when librarians judge books by their covers

A few weeks ago, when a crew from PBS was making plans to come into town to film the former Vick dogs, they asked if they could see Jonny Justice working as a reading assistant dog in the Peninsula Humane Society's 'PAWS for Tales' reading to dogs program. They'd heard great things about the work he's been doing with encouraging kids to read out loud and wanted to film this for their viewers.

No problem, we said. Jonny's adopter Cris Cohen had been planning to participate in the Burlingame Public Library's annual read-a-thon, so all it would take would be getting the green light from the librarian. It seemed easy. What library wouldn't want to have their cutting edge reading program highlighted on a PBS special?

"The dog is a fun and furry reading companion who is not judgmental," said Kathy von Mayrhauser, Burlingame Library children services manager. "Children, by reading to dogs, it boosts their confidence in reading."

Oops - spoke too soon. With only three days left 'til the event, Cris was told he had to stay home because of his dog's breed. The same library that promoted him in this optimistic newspaper article had a change of heart when another handler brought her trained pit bull to the library to work. At the end of the session, this handler was told she was not welcome back. Her dog's behavior had been top notch - after all, the program dogs are trained to the nines. But for unknown reasons, head librarian Pat Harding chose to enact a ban of pit bull type dogs from the library reading program.

We debated whether the PBS film crew shouldn't just get footage of Cris and Jonny being turned away at the door of the event for their show on how the Vick dogs were doing. Ever the rebel, that was my secret wish anyway. But Cris wisely opted for the diplomatic approach and tried his best to find ways to educate the librarian rather than push the issue. Maybe if she just met Jonny? So, Cris was bumped from the read-a-thon roster and the PAWS for Tales team went to the celebrated event without Jonny and their other pit bull teammate.

After several weeks of failed attempts and ignored invitations to meet, it became clear that Harding's mind was made up. Feeling discouraged, Cris regretfully resigned in protest from the reading team that had once highlighted Jonny's work on everything from bookmarks to the cover of the associated shelter's annual report.

On top of being a downright ugly move, blocking Jonny and the other pit bull was technically illegal. California code prohibits cities from enacting policies that restrict dogs based on breed. Burlingame's city attorney Gus Guinan agreed, expressed his regrets and communicated the error to the head librarian.

Harding's response to this news was to can the entire Paws to Tales reading program rather than allow dogs with blocky heads and short fur to get close to the kids. No dogs of any breed type would be allowed in the library to help kids with their reading. (Below: Photo of Jonny at work thanks to the Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar.)



We watched Cris struggle with his decision to leave his team and know that walking away was hard on him because the last thing Cris is is a quitter. He told us, "I had a really tough time with this because doing therapy work is for the benefit of people. I guess it really came down to the first rule of therapy work. Protect your animal."

Protecting our dogs from breed prejudice - especially when that prejudice is illegal - takes a front seat to just about anyone who owns a pit bull. It has to, especially when children are subjected to messages of intolerance by educators. And while Cris could have chosen to stay onboard and visit the other venues where all breeds were welcomed, supporting a program that was not willing to speak out against an injustice was just too big a pill to swallow.

Let's do the time warp: The funeral of 'Spot'

You find the darndest things on ebay. This turn of the century news clipping describes the elaborate funeral of a celebrated senior dog who was apparently loved for his fighting ability as well as his popular friendship around town.

In case you're wondering, we aren't posting this to glorify anything. Consider it an interesting bit of cultural history (lots of references to a well-knit Irish community here) and a peek into the minds of men who saw the world very differently.

The ebay seller described it best: "reflective of the social mores of its time - an era not far past human slavery, a time when women still didn't have the right to vote! Memorial to a beautiful old dog, who although clearly loved, was subjected to a life we view today as morally reprehensible. A reminder of how times have thankfully changed. Here's to you old Spot, and all the dogs WE fight for today." Indeed.

This is how it reads:

BURIED AT NIGHT, A HERO

Victor in Many Battles Rests in McKenzie's Cemetery.

FRIENDS BY LEGION MOURN.

Pour Out Tributes, Pour in Potheen -- He's Gone, Doggone.

They buried him last night - old Spot, hero of half a hundred fights. They laid him deep at dead of night, and gave him a wake and a sermon.

A keg of beer was tapped in the basement of Dan Ronan's, 3125 Emerald avenue, for he belonged to Ronan, though all the neighborhood called him friend. There was plenty of tobacco and dozens of clay pipes, and the number of sandwiches couldn't be counted.

The mourners came early to pay their respects to the dead champion. They brought flowers and laid them down on the home made coffin. They sang songs to show their sorrow and buried their grief in dancing the griz.

Crepe on the Door.

There was a crepe on the door, and honorary pallbearers, and mourners everywhere carrying lighted candles. And there will be a headstone with theis simple inscription engraved upon it: "He's gone! Doggone!"

Altogether, Spot would have loved his own funeral if he had been alive!

Old Henry Lawlor - great friend of Spot preached the sermon, insisting that it was a dogmatic sermon. He praised the virtues of the deceased, who had been faithful to his master for fifteen years, and who had won more friends than any human in the neighborhood.

Then the funeral cortege got under way, the grave was dug in McKenzie's cemetery, a vacant lot, the tapers were lit, the last words were said: "Poor old Spot, the cats will miss you much!" - the grave was filled in, and the mourners returned to the keg and the sandwiches.

Keg Dry, but J. P. Walsh Helps

The keg was dry and sandwiches gone, so the funeral party went to the saloon of John P. Walsh, state representative and friend of the dead fighter, and drowned their woe again.

Spot was 15 years old, a bull terrier. In his prime, not a dog could whip him. Ronan matched him against the best in his class and he won time after time. Lately, however, he had taken life easy and accumulated many bones which he buried in the yard.

__________

If anyone has good detective skills, help us uncover the identity of the state representative called out in this news clipping: John P. Walsh. We'd love to date Spot's funeral. Thanks.

EDIT From cyberfriend Peggy, "Couldn't resist the challenge to locate Spot; Based on my googling, I believe he lived in Chicago's Third Ward. John P. Walsh was a state rep from that ward from 1904-1918 and listed his address as 738 W. 31st Street -- which is just around the corner from 3125 Emerald Avenue, Dan Ronan's place (now Freddie's Pizza & Pasta Parlor)" -- Nice. Thanks Peggy.

Bitchin' about Hitchin'

I've been meaning to write about this ever since I presented at the ASPCA's Spay Neuter Summit in New York way back in September. The day after my talk I had time to tool around town and visit a friend. On my way over I came upon this poor gal and of course waited awhile to see if her person showed up, and they didn't. So I took a couple photos with the idea of raising the topic of tying dogs out when I got back.


I'm quite certain this dog's owner is fond of their girl - she looks healthy, clean, and obviously is out on a walk...sort of. She likely perked up and tail-wagged when mom or dad finally came out, looking no worse for wear and who knows, maybe even went to the park afterwards and had a great time. But it doesn't take a pit whisperer to see how miserable this poor gal is in this situation. Sure, she's cold, but will warm up once she's moving again. Those pitiful ears are more telling though - all the way back and her head held low - trying to disappear since she's in a vulnerable position with no flight option should a bigass scary dog come along and pick a fight with her. Or for that matter, a littleass scary dog - you know, the kind who yaps and charges and yaps and charges. With nowhere to go our tied dog just might charge back and do considerable damage to said little dog. Or worse yet, break the flexi lead by running into the street away from a dog to be hit by a Yellow Cab.



Really, I've never been an alarmist and probably err on the side of not worrying about things when maybe I should, but when it comes to dogs in this situation I become concerned. This particular dog wouldn't even warm up to me and I've been known to win the favor of a dog or two. I immediately let her be though so she wouldn't feel worse, but then there are those who won't take no for an answer and might even insist on petting her to make her feel better, right before the fear bite breaks skin. Now the owner has a scared dog and a potential lawsuit on their hands. Then there is the person who does win the dog's favor and walks off with her because they don't like that she was left like that and now our girl has a new owner - maybe it's a nice owner, or maybe it's a person who wants a dog to guard their junkyard.

Please tell your friends not to tie their dogs to parking meters and walk away. It's so wrong for so many obvious reasons, most of which are spelled out right in these photos. - Tim

Fav Info Links .. All in one spot

For your Bookmarks:
Fostering Basics for Rescues and Shelters

(works for new adopters, too!):

Fostering: The Basics

Dog/Dog Intros - Take It Slow

Expert Help to Socialize Sassy Pups

In Praise of Tie Downs

Foster Dog Bootcamp!

Sage Advice and Info:

Remedies for Skunks, Stings, etc.

Advice for Keeping Seniors Healthy

Great Advice for Landlords

Leash Work Basics

Know your rights, Protect your dog: Dog Law

Understanding Dog-Tolerance Levels: Dog/Dog

Living well with Multi Dogs

Tips for Socializing Your Dog

Ins and Outs for Monitoring Dog Play

Nothing in Life is Free... Oh so helpful.

Pet Harbor ... where proactive shelters post their strays.

Pet Finder ... available pet listings from rescues and shelters.

Does your shelter share their 'e-list?'

("e" as in: euthanasia)

Ask.

Many public shelters avoid sharing the list of dogs that are next up for euthanasia for fear that it would be unpopular or cause too much drama or delay. In some shelters, volunteers are specifically instructed not to ask staff about the disappearance of favorite dogs or cats. We've never been big fans of the don't-ask-don't-tell policy, especially when the main motivation for helping shelter animals comes from the heart. As it turns out, the regularly published "e-list" list has been working to move a lot of dogs - pit bulls especially - out of one shelter's kennels and into new lives.

Berkeley Animal Care Services alerts several rescues and key volunteers whenever a dog can't handle the kennels anymore or when they get too full, which has been happening more than usual in recent weeks. We might be dealing with a new wave of foreclosures around here - not sure - but someone's been stuffing dogs into their night drop boxes and it's gotten crowded in this usually not-crowded shelter.

The crowding invokes a ping pong tournament of emails which is pretty interesting to watch, as different personalities take different approaches to helping the dogs at risk. Some scramble to find sanctuaries, others post on facebook or craigslist. I can't say for sure, but some may even send out those infamous all-cap email alerts that scream "URGENT." (Confession: We usually delete mail that comes to us in all caps. Rescue is already too stressful to wade through screaming.) The go-getters get the at-risk dogs to Pit Ed class for obedience brush ups and/or shoot videos and photos that turn into wonderful posts on BACS's upbeat facebook page. The combination of all these approaches generally works and somehow, dogs get moved out rather than disappear.

When a dog - ANY dog - is put to sleep, everyone knows about it. Some grieve, some shrug, some dive in deeper to help the new dogs in need. There's no mutiny or blame-gaming though because everyone gets advance warning and an opportunity to help. This policy makes a lot of sense and it attracts the commitment of some of the community's most motivated helpers, but unfortunately it's not often used in other shelters.

BACS' recent call for help sent us walking through the kennels. We ended up taking one of the saddest dogs there. She may or may not find a home ... We don't know yet because she's been too depressed to show us who she is. But she's out of the shelter and cozied up in the barn now, and we'll do what we can to help her decompress so she can finally be herself. She seems happy to be out, and I'm just so darned glad that the shelter was willing to ask for help for her and others like her.

Robin's Rock

(this vury schpecial boy is available for adoption)

Training basics - From Pit Ed Class

A little video from the first day of Pit Ed Class. It's amazing how much improvement a handler can make with just a few adjustments in how he holds the leash and the information he offers his dog through voice and body language. This beautiful dog is slightly leash reactive right now, but if her handler stays on track with this kind of relationship-building work, she'll come around quickly to good leash manners and better focus around bigger distractions. She seems to love the attention she's getting from this exercise, and we love watching the light bulb go on for both of them.

Pit Ed switches to Sundays

Like a flock of birds, we're following the migration pattern (ie, the fire fighter schedule) of busy Pit Ed instructor Donyale, and are switching class dates...

Pit Ed Beginning and Drop In classes are on SUNDAYS starting THIS weekend, Jan 30

We'll stay on Sundays for several weeks, so enjoy the quieter day with less traffic and overall fewer distractions.

One bird had to chart a different course: Linda Chwistek's CGC Prep Class will continue to run on Saturdays through to March. If you're in her class, keep your ear tuned to Linda for that shift in schedule.

Thanks for being so flexible as we do the seasonal flip flop.

We owe PBS a thanks

Many thanks to William Brangham and the crew from the PBS Show 'Need to Know' for being real people and telling a real story about real dogs. It was a rainy soggy week when you came to CA, our dogs stamped all kinds of muddy paw prints on you and your subjects were admittedly skeptical about the angle of your story. But you were all-time pros, and your segment on the canine survivors of Vick's abuses was brilliant. Thank you.

Link to open: The Dogs Are Alright

Please let the show producers know if you liked this story: Contact 'Need to Know'

Pssst. Pit bulls on PBS - Friday Jan 21st.

We're happy to announce a special feature on PBS that will introduce some of our favorite dogs to the television audience. The show is called 'Need to Know' and it's airing Friday, January 21st.

Check here for the SCHEDULE in your zip code.

Journalist William Brangham came to us with a lot of questions about the status of the surviving dogs trom the Vick case. He and his crew spent many hours filming dogs including Jonny Justice, Audie, Frodo, and Hector. You'll hear from the owners of the dogs as well as Jim Gorant, author of 'The Lost Dogs,' several members of BADRAP and Steve Zawistowski of the ASPCA.

We haven't viewed it yet, but are happy to report that there will no gruesome dog fighting footage or interviews with PeTA in this show. Yay.

We expect this to be a sensitive, intelligent piece. Enjoy!

Camps are back in 2011 - Owner support is key

We're very pleased to report that our Pit Ed Camps will be back in full swing in 2011, thanks to a generous grant from PetSmart Charities®. In addition to the usual hands-on work with dogs, this year's camps will hold a very special focus: Attending shelter staffers will gain the skills to create owner support programs back home so their communities can embrace pit bulls and reduce the numbers of dogs being relinquished to overcrowded shelters. That will include learning to hold Pit Ed training classes as well as the outreach work (aka the 'Shots Fairs') we love so much.

Owner support programs are an important alternative to BSL and can be implemented anywhere. All you need is the right combination of go-getters who want positive change rather than the same-old spin cycle of failed dogs and political hand-wringing. It's time to change the status quo, people!

Media Alert

Best Friends Animal Society is working to identify the fifteen shelters that will travel to Oakland for this training. If you're local to the SF bay area, we'll need your help. We'll be accepting interns who can help in our rescue barn while the camps are in full swing. So keep your eyes peeled here for an announcement and call for applications.

We look forward to working with the many partners involved in this project. With many thanks to the ever-progressive PetSmart Charities and the connectors at Best Friends.

Below, a glimpse into what it will be like for the shelters who come to learn how to bring resources to families in their community. (Thank you Jasmin Singer for the video ... and the ABA Animal Law Committee for giving us a way to test-drive our working classroom with this event!)

Thank you Green Bay Packers!

Ginger knows a good victory when she sees one. She survived you-know-who and is living a gentle life in Monterey now with her person, Stacy Dubuc. We join them in celebrating the Packer's big win today. Thank you boys!!

a worthy White House literacy project

There is a timely review of Gorant's book 'The Lost Dogs' in SFGate today. Like just about every red-blooded, dog loving member of the media, writer Christie Keith is less than impressed with Vick's big return, especially after having read the book. She doesn't want vengeance though, she just wants people to know the nitty-gritty of MV's actions before waving the 'healed by jail and touchdowns' flag. Simple enough. She writes:

I'm neither a sports fan nor a social worker, and I freely admit that that I care more about his victims than I do about Michael Vick. But unlike many dog advocates, I don't want to see him put back in prison, denied his right to vote, kicked out of the NFL, beaten, kicked or bashed in the head. I certainly don't think he should be executed, as right wing pundit Tucker Carlson suggested on Fox News recently. I just think his defenders should read this book before deciding what they think about Michael Vick's big comeback.

It's likely that Obama missed the memo about Vick's sadism. I know - I know. Like you, we're over this whole thing and have banged our head on the wall plenty about our President's recent endorsement of the Eagle's profitable poster boy. It sucks to have to sneer at Obama for such a dumb move, of all moves!

No one has expressed this funk better than the Raised by Wolves blog. And Francis Battista of Best Friends offered this eloquent response that's been all around the Net.

But before we walk away from this political wipe-out, maybe the thing to do is take Keith's lead and help educate our dear leader. After all, the White House website states that "President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history." Rah. With that in mind, we're proposing that animal lovers with a few bucks to spare access that administration by sending a complimentary copy of the Lost Dogs to the first family. Maybe tuck a photo of your dog inside? or a personal note warning the Obamas to keep the book off their daughters' bookshelves for a few years? Couldn't hurt.

I've been intrigued by White House protocol for gifts ever since a friend wrapped up his nastiest shoes and mailed them to George Bush. So what would happen to your book if you were to send it to DC?

1) More book sales would help keep 'The Lost Dogs' high on the top seller lists. Good. 2) The White House would of course have to figure out what to do with your gift. According to the Brookings Institution, "Presidents and their First Ladies receive thousands of gifts each year, from large to small, from domestic to gifts from heads of state. Any gift not from a foreign official must be logged by the White House Gift Unit and managed by one of several domestic agencies."

It's fun to try and imagine how the Gift Unit would 'manage' a tall pile of books with Sweet Jasmine's face staring up at them. Would they distribute to random waiting room areas around the White House? Donate to local literacy projects? Destroy them all? Send a few up to the Presidential bathroom libraries .. or maybe a dog-loving intern would swift a few copies into the 'Situation Room?' Who knows - with some luck we might even spy one of the fire engine red books in the background of the next Lady's Home Journal get-to-know-you interview with Michelle.

Here's the address for your gift giving. And if you want to buy a fresh one, use this Amazon link, and BR will get a bit of change per sale. Let us know if you decide to support this project. Why not!

EDIT - HOLD THE PHONE! - More people than we ever imagined sent books to the White House after this blog post went live. A casual count tallied a minimum of 200 books sent. It seems that the large number reached critical mass a few days ago, and while the first few arrivals were signed for and accepted by WH staff (we're not sure how many), they are now turning others away. Mission Accomplished! Now what to do with all the books that are returning to their purchasers? We have a few ideas and will post asap. Thank you ALL for jumping both feet into this action.

Mr. President and First Lady Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

a true friendship and a good death

Bittersweet news from Kerry O'Connor - who said yes to a creaky little old lady dog plucked out of Oakland Animal Services as part of our compassion hold program in spring 2009. Kerry went on to adopt 'Gemma' as her very own. Photographs by Lori Fusaro

"I wanted to let you know that Gemma passed away on December 24. I always wondered what Gemma’s life had been like before she came to my house. She must have been an amazing young dog! She loved her comforts – blankets warm from the clothes dryer, snoozing on the sofa, cheese, scrambled eggs (I was always trying to put weight on that girl!) She didn’t mind taking baths, was great about getting her nails done, followed me around like a little shadow, and up until the second to last day of her life, served as my 'doggie alarm clock.' She was able to sense when 6:30am rolled around – but never did understand that weekends were different and that she didn’t have to woof me awake quite so early on Saturdays and Sundays.

On Wednesday 12/22, Gemma feasted on tiny meals of chicken breast and baby food. She found a sunny place on the back lawn, and we sat together watching the leaves fall from my neighbor’s birch trees and the squirrels running on the fences. I couldn’t get her to eat or drink at all on Thursday, and on Friday she was becoming unsteady on her feet, and still wouldn’t eat or drink. She was alert and sweet, but I knew she was ready to leave, and that the kindest thing I could do was let her go.

The nobility of old dogs has always amazed me. Gemma had the look of a wise old ferret. The white fur around her eyes reminded me of a pair of spectacles. I also think about the huge numbers of our breed that never get the opportunity to be old dogs. You, and so many articles I’ve read, talk about how many of these wonderful dogs don’t make it to their second birthdays. Even the technicians at the vet mentioned it – seeing a pit bull type dog able to live to such a ripe old age.

I’m so happy to have known Gemma, and to have had the privilege of being her guardian since April 2009. I know, as you do, that there are so many other Gemmas out there, who deserve a sunny spot in a peaceful home to live out their days, and if her story makes one person consider adopting an old dog, then all the tears that have been shed in the last few weeks have been well worthwhile." Kerry O'Connor

Sweet blessings to both Gemma and her devoted person Kerry.

news year's eve message a la video

wishing everyone a warm and wonderful 2011 with many happy endings for the dogs!

the Ins and Outs of language for 2011

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.” - Benjamin Lee Whorf

Various catch phrases of every kind have been used over the years to shape how society views - and ultimately treats - pit bull type dogs. In the interest of evolving ourselves so our dogs can escape the generalizations, stereotypes, and myths that bring them harm, here are some outdated terms and ideas that need to be kicked to the curb. In the new year, we encourage better, cleaner language to help listeners gain a better understanding of the breed, and a more practical and compassionate view of dogs in general. Here's hoping that 2011 represents a period of fast growth and that even these new-and-improved terms will be replaced once again.

OUT - "Bully Breed"

What the hec IS a bully breed, anyway? We have no idea. This catch-all phrase has been used to stereotype more than help by causing some to apply over generalized traits and behaviors to several different breeds of dogs and breed mixes, including boxers, boston terriers, mastiffs. Aye! It gets so messy. Seriously, let's help the dogs and phase this term out.

IN - "Pit bull type dog"

We aren't terribly fond of this term either, but it matches 'our' dogs more than any we've found yet. Let's hope a new and better term emerges in the new year to describe dogs that appear to be pit bulls. With that in mind, remember that we've already learned from the scholars of the world that properly identifying breed type based on physical appearance alone is virtually impossible. Here's why.

OUT- Temperament test
IN - "BEVAL" (short for behavior evaluation)

We now know that you really can't see a dog's true temperament through any given 'test.' At best, we can get a snapshot of personality type by observing behaviors during assessments. On that note, the word 'temperament' has been dropped altogether in some circles and replaced with the more generous word, 'personality,' to reflect an animal's flexible nature, given his environment and handling.

OUT - "Fighting dog"
IN - Victim of cruelty

Needs no explanation. Lots of cruelty victims are ready to see the term 'fighting dog' go far, far away.

OUT - "Bait dog"
IN - Victim of cruelty

Like nails on a chalkboard, 'bait dog' is one of the most over-used and irresponsibly applied terms used to describe dogs with scars and unknown histories. Drop this one like a hot potato, please.

OUT - "Bred to fight"
IN - Born to be a companion animal

Since when are dogs born ready to be abused? Stop saying pit bulls were 'bred to fight,' or we'll have to cyber-smack you.

OUT- Mandatory spay/neuter.
IN - Dog owner support programs.

Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) including mandatory spay/neuter laws are always out. Teach a man to fish and change the world. (For a less cryptic example of owner support, visit our webpage on outreach programs, and watch us power it up in 2011.)

OUT - "Trained to fight"
IN - Abused ... Victimized ... Encouraged to be anti-social.

Seriously. You don't need to train a dog to defend himself or to scrap with other dogs. You simply set him up to fail in several different ways. The Vick dogs taught us well; when dogs fight, people are always to blame.

OUT - "It's all about how they are raised."
IN - "It's all about how they are managed."

(Thank you Andie of Espanola Valley Humane, NM). Last we checked, dogs are still animals with behaviors that need to be managed by responsible owners no matter what kind of upbringing they have had. This definitely applies to all breeds, however some of the most abused and mistreated pit bulls out there are leading the way with reminding us all that dogs are a reflection of their owners.

OUT - Using images of pit bulls you haven't actually helped to fundraise for your cause.
IN - Actually helping pit bulls.

OUT, OUT, OUT - Celebrity dog abusers and their political allies.
IN - Compassionate, kick ass, boots on the ground advocates who work tirelessly to help the dogs.

OUT - "Pittie"
IN - Anything but pittie.

I have to admit that last one is a personal pet peeve (pit peeve?) and not necessarily a needs-to-go-away term, but if you must use it to describe your dog, recognize that it sounds like pity to some ears - aka pitiful. And our dogs are anything BUT pitiful. But I promise not to wince too hard if you use it in front of me, since clearly, it's a term of endearment - and what's sweeter than that?

Holiday Zoomies

Barn puppy Pepper, now re-named Elektra, is spending her very first holiday with her pack ... a group of huskies that make up the Hertel's family home and Idaho based rescue. The little pit mix has loved herself some huskies since "Uncle Elliot" took over the work of raising her and her litter this past summer. (Video) We love a good happy ending, and a happy holiday to boot.

Wishing many happy romps in winter weather to you and yours this season.

pack aggression & the media microscope

This isn't a happy blog post to write, but two recent incidents in our home towns demand attention.

Troubled dogs are in headlines after loose dogs attacked women in two separate incidents this month - in Marin County and just recently, in San Jose. Luckily, both incidents attracted good samaritans who intervened to stop the attacks, and each victim is home now and healing from their injuries.

The San Jose incident is still hot news (82 news stories and counting, including a nationally distributed piece in the AP), as one of the dogs is still missing. The captured dog appeared to be a very nervous and altogether unsocialized pit bull type dog in a KTVU television report. The body language of this animal helps piece together the 'whys' of frightening stories like this and moves us beyond the formula media hype and hand wringing over breed type.

Pack Aggression - where two or more dogs gang up and attack a victim - is not a breed specific behavior. While the National Canine Research Council reminds us that dog bites are on a steady decline in this country, dog attacks involving unsocialized packs of dogs still factor into many of the recorded incidents each year and they can include any breed type of dog. Even small dogs weighing less than 27 pounds have participated in packing together and harming people, according to a 1983 study "Attacks by Packs of Dogs Involving Predation On Human Beings," by Borchelt et al., published in the journal "Public Health Reports." It's not happy reading, but worth the understanding.

According to the Borchelt study, "The past history of the social interactions of dogs with people in a variety of circumstances is probably an adequate predictor of whether these dogs are inclined to bite someone." In other words, if dogs aren't socialized to people properly (ie, they're kept as resident dogs in garages or yards instead of as family pets) they're more inclined to revert to unruly and sometimes dangerous pack behavior when the situation presents itself.

After a horrible fatal attack involving a pack of dogs in GA last year, Bonnie Beaver, a professor at Texas A&M University and an expert in pack behavior, explained that when pack mentality takes over "they do insane things that they would not do" under normal circumstances. This news link shows two of the dogs involved in the GA incident. CNN

Meanwhile, the second bay area dog attack victim is safe and healing in Marin County after a good samaritan came to her aid. She and her dog both needed emergency care after two loose dogs tore up her jack russell terrier and bit up her face, arm and legs. The Novato Patch said that an "employee with the North Marin Water District is to thank for preventing worse injury or even death to the woman and dog."

The loose dogs in her situation were rounded up by authorities and are being held at the Marin Humane Society. You won't hear much about that incident outside of this singular news report, however. Why? The attacking dogs were identified as "chocolate labrador retrievers" so apparently didn't interest our local news cameras. And so it goes.

Hang tight all, as San Jose jaws at the topic of breed specific regulations again. They won't help reckless dog owners learn how to be more responsible, but they make for exciting headlines.

it feels good to laugh

We're all loving Anderson Cooper today for putting Michael Vick on his 'RidicuList' and coming up with the perfect solution to his hope for a new doggy ... the kackel dackel.

Dog bless you, silver fox.



In other news, we wanted to report that "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" sent a generous donation to BR for Christmas this year. Jay got into trouble when he set Chris Rock up for a really bad joke late last year, letting MV off the hook since "a pit bull ain't even a real dog." The world was as mad at Leno as they were at Rock. Rock even lost a role as Richard Pryor for pissing Pryor's widow off with that comment.

My mother-in-law Margaret phoned me last night to laugh about a new joke that aired on the Leno show last night. Apparently they put together some clips of dogs running for their lives after news anchor Brian Williams announced Vick's hope to get a new dog. (If anyone can find that clip, please share.)

It feels good to laugh. And even better that Leno's gift to BR will become our emergency vetcare fund for our dogs in 2011.

Never thought I'd say this, but "thank you Jay."

Hat tips to Samantha Laine for the kackel dackel news. LOL

file this one in your "Have you been SMOKING CRACK?!" category...

From the book "The Lost Dogs" written by Jim Gorant, the senior editor of Sports Illustrated.....

As that dog lay on the ground, fighting for air, Quanis Phillips grabbed its front legs and Michael Vick grabbed its back legs. They swung the dog over their head like a jump rope then slammed it to the ground. The first impact didn't kill it. So, Phillips and Vick slammed it again. The two men kept at it, alternating back and forth, pounding the creature against the ground until, at last, the little red dog was dead.*

From today's Atlantic Journal Constitution.....

"I would love to get another dog in the future," Vick told a Website called theGrio in an article published Wednesday. "I think it would be a big step for me in the rehabilitation process. I think just to have a pet in my household and to show people that I genuinely care, and my love, and my passion for animals."

Vick has critics who believe the ban (on owning a dog) should be permanent, but others say he can be a responsible pet owner.

"I have been around him a lot, and feel confident that he would do a good job as a pet owner," Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, told the AJC Wednesday.



* By the way, I gave away one of the very worst moments in the book "The Lost Dogs" with that paragraph. (Sorry, Jim) If you can get through that, you're ready to read the whole book. Here's our review and link to order.

The Lost Dogs was nominated by goodreads as one of the 15 most important non-fiction books of 2010. If you agree, head here to cast your VOTE.

The little red dog that is no more has a mighty roar.

Miss Natty has left the building.

From our 2005 Happy Ending story of the most wonderful Madeline:

Lady Madeline was found running stray on an Oakland street. She could've easily been dropped here from another century: With old world looks and casual, devil-may-care confidence, she seems to embody decades worth of wisdom and street smarts.

Her finder grabbed her up and filed lost dog reports in hopes of finding her family. No luck. So she was spayed, vetted and kept safe until a spot could open up in our program.

We took one look at this girl's big intelligent eyes and knew we had just met a very special little bulldog. She didn't disappoint: Natty is a friend to all and even maintains her ladylike composure around pushy dogs, despite the peppering of old bite scars on her face that serve as a reminder of a colorful past.

Her back legs are weak and don’t always work right, but in true Natty fashion, she pushes on through and shoulders her body weight on her powerful and motivated front end. That seems to be her m.o. - "When the going gets rough, chin up and carry on." Such a bulldog!

Her perfect match showed up in a woman named Stella, who was hoping for a gal just like Natty. They enjoyed a sweet friendship full of fun adventures. For many weeks after her adoption, Stella sent letters outlining their newest discoveries and simple pleasures together.

Natty died last week, and the news sucked a bit of wind out of us. Thank you for blessing us all with your friendship, little Natty. Warm condolences to her grieving human, Stella Winslow.

sign of the times

A recent email:

Hi there,
I had the sad task of surrendering my Pitt bull mix Prada Jane to the Pinole Animal Shelter. I recently lost my home to foreclosure. I advertised on Craisglist, Facebook, and friends and family but could not find a home for Prada Jane. I am now concerned that she will be assessed as unsuitable for adoption because when I brought her in, she was shaking with fear. It was heartbreaking to have to do this.

Prada is by far the sweetest dog ever. Even my friends who are not fans of dogs, find themselves falling in love with her.

Prada's profile: Black and White Pitt Bull mix (not sure of the mix), 2+ years old, 65 pounds, Spayed in 2009
Responds to commands "sit", "lay down", wipe your feet, (stops at the mat on her way into the house), "pillow" (she goes to her pillow)

Thanks in advance for your time.

.... Yes, she's in our barn tonight. Although our hearts are still breaking for both the dog and her human .....

foster dog bandwidth

Because you need more excuses to graze the Internet, in the tradition of the Vick Dog Blog, here are three new blogs from dogs that are currently in our program, written by their foster homes. These have been such a fun way for us to share the dogs' progress as well as remember how far they've come as the weeks tick by.

Robin - a recent intake from an Ohio case.

Chunk - also from the Ohio case.

Winnie - our new favorite diva, from Florida.

Two of our locally rescued dogs are about to get their own little spot on the Internet too, so stay tuned. Below, Robin exploring the brave new world of dog beds and stuffy toys.

giving thanks

Counting our blessings today and appreciating the support, the inspiration, the army of helpers who help shoulder the load, the little miracles that come along just in time - and especially - the lessons learned from these impossibly generous creatures.

Have a safe and gentle holiday with you and yours.

Photo: Cruelty case survivor 'Chunk' asking me to slow down just a bit and sink in. Thank you Chunk.

schooling a former stud muffin - it takes a village (of dogs)!

When Chunk came to us from the crap-ass breeder in Ohio, we knew that he'd most likely been used as a stud dog for much of his life. He showed the classic behavior that's so common with puppy mill studs; one track mind with no idea how to relate to dogs outside of, well, you know. A neuter helped curb some of the reproductive drive, but he didn't have a clue as to how to play. Since most homes want dogs that can have one or more dog-friends, it's important to us to socialize our charges as much as possible while getting them ready for adoption. This is where having a group of well-socialized, known quantity dogs is such a life saver. Chunk needs to learn 1) not to hump and 2) how to play. And since he's a rather low-key, middle aged guy who's never done either, it will take very tolerant dogs to bring this out in him. We grabbed video clips of Chunk's progress during short, well supervised play sessions. Here are some of our favorites. With each clip, he learns something new from each dog.

First, Elliot. The loose-bodied malberian's been great for teaching Chunk that dogs are safe, but he's too young to teach him not to hump. That's fine. We wanted some of Chunk's first experiences with dogs to be happy, even if altogether frustrating.



Next, Sally. She takes great pride in correcting dogs that offend her, but without going overboard. We don't employ our senior as much as we used to to socialize dogs since she tends to throw herself into these sessions with so much gusto that she sometimes throws her back out (!) But she told us that she thought Chunk was uber sexy, and was game to teach him some new moves. Immediately, she gave Chunk a few VERY loud and scary corrections for trying to mount her (not shown).

Once he showed a little more respect, in classic Sally fashion, she invited him to play. Chunk's not quite sure what to think of Miss Sally now - which is fine. Being confused at this point is a good lesson for the former stud muffin. We want him to think rather than fall back into old patterns (FYI, We're giving Sally LOTS of praise in this clip because she hates the camera and tends to go on strike when it comes out.)



Below - finally - a decent play session with Lola. He's still trying to mount, but he's also starting to try out some new moves. A few more sessions with a variety of dogs including helpful teacher Lola, and new doors will open for this boy. For now, Chunk will also be getting verbal reminders from us when he falls back into humping, but the dogs are giving him the opportunity to learn and develop a real play style. What would we do without all these wonderful dogs to help us out?

One Caveat: Here's our "don't try this at home" disclaimer. Every dog - especially every under-socialized dog - is going to be wildly different in how much he can tolerate from new dogs. If you've never done new dog-intros, you're wise to mentor with someone who knows how to do them before tossing dogs that don't know each other together. It's not rocket science and it's really fairly easy to read dog body language, but experience is SO much kinder than blind experimentation. So be smart, k?

EDIT BELOW ...and finally, Chunk starts to play. Whew.

bootcamp, part II

welcome to bootcamp

I snapped this not-so-nice photo of a stressed little boy-dog when things were at their worst for him a few days ago. I want to remember this moment.

He didn't come from a cruelty case. He's a locally rescued dog who's still unwinding from several weeks of Good Intention Overload.

Let me tellya! His original rescuer didn't know it at the time, but by taking a drivey little never-had-nothing orphan and then lavishing heaps of freebies on him - free affection, free praise, free treats and snuggle time in her bed - she created the most insufferable BRAT.

Terrifically-Spoiled dog had lots of love on tap but no rules and not a leader in sight. His baby brain couldn't handle the freedom, the excitement, the non-stop vending machine of Life's biggest party. So, like a triple-latte-tanked teenager with a paw full of mom's credit cards, he (understandably) made all kinds of bad decisions, which got him ejected from one foster situation to another to another...to another! All told, this dog was said to be in eight or nine different addresses in ten weeks time. Just imagine.

It seems his big eyes, tiny size and sad story inspired each new caretaker to repeat the same structureless spoiling, including pillow time in their bed at night .. "Pooooor weeedle misunderstood peeboo." ... Until he chased the cat or snarked at a dog or otherwise acted like a terrier gone awry. Then, good bye! Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. By the time we met him in Pit Ed class, his eyes were bugging out of his stressy head and he was homeless again. His final caretaker pleaded for help and then ducked beautifully while we cussed and grumbled. She even bought us lunch, and suckers that we are, we accepted both the dog and the bribe.

So here he is, in our program now, making us slightly nuts (well, much less nuts than HE was a few days ago).

We'll ride it out. There will be rules. There will be structure. You will not snark dogs, chase cats, bounce off my body or otherwise get what you think you deserve. We'll ignore you when you holler, beg, cajole, YODEL for attention, and if you persist - Yes, Little Stinker - we will zap you with the squirt bottle and walk away ... entirely unimpressed. Gasp.

We're cold as ice, baby.

You are no longer a six figure rock star bouncing from one terribly exciting situation to the next. You are just a cadet in our bootcamp. We don't care how cute you are - Your pleading eyes will not move us to feed your addiction to frenzy.

Life will be perfectly boring, and you'll be forced to rest, ponder, breathe - come back down to earth, already. When you get out for stretches and exercise, you'll have to work for everything. E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. When you're ready to play with dogs again, you'll be grounded and sane - Not spastic and defensive (not surprising, spazz boy got into some scraps before he came to us). You'll look to your new leader(s) and we'll coo - very quietly so it doesn't excite you - "yes. good boy." But only when you do the good stuff.

And when we get to the other side of this, you will be truly adorable, and the world will wonder how such a fabulous dog ever ended up homeless.

Sigh. We'll fool everyone - I promise.

Wish us luck. Here's some good Nothing In Life is Free information in case your dog has had access to too many credit cards in your home. And our own personal 'bible' for teaching rules to a new dog.

UPDATE: 'Tater' survived bootcamp and gained some important manners while with our team. He flew off into the sunset to become the household pet of a working dog handler in VA. We're thrilled that he found such a loving home with someone who understands the little squirt. Yo TATER TOT! Below, at home with Ellen and Eric. 

tunnel vision

Winnie survived one of the most disturbing cruelty/neglect cases we've seen in our work. Having her here seems to have helped stop Tim's nightmares from his memories on the ground. We can't divulge details while a prosecutor builds the case, but can certainly say how great it is to have nothing but tunnel vision for Winnie's happiness now. Home boy Elliot is ever-helpful with the important work of keeping her well exercised and learning fun games .. this one being a favorite as you can tell. We're not sure how he folds himself into that tunnel for wrestle games, but it brings some of the biggest smiles of our day when he does. Enjoy.

news from a compassion hold home

From Sara Woods, BR volunteer and big hearted foster home:

I wanted to share that Elphaba passed on few weeks ago. She was rescued from the shelter after being diagnosed with pancreatic tumors. I volunteered to foster her as a compassion hold. While I expected to provide her some peace and TLC for a few weeks, Elphaba made other plans. Some people may have known her as Toes but she came to me soon after I read Wicked. Elphaba was named for the heroine who popular culture also knows as the Wicked Witch of the West. Elphaba shares with her namesake an experience of being misunderstood and fated for a tragic end, but also a triumph of spirit and a tender soul. Elphaba was a wonderful and loving pet. We shared a home for a year and half, which surpassed all expectations and is reminder that with love and grace that unexpected miracles are possible.

Elphaba loved everything about life even if her health presented challenges. She taught me a lot about how to live. She loved to play like a puppy even though she was a senior. She enjoyed her daily activities with enthusiasm and never met a food she did not relish. She was mild and well mannered by nature with few vices, except squirrels. Squirrels really got her heart pumping. So now she is in doggie heaven free to chase squirrels and eat as much cheese as she likes. Rest in peace, my pretty.

I want to thank on behalf of myself and my beloved pet, Elphaba, all the people who heard her story and sent us such positive vibes. I truly believed those vibes strengthened her. In particular, thank you to respite providers - Sara, Jarrod, Peg, Claudia, Pat, and Bob. Thanks to Donna and Tim for choosing her, allowing her to be part of my family and for all the countless ways you provided support.

Sincerely, Sara Woods

We're so grateful to Sara for opening her heart to dog that wasn't slated to get that long term happy ending we all work for. It seems likely that Elfaba hung on much longer than anticipated because of Sara's care and companionship, and we're all the better for it.

Compassion Holds are a worthy way to give comfort to an old or sick dog that would normally be destroyed in crowded shelters - pit bulls especially. Unfortunately many busy shelters still see an old or ailing pit bull as an opportunity to open kennel space via euthanasia. We commend those that rebel against old-world shelter tradition and are willing to contact local resources for special case like these ... We know you're swimming upstream, especially in places where pit bull type dogs are plentiful.

If you work in a shelter and would like to learn more about developing a program for cases like Elfaba, or if you have candidate dogs that come up and want to know if BADRAP can help, or, find someone local who can, please contact us and post "Compassion Hold" in the headline of your email. contact@badrap.org

Thank you Sara, and thank you dear, sweet Elfaba.

Houston TX - Still in the dark ages

Click2 Houston offers this depressing news article on three Houston shelters' unforgivable stance on pit bull type dogs. "Should pit bulls live or die?"

Statement from Houston SPCA:
"The Houston SPCA does not adopt pit bulls."

Mission Statement: Our mission is to promote respect for all animals and free them from suffering, abuse and exploitation.

Statement from Houston Humane Society:

"The Houston Humane Society does not adopt out pit bulls due to their dangerous nature and liability for the shelter ... While these animals may seem friendly, all too often they are ticking time bombs as they are extremely powerful, unpredictable and can cause serious damage and even death. Attacks by pit bulls frequently come without warning and the shelter would face serious liability if they adopted out a dog that subsequently attacked a person. In addition the shelter faces danger for even housing pit bulls as criminals involved in dogfighting rings often break into shelters to steal these dogs. Adoptive families may also be targeted as well." - Sherry Ferguson, Houston Humane Society Executive Director.

Mission Statement: The Houston Humane Society (HHS) is a non-profit animal shelter dedicated to eliminating cruelty, abuse, and the overpopulation of animals.

Harris County Animal Shelter

"In this line of work, it's very, very difficult to determine the good ones from the bad ones." - said Dr. Dawn Blackmar, Harris County's director of veterinary health. Blackmar is also a veterinarian and runs Harris County's animal shelter. She says so many pit bulls come into the shelter abused and mistreated, so there's no way to know their history. She says there's no way to know if the pit bulls were bred to fight or even what could trigger a violent attack.

One Houston shelter rises above. From the news piece, "BARC believes good pit bulls are making good pets for responsible owners. (Adopter and veterinarian) Susan Pickle says her new pet, Rosy, is proof pit bulls are not all bad. "I just don't think it's justified, and I think people need to give them a chance," said Pickle. "I think there are a lot of good dogs out there that are being killed, and that's all it is, killing them.""

Photo: A homeless dog that was lucky enough to avoid Houston Humane, Houston SPCA or Harris County Animal Shelter. She's now waiting for a home at BARC. Find her here.

Hat tips to facebook friend Bonnie Marugg for calling out this news piece.

inside the barn

The little barn in the Oakland hills that you helped us build has been humming with activity, and every day we invent better ways use the space to benefit its guests. Right now, dogs from two different cruelty cases fill the kennels and our busiest hours of the day.

Our work involves sussing out new dogs and organizing dog socials and training sessions so we can confidently match them with the right foster home or adopter. Adoption candidate families find their way up here too, to study the dogs they might be adopting and watch them romp goofy like real dogs outside of the rules of Pit Ed class.

Never satisfied, of course we're already talking about ways to expand out one of the walls to include a washer/dryer and maybe-just-maybe one more kennel. Doggy doors to outdoor runs are on the drawing board, too.

We hosted our first big tour at the barn last week and it was a rousing success. You'll see photos from the tour in the slideshow. 2011 is the year we get back to doing Pit Ed Camps, so we're excited about that. We're also open to holding tours or little day camps for local schools and clubs, so if you have a desire, please let us know what you're thinking and we'll try to accommodate your lesson plans or field trip goals. The dogs would be so very pleased to see you.

Here's a little peek inside the walls:

LINK HERE for the full screen slideshow.