Rescue Barn: First Birthday

Happy Birthday Rescue Barn! Even though we're still doing final touches (why do things always take twice as long as we expect them to?), we've had a gratifying first year of fine-tuning our system so the dogs that come here can get the best kind of help. Below: Jiggs enjoys a game of chase as the sun sets.



The goal of the project has been to create a space that supports the care and recovery of dogs in crisis. They could be dogs with dog-intolerance or other behavior issues, dogs from cruelty cases, dogs with medical needs - and just plain out-of-luck dogs.

It's sort of like an amped up foster home - or, watered down animal shelter. And of course it had to be created on a tight budget with the backbone support of volunteer dog handlers. After several years of sheltering experience, we had a good idea of what we did and didn't want to see in our kennels: fence fighting had to be nearly non-existent - so did stressful barking, strong odors, bad break outs of kennel cough and sad, under-exercised dogs. And it all had to be accomplished in a small space that's easy enough to duplicate if someone wanted to do the same for dogs in their community.

The entire process has taught us a lot about what's possible. It's a modest project, but it's been working and its lessons are about to be shared with four different shelters who are sending staff to CA for a multi-day "camp" as part of our work with Best Friends Animal Society and PetSmart Charities. We're thrilled to have the chance to host these fellow animal lovers next month and are busy as bees getting ready for their visit.

Some of the lessons we've learned so far are listed below. By the way, none of these are out of reach or too expensive to duplicate in other places:

1. Natural light. Like people, dogs do best when they have some daily exposure to the natural world, including sunlight. It promotes good health and a regular sleep cycle, which is so necessary for getting beyond a stressful past. So many shelters keep dogs in dark spaces lit with artificial light, and minimal windows or contact with the natural world. Just imagine how crazy making that would be for you. The barn was set up with large (salvaged!) windows so all kenneled dogs can watch the sunrise, and skylights overhead track the sun as it moves across the sky. Every kennel gets a warm patch of sunlight to lay in at least once a day.

2. Supported exposure to other dogs. When appropriate dog-dog behavior is encouraged and supported in a calm environment, kenneled dogs can be a comfort to each other and will form relationships that sustain them during their sheltering experience. We don't particularly like seeing dogs separated from other dogs in walled off rooms, as is common in newer shelters. Dogs are curious creatures and they enjoy peeking in on the sights, sounds and smells of their neighbors. This kind of exposure promotes quicker friendships so under-socialized dogs can practice new social skills with other dogs, starting with simple greets as they become acquainted and move by each other's spaces during out time. While congregating dogs together does increase potential for the spread of disease, we're giving the restful environment credit for an impressive lack of kennel cough so far, as well as the supplements we give incoming dogs.

3. Relaxed exposure to people. When dogs are exposed to people who are relaxed, they can relax too. That may seem like common sense, but it can be hard to find in traditional animal shelters. These receptive creatures are so keenly aware of human signals that kenneled dogs especially can be easily stressed and over excited by the rapid movement of busy shelter workers, banging noises and the loud and sometimes inappropriate interactions of the visiting public. Picture someone banging on your front door all day, or making faces at you from your window when you're trying to rest and recover. Not fun.

An unplanned benefit of the barn: The exercise area is butted right up against a golf course, so not only do the dogs get to greet happy volunteers and others visitors at their kennels, the people with the shiny sticks that move just outside their fenced "territory" are so focused on their game that they barely notice the dogs - many just smile politely and wave as they move on to their next hole. Surprise! What we thought might be a trouble spot for alert barking in the dogs has turned into a beneficial socializing opportunity for them - and again, a reminder that they feed off of the energy we humans give them.

We still have so much to learn, and so much to share as visitors join us. We're grateful for our fabulous volunteer team and the donors who breathed life into this project. But thanks are probably better given by the dogs who are alive and well because you cared enough to help us make it real (some shown below)... One year strong with many to go.

For weekly updates on the barn dogs' progress, visit the Barn Dog Blog.

Dangerous testimony in Monroe County Michigan

At their best, behavior evaluations (some call temperament tests) - especially those used on canine victims of cruelty - are meant to tease out a few basic behaviors in dogs in order to give responders enough information to plan next steps including a search for appropriate placement options for each individual. Disposition recommendations are typically broken down into four main categories, including placement into: A) a shelter adoption program B) a foster care home for continued observation and possible adoption placement C) sanctuary for extreme behavior issues or D) euthanasia for a dog that is clearly suffering from medical distress or that is considered unredeemably dangerous.

At their worst, behavior evaluations can be used as a formality to hopscotch dogs straight to D.

The worst seems to have happened in Monroe County Michigan recently, where certified animal behaviorist Katherine Houpt VMD PhD condemned a young and seemingly social pit bull named Dusty for reasons that are hard to grasp. In her testimony, the dog presents a public safety threat and "lack(s) any useful purpose." A rescue group's fight to save Dusty has been bolstered by a video tape of the evaluation now making its rounds via Youtube (see below).

As longtime evaluators of cruelty victims including dogs just like Dusty, we were rather horrified by Dr. Houpt's recommendations after watching the video. Outside of the fact that the dog presented beautifully in the video, experienced evaluators in animal welfare circles rarely give 'pass or fail' recommendations, preferring instead to focus on each dog's specific issues and needs so appropriate help can be found. Occasionally dogs get a 'fail' if they're clearly off the charts in their reactions to people - for example, one very troubled dog from the Bad Newz Kennels case was euthanized because she was literally too unstable to be handled. By now you know the story well: out of 49 dogs, 48 dogs from this infamous fighting operation were successfully matched to appropriate rescue and sanctuary situations.

ABOVE: Hector during his initial evaluations in Virginia

An evaluator's main objective should not be to determine which dog(s) should die, but rather, which dogs can be matched to available resources, including qualified organizations that are set up to meet their specific needs. If rescue resources just can't be located after an honest search, it's understandable when euthanasia becomes necessary. But of course then the humans wear the blame for the deaths, not the dogs themselves. A compassionate society doesn't blame the victims of abuse for their fates. When an evaluator jumps too quickly to condemn a dog however without picking up the phone, exploring viable rescue options or even asking for a second opinion, we have a problem.

A rescue group in Michigan filed a request to absorb Dusty into their program, but based in part on Houpt's pessimistic testimony, their plea was denied by a judge and the young female is now set to be destroyed. The backstory here, as told by the: Monroe SPCA

Take a look: I'll leave it to viewers to decide if they feel threatened by Dusty's reactions. Included also is a video of Dusty's reactions to other dogs.



For information sake, charted out below is a detailed break-down of disposition recommendations we've used in more than one cruelty case including the Vick dog case and the 'Missouri 500' case. Do you believe Dr. Houpt did an adequate job following animal welfare norms in her recommendations? If not, there's a petition going around that would love your support. Petition to Recant Testimony Let's hope it helps.

a. Foster Care/Observation A - These dogs showed no sign of aggression or threat to either people or dogs. Placement is recommended into waiting adoption programs with qualified shelters or rescue groups.

b. Foster Care/Observation B - These dogs showed no sign of aggression or threat to either people or dogs. Placement is recommended in an experienced foster care home where additional observation and rehabilitation can take place and may result in these dogs eventually being placed in appropriately screened homes.

c. Sanctuary 1 - These dogs exhibit intense fear or lack of socialization with people or other dogs. Placement is recommended in a sanctuary situation with more control over the dogs interaction with people and dogs. The sanctuary should provide the dog with controlled experience and interaction with people and other dogs. Some of these dogs may eventually move to a foster care program.

d. Sanctuary 2 - These dogs exhibit mild to intense threat to stimulus and may have shown high arousal towards people. Placement in a sanctuary with extensive breed experience is possible.

e. Euthanasia - These dogs exhibit aggression to people or intense aggression to other dogs or evidence of a significant medical problem which requires euthanasia.

Footnote: The reason dogs like Dusty face such doomed fates in Michigan goes beyond one evaluator's personal bias. Many courts and animal control agencies in Michigan have used an out-dated and vaguely worded Michigan statute to condemn dogs from cruelty cases to automatic death. The wording in that statute was challenged by Kent County Humane Society in 2010 after several canine victims of cruelty in their care were threatened with euthanasia. In that situation, we celebrated when a judge ruled in favor of the shelter's request to make a select number of dogs available for adoption. A win for the dogs. Unfortunately that precedent did not influence this current Monroe County case, and that's very bad news in a state that suffers from perennial BSL threats and breed discrimination.

Audie Time

If you live in the SF bay area, bring the kids over to the Martinez Public Library this coming Monday, July 25. At 6:30pm, Audie will be there to greet his fans along with his trainer and adopter, Linda Chwistek. Fourth grade teacher Charity Jara will be reading from the book "Saving Audie" and both ladies will be answering questions. Bring your cameras! Audie is the cutest little stinker you'll ever meet and is handling his new found celebrity like a pro. More on the book Saving Audie.

Martinez Library Link


Photo credit: Charity Jara.

What if you die?

A older gentleman came to us recently wanting to discuss options for his pet should he pass on before she does. His dog is a lovely, four year old pit bull. He had a recent medical scare and at his advanced age, he acknowledged that his time on this planet was limited, so he was busy with tying up loose ends while he still could. He spoke plainly, gesturing with thin arms bruised by needles from a recent hospital stay. His candor was refreshing. We were discussing the life of his dog, and despite the down-to-business tone of the conversation, it warmed us completely to know that our meeting was centered around the life of a special pit bull who was so dear to him. Planning for your pet(s) comfort and care after your death is such a generous demonstration of love.

So let's just assume you're going to die someday. It happens to the best of us. What can you do to ensure your dog(s) will live a quality life after you exit?

Here's the thing: While it's incredibly helpful to friends and family to map out your final wishes in a will and testament, those wishes may only be as solid as the people you entrust to fulfill them. We all learned about the soggy power of wills to protect pets recently when multi-millionaire Leona Helmsley's directions to leave bundles for the care of her Maltese and to animal welfare causes were disregarded. While we may snicker at a 12million dollar inheritance for a Maltese, it was still troubling to learn that her owner's final wishes were not as sacred as one would expect. This is because animals are regarded as property by the courts and, when faced with greedy relatives who stake claims on estates, current legislation does not support clauses in last wills and testaments that delegate funds for our pets care. As it turns out, relatives refused to care for the little Helmsley dog so her former employees took her home. She's since followed her owner by passing on, but the battle for the funds that Helmsley wanted relegated to animals rages on. More: Leona Helmsley

With an estimated 70 million pets in the U.S., you can bet the Internet is loaded with information on estate planning for pets. It's fascinating reading. Some suggestions include writing a letter to your chosen pet guardian that clearly outlines your wishes, and an article on the American Bar Association's website suggests creating a Pet Trust with pet protection agreements to control the disbursement of your funds. Wow. Who knew owning a dog came with these kinds of responsibilities?

If you're a pit bull owner, you could face extra work creating secure arrangements for your pet. Landlord biases, HOA regs, insurance obstacles and in some cases BSL might just block your best helpers from taking your dog in. To circumvent this, the lucky home owners among us can arrange to leave their homes to the caregivers who are entrusted to care for the pets. Again, remember that there's nothing stopping them from selling your house and taking your pet to a shelter. But let's assume you have true hearts in your circles. What if you don't have the cushion of a big nest egg or friendly housing to leave behind?

In addition to getting your paperwork in order and your best allies on board, one of the best things you can do NOW is just what our gentleman friend has done with his own pet. Very simply, he's starting to reach out to trusted circles to build her a safety net and - important - he's kept his dog socialized to other dogs.

It's just common sense: A well socialized, reasonably trained dog of any breed stands a much better chance of being accepted into a friend or family member's home or rescue organization or shelter adoption program after you pass on.

If you read our Barn Dog Blog, you might know that we recently received a dog named Jondi after a friend passed on. Barbara was good enough to keep Jondi healthy and happy, and she left behind toys, treats and up to date vet records. Of course we found a way to fit Jondi in, but not a day goes by that I don't think of how badly it could have turned out if we didn't know her owner. This beautiful girl had really lousy manners with other dogs and would've failed a shelter evaluation in a flat second. She was the queen of fence fighting and reveled in spitting obscenities at other dogs when she was out on leash. Barbara loved her girl, but life got in the way of getting through training classes and Jondi's known behavior issues went unaddressed. An Oakland resident, she would've died fast at Oakland Animal Services. And forget about most rescue groups - Who has a foster home for an under socialized dog who can't live with other pets? Her issues were basically a death sentence.

Barbara's circle of friends was sympathetic to this now-homeless dog's plight, but obviously no one would take her in. Some recoiled from Jondi as if her dog intolerance meant she was defective. One less-than-sensitive woman at Barbara's memorial service snorted, "Oh, well she's a PIT BULL" - as if the label defined her behavior and her doom. Seeing as it was a solemn occasion, we bit our tongues, but her attitude wasn't so unusual, especially while the majority of animal shelters routinely destroy pit bull type dogs who show any amount of dog intolerance. (We've got such a long way to go before dog intolerance is seen as a workable behavior and not a disease.)

And now the good news: Eight weeks later and after lots of lots coaching, this beautiful creature is now playing with other dogs, getting better leash manners and is well on her way to becoming very adoptable. Jondi's ridiculously lucky, but untold numbers of dogs just like her follow their owners to the grave when workable behavior issues short circuit their survival. This is a such a terrible tragedy for family pets who've known nothing but love, and based on the number of desperate emails we receive from grieving families, it's excruciatingly common.

So for the sake of your beloveds, please work to socialize and train your dogs as best you can even while you fight the thought of leaving the planet. Of course you're never going to die. Neither am I. But assuming we just might be mortal, maintaining behaviors that make our dogs "adoptable" is one of the very best gifts we can give them if we're called away to the big dog park in the sky before they are.

Jondi with a new friend Jiggs, below. Available for adoption soon!
EDIT: Jondi is living large in her new home with two other dogs. Thanks for the help, Jiggs.

flirt pole fun

Here's a training video on using the flirt pole to train/exercise your dog. Dogs learn best when lessons are fun, and this is a great way to turn basic obedience practice into big excitement. We've used these in shelter situations, especially with dogs that can't play with other dogs and it's been a favorite tool for tiring them out while reinforcing new commands. To keep this valuable as a learning tool, the game must stop anytime a dog grabs the toy without permission. Great for healthy dogs, but be aware that the fast turns and jumping could aggravate faulty joints, so use wisely. Enjoy!

Flirt Pole Hand Out

prong collars

By popular demand, a how-to video for correctly fitting the prong collar, followed by a video that shows a dog handler with a reactive dog on his first day in class. These will go into our How-To Videos file for future reference.

As many know, our group is big on supporting the proper use of any kind of training collar or harness as long as the device is well suited to the personality style of the dog and its user commits to progressive, humane, motivational handling techniques. As with anything, the magic is in the handler and his or her intent and - especially - his relationship with his dog. Popping a dog on a prong collar is as unfair as yanking a dog around on a head halter. But you don't need to do either when you can motivate your dog to work with you and follow your lead.

With many thanks to the hundreds of dog owners who've worked with us to smooth their dogs' caveman manners into Canine Good Citizen bragging rights. You know who you are and we salute you.

Pride 2011

Last weekend was the tenth anniversary of our first march in the SF Pride Parade. We started in '02 in support of SF resident Guy Lowe. Guy was battling AIDS, so his doctor prescribed a service dog to help him with his depression. Rescued from the old Pinole Shelter, she turned out to be the perfect medicine for him.

Sadly, despite the fact that Sophie provided an invaluable service and had no behavior problems, his SF landlord evicted him because of her breed type. (News Story) Guy moved and brought Sophie with him. Many pit bull owners are not so resourceful, and SF continues to be one of the hardest places in the bay area to find a rental property that welcomes pit bull type dogs. As a result, pit bull type dogs are routinely surrendered to an early death at the city shelter.

We march every year in defiance of breed bias and in support of all the good people who call these dogs family. Here's to you and Sophie, Guy...

the healing power of canine

Last month, BR alum 'Big Sal' and his handler Jackie Gunby accepted a Hero Award from Placer SPCA on behalf of the Kaiser Permanente Pet Visitor Program which brings dogs to visit hospital patients. You may remember Sal from this post on his work with psych patients.

Left: Program founders Mary Knight, Jackie Gunby, Robbie Sarkisian - and Big Sal himself.

Sal showed up as a limping, street weary stray in Oakland, and found a quick spot in our Ambassadog Program. As luck would have it, Sal showed up just as Jackie was starting her search for a four legged partner for therapy work. Kismet!

He's a special guy and his adopter is one special lady. She's devoted herself to improving the lives of people through therapy dogs and helps direct the Delta Society so the amazing gifts of therapy dogs can be shared around the country. She and Sal just completed their final task to serve as one of ten teams in Sacramento allowed into UCD Medical Center Hospital. Sal's known for his ability to "work a room" says Jackie, is for "smiling at everyone, snuffing and snuggling with people who ask, happy to be hugged and kissed, and standing very still on his stool so that neuro-rehab clients could touch him."

A recent Sal story that demonstrates the power of canine:

"A family invited us into their father’s room at Kaiser Roseville to visit with him, “he loves dogs!” He was an older man, imposing in stature and has a big voice, someone who “commands a room” with his presence. He’s excited to see a dog and I put Big Sal’s stool on the floor so that the gentleman can reach Sal to pet him easily from his hospital bed. Sal climbs up on the stool, and the man booms, “No, not there! I want him up here on the bed with me!” We put down a sheet, I help Big Sal up on the bed, and he snuggles happily down in the crook of the patient’s arm with his head resting on his shoulder, both of them the picture of contented happiness. He asks me a few questions about Sal, how old is he, where did he come from, but within a minute or two our patient closes his eyes and drifts off.

The patient’s wife and adult daughter and I quietly chat, and they tell me that the patient is a life-long dog lover and has 2 dogs at home that he won’t be able to go home and see again. After about 5-6 minutes, the patient wakes up and opens his eyes. I’m watching closely to make sure that he isn’t startled by a strange dog lying in his hospital bed with him, and ready to whisk Big Sal off the bed should that be necessary. Instead, the patient feels the weight of Sal’s head on his shoulder, focuses his eyes on Sal laying there relaxed and comfy, and gently tilts his head down to kiss Sal tenderly on the top of the head, snuggling his cheek against the velvet fur. Our patient closes his eyes again and drifts off again, and this same sequence (awake, realize Big Sal is there, kiss, snuggle, sleep again) is repeated 5-6 times while we visit there for about an hour. Big Sal did his job like a star that day, and someone’s day is better."

Thank you Jackie and Big Sal for reminding us once again of the incredible gifts that dogs bring to our human experience.

'Star' joins a happy month of firsts

The Elderbulls Blog came out with a fun post last week. It highlights several first-ever dog-related milestones set on the east coast over the last 30 days, and includes Cleveland's big firsts among others. Firsts!

It is with great pride that we celebrate the following "FIRSTS" that haven taken place throughout our great nation over the past 30 days. Each one brings us closer to our vision of creating safe & humane communities for all: one nation, under Dog, with liberty and justice for all. - Elderbulls

BooYah!

On the west coast, we're celebrating Audie's first book party as well as the life of a special dog who made Southern California history with her rather quiet arrival to BR circles. In following the theme of patriotism, it's fitting that she came with the name Star...

You may have seen this redhead's face on our facebook page, and again on the Barn Dog Blog.

Star came to us three weeks ago after surviving a suspected dog fighting operation in Los Angeles County back in March. (News) According to Animal Services Director Marcia Mayeda, Star is the first adult dog the county has ever released to rescue from a dog fighting case. One puppy was spared and went to Karma Rescue. (Thank you, angels!) The first little history makers - all of whom can thank Found Animals for championing their cause.

This news comes with heartache, unfortunately. Fourteen of the 17 dogs from this yard were destroyed at the shelters that held them, despite the fact that a large number passed behavior evals with high marks and were slated for rescue. Los Angeles County Animal Services accepted full responsibility for the deaths and blames an internal communication error for the tragedy. Director Mayeda expressed her dismay by phone and told us they're committed to making sure the same mistake isn't repeated. We're surmising that the newness of this type of rescue contributed to the error - It seems 'firsts' rarely come without some degree of confusion and struggle and strife. The Los Angeles case was a big reminder of our need to stay vigilant as the shelter world gets used to a new era with a better way of helping dogs - victims of cruelty especially.

So, Star is suddenly even more special in that she managed to escape two terrible fates. We can't get over how well adjusted she is despite her bankrupt past - as is so often the case with dogs from these situations. She's currently enjoying her brand new life at the barn and is helping new volunteers learn the ropes while showing us who she is. It's been a joy.

She's a darling and we're honored to be part of so many of her triumphant firsts. Welcome to real life, you little trail blazer.

a change-making feels-good truly-works alternative to BSL

Early this week, Pittsburg Mayor Will Casey presented BR with a lovely declaration, acknowledging our work. It was a huge honor, of course. But in return, we have to acknowledge the City of Pittsburg's decision to embrace non-discriminatory dog owner support work. A humane approach can bring immediate change to communities that struggle with dog-related challenges, and without alienating dog owners or causing them to hide their pets away. More info on this approach: here.

We created this video using some of the wonderful photos captured by Karen Kinney at our Pittsburg event, done in partnership with Well-Pet Vet Clinic and four animal control officers from Contra Costa Animal Services. We hope this approach to dog ownership issues is more than catchy. It sure feels good, and it's getting the job done.

LINK for sharing just the video.

cleveland - you so rock

Cheering on Cleveland, Ohio for dismantling your breed specific legislation today. With special thanks to the activists, city council and Dog Warden John Baird for working so hard to make this real. News Link

Push chair away from computer. Turn up volume. Dance like a bliss ninny.

Audie's story - a book for all ages

We enjoyed a rather historic moment last night, in the comfort of a cozy bookstore in Berkeley. It was a the first public event to discuss 'Saving Audie.' The good folks of Books Inc. set up a couple dozen chairs for the kids that would file in, and elementary school teacher Charity Jara (who wrote the book lessons plans) was prepared to navigate their squirmy, happy voices.

Instead - surprise! - the chairs filled with adults. Kids at heart of course, who came out to meet the wriggly little hero dog and hear from his person, Linda Chwistek. It was a standing room only event, and the discussions were fabulous.



What a pleasure it was to see this book on display and in the good company of so much information and lessons and tales we tell our children to help them grow up to be wise, compassionate adults.

I've been very grateful to author Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and photographer Bill Munoz for their dedication to this story, but never so much as last night, when we saw the book sittin' up all proud in the children's section of a bookstore.

The event showed us that the story really is for all ages. We look forward to learning how it influences its readers. My wish? hearing from young adults several years from now who tell us they grew up with this book.

Pit bulls, you've arrived. Bless your busy little hearts.

getting organized - the Barn Dog Blog is born

So much info, so many ways to post it around.

Blogs, website, e-alerts, facebook and more blogs. Eek! We're currently working to re-do BR's website - affectionately known as the mothership - but while we organize ourselves around the many pieces of this work, we're doing a little housecleaning here and have added fancy new tabs (above) to make it easier for readers to access info. Cool, huh?

It's a work in progress so please share your feedback. The artist in me is happiest when my favorite things are scattered around in crazy places and colorful piles, so I'm utterly fascinated and envious of minds that know how to create order.

With the Rescue Barn project picking up steam, we recognized the need for a separate place to share those stories, photos and lessons. So there's a new blog to bookmark.

Don't be afraid, we're organizing it over there too. Not only will you hear from the various team members as we discuss the ebb and flow of canine residents, we've got fancy little tabs to help you keep track of the growing number of foster dog blogs, instructional videos, favorite links and even our wish list.

Our original blog will stay put right here and will continue to post updated info on events, issues and general items that affect the status and well-being of pit bulls around the country.

Enjoy.

The Barn Dog Blog

lesson plans for 'Saving Audie'

Audie is one of the dogs who came to California from Vick's Bad Newz Kennels. His story of rescue and recovery has been cleverly adapted to a kid-friendly photo-essay book by award winning children's book author Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and photographer Bill Muñoz in 'Saving Audie.' We're grateful to the creators of this important story for sharing the Vick dog lessons with young readers, and are so very pleased to be able to help with its launch. Publisher Release


Recently elementary school teacher Charity Allison-Jara presented the book to her fourth grade class at Vintage Hills Elementary School to gather their impressions. Their community in Pleasant Hill hasn't had much experience with pit bull type dogs and breed stereotypes are more common than truths, so this would be a very different kind of story for most of the kids.

Her students' response to the lessons showed the impact this type of story can have on young minds. Audie ceased to be a "type" of dog, and instead became an individual with emotions and a hope for second chances through the book's words and images. The kids' essays about the book were lovely, but when Charity came back to school the next day, she was surprised to find a real live demonstration of the kids' newfound compassion for orphaned pit bulls -- they brought in a PILE of toys, treats and blankets; gifts for the homeless dogs in BR's barn. The kids had gone home to their parents and relayed the story, inspiring several visits to shops and pet stores to gather up help for the orphans. It was a wonderful confirmation that the book had hit its mark. Very cool!



Complimentary Lesson Plans: Charity kindly shared her lesson plans with us for the teachers, humane educators, librarians and parents among us. Feel free to print them off and share them around. Our only request is that you report back so we can learn about the response you receive.

Buy 'Saving Audie' from Amazon

Lesson Plans for Saving Audie

Complimentary Books: The book can be purchased from Amazon.com, although we have a few copies that we hope to give away for free to teachers and librarians. If you'd like to plan an event at your school, bookstore or library, please email us to let us know what you have in mind. Saving Audie Event

Right: Yes it seems terribly wrong, but there's actually a good reason Audie had to wear those pants. Ask the kids. They'll explain.

So far the book has had great reviews:

“This polished photo-essay by frequent collaborators Patent and Muñoz will tug at the heartstrings of readers. Muñoz's crisp, candid photos include many endearing shots of Audie—both solo and interacting with humans and other rescued dogs. Bright backgrounds and captionlike commentary keep this uplifting and informational book lively.” — Publishers Weekly

From one of our facebook friends: "I sent Saving Audie to a friend who teaches in Florida. Here's what she emailed me, "My students LOVED the book about Audie. One of my 3rd graders is a Bosnian boy who is autistic...he talked about this book more than I've heard him talk all year. He was really excited about it. He wanted to know if the football player got thrown "in the hole". I laughed and asked him if he's been watching "Lock Up". They had so much to say about the dogs they have known..." - Kathy Spitler

We want to thank the students from Mrs. Allison-Jara's fourth grade class for telling us what you thought about the book, and for extending your kindness to other dogs that don't have homes right now. You made lessons from Audie's story come to life in ways we didn't expect and our dogs are happier because of it. Thank you!

Below: 'Zack' enjoying his afternoon with one of the toys sent from the big hearted kids at Vintage Hills Elementary School.

cleveland ohio: the times they are a'changing

Don't let the unassuming look on this dog's face fool you. She's a history maker, even if she's still trying to sort out the difference between leather shoes and chew toys. 'Joliette' was recently selected to be the first ambassador for pit bull type dogs in the adoption wards of the Cleveland Animal Protective League, the largest humane organization in the state of Ohio. She found a quick home last week, which brought an end to the decades-long ban on pit bull adoptions from this influential shelter. Her departure opened a kennel to another square headed dog, and signals a change as welcome as the spring temperatures. The pup doesn't seem to understand why people from California to New York were dabbing their eyes up when news hit that she'd gone home ... Political milestones are such human inventions. Welcome to warm laps, tug toys and a lifetime's worth of family photos, little darling. And thank you CAPL for getting her there.

the color of dog fighting

There was some chat on the Net today about a Today Show piece that highlighted a program to end dog fighting. The report was peppered with formula clips of dogs engaged in bloody battles mixed in with young black guys who've changed their ways. It was a schizophrenic five minutes as far as the dogs were concerned: dogs acting scary, dogs climbing agility equipment, more dogs acting scary, finished with a cute dog who wowed the show hosts with cute tricks.

The report raised eyebrows from people who've been watching this campaign work its marketing pitch on the general public. (Yes - of course the campaign is marketed. Every well-funded campaign is marketed.) We noted the audible silence of our colleagues as well as the predictable shock and horror reactions from the public: "Dog fighting is so so mean and someone needs to stop those thuggy people from doing it." Right - Okay.

But let me tellya my fine white friends: Young black guys in select neighborhoods in select cities are - proportionately - not a particularly big threat to the state of pit bulls in this country. And as far as we've noted in our work with municipalities near and far, dog fighting is not nearly the epidemic it's been made out to be. It's out there, it's awful and we want authorities to stop it - but it's not a so-called epidemic, worthy of juxtaposing violent images of dogs being slaughtered next to the faces of repentant young black men on the Today Show.

America believes differently though. Last weekend a student reporter came to our shelter-based training class, hungry to write a report on dog fighting. He chatted excitably about the epidemic that's everywhere. Did we have any former fighters we could point out to him? His buddy stood by with a camera, ready to grab images. I scanned the 40 or so dogs doing drills in front of us and did a quick inventory. Hmm. Not today. Maybe next week. "How about that one with the scratches on his face?" "Yeah - he's a Dogo Argentino and there's no telling what scuffle he got into." Explaining, "Dings on dog's faces don't necessarily point to organized dog fighting - or street fighting for that matter." I think I disappointed him, but frankly, we're like most cities with shelters crowded full of dogs who've simply lost their homes for a variety of unfortunate reasons.

No doubt there are way too many unemployed urban youth with too much time on their hands embracing the gore sport. However, historically dog fighters in this country have been - and quite literally still are - snowball white.

The bad guys can be counted as white high school science teachers, white female dog trainers, and even white humane investigators exposed on video for all to see. They're dotted around the country in pockets here and there, they're organized, and they're getting caught - as they should.

The difference is, only one color of dog fighter is being coached on how to show compassion to animals and paraded on the Today Show.

Overstating the problem of dog fighting, directing it at young black youths and flashing America with images of dogs engaged in battle might work from a marketing perspective, but it can actually work against the cause by deepening fear and stereotypes. This is especially true in communities that have BSL. From a big picture perspective, the larger threat to the dogs is much more insidious and mainstream than the guy in the ghetto: It's the unforgivable prejudice that forces families to surrender their dogs to a shelter because no property owner will rent to them -- even to a hero dog. It's the obstinate librarian in an affluent suburb of San Francisco who believes children should be shielded from short squatty dogs with fat heads. It's a city attorney who's leading others to believe that dog fighters are actually funding the fight to end a BSL-massacre in Denver

End Dog Fighting - of course. But a broader battle call should be to End the Ignorance before it infects policy makers in your town and sends untold numbers of dogs who've never been near a dog fight to their untimely deaths.

EDIT - The HSUS has since ended its "End Dogfighting" campaign and replaced it with the much more realistic and productive "Pets for Life" campaign. Bravo to them for recognizing that the 'guy in the ghetto' is not the enemy of the pit bull!

Spring Fling Open House - This Coming Saturday!

It's time for another Open House during our Pit Ed classes. Come on down this Saturday May 14, and bring your friends.



Our volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about the Pit Ed classes that will be in session during this hour. If you're thinking about volunteering yourself, this is the place to be. And if you're looking to adopt, you'll see a smorgasbord of dogs of every age, size and color from both BADRAP and Berkeley Animal Care Services.

Please leave your dogs at home for this one, but bring your cameras! Saturday May 14 from 11:00-1pm. Training grounds are at Second Street and Addison in Berkeley, one block south of Berkeley Animal Care Services. Hope to see you soon!

Click on map to enlarge.

Birthday Barn Pups

Josephine's parents sent us this photo today - marking the barn pups' first B-day - also May Day. She may not look too thrilled about all the fuss, but maybe she just wants to get on with it and open up all of her presents.

Most are familiar with the pagan May Day ritual of dancing around the Maypole, but May Day can also refer to various labor celebrations conducted on May 1st to commemorate the fight for the eight hour day. Raising a litter of pups though is anything but an eight hour endeavour, however we can't complain since this was the cleanest litter of pups we'd ever met. I mean these five gals (and their two brothers) didn't even dirty themselves for weeks. Mom Eva likely had something to do with it, but from four to eight weeks of age they were impossibly clean. Then finally, one had a smudge on their side for a minute that actually needed human attention. I'm still amazed at how fastidious this entire group remained through to their adulthood.

Above is a photo we took during the Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar shoot last year. We were quite fortunate to use their sweet donation from their 2011 calendar sales to add more kennel space and a much needed laundry room that we are finally painting while I write. We'll be posting photos soon of the finished addition.

Happy One Year Birthday to the first ever residents of the barn. Like every good uncle, I have to say that while we absolutely loved having you here for a visit, it sure was great to send you home!

Tim

Bungee Jumping in Ohio - When smaller events are bigger than life

Twelve plus years into this project, and so much of our work feels routine that activities that used to get our blood going seem like no-big-deal anymore. Like, giving interviews or arranging tricky long distance transport for dogs or massaging dicey play sessions between unlikely dog pairs until they form lasting, trustworthy friendships. Very fun and fulfilling, but not roller coaster thrilling like in years past. These things are part of the job, so to speak.

So lacking bungee-jump moments, it's fun to feel that occasional gut twist now and again just to remind us that much is still new in this work, and to keep us on our toes of course. See that (bad) photo of me? I may look composed but a quiet freak-out is slowly bubbling its way to my surface, just out of view - I hope.


Tim shot it in Cleveland last week, where we were kindly hosted by the Cleveland Animal Protective League to present a three day Pit Bull Summit. As you must know, pit bull type dogs born in Ohio are uniformly labeled vicious by state law based on nothing but appearance. So an opportunity to share our programs and information was a most excellent reason to part out our foster dogs and hop into the biting mid-April wind of the midwest. The bigger part of the event was an education session with key stakeholders: city and county officials, APL's board of directors, other humane society leaders in the Greater Cleveland area, county dog wardens, local rescue group leaders. They filed into the room - each representing an unknown opinion about pit bulls and the law that condemns them and their owners to impossible restrictions.

This is where my knees got weak and my head started swirling. "Oh wow. This is big. Oh man. Oh wow." My sister Diane, who lives in Cleveland and was there to support as well as to learn how she can help, said I didn't look nervous but I don't believe her. We were jumping off a bridge with nothing but thin elastic bands tied to our ankles and it was a long way down, man.

Out of respect to the ongoing dialogue that is rolling out between Ohio shelters, dog wardens and general stakeholders, I won't give you the nitty gritty details on what went down in that room in regard to changes on the horizon for pit bulls. But you can know that my near-nausea melted into gratitude and hope while we were there. Gratitude - for the dog warden who's been putting pit bulls to sleep for years and years, but who tries every trick in his back pocket to get them out to rescue when he can, to the rescues who struggle against all odds to find them homes, to the shelter worker who melts with a floppy pit bull in her lap and declares her "very adoptable," to the politician who understands why stereotyping will always work against building safe, humane communities. Melting.


We brought this little political refuge home from Cleveland to help keep the movement in Ohio front and center to us when we get up every day. She (now named Ayse) didn't stand a snow ball's chance in hell of surviving the city shelter under Ohio's current law, but the stars lined up right for her to be in the right kennel at the right time when our plane landed. Purely dumb luck. No doubt her kennel was immediately filled with an equally wonderful dog who doesn't have the luxury of a Pit Bull Summit on her side, but don't think we aren't thinking about that anonymous sweetheart, as are most of the people who sat in the room with us last week during the summit.

There will be more to report as Ohio agents of change continue to show us their balls and push on through the changes that are so very necessary for dogs in that state. Hang tight.

In other bungee jumping moments, we're happy to report big news that may feel anti-climatic to some since so much time has passed: We finally marked Grace (below) with an Adoption Pending notice on our Available Page. Yay.

We've been getting to know her family since back in January, a long slow friendship that has been building with each phone call, email and meeting. You might know that Grace is a former Vick dog, so the pressure to find that nearly perfect home (is there such a thing?) claws at us with each media inquiry about the Vick dogs. Thanks to her ridiculously cute face, the little imp has had dozens and dozens of inquiries from all around the country, but we've been especially picky about her home to the point that I think we were all wondering if we were ever going to place her.

We're thrilled, relieved, excited and a little nervous too. She's in the barn this week while her devoted foster dad is out of town and we expect she'll be going home rather than back to her dog friend Gulliver in just a few short days. *Gulp* A door closes and a new door opens for this unassuming little celebrity dog. Falling, falling, falling -- and it feels so good.

Shoot puppy first. Ask questions later.

A two year old pit bull mix, and a twelve-pound, five month old, bull terrier puppy rush to a waist-high retaining wall, barking at a pair of police officers who were knocking at their door to do a probation check on their owner. One of the officers pepper sprays the puppy, and then pulls out his gun, and shoots her. A twelve-pound puppy. This has got to be a joke, right?

Sadly, it's not. Within the past two weeks, there have been two incidents in which police officers have shot at, and killed, a bull breed dog on its own property, in front of its owner and other witnesses. Two incidents in which the owners had no idea officers were coming to visit, and who had woken up that day as if it were any other day. I can't even comprehend what happened in either situation.

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

Our hearts go out to both Mr. Yishay and Mr. Locatelli.