Speaking of City Councils - love'em-hate'em? Well, we're still buzzin' ... Our faith was so very restored by how well Vallejo represented this past weekend. Members from their city council and animal services gave up their Sunday to help us the facilitate the Celebrate Your Pit Bull Day Event (see Christine's blog below) and over a hundred people gathered in one place to do one thing: Support pit bulls and their people.
One city rep even hoofed door-to-door to distribute event literature and connect with dog owners...
...Read this blog entry from Council Member Stephanie Gomes.
It seems like easy math, but it just doesn't happen often enough: Animal control, city gov't and dog owners all need to be on good terms so all sides can work on the issues that affect our pets.
Above: David Sidie, director of animal services at the Benicia Vallejo Humane Society, embraces pit bulls both literally and figuratively by assisting with a vaccination.
If you aren't sure where your local gov't and/or animal shelter stands on dog issues there's no time like the present to introduce yourself and offer your thoughts on public safety and responsible ownership. Extra points for offering to help make them look good by initiating an event that brings dog owners and politicos together for the common goal of evolving ourselves as better dog stewards. Being a middle man was never so rewarding.Right: Owner Pride, Vallejo.
Donna that is really distressing news about Oakland. I wish I was a resident to add my voice. I think all cities will be looking at similar cuts so we should all look at our local shelters funding plans and try and be ready to object.
ReplyDeleteI would also suggest you bring this up on the Rockridge community forum - http://www.rockridgeresidents.org/ and point it out on their crime and safety forum maybe. It's a very vocal and active group of Oakland residents who might be just who you need to get behind you.
Good luck, we're all going to need it.
Yep, good luck to all of us Becky. And thanks for the tip on the Rockridge forum. Will head over there asap.
ReplyDeleteLet me know when (and where) you post a comment on their forum so I can log in and add some encouragement.
ReplyDeleteGreat update on the Vallejo shot clinic...I'm helping our City of Sacramento shelter at a clinic over here in Oak Park on the 25th and I hope our response is as great as yours was. Also good that these programs are still in the budget.