgeous spaces of the Takara Sake Factory, and will be surrounded by quality art pieces for sale, such as these. (Hm. I may to have to get ready to fight over that mosaic piece!)

Great art is showing up in the Silent Auction, too. So bring your checkbook and get ready to jot down your best bids. This lovely print was kindly donated by the dog lovers of Fifty Crows Gallery and is part of the 'In the South' series from the Mother Jones International Fund for Documentary Photography.



For 25 years, Adams has been documenting the people of Appalachia. His affectionate portraits of individuals and families speak to us with tenderness and sincerity. Adams has received two NEA fellowships and has published 'Appalachian Portraits' and 'Appalachian Legacy.'
Beautiful. Valued at $500.

Other items to shop at the silent auction:
- A week's stay in a vacation home in Jackson Hole WY
- A week's stay in a vacation flat in Cole Valley, SF
- Two night's stay in the sweet Hopland Inn
- Numerous gift baskets full of dog products and other goodies
- Tickets to shows at Freight & Salvage, Giant's Games & more
- Too much more for my bleary eyes to list...Just bring your checkbook!


Our Detroit Mama is Here!
Mandatory exercise for reading this blog:

1. Open this LINK
2. Put on your dancing shoes.
3. PUT YOUR HANDS UP for Detroit!...AND, Stella Polare

Our Newest Transplant

Stella just scored a spot in our program after making goo-goo eyes during a visit to Michigan Humane Society's Detroit Shelter at the end of October.

She was confiscated in a drug bust and has lived some adventures in her day, but she told us that she's more than willing to leave those days behind her.

She'll be spit-shined, polished up, spayed and tutored before finally making her way to our adoption program.



What a ham. Stella poured out of her crate at the airport with a big fat smile on her face, ready to go. The air cargo crew gaped at her hanging boobies and messy coat, but we assured them that our girl had a standing date with Spa Katie. Katie Moyer is her new foster mama and is set to devote many weeks of TLC and training to get her in good shape and ready for adoption. She's had good practice: the bouncy Harvey and Princess Sadie both found their manners in her care.

Big thanks to Katie, and to Kristy Grasak and her many helpers at Michigan Humane Society for all you did to get Stella to CA.

Here's a little YouTube Movie of Stella giving hugs to her new friend Tim.

A Place to Lay Their Weary Heads

We received a wonderful note from the good folks at Hillsborough County Animal Care Services today. They've been hammering out the start of a brave new breed ambassador program for pit bulls. Brave, because they intake so many dogs that the shelter is forced to euthanize dozens every day due to space constraints. Despite this daily heartache, they're finding time to get their best dogs to outings where they can be seen by the public and enjoyed for the good dogs that they are.

This is quite a U-turn from just months ago, when adoptable pit bulls didn't stand much of a chance. As some readers may remember, Little Man landed in this shelter after HCAS staff rescued him from a neglectful home. He was on his last day when we spied him, and the rest is history. He's now in Orange County living the life of a spoiled pet and demo dog deluxe. Great dog, and great team effort to get him to this ending.

Now, all attentions are turned towards the Hillsborough County dogs that are still waiting for their lucky break. Their ambassador program is modest and realistic: three hand-selected pit bulls go up for adoption at a time. (The staff was trained in BR's Pit Ed Camp to select the very best candidates) But change takes time, so even three very special dogs have to wait and wait for good adopters to see their worth. In the meantime, shelter staff is carving out spare moments every day to keep them exercised and sane.

Good deeds deserve to be rewarded.

If you know someone in the Tampa area who's looking to adopt, please tell them about this shelter. And if you want to help their pit bulls, consider buying a bed so the dogs can enjoy a good night's sleep off of the cold floor. Well-rested dogs are better able to handle the stress of the shelter and attract that good home with a bright, tail-wagging happy smile.

Kuranda's Donation Program will accept your donation and ship a bed to Hillsborough pronto: Beds for Dogs ... Easy-peazy, and such a good way to show that you support what they're doing to help the dogs.

For more information about HCAS breed ambassadors, or to learn other ways that you can help them reach their goals, please contact the ever-busy-always-hopeful Kelly Bigsby

Nekid is as Nekid Does

So, we decided to get naked for our calendar this year.

There - I said it. No big deal, right? It sounded like a good idea at the time: Draw attention to the fact that pit bull owners are so used to being stared at that we just don't give a damn anymore. Once we got closer to the date of the photo shoot, we all started caring a little more than we thought we would. 'Oh god, my stomach!' 'My vericose veins!' 'Don't shoot my butt!'

Well, pit bulls don't care what you look like as long as you look like you're having fun. So we rented a house on Stinson Beach in Marin County, packed up way too much food, way too many dogs and plenty of drink. We wished we would've packed tomato juice, because within hours of enjoying the salt air, no less that three dogs and one human were sprayed by a beach combing skunk. And so went our adventure. It was, actually, one of the happiest weekends I've had in years. Dog bless margarita inspired brainstorms!



The calendar includes BR's core group: which includes police officers, a fire fighter, a teacher, business owners, artists, account execs, lawyers and more. We may be showing butt cracks, but we ain't thugs. We hope you like the results. And even if you don't, we truly hope that - if you do own a pit bull - you're able to enjoy many moments without caring anything about the stares you get. After all, when you own a wonderful pet, you've got absolutely nothing to hide. (And, what you do need to hide is easily covered with a wee bit of foundation.)

BAD RAP Exposed will be officially launched at our Tuff Love Event this coming Saturday. For those who can't go - You're missing one hell of a good party! - but you can order your copy of the Calendar Here.

Thank you!




New Videos Worth Getting Choked Up About:

1. Wallace the Purina Flying Disc Champ and Roo, singing the National Anthem (Check out Wallace's other videos while you're at YouTube)

2. And, this News Report from East Lyme, Conn, of a pit bull that sat by his injured owner's side after a bad car wreck. *Sniff*

Motor City Mojo

Detroit. Scrappy, messy, unrelenting, unapologetic. I love it as much as I hate it: It's where I was born and raised until my early twenties and a big part of my heart is still there. We just returned from a visit as part of a trip to the MPAW Conference in Lansing - a gathering of bright animal welfare minds hosted by the Michigan Humane Society (think: Animal Cops).



MHS wants to re-visit their policies that now ban pit bull adoptions. Right now, their pit bulls don't leave their Detroit shelter alive and the shortest coats you'll see in their surburban shelters belong to beagles. We were greeted with smiles after our morning presentation on lessons learned in BAD RAP. Many of those smiles were wearing suits; a good sign. We told the audience that Oakland is a lot like Detroit. Same gritty spirit...maybe a little less messy. If Oakland can make things better for pit bulls that need help, so can greater Detroit. After all, adoptable dogs are counting on us.

Later, we left the sweetness of the MSU conference grounds to take a peek at two of their three shelters. The newer facility in Westland was impressive, although a very lonely place for a pit bull nerd...None to be found in their cheerful kennels. We couldn't wait to hop in the car and take off to our old stomping grounds in da ghetto of their downtown facility. This shelter looks like a building from modern day Baghdad. But the people inside are warm and ... real. I always think of Detroiters as the ultimate urban pioneers. We got the hec out of that city years ago, but the people that stay somehow make it work.

You'd imagine that the dogs from Detroit would reflect their surroundings - beaten down and edgy. But just the opposite: We were greeted again and again by beautiful tail-wagging bullies, pressing into their kennel bars, smiling and ever-hopeful. Amazing. It was too hard to walk away knowing all were lost, so we asked if we could take home a lovely chocolate brown female. A tiny gesture in the middle of an enormous problem. They said yes!

It turns out the chocolate girl was a staff favorite. (I love that they even have staff favorites, since opening your heart means you're going to be disappointed in the end.) We just got word today that she passed her health check, so is ready to fly. Stay tuned for news and photos as our Detroit Lady gets her muscley butt on a plane and heads to Oakland to start her new life. We can't wait.

In case any of the Detroiters we met are reading: Thank you for not giving up. We so admire your cautious optimism for better days. You're a lot like your dogs -- and I mean that in the very best way.

Thank you to Dina for sponsoring our Detroit Girl in Gary's name. You've got some heart, girl.

Eye See You

Big thanks to Sophie's foster mom, Stephanie, for taking such good care of Soph and for snapping these new post-surgery pix. Our girl is all brand new without her icky damaged eye to bother her anymore.

For those who may have missed her intro, Sophie was bred and fought most of her 11 years but found happier days once she landed in the Oakland Animal Shelter, and then to our program. I especially like the shot of her blowing little bubbles out of her pursed lips.

Halloween, Recycled

CBS recently decided to re-run this oldy moldy video report on scary pit bulls from 2005. (Pit Bull Restrictions Debated) CBS Redone

Why? My best guess is because it's a collection of Halloween-ish gore, including some sensationalistic quotes from a person-who-should-know-better at a south bay shelter. Scare tactics are perennial, so it seems - and so convenient during times when abused pit bulls, ghouls and UFO sightings make their way to into October headlines.

What bothers me the most, besides the fact that a few of us and our ridiculously friendly dogs are IN this report (Fools-R-We for participating in this trash piece) is that it's running adjacent to a report on the Vick dogs - Wha? - Despite the fact that only ONE of the Vick dogs was sketchy with people, and she was put to sleep, as was the responsible thing to do.

I know, I know. What can we expect? The media is known for acting like a bunch of scared little old ladies chittering about bogus insurance scams, and no one with any brains really cares what they have to say. But dammit! watching reports like these is like watching school bullies kick the crap out of your little brother. How do we make them stop?

Speaking of a burn, we were taken aback by a highly unethical exchange with a staff member of our own local paper, the San Francisco Chronicle. Seems Mr. Rose didn't like the fact that we were placing an an ad to promote our fundraiser Tuff Love in his paper. His out-of-left-field response to our request for ad space....

Pit Bulls can be fine animals. But I find it alarming that your organization dismissed the numerous maulings that result from seemingly sweet dogs that come from a line of dogs bred for fighting. As a journalist all my life (I'm 60 now), I can't count the number of times I've read reputable news reports about a pit bull family pet which, after a number of years with the kids, suddenly mauled one of the family.

This is not urban myth. This is a real problem.

I'd love to see a certified line of pits that can demonstrate several generations of tame breeding so that the animals could truly be trusted. I've found everything I've ever heard from the "religious" pit bull owners to be true — that they are truly beautiful and loving dogs. But until such a line can be established, they cannot be trusted.

Many pit bull owners point to the fact that other breeds have a greater history of biting. However, pits don't bite — they maul. And there's a big difference.

I think if you folks own up to the fact that there are difficulties with the breed, you might make a lot more headway. And the problems don't stem from responsible pit owners — they stem from the Michael Vicks of the work. And unfortunately, there are big numbers of these people.

Jim Rose
Production, Ad Lay Out Manager
San Francisco Chronicle

Geez. And all we wanted to do was attract people to an event that celebrates great dogs and their loving owners.

Outside of the fact that the Vick dogs were found to be people-safe (and many are A-Okay with dogs), his bigger mistake was letting the media educate him about dog maulings. Research from the National Canine Research Council comes in so handy during times like these.

I wrote to Jim and pointed out that, according to the NCRC ...

"There have been 58 fatal maulings in CA since 1965 -- an average of 1-2 deaths a year. At least 14 different breeds/types of dogs have been identified as participating in a fatal attack in California. The breeds include small and medium-sized dog (Pomeranian, Schnauzer) -- up to large and giant breed dogs (Malamute, Presa Canario)."

And, "California leads the nation in having the largest number of criminal, negligent and abusive owners receiving felony convictions after encouraging or permitting their dogs to exhibit behaviors which resulted in a fatal attack." And further, they outline ways that the media's portrayal of pit bulls has contributed to the unrelenting assassination of this one breed's reputation. (Pssst: Bookmark this website!)

Tuff Love was created, in part, as a response to media biases such as Jim's. I never heard back from him, by the way. But maybe he's busy checking his facts.

Speaking of Scary Ex-Fighting Dogs

Sophie is back in her foster home after a surgery to remove her bad eye....Thank you UCDavis. She has a permanent wink now....How fitting! (I picture her winking everytime a naysayer slanders abused pit bulls as 'ticking time bombs.')

And happier news yet ... Our little miss is going up for adoption. She deserves a home that can give her all the creature comforts a senior citizen like her has earned. We've been honored and privileged to know this dog and we look forward to seeing her relax into retirement. Her adopters should line up the toys, though....This girl is making up for years of neglect by enjoying lots of silly, happy, wiggly-butt play.

Dog bless you, Sophie. And kind thank yous to everyone who's sent toys, donations and good vibes to help her in her new life.

The Art of Dog

And finally, a slideshow of our Pit Bull Hall dogs, compliments of PBH Team Member, Maria Graizer. She sure has an eye. Enjoy.

PBH Slides

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.