Perfect Pairs!

This morning I opened an advertisement in my email box from Lord and Taylor- they are having a super sandal sale- and what do I see? I pittie mix features with the shoe-model! I was so excited, I looked into it and found out that it is indeed part of a campaign called "Perfect Pairs". They've teamed up with Best Friends and local shelters to host an adoption event in conjunction with their Sandal Sale.

Each of the dogs in their ads is up for adoption with the local partners! I love it!

To find info on your Local L&T and their local partner shelter, click here.

Adora-BULL videos

check out this cuteness from a super cute (& vocal) pibble who really doesn't want a bath.
Winnie hates baths so much she won't even set FOOT in the bathroom!



And this one, where a pibble is whining not to go to bed. Bruno does this all the time, but the howling is so cute sometimes, its hard to resist.

Help for the Holidays

All it takes is one person, one dollar, one minute to save one dog- if we work together to support rescues. Please keep rescue groups in your heart these holidays. See what good can come of your small efforts:

Riding out Irene with the Pups

Well, Hurricane Irene barreled through last night, leaving down branches and extensive flooding in her wake, but not much else. Even though there was a tornado headed straight towards us last night- expected to hit Hightstown, NJ at 11:25, we never lost power- or even cable. We grabbed Winnie and Bruno and huddled in the tub in the bathroom- the only room in our house without windows.

Winnie and Bruno were well behaved and slept through the high winds and pounding rain.
Bruno even began cheerily helping with the clean-up of the yard this morning. :)

Unfortunately, our town of Hightstown did not fare so well- and due to flooding of the water treatment center, we can not use the water for an undefined amount of time.

Check out Main Street- once a road, now an extension of Peddie Lake.

Luckily, the canine residents don't seem to mind, watch as this adorable pooch enjoys the new-found swimming pool that once was main street...

(Video courtesy of resident uploads on Patch.com,
check out all the other photos videos of the huge flood here.)

Save a Life... Change your own.

I wish they could all get home, but it is so inspiring to see that so many have found happiness- snuggling up on couches, wearing new collars, and packing on the much needed pounds.

When you rescue one of these dogs, your life changes forever- you know what it means to give life and to receive love, trust and loyalty in return.

Save a life today (and forever change your own)-visit Urgent Part 2 on facebook.

Also, please sign this petition to force the NYC - DOH to build the shelters they were court-ordered to years ago. Read more about it here.

Please Help!

This book can change hearts and minds, plus Bruno and Winnie will be in it!
Help by pledging on kick-start and you can have the book sent to you when it is published!

Pit Bull Art: Gone to the dogs...

Randy Grim with Stray Rescue of St. Louis has been trying to rescue and revitalize the breed through his art. His message is very clear in the various pieces on display now in the Saint Louis University Museum of Art. Some of the pieces were even created by pit bulls themselves (with paws, tails and teeth.)

This art is very inspiring to pit bull lovers because it shows how many creative ways there are to spread the message about this down-trodden mis-understood breed. Words and pictures, blogs and articles, advertisements and public appearences- all help change minds. The more people hear and see both the sad side of the pit bulls' plight as well as the happy side of family life with a pit bull- the more homes these brave animals can have.

I love seeing new and interesting ways to affect peoples' consciences about these dogs and I love what Mr. Grim was able to do with his art.

Read more here.

Pittie of the Week: Fiona

Look at that smile!!!  Fiona is a 2 year old adoptable Pittie in Tampa Bay, Florida.

 She gets along with other dogs, kids and people, but not cats.

Fiona is deaf (as many white dogs can be)- which may be why she has been at the shelter for over a year - but she doesn't seem to know it!

She is a super sweet happy girl who loves to swim and play. (She even puts her nose under the water! Check it out in the video below!)

How can you live without a pittie smile like FiFi's??

This happy girl has basically grown up at the shelter- and while she's had a lot of fun and great experiences, she really needs a home forever.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

"I iz seerius bunnee"

"I's famoose pibble"

"cheeeese"

Alshie Burke writes about FiFi :

 

"This is Fiona. She turned two last October and has been in our rescue, Pit Stop Bully's Rescue, since she was 10 months old. People pass her by due to her deafness. I know, because I took a poll. With the right pack leader she can be in a h...ome with numerous dogs. During pack play at my house she's in a pack of 10-12 dogs at any given time. and loves her time with them. She's not so great with cats. Fiona may be deaf but she's smart as a whip. She's crate/house trained, loves her baths, and LOVES to swim. She even swims with her head under water (pics of this in above video). It's time for her to find a family of her own. She's growing up in rescue becasue she cannot hear. I envy her. I envy the fact that when I walk into a room of barking dogs, Fiona peacefully sleeps. I love that when she wakes up and realizes you're there it's like Christmas morning every time. Thank you for sharing our Fi-Fi and being so obsessed with her. We are to :)"

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To learn more about Fiona and other adoptables, please visit Pit Stop Bully's Rescue.

The History of the Pit Bull

Enjoy this Dog Files Documentary on the Pit Bull...
Share it with your friends, your families, your co-workers.

Training: The Prong Collar

Since we have been having some obedience problems with Bruno- we have been searching for low-cost temporary training solutions until we can afford a behaviorist. Through searching other blogs and resources, we came to find that, not only do all the pit bulls in our neighborhood wear pring collars- most large breed dogs do also.

We noticed that all of our favorite bloggers have been using them as either training collars or as permanent obendience solutions. Even though I thought they looked terrifying and painful, I asked around.

Our blogger-friend Corbin told us,
"I highly recommend the prong training collars. Unlike the choke collars, the prongs don't allow a dog to choke if they pull too much, instead they get a quick pressure around their necks - similar to a correction they would get from their mom as a puppy. I have been able to successfully leash train foster dogs in 5-10 minutes. We had a trainer come out to work with Corbin last year, and that's how I was introduced to them."

Notice Corbin and his pit bull friends are all wearing them:

Watch here how to properly fit a prong collar:

Fitting a Prong Collar from BADRAP.org on Vimeo.

Pit Bull Rescue Central reminds us that while they are useful tools, prong collars should not be used during dog introductions. In addition, if they are used improperly, they can be harmful to your dog.

In this article by Suzanne Clothier, Suzanne explains that dogs learn how to act by understanding (very clearly) that there are advantages and disadvantages to different actions. The advantage to sitting when asked is the potential of getting a treat or a pat on the head. The disadvantage to barking when on a walk is a slight pinch on the neck. With continuous training, it becomes clear which behaviors he or she can and can't do- which actually reduces stress and confusion over time for the dog. Walks ideally become more enjoyable because they know they will not be punished if they avoid unwanted behaviors.

Problems arise when it is not made clear to the dog which behaviors result in positive outcomes. Inconsistent or overly-harsh training may have the reverse effect and cause the dog to act out. Pulling the dog while he is sniffing the sidewalk nicely may confuse him by making him think that that is an unwanted behavior. By only pinching the neck when the dog pulls or barks or behaves inappropriately, he will understand what not to do. We have been letting Bruno sniff and explore and meet other dogs, and getting his attention to continue to walk with other methods- like using treats, toys, and praise.

In addition, the prong collar should not be worn in-doors or left on for extended periods of time, and under no circumstances should the dog be tied or chain with a prong-collar on.

Bad Rap/Facebook

So far, Bruno has been responding to this very well. He has been able to go on longer walks and wait more patiently in the elevator bank. He even is making some friends because he has been barking less.

Hopefully, with time and consistent practice, he will be able to enjoy a walk without agitation and anxiety.

And  remember- Just because a dog is wearing a scary metal collar, it doesn't mean he is not friendly... see?

A Not-So-Public ACC Board Meeting Prompts me to feel Grateful...

As I sit here on my couch with Winnie and Bruno on either side of me, as they try to avoid the heat by laying as still as possible, I am so grateful that neither of them ever have to live at the mercy of cruel and negligent people ever again.

Unfortunately, many animals in New York City are surrendered to Animal Care & Control by their owners who are moving to public housing, who are going away on a military deployment, or who can't pay for their medical costs-- only to find that they have a very slim chance of finding a new home and family. The end comes after what was once a family dog is reduced to a depressed and fearful dog- sick from kennel cough and living in its own feces- is killed by a needle in the arm by a brusque stranger.

This is not unusual-any animal advocate following what is happening in New York City- a city I am furious I pay taxes to- knows that this is not an uncommon story. Dogs have only a few days before they are sick and are placed in the sick-ward, up for "disease-euth." We all know that the images of empty water bowls and filthy blankets are all too common--

(Read more about the filthy conditions in my blog post here.)

We all know that reputable shelters that can attract volunteers do not operate this way. (Animal Haven in Soho for example has more volunteers than it can accommodate and therefore, there are walks almost every hour for the dogs and no outbreaks of kennel cough or any other shelter-borne illnesses.)

Today at 3 pm, Animal Care and Control had a Public Board Meeting at 125 Worth Street. A crowd of about 50 people showed up to protest before the meeting, but were never allowed in. What is worse- a reporter from the press arrived 15 minutes early, only to be told the meeting was full and was denied access. While waiting outside, I heard from one lucky observer that the room was in fact- not full- and that the room chosen was too small to accommodate the amount of public interest.

In fact, some advocates in the crowd had come from as far away as Boston to hear Ms. Bank (executive director of the AC&C) herself explain the recent mistakes, errors, and euth statistics, as well as the recent causeless firing of employee Emily Tanen. ( See the video at the bottom for more info)

In addition, it is clear that the organization is understaffed- No time is given to determine a dog's breed-- all dogs with a square-ish head whether 100 lbs or 15 are labeled pit mixes, shutting out potential breed-specific adopters and rescues who may be looking for a boxer-mix or a lab-mix or a bull-terrier.

For example, Steven is clearly an American Bulldog, but the uneducated staffer quickly labeled him a pit-bull mix:

And it couldn't be more obvious that Sully is a Bull terrier, but again, they labeled him a pit bull mix.

If they can't even identify breeds- how are they going to find them homes??
In addition, they show their lack of care by giving the same names over and over-- Star, Diamond, Bruno, Boy, Nice, and Linda among them. They are too busy and careless to fix typos, like this poor boy- who may die named "Rexz"...

...or this one-- "Rubdy" clearly a quickly-typed Rudy...

Recently, there have been a number of animals simply named "Dog" (One is below.)

(Yes, I am serious... they named this scared little guy "Dog")

Unfortunately, change feels far away--even as so many are demanding more taxes and resources go to the No-Kill cause. I am sympathetic to the idea that AC&C is cash-strapped - but a good charity/ a good city office with the right intentions explains that they need all the help they can get- and in the face of criticism, ask for help. This Board has been heralding its successes while shutting out opposing views. Firing Emily Tanen for being out-spoken, hiding the sick-ward so rescues can only view sick animals while accompanied by a AC&C employee, and continuing to say that no healthy animal is being euthanized- is proof that Ms. Bank and the rest of the board are running from the problem. By turning away from criticism, they alienate their donation & volunteer base even more. Rather than explain that they need more money, more space, more time, more help-- they bury their heads even deeper in the sand.

It is a sad day for the animals that lose their lives every day- adoptable animals that could recover in 10 short days from kennel cough (like Bruno did)- dogs like Charlie, a 6 month old 19 lb Pit mix who will miss out on all the kisses, hugs, games of fetch and snacks under the table that life had in store for her-- just because she had a curable cough....

I am so glad I got Bruno out of there just in the nick of time.

See Minutes and Video from AC&C's last board meeting here.

AC&C - Double standards for publicity

Why is it that cruelty cases always find homes? So many healthy, otherwise happy dogs, die in the shelter every single day because they have a treatable cold- but when a dog like Ella comes along, as the news caster says "I know of so many people who are going to want that dog."



Unfortunately, the AC&C has been able to use this case to showcase their "rescue efforts" -- that they are rehabilitating this dog and she will be available for adoption in a few weeks.

Why do they spend time and money on Ella (who was thrown away in the garbage - like Patrick a couple months ago) when they are willing to put little Lucky & Miggy to sleep for being sick???

 

Luckily, little Lucky & Miggy were saved by rescue groups (Lucky is at In Our Hands & Miggy is @ Post Pets)- but not thanks to Animal Care & Control. It is so sad that they are willing to treat dogs differently when they see the potential to raise money and get positive press. They should be working tireslessly to make sure every single dog- emaciated or not, goes home.

Animal Abuse & Neglect - Worse than you thought.

You've all see the Sarah McLachlan commercials raising money for the ASPCA (which alone raises 30,000,000$ a year for the organization), but the more you take time to learn about what is happening to animals in the shelter system and in back yards and basements across the U.S. is even worse than the saddest things shown in the commercial.


Just take a look at these emaciated dogs- living at Animal Care & Control RIGHT NOW, desperate for food and comfort, but likely only to catch a bad cold and be put to sleep. Their owners should be arrested for neglect and allowing their dogs to wither away.

Miggy (24 lbs)

 

Lucky (25 lbs)

Luckily, many abused and emaciated dogs do find rescue (like little Eloise, 10 months old and only 18 lbs)....

because of the extremeity of their conditions, however, these are just a few who did not make it out and were killed by the ACC before given a chance.

Bait dogs and chained dogs often fare far worse. Many of you have heard of Sprout- a dog used by dog-fighters for practice for the others. He was saved and now is looking like 100%.

Before:

 

After:

Tofu was another bait-dog recently saved from ACC:

Thanks to diligent rescuers, he is looking better already:

However, there are still brutal people in this world who own dogs despite their lack of care and consideration for animals as living beings. The most horrifying example of this that I have EVER seen is the story of Pheonix. He was chained in a back yard with no shelter from the 100 degree heat and beating sun. He survived to be rescued two days after his companion (also chained) died. He was covered in flies and maggots as the flesh on his back rotted away.

Amazingly, he was rescued- never again will he have to hide his water and save it for later as he does in this video, which has already brought me to tears.

I warn you, it is EXTREMELY hard to watch, but in my opinion- very much worth it because it inspires me to do more for abused animals.

I am so grateful for rescue groups that take on these hard cases, but so disheartened by the sorts of people that would allow animals to live and die like this. Visit Pheonix's facebook page to watch his progress.

Learn more about animal cruelty and what you can do, here.

Rescue Spotlight: Bully Breed Rescue Inc

Rescue Spotlight: Bully Breed Rescue Inc
bullybreedrescueinc.org

Bully Breed Rescue Inc is a small connecticut based rescue group dedicated to rescuing and rehoming pit-bull type dogs. Although they have no actual shelter, they are able to offer more hands-on training and family time with their rescues by finding them foster homes.
When you adopt from BBRI, you know that the dogs have been loved and cared for while they were waiting for you to find them... just check out how happy these guys are in their videos!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Look at all the BEAUTIFUL bullies they have saved this year alone.

Here are the dogs available for adoption now. (Including Kenga and Chance!)

Video du jour-The Royal Treatment

What every pitbull deserves!

San Francisco

This past week I took a 3-day trip with my friends to San Francisco. I had never been to the West Coast at all and enjoyed seeing the Pacific for the first time, biking the Golden Gate Bridge, and eating amazing food.

Of course I visited what I consider to be the dogs of the sea-- Sea Lions! They are super social creatures, who love lazing around all day, barking at each other and growling when their sunny sleeps get interrupted.

 

 

As I am an obsessive dog-watcher, I looked out for dogs everywhere we went. I loved watching the dogs romp on the beach and play off-leash at Alamo Square. We came across this lovely girl, Luna- who hammed-it-up on the grass by rolling onto my feet and gently nipping at me to get more affection-- Look at that smile!

We also met bunches of other Golden Retrievers, Labs, French Bulldogs, Collies and other great dogs- Unfortunately, I was sad to find that there weren't many mixed breed dogs or pit mixes around. I figured that this meant that there are fewer unwanted/unplanned litters in SF and therefore, fewer shelter dogs. In New York, pit bulls are everywhere- when I stepped out of the path station I was excited to see not only more dogs, but more mutts and more pitties- I guess I am a little biased against pure-breed dogs because I figure they need less help in this world.

I did run into one Pit bull while in San Fran and happily sat down with his owner, a homeless ex-U.S. marine.

 

San Fran has a surprisingly large homeless population- I've been told because of the nice weather and friendly people. When I met this man and sat next to him- his dog (Tyrell), instantly climbed out of his owner's lap and gave me plenty of kisses. He laid down (belly-up) next to me on the side-walk and enjoyed getting his belly scratched.

Tyrell's owner told me that he gets all the vet care he needs because in SF, it is illegal to turn away an animal in need, just as it is illegal to turn away a person who needs emergency care. This makes it financially possible not only for Tyrell to have a "home" of sorts, but also for his owner to have companionship. He told me that Tyrell is his best friend in the whole world, and inspired him to get off the streets and to buy a van for them to sleep in. Together, they share a sleeping bag. Tyrell even protects his owner at night and has bitten another homeless man who tried to steal their things. It seems like a wild life, but the more I heard about this duo- the more sure I became that they really needed each other- and that neither of them would get by without the other.

Fortunately, due to a law that forces pit bulls to be neutered- Tyrell was neutered at the age of only 2 months to prevent over-population and he cannot contribute to more homeless pets, although the law apparently does not apply to other breeds of dogs. I gave his owner $20 for dog food and wished them luck and was so happy I saw a pit bull before leaving San Fran.

Does anyone know more about the shelter system there and why pit bulls must be neutered so young?

Pit Bull Song.

"I got these pit bull blues,
All I wanna do it sniff your shoes!"


This song may be a little cheesy- but the sentiment is sweet.
I also love all the sweet pittie footage!

Urgent Part 2 on the news:

16 thousand Fans in less than 1 year, hundreds of dogs saved from euthanasia and finally some publicity!

 

View more videos at: http://www.nbcnewyork.com.

Unfortunately, in these video- Julie Blank (ACC) feels facebook pages and rescue groups encourage people to adopt dangerous animals. Not true. Most of the animals saved were sick - and dogs that have severe ratings- are not taken lightly- most are in fact put to sleep, and if by some chance they are rescued- it is because someone trusted the words of volunteers who had first hand knowledge that the dogs evaluation was wrong.
Also, I haven't heard of any of these rescues back firing-- what I have heard is stories about how the temperament tests were wrong and how lucky the rescuers are to have these animals as part of their families.

To read Urgent's response to Julie Blank- who apparently has nothing nice to say about the thousands of dogs saved through face book, click here.

Adoption PSA

Ok...I'm not a huge cat person but I love this ad by the Animal Humane Society. I hope they make ones with adorable puppies!! Save a shelter pet!!

"Its Me Or The Dog"

I really recommend watching this episode of "Its me or the dog" with Victoria Stillwell on Animal Planet. In this episode (clip below) she helps a young man with a completely out of control Presa-Canario. Unbelievably- the man wants to breed his dog. Luckily, Victoria talks him out of being a back-yard breeder adding to the shelter-crisis by taking him to Manhattan Care and Control (where we adopted Bruno on the day he was to be put to sleep.)