Give an Angel a Bone

Update:    Thanks everyone for posting about and sharing Tori’s fundraising info and donating to her vet care.   they now have enough money to cover the cost of the surgery. However, Tori will need several months of after-care and continuous monitoring by the vet and lots of x-rays to make sure the bone graft is successful. If not, she may need another surgery. Any future donations received for Tori will be earmarked for her follow-up vet care.

Dear friends,

This blog post is a heart felt plea. There are many animals in need and I do not usually ask for your help. But Tori is the sweetest dog living with enormous pain (and a great foster family who want to adopt her) and she needs your help. Can you please read her story and if you can, please do what you can to help her. If you cannot donate, please share her story with others.  Thanks.

Angels usually do not need extreme makeovers. But Tori, an adorable and very sweet little 6-yr-old bichon girl, needs an extreme makeover of the pain relieving kind. Tori has everything a former shelter stray could want: a loving home with foster parents who want to adopt her, lots of toys, treats, yummy food, and a new best friend named Samantha. Tori has everything a dog could ever want – except a jaw bone that is.

Tori’s story starts out like so many others at the shelter – running scared on the mean streets of Fresno, fending for herself. Unknown at the time was the fact that she was unable to eat anything but the softest of food, which explains why she was a bony nine pounds when she was rescued.

Tori’s vet exam revealed that she was healthy but in need of a dental cleaning. She didn’t want her mouth touched, but that’s pretty normal for anyone who has bad teeth. Nothing could have prepared us for what we saw on the x-rays. One of Tori’s teeth had decayed and abscessed to the point that it fractured and completely deteriorated her lower right jaw.

The excruciating pain she must have been in for so long is unimaginable. It is amazing that she has never complained or shown even one smidgen of aggression or bad temper.

Tori is now on round-the-clock pain medication, but she needs surgery. The preliminary estimate was between $3,000-$4,000. We’ve been told that with surgery her prognosis is excellent . She will live a happy and normal life. BUT WITHOUT THIS SURGERY WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HER? The one thing we know for sure is that she can’t stay the way she is.

We decided to take a leap of faith (that’s where you come in!) Tori’s surgery is scheduled for October 16, but we desperately need your help!!

We hope that you will find it in your heart to help Tori’s makeover dream come true. Whatever you can spare will help, be it $5, $10, $50 or $500 on Tori’s behalf. Your donation is tax deductible and we will provide a receipt for your tax records. K9BFF is a 501c3 nonprofit charity (ID # 26-1185144), operated entirely by unpaid volunteers. 100% of your donation will go toward Tori’s vet expenses.

Imagine how great Tori will look and feel after her surgery! Just knowing that you helped make it possible, that you contributed to ending this angel’s suffering and giving her a new leash on life will be a divine gift.

Donation info:

Credit card payments can be made via Paypal on the website: www.k9bestfriendsforever.com

Checks can be mailed or delivered to K9BFF or directly to Tori’s vet (please specify it’s for Tori):

K9BFF

8839 N. Cedar Ave. #320

Fresno, CA 93720

Waterhouse Animal Hospital

1115 E. Champlain Dr.

Fresno, CA 93720

Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

Guy meets girl meets Dog

Dog training the American Male by LA Knight

a love triangle of the hilarious kind…

This is definitely NOT your usual romantic comedy romp between the sheets and the relationship. It started kinda slow to me… but it is a very funny premise about a man and woman and a dog. The woman is a radio talk show host and a psychologist. Her radio show is about relationships and it is doing poorly. Nancy has issues with men, to say the least. She moves in with her boyfriend, Jacob, he gets a dog and the dog is out of control so she hires a dog trainer.

Have to say that I was appalled when Jacob goes to a pet store to buy a little foo-foo white dog. Buying a dog from a pet store these days seems so taboo.  As dog lovers know, millions of shelter pets die every year and part of the problem is people buying pets from puppy mills and irresponsible breeders. Jacob has been told that is the kind of dog his lady likes, little white foo-foo dogs. But when he finds out the price, he instead goes to the pound and adopts a shelter pooch. Circuituous route to adoption but at least he gets there instead of supporting puppy mills (which is where pet store pets come from).  I digress.

The heroine, Nancy Beach, hires two dog trainers to help with the German Shepherd pound puppy five years old and not fixed. Then she decides to use the training tools she is learning on the dog with the man and it works for a short time. And what ensues is kinda kooky, crazy and just plain funny. What woman is not frustrated with trying to domesticate the male Y chromosomes in her life and becomes so fed up with trying that she will go to any lengths to get there?  As a woman, I think that women can definitely relate to this tale about the Extreme Makeover of the Male of the species.

Ultimately, some women discover they much prefer the company of dogs to mama’s boys (not sexually) because after pursuing adult monogamous relationships with man boys and having the child men meltdown time and time again, women realize that dogs are loyal, faithful, give unconditional love, like to play, are forgiving, do not care how we look, listen to us, are patient, kind, and usually like to cuddle so why bother. Yeah it would be nice if we could meet actual adult men who actually like women to be in relationships with. But we find that rare. Far too many men are judgmental, selfish, seek successive revolving doors of Barbie, Madonna, sluts, mommy, are passive aggressive, power crazed, workaholics or lazy do nothings and act as though giving us what we want, satisfying a woman is a fate worse than death.   Meanwhile not offering much of what we want from them to begin with. (Companionship, romance, passion, genuine friendship, loyalty and cleanliness, for starters). How dare we expect men to be human and humane and to listen to us!!!  I chalk it up to the testesterone. Does something wacky to their little brains.

 

The difference between men and dogs…

Dogs:

*They never lie
*They never borrow money
*They do not hold grudges
*They are willing to wake up and be there for you no matter what time of day or night
*They always want hugs and kisses and are always ready to return them just as quickly as they receive
*They never have anything nasty to say and even if they could talk I just know they would never complain
*They don’t care if you are fat, short, skinny or tall
*They do not care if you are having a bad hair day, they love you just the same
*They never complain if you get home late
*They are always patient
*They are always honest
*They are a willing lifelong companion

“Men really are dogs,” says L.A. Knight. “The average American male would rather sit on the couch all day, scratch his privates and sleep. Who among us hasn’t performed for a treat, peed on a tree, dry-humped a woman’s leg, howled at the moon, stuck his nose in a groin or two, or inspected his own bowel movement before flushing? As a dog owner, I know that when my wife had our dogs trained they became more content, were less anxious, and they even lost weight. I say bring it on…just go easy on the electric shock collar.”

There are a lot of quirky characters and hilarious situations that are laugh out loud funny and definitely R-rated. Sex toys, gynecologist visits, elderly antics and some really disgusting bodily fluids gone into at length ad nauseum. Too much info. What is NOT at all funny are the training tools used by the Spencer character (one of the trainers). He is a military guy and he uses shock collars, prong collars and choke collars on the dog. The first dog trainer used positive reinforcement but the book makes it seem that the cruel methods worked better. None of which is true in reality. I winced every time the collars were used on the poor dog. Perhaps it was a spoof on Cesar Millan and his methods?  Not sure but please DO NOT follow these methods at home.

The book is also kinda sexist and the women characters and the relationships could be MUCH MORE detailed… like how and why and when exactly did these two characters fall in love?  That is completely glossed over.  They go on a blind date, meet at a bowling alley and next thing you know, One Month Later, they are moving in together. What??? Where is the romantic and sexual tension? Where and when and what happened between these two people?  For regular readers of romantic comedies, the romance almost seems besides the point of this book. And the book is written in scenes like a screenplay.

Still, you find yourself rooting for the characters and the romance and for the dog.  And you can see the set up of situations and you think you know what is going to happen and it does not. Definitely not predictable, like a good mystery.

And in the end, it all works out in unexpected ways, which is refreshing. The dog is redeemed and so is the guy. And some of the scenes will keep you rolling on the floor laughing even after you put the book down so we give this e-book three and one-half (out of four) paws up.  Cici would love to meet a nice handsome boy toy like Sam, the German Shepherd but then she has plenty of boy dogs in the neighborhood already. (Milo, Pablo, Gizmo and others). Lucky dog.

http://www.laknightentertainment.com/

Blog Hop time…thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop  link

Adopt a dog

my name is cici… although some people call me the polka dot princess. Am a sweetheart with spots who gives lots of kisses and cuddles, loves to show off my belly to humans and canines, alike. . love to run and play with other dogs and enjoyed meeting some farm animals. Am not a big fan of cats, skateboards or baths. My favorite treats are pizza, cheese, turkey jerky and bones. Am very gentle with children and people in wheelchairs. Am always on board for new adventures, traveling by car or long walks, swimming, surfing or hanging out with motorcyclists!  If your family wants a best friend to join in on the fun, from strolling the mall to pet friendly wineries, you might be the perfect match for sweet, goofy Cici!

If I were writing about my sweetness to get her adopted from a shelter, I might write her bio like the one above.

Doesn’t this dog look like my girl Cici???

What catches a potential adopter’s eye as they search for a new pet online? Fabulous photos and the bios that go along with them! A well written bio, complete with details that are specific to that individual dog, sends a message to the public that your organization knows your dogs and can help them find the right match for their family.

Always remember that looking for a pet is a family project for many households. Keep the information you share kid-friendly by skipping scary and graphic details at this stage of the game. Instead focus on each dog’s individual pet qualities and help readers envision the dogs as part of their families. To help make this important task easier for busy shelter staff and volunteers, we’ve got two different fill-in-the-blank formulas that you can use for your bios!

LOVE __________ (ex: some dogs, walks, people)

I HAVE __________ (ex: a gentle disposition, a snoring problem)

I GET ALONG WITH __________ (ex: people but I am selective about my dog friends)

I WOULD RATHER NOT __________ (ex: ever be in the shelter again, as I am struggling here)

I NEED __________ (ex: attention, some basic obedience training, a warm bed to sleep in)

Want more tips for writing bios and another formula to get you going? Check out our website: http://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/pages/Writing-Bios

example:
I’m Ducky. I love people; especially ones that give me massages, peanut butter, and let me snooze in the sun. I have a favorite spot, right behind my ears, that I like to get rubbed. When that happens, I make a funny sound, because it feels so good! I get along with the dogs and people I have met here, including respectful children of all ages. I would rather not spend my time jogging or wrestling with energetic dogs since I’m a really mellow guy. I need a house full of soft beds, people who like snuggles, and yummy treats!

Here’s one more option:
MEET  __________ (name).

HE/SHE IS  __________ (what are the best things about this dog? ex: a friend to everyone, an amazing athlete)

A PERFECT DAY FOR (NAME) INCLUDES  __________ (ex: playing ball with you, learning a new trick, sleeping at your feet)

(NAME) PREFERS NOT TO  __________ (ex: be left home alone all day, share his home with other pets)

IF YOUR FAMILY  __________ (ex: loves the outdoors, enjoys quiet time, wants a travel buddy)

THEN YOU MIGHT BE THE PERFECT MATCH FOR __________.

Example:
Meet Cindy Lou! She is a ball-catching superstar who loves sports and spending time with friends of all ages, especially if they like to teach her new games. A perfect day for smart Cindy Lou includes going for a jog or playing ball, stopping by a training class, then snuggling up for a nap on your lap. Cindy Lou prefers not share her home with other dogs, but has lived with cats in the past. If your family loves going on adventures and wants a best friend to join in on the fun, from hiking to drive-in movies to Frisbee tournaments, you might be the perfect match for sweet, silly Cindy Lou!

Formulas are helpful, but not necessary as long as you remember to include important information AND help potential adopters envision the dog as part of their families.

Here’s an example of a freestyle bio:
Peaches and Cream: This 2 year old spunky, good time girl is looking for a family that loves to have fun! Peaches is intelligent, focused, and enjoys her training sessions here because she learns new tricks quickly. She’s quite the smarty pants and loves to show off her new skills for an audience of friends! Plus, her fun-loving play style has made Peaches popular in the play yard with other dogs. She may love other dogs, but this sweetheart really enjoys the company of people too! Her favorite activities include car rides and long walks (she’s already mastered loose-leash walking). But at the end of the day, Peaches loves nothing more than cuddling with the people that love her. Want to make Peaches a part of your family? Fill out an application!

Instead of saying “Scooter is a nice boy who loves people,” say “Scooter knows how to work a crowd! At a recent adoption event, he showed off his training by sitting and giving highfives to everyone he met!”

Adopt a pet at your local shelter….

Is your local shelter no kill?  If not, why not?  Help the No Kill Revolution…

visit nokill.org

We have a dream…

my dog and i have a dream. she dreams about chasing cats and bunny rabbits and I dream about hot… oh not that kind of dream, she says… wouldn’t it be great in life if  you could tell the honest guys and gals from the dishonest guys and gals? well read on…

How would you feel if the group you were donating to because they promised to be there for the animals actually sent the neediest ones to a place which neglected, abused, and then killed them? How would you feel if the animal rights group you supported was using your donations to poison “healthy” and “perfect” animals? Would you be upset? Would you feel sick to your stomach? Would you feel betrayed? If you donate to PETA, HSUS or the ASPCA that is exactly how you should feel…

‎”Truth in advertising”

Ten out of ten pets surveyed indicated that they would prefer crate training to a ride in the PETA death van. Ten out of ten pets surveyed would prefer eating treats bought at the Piggly Wiggly over being thrown dead into the dumpster behind the Piggly Wiggly. Apparently, opposing No Kill shelter reforms isn’t crazy enough for them, the wingnuts at PETA also find it necessary to show how little they know about the care of pets that are actually, you know, still breathing, that they are campaigning against the use of crates. Above is an actual PETA ad that has been edited for truthfulness. ~Valerie Hayes

http://cruelcrazybeautifulworld.com/2012/01/29/truth-in-advertising/

PETA: www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=11813

HSUS: www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=9895

The ASPCA:  http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=9285

Let us abolish the pound!

Today, the number one cause of death for healthy dogs and cats in the U.S. is the local animal shelter. Moreover, the first time many animals experience neglect or abuse for the first time is at the very institution that is supposed to protect them from it—the local shelter. Had shelters never existed, and it was proposed that a system of abusive death camps be opened to round up and kill millions of animals every year, how many of us would support such a notion? How many of us would argue that the homeless animals for whom there was hope, whom we saw being fed, cared for and even adopted by our neighbors, would be better off entering a facility where they are likely to be abused and likely to be killed? In fact, over 150 years ago, when the impounding and killing of homeless animals was a new concept, the great Henry Bergh, founder of the animal protection movement in North America, fought the existence and proliferation of such institutions, arguing that stray dogs should be left alone, once famously asserting, “Let us abolish the pound!”

Join me in a thought experiment: www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=11272

Twelve years ago, there were none. Today, 94 communities representing about 300 cities and towns across America have save rates between 90% and 99% and the numbers continue to grow. In fact, in 2012, over one new community per week achieved a save rate above 90%. The No Kill revolution is on the march.

Please join over 30 other speakers at the No Kill Conference in Washington, D.C. this summer as we celebrate those achievements and teach you how to do the same in your community.

Register this month to get the early registration discount, to get the rescue group discount, to get the shelter discount, to get the student discount and to get the municipal shelter director discount.

Learn more: www.nokillconference.org

What kind of world do YOU want to live in? A world where pit bulls are killed because of the way that they look? A world where the innocent victims of dog fights, the dogs, and abused plus responsible owners and their dogs are threatened, jailed or killed instead of the dog fighters and abusers being held accountable for their crimes.

What does your conscience tell you to do?

We are a nation of animal lovers, and we, and the animals we love, deserve better. We deserve shelters that reflect our progressive and compassionate values, not thwart them. We now have a solution to shelter killing and it is not difficult, expensive, or beyond practical means to achieve. Only one thing stands in the way of its widespread implementation: a deeply troubled and dysfunctional animal protection movement that undermines the effort at every turn. Through the No Kill movement, we can create a country in which it is illegal to kill animals who enter shelters. We can create a country in which children are raised with higher expectations for the treatment of animals—and an understanding and acceptance that animals have legal rights. And we can establish powerful advocates for the well-being of animals in every community by reclaiming the thousands of shelters across our nation, and reorienting them away from killing and back to their founding missions: to advocate for and save animals.

http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=11902

Blog the change 2013

want to see more of this positive pit bull press…

Imagine if a pit bull and her/his guardian have their own reality show… maybe it would be too boring for reality TV… no fights, no drama, just lots of fun, loving kisses, goofy antics… am thinking of doing a piece about celebs and their pit bulls as well as every day folks and their pit bulls… a day in the life of an ordinary pit bull and their guardian… and the day in the life of a celeb pit bull and their guardian… if you’d like to be part of this, let me know, thanks.

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Shorty Rossi hinted that Hercules will soon be having his own show on Animal Planet but of course, Hercules and Shorty are not exactly your every day pit bull and guardian, definitely, they are celebs. And were just in our neighborhood at the Bay Area Pet Expo. I did not get a chance to go there. Cici and I attended a couple of years ago and it was much too much stimulation for the Polka Dot Princess.

“Pit Boss” star Shorty Rossie and his pit bull, Hercules, are going to be on Anderson Cooper’s Live Thursday’s show!

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During the Golden Globes, there was a cadillac commercial with a brindle pit bull

http://brandsmodels.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-cadillac-xts-night-out-advertising.html

http://thebark.com/content/nfl-linebacker-patrick-willis-loves-his-dog

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and since pit bulls are still the most euthanized dogs at shelters, it is really important to support Nathan Winograd’s NoKill Advocacy…There ARE more than enough homes for pets who have been dumped in shelters. More and more shelters are getting on board, reducing their kill rates, so that healthy and treatable pets do not get put down just because there is no room at the shelter, they get ADOPTED into loving homes.

The No Kill Conference is offering free registration to municipal shelter directors. Please help enlist them in the mission to save America’s shelter animals. Contact your local shelter director and let them know.

Registration/Info: www.nokillconference.org
Speakers: http://nokillconference.org/speakers/
Workshops: http://nokillconference.org/workshops/
2012 Photos: http://nokillconference.org/2012-2/

July 13-14 in Washington, D.C.

 

 

now go check out all the blogs, and thanks to Be the Change for this quarterly blog hop…

 

 http://btc4animals.com/blog-the-change/

Pit bull myths

END BSL… Breed Discrimination in America

http://www.examiner.com/article/breed-discrimination-america?cid=db_articles

http://bslnews.org/2012/01/24/the-real-dog-bite-statistics-plus-media-myths-colleen-lynn-exposed/

Lies, negative stereotypes and myths

In the book Pit Bull Placebo by Karen Delise discusses how dogs of various breeds have been demonized since the 1800’s. People’s perception of ‘dangerous dogs’ has changed over the centuries.

http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/uploaded_files/publications/230603563_Pit%20Bull%20Placebo.pdf

Consider the impact of these images imprinted upon the human psyche  …

l. Eliza and her baby (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) being chased by snarling teeth gnashing Bloodhounds.

2. Super-predator Nazi guard Doberman Pinscher dogs became a symbol of cruelty

3. The Time Bomb Pit Bull depicted on the cover of Time magazine

“My kids are around pit bulls every day. In the ’70s they blamed Dobermans, in the ’80s they blamed German shepherds, in the ’90s they blamed the Rottweiler. Now they blame the pit bull.”    Cesar Millan.  “Pit bulls get a bad rap because of irresponsible owners.”

From the Pit Bull Placebo

“…for over half a century in between, 1920 to 1970, millions of Bulldogs, Bull Terriers, American Pit Bull Terriers,  American Staffordshire Terriers and all their mixed breed cousins served Americans well in every possible capacity and circumstance.

‘…The first half of the 20th century finds new and different breeds involved in fatal/severe attacks. Collies, Boston Terriers, St. Bernards, Airedale Terriers, Great Danes, Chow chows, German police dogs (German Shepherds), Doberman Pinschers, and Huskies were only some of the new breeds seen in aggressive encounters with humans.”

A combination of the media’s need for scary pit bull stories (to sell papers), dog fighters using bully breeds for fighting, and society’s need to blame dogs for humanity’s problems have joined together to give the pit bull a very bad rap.

“…The early 1980s find the media continuously churning out emotionally charged articles about Pit bull anatomy and behaviors that were based on rumors, myths and unproven claims by both experts and laymen.

“When Pit bulls lost an arranged street fight they were subjected to unimaginable cruelty and violent deaths, because they became a source of embarrassment or failed to uphold the machismo image of their owners.”

“…In 2004 the media reported this Pit bull attacked and killed a 4-year-old boy. It was not reported that this chained, intact male dog was visibly underweight with numerous old scars on his head and neck. Veterinarian examination revealed the dog was heartworm positive, flea-infested, and suffering from internal parasites (hookworms). He was anemic with a low-grade fever and was diagnosed as having very poor body condition and muscle mass. Stress and wear marks along the teeth suggest the dog did not receive adequate nutrition during development. The dog was poorly socialized and very fearful.”

Elevate the conversation

Find the pit…

Many people have never met a pit bull and could not pick one out of a lineup such as this…

http://www.pickthepit.com/

Pit bulls are not a breed of dog, there are numerous breeds all lumped together and called pit bull…American Pit Bull Terriers, Miniature Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bull Dogs, Bull Terriers or mixed breeds that have the appearance or characteristics of one of these breeds…

Does this make ANY sense?

http://loveandaleash.com/2012/06/21/one-of-these-dogs-is-or-is-not-like-the-other-defining-a-pit-bull-dog/

There are NO incidents to date of a spayed/neutered indoor family pit bull ever having killed anyone.

…[S]ince 1975, dogs belonging to more than 30 breeds have been responsible for fatal attacks on people, including Dachshunds, a Yorkshire Terrier, and a Labrador Retriever.” (It’s also key to point out that you are more likely to be killed by lightening than a dog, and dog bites are at historic lows.)

http://stubbydog.org/2012/05/pit-bulls-by-the-numbers/

Pit Bull: Fact or Fiction

1:  Pit bulls are inherently dangerous, as the Maryland Court of Appeals recently labeled them.

Fiction

It’s all in the upbringing, the socialization, and how their owners treat them.

German Shepherd Dog, American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT), and Rottweiler were tested using a bite sleeve equipped with a specialized computer instrument to measure bite pressure. The APBT had the least amount of pressure of the 3 dogs tested. (Source: Dr. Brady Barr of National Geographic)

“There is no scientific evidence that one kind of dog is more likely than another to injure a human being than any other kind of dog.[i][ii] In fact, there is affirmative evidence to the contrary.[iii]

http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites/whatisadogbite/

Numerous places have recently repealed their bans on pit bulls/bully breeds aka Breed Specific Legislation.

Cincinnati Ohio’s vicious dog ordinance, which previously made ownership of pit bulls within city limits illegal has been repealed.

http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/blog-3479-cincinnati_pit_bull_ban_repealed.html

http://willmydoghateme.com/animal-welfare/why-bsl-not-dogs-should-be-banned

DeKalb County ban repealed

http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/dekalb-lifts-pit-bull-1433546.html

2. Pit bulls have locking jaws that make it virtually impossible to separate a pit bull from people or animals they bite.

Fiction.  There’s no scientific data to back that up. They’ve actually studied it and found that the pit bull skull is no different than any other dog. There’s no locking mechanism.

Dr. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia wrote:

“The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of “locking mechanism” unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier.”

3.

Pit bulls are unpredictable and more likely to bite people than other dogs.

Fiction. There are known factors that contribute to dogs of all breeds biting and becoming dangerous. If the dog is male, not neutered, kept chained or roams loose in a pack, etc.

Factors that affect a dog’s tendency toward aggression include reproductive status, sex, early experience and socialization/training. According to the Centers for Disease Control, these concerns are well-founded, given that:

More than 70 percent of all dog bite cases involve unneutered male dogs.

An unneutered male dog is 2.6 times more likely to bite than is a neutered dog.

A chained or tethered dog is 2.8 times more likely to bite than a dog not chained or tethered.

97 percent of dogs involved in fatal attacks on people in 2006 (the most recent year statistics are available) were not spayed/neutered.

A female dog usually chained with a litter of newborn puppies

Guard dogs

Abused dogs

Neglected dogs

Starved dogs

Unsupervised dogs, roaming loose

Unsocialized dogs

All dogs, before they bite, give warning signals.

Three MOST aggressive breeds

The number one aggressive breed out of the 33 dogs surveyed, The Dachshund. Yes – the wiener dog. The study found that “one in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers, and a similar number have attacked other dogs; one in 12 have snapped at their owners.”

“Number two on the list is an even more diminutive breed – the Chihuahua, while Jack Russells came in third.

“The researchers say that the bite statistics that have been released in recent years are skewed because most dog bites are not reported. Big dog bites are more likely to require medical attention, but this does not mean that those breeds are doing the majority of the biting.”

http://www.dogguide.net/blog/2008/07/the-3-most-aggressive-dog-breeds-revealed-pit-bulls-rottweilers-youll-be-surprised/

4. Pit bulls are good with children.

Fact.  Pit bulls were considered the nanny dog.   Consider ‘The Little Rascals.’  Petey was a pit bull and he never hurt Alfalfa or any of the Little Rascals.

Adopting a pit bull

Of the 4 to 6 million dogs and cats still being killed in shelters each year, most – roughly 1.5 million – are pit bulls. The great majority of these are healthy, good natured and adoptable dogs.

Public and private agencies spend $2.5 billion each year caring for and /or killing homeless dogs and cats. Pit bulls represent one in four of all animals taken into shelters. More than 80 percent of pit bulls in shelters will die before their second birthday.

Some guidelines in adopting a pit bull…

1. Adopt a shelter or rescue org dog due to the above. Also, irresponsible breeders are only interested in your money, not dogs. (this goes for all breeds but especially pit bull type dogs).

2. The dog should be spayed/neutered and given obedience training (basic commands).

3. Are you equipped to give your dog an hour of exercise a day?

4. Do you have a home of your own? If not, make sure that your landlord is ok with your adopting a pit bull.

5. If you are going to keep your dog chained up as a lawn ornament, used as a guard dog, or to show off how macho you are, please do NOT adopt a pit bull. Bullies make terrible guard dogs, they love people too much. And w do not need any more irresponsible owners.

6. Do you have small children? NEVER leave your dog (of any breed) alone and unsupervised with a child.

7. Are you lifetime committed to give the dog a forever home?

8. Volunteer at a local shelter and get to know the dogs there before you adopt. Do some research and then decide what is right for you.

9. Consider fostering a pit bull before you adopt.

10. Do you have the time, energy and patience for a dog who wants to be with you and cuddle all the time?

http://www.ourpack.org/rightforme.html

Contact your local shelter and/or local pit bull rescue organizations to adopt.

BadRap

http://www.badrap.org/adoption-process

Best Friends Animal Society

http://adoptions.bestfriends.org/default.aspx?Ns=P_DateAdded&N=4294967263+4294967242&Ne=2

Our Pack

http://www.ourpack.org/

Villalobos

http://www.vrcpitbull.net/dog/

Shorty’s Pit Bull Rescue

http://www.shortywood.com/pitrescue.htm

http://celiasue.com/2012/05/30/pit-bull-fallacies-refuted/

Blog Hop time…  thanks to Life with Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume…  grab the blog hop code

Super-Doggies

March 23, is National Puppy Day, and there is a new cast of animated characters helping to promote the adoption of dogs all over the world – the Super-Doggies.

The Super-Doggies are a trio of animated singing dogs featured in a music video encouraging people to visit dog shelters with hopes of giving abandoned puppies a caring home. The Super-Doggies feature Barack Obama’s dog, Bo and Vladmir Putin’s dog, Buffy.  In fact, in this video both world leaders join their dogs for a global dance party.  Lending a hand in the creation of this video is none other than Eugeniy (Eugene) Kuritsyn, the 2012 Oscar award-winning animator of Rango.

Eugeniy has teamed up with Grammy Award winning producer Neal Pogue who works with musicians like Nicky Minaj, Lil Wayne, Outkast and Pink.  The effort is also getting guidance from marketing veteran Bruce Kirkland who directed The Beatles Anthology project, the Beastie Boys, the Spice Girls, Radiohead, and Everclear.

choose a shelter dog

Are Mutts Smarter Than Purebred Dogs?
How to Choose Your New Best Friend from an Animal Shelter

Among the biggest victims of the economic recession are the once beloved family pets surrendered to shelters as their owners deal with extended joblessness. The U.S. Humane Society estimates 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year – and 3 to 4 million are euthanized.

“We don’t have firm numbers but we know anecdotally that the communities that have been hardest hit by the economic downturn are seeing that reflected in their shelter intake numbers,” says Inga Fricke, director of sheltering issues for the U.S. Humane Society.

“And, unfortunately, while the majority of the public is in favor of adopting pets from shelters, very few – usually about 20 percent – actually do. That has recently gone up slightly to the mid-20s.”

Fricke and retired police officer Irvin Cannon, a confirmed dog lover whose new book, For the Love of Dog Tales (www.FortheLoveofDogTales.com), gives voice to man’s best friend, hope people getting back on their feet will consider adopting a shelter dog.

Cannon was a poor kid growing up in Detroit when his family took in a stray dog. It surprised young Irvin that his father would be willing to share the family’s meager groceries with a dog, but he soon discovered the return on their investment was enormous.

“You won’t find a better companion, whether you bring home a mystery mixed-breed or a purebred Labrador,” he says. “Everyone thinks mutts are smarter and generally healthier, but really, it all depends on their mix of breeds and which breed strain is dominant.”

Border collies and Rottweilers are two of the smartest breeds, Cannon says. But they tend to have other traits, too, which are just as important to consider when choosing what dog best suits your lifestyle. Remember – dogs are as individual as people. A dog’s breed, or breed mix, is no guarantee that it will have certain traits.

That said, border collies tend to need lots of room to run and lots of attention – they’re high-maintenance, Cannon says. If you can’t spend a lot of active time with them, they’ll be unhappy and you’ll have problems.

Rottweilers are fast learners and lovable family animals, but they also tend to have bold personalities associated with pack leaders. If you are not an experienced dog owner, or if you have young or shy children, you might want to consider a different breed.

Dominant dogs that are allowed to bully their family members, dogs that are kept on a chain, dogs that are not neutered, and dogs that are allowed to run loose can become problem dogs that may bite.

Here are some other tidbits regarding breeds:

• Among other dog breeds known for intelligence: Shetland sheepdogs, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, poodles, Australian cattle dogs, Papillons and Doberman pinschers.

• Bulldogs, beagles and Basset hounds all start with ‘B’ but get much lower grades for smarts.

• Some breeds have tendencies toward problems such as deafness, blindness or hip dysplasia, remember, these are genetic issues that are inherited. So if you’re mixed-breed includes some German shepherd, it may also have hip dysplasia (a problem with the joint’s bone structure).

• If you’re in the market for a purebred dog, you have a 25 percent chance of finding one – although maybe not the breed you want – at a shelter. If your heart is set on a specific breed, check your area for a rescue group specializing in that breed.

 Be aware of designer dogs and so-called perfect dog breeds and their health issues… 

 http://www.zoenature.org/2012/02/the-perfect-dog/

Right now, the entire Pekingese breed is in crisis. It is so plagued by health issues and inbreeding that many people say the breed may not even survive. The biggest issue is Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome – the upper airway problem that plagues short-nosed, flat-faced dog breeds…

…And speaking about King Charles spaniels, who are also bred with skulls that are too small for their brains, veterinary neurologist Clare Rusbridge said:

“The cavalier’s brain is like a size ten foot that has been shoved into a size six shoe; it doesn’t fit. It is described in humans as one of the most painful conditions you can have, a piston-type headache. Even a light touch – a collar, for example – can induce discomfort.

“If you took a stick and beat a dog to create that pain, you’d be prosecuted. But there’s nothing to stop you breeding a dog with it.”

Is this truly our idea of the perfect dog – the best in show? Is this how we want to judge and recognize the best characteristics for our best friends?

Isn’t it time for people who love pets and care about animals to rise up and bring this sham to an end?

The only thing that’s pure in the “purebred” industry is the lifetime of pure suffering that’s being inflicted on dogs by this morally bankrupt industry.

Adopt a shelter pet… just like your favorite celebrities…

“According to People Pets, (Jennifer)  Aniston confirmed to GQ magazine that she and boyfriend, Justin Theroux, recently adopted a Pit bull/boxer mix named Sophie. Several sources reveal that the adoption took place from the Utah-based animal rescue, Best Friends.”
http://truthaboutpitbulls.blogspot.com/2012/02/jennifer-aniston-adopts-pit-bull-mix.html

http://theshelterpetproject.org/

 

 

If you enjoyed this post, we’d be very grateful if you’d help get the woof out by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you! Cici the Polka Dot Princess and CS 

Life Savers

A place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger.

that is the definition of Shelter…

Ideally, shelters should be places, way stations where pets get the assistance they need to get adopted. Instead, way too many of them are killing factories … where innocent pets come in and never make it out alive, where animals are killed in horrific inhumane ways, where shelter workers are cruel, insensitive and downright mean and don’t deserve to work with innocent pets…shelters should be saving lives not ending them.  Shelters should be in the LIFE SAVING business. How can WE turn this around???

Imagine…

Follow the money… and Greed… in a country where War is Good Business and Greed is Standard, is it any wonder that homeless and poor people and animals are cruelly disposed of  by the Money/Profit at ALL Cost crowd?  But it DOES NOT have to continue to be this way. There are people making a difference and saving lives.

An interview with Nathan Winograd 

As Director of Operations for the San Francisco SPCA, Winograd was instrumental in advancing some of the most progressive shelter programs in the nation, and helped establish the first No Kill city. By making a commitment to stop the killing as Executive Director for the Tompkins County (NY) SPCA, he put programs in place that took Tompkins County No Kill.

In your experience, what’s the most critical step to build a No Kill community?
If you ask 100 animal welfare professionals this question, all 100 would say spay/neuter. But all 100 would be wrong. That is not to say that high volume, low cost sterilization services aren’t important, they are. In fact, they are crucial. But that is not why most dogs and cats are currently being killed in shelters. It isn’t “pet overpopulation.” What we are actually suffering from as a nation, what is actually killing a high number of animals, is an over-population of shelter directors mired in the failed philosophies of the past and complacent with the status quo. We know how to stop the killing, but many shelter directors refuse to implement the No Kill model. As a result, a widespread, institutionalized culture of lifesaving is not possible without wholesale regime change in shelters and national animal protection groups, replacing them with compassionate leaders who reject killing as a method for achieving results.

http://www.pawschicago.org/animal-advocacy/q-a-with-nathan-winograd/

Simply, shelters are not adopting out enough animals… it is NOT that animals are unwanted, too many (overpopulation) nor is it that there are not enough homes/adopters… 

America’s approximately 4,000 animal shelters are currently adopting out more than 4 million pets per year – between 2 and 3 per shelter, per day. By simply increasing that by an additional 2 pets per shelter, per day, the 3 million healthy and treatable pets who currently lose their lives in shelters will be saved.

http://www.maddiesfund.org/Resource_Library/The_Shelter_Pet_Project_By_the_Numbers.html

A Kentucky community recently celebrated its second No Kill year. A Canadian community reduced killing by 70%. A New Zealand animal control shelter finished the year with a 96% rate of lifesaving. Another in Australia surpasses even that. A municipal shelter in Nevada is saving 95% of all animals, even with a per capita intake rate that is four times the rate of Los Angeles, seven times the rate of New York City, and over twice the national average. How can you know whether shelters are truly doing all they can to save the life of animals? The answer is the “90% Rule.”

http://www.pawschicago.org/about-no-kill/when-is-no-kill-truly-no-kill/

Shelters that work with their local animal rescue organizations, create FUN adoption events, provide low cost/free spay/neutering clinics, photograph animals in a positive way, obtain media coverage on a regular basis, provide necessary services for the animals to make them adoptable, and do EVERYTHING possible to Save Lives and make ADOPTION their FIRST PRIORITY are what is needed. How can YOU support YOUR local shelter to SAVE MORE LIVES???

Great Example of Shelter with HIGH Adoption Rate (low kill rate)

http://www.nevadahumanesociety.org/

I love that they used the Occupy movement in their ad… Occupy Hearts and Homes…

And their INTENTION and goal is to become a No Kill Shelter. Bonney Brown, the Executive Director, I believe, used to work for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

http://www.nevadahumanesociety.org/pdf/news/NHS_American-Dog-Magazine.pdf

National Average 2009: 58% (Source-Maddies’s Fund)

Nevada Humane Society Save Rate
• 2010: Dogs: 94% Cats: 95%

Pet Adoptions (Live Release of All Animals)

• 2010: 9,668 up 5% (484 more adoptions)
• 2009: 9,184 up 6% (549 more adoptions)
• 2008: 8,635 up 7% (605 more adoptions)
• 2007: 8,030 up 61% (3,040 more adoptions)
• 2006: 4,990 (pre no-kill initiative)

• Every cat, dog, kitten, and puppy is neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped before adoption.

Animals Losing their Lives in Washoe County Shelters

• 2010: 12% decrease
• 2009: 27% decrease
• 2008: 10% decrease
• 2007: 52% decrease (2,700 fewer dogs & cats lost their lives in 2007 than 2006)

About No Kill

http://www.pawschicago.org/about-no-kill/

List of No Kill shelters online

http://www.shelters.globalpetinsurance.com/index.html

http://www.nokillnetwork.org/d/

ALL dogs (and cats and other animals) deserve to be treated with kindness, respect, dignity and love… and who knows that dog you adopted or fostered just may rescue you… like Hercules… imagine what a terrible waste it would have been if Hercules had been killed

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/state/saint-bernard-saves-ohio-family-just-hours-after-hes-adopted

there are many creative folks doing wonderful adjunct programs, helping to save/rescue animals…folks like those below…

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45227747#.Tr_qSTlwqKx

Good buddies: Grizzled truckers transport rescued animals to safety

In the face of animal overpopulation and abuse, volunteers take matters into their own hands

According to the American Humane Association, about 3.7 million stray and unwanted animals are put to sleep in U.S. shelters each year.

Operation Roger always needs more truck drivers and volunteers to provide layover homes for animals in transit. To get involved, visit the organization’s website or email operationroger01@yahoo.com.

Pilots N Paws always needs pilots to transport animals to safe situations. General-aviation pilots who are interested in helping out should visit the organization’s website or email info@pilotsnpaws.org.

To help support Susanne Spirit’s Musical “Trucking” Dog Adoption Program, visit her website or her Facebook page, or email info@musicaltruckindogs.com.

the big animal organizations who are supposed to be protecting animals such as the ASPCA, Humane Society of the US and others need to get on board with creative, working solutions for increasing adoption rates at shelters, SAVING LIVES and becoming NO KILL not standing in the way of PROGRESS.

http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=7390

in the world of the ASPCA, saving lives is “extremist” but subjecting the animals to daily neglect, cruelty, and the ultimate form of violence—killing—is to be defended and protected.

…the kind of concerted effort to fight No Kill across the country that the ASPCA takes requires people. It isn’t Ed Sayres sitting alone at his keyboard. He and other leaders of the ASPCA may be calling the shots, but the people of the ASPCA are implementing his regressive policies. Ed Sayes may have ordered Oreo killed, but the people of the ASPCA killed her. Ed Sayres may have ordered Oreo’s Law to be defeated, but the people of the ASPCA walked the halls of the state capitol in Albany and lobbied legislators to vote “No.” Ed Sayres may have ordered the ASPCA to oppose No Kill in San Francisco, but the people of the ASPCA testified against it in front of the San Francisco Animal Welfare Commission. Ed Sayres may have ordered sick kittens sent to New York City’s medieval and abusive pound, but it is ASPCA employees who delivered them there to be killed.

…Despite the millions hoarded in their bank accounts raised through emotional commercials that prey on animal lovers by promoting the fiction that they will use donations to save animals, the ASPCA has a long sordid history of not only fighting reform efforts nationwide, but of neglecting the needs of the animals suffering in the shelter down the street, even sending animals to be killed there.

…the ASPCA is committed to killing, to protecting killers, to defending abusers if they happen to run shelters, and to hiding abuse within its own facility as the ASPCA did in trying to protect a veterinarian who kicked a dog to death? Regardless of whether it was run by Roger Caras who called No Kill a “hoax” and a “cancer,” or Larry Hawk, who continued that legacy, or Ed Sayres, who counts over 35,000 dead New York animals as his legacy, there is simply no evidence that the ASPCA “can do better than this” because, when it comes to ending the systematic killing of animals in U.S. shelters, they never have. In fact, they have never even tried, not since the death of their remarkable founder over 120 years ago.

Yes, I am an Extremist according to this…and am also horrified by this info. Had no idea, makes me sick, sick, sick … you would think that people who work with animals would LOVE them and want to save them, protect them, take care of them. Just makes me ill to think that these big organizations all they want to do is kill, kill, kill.  I also wonder if it is Follow the Money…

How MUCH MONEY do they get to Keep on KILLING as opposed to SAVING LIVES???

Are you an “extremist”? Take the quiz.

1. I want the killing to end.
2. I think it is wrong for shelters to neglect and abuse animals.
3. If other communities can end the killing of savable animals, I believe my community should also.
4. I care about animals and because I care about animals, I do not want harm to come to them.
5. I believe in democracy and engaging my elected officials to create social change.

If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, you are an “extremist” according to the ASPCA. If you answered “No” to all of these questions, the ASPCA thinks you’ll make a great shelter director and they will fight to defend and protect you.

loved world… love the dog you’re with…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwhMkGApdq4

just goes to show what giving dogs in shelters some training can do… make them adoptable… and giving prisoners another chance at life…  imagine having a child when you are 13 years old and still a child yourself…

http://swindlemagazine.com/issue12/tamar-geller/

Tamar Geller: The way wolves interact with each other—the way wolves train each other—is extremely different than the way people train dogs. Dogs have a wolf side, they also have a toddler part. You give two kids the same toy, and one of them is taking the toy away and body blocking the other. You see two dogs play, it’s the same thing. Dogs have to assess the pecking order without actually fighting. They need each one in the pack to help in the hunt, so if they hurt each other physically, it’s going to hurt themselves. The one with the control of the resources is the one in charge. I go to homes where people have behavioral problems with dogs, I see toys all over the floor—a free for all. What it means to the dog is that the owner loves them, but he’s not the leader.

You do not want to deal with aggression with force. Challenge [your dog] the way a wolf would, which is playing tug of war. This is the last sequence of the hunt, where they wrestle the animal down on the ground. The one who ends up with the food is the leader of the pack. It’s a game that looks very vicious—but it’s not because it’s got a lot of boundaries. So tug of war, when you follow the rules, can establish that you are the leader of the pack.

My [dog center] is phenomenal. It’s two stories, 6,000 square feet. We have the doggie lounge for the mellow dog upstairs. Downstairs we have the floors and the tunnels and the equipment. It’s so much freakin’ fun. We help a lot of dogs that have been abused by trainers, or not been socialized. They come here and they blossom. They start trusting people again, they start trusting dogs again.

I had to fight animal regulation. It cost me the price of a small house. [They] wanted me to divide dogs by size not by personality. I said, “So what? Because I’m five foot one, less than 100 pounds I’m not allowed to talk with people who are six foot seven?” I got an animal rights lawyer, and I got a political lawyer who helped me to work within the system. And you know what, of course I won.

I hate the word discipline and I hate the word obedience. I believe in manners. Who the heck am I to tell you how to raise your dog? I love dogs, but I tell you what—I love people. I say, “How can I make your relationship with your dog the best it could be? That’s my goal. Not to get your dog to fit into some kind of a box.

We all have the fairy tale. We think, My God! This will be the relationship that will fulfill me—whether it’s your Prince Charming, your brand new baby, or when you’re getting a puppy. When life gives challenges, most people would not give up on their children. Unfortunately a lot of people give up on their dog. I want people to have the reality check of, what does it mean to have any new relationship? You have the ideal, and then it’s going to be real life. You can be the best thing that could ever happen to your dog’s life. Like any relationship, it’s a give and take. We are so lucky that we have the love in us to give to dogs.

Everybody says, “Let’s whisper to our animals.” But what do they have to tell us? Let’s listen to what you, my precious dog, are trying to tell me—as opposed to me coming with blinders on, with agendas. Let’s try, all of us, to listen to our animals. That’s my privilege—the unbelievable privilege—of working with animals.

www.tamargeller.com