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Pitching for Pits

April 14, 2008, 1:27PM MT

By Jennifer S Hayes

Pit bull ambassadors representing the The Sula Foundation to be featured at New Orleans Zephyrs baseball game on April 27.

Pit bull ambassadors representing the The Sula Foundation to be featured at New Orleans Zephyrs baseball game on April 27.

By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Staff

An animal lover with two canines of his own, little did Ken Foster know that a dog he found in 2004 would provide the catalyst for changing his life’s focus. After finding Sula outside his home, severely wounded and heartworm positive, he called local rescue groups, who would not accept her into their programs because she was a pit bull. A kind sponsor paid for Sula’s medical treatment and convinced Foster to keep her, thus beginning his journey on the road to becoming a pit bull advocate.

He authored the book, The Dogs Who Found Me: What I've Learned from Pets Who Were Left Behind, a memoir about his experiences with stray dogs; however, choosing to highlight Sula on the cover is what attracted other pit bull enthusiasts. The book became a bestseller, he was featured on National Public Radio, and Foster noted, “Suddenly I became a pit bull spokesperson.”

He educated himself further on the breed and got in touch with other organizations including Animal Farm Foundation and Pit Bull Rescue Central. Foster even participated in the Best Friends Dangerous Dogs Summit in 2006. Then he wrote a second book, Dogs I Have Met: And the People They Found, a sequel that emotionally portrays how rescuing dogs has affected peoples’ lives.

“I really wanted to do something, but I was reluctant to start a rescue,” noted Foster. So he formed The Sula Foundation, named in honor of the dog who led the way to his new passion. His concern was that a new pit bull rescue could become overwhelmed quickly and believed his resources could be better utilized through vaccination clinics, free spay/neuter surgeries, and public education. “We focus on the pit bull issue and how we can help pit bulls in our community,” commented Foster.

“No matter what their real practical knowledge of pet ownership is, everyone seems to understand the idea of vaccines,” commented Foster. “So we’re doing these free or low-cost shots and then giving them all kinds of other information about why you shouldn’t tether your dog in the yard.” Former veterinarian for Best Friends Animal Society, Dr. Richard Allen, DVM and his assistant recently volunteered at their first clinic on March 1 in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans. All canine participants were also offered free spay/neuter surgeries to help control the number of pit bulls being bred, often ending up homeless.

He hopes to soon work with local organizations such as the Louisiana SPCA and Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO). Foster stated, “All these groups have pit bulls that are very slow to be adopted because the story always is people come in, see the dog, love the dog, ask what kind of dog it is and then they are just not interested any more.” Once The Sula Foundation is more firmly established, he hopes to begin a pit bull fostering program with local shelters. A home environment and individualized training will not only make the pits more adoptable, but will also open up space at the shelter for another dog.

Though the organization does not yet accept animals; Foster is already contacted regularly by people who need to relinquish their pit bulls. One story that stands out to him is a family who adopted a “mutt.” After bringing him home, they discovered their new pet was a pit bull mix. Foster noted, “When the neighbors found out it was part pit bull, all the neighborhood children were forbidden to go to that house any more to play with the kids that live with the dog. So they wanted to find a new home for it. I told them, ‘what a horrible lesson for your kids to learn that if people decide that your dog looks funny or you look funny that you need to get rid of the dog.’ Fortunately, they decided that instead of getting rid of the dog they are keeping it because the dog is perfectly fine. Instead they are going to work on educating their neighbors.” This is certainly a lesson we can all learn from.

Upcoming events

The New Orleans Zephyrs baseball team is hosting “Bark in the Park” as a fundraiser for the Louisiana SPCA. Canines are welcome to attend the game in the levee section, where 50% of the ticket price will be donated to the SPCA. Ken Foster, along with a team of eight pit bulls, is being given the honor of throwing the first pitch. He will also have a table where he will be selling t-shirts and books to benefit The Sula Foundation.

Date: Sunday, April 27
Time: 2:00 PM (the gates will open at 12:00 Noon)
Place: Zephyr Field
Metairie, Louisiana

The Sula Foundation will also be hosting their second vaccination clinic in Central City in New Orleans May (date to be determined). All pit bull and pit bull mixes are eligible for a free rabies, $5 DHLPP, and $5 bordetella vaccinations. The participating dogs will also be entitled to receive surgery to be spayed or neutered for free.

THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

1. Contribute to The Sula Foundation and you are eligible to receive autographed copies of Ken Foster’s books. For a $20 donation you will receive a signed copy of The Dogs Who Found Me, for $30 you will receive Dogs I Have Met, and for a donation of $50 or more you will get copies of both. Operational costs are kept to a minimum, so contributions are allotted to help the dogs directly.

2. Foster is in the process of creating a 2009 calendar which will feature New Orleans pit bulls along with their guardians. He states he wants the calendar to “capture the wide variety of people who own these great dogs.” While he is scouting for appropriate models for each month’s picture, there will be a photo contest for the calendar cover for a $25 entry fee. All pit bull guardians living in New Orleans are welcome to submit entries. Contact sulafoundation@gmail.com for details.

3. Support the organization by purchasing apparel or other merchandise from the Sula Foundation CafePress store. Proceeds from the sales go to assist the pit bulls of New Orleans.

For more information:
• Ken Foster and the pit bulls of New Orleans video
• Stop Breed Specific Legislation Campaign
• Pit Bulls – the real story

The Sula Foundation
PO Box 3780
New Orleans, Louisiana 70117
E-mail: sulafoundation@gmail.com

Photo credit: photos of the first free and low-cost rabies and vaccination clinic for the pit bulls of New Orleans, courtesy of Ken Foster of The Sula Foundation

Comments

Posted April 24, 2008, 11:14PM by kycady

How cool are you!!!!!

Posted April 14, 2008, 5:8PM by jhayes

Here are links to two news stories that feature Ken and The Sula Founation, about recent pit bull thefts in New Orleans:

- WWTL.com: Stealing Dogs Mid-City
- WDSU.com: Pit Bull Owners Fear Dog Theft

Posted April 15, 2008, 12:56PM by SLM

Dear Mr. Foster,

I just read about your books and your passion for pit bulls on Best Friends.

I am so glad to see that you will be helping ARNO (ONE OF THE FEW NO KILL SHELTERS) who is still rescuing Katrina animals.

Even though they get no funding from large organizations, the few volunteers (who are almost non-existent due to the displacement of so many people) still do not give up!

People came from all over the US to help them in the bleakest of days because they knew how much ARNO cared. Even now, some come back when they can to help again.

Sometimes the feeders and waterers (partnered with ARNO) of Katrina pets, still on the street, have to pay for the food out of their own pockets.

Without them, animals would have starved on the streets long ago. We have even seen reunions after all this time, because they kept as many little souls alive as they could.

After almost three years, these angels continue to feed and capture these animals to try to give them homes. Before, there was just no room left in the shelter, as no one was adopting the ones that they had.

Without them and the tireless work of their volunteers and the people that run the shelter, there would have been so many pets that would not have survived. They are truly angels and love the animals.

Thank you again for helping them....they never seem to get any funding or grants that the Kill Shelters get!

From someone that has had a heart for NO from day one of Katrina and been through the ups and downs for almost Three Years, I wish you the best and send you a heart felt thank you!