Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Beans - Looking for Furever Home
This is Beans. Currently he's living at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT. The information below is copied from their website. I met Beans when volunteering at Best Friends and I know he would make a wonderful pet.
Beans
Breed: Staffordshire Terrier
Gender: Male
Age: Adult
Size: Medium
Location: Kanab, Utah
Adoption Application
How to Adopt Beans
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E-mail to a friend
About Beans
Beans really wants to be your friend --- really!
But you may not realize it at first. Beans loves it when people are willing to spend time with him and pet him, but it's hard for him to show his appreciation. We think he may have had bad experiences with people and when interacting with other dogs, because he tends to warn them away.
But Beans is very obedient and loves to learn. He can sit, lie down, walk on a lead and he enjoys a good game of fetch. Beans wants to learn more tricks and recently has been trying agility training and is pretty good at it. He wants someone to take him into a forever home and give him the time he needs to know he's safe and loved. Is that too much to ask?
Beans
Breed: Staffordshire Terrier
Gender: Male
Age: Adult
Size: Medium
Location: Kanab, Utah
Adoption Application
How to Adopt Beans
Print this page
E-mail to a friend
About Beans
Beans really wants to be your friend --- really!
But you may not realize it at first. Beans loves it when people are willing to spend time with him and pet him, but it's hard for him to show his appreciation. We think he may have had bad experiences with people and when interacting with other dogs, because he tends to warn them away.
But Beans is very obedient and loves to learn. He can sit, lie down, walk on a lead and he enjoys a good game of fetch. Beans wants to learn more tricks and recently has been trying agility training and is pretty good at it. He wants someone to take him into a forever home and give him the time he needs to know he's safe and loved. Is that too much to ask?
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Healing Heart Sanctuary
This is such a special place, located in Kanab, UT, also home of Best Friends.
The House Dog's Grave
I've changed my ways a little; I cannot now
Run with you in the evenings along the shore,
Except in a kind of dream; and you, if you dream a moment,
You see me there.
So leave awhile the paw-marks on the front door
Where I used to scratch to go out or in,
And you'd soon open; leave on the kitchen floor
The marks of my drinking-pan.
I cannot lie by your fire as I used to do
On the warm stone,
Nor at the foot of your bed; no, all the night through
I lie alone.
But your kind thought has laid me less than six feet
Outside your window where firelight so often plays,
And where you sit to read--and I fear often grieving for me--
Every night your lamplight lies on my place.
You, man and woman, live so long, it is hard
To think of you ever dying
A little dog would get tired, living so long.
I hope than when you are lying
Under the ground like me your lives will appear
As good and joyful as mine.
No, dear, that's too much hope: you are not so well cared for
As I have been.
And never have known the passionate undivided
Fidelities that I knew.
Your minds are perhaps too active, too many-sided. . . .
But to me you were true.
You were never masters, but friends. I was your friend.
I loved you well, and was loved. Deep love endures
To the end and far past the end. If this is my end,
I am not lonely. I am not afraid. I am still yours.
Robinson Jeffers, 1941
Run with you in the evenings along the shore,
Except in a kind of dream; and you, if you dream a moment,
You see me there.
So leave awhile the paw-marks on the front door
Where I used to scratch to go out or in,
And you'd soon open; leave on the kitchen floor
The marks of my drinking-pan.
I cannot lie by your fire as I used to do
On the warm stone,
Nor at the foot of your bed; no, all the night through
I lie alone.
But your kind thought has laid me less than six feet
Outside your window where firelight so often plays,
And where you sit to read--and I fear often grieving for me--
Every night your lamplight lies on my place.
You, man and woman, live so long, it is hard
To think of you ever dying
A little dog would get tired, living so long.
I hope than when you are lying
Under the ground like me your lives will appear
As good and joyful as mine.
No, dear, that's too much hope: you are not so well cared for
As I have been.
And never have known the passionate undivided
Fidelities that I knew.
Your minds are perhaps too active, too many-sided. . . .
But to me you were true.
You were never masters, but friends. I was your friend.
I loved you well, and was loved. Deep love endures
To the end and far past the end. If this is my end,
I am not lonely. I am not afraid. I am still yours.
Robinson Jeffers, 1941
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Anatomy of a Dog Attack
The following is such an important, and heartbreaking article that everyone should read (copied from the K9 Magazine website - http://www.dogmagazine.net/archives/3591/the-anatomy-of-a-dog-attack/):
The Anatomy of a Dog Attack
Submitted by Ryan O'Meara on August 10, 2009 – 9:47 am6 Comments“Out of the blue, it attacked for no reason”
When a dog attack is reported we will often hear the same old phrases bandied about.
“It came out of the blue”
“It was totally unprovoked”
“We didn’t see it coming”
“It was totally out of character”
Ring any bells? Well let’s try and understand how and why a dog might attack someone.
Dogs rarely, if ever, attack for no reason. Us humans often misinterpret a dog attacking “out of the blue” and “without warning”‘ because we simply missed the signs.
Let’s be clear about one thing. A dog who is prepared to bite someone has his reasons. Can we, as humans, justify those reasons using the social values of people? Probably not. But of course, dogs do not live their lives according to human social values.
Here is the story of John, Henry and Max.
John has no wife or children. For the last five years he’s lived with his best friend in the world a playful Labrador called Max.
John is exited today. Henry, an old friend from school who he hasn’t seen for many years is visiting.
John decides today would be a good day to get his garden tidied, make a good impression on his old school chum.
As John gets busy in amongst the weeds in the front garden, he spies his old mate making his way up the street.
Henry’s been looking forward to catching up with John for weeks and, as he’s never been to his home before, finds himself feeling somewhat jubilant to realise he’s managed to find the street on which John lives without too much trouble and can now relish the prospect of seeing his friend again as well as finally getting to meet the only true love of John’s life, the much talked about Max.
It’s a hot and sunny day and Henry is wearing his sunglasses. Further up the street he spots John working in his front garden.
John’s already noticed Henry making his way towards him and yells out, “Hi Henry. Fancy a beer?”
Henry shouts back, “Sounds just the job. Can you believe this heat?”.
As per usual, Max has been ‘helping’ John with his gardening exploits by digging holes of his own all over the lawn. John doesn’t mind. He only wanted the garden so he could have somewhere safe to play fetch with Max on sunny days like today. He’s never been one for trying to keep it immaculate when Max’s favourite hobby is trying to tunnel his way to China.
Max has stopped his gardening though. He’s become preoccupied by the exchange between John and Henry and he’s taken a trip the front gate to see what’s going on.
“I wonder who this bloke is?” ponders Max.
“Why would he and John be shouting at other?” he thinks to himself.
“I’d better be on full alert.” he concludes. “John’s just shouted at this chap so he obviously wants me to keep an eye out.”
Max fixes himself in position at the front gate and hoists his tail high into the air, he’s keen to let the oncoming stranger know he’s about.
John doesn’t notice.
Henry’s still coming. So Max decides he needs to be more clear. He starts to emit a deep, low growl in Henry’s direction just to make certain the stranger who’s purposely striding towards him, his owner and HIS garden is left in no uncertain terms that he’s not moving
Henry’s still coming. And now he’s close enough for Max to notice his sunglasses. “This is getting more serious by the second”, thinks Max. “He’s not only not listening to me, he’s staring right at me. I know, I’ll stare right back at him. See if he’s as brave then.”
Problems. Henry is still as brave. To Max, Henry’s sunglasses look like wide, staring eyes, boring straight ahead and as he marches staunchly toward the increasingly anxious Labrador, Max wonders what his next move might be. As body language goes, Henry is showing all the signs of refusing to listen to Max’s advice.
Now tense and feeling genuinely threatened, Max is offered an escape. John jogs inside to fetch a couple of bottles of beer and Max is only too pleased to hurriedly follow his master. Max is somewhat relieved to suspect that John, his idol, is just as scared as he is about the relentless stranger pursuing them both from outside the garden gate.
“Shut the door John, shut the door” Max worries. “He’s still coming and you haven’t closed the door”.
Too late. Max’s heart leaps as he hears the gate swing open. Too late.
His worst fears are confirmed. The unrelenting Henry is now purposefully making his way up the garden path and toward the the house where Max and John are isolated, cornered and in Max’s case, petrified.
Gathering up every ounce of his canine courage and without a second’s thought for his own safety Max charges out of the house, tail hoisted aloft and barking his war cry as loud as his voice will muster. He heads straight for Henry wondering why this stalking maniac refused to listen to all of his earlier warnings.
“You might kill me but you’ll never take John”, Max decides.
Henry, his face very quickly drained of all its colour, is shocked and taken aback to be confronted by a clearly furious Max, the dog he’d heard so many nice stories about from doting John. This isn’t at all the dog he thought he’d be meeting.
Henry, alarmed and frightened makes his way toward Max, attempting to offer a hand of reassurance and friendship.
Max is having none of it.
“John warned you. Then I warned you. Why wouldn’t you just listen?”, reasoned Max.
Undeterred by Henry’s advance and determined not to let his owner come to any harm, Max lunges in Henry’s direction.
The realisation that Max is a long way past the stage of being able to be pacified dawns on Henry fast and he hastily tries to beat a retreat back out of the gate from which he entered.
John, hearing the commotion and now panic stricken by Max’s attack bellows “No! Max, no.”
Acutely tuned to his owner’s emotions and sensing the fear and alarm in John’s voice, Max forges ahead and launches into a full scale attack on Henry.
And then, as quick as it began, it was over.
An ambulance arrives to take Henry away and, hearing the commotion, John’s neighbours have summoned the Police.
John can be heard explaining, “He’s never done anything like this before“, the attack came “totally out of the blue“, Max was always “such a trustworthy dog“, he’s “never shown any signs of aggression in his life“, the attack was “totally unprovoked“.
But we know differently don’t we?
Let’s look again at how Max saw things unfold:
Max spots a man walking toward his and his owner’s garden - ‘his territory’
Not unduly worried, Max paid little attention to the stranger until John shouted in Henry’s direction. To Max, this was a clear signal to ‘watch for danger’
Obediently, Max sat at the front gate and watched for that danger.
He attempted to signal to Henry by putting his tail in the air and growling, that he was prepared to defend his owner and territory.
As Henry gets closer, Max again postures but now spots Henry’s aggressive body language, his wide eyes refusing to overt their gaze a clear signal of intent. Henry’s point blank refusal to alter his path, a sure fire gesture of defiance.
As John runs inside, Max’s thoughts turn to escape. He now believes John is as scared as he is and they should both seek shelter from the safety of the house.
Too late. As Henry enters the garden (Max and John’s territory) Max does what he thinks his owner needs him to do. He defends against the threat.
As Henry runs away and John panics, Max takes this as a sign that he should increase his attack, his canine instincts now in complete overdrive.
So let us again question whether John was correct when he explained to Police that Max’s attack was unprovoked.
Was it unprovoked? Not at all.
Was it unjustified in human, social terms? Absolutely.
Was it avoidable? Totally.
The Aftermath
Henry, his pain eased only slightly by drugs lies motionless in a hospital bed and starts to face the reality that a visit to see a dear, old friend has left him disfigured for the rest of his life. He ponders how best to explain to his young children that he’s still their Dad even though he knows his mutilated features will upset them deeply. He wonders how life will be from now on, how people will react to him.
Max, confused and still frightened by the terrifying ordeal earlier in the day is now wondering why he’s found himself confined to a small, secure cage at the vet surgery.
He stares through the bars and looks longingly towards the door, hoping against hope that he will soon be reunited with his trusted friend and master, John.
Unbeknown to Max, he’ll never see John again.
As the door swings open, Max’s tail momentarily begins to wag but he’s deflated. It’s not John. It’s a vet nurse.
He’s still pleased to see her. He’s lonely and upset and he just wants to go home and be with his friend.
He’s too pre-occupied to wonder why the vet nurse seems so wary of him. Wanting to put her at ease, he submissively offers up his paw. As the vet nurse holds it, she carefully shaves a small patch of fur away from his leg.
Max didn’t even notice the injection.
On this day it wasn’t only Max’s body that was destroyed as John’s memories of a kind, gentle, fun loving dog died too.
He asks himself once more, “Why did my dog attack someone for no reason?”
John may never know it, but Max had his reasons.
Dogs do not bite people without reason. They do not attack out of the blue. They do not launch into savage, frenzied assaults without provocation despite what you will undoubtedly read in news reports when the next dog attack hits the press.
There are NO devil dogs. There are NO unprovoked dog attacks. There IS a huge gap in understanding amongst some dog owners about why dogs attack and until we can bridge that gap in education people will continue to be attacked and more and more dogs will join Max, their memories destroyed along with their bodies.
Killing individual dog breeds is not the solution to a problem whicn runs throughs an entire species. Oh, and if you were left in any doubt, that species isn’t canine.
————
Originally published on Stop Dog Attacks | Copyright © Ryan O’Meara | Distributed Under Creative Commons Licence (Feel free to re-publish, anywhere, simply place a link back to this page. Thank you.)
Author Details
Ryan O'Meara is editor-in-chief of K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers. He lives in the East Midlands with his own two dogs, Mia and Chloe. Ryan's homepage. - See this author's webpage
The Anatomy of a Dog Attack
Submitted by Ryan O'Meara on August 10, 2009 – 9:47 am6 Comments“Out of the blue, it attacked for no reason”
When a dog attack is reported we will often hear the same old phrases bandied about.
“It came out of the blue”
“It was totally unprovoked”
“We didn’t see it coming”
“It was totally out of character”
Ring any bells? Well let’s try and understand how and why a dog might attack someone.
Dogs rarely, if ever, attack for no reason. Us humans often misinterpret a dog attacking “out of the blue” and “without warning”‘ because we simply missed the signs.
Let’s be clear about one thing. A dog who is prepared to bite someone has his reasons. Can we, as humans, justify those reasons using the social values of people? Probably not. But of course, dogs do not live their lives according to human social values.
Here is the story of John, Henry and Max.
John has no wife or children. For the last five years he’s lived with his best friend in the world a playful Labrador called Max.
John is exited today. Henry, an old friend from school who he hasn’t seen for many years is visiting.
John decides today would be a good day to get his garden tidied, make a good impression on his old school chum.
As John gets busy in amongst the weeds in the front garden, he spies his old mate making his way up the street.
Henry’s been looking forward to catching up with John for weeks and, as he’s never been to his home before, finds himself feeling somewhat jubilant to realise he’s managed to find the street on which John lives without too much trouble and can now relish the prospect of seeing his friend again as well as finally getting to meet the only true love of John’s life, the much talked about Max.
It’s a hot and sunny day and Henry is wearing his sunglasses. Further up the street he spots John working in his front garden.
John’s already noticed Henry making his way towards him and yells out, “Hi Henry. Fancy a beer?”
Henry shouts back, “Sounds just the job. Can you believe this heat?”.
As per usual, Max has been ‘helping’ John with his gardening exploits by digging holes of his own all over the lawn. John doesn’t mind. He only wanted the garden so he could have somewhere safe to play fetch with Max on sunny days like today. He’s never been one for trying to keep it immaculate when Max’s favourite hobby is trying to tunnel his way to China.
Max has stopped his gardening though. He’s become preoccupied by the exchange between John and Henry and he’s taken a trip the front gate to see what’s going on.
“I wonder who this bloke is?” ponders Max.
“Why would he and John be shouting at other?” he thinks to himself.
“I’d better be on full alert.” he concludes. “John’s just shouted at this chap so he obviously wants me to keep an eye out.”
Max fixes himself in position at the front gate and hoists his tail high into the air, he’s keen to let the oncoming stranger know he’s about.
John doesn’t notice.
Henry’s still coming. So Max decides he needs to be more clear. He starts to emit a deep, low growl in Henry’s direction just to make certain the stranger who’s purposely striding towards him, his owner and HIS garden is left in no uncertain terms that he’s not moving
Henry’s still coming. And now he’s close enough for Max to notice his sunglasses. “This is getting more serious by the second”, thinks Max. “He’s not only not listening to me, he’s staring right at me. I know, I’ll stare right back at him. See if he’s as brave then.”
Problems. Henry is still as brave. To Max, Henry’s sunglasses look like wide, staring eyes, boring straight ahead and as he marches staunchly toward the increasingly anxious Labrador, Max wonders what his next move might be. As body language goes, Henry is showing all the signs of refusing to listen to Max’s advice.
Now tense and feeling genuinely threatened, Max is offered an escape. John jogs inside to fetch a couple of bottles of beer and Max is only too pleased to hurriedly follow his master. Max is somewhat relieved to suspect that John, his idol, is just as scared as he is about the relentless stranger pursuing them both from outside the garden gate.
“Shut the door John, shut the door” Max worries. “He’s still coming and you haven’t closed the door”.
Too late. Max’s heart leaps as he hears the gate swing open. Too late.
His worst fears are confirmed. The unrelenting Henry is now purposefully making his way up the garden path and toward the the house where Max and John are isolated, cornered and in Max’s case, petrified.
Gathering up every ounce of his canine courage and without a second’s thought for his own safety Max charges out of the house, tail hoisted aloft and barking his war cry as loud as his voice will muster. He heads straight for Henry wondering why this stalking maniac refused to listen to all of his earlier warnings.
“You might kill me but you’ll never take John”, Max decides.
Henry, his face very quickly drained of all its colour, is shocked and taken aback to be confronted by a clearly furious Max, the dog he’d heard so many nice stories about from doting John. This isn’t at all the dog he thought he’d be meeting.
Henry, alarmed and frightened makes his way toward Max, attempting to offer a hand of reassurance and friendship.
Max is having none of it.
“John warned you. Then I warned you. Why wouldn’t you just listen?”, reasoned Max.
Undeterred by Henry’s advance and determined not to let his owner come to any harm, Max lunges in Henry’s direction.
The realisation that Max is a long way past the stage of being able to be pacified dawns on Henry fast and he hastily tries to beat a retreat back out of the gate from which he entered.
John, hearing the commotion and now panic stricken by Max’s attack bellows “No! Max, no.”
Acutely tuned to his owner’s emotions and sensing the fear and alarm in John’s voice, Max forges ahead and launches into a full scale attack on Henry.
And then, as quick as it began, it was over.
An ambulance arrives to take Henry away and, hearing the commotion, John’s neighbours have summoned the Police.
John can be heard explaining, “He’s never done anything like this before“, the attack came “totally out of the blue“, Max was always “such a trustworthy dog“, he’s “never shown any signs of aggression in his life“, the attack was “totally unprovoked“.
But we know differently don’t we?
Let’s look again at how Max saw things unfold:
Max spots a man walking toward his and his owner’s garden - ‘his territory’
Not unduly worried, Max paid little attention to the stranger until John shouted in Henry’s direction. To Max, this was a clear signal to ‘watch for danger’
Obediently, Max sat at the front gate and watched for that danger.
He attempted to signal to Henry by putting his tail in the air and growling, that he was prepared to defend his owner and territory.
As Henry gets closer, Max again postures but now spots Henry’s aggressive body language, his wide eyes refusing to overt their gaze a clear signal of intent. Henry’s point blank refusal to alter his path, a sure fire gesture of defiance.
As John runs inside, Max’s thoughts turn to escape. He now believes John is as scared as he is and they should both seek shelter from the safety of the house.
Too late. As Henry enters the garden (Max and John’s territory) Max does what he thinks his owner needs him to do. He defends against the threat.
As Henry runs away and John panics, Max takes this as a sign that he should increase his attack, his canine instincts now in complete overdrive.
So let us again question whether John was correct when he explained to Police that Max’s attack was unprovoked.
Was it unprovoked? Not at all.
Was it unjustified in human, social terms? Absolutely.
Was it avoidable? Totally.
The Aftermath
Henry, his pain eased only slightly by drugs lies motionless in a hospital bed and starts to face the reality that a visit to see a dear, old friend has left him disfigured for the rest of his life. He ponders how best to explain to his young children that he’s still their Dad even though he knows his mutilated features will upset them deeply. He wonders how life will be from now on, how people will react to him.
Max, confused and still frightened by the terrifying ordeal earlier in the day is now wondering why he’s found himself confined to a small, secure cage at the vet surgery.
He stares through the bars and looks longingly towards the door, hoping against hope that he will soon be reunited with his trusted friend and master, John.
Unbeknown to Max, he’ll never see John again.
As the door swings open, Max’s tail momentarily begins to wag but he’s deflated. It’s not John. It’s a vet nurse.
He’s still pleased to see her. He’s lonely and upset and he just wants to go home and be with his friend.
He’s too pre-occupied to wonder why the vet nurse seems so wary of him. Wanting to put her at ease, he submissively offers up his paw. As the vet nurse holds it, she carefully shaves a small patch of fur away from his leg.
Max didn’t even notice the injection.
On this day it wasn’t only Max’s body that was destroyed as John’s memories of a kind, gentle, fun loving dog died too.
He asks himself once more, “Why did my dog attack someone for no reason?”
John may never know it, but Max had his reasons.
Dogs do not bite people without reason. They do not attack out of the blue. They do not launch into savage, frenzied assaults without provocation despite what you will undoubtedly read in news reports when the next dog attack hits the press.
There are NO devil dogs. There are NO unprovoked dog attacks. There IS a huge gap in understanding amongst some dog owners about why dogs attack and until we can bridge that gap in education people will continue to be attacked and more and more dogs will join Max, their memories destroyed along with their bodies.
Killing individual dog breeds is not the solution to a problem whicn runs throughs an entire species. Oh, and if you were left in any doubt, that species isn’t canine.
————
Originally published on Stop Dog Attacks | Copyright © Ryan O’Meara | Distributed Under Creative Commons Licence (Feel free to re-publish, anywhere, simply place a link back to this page. Thank you.)
Author Details
Ryan O'Meara is editor-in-chief of K9 Magazine, the lifestyle magazine for dog lovers. He lives in the East Midlands with his own two dogs, Mia and Chloe. Ryan's homepage. - See this author's webpage
Friday, August 7, 2009
The Story of Tank
Have your tissues handy, you’re going to need them!
The Story of Tank
They told me the big black Lab’s name was Reggie as I looked at him lying in his pen. the shelter was clean, no-kill, and the people really friendly. I’d only been…
The Story of Tank – http://fortheloveofthedogblog.com
Monday, July 27, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
No Kill Advocacy Center
This is copied from an email I received from the No Kill Advocacy Center:
No Kill Advocacy Center
We owe them more than a "humane" death
Authorities in Missouri seized almost 400 Pit Bull-type dogs as part of a multi-state raid designed to break up dog fighting rings across the country. It was the single largest effort of its kind in the history of humane law enforcement. But while the dogs were “rescued,” they are not yet “saved.” At issue is whether the dogs will live or will be killed by the shelters if and when they ultimately are awarded custody of the dogs by the Courts.
Unfortunately, some statements that are coming out of the agencies involved in the decision-making process are ominous. According to Wayne Pacelle, the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, most of the dogs will likely be killed: “I think it’s pretty certain that a lot of those dogs will not pass a behavioral test.” Meanwhile, the Humane Society of Missouri, which is housing these dogs, isn’t talking except to say that in a recent case, they killed half of all Pit Bull-type dogs they seized. Is that a bellwether of things to come?
Some see a modicum of hope. Randall Lockwood, who was part of the ASPCA team that evaluated and passed the vast majority of the dog victims of Michael Vick, the 2007 case of the then-Atlanta Falcons Quarterback that took the issue of dog fighting to national prominence, is on the scene in St. Louis. In that case, the vast majority of victims were saved. Unfortunately, Lockwood himself made statements to the media about this case that the Vick outcome may not be “replicated.” He also made statements that we should not focus on our differing opinions about what to do with the dogs, but focus on blaming the dog fighters.
No one questions the need to rescue these dogs from the abuse they faced. And the articles appearing on blogs across the country such as one that was aptly titled “scumbags,” adequately convey what we think about the perpetrators. But Lockwood is wrong. The case is in the hands of the U.S. Attorney. So there is nothing more to do on that score. The only choice now is whether, when granted custody of the dogs, the Humane Society of Missouri will kill them or whether the Humane Society of Missouri will not kill them. In fact, that is all we should focus on.
If the Vick tragedy taught us anything, it is that our most basic assumptions about dogs, pit bull-type dogs, and dog aggression, were wrong. In short, it showed we can save virtually all the dogs, even when they were raised for dog fighting and horrifically abused.
After the arrest of former national football league quarterback Michael Vick and the seizure of almost 60 pit bull-type dogs raised for fighting, many animal protection organizations called for the dogs to be killed, arguing that these dogs were vicious and beyond our ability to help them. None made this argument after evaluating the dogs, but based on assumptions about pit bull-type dogs, dog aggression, and dog fighting. After deceptively fundraising off of the dogs, for example, the Humane Society of the United States lobbied to have them killed. Because they believe all Pit Bulls who enter shelters should be slaughtered, it was no surprise that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also asked the court to put them to death.
In 2008, the court thankfully said “No.” Only one dog was actually killed for aggression after evaluation, and the remaining dogs were placed in either sanctuaries or in loving new homes. Two of the dogs are now even therapy animals, providing comfort to cancer patients. The results forced even dog lovers-but more importantly the humane movement-to question their most basic assumptions about dogs, pit bull-type dogs, and dog aggression. In short, it showed we can save virtually all dogs in shelters.
Secondly, it showed that there is a real, practical, and potentially widespread “third door” between adoption and killing-the network of foster homes, sanctuaries and long term care facilities to provide for animals who may not necessarily be immediate adoption candidates, but can enjoy a good quality of life which would make their killing neither merciful nor ethical.
As a result, we should no longer assume the dogs can’t be adopted or for the ones who are traumatized, rehabilitated first because the vast majority can. In addition, some of the dogs were “bait” dogs because they were not aggressive, or others were used as “breeder” dogs, so have no history of fighting. Moreover, those that were are often very friendly to people. Finally, we do have the ability and skill as a movement to rehabilitate those who are traumatized. As a result, we should assume the opposite: they are savable unless a rigorous, fair, and comprehensive evaluation proves otherwise, which it might—but only for a small number of the dogs. And we should no longer assume there isn’t a sanctuary or even homes for these dogs, since HSUS and the ASPCA have the public relations power, financial wherewithal and global reach which easily prove otherwise.
Given this, we must stop talking about how these are “often broken dogs” or how there might be difficulty finding “available homes.” We need to stop speaking the language of defeatism, the language which frames the debate in a negative light, that condemns some of the dogs without all the facts, that assumes killing may be inevitable, and thus may actually help pave the way for their eventual slaughter.
In other words, we need to put aside unfounded biases and consider the victims of these cruelty cases the way we talk about the animals in other cruelty situations—with regret and condemnation for what they have suffered and with the expectation that whatever agency now has power over them will give these dogs what they deserve. We must assume—as the facts in the Michael Vick case proved—that condemning them as vicious simply because a dog fighter possessed them is guilt by association and unfair. That they were abused doesn’t make the dogs abusive. That they were subjected to violence doesn’t make them violent. That they were unloved doesn’t make them unloving.
In short, we must not echo the unfounded biases which plague our movement and have harmed animals for far too long, with no evidence to support such claims. Instead, we must adopt a language that is optimistic about the dogs and uncompromising in defense of their lives. We must put the ASPCA and the Humane Society of Missouri on notice that we expect them to save these dogs. Because anything short of that clears a path for those who appear bent on destroying them.
Instead, we must start demanding outcomes—outcomes that include rescuing, rehabilitating, and ultimately saving these dogs. A fair, rigorous evaluation will lead to lifesaving for the vast majority of these dogs and given HSUS and ASPCA wealth, media power, membership in the tens of millions, America’s dog loving culture, and the vast number of available homes, these are not barriers. Even the slide show of photographs from the law enforcement raid shows the rescuers handling the dogs with little restraint, fear, or concern for their own safety. Because, at the end of the day, while rescuing the dogs was crucial and for which we are all grateful, we must also demand a commitment to saving them. After all they have been through, the dogs deserve nothing less.
For further reading:
No Kill Advocate Special Pit Bull Issue (2008)
Temperament Testing in the Age of No Kill
Failing Pit Bulls
The Cost of Saving Lives
No Kill Advocacy Center
We owe them more than a "humane" death
Authorities in Missouri seized almost 400 Pit Bull-type dogs as part of a multi-state raid designed to break up dog fighting rings across the country. It was the single largest effort of its kind in the history of humane law enforcement. But while the dogs were “rescued,” they are not yet “saved.” At issue is whether the dogs will live or will be killed by the shelters if and when they ultimately are awarded custody of the dogs by the Courts.
Unfortunately, some statements that are coming out of the agencies involved in the decision-making process are ominous. According to Wayne Pacelle, the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, most of the dogs will likely be killed: “I think it’s pretty certain that a lot of those dogs will not pass a behavioral test.” Meanwhile, the Humane Society of Missouri, which is housing these dogs, isn’t talking except to say that in a recent case, they killed half of all Pit Bull-type dogs they seized. Is that a bellwether of things to come?
Some see a modicum of hope. Randall Lockwood, who was part of the ASPCA team that evaluated and passed the vast majority of the dog victims of Michael Vick, the 2007 case of the then-Atlanta Falcons Quarterback that took the issue of dog fighting to national prominence, is on the scene in St. Louis. In that case, the vast majority of victims were saved. Unfortunately, Lockwood himself made statements to the media about this case that the Vick outcome may not be “replicated.” He also made statements that we should not focus on our differing opinions about what to do with the dogs, but focus on blaming the dog fighters.
No one questions the need to rescue these dogs from the abuse they faced. And the articles appearing on blogs across the country such as one that was aptly titled “scumbags,” adequately convey what we think about the perpetrators. But Lockwood is wrong. The case is in the hands of the U.S. Attorney. So there is nothing more to do on that score. The only choice now is whether, when granted custody of the dogs, the Humane Society of Missouri will kill them or whether the Humane Society of Missouri will not kill them. In fact, that is all we should focus on.
If the Vick tragedy taught us anything, it is that our most basic assumptions about dogs, pit bull-type dogs, and dog aggression, were wrong. In short, it showed we can save virtually all the dogs, even when they were raised for dog fighting and horrifically abused.
After the arrest of former national football league quarterback Michael Vick and the seizure of almost 60 pit bull-type dogs raised for fighting, many animal protection organizations called for the dogs to be killed, arguing that these dogs were vicious and beyond our ability to help them. None made this argument after evaluating the dogs, but based on assumptions about pit bull-type dogs, dog aggression, and dog fighting. After deceptively fundraising off of the dogs, for example, the Humane Society of the United States lobbied to have them killed. Because they believe all Pit Bulls who enter shelters should be slaughtered, it was no surprise that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also asked the court to put them to death.
In 2008, the court thankfully said “No.” Only one dog was actually killed for aggression after evaluation, and the remaining dogs were placed in either sanctuaries or in loving new homes. Two of the dogs are now even therapy animals, providing comfort to cancer patients. The results forced even dog lovers-but more importantly the humane movement-to question their most basic assumptions about dogs, pit bull-type dogs, and dog aggression. In short, it showed we can save virtually all dogs in shelters.
Secondly, it showed that there is a real, practical, and potentially widespread “third door” between adoption and killing-the network of foster homes, sanctuaries and long term care facilities to provide for animals who may not necessarily be immediate adoption candidates, but can enjoy a good quality of life which would make their killing neither merciful nor ethical.
As a result, we should no longer assume the dogs can’t be adopted or for the ones who are traumatized, rehabilitated first because the vast majority can. In addition, some of the dogs were “bait” dogs because they were not aggressive, or others were used as “breeder” dogs, so have no history of fighting. Moreover, those that were are often very friendly to people. Finally, we do have the ability and skill as a movement to rehabilitate those who are traumatized. As a result, we should assume the opposite: they are savable unless a rigorous, fair, and comprehensive evaluation proves otherwise, which it might—but only for a small number of the dogs. And we should no longer assume there isn’t a sanctuary or even homes for these dogs, since HSUS and the ASPCA have the public relations power, financial wherewithal and global reach which easily prove otherwise.
Given this, we must stop talking about how these are “often broken dogs” or how there might be difficulty finding “available homes.” We need to stop speaking the language of defeatism, the language which frames the debate in a negative light, that condemns some of the dogs without all the facts, that assumes killing may be inevitable, and thus may actually help pave the way for their eventual slaughter.
In other words, we need to put aside unfounded biases and consider the victims of these cruelty cases the way we talk about the animals in other cruelty situations—with regret and condemnation for what they have suffered and with the expectation that whatever agency now has power over them will give these dogs what they deserve. We must assume—as the facts in the Michael Vick case proved—that condemning them as vicious simply because a dog fighter possessed them is guilt by association and unfair. That they were abused doesn’t make the dogs abusive. That they were subjected to violence doesn’t make them violent. That they were unloved doesn’t make them unloving.
In short, we must not echo the unfounded biases which plague our movement and have harmed animals for far too long, with no evidence to support such claims. Instead, we must adopt a language that is optimistic about the dogs and uncompromising in defense of their lives. We must put the ASPCA and the Humane Society of Missouri on notice that we expect them to save these dogs. Because anything short of that clears a path for those who appear bent on destroying them.
Instead, we must start demanding outcomes—outcomes that include rescuing, rehabilitating, and ultimately saving these dogs. A fair, rigorous evaluation will lead to lifesaving for the vast majority of these dogs and given HSUS and ASPCA wealth, media power, membership in the tens of millions, America’s dog loving culture, and the vast number of available homes, these are not barriers. Even the slide show of photographs from the law enforcement raid shows the rescuers handling the dogs with little restraint, fear, or concern for their own safety. Because, at the end of the day, while rescuing the dogs was crucial and for which we are all grateful, we must also demand a commitment to saving them. After all they have been through, the dogs deserve nothing less.
For further reading:
No Kill Advocate Special Pit Bull Issue (2008)
Temperament Testing in the Age of No Kill
Failing Pit Bulls
The Cost of Saving Lives
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Abandoned Pets Last Wish
Poem by LeeAnne Hudson describing what every pet feels when their owners drop them off, abandons them or gives them away.
…
Adandoned Pets’ Last Wish – VIDEO – http://fortheloveofthedogblog.com
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
The Truth About Euthanasia
So, I just listened to the beginning of this, but can't finish it. I'm sure the people who kill the dogs aren't happy about doing it, but then the shelters need to take some responsibility and DO something about it. They just want to whine and complain about the owners, but the fact of the matter is, a shelter should do just that, SHELTER. Not kill. Make changes and get those animals adopted. Quit whining about Nathan Winograd warehousing animals and being in bed with breeders and take some of his suggestions. His ideas have work. What's the harm in trying?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
$5.00 to adopt a dog that will otherwise be PTS
Another crossposting:
Hi Everyone,Please forward this to anyone that may be able to help as time is running out. These Pit Bulls were found living in crates inside a locked shed in CT. All are very friendly and have had behavioral assessments. If these wonderful are not fostered or adopted by 6/17, they will be euthanized. I personally have contacted over 40 shelters/rescue groups this past weekend in the NE area and also Best Friends Animal Society (Dog Town) in Utah. Best Friends has offered me a lot of resources but most shelters/foster homes are full and/or only allow so many Pit Bulls at one time.Time is running out and its only $5 to adopt a dog and save a life. Again, please forward this along to anyone you know who cares about animals. To see pics/video, please scroll down and visit: http://www.hartford dogpound. com/available. html Thank you all for your help, Jessica ZorgeCVT, Certified Animal Control Officer
Hi Everyone,Please forward this to anyone that may be able to help as time is running out. These Pit Bulls were found living in crates inside a locked shed in CT. All are very friendly and have had behavioral assessments. If these wonderful are not fostered or adopted by 6/17, they will be euthanized. I personally have contacted over 40 shelters/rescue groups this past weekend in the NE area and also Best Friends Animal Society (Dog Town) in Utah. Best Friends has offered me a lot of resources but most shelters/foster homes are full and/or only allow so many Pit Bulls at one time.Time is running out and its only $5 to adopt a dog and save a life. Again, please forward this along to anyone you know who cares about animals. To see pics/video, please scroll down and visit: http://www.hartford dogpound. com/available. html Thank you all for your help, Jessica ZorgeCVT, Certified Animal Control Officer
Pilots N Paws 5000 Animal Rescue Week. They Need Everyone's Help
I am crossposting this:
Participation with rescues, transporters, shelters, and especially pilots NATIONALLY!! Everyone can help just by going to their website: http://pilotsnpaws./ org/ and joining then going to their discussion board (on the left), and clicking on "Other Volunteer offers", then on the "5000 Animal Rescue Week" link. When you join you can tell them what you can do as in foster, be a pilot etc. It's important this is sent all over the US. It's important it receives media coverage. This is what is going to help the animals. I know it seems like a long way off but, it takes time to coordinate something this huge, and they need all the help they can get. Please, get this out there. If you have any friends who are pilots, send it to them. If you have friends in the media, or connections to people like Oprah, or other big name people, get this out there. You know these shows take time to set up. Get it to shelters, transporters, truckers who help in rural areas. This is how they manage to get this done. It's not just in the air, it's the highly important people on the ground as well. These guys and women can only fly about 300 miles at a time. The people on the ground help an enormous amount as well. So let's get all siked up on this one people. Lets get it done. The week of September 12th through the 20th they want to move 5000 animals to safety and with every ones help, it can be done. Here is what Jon from PNP's wants folks to know and I told him I would get it out and ask everyone to cross post it (just not on craigs list):Re: 5000 Animal Rescue Week Sept.12 through Sept 20th!!Error! Filename not specified.by Jon on Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:48 am Let me see if I can summarize this so it can be distributed nationally.During the week of September 12 through the 20th we want those participating in pilots n paws to be a part of transports all around the country and we have set a lofty goal of transporting 5000 animals to safety and their forever homes. We are doing this to gain local and national media attention about three themes. The first is the most important and that is to make the public aware of the dire need for spay and neuter programs so we do not have to kill millions of animals annually. Secondly we want to make the general public aware that general aviation, its pilots and plane owners, make a huge contribution to our nation, not only in the furtherance of their businesses and personal interests, but for humanitarian purposes including the transport of rescue animals. Finally we want pilots and plane owners to be aware of the need for animal transports so we can greatly increase the ranks of those pilots and plane owners so no request for transports goesunanswered.None of this will happen without strong support and help from shelters and rescues and fosters. If a shelter or rescue is from an area that has high rates of euthanasia we want that shelter or rescue to pencil the week listed above and commit to making an animal or multiple animals available to a shelter, rescue or foster in an area where these animals can be placed in forever homes. We know nobody can predict what animals are going to be available, or their size, or even how many during that week in September, but we do know there will be animals available. Those sending rescues and shelters need to locate their counterparts in areas of the country where high kill rates are not the rule, and get them to agree to make space available for the animals that will be rescued. Ideally the distance between the sending and receiving parties should be 300 miles (more or less, we pilots have some flexibility) so we can avoid having transport relays which aredifficult to coordinate.The sending and receiving pair will then have a pilot or pilots volunteer to do that transport during the rescue week. Each team of pilot, sending and receiving rescues or shelters will handle their own transport details regarding timing, and especially media coverage. We want to involve as much local and national media attention as possible to make the public aware of the needs.There are many more details to be worked out and time is rapidly winding down so it is critical that we get sending and receiving pairs so we can get pilots on board to volunteer to do their part.Kathie Sullivan-ParkesEast Corinth, VT
Participation with rescues, transporters, shelters, and especially pilots NATIONALLY!! Everyone can help just by going to their website: http://pilotsnpaws./ org/ and joining then going to their discussion board (on the left), and clicking on "Other Volunteer offers", then on the "5000 Animal Rescue Week" link. When you join you can tell them what you can do as in foster, be a pilot etc. It's important this is sent all over the US. It's important it receives media coverage. This is what is going to help the animals. I know it seems like a long way off but, it takes time to coordinate something this huge, and they need all the help they can get. Please, get this out there. If you have any friends who are pilots, send it to them. If you have friends in the media, or connections to people like Oprah, or other big name people, get this out there. You know these shows take time to set up. Get it to shelters, transporters, truckers who help in rural areas. This is how they manage to get this done. It's not just in the air, it's the highly important people on the ground as well. These guys and women can only fly about 300 miles at a time. The people on the ground help an enormous amount as well. So let's get all siked up on this one people. Lets get it done. The week of September 12th through the 20th they want to move 5000 animals to safety and with every ones help, it can be done. Here is what Jon from PNP's wants folks to know and I told him I would get it out and ask everyone to cross post it (just not on craigs list):Re: 5000 Animal Rescue Week Sept.12 through Sept 20th!!Error! Filename not specified.by Jon on Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:48 am Let me see if I can summarize this so it can be distributed nationally.During the week of September 12 through the 20th we want those participating in pilots n paws to be a part of transports all around the country and we have set a lofty goal of transporting 5000 animals to safety and their forever homes. We are doing this to gain local and national media attention about three themes. The first is the most important and that is to make the public aware of the dire need for spay and neuter programs so we do not have to kill millions of animals annually. Secondly we want to make the general public aware that general aviation, its pilots and plane owners, make a huge contribution to our nation, not only in the furtherance of their businesses and personal interests, but for humanitarian purposes including the transport of rescue animals. Finally we want pilots and plane owners to be aware of the need for animal transports so we can greatly increase the ranks of those pilots and plane owners so no request for transports goesunanswered.None of this will happen without strong support and help from shelters and rescues and fosters. If a shelter or rescue is from an area that has high rates of euthanasia we want that shelter or rescue to pencil the week listed above and commit to making an animal or multiple animals available to a shelter, rescue or foster in an area where these animals can be placed in forever homes. We know nobody can predict what animals are going to be available, or their size, or even how many during that week in September, but we do know there will be animals available. Those sending rescues and shelters need to locate their counterparts in areas of the country where high kill rates are not the rule, and get them to agree to make space available for the animals that will be rescued. Ideally the distance between the sending and receiving parties should be 300 miles (more or less, we pilots have some flexibility) so we can avoid having transport relays which aredifficult to coordinate.The sending and receiving pair will then have a pilot or pilots volunteer to do that transport during the rescue week. Each team of pilot, sending and receiving rescues or shelters will handle their own transport details regarding timing, and especially media coverage. We want to involve as much local and national media attention as possible to make the public aware of the needs.There are many more details to be worked out and time is rapidly winding down so it is critical that we get sending and receiving pairs so we can get pilots on board to volunteer to do their part.Kathie Sullivan-ParkesEast Corinth, VT
Friday, June 12, 2009
Bad Pit Bull
I just had to share something I just read. Lowell, MA, the city I live in, is trying to pass BSL. I don't completely oppose it since they aren't trying to ban pit bulls altogether (at least not yet), but it's still discriminatory. They have a long list of pit bull 'incidents', some of which border on the ridiculous. But, one of the last entries takes the cake:
10-14-08 F St. resident bitten by pit bull while breaking into home.
I mean, really!
Here are a few other entries that I found interesting:
G St. pitbull bites intoxicated, uninvited resident while fighting with owner.
A Ave small dog enters pit bull yard and is attacked by pit bull.
H St. child bitten by pit bull that was tied in owners yard.
There are many reports of loose pit bulls. What I find interesting is why aren't they citing the owners for this? And I have to wonder if even half of these dogs are even pit bulls at all.
10-14-08 F St. resident bitten by pit bull while breaking into home.
I mean, really!
Here are a few other entries that I found interesting:
G St. pitbull bites intoxicated, uninvited resident while fighting with owner.
A Ave small dog enters pit bull yard and is attacked by pit bull.
H St. child bitten by pit bull that was tied in owners yard.
There are many reports of loose pit bulls. What I find interesting is why aren't they citing the owners for this? And I have to wonder if even half of these dogs are even pit bulls at all.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Book Recommendation
I highly recommend the book I just finished called 'Bones Would Rain From the Sky', by Suzanne Clothier. Not only is it a book about our relationships with our dogs, it is a book about our relationships with people. It is a wonderful book. I'm going to a seminar that this author is giving next weekend. I'm really looking forward to it. Let me know if you read, or have read, the book.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
URGENT - 3 OLDER COUNTRY DOGS IN CA NEED HOME
I am crossposting this. If you can help, please use contact info at bottom of text:
Hello and HELP! Hi to all of you fellow dog lovers on the front lines of animal rescue. My name is Randy Braun and I have three loved ones in need of help immediately. They are three dogs that I have had the joy of being with for the last 11 years. Their names are Spot, Cee Cee (aka Chocolate Cheeks) and Marcella. I've had the first two since birth and the third took in off the streets. This is our story. I just turned 42 and have come full circle in the most difficult year of my life. A year ago April my beautiful wife of 11 years felt she wanted something different and filed for divorce to my dismay. Through many levels of ups and downs I have done what I can to better myself and keep my head up. In this market our house is financially upside down and I can not maintain it on my own. Through much counsel, prayer and struggle it became apparent that I had to let the house go. I always knew the day would come that I needed to leave but I did not expect it to be so sudden. One week ago the bank contacted me and told me I had two weeks to get out. I (with lots of help from my parents) shifted into high gear and found a rental in town in Reedley, CA. This last weekend we had longs days of moving which many of you are probably familiar with yourselves. I did not find one rental that would let me have pets and actually rent me the property. So now my focus has intesified for my fury companions as I have until this Saturday, June 6, to find them somewhere to move to. I don't know anyone who can take them. They are not small dogs and have lived in the country their entire life outside amongst the agriculture. They bark at everything (which is good where I have lived), dig, chase after anything small and fury, two have hardly every been around children, and they are 11 years old. All of this adds up to they are not very marketable for adoption. After spending some time this morning on the phone with Kay (I hope I spelled your name right : ] ) from Noah's Friends Animal Sanctuary, I understand how critically overwhelmed shelters are right now. I began with the hope that I would find a shelter to "board" my dogs helped by sending them with their own dog houses, me covering any and all medical bills, plussome sort of monthly financial contribution from me. I hope to recover in a year and get my own place again with the hopes of then being able to re-family my three dogs to me. Here is the bottom line. If I do not find a solution for my dogs by this Saturday...my dog's lives are over. I have been to the SPCA and know of it's process. My dogs will most likely not be candidates for adoption. They are old country dogs. I will not subject them to the trauma of going through the SPCA system. I believe I would be showing them more love by having them fall to sleep in my arms at a quiet vet hospital rather than some stranger who has the most difficult job of euthanizing a whole batch of death row dogs in one day. Please! I will take them anywhere in California to find them a place. Please! Forward this e-mail to all organizations you know in hopes that someone may help. I have dealt with enough loss for one year. I don't want to lose my dogs permanently also. With love and sincerity, Randy Braun Reedley, CA (559) 903-3570 Call day or night
Hello and HELP! Hi to all of you fellow dog lovers on the front lines of animal rescue. My name is Randy Braun and I have three loved ones in need of help immediately. They are three dogs that I have had the joy of being with for the last 11 years. Their names are Spot, Cee Cee (aka Chocolate Cheeks) and Marcella. I've had the first two since birth and the third took in off the streets. This is our story. I just turned 42 and have come full circle in the most difficult year of my life. A year ago April my beautiful wife of 11 years felt she wanted something different and filed for divorce to my dismay. Through many levels of ups and downs I have done what I can to better myself and keep my head up. In this market our house is financially upside down and I can not maintain it on my own. Through much counsel, prayer and struggle it became apparent that I had to let the house go. I always knew the day would come that I needed to leave but I did not expect it to be so sudden. One week ago the bank contacted me and told me I had two weeks to get out. I (with lots of help from my parents) shifted into high gear and found a rental in town in Reedley, CA. This last weekend we had longs days of moving which many of you are probably familiar with yourselves. I did not find one rental that would let me have pets and actually rent me the property. So now my focus has intesified for my fury companions as I have until this Saturday, June 6, to find them somewhere to move to. I don't know anyone who can take them. They are not small dogs and have lived in the country their entire life outside amongst the agriculture. They bark at everything (which is good where I have lived), dig, chase after anything small and fury, two have hardly every been around children, and they are 11 years old. All of this adds up to they are not very marketable for adoption. After spending some time this morning on the phone with Kay (I hope I spelled your name right : ] ) from Noah's Friends Animal Sanctuary, I understand how critically overwhelmed shelters are right now. I began with the hope that I would find a shelter to "board" my dogs helped by sending them with their own dog houses, me covering any and all medical bills, plussome sort of monthly financial contribution from me. I hope to recover in a year and get my own place again with the hopes of then being able to re-family my three dogs to me. Here is the bottom line. If I do not find a solution for my dogs by this Saturday...my dog's lives are over. I have been to the SPCA and know of it's process. My dogs will most likely not be candidates for adoption. They are old country dogs. I will not subject them to the trauma of going through the SPCA system. I believe I would be showing them more love by having them fall to sleep in my arms at a quiet vet hospital rather than some stranger who has the most difficult job of euthanizing a whole batch of death row dogs in one day. Please! I will take them anywhere in California to find them a place. Please! Forward this e-mail to all organizations you know in hopes that someone may help. I have dealt with enough loss for one year. I don't want to lose my dogs permanently also. With love and sincerity, Randy Braun Reedley, CA (559) 903-3570 Call day or night
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Save Sasha
Please click on link and sign petition. They are trying to remove this dog from it's home saying it's a pitbull. I won't even get into the BSL discussion. But this dog isn't even a pitbull. They also have a page on facebook titled 'Save Sasha'. Thanks!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/19/Please-Save-Sasha
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/19/Please-Save-Sasha
Monday, June 1, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Best Friends Pictures 5/09
Click on the link below to see pictures from my latest trip to Best Friends:
http://myjourneytothebestfriendsanimals.shutterfly.com/
http://myjourneytothebestfriendsanimals.shutterfly.com/
Sunday, May 24, 2009
And Again, I Cry
Blue Bear, a dog residing at Best Friends, had to be euthanized yesterday. They took him up to Angels Landing, a beautiful spot in the canyon (one of many). This is an email I received from one of his caregivers:
Blue Bear
11 caregivers
2 vet techs
5 cheeseburgers
1 red blanket
over the Rainbow Bridge
We should all be so lucky to go out this way.
Blue Bear
11 caregivers
2 vet techs
5 cheeseburgers
1 red blanket
over the Rainbow Bridge
We should all be so lucky to go out this way.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Today I Cried
Today I cried. Which, if you know me, isn't exactly unusual. Especially these days. But today, I cried for a dog. Now, you might think that since I'm crying that the dog must be hurt or have died. But you'd be wrong. Let me back up a little. When I was at Best Friends in September I took a dog named Scratch on an overnight. I fell for him. Hard. So, now I'm back and have spent some quality time with the guy. So today I was asked if I wanted to take him on an outing. Well, duh! Of course I did. I was planning to take him to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. I started to walk out to the car with Scratch and it starting raining. Hard. I realized I needed a blanket to lay in the back seat (it is a rental, after all) and went to go back to get one, but Scratch wasn't having it. I promised him a car ride and he wasn't budging. So, I asked someone to get me a blanket while I stood in the pouring rain with a very stubborn dog. Once I got the blanket, into the car we went and I headed out to get some gas, hoping that the rain would stop by the time the car was all gassed up. Halfway to the gas station, I looked back, and it was what I saw then that made me cry. Scratch, laying in that backseat, in absolute heaven. He had the most contented look on his face. And all I could think of was that all this dog wants is a warm place to lay his head. Warm and quiet. Now don't bet me wrong, if a dog has to live out the rest of his days at Best Friends, he's still got it pretty good. But all he wants is that warm, quiet place. I wish you could have seen him. Crying. Me. I couldn't help myself.
So, you might be wondering if we ever made it to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Well, we did. The rain stopped and we went. But I almost didn't have the heart to make him get out of the car. But, I'm glad I did because he did seem to enjoy himself. We got back to Best Friends early so, instead of bringing him back inside, I got in the back seat with him and read to him. Yup, and the book was 'If Bones Would Rain From the Sky'. Pretty appropriate I must say. And he laid his head on my lap, and sighed. And I cried.
So, you might be wondering if we ever made it to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. Well, we did. The rain stopped and we went. But I almost didn't have the heart to make him get out of the car. But, I'm glad I did because he did seem to enjoy himself. We got back to Best Friends early so, instead of bringing him back inside, I got in the back seat with him and read to him. Yup, and the book was 'If Bones Would Rain From the Sky'. Pretty appropriate I must say. And he laid his head on my lap, and sighed. And I cried.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Wonderful News Story About a Dog Hero
http://abcnews.go.com/US/AmazingAnimals/story?id=7587664&page=1
Friday, May 8, 2009
Great Advice About Finding Pit Bull Housing
This is from the Best Friends website:
Finding Pit Bull Housing
May 7, 2009 : 7:40 PM
Are you and your pit bull looking to rent a house or apartment? Get the right information from a woman who knows!
By Jessica Smith, Best Friends volunteer
It is not easy to find a rental that will accommodate a pit bull. In today’s tough economic times, it is becoming even more arduous. People are losing their homes and are unable to find anywhere to take their pit bulls, so, many are ending up in shelters.
Shelters are not a good place for dogs, especially family dogs that once had a home and a family of their own. Before getting any dog, but especially a pit bull, you truly need to examine your future and make a smart decision on whether or not you will be able to take care of this dog for his entire life. Dogs are a commitment, and pit bulls are an even bigger one.
When you decide to move, make sure to allow yourself enough time to research what is out there. Most commercial insurance policies do not cover pit bulls or any other exploited breeds, but some do. Most apartment complexes do not allow dogs over 30 pounds. With this in mind, options are drastically narrowed down, but there is still hope so do not stop there!
You do not want to have to hide your dog, so be open and honest with landlords. Tell them you have a pit bull and request that they meet him or her so they can see for themselves that you have a good dog. If you are currently renting and your landlord has approved your dog, ask for a referral letter.
You have to think in the future
If your rental agreement clearly states “No pit bulls” and your landlord finds out that you are harboring a pit bull in your apartment, you will undoubtedly be given you two options: 1- Get rid of Fido or 2- Move out. Unfortunately, many people choose the first option, but if you are smart about this process from the beginning, you will never be faced with that ultimatum. If there is a possibility you might be moving, start looking for pit bull friendly rentals now!
Research, Research, Research!
This cannot be stressed enough. Use your resources. Talk to other pit bull owners. Go to a local shelter and see if they have any recommendations. Post an ad on Craigslist or another site. Reach out! Speaking for myself, and a million other pit bull lovers, if someone came up to me and said “I’m going to have to give up my dog if I can’t find somewhere to live with him,” I will drop everything I am doing to help find you a home.
Personally, I posted an ad on Craigslist when I was looking for a pit bull friendly rental and I received an abundance of responses! I was descriptive about my dogs’ breeds, ages, names, history and included my price range. I also attached a couple pictures of the dogs. Most of the responses I received were for houses that were farther than I wanted to drive but, hands down, I would have taken a longer commute to keep my dogs.
Be innovative
If you find a rental home that is perfect for you but they don’t allow pit bulls, ask them why. If their answer is due to insurance, ask them if they would be willing to let you get a quote from someone who does cover the breed. Why not? If there is an increase in the cost of insurance, offer to pay the difference with your monthly rent. Or offer to get your own renter’s insurance policy. I recently obtained a quote from State Farm for a policy and they will cover ANY dog as long as it has not bitten anyone and has not been trained for attack purposes. I have to add; it was very inexpensive coming in at $125 per year which is only about $10.50 per month!
Train your dog!
Take your dog to obedience classes. Walk your dog, run with your dog. If your dog is well behaved, it will make a difference. Happy hunting!
For more information links:
• Join the Stop BDL community for more information on how you can help put an end to breed discrimination.
• Learn more about breed bans at the National Canine Research Council.
• Learn how to find pet friendly housing: How to Find Pet-Friendly Housing.
• Moving?: Read Taking Your Pet When You Move.
Stock photo by Molly Wald, Best Friends staff
Posted by Fran Farrell, Best Friends staff
Finding Pit Bull Housing
May 7, 2009 : 7:40 PM
Are you and your pit bull looking to rent a house or apartment? Get the right information from a woman who knows!
By Jessica Smith, Best Friends volunteer
It is not easy to find a rental that will accommodate a pit bull. In today’s tough economic times, it is becoming even more arduous. People are losing their homes and are unable to find anywhere to take their pit bulls, so, many are ending up in shelters.
Shelters are not a good place for dogs, especially family dogs that once had a home and a family of their own. Before getting any dog, but especially a pit bull, you truly need to examine your future and make a smart decision on whether or not you will be able to take care of this dog for his entire life. Dogs are a commitment, and pit bulls are an even bigger one.
When you decide to move, make sure to allow yourself enough time to research what is out there. Most commercial insurance policies do not cover pit bulls or any other exploited breeds, but some do. Most apartment complexes do not allow dogs over 30 pounds. With this in mind, options are drastically narrowed down, but there is still hope so do not stop there!
You do not want to have to hide your dog, so be open and honest with landlords. Tell them you have a pit bull and request that they meet him or her so they can see for themselves that you have a good dog. If you are currently renting and your landlord has approved your dog, ask for a referral letter.
You have to think in the future
If your rental agreement clearly states “No pit bulls” and your landlord finds out that you are harboring a pit bull in your apartment, you will undoubtedly be given you two options: 1- Get rid of Fido or 2- Move out. Unfortunately, many people choose the first option, but if you are smart about this process from the beginning, you will never be faced with that ultimatum. If there is a possibility you might be moving, start looking for pit bull friendly rentals now!
Research, Research, Research!
This cannot be stressed enough. Use your resources. Talk to other pit bull owners. Go to a local shelter and see if they have any recommendations. Post an ad on Craigslist or another site. Reach out! Speaking for myself, and a million other pit bull lovers, if someone came up to me and said “I’m going to have to give up my dog if I can’t find somewhere to live with him,” I will drop everything I am doing to help find you a home.
Personally, I posted an ad on Craigslist when I was looking for a pit bull friendly rental and I received an abundance of responses! I was descriptive about my dogs’ breeds, ages, names, history and included my price range. I also attached a couple pictures of the dogs. Most of the responses I received were for houses that were farther than I wanted to drive but, hands down, I would have taken a longer commute to keep my dogs.
Be innovative
If you find a rental home that is perfect for you but they don’t allow pit bulls, ask them why. If their answer is due to insurance, ask them if they would be willing to let you get a quote from someone who does cover the breed. Why not? If there is an increase in the cost of insurance, offer to pay the difference with your monthly rent. Or offer to get your own renter’s insurance policy. I recently obtained a quote from State Farm for a policy and they will cover ANY dog as long as it has not bitten anyone and has not been trained for attack purposes. I have to add; it was very inexpensive coming in at $125 per year which is only about $10.50 per month!
Train your dog!
Take your dog to obedience classes. Walk your dog, run with your dog. If your dog is well behaved, it will make a difference. Happy hunting!
For more information links:
• Join the Stop BDL community for more information on how you can help put an end to breed discrimination.
• Learn more about breed bans at the National Canine Research Council.
• Learn how to find pet friendly housing: How to Find Pet-Friendly Housing.
• Moving?: Read Taking Your Pet When You Move.
Stock photo by Molly Wald, Best Friends staff
Posted by Fran Farrell, Best Friends staff
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Friday, May 1, 2009
Should Pit Bulls Be Taken off The Vicious Dog List?
From the Best Friends website:
Should Pit Bulls Be Taken Off The Vicious Dog List?
May 1, 2009 : 11:43 AM
Cast Your Vote Now!
An Ohio news station is running a web poll asking people if they believe pit bulls should be taken off the vicious dog list in Ohio.
The "yes" votes are winning... let's keep it that way! PLEASE VOTE!
You have to click the link in order to vote.
http://www.wsyx6.com/shared/newsroom/poll/wsyx_web_poll_form.shtml
Stock photo by Clay Myers, Best Friends Staff
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff
Should Pit Bulls Be Taken Off The Vicious Dog List?
May 1, 2009 : 11:43 AM
Cast Your Vote Now!
An Ohio news station is running a web poll asking people if they believe pit bulls should be taken off the vicious dog list in Ohio.
The "yes" votes are winning... let's keep it that way! PLEASE VOTE!
You have to click the link in order to vote.
http://www.wsyx6.com/shared/newsroom/poll/wsyx_web_poll_form.shtml
Stock photo by Clay Myers, Best Friends Staff
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Guiness
I wanted to share this picture I took of a beautiful Huskey that I met in the park yesterday.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Why I Am the Way I Am About Dogs
Someone recently said to me something about how I really love dogs. He said it in kind of a sarcastic (but playful) way. I haven't really been able to get it out of my mind. It doesn't bother me really, but I thought it would be worth it to explain where I'm coming from.
I always loved dogs. Growing up we had german shephards. I also had cats. But, as an adult, I never had a dog until Bella. And I've only had her since 2005. She really changed a lot in my life. But, the reason I am so into rescue, and pitbulls, and no-kill, etc. is because of the Oprah Winfrey show about puppy mills. It wasn't so much the puppy mills that outraged me. Oh, I was outraged, but I kind of knew about them already. What got to me was the segment in the shelter. They showed a shelter employee go around and systimatically pick out the dogs who were going to die that day. These were perfectly healthy dogs, but they were out of room in the shelter. They showed him give the injection to one of the dogs. Place the body in a garbage bag, and throw it in the dump with dozens of other dogs. This they called euthanasia. This is not euthanasia. This is murder, pure and simple. I knew dogs were killed in shelters. I knew. We can bury our heads in the sand for only so long. But then something happens - for me it was seeing this show, and it changes you forever. I knew from that moment on, that I would not just sit back and pretend like this kind of thing doesn't happen every day. I don't do much, but I do what I can. I wish it could be more. It horrifies and upsets me that this kind of thing goes on in a place called a 'shelter'. They can do better. There is a man out there that has given very good and viable suggestions and plans, yet people fight him and say it can't be done. Well, it can and he's proven it. His name is Nathan Winograd and he wrote a book called Redemption. It is just not necessary to be killing healthy, innocent animals. And it shouldn't be acceptable.
"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul."
-- Arnold Bennett
I always loved dogs. Growing up we had german shephards. I also had cats. But, as an adult, I never had a dog until Bella. And I've only had her since 2005. She really changed a lot in my life. But, the reason I am so into rescue, and pitbulls, and no-kill, etc. is because of the Oprah Winfrey show about puppy mills. It wasn't so much the puppy mills that outraged me. Oh, I was outraged, but I kind of knew about them already. What got to me was the segment in the shelter. They showed a shelter employee go around and systimatically pick out the dogs who were going to die that day. These were perfectly healthy dogs, but they were out of room in the shelter. They showed him give the injection to one of the dogs. Place the body in a garbage bag, and throw it in the dump with dozens of other dogs. This they called euthanasia. This is not euthanasia. This is murder, pure and simple. I knew dogs were killed in shelters. I knew. We can bury our heads in the sand for only so long. But then something happens - for me it was seeing this show, and it changes you forever. I knew from that moment on, that I would not just sit back and pretend like this kind of thing doesn't happen every day. I don't do much, but I do what I can. I wish it could be more. It horrifies and upsets me that this kind of thing goes on in a place called a 'shelter'. They can do better. There is a man out there that has given very good and viable suggestions and plans, yet people fight him and say it can't be done. Well, it can and he's proven it. His name is Nathan Winograd and he wrote a book called Redemption. It is just not necessary to be killing healthy, innocent animals. And it shouldn't be acceptable.
"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul."
-- Arnold Bennett
Quote
I love this quote:
" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion" - Unknown
" He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion" - Unknown
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Theresa Looking for her Furever Home
This is Theresa from Best Friends. She just starred on Dogtown last Friday. She is in search of her furever home:
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Nutro
If you feed your pet Nutro, please check the link below:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/04/nutro_foia.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/04/nutro_foia.html
Friday, April 17, 2009
Saber Alert System for Lost Dogs in MA
I had no idea such a thing existed, but apparently there is a Saber Alert System that can be used when a dog is lost for 48 hours or more in MA. Here is a link for more info:
http://www.acoam.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=66
http://www.acoam.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=6&Itemid=66
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Petition to Replace the Current Board of Directors of NYACC
When you click on the link there will be an explanation of why is is so necessary to sign this petition:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/22/a-petition-to-replace-the-current-board-of-directors-of-nycacc
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/22/a-petition-to-replace-the-current-board-of-directors-of-nycacc
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Looking to Foster a Sweet Dog?
Underdog ResQ is desperately seeking a foster home for sweet Rose:
Underdog ResQ Desperately seeking a new foster home for Rose. Her foster parent's cats do not like her presence and one injured herself running away while Rose tried to play. We'll have to board her. :( Please spread the word - she needs a foster home or permanent home. Learn more about fostering on http://www.underdogresq.org/HowCanIHelp/FosterCareFAQs.asp
Underdog ResQ Desperately seeking a new foster home for Rose. Her foster parent's cats do not like her presence and one injured herself running away while Rose tried to play. We'll have to board her. :( Please spread the word - she needs a foster home or permanent home. Learn more about fostering on http://www.underdogresq.org/HowCanIHelp/FosterCareFAQs.asp
The Animal Rescue Site Shelter Challenge
Please vote for your favorite shelter:
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/shelterchallenge.faces
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
What Happened to Michael Vick's Dogs
For anyone who missed it (like me!), there was an article in Sports Illustrated about the Michael Vick Dogs. You can view that article here:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/magazine/12/22/vick.dogs/index.html
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/magazine/12/22/vick.dogs/index.html
Monday, April 13, 2009
Goober
This is Goober who is available for adoption. He is currently residing at Best Friends in Kanab, UT.
Careers With Animals
I am at a crossroads in my life. Well, that's not exactly accurate. I've been in this place for several years now. But, quite frankly, I'm sick of being here. It's time for a career change. Problem is, I'm trapped in a job that is sucking away at my soul. I've been in this job for 12 years and need this job to pay my mortgage.
What I really want to do is work with dogs or horses. My dream job would be to have my own rescue that specializes in bully breeds. Or to open a 'pet' store that only has rescue dogs. I have no business background at this point.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find work with animals that will pay enough for me to live on. So, I'm looking for suggestions and/or ideas. Here's what's out for me - Vet or Vet Tech. I just don't have the stomach for it. I'll be looking for any and all suggestions.
What I really want to do is work with dogs or horses. My dream job would be to have my own rescue that specializes in bully breeds. Or to open a 'pet' store that only has rescue dogs. I have no business background at this point.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find work with animals that will pay enough for me to live on. So, I'm looking for suggestions and/or ideas. Here's what's out for me - Vet or Vet Tech. I just don't have the stomach for it. I'll be looking for any and all suggestions.
$1M Mo. animal shelter makeover never happened
This is just wrong. This really upsets me. This was a highly publicized contest, not only on Zootoo's website, but in the media as well. Randy Grim, who has written 2 wonderful books (well, I've only read one, but I assume the other one is just as tood. The books are 'The Man Who Talks to Dogs' and 'Miracle Dog'.), is a wonderful man who works endlessly for homeless dogs in MI, and in his shelter, Stray Rescue - http://www.strayrescue.org/.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/new_jersey/20090408_ap_1mmoanimalsheltermakeoverneverhappened.html
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/new_jersey/20090408_ap_1mmoanimalsheltermakeoverneverhappened.html
State of Massachusetts Animal Response Team
For anyone who lives in MA, if you're interested in volunteering to help animals in disasters, this is a great website with lots of trainings you can attend:
http://www.smart-mass.org/
http://www.smart-mass.org/
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Dog Food
If you're curious at all about what you're feeding your dog, check out this awesome website. I warn you though, it is a realy eye-opener for those who aren't educated about dog food.
http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/truthaboutpetfood.htm
http://www.acreaturecomfort.com/truthaboutpetfood.htm
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Spicey
I know this is a blog about dogs, but I felt the need to write a little something about my cat. You see, my cat has cancer. This does not surprise me. He's barely eating. Just eating some wet food right now. But I really knew something was wrong when I left a trash bag out for 2 days and he never even tried to get into it.
Spicey has never been a 'normal' cat. On the way home from the shelter, some 14 years ago, he let out gas (lots of it) all the way home. He got into the trash if I left it out. I couldn't leave food out. Ever. Or he would eat it. Didn't matter what it was. He ate SOAP. He licked aerosol cans. And he vomitted. A lot. ALL the time. His poop was, as my father put it, the size of buffalo poop. And it stunk! There were many times I wanted to dropkick him right off my deck. I'm not going to lie, he drove me nuts. It was definitely a love/hate relationship. I even seriously considered re-homing him. But when it came right down to it, I just couldn't bring myself to let him go. He is a love. Always wants to be right there with you. He LOVES going out on the deck and laying out in the sun. I hope he makes it a bit longer so he can enjoy that luxury a little while longer. As I mentioned, he came from a shelter. I really believe there's something going on with his brain. He's just never really been right. And now that he's really sick - no more vomitting. Go figure!
I will miss Spice. He's been a permanent fixture in my life for 14 years. He's put up with a lot himself. I had him de-clawed. That's right. I did it. But it was either that, or I couldn't keep him. He handled it quite well. He never went outside except to lay on the deck. He went from being the king of the house to taking a backseat to not just one, but now TWO dogs. And he always stood his ground and let both dogs know who's boss.
Even now, he still purrs like a train and lays on my shoulder looking for some love.
Spice, I really will miss you...
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Just a Dog
From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog,"or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog."They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog."Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog,"but I did not once feel slighted.Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog,"and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understandphrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise.""Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust,and pure unbridled joy."Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.Because of "just a dog", I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment."Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts awayfrom myself and the worries of the day.I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog",but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being"just a man or woman."So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog"just smile...because they "just don't understand."
by Richard Biby
by Richard Biby
Friday, April 3, 2009
Standing up Against PETA
I want to share a post from a woman named Michelle who I know from a message board I frequent. She writes about her experience with PETA and how she stood up for what she believes in despite being one of the only people in the room who felt that way. It made me want to stand up and cheer. I was given permission by Michelle to post:
Last night I engaged in a little legal, non-violent, social dissent. Dan Matthews the exec. VP of PeTA (People for the ethical Treatment of Animals (the lowercase e is thier's not mine)) gave a lecture at my school. Of course, I had to go. Many of you probably do not know it, but I am staunchly anti-PeTA. I won't get into a discussion of my views here, but if you have any questions on how a devoted animal lover like myself could hate an organization that is "for the animals," please check out the website: www.petakillsanimals.com. You will be shocked and appalled. If you can only read one page, I would read this one: http://www.petakillsanimals.com/article_detail.cfm?article=134 There are also some great informative videos on PeTA on Youtube, if you search for videos posted by PSVIDZ08. I've never been much of a protestor. I have spoken out about things I don't agree with at meetings etc. I have written to and spoken to congress people about issues. I've written articles. I've educated a lot of people about subjects I'm passionate about. However, I have never been the sign holding, flyer dispensing, one angry woman against the world type. But I decided to make an exception last night. I decided to post my experience, as a few people have asked me about it. I started off the evening by putting up my flyers in each stall in the lady's room outside the lecture hall. Then I seated myself in the small terraced lecture hall so that there were people behind me on both sides. I then took out my laptop and nonchallantly started playing the PSVIDZ08 YouTube videos. Mostly I played the ones about PeTA killing animals, the Vick dogs and medical research. I occassionally moved my laptop to garner a new audience. People saw them. One guy behind me was watching the Vick video which starts by showing pictures of happy pits with their names under them. He pointed out a few of the dogs' names to his friends. Once the info about PeTA calling for thier deaths came on the screen there was no more talking. While I was playing the video of the animals PeTA killed and threw in the dumpster, a woman behind me but across the aisle stage whispered to her friend (or husband) "LOOK AT THAT! Look what she has on her laptop." I smiled nicely and positioned the laptop so she could see better. She was there to thank PeTA for thier help with getting pets into condos... which is funny since PeTA's goal is "total animal liberation" which includes no pets. I sat politely through the talk. Mr. Matthews is a very engaging speaker: handsome, approachable and humorous. They chose their voice well. He knows his stuff and is good at deflecting negativity. But... I'm not so bad myself (despite the fact that I was horribly nervous and my hands were shaking the entire time). I have to give it to him that he called on me twice and then shook my hand after. But then again, PeTA is all about looks. There was one dissenting voice besides mine. A guy brought up the Vick dogs, which was nice because I couldn't get to them. The rest of the people there were PeTA supporters. I brought up two issues: 1. The 97% kill rate of last year. He countered with pet overpopulation and said that it was an emotional issue. I countered with puppies and kittens were killed in a van. I brought pictures. After this, people boo'ed me and one girl shouted "why are you even here? Why don't you just leave?" I've never been boo'ed in my life, so this was a surprising if not novel experience for me. They then gave Mr Matthews a round of applause (brought about by a rabbi in the audience, which I find hilarious due to PeTA's stance on Kosher slaughter that states that Jews have misinterpreted the Torah and PeTA's depiction of the killing of chickens as a holocaust complete with pictures of dead holocaust victims. 2. I brought up their tax exampt status in light of them supporting FBI recognized terrorists and convicted criminals with donations and legal defense. He countered with they don't endorse violent behavior and don't support the groups. I countered with they gave them donations, so doesn't that mean they support them. He replied that that is up to interpretation stating: "You decide." Afterwards, I left flyers on the desk where I was seated. I walked down past Mr. Matthews and he turned to me and said thank you for your interesting questions. Then he shook my hand. I said, thank you sir. You are a very engaging speaker. However, I do not agree with your beliefs. He then said, we probably are not that different, you and I. I said, well that may be true about some issues but not about others. I do not believe in animal abuse. I am active with rescue. I work with therapy dogs. I work with the disabled community who use service dogs, which PeTA is against. I am studying to be a doctor, so I believe in animal research, as 80-90% of what we know with medicine is based on animal research. He said I should read the study out last year from the NIS about that. I told him that I had indeed read the study and it had some good points, but also several innaccuracies. I then said, sir, you said at the beginning of the lecture that you use no animal products of any kind. He smiled and said, oh yes, that's VERY important to me. I said, Sir, do you ever get vaccinations? He said yes and started to look nervous. Someone came up to him and started to draw him away. I spoke a little lounder and said sir, vaccinations are make in eggs. Think about that the next time you have your tetanus shot. Then I left. On my way out, I left a bunch of flyers by the sign for the lecture. I've never been the ONLY dissenting person in a room. Even when I have gone up against other issues (like mandatory s/n and some school stuff), I have never been the ONLY one. I found the experience to be very lonely and very scary. I was actually pretty surprised by my reaction, as I am usually a bit of a tough cookie about stuff and tend to speak well in public. I guess it was in part due to the slick image they have. If you didn't know any of the other stuff, you would think from his presentation that PeTA is this wonderful, SMALL, caring organization. And that he is this lovely handsome man, who was picked on as a kid and came from a poor background and just wants to help the animals. The audience didn't help, as they all believed the hype. I, on the otherhand, wanted to SCREAM! I knew that by my questions (I tried to be nice... really I did ...but how can you be nice about thier kill rate? ) I was being protrayed as the bad person who hates animals... because I disagree with PeTA. That really bothered me. So all in all, it was very nerve wracking... but I did it. In my nervousness some things didn't come across how I would have wished them to... but at least I did it. Hopefully, at least one person will read a flyer or have seen a video or listened to my questions and look for more information. Hopefully.
Last night I engaged in a little legal, non-violent, social dissent. Dan Matthews the exec. VP of PeTA (People for the ethical Treatment of Animals (the lowercase e is thier's not mine)) gave a lecture at my school. Of course, I had to go. Many of you probably do not know it, but I am staunchly anti-PeTA. I won't get into a discussion of my views here, but if you have any questions on how a devoted animal lover like myself could hate an organization that is "for the animals," please check out the website: www.petakillsanimals.com. You will be shocked and appalled. If you can only read one page, I would read this one: http://www.petakillsanimals.com/article_detail.cfm?article=134 There are also some great informative videos on PeTA on Youtube, if you search for videos posted by PSVIDZ08. I've never been much of a protestor. I have spoken out about things I don't agree with at meetings etc. I have written to and spoken to congress people about issues. I've written articles. I've educated a lot of people about subjects I'm passionate about. However, I have never been the sign holding, flyer dispensing, one angry woman against the world type. But I decided to make an exception last night. I decided to post my experience, as a few people have asked me about it. I started off the evening by putting up my flyers in each stall in the lady's room outside the lecture hall. Then I seated myself in the small terraced lecture hall so that there were people behind me on both sides. I then took out my laptop and nonchallantly started playing the PSVIDZ08 YouTube videos. Mostly I played the ones about PeTA killing animals, the Vick dogs and medical research. I occassionally moved my laptop to garner a new audience. People saw them. One guy behind me was watching the Vick video which starts by showing pictures of happy pits with their names under them. He pointed out a few of the dogs' names to his friends. Once the info about PeTA calling for thier deaths came on the screen there was no more talking. While I was playing the video of the animals PeTA killed and threw in the dumpster, a woman behind me but across the aisle stage whispered to her friend (or husband) "LOOK AT THAT! Look what she has on her laptop." I smiled nicely and positioned the laptop so she could see better. She was there to thank PeTA for thier help with getting pets into condos... which is funny since PeTA's goal is "total animal liberation" which includes no pets. I sat politely through the talk. Mr. Matthews is a very engaging speaker: handsome, approachable and humorous. They chose their voice well. He knows his stuff and is good at deflecting negativity. But... I'm not so bad myself (despite the fact that I was horribly nervous and my hands were shaking the entire time). I have to give it to him that he called on me twice and then shook my hand after. But then again, PeTA is all about looks. There was one dissenting voice besides mine. A guy brought up the Vick dogs, which was nice because I couldn't get to them. The rest of the people there were PeTA supporters. I brought up two issues: 1. The 97% kill rate of last year. He countered with pet overpopulation and said that it was an emotional issue. I countered with puppies and kittens were killed in a van. I brought pictures. After this, people boo'ed me and one girl shouted "why are you even here? Why don't you just leave?" I've never been boo'ed in my life, so this was a surprising if not novel experience for me. They then gave Mr Matthews a round of applause (brought about by a rabbi in the audience, which I find hilarious due to PeTA's stance on Kosher slaughter that states that Jews have misinterpreted the Torah and PeTA's depiction of the killing of chickens as a holocaust complete with pictures of dead holocaust victims. 2. I brought up their tax exampt status in light of them supporting FBI recognized terrorists and convicted criminals with donations and legal defense. He countered with they don't endorse violent behavior and don't support the groups. I countered with they gave them donations, so doesn't that mean they support them. He replied that that is up to interpretation stating: "You decide." Afterwards, I left flyers on the desk where I was seated. I walked down past Mr. Matthews and he turned to me and said thank you for your interesting questions. Then he shook my hand. I said, thank you sir. You are a very engaging speaker. However, I do not agree with your beliefs. He then said, we probably are not that different, you and I. I said, well that may be true about some issues but not about others. I do not believe in animal abuse. I am active with rescue. I work with therapy dogs. I work with the disabled community who use service dogs, which PeTA is against. I am studying to be a doctor, so I believe in animal research, as 80-90% of what we know with medicine is based on animal research. He said I should read the study out last year from the NIS about that. I told him that I had indeed read the study and it had some good points, but also several innaccuracies. I then said, sir, you said at the beginning of the lecture that you use no animal products of any kind. He smiled and said, oh yes, that's VERY important to me. I said, Sir, do you ever get vaccinations? He said yes and started to look nervous. Someone came up to him and started to draw him away. I spoke a little lounder and said sir, vaccinations are make in eggs. Think about that the next time you have your tetanus shot. Then I left. On my way out, I left a bunch of flyers by the sign for the lecture. I've never been the ONLY dissenting person in a room. Even when I have gone up against other issues (like mandatory s/n and some school stuff), I have never been the ONLY one. I found the experience to be very lonely and very scary. I was actually pretty surprised by my reaction, as I am usually a bit of a tough cookie about stuff and tend to speak well in public. I guess it was in part due to the slick image they have. If you didn't know any of the other stuff, you would think from his presentation that PeTA is this wonderful, SMALL, caring organization. And that he is this lovely handsome man, who was picked on as a kid and came from a poor background and just wants to help the animals. The audience didn't help, as they all believed the hype. I, on the otherhand, wanted to SCREAM! I knew that by my questions (I tried to be nice... really I did ...but how can you be nice about thier kill rate? ) I was being protrayed as the bad person who hates animals... because I disagree with PeTA. That really bothered me. So all in all, it was very nerve wracking... but I did it. In my nervousness some things didn't come across how I would have wished them to... but at least I did it. Hopefully, at least one person will read a flyer or have seen a video or listened to my questions and look for more information. Hopefully.
Article on BSL
I want to share this really wonderful article on Breed Specific Legislation:
http://expositionhat.blogspot.com/
http://expositionhat.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 2, 2009
ShelterSource
I want to recommend a great website called ShelterSource Community. It has a forum and has tons of resources for animal advocates:
http://sheltersource.ning.com/
http://sheltersource.ning.com/
I want to share this account of someone who just visited Best Friends last month. It's really wonderful and gives a great overview of what Best Friends is like, particularly Dogtown. And what it's like to volunteer there. Enjoy!
http://xaqtly.com/bestfriends
http://xaqtly.com/bestfriends
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Book Recommendation
I'd like to recommend a very important book for no-kill advocates called Redemption, by Nathan Winograd. It really is a must read.
http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Myth-Overpopulation-Revolution-America/dp/0979074304
http://www.amazon.com/Redemption-Myth-Overpopulation-Revolution-America/dp/0979074304
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
You can't have a dog blog without pictures of, well, dogs.
This is Scratch. He is currently living at Best Friends and waiting for his forever home. He is a love! He was one of my sleepover dogs when I volunteered in September (And my fave. But please don't tell the other dogs). I believe he would need to be an only dog.
What is WRONG With People??
This was an actual conversation I had with somebody a couple of days ago -
A 'friend' was talking about her brand new puppy, a black lab. She mentioned that another friend had to pay $4000.00 when her dog ate a popsicle stick. This 'friend' said to me that if she had to put out that kind of money for her brand new little puppy that, truthfully, she would have to put him to sleep. I am not joking! She said she has to keep a roof over her head and what else is she supposed to do. Honestly, I was speechless. Once I got my voice back I told her that when you get a dog you never know what expenses he or she may incur. Much like a child. She said 'well at least there's insurance for your children'. I said 'well there is pet insurance'. Her response? There is? Seriously, some people have no business having pets. Or children for that matter.
A 'friend' was talking about her brand new puppy, a black lab. She mentioned that another friend had to pay $4000.00 when her dog ate a popsicle stick. This 'friend' said to me that if she had to put out that kind of money for her brand new little puppy that, truthfully, she would have to put him to sleep. I am not joking! She said she has to keep a roof over her head and what else is she supposed to do. Honestly, I was speechless. Once I got my voice back I told her that when you get a dog you never know what expenses he or she may incur. Much like a child. She said 'well at least there's insurance for your children'. I said 'well there is pet insurance'. Her response? There is? Seriously, some people have no business having pets. Or children for that matter.
Dogtown
I want to recommend a wonderful show on tv called Dogtown. Dogtown follows the dogs that live in the real 'Dogtown' at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT. It really showcases all the wonderful work the staff and volunteers do at the Sanctuary. The show is on Fridays at 10pm EST on the National Geographic Channel.
Below is a synopsis for the next show that will be airing this Friday (reprinted from the Best Friends website):
Season Three - Episode 3: Starting over
Original air date: 4/3/2009.
Two homeless dogs named Haley and Hana are rescued from an underground cave in Ethiopia, where it is believed they survived for more than two months after being dumped there by locals. Can behavior consultant Sherry Woodard help the street dogs overcome their fears and improve their social skills in order to take on a domestic world?
Also, Hugo, a 100-pound bloodhound, is returned to Dogtown after seriously biting a family member. Trainer Pat Whitacre teaches him a safer way to interact. And a golden retriever, Ava, has just arrived with a paw ripped apart by a coyote trap. Dr. Patti Iampietro will take a chance and remove just two of Ava’s toes in an attempt to save the leg. Will this playful dog get back her full and active life?
Below is a synopsis for the next show that will be airing this Friday (reprinted from the Best Friends website):
Season Three - Episode 3: Starting over
Original air date: 4/3/2009.
Two homeless dogs named Haley and Hana are rescued from an underground cave in Ethiopia, where it is believed they survived for more than two months after being dumped there by locals. Can behavior consultant Sherry Woodard help the street dogs overcome their fears and improve their social skills in order to take on a domestic world?
Also, Hugo, a 100-pound bloodhound, is returned to Dogtown after seriously biting a family member. Trainer Pat Whitacre teaches him a safer way to interact. And a golden retriever, Ava, has just arrived with a paw ripped apart by a coyote trap. Dr. Patti Iampietro will take a chance and remove just two of Ava’s toes in an attempt to save the leg. Will this playful dog get back her full and active life?
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