Jonny Sez: Delish!

The celebrity sofa graced by Jonny Justice two blogs below belongs to this darling of daytime telly. Yes! our ever-charming Bully Bust Dog Ambassador will be getting his
15 minutes of fame on the
Rachael Ray Show this coming Friday, February 29, 9am. A good reason to be late for work. Or set your Tevo. Or, check back here for the video link to the show.

How cool is that? Of course Rachael is a pit bull owner herself, so the interview was all about good vibes. We'll save the good parts for you to see for yourself. Photo: Tim in Central Park with Jonny Justice after the show's taping.



Pardon us please while we bask in the momentary bliss of being full fledged Media Ho's for the V-dogs. Does the country care about cast-off pit bulls? Last year at this time, the answer mighta been 'Eh. Mebbe' -- But this year's a whole new ball game and we're happy to see the dogs get a seat on the bus for once. And it's not slowing down...We have more shameless media announcements to make as we move into spring. Yo. Watch out for da Ho's!

A Rotta Good Bite Prevention Work

Speaking of working the media to help the dogs, we have to give a five snap salute to the Minnesota rescue/education mavericks A Rotta Love for their fantastically proactive bite prevention programs. We ALL need more of this. Even better, they've gotten their program into the press more than once, showing us all how simple and fun it is to teach dog safety and show off great ambassadors at the same time. I love these people! News Story

Small Victories at Home

Despite the fun stuff happening in the media, our crew is always working hard behind the scenes exercising, training and TLC'ing our orphan dogs until they finally go home. Shining up their manners involves problem solving; there's really no such thing as a perfect dog, and every individual has a little something that needs working out. For Elvez, it was wheelchairs. Anytime he saw a chair, he practically panicked. Not good. So the Pit Bull Hall Team has been wheeling a wheelchair around him for weeks along with lots of positives for calm.

This weekend's log notes from Pit Bull Hall volunteer Inga Sheffield spelled out a simple victory: 'Elvez Notes: A visitor in a wheelchair was checking him out as I came in with Josie. He was really good, no jumping or crazy yelping. I brought him out and he was equally well behaved. '

Great news. And just as nice, Elvez has a new suitor. Go Team.

Have we learned anything yet?

Six people were arrested this week in AZ on misdemeanor cruelty charges for running a breeding operation that looks very much like a large scale puppy mill with sorry conditions and way too many pit bulls. While the local media is very excited about a 'dog fight ring,' no dog fighting charges have been filed. Authorities and the HSUS are instead condemning the operation for "breeding fighting dogs." The judge was less than impressed and allowed the defendants to leave without posting bail.

So here are the obvious questions:
What makes a dog a fighting dog?

and

Why is this term being manipulated to hurt the very animals that raids are designed to help?

He said that even pit bulls in good shape can be proof of dogfighting. ~ KBOLD13News (mis?)quoting Marsh Myers, Humane Society of Southern Arizona

HUH?!

The dogs on the AZ property are people friendly and surprisingly few have battle scars, yet the media is already suggesting that all or most will need to be destroyed. (I guess they didn't get their People Magazine!) The running definition for fighting dog in this case is a dog that's already ruined because someone, somewhere might exploit and abuse him once he's sold. This is in line with PeTA's wish to exterminate the entire pit bull breed to prevent them from being abused.

Of course our own 10 Vick survivors have been called "fighting dogs"- But are they? Is a fighting dog born or made? And who decides?

Stay tuned - This is going to be an interesting case to watch.

"After being confiscated, fighting dogs are typically euthanized due to their highly aggressive nature and unsuitability for adoption." ~ Humane Society of the United States

Vick-dog Uba (left) and his housemate Lulu. Fighting dog(s) ?


Photograph compliments of Uba's devoted foster mom, Letti

Laptop Go Boom

Why do dogs decide to trip us and send sacred laptops sailing just when we need them most?
Definitely the Trickster at work.

So needless to say, I've taken over Tim's computer, but am painfully behind on updating BR's website including and especially our Available Page. This is a good time to announce a new addition to Pit Bull Hall *snort* ------->.

Tyson is a teeny tiny blue senior Staffy Bull that somehow ended up in trouble and then with the good folks at Oakland Animal Services (OAS has a great little blog,btw - Check it out.)

Tyson was identified as a Pit Bull Hall dog during evaluation practice of Pit Ed Camp, a week-long intensive where folks from around the country come to study up on ways to create viable pit bull adoption programs. We love these camps and the people who attend them. The February camp attracted shelter professionals from Michigan Humane Society --- (Yes, it's time to put your hands up for Detroit again. Heh), from Capital Area Humane Society (Reps Kelly and Stephanie shown in pic), the Jacksonville Humane Society (They're still recovering from the tragic fire that killed over 200 animals), Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe and finally, a rep from our Partner in Shelter Services, Animal Farm Foundation. All good people with a renewed commitment to help the pit bulls in their communities.

We were so happy that Michigan Humane's own Stella Polari was able to be reunited with MHS staff during the training class portion of camp. Shown here with MHS's head trainer, CJ Bentley (who went to High School with Tim, btw - Small world!)

If you know of a motivated shelter worker whose pit bulls would benefit from Pit Ed Camp, please send them our way. Even better if they don't like pit bulls!

Back to Tyson. This tyke is a hilariously funny little alien beast who sings, chortles, purrs and demands to be loved. We're not as familiar with staffy bulls since their breeders tend to be more cautious and their dogs don't typically end up orphaned, but this year has been a bonanza. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club has informed us that Michael Vick was shopping SBs to add to his collection. OUCH. So - in case you didn't already guess - Jonny and maybe even a few of our other Vick dogs may be all or part Staffy Bull. If Michael Vick's House of Horrors isn't reminder enough, breeders - PLEASE - screen your friggin' clients and know where you're sending your breeding stock! Your dogs and your breed's future are depending on you.

Speaking of you-know-who, this little displaced staffy bull is sleeping soundly on the sofa of a famous NYC celebrity. Any guesses? Stay dialed in - We look forward to spilling the beans.


RADIO FUN

We'll be chatting with Kim Bloomer, VND and Jan Cooper on The Dog View Radio Show this Thursday, Feb 21 at 2:30 EST. Please listen in -- it should be fun!

New Yorkie Man Jonny

What's former Vick dog 'Jonny Justice' doing in NYC? We can't say, but it's going to be a great reason to stay home and watch television in two weeks. (We'll holler out the who/what/where/when announcement the second we get the green light.)


Rebecca Huss

One of the biggest heroes in the Vick case was the court appointed Special Master Guardian Attorney Rebecca Huss. Finally, a great interview where she talks candidly about the case. We at BAD RAP so *heart* this lady.



Humane Society of Missouri - 'A Future for Former Fighters'

We're lovin' the beautiful photos and encouraging quotes in this piece about giving pit bull victims a chance. Beautifully written by Jennifer Hayes for Best Friends Network.

Mama dog photo provided courtesy of Debbie Hill of the Humane Society of Missouri.

Modern Day Miracles

It’s being called a miracle. Dog owners all over the globe are reporting a strange phenomena that started this weekend as pets dropped their prize chew toys to stare with rapt attention at the People Magazine’s article on the Vick dogs.

While some suggest that dogs only like to look at the pictures, others theorize that they may actually be reading. Pit bulls especially have been reported breaking into zoomies following each viewing. What does it all mean? More to come as Utah dog psychologists begin to study this compelling behavior.

Above: BR alum Boris and Sister Sheena study the article in their Texas home. Good to see that their human, Patty, is still resisting.


In Other News

We're pleased as punch with FOX anchor Kimberly Guilfoyle's (right) interview about the rescued Vick dogs – namely, her warm acknowledgment of Jonny Justice.

Is it any coincidence that this interview came from the ex-wife of SF Mayor Newsom, the same guy who suggested banning pit bulls back in 2005? One has to wonder. Either way, we’re grateful to Kimberly for helping Fox News viewers meet this little Myth Buster.

See Jonny Justice on FOX News

Finally, during a long & busy week of Pit Ed Camp (photos to come), I was thrilled to fall home and catch a vicarious Cajun buzz from Ken Foster’s video of a pit bull party (!) at the Sound Café in New Orleans. This hoppin' dawg bash came together to celebrate the launch of his new book. Lookit those happy dogs...I soooo wish we coulda been there. Congrats, Ken!

Hey, PEOPLE - Let's have a Pit Bull Party

Pardon me while I gush. Getting the V-dogs out of Virginia and into safe homes wasn't something we counted on. Getting them into People Magazine was like, Whoa, are you kidding me? Not because we were surprised that they wanted a story...The People people have been patiently waiting for the gag order to lift along with everybody else. But their 'vision' was to get as many dogs as possible on a sofa for a relaxed-at-home photo. HEH.

We know our dogs well enough to know how that would go. These buggers are terminally happy wrigglers, and close proximity means everybody starts vibrating into a crazy mess of twister madness. But we love a good challenge, so said "Yes" and spent a hilarious hour getting the rowdy bunch to pretend that they chill like this every day of the week.*



*For a peek into how it really went: PHOTO SHOOT VIDEO

It's slightly freaky to see our heads on the same page as Vick's photo. Creepy, in a "Do they get People Magazine in prison?" kind of way. But the dogs deserve this moment, and folks waiting in grocery store lines all over the county will get another chance to ponder the outcome of the case this week.

MORE GOOD NEWS: (Can you stand it?)

The Humane Society of Missouri has gone public with their decision to help several of the dogs from Missouri's largest fight bust in this press release. A quote worth smiling about:

“We are committed to giving these dogs who came from such horrible abuse the absolute best chance for a good life. It is a tragedy that because of their mistreatment by humans for financial gain and so-called sport, some may not ever be able to be placed in a home situation.” ~ Debbie Hill, VP of Operations

And, more

We want to thank all the good people who've been moved to send toys and good vibes to the hardworking folks at Hillsborough County Animal Services. They received goodies for their dogs from friends as far away as Berkeley, CA and from BSL ridden locales like Ontario, Canada and Bermuda. Your support and best wishes for better days helps more than you know.

And, more

We just have to thank Britney Spears for sharing her spotlight last week with Uba and the cute baby with the blue eyes. The AP story on the Vick dogs ended up being one of MSN's top picks of the week.

Media, take note: This is proof that your audience prefers stories that celebrate triumph over adversity to the formula-bad-news pieces you normally offer!.... In other feel-good news, here at home we're celebrating Bug's homecoming into the care of a wonderful family. Josie Kat misses both him and newly-placed Texas Cadillac, but she's keeping us in shape at Pit Bull Hall by requesting extra tug time during her play sessions. Go Josie.

THIS is the Drug

I know that look.....The smile on this guy's face says EVERYthing. This is Dennis McCullough, finalizing a pit bull adoption at Hillsborough County Animal Services in Tampa FL. The same overcrowded place where we pulled Little Man last year. The same shelter that - despite all odds: perennial BSL threats, way too many pit bulls, never enough good adopters, depressingly high euth numbers, few resources and a tired staff - they're still trying to make a difference and keep a few good dogs alive.



Dennis is one of the backbones of the shelter. He has the crappy job of busting dog abusers and bringing their oft-damaged dogs into already crowded kennels. It must suck to be Dennis some days. But his shelter has made a commitment to put a handful of breed ambassadors in the Available ward. It's a brave new focus and it helps heal hurting hearts on days when so many good dogs run out of options.

So, Bravo to Hillsborough for selecting Brock (photographed) and for getting him into a home. Dennis' smile says it all, "Good luck little buddy. You beat the odds. Get out there and have yourself a life."

HCAS vet Dr. Roese wrote me this week with a plea for bully-tough toys for their custody dogs (Think: Vick-like dogs in longterm confinement with nothing to do. All. Day. Long). She says,

The budgets in Florida governments are put to the test and finding money for special projects is getting harder and harder...
Kelly works very hard with our Pit Bulls and we all want to improve the life of our long-term stay dogs (mostly Pit!!!). I appreciate your support ! - Dr. Roese

Hillsborough County Animal Services
440 N. Falkenburg Road
Tampa, Florida 33619

Wanna make a huge difference? Consider starting a Toy Drive for this under-resourced shelter. Or, for your own local shelter. We gotta stay busy helping the good guys help the animals that are counting on us.

In other news...

Luisa's wicked smart Lassie, Get Help Blog ponders the emotional state of infamous naysayers this week. It must be embarrassing to see scary fighting dogs get nibbled on by adoring foster parents.

The media's interest in the dogs hasn't waned. Some juicy opps for the dogs are coming up, including an interview with Kimberly Guilfoyle on FOX News this Saturday at 7pm PST.

Please remind your skeptical brother-in-law to watch for that pit bull guy (Tim, left) and his funny little fightin' dog on the telly.

Hector de Ham

We had no idea that Hector was going to be such a media darling, but every other reporter that calls has been wanting more info about the handsome heart throb from Cheryl Wittenauer's wonderful AP article.

On Sunday, Hector's presence was requested at the KGO studios for a live interview with host Christine Craft. So Leslie and I chugged down coffee and made our way across the bay bridge to chaperone his date with radio fame. It didn't dawn on us until halfway up to the 3rd floor that Hector had probably never been on an elevator before. We did a quick check to see how he was doing: No problem. Hector was Mr. Cool, cocking his head and quietly studying the ding ding sounds, blinking lights and funny-stomach feeling of his first elevator ride. Huh. Such a pit bull.

In case you need to see him again (I do), take another look at Hector in this short video clip. Best line: "He likes to be upside down like a baby."

Grace

One of the prettiest little dogs from the Lucky Ten was unable to get to the press conference on Friday, so she's been missing out on some of the airtime. We look forward to helping her get her 15 minutes.

For now, here's her movie. Grace is a small, sassy, exuberant little love machine. What the hec was she doing on Vick's property? We'll never know. Enjoy.

Love those details

The writer of this article has been paying close attention to the nitty gritty details of the rescue operation. He suggests that we drop the label 'Vick dogs' (fine by me) and call them something different. Getting away from that label will be hard, though - Just as 2005's flood dogs will forever be branded 'Katrina dogs.' At least the dogs don't seem to care that we're stuck in a naming rut.

All the News That's Fit to Print!

We never dreamed the media would offer up such positive press for the Vick dogs. Never! After biting our tongues for months 'til they were raw, letting the story go has been a HUGE relief. It's ping-ponging its way from paper to paper in various incarnations and with a variety of photos. The shot above (taken by Eric Risberg for the AP) happened last weekend in class. The brave idea was to get all the Vick dogs huddled up for a shot, but it would've been easier to get a dozen over-sugared pre-schoolers to sit still for school pictures. The laughs were worth it.

Below, a listing of publications and television stations that covered BR's dog launch. And come Monday, Best Friend's report will add a whole new layer to the tale. Wow. Just, WOW.

PHOTO GALLERY from the AP photographer's file of V-dogs in BR's class and with foster parents.

This wonderful AP story was picked up by over 200 papers and websites around the world. Thanks to Cheryl Wittenauer for creating such an artful piece.

Inside Bay Area did a beautiful Video Clip with Hector & Teddles, captured at the news conference. (I just LOVE this clip!)

KPIX did two nice News Clips with great quotes.

John Sasaki of KTVU did a very positive story, too.

A 3 minute story from NPR

And nice piece from SFGate.com --- Take that, C.W. Nevius

From the Mercury News.

And yet another article from Mercury News.

The Oakland Tribune wrote a positive.

A nice story with a photo of Stella, who traveled to CA in our RV trip, with Justin Phillips, a well respected peer and fellow Vick dog evaluator.

And best of all, an appearance on CNN thanks to the good people at dogtime.com - who've been so very supportive. Tim was only too happy to get in that studio chair and outline what animal caregivers in the United States need to do to create a more humane society. Watch the report: CNN.

If you like these positive stories as much as we do, please thank each and every writer and publication when you get a chance!

Jan 25 - Last Defendant Sentenced

Thank you for your patience and your support all these weeks. These
'Vick' dogs are alive today because you imagined it as fiercely as we did.

See the Dogs
(the site may not work in Internet Explorer)

Video Stories from DogTime.com!

Introducing Jonny Justice, a survivor of Bad Newz Kennels...



We are eternally grateful to Mike Gill and the U.S. Attorney Staff, Eastern District of Virginia, for saying "Yes"... to Special Guardian Master Rebecca Huss for losing sleep over the dogs...to the staff of the USDA Office of Inspector General for working so hard to get the dogs to better situations....to the ASPCA for believing in the rights of individuals....to all the rescue groups who brought them home,

...and to Rose - who taught us how to do it better the next time.

Donna, Tim, Nicole, Steve
& the rest of BAD RAP

In the Farallones

What do pit bull people do when they're not obsessing about pit bulls? At least one of them obsesses on other amazing creatures far from the maddening crowd. BR volunteer Sarah Chinn is 20 miles west of San Francisco this winter, interning with the elephant seals (and whales and great white sharks and cold cold winds) on the Farallon Islands.



Thanks to the Internet, we've been getting a daily peek into Sarah's big adventures through her beautiful photos. What a treat. The pit bulls better mind their manners once Sarah comes home - We're guessing that tagging two ton elephant seals all day has taught her a thing or two about wrangling rowdy bulls.

Are you or Aren't you a pit bull?

In some towns, you don't want your pit bull to look like a pit bull for fear that the law will take him away from you. So you might convince yourself that he's a boxer mix. You know who you are (and we don't blame you one bit). In other places, you might convince yourself that your lab-mix is really a pit bull, because he's much too cool to be a lab - and who wants a lab when you can have a pit bull? (Yeah, we know who you are too)

In Oakland, we want our dogs to look like pit bulls. I'm trying to decide if this dog is pit bully enough to qualify for the seal of pit bull approval. In other words, could someone who adopted this dog brag about having a pit bull, or would they be forever defending their right to own a rottie-mix?

This one is tough. He's the perfect example why breed ID is a big joke....

...American Bulldogs can look like pit bulls can look like boxer mixes can look like chessies can look like mixed-breed anybody's-guess dogs.

I liked this orphaned boy so much that I tried to convince myself that he's a misrepresented tri pit bull so he could come home with me.

We live, sleep, eat and breathe pit bulls and we still scratch our heads over half the dogs we meet - like this one. He could be a full breed tri-color pit bull ... or 50/50 rottie/pit mix ... or he might not have one speck of pit bull in him at all. Who's to say?

I was doing a pretty good job of it until an animal control officer at the shelter guffawed and said, "What are you doing with that dog?"

Um...well...He could be a pit bull you know! Maybe.

At the end of the day, all we have to fall back on is personality. Is it a solid dog with a penchant for staring you deep in the eye and declaring you the one and only most important human being on the planet?

Well then, that would make him a pit bull. Maybe.

Please tell me what you think. Yay pit bull? or No way Jose?

EDIT: Thankfully, this boy was adopted from the shelter so we never had to come up with a label for him - although we might've done his DNA just for yuks. Here's a blog post about another tri-color dog that did come through our program. With tri-s being a new sought after coat color - Read: FAD - dogs that look just like this are turning up fairly regularly in shelters now. Unfortunately nothing seems to change: No matter the look, fad coat colors still tend to attract buyers who lose interest as soon as something different comes into fashion. And so it goes... Tri-fad Boy

Can't decide? You're not alone. This poster from the National Canine Research Council might explain why people (including the media and shelters, too) have never been able to identify dog breeds based on their appearance. POSTER

WALLACE! WALLACE! WALLACE!

This is one of those news clips that'll make anyone with a real heart in their chest break down and weep. God bless that dang dog and his people, Andrew and Clara.

See the story and video HERE

Thank you, Missouri

You know you're spending too much time away from home when your dog falls over and exposes his belly when the suitcase comes out of the closet. So sorry, Simon. Tim is in Missouri right now, working with the Humane Society of Missouri to assess 25 pit bulls from a recent fight bust; MO's biggest bust ever.

We knew we were going to like these folks when we saw the slide show in this news article. The people of HSM are kind, realistic and they have that practical Midwestern sensibility that makes evaluating fight bust dogs seem as normal as trying out a new casserole recipe - Except it's certainly NOT normal to give abused pit bulls a fair chance in this part of the country, where breed prejudice is high and pit bull bans are dotted all across the state. Scary times in Missiouri.

Did I mention how much we like these people? Brains AND balls. They understand that the odds are stacked against dogs like these, but they wanted to give them a fair chance. Unlike custody cases in so many shelters, 'their' dogs get environmental enrichment and a walk each day. Not easy when the shelter's already crowded, but I believe they would tell you that humane care is a right that every animal in their care deserves. They've even worked out some breed-savvy foster care should some of the dogs come out of this okay. (Tim's not allowed to stuff any in his suitcase before he leaves - Simon's orders)

How do they look so far? Tim and the staff are still in the middle of the evals, but he told me today that the types of personalities and temperaments he's seeing are no different from the Vick dogs -- And that's a very good sign. We'll offer more info later, once shelter staff has the opportunity to review the findings and ready their report to their community.

For now, we're just so damn glad to know that one shelter in the middle of BSL nightmares is willing to rise above the status quo. Keep your fingers crossed that - like the Vick dogs - these victims' stories bring new lessons and changed hearts in the heartland.

PHOTO from St. Louis Post-Dispatch News on intake day.

What trauma?

We always love hearing from our adopters, especially from those that adopted years ago. This email was an especially nice surprise. When we boast about true-grit pit bull temperament, Pele always comes to mind. Her little body told all sorts of terrible tales when we met her over six years ago: She'd been overbred, fought, she was malnourished, and she had a fresh chemical burn down her back that split her skin wide open. When animal control found her, her chain had been wrapped around her neck so tightly that she was losing consciousness and on her way out of this world.

Pele pulled through and lived on to be a well loved companion to a big hearted guy named Rick. What an optimist...Her story always reminds me to stop complaining when times get tough. From her person:

Pele is still doing very well. She is very willful, athletic and loves sleeping next to her brother of 1 year (a 9YO Scotty rescue). Pele had to have a Cell Mast tumour removed August 2006. As a result her spleen became infected and was removed in November 2006. She has fully recovered and doing very well. Her muzzle is becoming very white, but she is very happy and very loving towards everyone - people, pets, etc.

I just wanted to let you know that she is doing very well and that I am very thankful for the opportunity that your organization afforded me by letting me adopt her. I am been thru some ups and downs in the past 2 years, and Pele truly has been the best part of my life. Again, Thank you.

No, Richard. Thank you.

Who cares if it's raining?

Miso's adoption is official and that is all that really matters. A Pug, a Frenchie, and a squishy faced Pit Bull Terrier - easy to see why new mom Stephanie is all smiles. Happy New Year to bullys and bully-lovers everywhere!

OH Eight!

Happy 2008 to everyone who reads this blog and is looking forward to better days for the dogs.

It's going to be a good year for pit bulls....We feel it, we KNOW it. Not without a lot of hard work and relentless educating and ambassadogging and rescuing and debating and scheming and hammering and networking and partnering up to get things done and staying awake at night worrying over individual dogs or small towns with stupid BSL proposals or being incensed at media crap or planning next steps. But, it's going to be better.

This is the best photo I could think of to celebrate the new year. It's actually from the Tuff Love event, which made its way into the Society page of the SFChron. Not bad. And a reminder that, in more ways than one our dogs have arrived. Move over, naysayers.

Be safe. Be strong. And remember to take the dogs' advice and do your best to keep your tail wagging in '08.

WOOF!. ( * More Tuff Love party photos HERE * )

Target much?

We didn't avoid tragic dog-related incidents in 2007. There was enough bad news to keep Karen Delise very busy with her in-depth research on the circumstances that add up to tragedy.

One reporter in Killeen Texas decided to do his own expose of dogs in the news today. The Vick story was his perfect (unrelated) opp to rehash one family's horror, and spin it into a year end review on pit bulls. He tossed in some dog-on-dog anecdotes and wove in some irrelevant news about distemper to spice things up. Apparently disease is scary too, although it's not clear if we're blaming the pit bulls for that....

'Pit bulls played a big part in local, national news'

Really? And why is that?

Let's be kind and call it an oversight, but his research side-stepped these sad Texas tragedies in 2007:

- German Shepherd & Doberman Kill Woman - Lower Valley TX
- Golden Retriever & Australian Shepherd Kill Woman
- Friendswood, TX
- German Shepherd Severely Mauls Boy - Alice TX
- German Shepherd Attacks Woman - Lubbock TX
- Golden Retriever Attack - "The worse bite ever seen" - Dallas, TX

Are these bad breeds? Hell no. Randall Lockwood, a senior VP of the ASPCA reminds us in Malcolm Gladwell's classic article: "A fatal dog attack is not just a dog bite by a big or aggressive dog. It is usually a perfect storm of bad human-canine interactions - the wrong dog, the wrong background, the wrong history in the hands of the wrong person in the wrong environmental situation."

I couldn't help myself and wrote to the Killeen Herald news team, reminded them of their oversights, and put in a plug for less targeting and more bite prevention articles in the new year. (Please join me.)

Let's hope they bite.

Groove-a-licious

We do believe Motor City Stella is finally getting her groove on.

What a difference a coupla months can make!



Four Paws Up to the gorgeous gals who made news by creating the PinUps for Pit Bulls Calendar Their calendars are making waves and they donated part of their sales to BAD RAP. Thank you girls! Get your calendar here. After all, there's no such thing as having too many pit bull calendars.

Santa, take note.

The elves must be getting lax: We accidentally ended up with someone else's Christmas gifts yesterday. It seems Santa forgot to pick up and deliver them to their rightful homes. (Or maybe their homes don't celebrate Christmas?)

Either way, these unclaimed gifts are ready and waiting to be delivered, as soon as we figure out who they belong to.

Gentleman Bug (the best kept secret at Pit Bull Hall). Bug Clip


The Girls. Josie Kat (left) and Texas with the Texas-sized ears.
Tex & Co. Score Cookies and Josie Kat Clip


Santa keeps telling us that this Rascal was delivered to the right address, so I guess we're stuck with him. Rude Boy


Meet Bug, Josie Kat, Texas and friends at Pit Bull Hall

Scrappy Doo finds her way...

Some time ago, we brought you the story of Millie (seen here in her favorite position - upside-down soliciting belly rubs from people of all shapes and sizes).

I wasn't ready for a foster at the time, but as her luck would have it she's the Doublemint Twin of my personal dog, and since her temperament was also super-fab I had a sucker moment and took in the chewed-up, overbred, filthy, hand-shy street urchin.

Part of the reason for this sucker moment, of course, was her story - this was her fourth trip to the shelter, and her most recent home was an adoptive home of that same shelter. Unfortunately, that adoptive home had given her away to a friend as a guard dog, and in that situation there were fights with the other yard dog - also a female pit bull.

The last bad fight seemed to be the last straw for the yard owner, and Millie was called in as a "stray" and carted off to the shelter. Pit bulls that come into the shelter are up against astronomical odds to survive; pit bulls that come into the shelter with fight wounds and occasional fence reactivity stand no chance at all, so we feel very lucky that our Pit Ed campers happened to bring us out to find this little girl.

In addition to having fresh wounds all over her neck and head, Millie had some old scarring - but her mellow nature and intense desire to please her people made her more than willing to settle in and play nicely with the resident dogs.

My own Bitchy Queen female quickly established her world domination, and Millie was only too happy to join the pack as one of her loyal subjects. Once that was settled, the two became pals - something that most wouldn't expect between two mature females, one of whom had a history of yard fights with another female pit bull - but something that can happen if the chemistry is right between the dogs and good direction is set by the people.

Millie had many fans within the group, and we really hoped that someone "in the family" would adopt her and help her achieve her true calling as a Therapy Dog.

In addition to the resident foster dog pack she found a special friend in Bad Rap alum Booker and his human mom. (Who can blame her, really? Booker looks so nice in seasonal metallic bling...) Unfortunately, Booker's Mom wasn't ready for a second dog - much to Booker's dismay.

We decided that Millie should be placed with a second dog - she really comes out of her shell when another dog's around - and so, despite some good applications from single-dog people, we hadn't yet found the right people for this special gal.

Then, we got an app from a young couple with a family home and two resident dogs - a large male Rottweiler and a young scrappy Rat Terrier/Chi mix female. We figured that Millie might find the Rott's similarity to Booker reassuring, and knew that any Rat Terrier/Chi mix would provide her with the Reigning Canine Bitchy Queen rule she'd come to expect.

Just to make sure that everything worked out, we put her in a foster-to-adopt contract and - despite her already having a CGC - made her new folks come to Pit Ed classes.

Millie is still in her foster period, and we're pleased to report that she's doing great! As expected, she's most often found playing with Cesar, her Rottie heartthrob, or hanging out in obeyance of mighty mix Cleo.

This street urchin has come a long way since she landed at the shelter, chewed up and filthy and there for the fourth time, all of which meant she was unadoptable. We're looking forward to moving her story (and the above photo) to our Happy Endings soon - fingers crossed that this last mile in her long tale to forever home is the shortest!

Note from a Friend

Blog Buddy Jen from Indiana sent on these photos and holiday notes.
Thank you Jen! We hope Santa brings a happy home for the very handsome Elton in 2008!

With your recent blue addition, I thought that you might appreciate the following greeting from our "earless" foster dog, Elton. Happy Holidays and thank you for all that you do! - Take care, Jen in IN

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas is my two ear flaps back.

Bully Love,
Elton

Dear Elton,

While next year I would prefer sugar cookies and milk to milkbones and a bowl of water, I have left something special for you under the tree.

Be Good,
Santa

When Mother Nature Has the Final Word

In summer 2007, in New Jersey, a police dog named Rommel was let off leash to do his business and ended up killing a chihuahua who was walking by with its owner. One quick shake and the tiny pet was gone. Needless to say, it was a tragedy for the chi's owner. The police called it "a horrible accident," apologized to the owner and sent the german shepherd back to training. As far as we know, Rommel has gone back to his life and - we can bet - he won't be let off leash around small animals anytime soon.

At around the same time this summer - here in the SF bay area - a similar scene played out when a dog named Lucy escaped from her yard during an exciting squirrel-chase. Unfortunately, she too came across a chihuahua on a walk. (Insert expletive) As you can guess, Lucy ended up killing the chi just as Rommel had done on the other side of the country. And in front of its horrified owner, no less. In both cases, the owners of the attacking dogs were tragically negligent. The only difference being, Rommel was allowed to live while Lucy - a pit bull - has been sentenced to death. The gray muzzled girl has lived incident-free with her family for over six years, so we can all imagine the anguish her owners are feeling over the outcome of this tragic first offense.

Our sympathy goes out to the heartsick chi's owner for the loss of her companion. And while we can't condone the irresponsibility of Lucy's owners, based on the behaviorists' evaluations, the declarations on her behalf, and the shelter staff's own adoration of her, we're concerned that Lucy was condemned to the most severe and ultimate decision because of her breed.

Despite the mismanagement of her owners for not maintaining their fence, chasing small animals is NOT a "pit bull thing." And contrary to popular belief, it's not even a "dog aggression" thing. (Note: Lucy's lawyers misfired and called the incident a "dog fight" - OUCH.)

Rommel and Lucy are certainly not alone. The wolf-kin Malamutes and Huskies, the bred to-lure-course Greyhounds, and even those cute little Westies ...All breeds are encoded to exhibit prey drive in select situations. This canine behavior is as natural as shedding fur and it demands a good old fashioned dose of common sense management from dog owners especially in an age when living spaces are getting squeezed and small squirrel-sized dogs are heeding Paris Hilton's bidding and arriving by the tens of thousands into our neighborhoods. (In two recent Shots Fairs in Oakland, chihuhuas outnumbered the pit bulls by 6 to 1!!)

Above: The primordial wolf. Simon taught us early on that thousands of years of hunt drive were not erased with the invention of kibble.

We have to wonder: If a german shepherd with no previous complaints had been involved in killing a chihuahua in Sunnyvale, would he have been ordered to death as a result? Time will tell.

These sad situations beg a larger question: How can we support dog courts to hold irresponsible owners accountable without causing their people-safe dogs to suffer the most dire of consequences? It's a difficult time for cities that are encouraged to "get tough" on owners who set their dogs up to fail, especially when a pit bull is involved and worse yet, when the pit bull paparazzi is watching. From a judge's perspective, miscalculating a home's intentions and letting a dog return only to possibly fail again is every court's worst nightmare and can cause the bravest to buckle under a deadly dose of breed bias, peer pressure and misinformation. It's not fair, but it's the reality that dogs - our breed especially - is facing right now.

So how do we find any balance in this chaos? It's not going to be easy. Recently, we absorbed a new dog into our program that had been deemed a "dangerous dog" by the courts and condemned to death by the shelter for allegedly biting a dog's ear while running at large. It was made clear to us that she'd been set up to fail several times by clueless owners that neglected to contain her. In this surprising case, an open-minded judge reviewed video tape of our evals (which revealed a highly manageable, people-safe dog) and a dog-savvy city attorney convinced him to remove her "dangerous dog" label so she could be saved. (Rescues can't absorb dogs with "dangerous dog" or ''potentially dangerous dog" labels since they render a dog essentially unadoptable).

The judge's decision and the dog's liberation was a first, and a sign that with education and cooperation, we can work towards helping dog courts make decisions that are fair for all involved -- especially to those people-safe dogs that are only guilty of acting like dogs when their owners fall asleep at the wheel. But of course, that can only happen if dog owners stop howling and start building those bridges needed to change the minds and hearts of the powers-that-be in our city councils and especially, our dog courts.

Please, PLEASE remember to practice defensive driving with your dog during this difficult time of breed bias, and know your rights, your responsibilities and your dog laws. Your dog's life may depend on it.

Where's the Love?

Not surprisingly, my 18month old daughter, Piper, has a cold. I say not surprisingly because as a pediatric nurse practitioner I knew that her once a week preschool program would happily team up with cold and flu season to bring us a series of upper respiratory infections. Actually, I’m surprised that it took until mid December for it to start. Now that the first one has hit, I have a toddler who cannot sleep, doesn’t want to eat and is generally an unhappy camper. Before you parents out there conjure up sweet images of a sick baby cuddled up in momma’s lap, I refer you back to the title of this blog post. Where’s the love?


Apparently, the love is crated. Piper, who loves me and generally likes to cuddle, has, during this illness, often forsaken me for the comfort offered by the dog. The last few days, I’ve sat back and watched as my little girl made her way to my bedroom and curled up with her best friend inside his crate. Sometimes, the dog looks to me as if to ask if she’s OK, other times he lets out a large relaxing breath and falls back asleep with her draped over his back. It seems that there is something soothing about curling up in a crate with a pit bull. Actually, it doesn’t have to be in a crate, as far as Piper is concerned anywhere will do as long as she has her pit bull.

As cold and flu season wears on, when you find that you or your child isn't feeling well and Tylenol isn’t doing the trick, you might want to follow Piper’s lead and look for a pit bull to cuddle. Remember, as a parent you may have to occaisionally put your foot down and demand to be included.
I look forward to a day when medical research shows the health benefits of pit bull cuddling and pediatric providers start prescribing the practice for sick kids everywhere....

The holiday season really brings out the optomist in me. Wishing you, and pit bulls everywhere, health, happiness and peace in the new year.

Blues Club

BooBoo Divine and Deja Blu get acquainted......