To Hercules With Love

     In 2010 and 2011, I featured a story about the most amazing duo I've come across - a sweet little girl, Kylie and her beloved pit bull, Hercules. Those posts will forever be my favorite story that I will share on this blog. If you have not had the pleasure of reading them, they are here: first one, second one. Tonight, I read some news that I have been dreading ever since I first discovered this sweet pair. You see, Hercules has been battling cancer for five years. He has been holding on for so long, even after losing a leg, but he does not have much fight left in him. Hercules has touched hearts all over and he will never be forgotten. Here is the post from the photographer who introduced the world to a beautiful girl and her dog and the astounding bond between them.


My good friend Hercules, the pit bull, has about 2-10 weeks to live. Cancer is getting the best of him and his time with us running out. Many of you know him, have met him at events or know him through the portraits of him that I have taken in the last few years. He has marched in several Luv-a-Bully marches, first with 4 legs and then with 3 legs and served as an “ambassadog” at many rescue events around Orange County.

I met Hercules in 2009 at a Luv-a-Bully march in Brea. The march was a gathering of about 200+ pit bulls and their owners to dispel the public opinions that pit bulls were mean fighting dogs and protest BSL (Breed Specific Legislation). Dr. Paula Terifaj (now the owner of DogSpa) asked me to photograph the event and that is how I met Hercules and his family, Kylie (now 5) and mom Leslie. I snapped some photos of Herc and Kylie at the event and a few months later Leslie contacted me, in a panic, to do portraits of Kylie with Hercules because Hercules had cancer and she did not know how long he would live. Kylie was two then and Leslie was afraid that without photos Kylie would not be able to remember Hercules when she grew up. Since that time, the bond that Hercules shares with his girl Kylie has become a personal photographic project for me. The images of Kylie and Hercules together have touched many people and helped to change the negative perception some people have of the pit bull breed. The portrait work has served as a medium to communicate the true nature of pit bulls as protectors and kid-loving, furry balls of love.

I know a lot of pit bulls!!! Of all of them, Hercules is the most loving, the most patient, and the best ambassador for the breed I’ve ever met. His work here on earth is just about done. I’ve captured some memories with the photography we’ve done, but it’s still so difficult for Kylie and Leslie to deal with the loss they will grieve someday very soon. I have been trying to think of something to do to help them and then today it hit me . . . I know we are all busy people, but I would like to make a simple but heartfelt request . . . send Hercules and/or his girl Kylie (who is now 5) a card or a note before he goes. Wish Hercules the best, send hugs, send notes of gratitude for allowing us to see what dedication and love is all about. Tell Hercules how brave he is to have fought cancer for 5 years. Tell Kylie and Leslie how you admire that they have cared for him so well these five years while Hercules had numerous treatments to keep his cancer at bay.

I have tried to remember all of the people that Hercules has touched in his life, but I’m sure there are so many more. Feel free to share this message with anyone you know, that might know Hercules or be interested in his story. Tell everyone about him and spread his story far and wide. He’s a good dog and good pit bull and he’s leaving a big ‘ole pawprint on my heart and the hearts of many.

I have also posted this on my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lspetportraits

Please send cards and love to:

Hercules c/o FOCHP
26423 Scott Rd.
Menifee CA 92584

Thank you so very much for caring about the breed we love.

Lisa

P.S. If you haven’t already read it, Roni Raczkowski wrote a wonderful article about Hercules and it was published on the Best Friends site and went viral a couple of years ago. http://bestfriends.org/News-And-Features/News/Are-You-There,-God–It-s-Me,-Hercules/

P.S.S. For those of you who do not know, a portrait from 2012 of Kylie and Hercules are featured as the month of July in the Unexpected Pit Bull calendar http://theunexpectedpitbull.com/shop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=50

One of the first portraits of Hercules and his girl Kylie (Summer of 2010). This image is up on display in several Orange County location, has traveled all over the internet, and has been seen by thousands of people.

Here are some shots from the session we did last summer. Some of these images are featured in the Unexpected Pit Bull Calendar 2013.

 

This portrait was shot on April 24th. Hercules still seemed to be feeling OK but he was a bit slower and got tired a bit quicker. He still enjoyed being with his girl and I got more than a few kisses from him.
 

When I was done shooting I handed Leslie the camera and asked her to take a photo of me and Herc. I am so glad I did. Thanks Leslie for everything.
 

There Is No Us vs.Them: We ALL Want Safe Communities

In February of 2013 House Bill 5287 and Senate Bill 178, were introduced in Rhode Island. The companion bills called for state-wide regulation of the ownership of “pit bull” dogs and would have required, among other things, mandatory insurance, confinement, muzzling, and banned from walked within 100 feet of a school, and other severe restrictions. The bills would have created statewide BSL. In March of 2013, both bills were withdrawn by their sponsors.

Animal Farm Foundation’s Executive Director worked closely with Rhode Island the constituent who submitted the bill to his legislators, in order to help affect a positive outcome. She writes about her experience here:

Last month a Rhode Island Senator introduced legislation targeting “pit bull” dogs. The language was some of the most inflammatory I have ever seen in legislation. But as I read the legislation it was clear that this was motivated from a place of deep emotion.

My experience as an advocate has taught me that almost every single instance of proposed breed specific legislation is motivated by emotion – a reaction to a single, frightening event. Or, maybe it is a reaction to something frightening that could have happened, but didn’t. BSL is always fueled by fear and a desire to address the issue of safety. It’s always about the fear of not being safe in our own communities. We all want to feel safe. And that’s something we can all agree on.

I called the senator who sponsored the legislation and asked him if he was willing to tell me about his motivation for filing the bill. In order to help him understand that I wasn’t calling to start an argument, I explained that while on the surface it may seem that we didn’t agree, that I was certain we really did. I explained that we both probably wanted the same thing: for ALL the citizens of Rhode Island to feel safe. So although the senator and I did not agree on how to get there, we shared a community of interest. We both agreed everybody in Rhode Island deserved to be protected from reckless dog owners. We had established common ground to stand on together.

 

Turns out, I was the first person who had called the senator with solutions regarding building safe communities, instead of complaints. The senator asked me to speak with the constituent who had asked him to take up this legislation in the first place. I was glad to!

 

The constituent, a dog owner himself, had a very scary experience with a dog in his community. While they were out for a walk, another person allowed their dog to severely injure this constituent’s dog. The dog needed emergency surgery and lots of stitches. It was a legitimately terrible experience for this citizen and his family – they were afraid their pet was going to die. They had every right to be angry and frightened. I would have been too.

 

Afterwards, there was a dangerous dog hearing regarding the incident. It became clear that the reckless dog owner didn’t care if his dog was destroyed. He’d simply get another dog if this one was gone.

 

The dog owner was the problem – he’d failed to properly manage his dog – and he was the one to blame for the incident. But since the victim does not live under the “pit bull” tent as so many of us do, he was susceptible to the incorrect notion that the “pit bull” was to blame for what happened to his dog. He believed that in order to prevent this sort of thing from occurring again, it was “pit bull” dogs that needed to be restricted. He didn’t want what happened to his family to ever happen to another family. He had exhausted all recourses allowed by law, but nothing had really changed. He knew he needed to do something to bring attention to the problem of reckless dog owners.

So after months of meeting with his city council about this matter, this gentleman was given the opportunity to meet with his senator to discuss a legislative solution. The result was that statewide breed specific legislation (BSL) was proposed in Rhode Island.

 

Obviously, I do not agree with their legislative solution. But as a dog owner who would do anything to keep her pets safe, and as a human being who genuinely cares about the well-being of her friends and neighbors, I could understand why they felt like they needed to do something. I know firsthand what it feels like to live in a city where legislation (fueled by the acts of a single, reckless dog owner) would ultimately force me to either leave my home and my job, or surrender my dog to be killed, was being considered. I was afraid. And I no longer felt safe in my own community. And I also know what it is like to feel unsafe in my own neighborhood because a reckless dog owner will not properly contain his dog. I have a “pit bull” dog who is still too afraid to go for walks in our own neighborhood because he was bitten by the neighbor’s at-large dog.

In talking with the constituent it turned out that we’re more alike than we are different. Instead of focusing on our disagreements, we started with our shared community of interest and our goals regarding building a safe community. We discussed how BSL has never been proven to reduce dog bites and fails to increase public safety. We agreed that in order to reach our shared goal – community safety – BSL was not going to be an effective solution for addressing reckless dog owners in Rhode Island.

 

Together we determined that there was much room for improvement in how Rhode Island currently deals with reckless dog owners and that by focusing our efforts there – on addressing reckless owners of ANY dog – we could affect real transformational change in regards to increasing public safety. We looked at existing animal control laws and discovered where a lack of enforcement (of current ordinances) could be addressed. When current legislation isn’t being enforced, introducing new legislation makes little sense – why not try enforcing what you already have on the books, before introducing new legislation? We could both see that there were many steps we could take to improve community safety in Rhode Island, without banning dogs based on physical appearance or breed label.

 

Today, there is still much work to be done, but all the stakeholders now agree that BSL is not going to be the solution.

 

It’s worth noting that I didn’t attempt to influence the constituent’s decision by talking about how much I love “pit bull” dogs. I was not attempting to change how he felt about “pit bull” dogs. From the beginning it was clear that we were both on the same side, so I focused the discussion on our mutual interest in building safe communities and shared the research that shows BSL would not lead to an increase in public safety. BSL fails responsible “pit bull” dog owners, such as myself, and it fails our neighbors and fellow community members, such as this gentleman.

 

We all wind up losing with BSL, no matter what side we’re on.

The takeaway here is that there is no us vs. them when it comes to wanting to be safe in our own communities. I am absolutely certain of this. Responsible dog owners (of all kinds of dogs) and various community members typically have more in common than it might seem at first. On the surface it seems as if we are worlds apart, but remember: safety is the goal for everyone. We all want to be safe. Rather than creating a divide based in misunderstanding and anger – us vs. them – we can start the conversation from the common ground we all share: a desire to be safe in our own communities. Safe from reckless dog owners and safe from ineffective, discriminatory legislation. That how real solutions which truly benefit everyone are achieved.

 

I think that the us vs. them syndrome is rooted in the chronic fringe that dances around those of us who are working hard to make a difference. On one side, there’s the anti-”pit bull” dog, agenda-based hate groups that masquerade as champions of victims’ rights. On the other are the arrogant, reckless dog owners who disregard basic ownership laws allowing their dogs (“pit bull” dogs or any other dog) to become a nuisance or a threat to all of us. Both are the exception. They are on the far ends of the spectrum and have little in common with the majority of us who live together and are working towards fair, safe, effective solutions. These fringe groups do not get to define how the rest of us interact with one another.

 

Let’s refuse to play this divisive game of us vs. them. We did. Together, we found a common ground solution that benefits all the people of Rhode Island. You can do this too. You don’t need to be the Executive Director of a non-profit or even a member of a group to build bridges and let the “other side” know that you understand their concerns and want to work with them to create safe communities for all of us to enjoy.

We’re all more alike than we think. The same goes for the dogs: “pit bull” dogs are not uniquely different than other dogs – for worse OR better. The way to move forward effectively isn’t to get stuck championing how different or special or unique our dogs are or by spewing anger at the other side. We can accomplish so much more if we focus our energies on what we have in common. We’re all on the same team. We all want safe communities.

 

For more information, please watch our presentation on Breed Specific Legislation.

 

Article by Animal Farm Foundation

http://animalfarmfoundation.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/there-is-no-us-vs-them/

“Pit Bull” Dog Advocates: Is the Info You Share Hurting or Helping?

Here’s a riddle for anyone who communicates on behalf of “pit bull” dogs:

What happens when you promote “pit bull” dogs for adoption and advocate for their fair treatment while ALSO communicating outdated, fear-inducing information about the very same dogs?

Answer: You wind up hurting the dogs you’re supposed to be helping.

We’re betting the public are left scratching their heads when organizations that are seemingly FOR “pit bull” dogs, are simultaneously putting out information that makes the dogs they’re advocating for look like highly deviant, potentially even deadly, dogs.

Think we’re exaggerating? A quick look around the Internet and various “pit bull” advocacy pages and the average person – who may have no prior information about “pit bull” dogs – will discover subtitles such as “Pit Bulls: Never Trust Them Not To Fight,” among other inflammatory and subjective pieces.

If our mission is to promote the adoption of “pit bull” dogs from shelters and to advocate for breed neutral laws that do not discriminate, then what purpose does it serve to scare the public sideways, with articles that perpetuate fear and have little to do with the individual dogs themselves?

                        We trust that these two “pit bull” dogs are simply playing. To set them up
                        for success we get to know the dogs as individuals and we supervise the dogs
                                    during play groups.  No breed-specific warnings necessary.

That kind of tired, negative information promotes fear not fact, and hardly supports our collective work to end canine discrimination and save lives.

Could it be that some advocates and organizations don’t consider “pit bull” dogs to be normal dogs? That’s the only conclusion we can come to based on the inflammatory information we find on various “pit bull” advocacy websites, such as “because of their strength and fighting ability, Pit Bulls can easily do a lot of damage in a short period of time.” After reading breed-specific hype like that all over the web, how can we expect anyone to adopt a dog labeled “pit bull” or not be afraid of them?

The very people who are supposed to be advocating on behalf of the dogs are making them look like deviant monsters, set apart from all other canines.

                                     Dogs are more alike one another than they are different. There

                                     is NO behavior that is unique to one dog breed. You can get to

                                         know “pit bull” dogs by learning more about DOG behavior.

If our goals are to save lives, help the public to better evaluate the right pet dog for their families, to properly care for the “pit bulls” they already own and love, and to end discriminatory polices, then animal welfare organizations and advocates need to promote accurate information, not hysteria-inducing sound bites that further marginalize dogs labeled “pit bull.”

In short: Scare tactics are not resources.

And further: our opinions are not facts, even when they’re based on our personal experiences.

“Pit Bulls” are dogs. The behaviors they exhibit are DOG behaviors. And not a single one of these canine behaviors are unique to “pit bull” dogs alone. But just looking at the websites with “pit bull” dog resources would make anyone think that “pit bull” dogs are in need of highly specialized, vigilant, and skilled handling…or disaster will strike.

If advocates use fear in order to get the public to be responsible (like some sort of canine “Scared Straight!” for dog owners), they’re missing the point. ALL dogs need responsible owners. We don’t need to make “pit bull” dog owners afraid of their own dogs in order to discuss responsible dog ownership or give them excellent resources to help them set their dogs up for success. Fear-based generalizations aren’t helping the dogs.

                                     All dogs need responsible owners who manage them properly
                                and care for them based on their individual needs. Don’t single out
                               “pit bull” dogs as different than any other dog or burden them with 
                                 breed-based generalizations that may cause more harm than good.

It is our responsibility as advocates to constantly re-examine our language, the information we’re sharing, and the research that we’re promoting. Rather than weeding out old content published back in the ‘00s, many sites have kept outdated, inflammatory posts and information on their websites and in their resources. This information, published years ago, might have been the best information and advice available at the time, but in the progressive world of animal sheltering and canine research, five to ten years is a lifetime ago. Our work has changed, as the information and research we’re privy to changes.

The dogs are depending on us to stop adding to their problems by recycling old content and tired warnings. Stereotypes, myths, generalizations, and opinions that are floating around the internet are promoted and perceived as fact. We owe it to the dogs to be vigilant in the information we provide to the public, even when that means admitting we were wrong in the past or that new information has come to light. We must also be aware that what we say might be misunderstood in and outside of the animal welfare world, resulting in serious, real life consequences for the dogs and their people. And we need to stop using fear and warnings in place of solid, fact-based information and resources.

The dogs need us, the experts, to revamp the outdated information that perpetuates the misperception that “pit bull” dogs are uniquely different than all other dogs and further marginalizes them in shelters, in the law books, and even in the homes of the people who love them. Fear isn’t Fact.

Article from: http://animalfarmfoundation.wordpress.com/

Tips for Attending Meetings on Breed Discriminatory Laws

10 Tips for Attending a City Council Meeting or Public Hearing Where Discriminatory Dog Laws are Being Discussed

Reprinted with permission from If Dogs Could Talk and StubbyDog.org

(1) Stay for the entire meeting. I recently attended a public hearing in Middletown, New York, where a new dog ordinance was first on the agenda for discussion. After the dog discussion ended, the dozens of advocates in attendance left the hearing; I was one of two people who stayed put. Several of the council members voiced disgust over this. One said, “These dog lovers claim to care about the community, but they leave after their issue is finished. How can they say they care about the community?”

(2) Dress to impress. There’s a time and a place for our doggie t-shirts and sweatshirts; a formal political meeting is not it. We’ll be taken more seriously if our attire conveys professionalism and respect. And if you’re like me, your dog/advocacy paraphenalia is ragged from wear and tear. Politicians are not impressed by this. They wear formal ”work” clothes to these things, and so should we.

(3) Avoid the “isms.” It’s tempting to compare discriminatory dog laws to racism, the holocaust, fascism, and other social atrocities. Don’t. It especially insults people who have experienced those “isms” firsthand, and your legislators could be one of them. A Washington Post column noted, “Nazi comparisons are the most extreme form of political speech; once one ties his political opponents to the most deplorable chapter in human history, all reasoned argument ceases.” In an Ohio hearing to discuss the repeal of state-wide breed specific legislation (BSL), one committee member was so offended by a comparison of BSL to racism that she walked out of the room. You want/need them to stay in the room.

(4) Don’t come empty handed. When you speak, it’s important to present the facts, studies, and research to demonstrate that discriminatory dog laws have never resulted in increased public safety. But don’t expect the legislators to remember everything you said. Instead, present them each with hard copies of what you cited. Having one printed copy per legislator shows respect and makes it easier for them to digest everything. They probably received countless emails on the topic, so delivering these materials in person increases the chances they’ll really read it. It might not save the trees, but it could save the dogs.

(5) Propose a solution. There’s a good chance you’ll convince legislators that discriminatory dog laws are not effective, but don’t forget the most important part: the solution. A small town Mayor once told a room full of dog advocates, “You all say that our proposed ordinance is not the answer, but none of you has proposed an alternative plan.” Once an elected official proposes legislation, it’s hard to go back on the promise to take action; even though their opinions may change, they still feel the need to “do something.” Propose that something. It can be as simple (and effective!) as enforcing existing leash laws, fining owners who don’t license their dogs, or partnering with community groups to offer low-cost vaccination and microchip clinics. If the legislator can claim this as his own idea/solution, even better! But spell this out for them, so they can take action.

(6) Focus on public safety for people. Legislators are interested, first and foremost, in ensuring public safety for their voting constituents. So frame your arguments in ways that appeal to their goal. They may or may not care how much you love your dog, and sadly, they may or may not care about the plight of dogs in your community. But they will always care about public safety to people. Fortunately, effective dog laws also enhance public safety for people. These are the points you want to stress. Help legislators understand that this is not a zero-sum game; the existence of your dog does not come at the expense of humans’ wellbeing.

(7) Share your stories strategically. Telling legislators how much you love your dog doesn’t always change minds, especially if they mistakenly believe your dogs exist at the expense of public safety. Instead, tell stories of how your dogs have benefited the community. Is your dog a therapy dog? Describe how he’s enhanced the lives of vulnerable people in your community (e.g., isolated seniors, children with special needs). Do you spend money on your dog? State the dollar amount you pay annually to local business owners (e.g., veterinarians, pet food stores, dogwalkers, trainers) because of your dog.

(8) Practice your poker face. This is a tough one, especially when emotions run high. But the dogs are counting on you to be polite and in control of your words. There’s a good possibility that a legislator (or another audience member) will say something hurtful and offensive about you and/or your dogs. Don’t let this catch you off guard; get a friend to practice insulting you (for real!) and test out your poker face. If you can’t stay collected after hearing these insults, better to find out now rather than in public and on record. Also, don’t moan-and-groan, roll your eyes, whisper to the person next to you, or tsk-tsk when someone says something offensive. Reacting that way will hurt, not help, your case.

(9) Introduce yourself to legislators after the meeting. When the meeting is over (and you’ve stayed to the end, of course!), kindly introduce yourself to the legislators – even the ones on the other team. Shake their hand. Look them in the eye. All of this puts a human face on the issue, and those simple interactions can go a long way in humanizing the issue. And it’s a good business practice.
(10) Say thank you. When you’re shaking hands, thank the legislators for being concerned about public safety. In doing so, you can reiterate that you share this goal.

For more information on challenging discriminatory dog laws, visit Stop BSL, Bless the Bullies, the American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club, or the National Canine Research Council.

Download the PDF

Raja, the Dock Diving Pit Bull

Dock diving gives a timid pit bull the courage to soar

By Kirstyn Northrop Cobb ((Reprinted from StubbyDog.org)

The SPCA worker knew about the frightened little pit bull running through her neighborhood, and frequently tried to get her in off the streets. Due to sheer determination on the part of the SPCA worker, the little pit bull finally ended up in the shelter, afraid, heartworm positive, and very pregnant. Within a week, little pit bull puppies were born. As is too often the case, the puppies were adopted, but mom was left behind. One of those puppies went home with Ashley Rogers, but had to return to be microchipped. During that return trip, the shelter worker asked Ashley if she would like to meet her puppy’s mother. Ashley said “yes” and was led to an office where the little mommy pit bull was residing during her heartworm treatment. When Ashley sat down, the mommy pit bull placed her head in Ashley’s lap. The shelter worker started crying, because this was the first time that the little pit bull had voluntarily gone near someone, much less put her head in someone’s lap. It was fate, and the little pit bull was adopted and named Raja.

Raja was still nervous, and life was still overwhelming; she would go to the pet store with her mom and cower the entire time. About a year later, Ashley became involved in dock diving, a sport where dogs jump off a dock into a body of water, and are judged by the distance that they soar. Maybe dock diving would be the thing to build confidence in Raja.

At first, Ashley had some concerns about taking a pit bull into a sport dominated by labs and Chesapeake Bay retrievers, but the community was very supportive of her. Soon, Ashley had a winner on her hands, and Raja won the senior title! Currently, Raja is the #1 pit bull in the country, with a personal best jump of 19 feet.

Dock diving did the trick, and Raja gained confidence. And don’t think that the accomplishments stopped at dock diving – Raja has also earned her Canine Good Citizen certificate and passed her therapy dog test! How amazing is that?

Congratulations to Ashley and Raja, two amazing champions!

Leave Those Pit Bulls Alone

Dozzer, a 5 year old Pit Bull (as defined by law) with his owner, Jeff Hickey.
Dozzer was the first dog to be euthanized under Ontario's breed-specific legislation in 2005.

Contrary to Post columnist Barbara Kay’s assertion that, “Anytime you read a story in which animals end up dead or needing to be euthanized after being attacked by a dog, or children being wounded … you’ll be right most of the time if you guess the attacking dog was a pit bull,” (“Killer on a leash,” Jan. 3) there is no statistical proof that a pit bull is a public-safety hazard — no more so than any other type of dog.

According to Dr. Julie Gilchrist of the U.S. Center for Disease Control, a leading researcher on dog bites, “If anyone says one dog is more likely to kill — unless there is a study out there I haven’t seen — that’s not based on scientific data.”

What most likely determines whether a dog is dangerous is the humans, not the breed. In the wrong hands, any powerful breed can pose a risk, even if the animal has not been mistreated. A new client had called me in tears because her newly adopted shepherd sent her to the emergency room after he suddenly attacked her. Had this dog been a pit bull, chances are that story would have landed in the press — and that dog on death row.

Early socialization is important for pit bulls, as it is for all breeds. They are terriers and thus can be tenacious. And, like all terriers, they can have a high prey drive. Prey drive issues are common in a variety of breeds — shepherds, huskies, Jack Russells, etc. — but breed can show it. Owners of any powerful breed ­always go the extra mile.

What is not typical in pit bulls is aggression towards humans. Aggressive pit bulls are not typically family dogs, but “resident dogs”: Dogs chained in a yard, kept in a warehouse, or basement, with no regular positive human interaction. Under such conditions, any breed runs the risk of developing fearful or aggressive tendencies.

For the average pit bull kept as a family pet, things are very different. According to the American Temperament Test Society, among the 15 most popular dog breeds, only pugs and labs rank higher than pit bulls in temperament tests. Pit bulls even beat out golden retrievers.

Pit bull-type dogs are among the most common in North America. In some areas, especially the inner city, estimates run as high as 30% to 40% of the canine population. Yet less than 0.0004% of the pit bull population has been involved in fatal attacks. The truth is that they are a profoundly people-oriented animal.

Large numbers of pit bulls arrive in rescues, or are seized in cruelty cases, near death from having been starved, shot, stabbed, covered in cigarette burns, beaten and scared. Even in these deplorable conditions, it is remarkable how often they will feebly wag their tails and lick their rescuers’ hand.

These facts have not stopped places like Ontario from passing breed-specific legislation (BSL), which has resulted in the deaths of countless harmless puppies and dogs.

When then former Ontario attorney-general Michael Bryant spearheaded the push for BSL in 2005, the McGuinty government never had to prove it had a sound case. It did not consult with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, the Humane Society, animal welfare groups, the Canadian Kennel Club or the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers, all of which opposed the ban. Instead, unsubstantiated statistics and media sensationalism were good enough to sign the death warrant on thousands of dogs who had done nothing except been classified as pit bulls by visual identification alone.

So why do people experienced with pit bulls see them so differently than those whose only experience comes from media hype? Perhaps because a National Canine Research Council study found that an alarming number of media reports cited pit bulls as the dog involved in attacks, when no such breed was ever identified in the police or animal control reports.

These dogs have become the target for irrational fear and hatred, which says a lot more about us, than it does about them.


Written by Heather Morgan. Heather is a Toronto dog trainer, musician, mother and an adoptions moderator for Smilin’ Pitbull Rescue.
Photo by: Jana Chytilova/Postmedia News

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/01/21/heather-morgan-leave-those-pit-bulls-alone/

NFL Linebacker Patrick Willis Loves His Dog

Patrick Willis is widely considered to be one of the best defensive players in the NFL. The San Francisco 49er All-Pro linebacker is preparing for the biggest game of the year, a rematch with the Green Bay Packers this weekend to determine who moves on to the league championship. The Bark recently spoke with the man known for his fearsome, physical style of play, not about football … but about his new housemate, a young Pitbull named Zeus.

The Bark: Tell us about your dog.
Patrick Willis: My little man Zeus, he’s not so little anymore, he’s only 10-months-old and over 80 lbs. I’ve been wanting a dog for sometime, and with all my family back in Tennessee, you come back to a empty house all the time, it gets kind of lonely. I need to add a little life to the mix—so, I adopted Zeus, an 8-week-old Pitbull.

B: What’s he like?
PW: He listens well, and is great with people, particularly my little brother and sister. He can be a stubborn at times like all kids when they are young. The one thing he does is tear up his bed, we’re working on that. He’s just an amazing dog, I love him.

B: During the season you must travel a lot …
PW: When I’m on the road, I really miss him, I have a great dogsitter who cares for him while I’m away—she takes him to the beach, to playdates with his BFF. I know he’s in good hands til I get home. It makes it easier on my heart.

B: How did you name him?
PW: I’ve always liked the Greek gods, and Zeus was the most powerful of them all—so I named him Zeus.

B: You are involved with a scholarship program sponsored by Duracell that provides tuition and transportation to attend ProCamps run by professional athletes like yourself. To underscore their mission, they’ve produced a short video on your young life, and it is quite inspiring. Tell us about it.
PW: The program is called “Trusting Your Power” and Duracell is donating $1 to Procamps for every #TrustYourPower tweet we generate with these interviews. The donations will be placed into a scholarship fund to help underprivileged kids attend the camps. I feel blessed to be a part of the program—I was once that kid and know how much attending a camp would have meant to me, so I am fortunate to be involved. Duracell hopes to send 1,000 underprivileged kids across the country to one of the approximate 40 different ProCamps.

B: Watching the video depiction of your childhood and all that you’ve overcome, do you feel a special affinity to Pitbulls, a breed who are often misunderstood, and in a way the classic underdog?
PW: When you are young, you tend to be influenced by those around you—parents, adults, and for dogs, their owners—if you can surround them with love, show them that you care and you’ll be there for them, well, love is a powerful thing, the most powerful thing in the world. The love you give, you will get in return. It shows with Zeus.

B: What is the biggest thing you’ve learned with Zeus?
PW: The responsibility. Sometimes I’ve asked myself, what I have I got myself into … coming home after practice, making sure I attend to all of his needs, it’s a lot of responsibility—but I’m all he’s got, and he’s all I’ve got. It means a lot to me, and keeps me on my toes. I may be tired, but there’s no sleeping in, have to get up and take Zeus out for his walk. I want to make sure he’s not in need of anything. Sometimes I wish I had that growing up. Zeus and I, we take care of each other.


By Cameron Woo
http://www.thebark.com/content/nfl-linebacker-patrick-willis-loves-his-dog

The Angel On My Shoulders

 

 

Mercadante, a librarian and animal lover, recounts the life lessons she and her family learned after she adopted a pit bull.

Rumer—named after novelist Rumer Godden—was a puppy “the size of a sausage.” She was an ordinary dog who nonetheless touched the lives of everyone who knew her. With her sideways glance and mascara eyes, she shattered the myths attached to this unfairly maligned, naturally loving dog breed. Whether carrying out her self-appointed task of corralling the horses, participating in daily visits to nearby family members, riding the No. 8 golf cart, playing hockey with her “uncle” or wearing crazy glasses for Halloween, Rumer demonstrated the keys to a life well lived: guilelessly give and receive and seize the moment. Mercadante follows Rumer from her carefree, funny puppy days through a rebellious adolescence, to her physical peak of adulthood and finally to her heartbreaking but courageous end. She evocatively brings to life not only the boundless, inspiring spirit of a dog who “smells like fresh-cut grass, baked pork, and a hint of unmentionables,” but also the beauty of the Southampton, Mass., landscape and the sacredness of a moment. Even more importantly, she sheds light on the importance of understanding the pit bull for its admirably loyal nature—not for its unfortunate stereotype forged by cruel, inhumane owners intent on turning these promising animals into violent attack dogs. Rumer, on the other hand, proved herself to be a joyous, loving and good-natured soul who wholeheartedly embraced life and eagerly became a grounded center for each family member. Also included here is a delightful centerfold featuring photos of Rumer and her family.

A charming portrait of unadulterated pet love.

Review by Kirkus

 

 

"Jolene writes with great heart and passion about a dog breed disenfranchised not because of what they are, but because of what we imagine them to be. I love stories that support the underdog, and Jolene's tale of her beloved pit bull terrier is exactly that. It is also a delight to read, and a worthy story to ponder. And you will fall in love with Rumer, I'll promise you that." -Susan Knilans McElroy, author of Animals As Teachers and Healers and Animals as Guides for the Soul "Jolene has truly captured the ways animals enrich and bless our lives in profound ways. Not only is Angel On My Shoulder a story of an exceptional, loving pit bull named Rumer, it is on a larger scale the defense of a gentle, loyal breed that has been much maligned and misunderstood. May it help everyone understand both the true nature of the American Pit Bull as well as the true nature of love."

*Buy the book at this site for $4.00!

 

 

Buy now from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Kaley Cuoco and Dog Shaming

Kaley Cuoco does it again! Check out her PSA from the People's Choice Awards. I spy a pit bull!

BSL is Contagious. Speak Up Now.

Despite the positive trend we saw in 2012 (more discriminatory laws were repealed or rejected than passed last year), Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) remains a problem in communities around the world and, as we’re seeing in Maryland and Boston, it’s having a serious impact on families right now.

Here’s what we need you all to know: BSL doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It spreads. Areas that think they have a problem will look to other communities to see what they are doing and then copy their actions. If BSL happens in one town, it doesn’t just affect that town – it spreads beyond city or state borders and affects everyone.

BSL is contagious.　

This contagion affects us all, no matter what kind of dog we have. In fact, BSL affects everyone, whether or not they even own a pet.

While it’s true that BSL discriminates against certain dogs and certain owners, it does one thing across the board: BSL jeopardizes everyone’s safety equally.

BSL is not a “pit bull” dog issue. It’s not something that only affects “pit bull” dogs and their families. BSL denies all of us the opportunity to live in a safe, humane community.

There is no “us vs. them” when it comes to wanting a safe community. Dog owners, including “pit bull” dog owners, want to be protected from the reckless few who disregard the laws that govern responsible pet ownership. Discriminating against dog owners because of what their dog looks like will never make for a safer community. Holding reckless owners accountable will.

 

BSL fails all of us:

• BSL is ineffective and expensive (your tax dollars are being wasted). It has never been proven to increase public safety. Learn more about how BSL fails here.

• BSL is time-consuming and nearly impossible to enforce. Animal control officers must spend time and resources seizing and destroying family dogs, based only on their physical appearances, rather than focusing their efforts on protecting the community from truly dangerous animals.

• BSL doesn’t treat all citizens equally. Every citizen deserves to be protected from ALL reckless dog owners, regardless of what kind of dog they own. BSL only targets certain breeds or breed mixes, based only on how they look and not based on how a dog actually behaves. Every dog owner should be held equally accountable.

• BSL targets dogs of all kinds. Think your dog is safe because you don’t own a “pit bull” dog? BSL is a slippery slope and your dog might be the next victim. All it takes is one person accusing your dog of being a “pit bull” and you might be forced to give up your dog. See what happened when one woman’s mixed breed dog was reported to be a “pit bull” dog. BSL has also targeted more than 30 different breeds of dogs, from Boston Terriers and Chihuahuas to Siberian Huskies and Great Danes. No one is safe.

• BSL and “no kill” are incompatible. Cities can’t claim to be “no kill” if a breed ban is in place. Euthanizing any dog identified as a banned breed, regardless of the dog’s individual temperament, is incompatible with the “no kill” philosophy. Forward thinking animal welfare policies don’t allow for discrimination.

• BSL creates an atmosphere of fear. Families who can’t move to other towns wind up hiding their dogs. Neighbors get the message that “those dogs” aren’t safe and look at their neighbor’s dogs differently. Myths, lies, and hype take the place of facts, truth, and personal experiences. Fear replaces logic.

• BSL perpetuates myths. BSL suggests we can accurately identify a dog’s breed based on their looks and that a dog’s breed is an accurate predictor of behavior. Science, like this analysis from the AVMA, has repeatedly shown that both of these concepts are false. We cannot accurately i.d. a dog based only on their physical appearance. And we cannot predict or assume to know how a dog will act in the future, based only on their breed.

• BSL discriminates against people. While BSL may seem to be a battle about dogs, it is just as much about the people who own them. Stereotypes, prejudice, and assumptions about who owns “pit bull” dogs fuels the discrimination our dogs face. “Pit bull” dog owners are just as responsible and involved in their communities as any other dog owner. BSL assumes otherwise. It’s an insult to “pit bull” dog owners everywhere to be treated as “second class” dog owners who have no regard for safety or the law. It’s not true and we won’t stand for it.

Breed Specific Legislation fails us and our communities. Clearly, it’s not just “pit bull” dogs that benefit from putting an end to BSL. Everyone benefits when breed neutral laws, that hold ALL reckless dog owners accountable for their actions, are in place.

It’s in all of our best interests to defeat BSL. We ALL want safe, humane communities and won’t stand for this discrimination.

If you believe that all dogs should be treated fairly and equally, please take a stand.

Here’s how:

• Reach out beyond your borders. Your polite phone calls and letters DO make a difference, even if you do not live in the municipality being affected by BSL. Contrary to popular belief, hearing from citizens around the country does have an affect on local politicians. Reach out beyond your town to help those being discriminated against.

• Be informed. Know your local and state laws. Watch our presentation to better understand BSL.

• Boycott towns that have BSL: don’t hold conferences, competitions, or events in these towns. Take your money to places that don’t discriminate. Money talks.

• Send us your photos. AFF’s Majority Project is designed to put an end to damaging stereotypes that fuel discrimination against “pit bull” dogs and their families. Send us your photos and help us show policymakers that we won’t be insulted any longer.

• Download the app. Download the free AFF app “Talking Pit Bull Dogs” for a BSL Talking Point guide, including tips for letter writing. Don’t use apps? You can find that info at the end of this webinar.

• Don’t be silent. Even if you don’t own a “pit bull” dog, it could be your dogs next. Help us stop the cycle of discrimination now, so that no other group of dog owners ever has to take up this fight again. Join “pit bull” dog families in your town and demand fair and effective breed neutral polices. Let your policy makers know that you won’t stand for discrimination and ineffective laws that compromise everyone’s well being.

“Pit bull” dog families and advocates around the country can’t defeat BSL without your help. Please help us stand up for all dogs.

Let’s stop BSL in its tracks.

To download a copy of this poster, please visit:http://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/pages/Posters


Article from: http://animalfarmfoundation.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/bsl-is-contagious-speak-up-now/

Kaley Cuoco's Dog in the Hot Tub

I love Ellen and I am now a new fan of Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory). She has three RESCUED pit bulls and is helping to show how they can make wonderful, sweet additions to a family. Woo hoo!

Video du Jour

www.pets-for-vets.com/

"Think Different"

Timothy Wilson is a psychology professor at the University of Virginia and the author of the book “Redirect,” about how we change our minds and behavior. Stories are more powerful than data, Wilson says, because they allow individuals to identify emotionally with ideas and people they might otherwise see as “outsiders.”

Jonathan Haidt is a psychology professor at the Stern School of Business at New York University and author of “The Righteous Mind.” He says that people change their minds all the time, but hurling data and rational arguments at people is usually not what what triggers the change. Whether you’re changing your own mind or someone else’s, the key is emotional, persuasive storytelling.

In 2013, let's share our stories about pit bulls in ways that inspire people and speak to their values.
-Kim Wolf



Video du Jour

If Dogs Could Talk

If dogs could talk, this is what they would say.

 

 

“See the dog, not the story. This is excellent advice from someone with a rescue dog. What your new dog needs most of all is the same thing a person needs — to be accepted and respected for who they are, to be ‘heard’ and understood, rather than to be labeled. You may have been told a number of stories about your dog’s history, but although it can be valuable to gather information, it’s also important not to label your dog for the rest of his life as, for example, ‘abused’ or ‘neglected.’ Your goal, beyond providing your new dog a safe and stable environment, is to honor him by letting him tell you who is he right now, accepting that, and acting accordingly. Just as you are no longer that little girl or boy who got bulled on the playground, your dog will grow and change as time goes on. Do all you can to see him for who he is NOW, not who he was years ago or who you think he should be.” - Patricia McConnell, PhD, and Karen London, PhD, Love Has No Age Limit: Welcoming an Adopted Dog into Your Home

http://ifdogscouldtalk.tumblr.com/post/19764825743/see-the-dog-not-the-story-this-is-excellent

New Blue Jay Vowing to Fight Ontario's Pit Bull Ban

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Mark Buehrle throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the
Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012. (AP / Alex Brandon)

Moving is never easy, especially when you have two kids and four dogs -- and especially when that move will take you from sunny Florida to the big Canadian city of Toronto.

But newly-acquired Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle is facing a dilemma with his upcoming move: what to do with his beloved pit bull terrier.

Buehrle, who was acquired by the Jays earlier this month in a 12-player trade with the Miami Marlins, owns three vizslas as well as a pit bull, named Slater, whom he rescued from an animal shelter. But thanks to a seven-year-old Ontario law, Buehrle can’t keep that dog and now has to decide whether to give him up.

Buehrle says he and his wife Jamie -- also an avid dog lover -- are exploring their options to get things “resolved.”

“I think it is going to be an obstacle,” Buehrle told reporters Thursday during a telephone conference call. “We’re looking at everything, every option we have right now.

“We're trying to work and do what we can do to try to get things resolved. But as of right now, I don't know exactly what we're doing,” he added.

The 33-year-old left-hander faced a similar problem just over a year ago, when he was traded to the Marlins after 12 seasons with the Chicago White Sox. It turns out that Miami-Dade County, where the Marlins play, bans pit bulls, too.

Buehrle and his wife soon started a petition to have the “breed-discriminatory law” in Miami-Dade repealed. But the bid failed, and Buehrle’s family was forced to settle in nearby Boward County, about an hour away.

This time it won’t be so easy to work around the problem. The closest province, Quebec, is a full five-hour drive away. And while New York State might be closer, living there would still mean a two-hour, cross-border commute.

Buehrle says he and Jamie are already turning their attention to the pit bull laws in Ontario, calling for the repeal of the still-controversial Dog Owner’s Liability Act.

Buehrle suggested Thursday that he had already made contact with advocacy groups in Ontario, and said they planned to work together to overturn the province-wide ban.

“Obviously I don’t agree with the ban -- the same thing in Miami. I think it’s a discriminatory law,” Buehrle told reporters. “Just because the way a dog looks, I don’t feel like that dog should be banned from some place just because of the way it looks.”

He added: “We are big spokesmen of it and we’re trying to do what we can do to try to help other people out.”

Since Ontario passed the Dog Owner’s Liability Act, pit bull advocates have never stopped their campaign to repeal it.

Toronto NDP MPP Cheri Di Novo -- who has been leading the political fight against the ban -- helped bring in Bill 16, a private member’s bill that would have had the law repealed. Though the bill passed second reading in the legislature, it was denied by the governing Liberals.

Di Nono says as soon as the legislature resumes, she will retable the bill.

Buehrle, meanwhile, says that his dogs are good dogs, and if anything, he’s the mean one in his family.

“I kind of joke around with my wife saying that they probably shouldn’t let me into the country before they don’t let my dogs,” he said. “They’re so loving and so awesome.”

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/new-blue-jay-vowing-to-fight-ontario-s-pit-bull-ban 1.1060861#ixzz2EaRpJens

The Senate Goes to the Dogs: Two Important Bills Passed!

With all the political gridlock in Washington D.C., it seems that Congress has nearly ground to a complete halt. So it was very exciting when the U.S. Senate considered two important measures to help animals in need!

First, the Senate took up the cause of canine heroes who have served in our military and passed a provision that streamlines the adoption process for retired military dogs and authorizes the Department of Defense to provide veterinary care in the animals’ retirement without any cost to American taxpayers. Military dogs perform dangerous, critical tasks, and it is our duty to honor these dogs and ensure they are cared for after their service is complete. The House passed similar language in their version of the military bill earlier this year.

Then, just moments later, the Senate passed the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act by a unanimous voice vote. This bill, introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), along with Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Scott Brown (R-MA), will give law enforcement additional tools to crack down on animal fighting. The legislation will make it a federal offense to attend an organized animal fight and will impose additional penalties for taking minors to animal fights.

Take Action!
We are encouraged that in the twilight hours of this Congress, animals in need have not been forgotten by federal lawmakers. Our team has been working around the clock with members of Congress to ensure passage of both bills, but we still need your help. Please call your representative and ask him or her to support the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act in the House. Animals victimized in this grisly blood sport are in desperate need—and they are counting on us to get the job done!


Guest blog by Andrew Binovi, ASPCA Federal Legislative Manager
http://blog.aspca.org/content/senate-goes-dogs-two-important-bills-passed

Fiona Apple Cancels Tour To Be With Her Dying Dog

Oh man. Do yourself a favor and break out the Kleenex. Just do it. Trust me on this one.

With that said, let me add this: I’ve never really been a huge Fiona Apple fan. I mean, I like her and I like her music — I’ve paid money to see her perform — but she’s not someone whose music I listen to regularly. With that said, I’m kind of in love with her right now.

Let’s get right to why: a note that she posted on her Facebook page this afternoon announcing that she’s postponing her tour to spend time with her dying dog. Yeah. Seriously, y’all — reading this made me cry.

It’s 6pm on Friday,and I’m writing to a few thousand friends I have not met yet.
I am writing to ask them to change our plans and meet a little while later.

Here’s the thing.
I have a dog Janet, and she’s been ill for almost two years now, as a tumor has been idling in her chest, growing ever so slowly. She’s almost 14 years old now.I got her when she was 4 months old. I was 21 then ,an adult officially – and she was my child.

She is a pitbull, and was found in Echo Park, with a rope around her neck, and bites all over her ears and face. She was the one the dogfighters use to puff up the confidence of the contenders. She’s almost 14 and I’ve never seen her start a fight ,or bite, or even growl, so I can understand why they chose her for that awful role. She’s a pacifist.

Janet has been the most consistent relationship of my adult life, and that is just a fact. We’ve lived in numerous houses, and jumped a few make shift families, but it’s always really been the two of us.

She slept in bed with me, her head on the pillow, and she accepted my hysterical, tearful face into her chest, with her paws around me, every time I was heartbroken, or spirit-broken, or just lost, and as years went by, she let me take the role of her child, as I fell asleep, with her chin resting above my head.

She was under the piano when I wrote songs, barked any time I tried to record anything, and she was in the studio with me all the time we recorded the last album.

The last time I came back from tour, she was spry as ever, and she’s used to me being gone for a few weeks every 6 or 7 years. She has Addison’s Disease, which makes it dangerous for her to travel since she needs regular injections of Cortisol, because she reacts to stress and to excitement without the physiological tools which keep most of us from literally panicking to death.

Despite all of this, she’s effortlessly joyful and playful, and only stopped acting like a puppy about 3 years ago.

She’s my best friend and my mother and my daughter, my benefactor, and she’s the one who taught me what love is.

I can’t come to South America. Not now.

When I got back from the last leg of the US tour, there was a big, big difference. She doesn’t even want to go for walks anymore.

I know that she’s not sad about aging or dying. Animals have a survival instinct, but a sense of mortality and vanity, they do not. That’s why they are so much more present than people.
But I know that she is coming close to point where she will stop being a dog, and instead, be part of everything. She’ll be in the wind, and in the soil, and the snow, and in me, wherever I go.

I just can’t leave her now, please understand. If I go away again, I’m afraid she’ll die and I won’t have the honor of singing her to sleep, of escorting her out. Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes to pick which socks to wear to bed.

But this decision is instant. These are the choices we make, which define us. I will not be the woman who puts her career ahead of love and friendship. I am the woman who stays home and bakes Tilapia for my dearest, oldest friend. And helps her be comfortable, and comforted, and safe, and important.

Many of us these days, we dread the death of a loved one. It is the ugly truth of Life, that keeps us feeling terrified and alone.

I wish we could also appreciate the time that lies right beside the end of time. I know that I will feel the most overwhelming knowledge of her, and of her life and of my love for her, in the last moments.
I need to do my damnedest to be there for that. Because it will be the most beautiful, the most intense, the most enriching experience of life I’ve ever known. When she dies.

So I am staying home, and I am listening to her snore and wheeze, and reveling in the swampiest, most awful breath that ever emanated from an angel. And I am asking for your blessing.

I’ll be seeing you.
Love, Fiona


Written by The Cajun Boy
http://www.uproxx.com/music/2012/11/fiona-apple-cancels-tour-to-be-with-her-dying-dog/#ixzz2CsOAQmuD

The Majority Project

The Majority Project from Animal Farm Foundation on Vimeo.

Millions of "pit bull" dogs live with everyday families. We are valued members of our communities. We are your co-workers, neighbors, friends and family. When it comes to "pit bull" dog owners, we are the RULE, not the exception. We are the MAJORITY. We will not tolerate being discrimated against because of stereotypes that do not apply to us. We are "pit bull" dog owners and we are the majority.

To see hundreds of photos, please visit: flickr.com/photos/animalfarmfoundation/sets/72157631827386353/

To submit your photos (we're always accepting new photos), please visit: iamthemajority.tumblr.com/

For more: animalfarmfoundation.org

I Love My Pit Bull

This is the first PSA in our 3 part series of Angel City Pit Bull's "I LOVE MY PIT BULL" Campaign. We are excited to spotlight some of the many positive pit bull parents out there, all of whom are individuals, just like their dogs. Please share far and wide :-)

www.angelcitypits.org

Video du Jour

For more about Stella's story, see:
http://caspca.blogspot.com/2011/12/her-spca-given-name-was-stella.html

For a fantastic article that'll help you think clearly through the hysteria and sensationalism that surrounds pit bulls, read this :
http://gardenandgun.com/article/licked-death-pit-bull

For more indepth information about life with pit bull type dogs, see :
http://badrap.org/rescue/index.html
http://animalfarmfoundation.org/

For more about the benefits of adopting an older dog, see :
http://www.srdogs.com/

Are you an artist (photographer, painter, sculptor, film maker, craftsman, etc., etc)? Know someone who is? Have a look at http://www.heartsspeak.org to see how your work can help in the fight to get shelter animals out of shelters.

Elsie the Artist

Despite surviving abandonment and breast cancer,

Elsie expresses nothing but joy in her singular pit bull art

By Tanya Turgeon, first posted on Dec. 5, 2011 and updated on Sept. 25, 2012
(Reprinted from StubbyDog.org)

Elsie’s story began in a way that is, sadly, not unfamiliar for many pit bulls in New York City. In 2006, she was picked up off the streets by Animal Care and Control in Manhattan, where she quickly became the staff favorite, but also ended up on the euthanasia list as so many of pit bull type dogs do. Thankfully, they reached out on Elsie’s behalf and were able to find her a foster home before she found her forever home a few weeks later with me.

Elsie’s “mug shot” is the only clue to her first few years of her life. When they picked her up, she had obviously just given birth to a litter of puppies. Where she had them or where they ended up we’ll never know. Elsie was most likely used as a breeder dog and then simply discarded, an all too common practice.

A rough beginning has turned into a love affair. Elsie and I are best friends, roommates, couch coddlers, bed buddies, walking partners and so much more. This made it all the more devastating when in 2009, after only three years together, Elsie had a tumor removed that turned out to be breast cancer. Research has revealed that simply spaying female dogs before their first heat can prevent breast cancer completely.

Thankfully, we caught it early and a partial mastectomy has kept Elsie cancer free. In 2010, Elsie ended up with aural hematomas in both ears, and in 2011 she was diagnosed with a leiomyoma at the base of her tail – a kind of benign tumor. Although Elsie has been spirited through all of her six surgeries over the last three years, I did not fair so well. Each surgery was a brutal reminder of her mortality, and as I found myself pulled towards depression, I realized what we needed was a project, something unique to do together. It had to be something positive and fun, something that maybe we could even share with others.

With a bit of paint, a few treats and some dog shampoo standing nearby, Elsie and I decided to create art – but not just any art. We use pink paint (dog-safe, of course) to represent her breast cancer survival. Elsie uses her paws, her tail and whatever else she can get on the canvas to leave her mark as a pit bull that is so happy that she wants to share the love with everyone.

With the help of fellow pit bull lover, Leila Nelson, Elsie’s art has blossomed into a full-fledged website, Something Elsie, featuring Elsie’s art and other fun things she does as a cute, friendly and well-respected member of the community. Elsie puts a smile on the face of every single person she meets – and she meets a lot! She loves stuffed animals, sitting on laps or feet, and despite what people did to her early in her life, what she loves most is making every person feel like they are the most special person in the world. Elsie is an exquisite example of a pit bull’s strength of character marked by the ability to forgive.

Update by Tanya:
Thanks to our first appearance on StubbyDog, Elsie’s artwork has made its way to 10 different states and even across the sea to Germany! We’ve been able to make regular donations from a portion of the proceeds to the Humane Society of NY (whose amazing medical team has taken such good care of Elsie all these years at an affordable cost) and plan to also contribute to the rescue groups working tirelessly to save the lives of pit bulls from Manhattan Animal Care and Control, where Elsie originally came from and where I started volunteering this summer.

 

Elsie has acquired her own Facebook fan page where she features her new art, silly pictures of herself, and updates on her life, including surgery number seven which happened in March and resulted in the loss of a toe. But all is well and Elsie simply celebrated her three-toed foot with some new paintings showing off her now very unique paw print.

 

 

 

At 10 years old, Elsie’s hearing is a bit wonky, her naps are longer, her walks shorter, and her face whiter, but her zest for life and love for every person she meets is still going strong. Through her art she continues to promote the message that every dog deserves a warm and loving home and should never be judged by breed or appearance but by their spirit.

Together We Can Make a Big Difference

Arm yourself with accurate information and a good attitude to make every encounter a positive one

By Barbara Telesmanic (Reprinted from StubbyDog.org)

Being selected to participate in the StubbyDog Elite Superhero Squad with my dog Buddy has been a dream come true for a multitude of reasons. As advocates we have an excellent opportunity to communicate to the public an accurate interpretation of pit bulls and address the discrimination their guardians face every day. It allows us an opportunity to change those stigmas and perceptions.

As a nurse working in the healthcare field, we make decisions centered on evidence-based practice (EBP). Some changes are actually super easy; for instance, did you know that something as simple as hand washing compliance by healthcare providers can eliminate 10 percent of all acquired infections, save 3 billion dollars and save 10,000 lives yearly! Simple changes can have a significant impact. On a day to day basis, pit bull owners are met with contempt, doubt and fabricated stories based on fear, hate and misinformation. Simple changes in the way we communicate our perspective can make considerable changes on how our dogs are received.

How do we change public misconception? If there is science backing our position, nationally recognized animal organizations behind us, facts disproving myths, then how and why are we still meeting such resistance? Partly because pit bull adopters are sometimes unclear of accurate information, and we are somehow apologetic with our rationale. It can be so difficult for us not to become immediately defensive when someone insults or disparages our dogs, but we need to rise above and be smarter than our naysayers. We need to create a new culture by raising the bar and communicating more effectively by imparting simple changes.

When educating the public, focus on creating an environment that negates anger, conflict, assumptions and blame; becoming defensive will only cut off the lines of communication. A positive attitude and receptive rapport will encourage an open dialogue and discourage hateful rhetoric. Don’t overreact, take a 10 second pause and perhaps say, “I’m sorry to hear that, I’d be interested in hearing why you feel that way.” This should open up an avenue for respectful communication.

 

Presenting facts and accurate statistics from reputable, highly regarded organizations has a greater impact on the receiver than passionate opinions. We need to encourage pit bull adopters to be role models, good communicators, be a positive influence on their community and inspire tolerant behaviors. Historically, as mentioned earlier, we have been prone to apologize for having pit bulls; I’ve even read that we are irresponsible for wanting “such dogs.” How we manage our response is critical if we want to create a new culture of positivism and pride. Studies show that to avoid conflict, we need to collaborate, communicate and be open-minded when defending our point. Defensive interactions decrease the opportunity to increase awareness.

 

The media has demonized these dogs for decades, so trying to undo perceptions is not easy. Together we are better. Use resources like those on StubbyDog’s resource page and know where and how people can get correct information. Become very familiar with your rebuttal and anticipate your response. Behavior impacts change. For example, if my behavior is abrasive, the impact is being tuned out and ultimately not changing minds. Accountability reduces anxiety … if you are knowledgeable, clear and offer comprehensible data, you will be better received.

The time has come for responsible pit bull adopters to be heard. Our say is just as important as anyone else’s. When talking about your dog or any pit bull-type dog, be enthusiastic, energetic and engaged. Encourage questions and open communication. Only 25 percent of what is heard will be remembered, and non-verbal cues are just as important; present yourself and your dog in a positive light. We all want to live in a safe environment – let’s help create that. By being a competent advocate you will exceed expectations and help build the next generation of pit bull leaders.

 

Please support the vision and mission of StubbyDog and its Superhero Squad by donating today and creating a “world where every pit bull has the right to a good life.”