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Fighting Dogs to Fighting Stereotypes

April 17, 2008, 8:1AM MT

By Jennifer S Hayes

Two dogs given a new chance at life are now helping people to heal physically and emotionally.

Two dogs given a new chance at life are now helping people to heal physically and emotionally.

By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Network

How better to reverse the negative stigma associated with fighting dogs, than to take former fighters and redirect their desire to please people toward tasks that benefit others? That has become the mission of Marthina McClay, Founder and President of Our Pack, who had taken two dogs from the very worst of situations and has literally turned their lives around. In an effort to focus on Animal Cruelty/Humane Violence Week (April 15-21, 2008), this is the continuing story of Leo and Zoe.

It is difficult to believe that this month represents the one-year anniversary of the seizure of Michael Vick’s dogs. Leo (formerly Bouncer) was one of the pit bulls taken from Vick’s Bad Newz Kennel. Zoe (formerly Haley) came from a similar background, though this time in Missouri. Both animals were seized in dog fighting ring busts, and previously would have been unilaterally euthanized following their use as evidence against the accused in court. However, what makes these two cases different is the changing attitude that not all dogs associated with fighting are monsters. People are beginning to realize that instead of being killed, these abused animals should be given the same opportunity as other rescues; to be individually evaluated, rehabilitated, and possibly adopted into loving families.

Through McClay’s dedication and training, both Leo and Zoe have not only overcome their past, but now are living, breathing examples of how it is possible to overcome their abused past and give back to society.

Zoe from Missouri

McClay received Leo last December, and after only five weeks of intense training, he received his therapy dog certification. With such success under her belt, in February, McClay heard about a second large group of fighting dogs who were being given a second chance at life through the Humane Society of Missouri. Pleased with the new trend of compassion for pit bulls, she realized that the shelter’s lifesaving efforts would be in vain if qualified rescue organizations did not accept the former fighters into their programs. McClay contacted Debbie Hill, Vice President of Operations for the Humane Society, and expressed an interest in one of the dogs. Zoe seemed to be the perfect choice.

Not surprisingly, when McClay first received Zoe, the dog was shut down. Having come from a fighting background that did not provide proper socialization, and then having been kenneled for months at the shelter, the outside world was just too overwhelming. However, with time, calm reassurance, a predictable schedule, and training, she has improved daily and is overcoming her fears and learning that both new people and new things can be good. “I want to improve the image of pit bulls,” noted McClay. “I want to show what these dogs really are and what they can be. They are loving, sweet dogs. They want human connection and interaction. Zoe is the perfect example of that; she sees new people and just perks up.”

Already comfortable with banks, pet stores, strip malls, and offices, Zoe has now graduated to medical settings. It is somewhat ironic that the dog, who is so fearful at the veterinarian, can be so comfortable in a human clinic which presents new stimuli such as odd movements, loud sounds, and strange equipment. “She walked in like she owned the place,” noted McClay of Zoe’s first foray into the health center. “She just acclimated instantly. She will definitely be our next certified therapy dog.” While she still has occasional moments of insecurity, she recovers quickly.

In addition to her time in real-world settings, Zoe has also been taking Canine Good Citizen preparation classes. McClay teaches the class, which is exclusively for pit bulls. This class is available for free for all Our Pack foster dogs as well as for the life of any dog adopted from Our Pack.

Pleased with how far Zoe has come in such a short time, McClay noted, “There aren’t bad dogs, there are bad people. It’s the people; the irresponsible owners and irresponsible breeders, not the dogs. I don’t know how you can blame a dog for something. With the right people, look at what they can be and with the right people, look at where they can be.”

Leo, pit bull ambassador

It is not surprising that Zoe could learn a lot from her “brother” Leo. McClay and stated “nothing fazes that dog” and he goes to the medical clinic often enough, that he is announced as Dr. Leo when he arrives for his therapy work. His one to two visits per week are eagerly anticipated by both patients and staff. In fact, when Leo makes his rounds to the administrative area, the employees take a “doggy break” instead of a “coffee break.” Their line of work can be highly stressful and Leo helps the medical personnel decompress. Of course, the patients also adore him and welcome his regular visits.

However, in addition to his work with patients, in March he expanded his horizons when both he and McClay visited some cadets at the Juvenile Division of the Santa Clara County Probation Department. Representatives from the school contacted McClay to ask her to talk to the students after learning that some of the boys were bragging about dog fighting.

As soon as Leo walked in the room, one student commented, “Dang, that’s a bad-ass dog;” however, once the teacher announced Leo was a former Michael Vick dog, they could not believe it. Ever the socialite, Leo instantly started walking around the room making friends, which opened them up to McClay’s presentation. She noted, “He was such an ice breaker. They could see he was a feeling being, who would sit in front of them and like his head to be touched. He was not a monster.”

When asked, all the students replied that they were aware of dog fighting and half either knew someone who fought dogs or had personally attended a fight. However, as McClay discussed the importance of socialization, spaying and neutering, and why not to leave dogs tethered on chains, they boys became engrossed. McClay noted, “I was amazed at what they were living in and what their viewpoints were. Most didn’t think it was cool, they thought it was cruel.” As kids, they were never educated on proper animal care, but they were still open to learning.

“They have this tough exterior, but their human being comes out if you address it,” commented McClay. “There’s a lot more heart there than you would think.” The boys were riveted throughout her entire presentation and she was so impressed she returned earlier this month to teach the boys how to properly train a dog. The irony was not lost on McClay when she stated, “Here we are teaching the cadets positive reinforcement training on pit bulls, with a former Michael Vick dog. This can be a turn in society and for pit bulls.”

Following their appearance, Robyn Schlice, Supervising Probation Officer, sent a packet of 11 thank you notes to McClay and Leo. Schlice wrote, “Enclosed, please find thank you notes from the cadets at the Alternative Placement Academy. The history, care, and raising a pit bull to be a family member was very knowledgeable and helpful for the cadets. Hopefully they will use this information with their pit bull or other animals. Thank you.”

Their notes were carefully crafted and many displayed detailed artwork. Some examples are:
- Thank you for coming and we appreciate you guys to come [sic] on your own time. We learned a lot in your class.
- Thank you for giving us a presentation. It was highly appreciated, please come back soon.
- One was a big envelope that said, Thank you, thank you and when opened it says Thank you again.
- Thank you for giving us the privilege of obtaining knowledge on dogs from you.
- To Our Pack, thank you for coming. Thank you for bringing Michael Vick’s dog and thank you for sharing your knowledge with us.
- Thank you from APA [Alternative Placement Academy] to Our Pack. The students at APA just wanted to share some respect and say thank you from all of us. Thank you for your knowledge and time.

While Leo has turned out to be a truly spectacular working dog; McClay is adamant that people should overlook the myths and stereotypes and realize that pit bulls are the ideal breed for therapy work. “It’s not just Leo, so many of these dogs would do exactly what Leo is doing,” noted McClay. “They’re so resilient and they’re so amazing, they’re just such an incredible breed. I think that’s what I want people to see, how great they are and how easily they fit into those shoes.”

If those dogs who have survived the most brutal and cruel world of fighting can overcome their past and blossom into healers, imagine the potential possibilities for so many other pit bulls awaiting homes in shelters nationwide.

For now, she and the other Our Pack members continue to rescue and work as advocates for pit bulls. “It’s what I live for, to help this poor breed that is so misunderstood,” McClay said of her passion. “When you look at what they become, there’s no paycheck like that.”

FOUR WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

1. Support
Assist Our Pack in their efforts to rescue pit bulls and promote the positive qualities of the breed. For ways you can help, please see their website:

Our Pack, Inc. (Pit Bull Advocates for Compassion and Kindness)
1177 Branham Lane #235
San Jose, California 95118

2. Learn
Want to find out more about pit bulls? Our Pack Volunteer, Stephanie Lam, will be teaching a free seminar, "Pit Bull Basics," to the public. Please note these classes are solely for people, not dogs.
Date: Saturday, April 26, May 31, and June 28
Time: 1:00 PM
Place: San Jose Animal Shelter
2750 Monterey Road
San Jose, California
Cost: Free

3. Promote
Have a pit bull? Make your dog an ambassador for the breed. Training to become a Canine Good Citizen or therapy dog are two ways to not only make your pet a positive representative for bully breed dogs, but also helps form a closer bond between the two of you.

4. Adopt
There are many, many pit bull and pit bull mixes in animal shelters and rescue groups throughout the United States. If you are considering adding a dog to your family, please evaluate the individual dog, not the breed, and consider adopting a bully.

For more information:
• For more about Leo when he first came to Our Pack, see Eliminating Misconceptions and Becoming Canine Good Citizens.
• For the story of all the fighting dogs, including Zoe, who were rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri, see A Future for Former Fighters.
• See how the 22 former Michael Vick dogs are doing at the Best Friends Sanctuary, The Vicktory Dogs.
• Stop Breed Specific Legislation Campaign
• Pit Bulls – the real story

Posted by Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Network
Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Marthina McClay and Stephanie Lam of Our Pack.

Comments

Posted April 20, 2008, 12:23PM by maiadrayton

What an amazing story of Leo and Zoe. It's
very good how far these two pitbulls have come.
Keep up the good work.
Maia

Posted April 18, 2008, 1:13PM by southerndogmom

For those of us who are strongly opposed to BSL, this quote says it all in a few simple words. May we live to see the day when people actually listen - people in the media and people in positions of power (even at low levels) who decide who lives and who dies.

*****
McClay noted, “There aren’t bad dogs, there are bad people. It’s the people; the irresponsible owners and irresponsible breeders, not the dogs. I don’t know how you can blame a dog for something. With the right people, look at what they can be and with the right people, look at where they can be.”

Posted April 17, 2008, 4:6PM by dawgmom

What a great story. Thank you for all you do with these amazing dogs, and thank you for helping those boys find their hearts.

Hugs and belly rubs to Zoe and Leo.

Posted April 18, 2008, 10:53AM by breared

Thank you so much for helping our bully friends. I've always had pit bulls, raised my daughters with them, never once had a problem.
I wish we had more organizations like yours to help save them.
Bobbie

Posted April 22, 2008, 12:51AM by my2labs

People fight by choice (Boxing anyone?) or to defend themselves. Wild animals fight for food or defense. Dogs are not born to fight. They are pushed into it to survive....a beating by their owner, for food due to starvation by their owner, or in a ring just to survive. A puppy, raised in a loving, positive home will grow up to be a well adjusted dog. A dog who was forced to fight, can in the right environment, become a loving animal. A dog craves love and attention. A DOG DOES NOT CRAVE FIGHTING! These are not fighting dogs, these are dogs forced to fight. It is time for the media to stop putting the emphasis on the phrase "fighting dogs" and reword it to "dogs forced to fight". The true fighters are the people that crave the blood sport. Why don't we call the owners fighters? After all, they are the ones creating the fights, not the dogs. Something is seriously wrong with the people that perpetuate this sport, not the dogs. Leo and Zoe are prime examples of pit bulls being turned around with loving care and support. All pit bulls deserve this chance.

Posted June 13, 2008, 8:47PM by jhayes

Just an FYI, here a link to a segment on the news about Leo and the great work that he's doing in the community.

Posted July 09, 2008, 3:3PM by jhayes

More great news!

Zoe has not only passed her tests necessary to become a therapy dog, she was also adopted by her foster mom. For more information, see the Our Pack blog, 7/3/08 entry.

Also, Our Pack, in addition to Best Friends and the other rescue organizations that took in Michael Vick's former dog, were featured in a front page article in the Washington Post.

Posted April 17, 2008, 8:36PM by missydog

Enjoyed this story very much. Hopefully these young men will help to educate others against dog fighting. Keep up the good work and thanks to Marthina, Leo and Zoe.

Posted September 05, 2008, 2:32PM by maidawg

What a wonderful story. We have added a link to it on our issues and answers page - www.petsincondos.org/issues.htm

Sincerely,

Maida Genser, President, Citizens for Pets in Condos, www.petsincondos.org

Citizens FOR Pets in Condos www.petsincondos.org is a 501-c3 tax exempt private operating foundation dedicated to increasing acceptance of companion animals in condos and other types of association-run housing. We educate the public about the health benefits of having animal companions and also advocate for responsible pet ownership/guardianship. Our motto: “creating a win-win situation for both people & pets.”