BAD RAP Blog

Canine Celeb Milestones

2012-02-12T17:46:00.007-08:00

We are so pleased to announce that another 'Vick dog' has earned her stripes as a therapy dog. Grace is one of the ten dogs that came to live with BAD RAP until she found her people. She just passed her Delta Pet Partners evaluation and will be on the job in about a month. We're so very proud of her foster parents and her new family for all they've done to show the world that even dogs from bad pasts can shine with a little help from their friends.

This summer will be the five year anniversary of the dogs' rescue from Bad Newz Kennels. Grace follows several dogs from the case who've earned impressive accolades. Photo: Mark Rogers Photography

In other big news, one of the oldest dogs from the same case - Georgia - recently went home to a new family. She's been living at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary since arriving in Utah in late 2007.

She was one of our favorites so of course we're thrilled. Right: Georgia kissing Tim Racer during her evaluations with that tell-tale hanging tongue slurp that comes from having lost most of her teeth. She is a true character and impressed us with her warmth and strong sense of self. We hope she enjoys a happy and peaceful retirement living the good life.

News from Best Friends.

Repeal the Hayden Law?

2012-02-07T22:09:00.000-08:00

There has been quite a bit of talk lately about California Governor Jerry Brown’s intention to repeal significant portions of the Hayden Law in order to save the state approximately $23 million per year to provide funding to local shelters. If you haven’t heard about this, a little background would probably be helpful.

The Hayden Law was enacted in 1998 and, among other things, requires local shelters to increase the holding period of unclaimed animals – dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, potbellied pigs, birds, lizards, snakes, turtles, and tortoises – for 4-6 days (rather than the then 3-day requirement) before the animal became the property of the shelter. It also requires these agencies to provide prompt and necessary vet care, nutrition, and shelter. Shelters must also post lost and found lists to help owners reunite with their pets. And, shelters – public and private – must keep records for 3 years on all animals it cares for, giving the dates the animal was held, the names of personnel who were involved, a description of any medical treatment, and the dates and circumstances of the animal’s final disposition.

After the law passed, local governments filed a mandate test claim with the State. The State determined that, in cases where the animal was ultimately euthanized by the shelter, the shelters’ cost to care for animals for an additional 1-3 days was a state-reimbursable mandate. For animals who were adopted or reunited with their owners, the cost was not a state-reimbursable mandate because owner-paid fees would offset the additional costs. According to the Department of Finance, these costs have been costing California $23 million a year, and Governor Brown now wants to repeal these mandates.

On the one hand, the state-reimbursable mandates provide horribly wrong incentives. It turns out that the shelters receiving the most State money are not the ones most successful at promoting adoptions. The shelters receiving the most State money, ironically, are the ones euthanizing the most animals.

But, right now, local agencies aren’t receiving any reimbursement because former Governor Schwarzenegger suspended the these mandates in 2009. So, why the push for a full repeal right now when the State isn’t losing any money over it? If Governor Brown gets his wish and repeals the state-reimbursable portions of Hayden, what would the law look like?

Shelters would no longer be required to provide animals with necessary and prompt veterinary care.

Shelters would be required to hold a stray dog or cat for 72 hours from the time of capture. The 72 hours does not have to include any days when the shelter is actually open.

After the 72 hour hold, shelters would not be required to make that cat or dog available for owner redemption or adoption.

This 72 hour hold would not be mandated for rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, potbellied pigs, birds, lizards, snakes, turtles, and tortoises.

Any shelter that contracts to perform public animal control services would no longer be required to maintain a “lost and found” list.

No shelter would have to maintain any records about the intake of animals, any medical treatment given, any circumstances surrounding their care, or their final disposition.

Of course, supporters of the law say that repeal of these provisions doesn’t necessarily mean that shelters will change to meet the only minimum state standards. Local shelters can continue to comply with the Hayden provisions without reimbursement from the State. But, will they? I remember in 2004 when the first lawsuit was filed alleging numerous violations of the Hayden Law against Kern County. The case went to trial, and two years later, Kern County lost. Without the law, Kern County would have continued to violate the Hayden Law.

So, considering that the state-mandated reimbursements have been, and is currently, suspended, there is no a strong fiscal argument for a full repeal. And, the idea of supporting a full repeal without any comparable alternatives for our homeless animals is inhumane.

Please, take a minute to do one or all of the following:

CALL Governor Brown at (916) 445-2841 (9 am to 5 pm)

FAX your letter of opposition to (916) 558-3177

EMAIL him (choose BUDGET as subject).

POST to his Facebook page

CONTACT him through his Twitter page

SIGN the petition.

Olive, interrupted. When a shelter's mission loses sight of its dogs.

2012-01-29T18:31:00.002-08:00

This is Olive.

She has a bit of a story to tell: In August 2010, she entered a Southern California shelter as a stray with puncture wounds on the back of her thigh. We're assuming a dog grabbed her from behind when she was out on the streets, most likely as she was trying to get away from those teeth. It's anybody's guess what happened to her, but her shelter intake notes tell us that she was quite shaken when she arrived. Four days later, she stared pointedly at a dog during her evaluation. She stiffened, gruffed and threatened, "Back off, or else." Based on that reaction and her general discomfort around dogs, her evaluator determined that she was dog aggressive.

Because this shelter embraces a no-kill mission, she was set to live out her life in the kennels until she could be adopted. Because she was labeled as dog aggressive, it was going to be a long looong wait.

As far as we can tell, there was no game plan for socializing Olive to other dogs once she flunked that part of her evaluation. There would be no training classes, play sessions, group walks, off site visits or quiet time next to quiet dogs. A note on her intake form revealed that Olive was sensitive and flinched at loud noises. She was kenneled in the middle of the usual shelter chaos, with clanging kennel doors and barking dogs on either side of her and across from her. A half wall separated her from her neighbors, just tall enough so she could argue with them if she jumped - or, if the other dog jumped up to argue with her.

Olive was isolated in a secluded location in the back of the shelter. Because of her presumed behavior with dogs, no one was allowed to take her out without special permission. Her only daily exercise was a quick 15 minute visit to a small side yard. As the months wore on, she would flatten herself to the ground as she was moved from the kennel to the yard, shrinking from the barking along her path. She was shut down and would not return her handler's affection, but she would roll over for belly rubs. She would ignore the toys they offered her. She would then slink back to her sterile kennel and wait another 23 and three quarter hours to go outside again.

She didn't attend adoption events, and families that spotted her photo on the shelter's website were warned away because of her initial evaluation. During these months in isolation, she was only able to interact regularly with three people. She had no toys or bedding in her kennel, so she relieved her tedium by jumping up and down and barking at neighbor dogs, nearly tearing a ligament in her knee.

Olive's shelter file lacks any notes on behavior and training efforts, but is thick with info about vets visits. It seems her health suffered during her internment. She developed a rash on her belly and an infection on her vulva from sitting on a urine soaked floor. Her toes became swollen. Her eyes were constantly running. She battled multiple ear infections. She was treated for these issues and received pain meds for the knee tear. She was spayed and microchipped. The vet was alerted in big bold type to be aware that she was 'DOG AGGRESSIVE USE CAUTION.'

After nearly two years in this situation, the shelter's board started wondering what to do about Olive and five other dogs who were in the same boat. A solution was found: As part of their mission she could not be euthanized, but she could be moved to a place that would kennel her for life. A 'no-kill sanctuary' was identified just outside of Houston, Texas. For a sizable down payment plus eighty dollars a month, Olive would live in a dirt floor pen with a plywood doghouse, surrounded by similarly rejected and kenneled dogs. If she lived out her life expectancy, she would spend the next dozen or more years inside this pen. She would never leave it for training, exercise, walks, new adventures, socialization, or adoption events - but because she was still alive, the arrangement would fulfill the shelter's philosophy and monthly upkeep checks would be sent.

So long story short, Olive's five neighbor dogs were sent to Texas, but just before she was supposed to follow them, fate intervened and she ended up in our Rescue Barn.

She arrived here Jan 5th, so is three weeks into unraveling from her ordeal over the last 18 months. We've been watching her melt off stress like a snowman in July. She was initially guarded when she arrived and flinched easily. She stared our dogs down as if waiting for them to launch (they didn't of course). She ran her first zoomies in months, then tail tucked and darted away from some unseen danger. She fluctuated between being ridiculously happy and stiff and wide-eyed worried, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. She was essentially acting like a crisis survivor with post traumatic stress disorder.

Dogs are better at letting go than we are though, and with a little support, we can help speed up the process. Within days, after a lot of sleep and some time taking stock of her new surroundings, she started greeting the on-site dogs with wags and friendly interest. Instead of loud barking, she listens to jazz on the radio, visitors' voices and the whirl of a washer/dryer now. She sleeps on a chair in her kennel fluffed with blankets. She nibbles on fresh grass. She tosses toys in the air and sparkles for her new human friends. She watches the sun rise through the barn window and as the day opens up, she peers out on the dogs' morning play sessions.

After proper intros, her first full contact (on leash) dog greet was with Elliot. She danced and wagged for his attention. She nosed small dog Blink through her kennel and softened. When she met new boy Clive through her kennel, she acted like a love sick school girl. "Squee! He's so sexy. He smells so good. I want to meet him!" A week after Clive was neutered, they had their first play date. A few days after that, she had her first play session with Blink. She hasn't been able to stop smiling.

Her play style is clumsy and awkward, but in true dog fashion, the others have been showing her the ropes. "This is how you play bow." "This is how I tell you that I want you to take it down a notch." "This is what the chase game is!" Because it's likely that Olive wrestled with her siblings when she was a pup, she remembers.

Olive's life was put on hold when she entered the SoCA shelter. Instead of finding comfort and opportunities to succeed with other dogs, she was asked to endure a very lonely, highly stressful existence that very well could've destroyed her mind. Our team is treating her as if she were from a cruelty case right now, since her initial behavior matches what we've seen coming out of these cases. Not unlike victims of hoarding and dog fighting operations, dogs from longterm kenneling situations can initially act unsettled, fearful, hyper-sensitive and undersocialized after lengthy exposure to noise and to other stressed dogs, especially with no chance to develop or practice normal relationships with dogs or people.

On a positive note, Olive loves to play and the happier she is, the more well grounded she seems to get. Whether she can get caught up with enough life skills to enjoy the bigger world is still an unknown, but we're hopeful. For now, we're just asking her to decompress and learn how to be a dog again.

The Five Freedoms

Progressive shelters follow the 'Five Freedoms' as a basis for humane care of their animals. It was originally drafted in Britain way back in the 1960's as a best practices guideline for housing farm animals. Zoos refer to it as a guidepost for their operations, as well. The Center for Shelter Dogs promotes the Five Freedoms and explains that understanding a dogs' basic needs "will enable shelter staff and organizations to not only manage the (dogs') stress, but all to improve their welfare by addressing their needs."

Five Freedoms for Captive and Kenneled Animals

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor.

2. Freedom from Discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease – by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.

4. Freedom to Express Normal Behavior – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.

5. Freedom from Fear and Distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.

Freedom to enjoy the company of an animal's own kind gets skipped in most busy shelters. Dogs are highly social creatures who've evolved as a species to depend on relationship for their very survival, not only with other dogs, but with humans. (Recent science tells us that their domestication started as long as 33,ooo years ago. Link) It's not surprising that behaviors will degrade when they're denied opportunities to socialize.

We need animal shelters, even though they really are one of the most unnatural places any dog can find herself. The constant stress and isolation can spiral any dog into anti-social behaviors, especially if the dog came from a bad start. Instead of blaming the dog (or the breed!), it becomes the obligation of animal welfare workers - especially those who profess to be no-kill - to work to meet all of their shelter dogs' many needs and to acknowledge when an environment is doing more harm than good. It's a challenge, for sure - This work takes an incredible amount of time, human resources and regular soul-searching reality checks. But simply kenneling dogs to keep them alive "no matter what" betrays the very mission of providing compassionate solutions to dogs-in-crisis in the first place.

Following up: The shelter that housed Olive is said to be reviewing their policies regarding their care of undersocialized dogs, and we support them in this endeavor. We hope Olive made a difference in some small way. Whether they decide to send more dogs just like her to the Texas sanctuary for a lifetime sentence is an unknown.

Meet Olive in this video, enjoying the tail end of her first play session with 'Blink.' Please wish her well. She's come a long way, and we'd love to see her go the distance.

EDIT: Readers can watch Olive's progress on our Barn Dog Blog.

Cabin Fever: What your (Unexpected Pit Bull) Calendar bought!

2012-01-24T23:20:00.000-08:00

With so many dogs in need, we learned long ago that a rescue-only focus was going to bury us quick and burn us out even faster. So our 'teach a man to fish' philosophy was born: As much and as often as we can, we share what we know with animal care professionals around the country in conference presentations, workshops, articles, mentorships and internships that we call Pit Ed Camp.

The work intensive jam sessions of 'Camp' have been especially gratifying because they give shelter staffers hands-on opportunities to work on learning projects that matter: Everything from exercises to keep kenneled dogs content and well socialized, to setting up dog play dates, to running a public training class and a spay/neuter outreach event in low income neighborhoods. Then the real fun happens - After our guests go home, we get to watch them implement lasting change in their home shelters as a result of what they learned.

Budget Challenges

With shrinking animal control budgets, covering the travel/housing costs of internships can be the biggest obstacle to seeding progressive bay area practices in other cities. In 2011, we were honored to receive a grant from PetSmart Charities to bring shelter workers here via a partnership with Best Friends Animal Society for a busy four days of instruction. But the cost to house them ate up a big chunk of the budget (over 10K) - money that could've gone to other pressing needs - like, providing more free spay/neuters for low income neighborhoods.

Enter the Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar. This generous group of dog loving photographers from organization HeARTs Speak pour their hearts into incredible calendar photos and then give 100% of the profits away to rescue groups. One hundred percent of proceeds donated!

Last year, the UPBC helped us build an addition on our Rescue Barn, which gave us laundry and allowed us to save the lives of some very special dogs including Star.

In the new year, their generosity continues. Thanks to the UPBC's vision, we've been able to buy ... drumroll please ... on-site accommodations for interns in the form of this small guest cabin! How fabulous is that? The cabin will make Pit Ed Camp more affordable and will also allow us to welcome out-of-area adopters and other special visitors. Look how cute this thing is! It will live right next to the Rescue Barn so - of course - the foster dogs will also get a chance to try out real world house skills with visiting guests. Would we have it any other way?

We're thrilled, delighted and downright giddy about the chance to continue this important work and help other communities get the info they need to help their dogs back home. Thank you Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar!

A note about internships: Although the cabin won't be here until after our winter rains end, we're happy to hear from shelter workers and rescue groups who hope to gain experience in favorite methods and polices practiced by BADRAP and our community partners. One of our criteria is that attendees have the authority and their supervisors' blessings to make changes in their shelters based on what they learn in camp. If you have interest, please let us know so we can alert you to dates in 2012. contact@badrap.org

Vick Dogs 'sign' books in Pacifica this Saturday - Come join us!

2012-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

(Press Release January 18)

A benefit book launch at Pacifica dog boutique AnnaBee's will host three former 'Michael Vick dogs' on Saturday, January 21 from 1-4pm. The dogs appear in photographer Melissa McDaniel's newest book titled, "Pit Bulls & Pit Bull Type Dogs - 82 Dogs the Media Doesn't Want You to Meet."

Bay Area dog fans will have an opportunity to meet three dogs who survived Michael Vick's dog fighting operation on Saturday, January 21, from 1-4pm. Dogs Jonny Justice, Teddles and Uba will be offering paw print autographs, friendly licks and photos in celebration of the launch of Melissa McDaniel's third and newest book in The Photo Book Projects series, titled: "Pit Bulls & Pit Bull Type Dogs - 82 Dogs the Media Doesn't Want You to Meet."

The event is a fundraiser for BADRAP, the Oakland-based non-profit that participated in the landmark animal welfare case through the evaluation, rescue and recovery of Vick's former dogs. BADRAP brought 13 of the dogs back to the SF bay area after a federal judge in Virginia cleared their release. All of the dogs - including Jonny, Teddles and Uba - have been adopted by local families. Each dog has earned his Canine Good Citizen Certification and Jonny went on to become a therapy dog, helping learning disabled children find the confidence to read.

Philadelphia-based portrait photographer Melissa McDaniel first spent time around pit bulls when she volunteered to photograph dogs at her local shelter several years ago. "I admit I was a little hesitant around these dogs at first since I had never spent much time around them and I believed the negative media hype. However, after the third or fourth pit bull type dog I photographed wanted nothing more than to wag his tail and lick my face, I quickly realized that the media has it all wrong."

To create her latest book, McDaniel toured the US for six months, traveling 12,550 miles to photograph 82 pit bull or pit bull type dogs. She said, "Ever since I decided to create a series of photo books on dogs, I knew I would be devoting an entire book to pit bulls. You only have to visit your local shelter to understand why."

BADRAP Director Donna Reynolds noted, "Watching Melissa work with the dogs was fascinating. She drew out their joyful natures and just poured their personalities into her photographs. These photos can probably do more to help the public see the souls of these dogs than just about anything we could ever hope to say or do!"

The event is Saturday, January 21 from 1-4pm at AnnaBee's in the Pedro Point Shopping Center at Linda Mar Beach. Suggested donation five dollars.

Directions to AnnaBee's

About AnnaBee's
Established in 2009, AnnaBee's Doggie Boutique & Cafe is a pet fashion boutique and indoor cafe for dogs located in the Pedro Point Shopping Center in Pacifica, CA. AnnaBee's boutique offers ready-to-wear couture garments for dogs of all sizes and a unique selection of handmade accessories and eco-friendly toys for cats and dogs.

About BADRAP
BADRAP formed in 1999 to tackle the difficult issues that had been bringing early death and suffering to San Francisco bay area pit bull type dogs. They soon developed into a nationally recognized resource for both dog owners and shelters, offering desirable pets for adopters, training classes for dog owners and presentations and professional consultations to animal welfare leaders around the country.

About The Photo Book Projects
The Photo Book Projects is a series of photo books (and more!) designed to raise awareness about companion animals in the U.S. and Canada today, especially those that are mistreated or abused. Issues addressed include the pet overpopulation problem, breed-specific legislation, puppy mills and myths about deaf dogs. A percentage of the proceeds from the first three photo books, Deaf Dogs, Rescued in America and Pit Bulls & Pit Bull Type Dogs, is donated to animal rescue and advocacy groups.

Contacts
Maureen (Mo) Murray, owner AnnaBee's
tel: (650) 735-5566
email: annabeesboutique(at)gmail(dot)com

Progress in Ohio (HB14) - What could change?

2012-01-10T22:45:00.000-08:00

The state of Ohio is a few short steps away from dismantling a dog control law that has defined "dogs commonly known as pit bulls" as "dangerous and vicious" for the past twenty five years. House Bill 14 - which would remove the breed-specific definition from the Ohio state law and make much needed improvements to the dangerous dog law - was unanimously approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday 1/10 and is expected to move through a Senate vote as soon as next week before heading to the governor for his consideration. EDIT: The Ohio Senate approved HB14 on 1/31.

The current law that singles out pit bulls for discriminatory treatment has been around so long that most animal care professionals and dog wardens we polled had no idea what caused it to end up on the books in the first place, but most everyone agrees that it's done nothing to reduce dog bites, decease shelter numbers or make communities safe from the deeds of irresponsible and reckless dog owners. Just the opposite: Pit bull popularity flourished after Ohio's state law condemned the dogs, shelters have stayed crowded, euthanasia rates are depressingly high and the dogs continue to cycle through some of the most irresponsible hands in Ohio communities. The outcry against the current law has been gaining momentum since notorious pit bull-hating dog warden Tom Skeldon resigned from his position as dog warden in Lucas County. Progressive voices agree: The current law is defective, it's discriminatory and it's gotta go.

Will breed specific legislation end in Ohio the minute HB14 becomes law? Well, no. HB14 is not a magic wand that will wave BSL away in cities that have it, and it won't stop municipalities from enacting it. Fighting those battles will take the usual blood, sweat and tears - one city council meeting at a time. But without the state mandated definitions that currently malign "dogs commonly known as pit bulls," it will make for a much easier fight.

So if it can't bump BSL, what's HB14 good for? Passage of this legislation will ring in a new era of common sense and will allow Ohio to tackle dog issues more effectively and without victimizing typey dogs and responsible owners. It will signal to the public, to local law makers, and even to our friend the media, that the state regards dogs as individuals whose behaviors cannot be pre-determined by breed make-up - All of which will make room for strategies that directly target the human element in dog ownership.

Insurance obstacles will be neatly removed. Without the dangerous/vicious label and its built-in liability factor, companies like State Farm will be able to fully embrace pit bulls and write non-discriminatory policies just as they do in the rest of the country, allowing more responsible homes to own the dogs. Shelters that have held off will finally get the green light to promote pit bulls for adoption, stealing business away from the backyard breeders who've been so busy all these years.

Right - This 17lb mixed breed adult dog was caught up in an Ohio shelter's pit bull adoption ban and set to be destroyed. Needless to say, Blink came back to Oakland with us after we met her. She's another reason that breed discriminatory policies victimize perfectly adoptable dogs whose only sin is being born with short fur and a blocky head.

An important piece of HB14 will give Ohio dog wardens more tools to seize and hold dogs whose behavior defines them as dangerous or vicious - regardless of breed type. Once this piece was added to the bill, the Ohio County Dog Wardens Association signed on with its support - an important endorsement for obvious reasons. It also restores the responsible dog owners' ability to enjoy their pets, comply with licensing requirements, and reclaim strays without fear of penalties, restrictions, or loss of insurance. New adoptions, increased licensing, more owner returns and fewer enforcement headaches will be a boost to dwindling animal control budgets.

Like a dress rehearsal for HB14, The City of Cleveland stuck their necks out last June by amending their vicious dog ordinance, removing its definition of pit bulls as "dangerous" and classifying dogs based on behavior rather than appearance. (News) Cleveland Councilman Matt Zone explained, "The breed of a dog is not an indicator of its personality. Any dog who is poorly trained and neglected can be vicious and a threat to our community. These revisions shift the focus from the type of dog to its behavior and neglectful actions of its owner." Animal pros in that town pushed the progress one step further when Cleveland Animal Protective League (CAPL) lifted its 20-some year ban on pit bull adoptions. Since they put their first pit bull on the adoption floor in June ('Joliette' - right), they've enjoyed steady adoption success with at least one pit bull type dog going home every week. Not bad for a shelter operating in the shadow of Ohio's discriminatory state law. CAPL tells us they expect to be able to save many more lives once insurance obstacles are removed through the passage of HB14.

Another shelter that deserves a big bow for embracing pit bulls is the
Humane Society of Greater Akron. They never wavered in their commitment to helping the neediest dogs in their community and have absorbed numerous victims of cruelty over the years, regardless of breed. They're also very excited about the prospect of easier adoptions when HB14 passes and insurance obstacles are removed.

We spent two of our most exciting weeks of 2011 in Ohio, working with CAPL to noodle best practices for their adoption program, meeting with city officials and later presenting to Ohio dog wardens in preparation for big changes ahead. This spring, we'll be back yet again to help another shelter take the leap and put pit bulls on their adoption floor. The invitations extended by these agencies reflect an encouraging optimism that a new era has indeed come to Ohio and especially, to the pit bull type dogs that have suffered and died for over two decades.

While we celebrate the progress made, it's important to remember that good news will come with an incredibly big workload for dog advocates in Ohio. Re-tooling shelter policies, re-educating the public, re-distributing the resources in a way that advances the cause of building safe humane communities will take ball-busting efforts. From our vantage point, Ohio's players are more than ready.

* Visit this site for a break down of dangerous/vicious definitions under HB14.

* NOTE: In spite of the encouraging news, Ohio residents are strongly encouraged to contact their Senators and ask for their full support of HB14.

To all our Santas, with love

2011-12-20T22:27:00.000-08:00

milestones and transitions for notable 'bust dogs'

2011-12-18T20:02:00.001-08:00

Dogs that were once passed over as too broken to be helped have been passing milestones and making news. Here are a few must-mentions from recent days and weeks...

Audie - the Vick dog survivor who inspired the children's book listed in our sidebar- could care less about his past and is anxious to tear up the agility course now that his once-faulty knees are fully healed.

He competed in his first AKC sponsored show last weekend at the Staffordshire Bull Terrier of America Agility trial and did very well. Lookit that proud boy and his ribbons. Who would've guessed?

To add to his happy day, when Audie and his handler Linda Chwistek were driving home from the trial, they learned that Audie had been announced as the high scoring Novice Staffordshire Bull Terrier of the weekend. Not bad, little man!

Pretty Gigi is finally home for good. She came to us via the large dog fighting operation known as the 'Missouri 500' bust, named in honor of the 500+ victims pulled from various dog fighters around the midwest in the summer of 2009.

What took so long to get home? Gigi's story is especially sad. She was one of several dogs who were hurt very badly by Missouri-based humane investigators who fought dogs during their undercover investigations in 2008. (Video and Story) Gigi's scarred body tells the story of numerous fights during the time period that she was owned by investigators. After they were done with her, she was transferred into our program along with nine other dogs - most of whom did not survive the transition to real life. Just a Dog Rescue in San Diego then opened their doors to her and provided ongoing support for her health care needs and rehabilitation. It was a rough road for this little one. She suffered from an advance case of heart worm and several injuries including the mental damage that comes from a life of mishandling and abuse.

Several months into her recovery, Gigi's foster parents confessed that they couldn't imagine being without her in their lives, and signed adoption papers to announce their commitment. She enjoys the beach as part of her new life, and attends Just A Dog's obedience classes to visit her old friends and forever saviors. Welcome Home, Gigi.

Please thank Just A Dog for all they did for Gigi on their facebook page: here

Leo - once known as Bouncer - has died of natural causes after several years of service as a therapy dog. He was the lucky resident of Hopewell Animal Control in VA when we met him - the only Vick dog in their shelter and a certain celebrity. Thankfully, he was never fought by Vick and received daily outings and kennel enrichment at Hopewell, all of which allowed him to streamline right into real life when he was transferred to Our Pack. He is one of five Vick dogs to have died since their rescue in 2007 and follows Aretha/Seven, Sweet Jasmine, Bonita and Red. He will be dearly missed by the world of Vick Dog fans. Right: Guardian Master Rebecca Huss enjoys Leo during his evaluations in VA.

Mikey - another survivor from the Missouri 500 case - flew back to Oakland with us after we met her during our evaluations of dogs sent to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Full of spirit and drive, she was accepted into the Washington State Patrol as a bomb detection dog, but budget cuts in WA grounded her in Oakland. Not to be discouraged, she was adopted by our Ambassadog trainer Sara Scott, who has been competing her in nosework trials. Mikey recently earned her NW1 title in a nosework competition, along with the 'Harry Award,' which is given to rescued dogs who impress the judges. Way to go Mikey!

Another happy note: Inspired by the MO500 dogs who did so well post-rescue, the Animal Welfare League of Iowa lifted its ban on pit bull adoptions and has been enjoying great success and happy adoptions ever since 2010 through the ARL Pit Crew Club. Visit their dogs on this project's facebook page here.

Finally, ten of the Vick dogs including Hector, Jonny Justice, Uba and Teddles are appearing in the very luscious photo book by Melissa McDaniel. This edition of 'The Photo Book Projects' highlights pit bulls and pit bull type dogs. Melissa shot the dogs on a white background so viewers are treated to nothing but a big blast of DOG on every fabulous, glossy page. Her work is exceptional - We hope a copy lands in your hands so you can enjoy! More Info Here

Home for the Holidays

2011-12-06T13:01:00.001-08:00

Except for those cases where photo evidence is needed for cruelty charges, I don't have the heart to point my camera at dying or suffering dogs. I think it's unnecessary and rather exploitive and we see far too much of that in the constant "Save This Dog!" posts that get cross posted round and round and jam our mailboxes. But I bit the bullet and took this photo of Miss Birdy when she first came to us, hoping we'd be able to post it with a happy ending at some point. We are.

Birdy was found as a starving stray in late October - a Halloween skeleton, barely making it down a street in Oakland. A very lost dog or the victim of the foreclosure trends in Oakland? Possibly. Her finder was on her way to work, but pulled over without a second thought. She phoned for a friend to bring kibble - hurry! - and laid a bread crumb trail back to her car. Miss Birdy happily obliged and pulled herself in to the car, nearly dead from the starvation. (photo below after a week of food, if you know what I mean)

She did a detour in the parking lot of Oakland Animal Services where an officer winked the finder off to Berkeley Animal Care Services. And so off she went to BACS and then to our barn to enjoy many, many tiny meals, warm raincoats and new friendships.

We hold our breath with dogs like this. She's a senior dog with a list of health issues, and we won't know 'who she is' until she feels better. Will she die on our watch? Will we have to make a difficult decision and let her go? How much should we budget for her care? How long will she need us and how do we plan for her? A veterinary exam revealed that Birdy has lymphoma, and while she isn't suffering, her days would be limited. Weeks? Months? A year or more? All we knew is that Birdy was very very grateful for any and all attention. She gained weight, demanded affection and even flirted a bit with the boy dogs. The longer she was with us, the more we realized we were helping a living dog, not a dog who needed us to fuss over her end.

Here's the happy part -- And where I can finally justify taking that awful photo when Birdy was at her worst. The former street stray went home yesterday, and her adopter Anneke is just thrilled about her new pet. She asked, "What should I feed her?" My answer: "Anything she wants." They shared a burger on her way home from the barn, and we're quite sure they're going to be living a very, very nice life together. Miss Birdy is home and all is right with the world.

With many thanks to Erin G. for saving this girl when so many others kept on driving.

More (early) photos of Miss Birdy here from the very talented creator of the Love and a Six Foot Leash blog Thanks again, Aleksandra.

Anneke has promised us a blog of Miss Birdy's exploits, so we'll post that link here if and when she does. And more early niblets of our team helping Birdy get acclimated are lined up in our Barn Dog Blog.

Grateful - For everyone who steps outside of their comfort zone

2011-11-23T14:17:00.001-08:00

The world is not a safe place right now for people who've lost their income. It's important for those of us who have incomes to stay optimistic and to use our resources wisely to grow a sustainable future, but that optimism should never be allowed to blind us from the realities that too many less fortunate are facing. This is equally true of dog owners who are having a hard time meeting the needs of their pets.

On behalf of those people who are committed to their pets in spite of their hardships, we want to thank every volunteer, rescue group and granting organization who've made giving to low income dog owners a priority in their mission this year. We simply can't help the dogs we've assigned ourselves to help without addressing the needs of their owners first. We have to put blame and judgement aside and value the bond every pet owner deserves to have with his pet, even if he has to make decisions that more privileged dog owners might disagree with. Selling puppies to keep the lights on and feed the kids. Wouldn't you?… Giving your dog away on craigslist when too many landlords turn you away? What choice do they have? … Sleeping outside on the cold cement because local homeless shelters won't allow pets? You know you'd do the same.

The photo on the right has served as a wake-up reminder to me since badrapper Christine Allen snapped it at one of our owner support events. Clearly not a woman of means - it doesn't look like she can afford dog sweaters from etsy much less obedience lessons much less quality vet care. To make sure her puppy got her (free) vaccinations, she showed up four hours early to one of our events in a not-so-safe East Oakland park to secure her place in line. Whenever I find myself slogging to muster the energy to sew together the pieces of another shots fair, I call her image up and presto, my attitude gets itself in line.

We're incredibly grateful to PetSmart Charities, who "gets it" - that dog owners need support, and who helped us help hundreds just like this lady in 2011. And to our diehard volunteers who've perfected the art of compassion in these communities. And to everyone reading who nods 'Yes' when we mention the need to extend ourselves outside of our comfort zone in order to help the dogs by helping their people.

Below is a thanksgiving story from a cyber friend Amanda Verlander in Massachusetts about a moment when she realized how lucky she was. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

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Hi BadRap Friends:

I am a follower of yours from way out here in Massachusetts. I had to share this story – well – some reflections on a chance meeting really, in New York City last week.

I was in NYC last week on business, and I was walking up Sixth Ave around 5pm on a crazy cold and busy Friday night. There, on the ground, propped against the wall of a bank, was a homeless woman sitting with a sign asking for money to feed her dog. As I got closer, I saw that covered in a blanket next to her was a very tired, white pit bull. The dog lay, its belly against the cold concrete, quiet and almost unmoving, as the thousands of rush hour footsteps brushed past her curled up body.

I spoke to the woman – her eyes fluttered open. I said that I have a pit bull too, and handed her some money. I noticed one tiny star tattooed under each eye on each cheek. Really? She asked, as she emerged from a kind of trance. Then she laughed – do you dress yours up in silly outfits too? I looked and saw that her dog had a little wool hat pulled down around her bully ears. A pool of wet saliva or drool or something lay on the ground beneath the dog’s nose. I said a quick prayer inside – please don’t let it be from a respiratory infection. It was such a cold night. I laughed and said that my girl has a banana costume that we dress her up in it because she loves bananas. The woman smiled – Really? Bananas, she asked? MMM hmmm – take care of your momma, I said out loud to the dog, as I walked away.

I ran back to the building where I’d been working all day and grabbed two leftover turkey sandwiches from lunch – and then jogged back to where the woman sat outside. I bent down and she opened her tired eyes again. I said, here – take these – and she said, I’ll only take one. I said, no – please – take one for you and one for your dog. That’s why I brought the turkey. She said ok – the dog lifted its nose for a moment, sniffing, showing a mild interest in the plastic box containing the sandwiches. Then she put her weary head back down on the sidewalk. What’s her name, I asked – her name’s “Keelo,” the woman said.

I said good bye again. I wished so much that I had a camera at that very moment, to capture their picture and this moment in time, before I walked away. I would send it to every person who has ever doubted the souls of these dogs. To the same people who doubt the souls of those who love and need these dogs, and who try so hard to care for them, even under the most desolate of circumstances.

A train ride and six hours later, I climbed out of a cab in my small town in western Massachusetts, I looked up gratefully at my little, one hundred year old brick house, so warm and strong against the cold, clear darkness. Within these walls, I knew that my little girl and sweet husband lay sleeping, peacefully. I unlocked the door and tiptoed inside, waking my 9 year old dog, Rosalind. . .who may be getting grey around the muzzle, but she is still the most energetic and pushiest broad I know (besides my 5 year old human daughter). And yes, she is a pit bull type dog – more of a staffy – squat and chesty – I bent down to give her a big juicy kiss on her soft black cheek, scratched her ears, and said, I missed you my girl. . .thank you thank you my lovely girl, for always being there for me – for all of us.

Happy Thanksgiving, Bad Rap. Thank you for all that you do for these dogs and for the people, rich or poor, who love them.

Amanda Verlander
Greenfield MA

the problem of police and dogs

2011-11-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

A puppyish foster dog from Lucky Dog Animal Rescue getting his photo taken with a stranger at the at the Adams Morgan festival in Washington, D.C on September 12, 2010.

One hour later, DC Officer Scott Fike has the same dog pinned to the ground with his knee pushed into his back. He then hurled the dog down a concrete stairwell, pulled out his weapon and shot the dog dead in front of shocked witnesses.

Police had been called when the dog (Parrot) and a second dog got into a fight at the event. The caretakers had broken it up and the trouble was over when police arrived and proceded to execute one of the most stunningly inhumane decisions ever captured in photos during a routine dog call.

According to change.org, "The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department "investigated" the incident, as did the Office of Police Complaints. Both recommended that the U.S. Attorney prosecute Officer Fike criminally. Unbelievably, the U.S. Attorney declined. Soon thereafter, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department dismissed Lucky Dog's complaint against Officer Fike. No action was taken against him." Their petition is asking the Metropolitan Police to "change your policies to prevent future tragedies like Parrot's death and once again instill trust in the police department."

We urge you to sign this: Petition

A long history of poor handling of dog incidents by police inspired a new booklet directed at this topic. The U. S. Department of Justice recently published "The Problem of Dog Related Incidents and Encounters," through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). It was created to help police departments examine and improve the same kinds of policies that rolled out into tragedy in DC in 2010.

Bernard K. Melekian - Director of COPS - states in his forward:

"In the United States, dogs are an integral part of society, which means police engage with dogs quite often in the line of duty. There are a variety of circumstances where a dog could be involved in a police call, and it is critical that police departments not only develop effective departmental strategies advocating for the proper handling of dog-related incidents and encounters, but also proactively create tactical-response strategies, ensuring humane treatment of dogs and safety for the public and officers."

According to COPS research, "In most police departments, the majority of shooting incidents involve animals, most frequently dogs. For example, nearly three-fourths of the shooting incidents in Milwaukee from January 2000–September 2002 involved shots fired at dogs, with 44 dogs killed by officers during that period. Information furnished by various California law enforcement agencies indicated that at least one-half of all intentional discharges of a firearm by an officer from 2000–2005 involved animals."

While reckless owners with problem dogs pose very real problems for officers, the shooting of a dog like Parrot demonstrates how easy it is for an officer to lose perspective and put family pets at risk. According to the COPS report, factors that contribute to the liberal use of firearms on a community's animals are "insufficiently trained police officers" including

Officers who make judgments concerning a dog they encounter based on its presumed breed or physical appearance rather than its behavior.
Officers who view a dog running toward them as a threat (the dog could be friendly and merely greeting the officer).
Officers who are unaware of leash laws or the laws governing potentially dangerous, dangerous, or vicious dogs in their city or state.
Officers who lack knowledge of available animal-welfare resources.
Officers who lack skills in handling dogs or reading dog body language.
Officers who lack needed canine-communication skills.

As police departments play catch-up with humane policies and their obligations to their communities, we continue to urge dog owners to use extreme caution in situations where police may interact with your pets.

To quote our legal affairs director Christine Allen in this blog post, written in response to a local shooting of a bull terrier puppy "... 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."

Please be safe and urge your locale police departments to use the COPS booklet to help educate their officers. We don't want you to be this guy: Parrot's foster dad below, just after the shooting.

For more info, Washington Post looked at the incident involving Parrot in this news article.

Meanwhile, in Berkeley

2011-11-14T07:52:00.001-08:00

Yes, Detroit's situation with its care of shelter animals is depressing. The shining light, the beacon for change is over 2000 miles and seemingly light years away.

Over fifty directors from animal welfare orgs including shelters from around the country descended on the sweet town of Berkeley yesterday to learn how one very motivated and passionate community of people helps its pit bull type dogs. Boasting a 98% live release rate of all dogs including pit bull type dogs, Berkeley is not a town to be ignored. (Nope - Detroit was not represented at this event. Maybe next time?)

We're so grateful to SAWA (Society of Animal Welfare Administrators) for including BADRAP in their field trip plans for conference guests. With a little luck and a lot of work, we know that Berkeley's example can become the mainstream.

Ace: A fitting mascot for Detroit city policy

2011-11-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

It's not hard to see why Detroit has an image problem. With a trashed economy, hungry businesses and hungrier residents, and approximately 40,000 abandoned properties within its borders, Mayor David Bing is attempting to run a nearly dead city. In the middle of so much desperation, we can imagine how easy it is for the leadership to let stray dogs fall flat to the bottom of their to-do list, especially those skinny pit bulls who routinely fill the dead barrels at Detroit Animal Control's city shelter. (City policy will not permit DAC to transfer pit bull type dogs out to even the most highly qualified shelters or rescue groups. Nope. Not one.)

Detroit's mandatory destruction of unclaimed pit bull type dogs has marched on for years with little protest until last week when a starving dog showed up in an Ace hardware store in need of compassion and help. Today, despite quick thinking and the best efforts of several organizations, citizens and a judge to save him, that dog is dead - destroyed by DAC. What happened between his original rescue and his death tells us more about the state of a visionless city than it does of so-called pit bull type dogs.

Ace symbolizes Detroit in so many ways: Lost, forgotten - once beautiful, now dying. The untouchable dog that most would veer hard to avoid. He was destined to die on the streets without so much of a shrug, until a kind Ace Hardware worker noticed him and gathered the skeleton boy up from the corner of his store. (Side note: Detroit's citizens tend to have some of the biggest hearts you will meet. True grit and full of soul.)

Technically, he did the right thing when he found Ace. Just as you'd call an ambulance for a fallen citizen, you call the right city people who are charged with caring for its animals, right? Unfortunately that call sent Ace on a death march, and four days after he went unclaimed (DAC has stated that no one was able to satisfactorily identify him as their property, despite several failed attempts), he was duly destroyed at the shelter - business as usual. The Ace Hardware employee stated in a media interview how much he regrets making that phone call. Who knew?

Before Ace died - or maybe while he was dying - a miracle of sorts happened: Thousands of people found out about him through the Internet and, after learning about the city's 100% kill policy of all pit bull type dogs, pleaded for his life. Rescue groups raised their hands and lawyers were called in to request a euthanasia injunction from the courts. The large and influential Michigan Humane Society begged and pleaded and negotiated for his release (DAC refused their request). Even school kids got involved and sent letters to the mayor...

Dear Mayor Bing - My name is Veronica. I’m 9 years old. I go to The Roeper school. At my school we like to make a difference. Hearing Ace’s story broke my heart. I want to make a difference, that’s why I sent you this letter. Please save Ace because he is a innocent dog. Just because he’s a pit bull doesn’t mean he’s going to harm anybody. Please dig in your heart & think about how many people have sent you letters because they care about Ace & dogs like him. - Sincerely, Veronica

A judge agreed with Veronica - let the poor thing live so we can sort this mess out. (News Link) DAC has probably never heard such a racket (for a pit bull? good god), but the walls of the shelter must be pretty darn thick, because Ace was dead before the ink was dry on the judge's orders to keep him alive.

The city says it never received the court order, but Bruce King, general manager of the Environment Health Services Division explained in a statement why it was okay to kill Ace:

"If we grant this one exception, we are simply not set up for what will undoubtedly lead to overwhelming appeals in similar cases."

Read: "Screw the courts. If we let this dog be absorbed by people who want to take responsibility for him, we'll be stuck with helping other needy dogs find help too." Sadly, no one who's familiar with the city seems remotely surprised by the position it took, including the Michigan Humane Society. After all, it's Detroit and Detroit government has become a bit of an expert at allowing things in its care to die. Through his unnecessary death, Ace has unwittingly become a fitting mascot for the city leadership.

So what now? The cat's officially out of the bag about the city's inhumane policy regarding pit bulls, and everyone's rightfully pissed off, but reforming a city shelter in the middle of a collapsed economy with this kind of discouraging leadership would make anyone want to bang their head on rocks. We're certainly disheartened. Some are banging drums and vowing revenge, but to add to frustrations, some of the rescue groups in the Detroit area fight with other like cats and dogs. Their movement tends to be emotion driven, disorganized and territorial - a reflection of the chaos that reigns in a town without direction. Whether this horrible situation can evolve into something positive for the city animals is yet to be seen.

I'm so sorry about Ace - So sorry about Detroit. You were once beautiful (you were once my home) and you deserve so much better than what you've gotten: Arrogant, apathetic leadership, heartless policies, lost and ignored opportunities.

Rest in peace, little buddy. Good luck Detroit.

Detroit News coverage on Ace.

A revealing and important series in Time Magazine on why Detroit is so screwed up. The Tragedy of Detroit.

new feature: vintage goodies

2011-11-11T11:39:00.001-08:00

Announcing our new Vintage Photo Gallery Page with great photos of dogs & their families that we've dug up along the way. Because while we keep our sights set on the future, these smiling faces from the past are constantly reminding us to enjoy the present.

If you have a favorite family photo or ebay treasure, first, lucky you! - Second, please consider letting it hang in our online gallery for all to enjoy. Thank you.

Vintage Photo Gallery

using intimidation in Wilmington DE

2011-10-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

According to the animal control officers interviewed in this news report, Wilmington DE has been rounding up dogs from low income people who can't afford special licensing fees and spay/neuter surgeries and warehousing them since 2000. Some are housed in overcrowded kennels for up to two years until they get too sick to keep. The euthanasia numbers must be staggering.

Mandatory Spay Neuter. San Francisco tells us that it's working for them, yet the city shelter recently alerted its public that it would not be able to accept any more dogs because of overcrowding. Pit bulls (as well as other breeds) continue to pour in the doors. SF-based rescues post desperate ads for foster homes on Craigslist, and dogs that can't be reached in time continue to die.

Are laws that target pit bull owners working? This report from DE is one of the most to-the-point demonstrations we've seen of the practice in action. Please take a minute to watch the video attached to the news report and tell us what you think.

Wilmington "crack down."

In the meantime, pit bull owners have been streaming in to fill appointments for free spay neuter surgeries offered at our recent Celebrate Your Pit Bull fair. From one event, thirty four surgeries completed on site and 58 are scheduled. One gentleman told me "Thank you. You saved my life. My female got pregnant by her son and I didn't have money to end the pregnancy." She was spayed during the event. Her son is getting fixed this week. Photos of the event.

When it's so easy to help under-served dog owners get their dogs fixed using a welcoming, voluntary approach, why would anyone want to use coercive laws and intimidation?

alerting you about new posts

2011-10-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Someone asked why they haven't been getting prompts about new posts on our blog. Answer: I don't know. So to make sure you get 'in the system' I moved the email alert gadget up to the top of the page. See it? Sign up, over there --->

BR blog posts will come to you in email form, pretty pictures and all. Thanks for asking, btw. While you're at it, sign on for alerts for our Barn Dog Blog. There's always something going on in foster dog land and we don't want you to miss out on news. Like this weekend. Fun news coming up as a few special visitors stop by to say hello.

EDIT: Rochelle tells us that she organizes her daily reads on Bloglovin. Nice.

And can I just say how much we love Jondi? Her story is excruciating, but things have been looking up for our red girl.

Ta Da! - New Website

2011-10-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

We've lived with our old website for nearly 12 years so it was an interesting walk-down-memory-lane experience to revamp and redo a new site. Back when we originally built it (thank you Heather Capp), we had a very small roadmap for doing this work and no idea what the future would hold. We went into this project with a blind optimism that if we did some good work, some good things would happen for the dogs and their people. We were a pee-wee rescue group only trying to find a way to help the dogs that were standing right in front of us.

Building the new site has made me ever more appreciative of how much has changed over the years and the people we've met along the way. Jane Berkey and Stacey Coleman of Animal Farm Foundation, Ledy VanKavage of Best Friends Animal Society, Don Cleary and Karen Delise of National Canine Research Council - their bones and their wisdom are now a part of who we are and though you may not see them in our website, their good influence is inside so much of the content. So are the officers of our group who've been with us from the beginning and who embody the soul of pit bull activism: Christine Allen, Susi Ming, Linda Chwistek. And the diehard volunteers who are too big-hearted and too stubborn to walk away from this work: Kim Ramirez, Donyale Hoye, our incredible foster homes and dog handlers.

When the facebook based software company Zynga gave a gift to help us move our project into the future, it seemed like the right time to say good-bye to our past with a new and improved site. Your feedback is welcome as we pick at it, edit it, add to it and make this vision real. Thank you.

badrap.org

celebrate this

2011-10-18T11:06:00.001-07:00

I need to preface this post by saying that it's very opinionated and may or may not reflect the opinion of others in our group ... individuals that we are.

I'll be the first to admit that I've never been very keen on the idea of Pit Bull Awareness Day. It's lovely, but it supposes that we need to market pit bulls to the world of (usually, white) people who (might) think they're scary. At this point in time, if people think dogs or people for that matter are scary based on what they look like, there isn't much we can do or say to help them see their way out of that mindset. But we'll keep keeping on with our events and activities and maybe those folks will notice how much fun we're having with our dogs - or maybe they won't. I sincerely believe that it's not up to us to change anyone's mind. We're here to have a good time with the dogs we call family and do some good work with the dogs and people who aren't so lucky.

On that note, as an animal welfare group, we do believe that it is up to the collective 'us' to look for ways to help the tens of thousands of pit bull owners in our home counties get what they need so they can enjoy their dogs. Which isn't easy considering dog owner resources are few and far between, and the economy has certainly forced many to make incredibly difficult choices, including surrendering their dogs on the heels of misfortune including foreclosure. So to celebrate the dogs the way we love best, we went out to under-served Pittsburg last Saturday and teamed up with Well Pet Vet Clinic to help people get their dogs fixed, vaccinated, microchipped and trained. There was no need to convince this crowd that pit bulls can be valued family members. There wasn't even any need to convince them that spay/neuter or training was beneficial. They were here for all kinds of help, and everyone was very grateful to get it.

The event officially started at 11am on Saturday. At four in the morning, people started lining up to make sure they were able to get what their dog needed... Four in the morning. At 8am, over 75 pit bull type dogs were in line to get spayed/neutered. By the end of the day, that number rose to 90 and we started wondering how far over budget we were going to go. A good problem to have, actually!

When you see a line like this, you have to wonder: Why would anyone in the world think that mandated spay/neuter laws would be practical or even necessary?

All in all, a hugely successful event that took a relatively minimal amount of planning. All advertised via flyers and word of mouth in under-served communities by fellow dog owners in the community, and staffed by volunteers who value this work. We are enormously grateful to PetSmart Charities for allowing us to buy so many surgeries (even though - gulp - we might've gone a little over budget on this one). And to Well Pet Vet Hospital for not passing out when the line grew around the block. You people rock in ways we didn't know people could rock!

Finally, huge thanks to our volunteers for your heart and tenacity and to Best Friends Animal Society for sending shelter workers from out the area to witness the way we like to celebrate pit bulls.

Finishing off with the best photo of the day. Thanks for your photography Brian George!

finding Penny - lessons from a misadventure

2011-10-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

Chris and Tina van Wolbeck sent a donation this week in honor of Kate and Marshall Reed's recent kindness. What did the Reeds do to inspire such a generous gift to the dogs? Chris tells the story himself, along with the lessons that came out of a very scary experience.

My wife Tina and I recently learned a lot about what to do if a dog goes missing. I am writing this in hopes that it may help someone else who loses their dog.

On Saturday, September 24, 2011 we were camping in the Lakes Basin area in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We left Penny, our beloved pit bull mix, behind to watch our motor home while we went for a hike. When we came back we found that she had escaped through a window. Penny came to us from the Oakland Animal Shelter, so we don’t know what her previous life was like but we do know that she is very shy and depends heavily upon us for her emotional stability. I believe that she escaped to come looking for us. She didn’t find us for six days.

We were devastated when we found her missing and immediately began searching the area for tracks and calling her name until we were hoarse. When it became apparent that she was nowhere nearby, we widened the search area and began putting up signs at campgrounds, stores, post offices, turnouts and everyplace where we thought people might see them. We did this until 1 a.m., when we decided that we had covered an area wider than we believed she could cover in that amount of time. Sunday morning, we resumed the search and widened the area to about a 30 mile radius, putting many, many more signs out and talking to everyone who would listen. There is no cell service up there, so we didn’t get the message until about 5 pm that the Sierra County Sheriff’s officer and two other people had seen Penny at about 9 am, about 5 or 6 miles away from where she disappeared. We immediately went to the area and began calling again. We didn’t find her.

We were supposed to be back at work on Monday but took another day off to look for her. We couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her up there. Penny has very short fur and gets cold easily, even inside the house. We moved our motor home to the area where she was last seen. We visited every house in the area where people were home and continued calling her. We left that afternoon to come home. There had been no more sightings of Penny and knowing that she was lost in an area strange to her and that there are mountain lions and curvy roads with cars, we feared the worst.

On Tuesday I went back to my job as a high school teacher and told some of my colleagues about what had happened. Many of them encouraged us and told us not to give up and were sure that we would find her. I was not so sure.

One very helpful and compassionate couple, Jeff Torquemada and his wife Wendy know Penny and know what a wonderful dog she is. Wendy left Wednesday morning and spent two days searching for her. There were still no more reported sightings.

My friend, Chad Cochran spent hours on the internet, checking with animal control and shelters within a very large area. He actually found a dog in Reno who looked remarkably like Penny.

On Friday morning, my friend and Colleague, Don VanNess and I left to resume the search. Tina was planning to come up after work. We lost cell phone service at about 11:00 am. We began retracing the route which we thought Penny took from our campsite to the area where she was last seen. When we got to higher elevation, we got into cell phone range and I had two messages. The first one was from Kate Reed, who has a cabin about one half mile from where Penny was last seen. She had Penny. We called and got no answer. I listened to the second message and it was the sheriff’s office informing us that Kate had dropped Penny off there. Through the small town grapevine, our friends Glenn and Irmke, who live in Sierra City, six or seven miles away from where Penny was found, had already heard that the sheriff had her. They beat us to the sheriff’s office by ten minutes. Eventually we caught up with each other and we were reunited with Penny. Below - Penny with Chris and Tina's grandson Max.

So what did Penny teach us by getting lost? The first and most important thing is to get the message out as quickly and to as many people as possible that your dog is missing. Kate knew exactly who was on her porch Friday morning because she had seen one of our signs. We had given the sheriff’s office our phone number and a description of Penny, so they were familiar with the situation. Also make sure that local animal control offices and animal shelters have her description. The second thing and also very important is don’t give up. Keep looking and keep your dog fresh in people’s minds. Third is, rely on your friends for support and help. Don was absolutely sure that we would find her and we did. That kind of positive energy can only help! Fourth is get your dog a distinctive looking collar. The easiest thing to describe about her was her orange collar with daisies. Fifth is to make sure that your dog is micro chipped, so that if the collar is lost your dog can still be identified.

DON’T GIVE UP.

I have made a donation to Bad Rap in Kate and Marshall Reed’s honor. If they had not taken the time and effort to win Penny’s confidence, she would probably still be lost and it is snowing up there as I write this. - Chris van Wolbeck
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Good work, everyone. We appreciate you sharing these important lessons - and huge props to everyone who stayed so determined to find sweet Penny, despite the insurmountable odds. In the spirit of helping more lost souls find their way home, your thoughtful gift is earmarked for a special stray on his way into our program. We'll holler when he gets here!

photographing shelter dogs

2011-10-04T20:34:00.001-07:00

When I shopped for our newest family member a little over a year ago, I was no different from scores of people who pour over hundreds of teeny tiny hard to see photos on websites in search of "the" dog face that would somehow speak them. What an enlightening but maddening experience!

It was easy to see why some shelters attract more rescue help and adopters than others - they know how to win hearts with a good photograph. Below are some dos and don'ts when capturing dog faces in hopes of attracting those solid homes.

Many thanks to Berkeley Animal Car Services, whose volunteers set the tone with some of the best examples of public shelter portraits on the Net. All of the appealing photos in this post are from their facebook page. I won't tell you where the not-so-great photos came from!

Above - Look into My Eyes - Which dog do you feel connected with? Unless you want to send potential homes running straight to the backyard breeders, avoid using photos of distracted dogs in bleak and dismal backgrounds. Eye contact is golden and easy to get with a dog treat and a silly sound at the right moment. Black dogs photograph best in the early morning or close to dusk. You might end up taking 20 photos to get that winning shot, but with digital cameras, who cares? That one winning shot you spent 10 minutes trying to get will empty your kennel much faster then the bad photo you grabbed in a fast hurry.

Above - Touch Me. Adopters are rightfully hoping to find family dogs who welcome touch, but institutionalized settings only serve up the heebie jeebies. Get that pooch outside where he'll look (and feel!) more like herself. If your subject is shy or uncomfortable with the camera, a warm embrace can make all the difference in her experience as well as the viewers' opinion of her.

Above - What a difference a pretty background makes. This photographer was smart - it looks like she waited until her subject was back from her walk and 'smiling' before she pulled out her camera. Dogs that are tied to walls might beg up sympathy from a select few, but the fearful body language that comes along with being tied will send the more discerning dog shoppers to websites where it "feels good" to look for dogs. You can't blame them.

Above - Ouch. Did that dog on the left do something bad to land him to jail? Probably not, but the chain link mimics the photos news outlets use of dogs who've been involved in bites. Compare to the photo of the happy dog who wants to show us how much fun her adopter will have with her.

Finally, I had to end on this most inviting shelter photo. It says, "Yep. I'm an older, brindley mixy girl. But I'm loved here at the shelter and I've got a lot of life left to give. Come on down and get me!" The gentle hand on her flank, the splash of color with the bandana, the smile that came from (probably) taking photos after she'd been exercised. And note how she's standing on her handler's shoe. Love it.

Here are more tips from fab photographer Lori Fusaro on ways to grab a digital masterpiece. And, more examples from Berkeley Animal Care Services. Good luck!

treadmills - dog powered fun

2011-10-02T22:56:00.000-07:00

If your dog has a lust for life, you might really like a treadmill for days when a quick winter walk just isn't going to cut the mustard. Physically confident dogs can take to them almost immediately (Star did!) Other dogs need days or weeks of mini-sessions around and finally on the mill before they feel comfortable enough to jog with joy. Once they get it, you can get them dog tired in just 10-20 minutes time. Priceless.

The video shows a (dog powered) carpet mill. We've had the most experience with these, although some homes like the motorized treadmills. If you do a search on Amazon.com for 'dog treadmill,' a few motorized options will pop up. We prefer the quiet of the dog powered mills. The one in the video is a Grand Carpet Mill. We can also recommend the Colby Carpet Mill.

One harness option comes from the sled dog folks - here - and the one Star was filmed in came from here.

Many thanks to Letti de Little for the demo, and to Uba for loaning his precious mill to Star while he recuperates from knee surgery.

an updated hand-out: bringing home a new dog

2011-09-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

We spiffed and relaunched an all time favorite hand-out for adopters: A New Dog in the House.

It's as much wisdom as we can possibly squeeze into four pages for introducing a new dog into the household. Good enough for pit bulls - good enough for all breeds! Use it, Copy it, Share it, Link it. Spread the knowing.

A New Dog in the House

Right: Oh the misery. Patsy the Pup learns about tie-downs and rules.

Dog vs. Dog - What former 'fighting dogs' have taught us about dog behavior

2011-09-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

We all know dogs will fight, but what about when they don't fight?

'Fetch' - a SF-based paper that catered to dog issues - has folded, but we're still grateful to them for running this piece on lessons from the Vick case. Since the info is still contemporary, I'm re-posting it here so it can be shared around as needed. (That, and because the hand out from the article has such small type that it makes my eyes hurt!) It's understandably popular for breed advocates to point out the growing number of Vick dogs who've earned therapy dog titles. Another stunning but often overlooked lesson they brought to the dog world comes from the undeniable success the adopted dogs have been enjoying with other dogs. Their lessons can be applied to ALL breeds when contemplating the all-too common behavior of canine interspecies aggression. Enjoy.

Right: Former Vick dogs Grace and Audie enjoying a first play session after leaving VA. Photo: Nicole Rattay.

Dog vs. Dog - Donna Reynolds. First published in Fetch the Paper May 2008

Dog on dog aggressive behavior has become a hot topic in recent years. Entire workshops, obedience classes, and pet columns have been devoted to discussing the nuances of this natural, but challenging canine behavior. It's hard to know if our pets are being positioned to argue more with other dogs or if society is just becoming less tolerant when they do.

We can certainly blame the rising popularity of housing multi-dogs in tight urban quarters for some of the strife. Smaller living spaces and less-than-responsible dog owners serve to create the same kinds of stress and challenges that we humans face when struggling to live peaceably with our own kind. Dogs are only human, after all.

Added dilemmas to dog-dog harmony: The now-raging chihuahua fad is amplifying the age-old tensions between tiny dogs and large dogs (ouch!), under-worked canines are taking matters into their own paws and creating their own entertainment, and chaotic dog parks are creating as much trouble as benefit for all breeds. Perhaps the biggest set-back of all is our loss of understanding of canine behavior. As society becomes divorced from our roots on the farms and ranches of yesterday, we're quickly losing the wisdom that used to guide us in all-things-animal.

Blame it on progress. Our great-grandparents' rural perspective afforded them a highly practical and realistic understanding of natural law, including animal law. We can't go back, but how do we swing our dog-think into balance and apply it to today's world so our dogs can succeed?

As it turns out, pit bulls may be the perfect teachers to help re-educate society on the finer points of managing and avoiding dog-dog aggression. They're especially good at challenging our ideals on just about everything. When it comes to current notions about canine inter-species aggression, the Michael Vick dogs got busy with breaking all the rules: They weren't supposed to be salvageable, they weren't supposed to be safe with kids and they certainly weren't supposed to be able to co-exist with other dogs. After all, these were reported to be fighting dogs, hard-wired for battle and hell-bent on anti-social behavior with dogs. (New York Times) But are they? Almost one year (edit: four years) after the initial fight bust, over two dozen Vick dogs are living in homes with other dogs and succeeding as normal, every day family pets.

So what happened? Why aren't they following "the rules" about fighting dogs and dog-dog aggression?

The answers are easy: Dogs are individuals and many defy the selective breeding efforts meant to create certain traits. We humans have been too busy blaming dogs for behaviors that we ourselves set into motion.

The families now enjoying the Vick dogs understand this. When any dog fights, it's because a careless or heartless human has accidentally or intentionally set them up to engage in combat. That situation could be a staged battle in the pit or a rushed greeting with an inappropriate play partner at the dog park. When dogs DON'T fight - as in the case of the Vick dogs now living in homes - they're following the designs of a good leader who is consciously setting them up for nothing but success. The mechanics of this success involve respecting each dog's individual limits with other dogs, proper socialization to increase dog tolerance, and clear guidance so each dog knows what's expected of him. It's not entirely unlike dealing with with a boisterous three year old child in a rough and rowdy play group.

Above: Former Vick dogs Uba and Jonny Justice have maintained a friendly relationship since they were (properly) introduced by their adopters in 2007. Below: Despite Hector's fighting scars, he was one of the most dog social dogs that came off of Vick's yard. Shown here with his adopters, Roo and Clara Yori and their dog family.

To be fair, this success-through-management drill is as true for our ball-possessive Husky as it is for the Vick dog in an adopter's house, as it is for the __name your breed__ dog in your house. All breeds can fight, and all can be managed so that potential never surfaces. The choice is ours. Some dogs need more management than others and because all dogs are individuals, it's true that some yellow labs need more management than some pit bulls - without question.

One way to make peace with this big responsibility we've taken on is to dig back into our cellular memory to a time when wild wolves first came to live in our camps. No matter how we dress them, our foofoo pets are still wolves at heart, and we're still the ones that decided to wrangle their animal instincts so we could co-exist. You can take the dog out of nature, but you'll never be able to take nature out of the dog. Nor would we like them much if we could!

Everybody Calm Down! 8 Tips to Avoid Dog-Dog Conflicts

1. Spats Happen! It's a fact of Dog Life; even those dogs that generally get along can break into an argument if one or both are offended or challenged.
2. Study your dog. Understand his body language so you can know when he might be reaching his limits with another dog. If a real fight does happen, learn from it so it doesn't happen again.
3. Prevent triggers. As with children, fights can spark up from the most seemingly insignificant triggers, even between dogs that are buddies. Some common triggers: Arguments over toys, food, favorite dogs or even favorite people (resource guarding). A perceived challenge such as intense eye contact, tug-o-war game or rough play can set a dog off. Know your dog's triggers and work with a trainer to desensitize him to these as much as possible so they lose their charge.
4. Nix nose-to-nose greets. In the quest to make dogs more dog-social, resist the temptation to allow your dog to do rushed nose-to-nose greets between dogs he doesn't know. Instead, create a ritual of slow, uber-relaxed intros that include side-by-side walks in neutral territory. Taking your time will give you the chance to read signals that say, "I don't really like this dog."
5. Be leash savvy. Leash reactivity - an annoying behavior of lunging at dogs or growling on leash - can start when dogs become ever more frustrated about greeting other dogs. Handlers can create fast improvements by curbing leash greets and taking on the new role of confident clown and animated leader. Look for training classes that teach pet owners how to motivate their pets and capture their attention with fun and rewarding distraction exercises that teach a dog that other on-leash dogs are off-limits.
6. Know the realities. Studies (Cornell University, NY) have shown that same-sex housemate pairs, especially females, have more problems than opposite sex pairings. Excitement is one of the biggest fight triggers between dogs of all breeds. The same study indicated that conflict in the home is much more common between female dogs while males were more likely to instigate fights outside of the house. Treatments most often recommended for household aggression are desensitization with counter conditioning and obedience training.
7. Know your dog's tolerance level. Do you know your dog's limits with other dogs? Does he has a short fuse, a long fuse or somewhere in between? Be realistic about what he can put up with from other dogs and what kind of play or behavior he will not tolerate.
8. Protect your dog from a bad dog-dog experience. Not all dogs want or need to be friends with other dogs. Smart socializing involves respecting your dog's quirks and and limits and setting him up for only success with other dogs. Appropriate play partners and positive dog-dog interactions will increase his tolerance for all kinds of dogs and dog behavior. The more positive interaction any dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.

With many thanks to the survivors of Bad Newz Kennels for reminding us all of what we already knew to be true about dog behavior.

__________

The Vick dogs' integration into real life has been meticulously covered by all kinds of media. We try to gather up most of the stories about the 10 dogs that moved though our program here. For more tips on managing the dogs in your life, check our collection of links at the top of this blog: Favorite Links

Philanthropedia - an honor for BR

2011-09-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

Recognition from colleagues and peers has to be one of the most encouraging moments a non-profit can experience. That's why our jaws hit the ground when we learned that BADRAP was ranked as the top high-impact nonprofit for Local Animal Welfare, Rights, & Protection in 2011 for Guidestar's Philanthropedia.

We are incredibly grateful to the panel of experts who value this work and who put our group on this prestigious list. This honor certainly fuels our fire to move this organization forward into the future. Our best hope is that this recognition signals a collective wish from the animal welfare community for a better day for dogs we call "pit bulls."

Free Support for Good Samaritans

2011-09-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

A chance meeting with the wonderful Corinne and a dog she saved from the streets reminded us how important it is to support Good Samaritans with training help and general support. We don't generally advertise this service openly, but "Lady's" happy story reminded me to put this out there...

That is, if you live in the SF bay area and find a lost pit bull type dog on the streets, our trainers will support you with free classes in our weekend Pit Ed classes should circumstances allow you to foster her rather than take her to the shelter. All we ask is that you do your due diligence first: File a "Found Dog" report with your local Animal Control, then show us a photo-copy of the notice along any flyers you've posted as proof that you're working to reunite the dog with her owner. We'll help you get a free spay or neuter if and when you gain ownership of the dog from the city.

So often, that little bit of support makes all the difference in a dog's survival. Corinne was never able to locate her foundling's former home and then couldn't find a suitable adopter. She was overwhelmed by her initial behavior with other dogs, and after Lady did a quick stint in her local shelter, was told by animal control staff that she wasn't kenneling well enough to stick around.

And so they came to Pit Ed, very discouraged but determined. After enjoying impressive success with building new manners, Lady went on to earn her Canine Good Citizen certification. As you can probably guess, this orphan found a home for keeps with Corinne, thanks in part to her improved manners. We like to think they were always meant to be together. Corinne brought us a bottle of champagne on the day Lady earned her CGC ... The bubbly and happy ending never tasted so sweet.

Motivated Good Samaritans sure enough make the world a better place. If you're one of the good guys trying to help a dog in need, contact us here: Found Dog.
More info if you've found a stray and aren't sure what to do: Help for Strays

November SAWA Conference - Where the dogs are

2011-09-01T11:47:00.000-07:00

If you're a shelter administrator, you probably know by now that SAWA's 2011 Annual Conference is coming to the San Francisco bay area. We're longtime SAWA members, so are pleased as punch about the location. If you're still on the fence about fitting this trip into your busy schedule, we'd love to give you another reason to attend...

As part of the conference, attendees will have an opportunity to attend a BADRAP sponsored Open House and see first hand some of the country's most effective solutions to contemporary challenges facing pit bull type dogs. The scheduled field trip will take you to Berkeley CA. This town of rebel rousers and change makers has been celebrated by Maddies Fund and others for their progressive community-based solutions that have brought a nearly 100% live release rate to its public shelter's treatable dogs including "pit bulls" - and we've been very proud to be active participants in those efforts.

On Sunday morning, November 13, conference attendees will meet a community of people who are facilitating positive change for the dogs. Pit Ed training classes will be in full swing during the Open House, and attendees will watch as dogs get their manners smoothed out and adopters with little or no previous dog handling experience find the support they need to embrace their pets as responsible homes. Attendees will also have an opportunity to tour Berkeley Animal Care Services, hear about their policies and pick the brains of both BR and BACS staff. And we're serving lunch, too ... Our mamas raised us up right, you know!

Thanks to the generosity of Animal Farm Foundation, there will be free transportation to and from the hotel and Berkeley, where you'll be greeted by up to 50 dogs and their handlers. The dogs you'll see represent a variety of behaviors and backgrounds - but more importantly, you'll see Berkeley-style solutions at their best. You might even sneak a peek at some of those former Michael Vick dogs (they always seem to show up at the best parties).

We hope you decide to attend this Open House along with the many wonderful presentations that will be rolled out at the conference. As expected, this opportunity is limited to SAWA Conference attendees only. The public is invited to see the same at one of our Open Houses - dates to be announced.

We're grateful to the board and conference organizers of SAWA for providing such a wonderful venue for animal welfare professionals to share their ideas and experiences.

For more info, check out the SAWA Conference Brochure.

Pit Ed --> Switches to SUNDAYS.

2011-08-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

Pit Ed Junkies - It's time to switch back to SUNDAYS! Starting this weekend, all Pit Ed classes will swing from Saturdays to Sundays. Beginning Class is still at 10-11am, and Drop-In starts at 11:30am. See you on August 28!

Photo: Charity Jara is helping Star perfect her down-stay in class.

summer camp - where the good guys come out to play

2011-08-18T14:36:00.001-07:00

This past week of difficult headlines has made us even more appreciative of generous donors who value the work of education and advocacy, and whose recent gifts allow us to continue this mission - most notably, barn raiser extraordinaire Aron Woolman and Pat Oddone (who sent a gift on behalf of Erich Borat). Thank you.

We're also grateful to PetSmart Charities, who has been helping shelter pros from around the country get to several on-site training opportunities including home-sweet-home Oakland for hands-on work with the dogs we all love. This work is in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society. Don't you love how many good guys are out there?

Last weekend, we were fortunate to host representatives from Davis County Animal Control Utah, Iowa City Animal Control and Adoption Center and the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County (WA) for four days of workshops, presentations, training, gab and fun. We call it 'Pit Ed Camp' and the only thing we were missing was the s'mores (on the shopping list for October's camp).

Camp is set up to give attendees a glimpse into BR's key activities including housing and socializing the dogs in our barn, working them in Pit Ed Class, evaluations in a shelter setting and finally, putting together a shots fair. They also tour Berkeley Animal Care Services, and learn how the community of Berkeley has been working so hard to help the dogs. (Report from Maddies Fund on Helping Berkeley's pit bulls). Above: Tracy Roddam from Davis County Animal Control Utah takes low rider Nita through class. (Pssst...She was a pro). Below: Catherine Godlewski demonstrates the fun of canine nose-work to provide enrichment and confidence building to bored shelter dogs.

The favorite hands-on 'workshop' seemed to be our outreach event in East Oakland, where campers helped us distribute necessary resources to low income pit bull owners: vaccinations, microchips, leashes/collars, training help and spay/neuter surgeries. Everyone worked their butts off at this event, setting up crates, registering clients, helping dog owners with important information. I don't know if Brigitte Draper knew what was in store; once we found out she was an RVT in Utah, we dragged her into the spay/neuter van to help with surgeries. Her help made all the difference. Shown on the right here, with Beth Garland on the left. Thank you, ladies - and thank you Sonoma County Animal Services for loaning the van. PHOTOS!

We're getting ready to host two more camps in 2011, and yet more in 2012. These are probably the single biggest activities that give us Badrappers real hope for communities in other parts of the country. Thanks to so many smart, compassionate doers in the sheltering world, pit bull type dogs are finding their seat on the bus - and there's no turning back.

reflections on the case in Pacifica, CA

2011-08-16T21:50:00.000-07:00

My dog offered a sobering lesson the other day, which I'll get to in a minute. He's a large, 85 pound husky-mix and not quite two years old. I've had him since he was a pup. He's my right hand man; my shadow. Well trained, gentle, beautifully socialized and responsive. When we get playing, of course it's fun to tickle and tease, wrestle and chase. Sometimes we get sliding across the hardwoods, me laughing and him panting and wagging with the goober-eyed look most dog owners know well. But on this day, I was getting him a little too riled and I pushed too hard and it scared him. He tensed up a bit and mouthed my arm harder than he normally would. His message was clear: "Please stop."

Reality check: My dog is an animal, not a little person. I mean, I know he's not a little person, but his teeth in that moment offered the full reality that - Oh yeah - I'm getting an 85 pound dog super amped and the only way he can tell me to stop would be to correct me, much like a dog would correct another dog who was being overbearing. "Stop!" Elliot showed considerable restraint by pulling short of a stronger correction, but what I really wanted to thank him for was revealing the blessed beast that lives inside every house pet dog. I wasn't with my house pet in that nano-second; I was with the primordial wolf who knows his strength and his boundaries. Elliot is most decidedly an animal before he's a dog, and he's a dog before he's a house pet. Yep - Got it.

I've fallen back on that lesson several times this past week as the media prodded at the dog related fatality in Pacifica. He's an animal before he's a dog, and a dog before he's a pet. Darla Napora of Pacifica loved her dog completely, but something terrible happened in her home and now she's one of 30 or so people a year who are killed by dogs in this country. This particular case is making investigators and onlookers absolutely crazy because no one can figure out what really happened.

Yes, the dog (Gunner) was a large unneutered male, but that alone does not give us the answer. In nearly all of dog related fatalities, we get a roadmap of several messed up circumstances that typically lead straight back to the whys of each tragedy. (KC Dog Blog's Road Map) Not in the Pacifica case however. Final forensics reports may or may not reveal the key to the incident ...Was there a physical abnormality such as a brain tumor in the dog? A pregnancy related fainting spell? (Darla was pregnant) ... but at the end of the day we have to accept that we may never know what triggered the incident.

Following any dog-related tragedy, the formula response from opportunistic politicians and media types on a sky-is-falling mission is exhausting. Intelligent people don't want to be manipulated into fear though; they want to be informed. Knowing that, we've declined all media requests for interviews since news first broke, preferring to wait for forensic reports to help fill in the blanks. It could be two or three more weeks before we the final results come in. During that wait, we've so appreciated this letter from the National Canine Research Council that was sent to the editor of the San Mateo Daily Journal:

Even as we share the grief of Ms. Napora's family, we do well to keep two things in mind. First, serious incidents involving dogs have always been exceedingly rare, though they generate news coverage that creates an impression they are more prevalent than they actually are. There are roughly 78 million dogs in the U.S., and 308 million human beings. Annually, there is one dog bite-related fatality for every 10 million human beings, and every 2.5 million dogs. Second, official reports may shed some light on the unique calculus of an incident; but they are never a basis for generalizations about all dogs, or even one kind of dog. To illustrate, consider the following. The week before Ms. Napora died, a pregnant woman in Milwaukee, Sharon Staples, was shot to death in the street, in the presence of her 13 year-old son. Police arrested three teenaged boys in connection with her death. There are over 20 million teenagers in the United States. What will the investigation into the death of Sharon Staples tell us about teenagers?

Reports concerning the death of Darla Napora cannot be used to generalize about any of the other 78 million dogs.

Out of respect for Darla Napora and her grieving family, and due regard for their love for their dogs, we must not assume we know more than we do. The more deeply one examines any incident, the more likely one is to appreciate that its complexity cannot be reduced to a simple prescription. - Don Cleary National Canine Research Council

Darla Napora will be buried on Wednesday with Gunner's ashes. The second pit bull in the home - a little six year old female - was returned to her grieving husband, and when we talked on the phone, the couple's nieces and nephews were squealing with delight to see her again. Authorities determined through dental impressions that Tazi was not involved. According to her owner, the incident scared her so badly that she hid under a table and shat and peed herself, shaking like a leaf when she was discovered, and she's still showing signs of having experienced a trauma. Tazi's yet another reminder that dogs' reactions to events can be as individual as ours.'

Greg Napora and his family have asked that people please avoid implicating a breed type in this incident. After all, Tazi is a pit bull. He told me by phone: "I really wish I knew what happened, but at the end of the day, Gunner was an animal." There it is again. The fact that he still loves his dogs is probably the greatest but hardest to understand lesson of all.

Rest in peace, Darla and Gunner.

from the mouths of babes

2011-08-01T21:22:00.001-07:00

Holy Moly. This one really got to me...

A summer kids camp at Pet's Lifeline in Sonoma County recently introduced a group of kids to pit bulls via the story 'Saving Audie.' Audie as you probably know, was rescued from Bad Newz Kennels and the story covers his rescue and recovery in kid-friendly photos and text.

After digesting the story, a 12 year old girl wrote this essay - from the dog's perspective (Copied exactly as she wrote it):

Bang. Loud rambicios roudy yells of the tall gangely men and and some stalky staring down at me there faces hard looking me agressively in the eye I backed against the side of the pen and a surging sting quivering through my body as I was shunted forward a single word forming on my owners lips on who broke me one who beat me all feeling pulsing in my head the wall of sound behind me "fight".
he mouthed the dog opposite me head lolling in confusion but behined the bared teeth I saw a spark only for a split second it read a single word love. and behined the bared teeth I looked into the dogs sole it was there a kind loving other being. A dark shadow crossed his face a hurt tortured look. And the fight began. I closed my eyes.
I woke up some time later how much time had passed I didn't know it could be weeks or months or years. But the pain was behined me of the fight. But it was still with me it had formed me in the deepest part of my broken heart. A worker dressed in a uniform passed by shooting me a sorrow filled glance and I flashed back in my mind to that terrible place. Pressing myself against the cinder block wall crumpling in a corner. I wanted to float away like a balloon drifting further and further awy from this place of misery and hurt. Then suddenly a heavy metal door opened and soft warm loving eyes met mine she didn't look at me like I was a monster or a terror and she opened her hands in a frindly gesture and suddenly the cinder block wall felt cold so on shaking quivering legs I got up and walked toward a new life."

That's a whole lotta deep thinking for a 12 year old. It's certainly going to be interesting to see what the new generation brings to animal welfare as they come into adulthood with books like Saving Audie as their guideposts.

With many thanks to Roxanne Alden of Pets Lifeline, and to the young author of this essay (she's the taller girl smiling on the right and wearing blue.)

Rescue Barn: First Birthday

2011-07-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

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

2011-07-27T15:18:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-22T19:34:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-07-19T01:55:00.000-07:00

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!

flirt pole fun

2011-07-11T10:25:00.001-07:00

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

2011-07-05T17:21:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-27T16:39:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-07T01:20:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-06T08:49:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-05T10:46:00.001-07:00

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'

2011-05-31T22:35:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-10T21:25:00.001-07:00

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.

Spring Fling Open House - This Coming Saturday!

2011-05-08T22:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Now Taking Volunteer Apps for the Barn Crew!

2011-05-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

... Chunk, Robin, Winnie, Bouncer, Eva Peace, Rosie, Josephine, Ferdi, Camellia, Jimmy Legs, Hypatia, Pepper, Arnie, Fazool, Belinda, Katie Bug, Darla Jane, Tater, Emma, Atomic Betty, Ayse ...

... They're some of the dogs who've spent time in BR's Rescue Barn since we first opened our doors last summer. This modest facility in the Oakland hills serves as a halfway house of sorts for dogs in crisis - specifically, victims of shelter overcrowding, cruelty, foreclosures and emergency medical cases. .The quiet environment and natural setting have been ideal for helping stressed dogs get their bearings and allows them to be healthy, happy dogs again. As they relax, we can learn who they are and design next steps in their transition towards life with permanent families.

The handful of dogs that live here at any given time stay for a week or so until we match them up with foster homes, while others stay on for several weeks until they find their forever families. During that wait they're vetted, trained and socialized to several dogs in regular play sessions. It's like summer school meets summer camp.

Our dog handlers become an important anchor for the dogs during this time at the barn. They serve as the dogs' family and provide everything from clicker training to nose work fun to toenail trims to play parties to plain old fashioned cuddling on the sofa -- all of it is crucial to the dogs' well being and recovery. (Left: Donyale bonds with Winnie, shortly after her arrival from a cruelty case in Gadsden County FL)

In addition to meeting the dogs' daily needs, the BR crew works with potential adopters and visitors who want to learn more about the breed, both at the barn and during our weekends at Berkeley Animal Care Services. They're a wealth of information to a world that is waking up to the joy of the American Pit Bull Terrier and its mixes. Does it sound like I'm bragging? I am. This is a very special group of people who give their heart and soul to the dogs.

It's not all hugs and happies though. Cleaning up dog poo is less than glamorous, and the compassion cases that occasionally come to spend their final days with us tug at all our heartstrings. You have to learn to accept the good with the sad with this work, but the rewards are life changing, to say the least.

Now that this project is humming along, we're ready to expand our team and hope to add up to six new volunteer dog handlers who value this mission. We'll provide the training and you provide a long term commitment to the dogs who land here on their way to new lives. Interested?

Barn Crew Job Description

We know that your free time is precious so look forward to talking with you to see if this kind of volunteer work is a good fit. Please check out our job description linked above and then contact nancy@badrap.org for an application. We'll be conducting informal phone interviews followed by an orientation on Saturday, May 14, starting at 11:30am.

Thank you!

Birthday Barn Pups

2011-05-01T23:20:00.001-07:00

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

2011-04-21T20:51:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-04-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

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.

introducing dogs

2011-04-05T06:31:00.000-07:00

We love doing new dog intros because you never know exactly how they're going to go, so they always bring excitement and surprises. It's key to keep our own body language and voices happy so the dogs don't signal off of any stress we might have about a match up. If it doesn't go as well as we'd like, we know we've just moved a little too fast, so we usually try again on another date. In our experience, most boy-girl matches can succeed if both dogs are reasonably well socialized and the intros are done at the right pace for the dogs involved.

Winnie was pulled from a dog fighter's yard in Florida and Angus is a rowdy little staffy bull from South Africa. Despite Winnie's initial apprehension here, this first meeting was full of happy signals and loose body language that told us they were on the fast track to friendship. The home did not end up opting for a second dog unfortunately, but both Winnie and Angus gained more skills that will come in handy for future greets.

Fool's Day: Buy your local rescuer a margarita pleeze

2011-03-27T23:03:00.000-07:00

April Fool's Day is this Friday. It's going to be BR's 12 year anniversary, and to celebrate we'd love to honor all the other overworked, under-partied pit bull rescuers who are out there doing good deeds.

So for our birthday, we're asking a special favor from pit bull fans and friends....

Buy your local rescuer a margarita on Fool's Day.

Margaritas have been the official BADRAP birthday drink since Fool's Day '99. We were, admittedly, under the confidence-enhancing influence of tequila when we decided to start a pit bull advocacy group, and it's served us well since. Even today, whenever this work gets a little too heavy, at least one group member puts out a call for a tequila date -- medicine for our minds.

No matter how tense times might get, a respite involving decent food, icy drinks and riotous laughter pulls us together quick. Not everyone in our group likes alcohol, but they seem to put up with our custom and are probably relieved when we trade in frustrations for ridiculous giggles. And then of course there are always virgin margaritas and the fun of a good contact buzz.

If your local pit bull rescuer accepts your offer (you might have to show them this blog post so they don't think you're hitting on them), please post a photo of the fun on our facebook page so we can see them happy, and tell us a little bit about who they are. We'd love others to learn about their work. Don't forget to splurge a little and go top-shelf: a splash of Grand Marnier and/or Cointreu truly makes all the difference.

Not sure who's helping the dogs? Check PBRC's list of rescuers for names of groups in your locale. Don't forget to include shelter workers that rally hard for the breed in their agencies.

In lieu of a drink date, you can send a gift certificate to Chevy's or similar mexi-favorite restaurant with a thank you note for all their hard work. By giving these good folks a mini-break from the madness, you'll do more for the cause than you'll ever know.

Do it!

Thank you!

and, Happy Fool's Day to anyone who is as foolish as we are. We heart you!

Below: Tim powering our blessed Margarita Cart in Black Rock Desert. (Yes, he's wearing a tutu. Hey, it was Burning Man, whaddaya expect?)

when librarians judge books by their covers

2011-03-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

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.

Parade Magazine. The Lost Dog's author Jim Gorant caught wind of the story and wrote a follow up to his original article on the former Vick dogs. The Parade Magazine Article came with a great quote from Cris:

“Some may see it as a loss to the children of the community. But I don't,” says Cohen. “A library is a source of information and learning. If the person in charge is participating in discrimination, children should not be anywhere near that facility. There is too much hate in this world already, children do not need to learn it at the library.”

Despite the disappointment, all's well and good in Jonny's world. He's got some promising new teaching opportunities ahead of him ... You just can't keep a good dog down.

But there's still the issue of the library that got away with breed profiling. Change.org is a project that highlights injustices around the world, and they launched a petition aimed at encouraging the Burlingame Library to consider reinstating the Reading to Dogs program. Nearly 2000 signatures poured in within 24 hours, many with impassioned comments from parents, teachers, librarians and animal welfare professionals.

Please add your name to this petition to urge the Burlingame Public Library to reinstate the reading program without unfair (illegal) breed biases. It took a gargantuen effort to save Jonny from an NFL dog fighter and a system that would have him destroyed, now it will take ongoing efforts to ensure that he and others like him are accepted by an humane, compassionate and educated society.

Change.org Petition

EDIT - One of our favorite comments from the petition ....

As a teen services librarian and advocate, I have found it imperative and crucial to let the teens decide for themselves what is in their own best interest. When important decisions come up regarding the teens services department, I address the teens, take a vote and let them speak for themselves. I think that is what is needed here. Let the children take a vote and speak for themselves. Do they want Jonny and the Paws for Tales program to continue, or not? Before I heard about wonderful Jonny, I had been following the wonderful Grant the APBT who spends his days in the childrens dept of an Iowa library. He is very well loved by the children and the community. I am sure that if Grant was barred from the library in Iowa, the children would be terribly disappointed. (Grant's Facebook Page) Why deny the children of Burlingame a simple pleasure that was to their benefit? - Jodi Mitchell

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

2011-03-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

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'

2011-02-25T19:41:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-22T10:13:00.001-08:00

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?'

2011-02-15T22:27:00.000-08:00

("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 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.

Want to volunteer somewhere where your work will make a difference? BACS March volunteer orientations will be held: Sat. Mar. 5th 10:30am to 12:15pm; Sun. Mar. 6th 11:00am to 12:45pm; Wed. Mar. 9th 5:30pm to 7:15pm. For more info, visit this LINK.

Robin's Rock

2011-02-15T09:32:00.001-08:00

(this vury schpecial boy is available for adoption)

Training basics - From Pit Ed Class

2011-02-07T15:59:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-27T21:19:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

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.

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

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

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

2011-01-20T20:52:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-10T07:26:00.001-08:00

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!

2011-01-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-04T15:58:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-31T16:04:00.000-08:00

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

the Ins and Outs of language for 2011

2010-12-28T14:59:00.001-08:00

“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

2010-12-27T15:27:00.001-08:00

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

2010-12-23T07:46:00.001-08:00

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

2010-12-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-12-15T17:24:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-12-12T19:36:00.000-08:00

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

2010-12-07T21:27:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-26T05:38:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-24T17:45:00.000-08:00

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)!

2010-11-22T13:56:00.001-08:00

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

2010-11-21T12:56:00.001-08:00

welcome to bootcamp

2010-11-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

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 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 and look forward to posting updates as we get them. Yo TATER TOT! Good luck, buddy.

tunnel vision

2010-11-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

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.

Heroes among us - An award for a brave group in Ohio

2010-10-26T20:17:00.001-07:00

Last winter, we learned about an incredible crew of people who make up the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County Ohio. There are shelter staff all over the country doing great things for animals. This group is extra special because they showed the world how to save dozens of pets including 162 dogs - most of them pit bull type dogs - after a horrible hoarding case in the midwest. The kicker was, AWL is sitting smak dab in the middle of BSL-hell in Ohio, where dogs that look like pit bulls are labeled "dangerous and vicious" based on nothing but appearance. So helping a large group of homeless pit bulls would be no small feat ... especially for a tiny org that operates on a shoestring budge in an antiquated facility.

AWL proved to everyone that doing the impossible is possible, and created safe housing for all the dogs, organized their vet care, evaluation and promotion, reached out to rescue groups around the country, and celebrated each dog who made his or her way to a new life. As a result of their resolve, they were selected for one of three awards presented by Partners in Shelter Services for outstanding efforts in 2010. Partners is a collaboration between BR and Animal Farm Foundation, and focuses on helping shelters get the information they need to build solid programs that support pit bull type dogs in their community. Each of the three award winning organizations will receive a monetary gift to help them advance their work with pit bulls.

One of the dogs they took in from the hoarding case was a boy they named Buck. Before he was Buck, he was known as Niko, and he lived with another dog and a man named Scot. Scot loved his dogs dearly but fell on hard times and was unable to care for them, so brought them to a place - called "Humane Sanctuary" - that many said was safe. He was no fool - even desperate animal control officers in Ohio have told us that they brought dogs to this place rather than have to put them to sleep in their own shelters. Desperate times. Unfortunately the sanctuary turned out to be a hell-hole for animals, as we reported back in March.

Top 3 Photos - Buck's intake photos on the day AWL rescued him.

Scot told us: "I took them there because it was the only no kill shelter that I found and there was no way I could care for them safely anymore. I still have both Sam, and Niko's bed, pillows, blankets, and a few of their toys. The Shelter said I should keep them because what they had there was fine and the bed would just get messed up. I love these two. They where my only friends."

When Scot learned that the sanctuary had been shut down by authorities for cruelty/neglect, he feared his dogs were dead or on their way to being dead. You can just imagine his relief when he read in the papers that every surviving animal had been rescued and was being re-homed by AWL. Who does that in Ohio? Scot followed their progress, found out that Buck had come to live in CA, then tracked us down so he could tell us Buck's story. He didn't want us to think that he was a bad dog owner for taking his dogs there or that he didn't care.

When we connected, Scot outlined the dogs' life story to us; their likes and dislikes and the training he had done with them. "They where both accustomed to Nutro and one nice high protein whole meat treat once a week. Two medium meals a day. 3 walks. 1 hour of play/workout time. With about a handful of treats in moderation. Bath time every two weeks and sleeping in bed. King size is best. Niko runs in his sleep and tends to kick. Sam just sleeps. They were well socialized with adults, kids, and other dogs in social environments, forests, dog run parks, and in city streets. They both walk on the right side normally. Sam doesn't pull, Niko does. I am so happy Niko is ok. I am wondering about Sam because he has had the harder life. they are both great dogs." (Note: Sam also found a home thanks to AWL)

When Buck arrived here to join BR's adoption program, he had the good fortune to find a foster home with Jaime Allen (Standing, right). Some might remember her as the adopter of 'Buzz' - the big bodacious blue who helped Jaime present hundreds of programs as part of the Humane Society Silicon Valley's humane education mission. Jaime was still hurting from the loss of Buzz when Buck arrived, and fostering him offered a sweet distraction from her grief. She noted the good manners that Scot had already built into the silly pit mix and shined them up enough to do demo work during summer camps for teens at the shelter. During training, the kids learned about animal welfare topics like overpopulation and adoption, proper care of pets, and practiced teaching some of the activities they will do with their campers. Buck helped with a special dog program called “My Dog Said What?” In this program, students are introduced to the importance of learning how to “read” your pet. Buck’s job was to not only entertain the kids, but also to show them how a well-behaved, happy, trained dog should act. Kids got to practice commands like “sit,” “wait,” “shake” and “down” with him.

Jamie told us: "My job as a humane educator is to give kids opportunities to practice citizenship, responsibility, and compassion because I believe doing that in a structured way can help save animal’s lives. Buck’s story is a perfect example of this – when we show compassion, beautiful and profound things can happen. The kids were amazed at how calm he was and that he had a “glass-is-half-full” attitude. They connected with Buck’s story, and they were imagining what it would have been like for their dog, and I think that was scary for them. If Buck hadn’t been rescued, no one would have been able to experience his gentleness, his silliness, and his ability to help kids understand what empathy looks like and how it feels."

Congratulations to the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County Ohio for earning the Compassion for Ohio Victims of Cruelty Award. We can't thank you enough for setting such a strong example and spreading the joy by saving the animals from the 'Humane Sanctuary' cruelty case. Ohio's animals are so lucky to have you on their side! Below: Buck gets into the swing of educating on his very first visit.

More photos of Buck at at work at camp. And, just being silly when he's not working. Compliments of photographer Tom Becker.

With many thanks to Jaime Allen and Buck for reminding us how important it is to let the dogs tell their stories.

According to the Animal Rescue League's website, the owner of "Humane Sanctuary" was found guilty of a second degree misdemeanor of animal cruelty with five years probation, fines, a ban on pet ownership for five years and a mandatory psychiatric evaluation. Hoarders are typically treated as people with a mental illness. More info including photos of the conditions of the sanctuary.

Ohio's statewide law that condemns pit bulls and dogs that look like pit bulls as "dangerous and vicious" at birth is still on the books, and dog owners like Scot who fall on hard times are currently left with only the most heart breaking of options for their pets. A sign of hope: Toledo, Ohio recently stepped out in front of the crowd by overhauling its dog regulations with new rules that do not discriminate by dog breed. The country holds its breath in hopes that the rest of Ohio follows Toledo's enlightened example.

Sunday communion: Chicken strips and a boy named Chunk

2010-10-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

To lift our moods on this crap-tacularly rainy day, new boy Chunk and I went for a little walk on a local golf course. It's usually empty during rain, so I looked forward to getting better acquainted with our new charge in a quiet, albeit soggy setting. We're designing best foster options for our new boys right now, and everything they can tell us about themselves makes the matching that much easier.

This lovely boy walked at my side like an old pro. Nice. He's a wee tiny thing, similar to Linda Chwistek's boy Audie in size. As cute as he is, Chunk hasn't wanted to take treats from our hands since he got here. It seems to be part of his submissive nature ... He's just trying to be a respectably polite doggy, since - in his mind - polite dogs don't dare take food from big tall hu-mans. While that's super sweet, we want to get him passed that so we can help him learn cool new manners and tricks that will help the world adore him. Plus, we want him to enjoy the fun of getting tasty treats from friends.

To help him feel more at ease, I chortled to him all around the golf course, especially during those moments when he looked up at me (which was often). Me, trying to read funny little him and him, looking up and trying to read funny strange me.

We got back to the barn and I laid chicken strips on the floor while he was feeling especially perky from his hike and stepped back ("I'm not looking"). Hmm? Then ...Slurp.

Then, chicken strips laid out on my outstretched hand on the floor. Careful nosing, then - Yes. Then, a choice morsel in my palm raised up closer to his face. He stared at me, questioning. Can I? 'Yes Chunk. Good boy.' He braved up and licked it from my hand, ever so careful not to use a tooth. Then, several more went down the hatch. A small hurdle for a dog who will soon learn that the world is a wonderful place full of welcoming, outstretched hands, treats and praise.

We always say that fostering is all about problem solving, working to soften those caveman behaviors and help streamline dogs from crap beginnings into real life: The barking, the poo dancing, the shyness, the over-exhuberant greetings. Every new dog has a pocketful of behaviors that need fine tuning. We take note, we puzzle, we compare notes and, with some luck, we solve. It's not rocket science to polish up a new dog, but it helps to bring a fresh eye to each individual. Who are you? What does the world look like to you? How can we help you find your way? I guess the rain was good for both of us tonight.

More pix of Chunk and Robin here.

Pit Bull Awareness Day

Thank you to everyone who attended our heavy-weather Open House at training class this weekend.

The rain held off just long enough for us to have an enjoyable couple of hours greeting the visitors and showing off the dogs. Jonny, Uba and Audie were a big hit of course. Not sure what they thought of the pawtographing part of the day, but our guests sure seemed to like it. Photo: Beth Cannon snapped Jonny signing "The Lost Dogs" for a fan.

Channel 26, a news station that serves SF's large Asian American community, came out and did a nice story on the dogs. If you're curious to see what Jonny, Uba and Pinky look with Cantonese subtitles, double click on the graphic to the right to see what the KTSF26 archive page looks like, paste the url in your browser, then fill in the fields as shown in the jpeg to get you to the story. I can't be sure, but the tagline next to the pit bull image seems to say, "Bulldog bite cases. Easy to generate fear of this dog, whether it be misunderstood Bulldogs." If you speak better Cantonese than my online translator, please share.

We were thrilled when some of the visitors who watched shelter dogs working in class applied to adopt them once class was done. We always love when that happens at our Open Houses, and it seems to be a pattern now! Many thanks to Patsy who stationed herself at the Berkeley shelter to handle impromptu tours. It paid off: A longtime resident who'd been at the shelter for nine long months (Ruby) found her people this weekend and is sleeping in her new home tonight. As part of our commitment to Berkeley's pit bulls, Ruby's owners will get free training in BR's classes, so we're thrilled to be able to help them transition. Stay tuned: Video junkie Becky Correia is preparing a fun video of the day with little snippets of interviews from guests who attended the event this weekend, so check back soon for that.

Below: Photo by Rob McNichols of Ruby with her new people, saying good-bye to a shelter volunteer. Congratulations Ruby and new family.

welcome Ohio dogs

2010-10-19T17:34:00.001-07:00

We welcomed two new guests to the rescue barn this past weekend. They're straight from a large cruelty case in Ohio that netted two hundred pit bulls. This case was special in that the survivors were moved to a local riding arena where HSUS staff and local volunteers worked long days for several weeks to keep the dogs going until they could be evaluated and moved to appropriate rescue.

You may see news blips pop up here and there as various orgs announce the dogs they took in - groups on the east coast especially. This rescue was particularly successful in the number of rescues and shelters that participated and the number of dogs that were saved as a result. A very happy success for the cruelty victims of Ohio.

Before "the boys" arrived, we combed a local Salvation Army for second hand leather chairs that can serve as cozy dog beds in the kennels. Twenty bucks a pop and our kennels are looking very homey and spiff.

You know how pit bulls love their creature comforts: when nothing much is going on, the boys are usually camped out in one of the chairs, snoring away. Ahhhhhh ... this is the life.

The newcomers are named Chunk and Rockin' Robin. Chunk - the black dog with the round head and Halloween pumpkin smile - is a middle aged stud muffin. Emphasis on stud. We think he's had a lifetime of making puppies based on his - ahem - behavior with the girls. A neuter will help square that away.

Chunk's got the Velcro-dog thing all worked out. When he's not in his chair, his favorite place is at your ankles. He does an amazing job winding in circles while looking up and begging eye contact. It's pretty impressive considering he doesn't have much in the way of a neck.

His sidekick Robin is a happy kid of a dog with crazy party boy eyes. He's our new favorite comedian dog. He's got a muscley little body, a low center of gravity and a big appetite for the flirt pole so we're having a great time with him already. We love us some Robin.

Sad to say, but it's already time to prep for the winter rains that will be here soon, so we're game-planning around weather proofing the barn, securing the fences and will be adding a healthy layer of gravel around the perimeter to keep the mud to a minimum once the rains take hold. After the barn puppies left, we tacked the star pattern tin ceiling panels on the walls to protect them from hose splash and busy diggers. We're rather fond of how it looks now.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to our photo contest last month. Your entry fees and votes helped us bring the Ohio boys here and are making it a whole lot easier to house them in comfort until they can move to foster care. Stay tuned as they work their way into our program, and our hearts. Below: Chunk discovers the joy of a butt scratch.