Pit bulls - the real story

Pit bulls - facts and fiction

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:25:58 GMT

All about pit bulls, breed bans, plus background on Best Friends and the Vicktory dogs.

By Faith Maloney
Photo by Molly Wald

People who don’t know much about pit bulls can easily be led to assume that they are all killers. That’s not surprising, considering all the lurid stories you see on TV and in the news.

But the truth is much more complicated. Have some pits and pit mixes done bad things? Yes. But there are also dangerous golden retrievers, biting Labradors, chows, and Dalmatians to name but a few – and these are dogs most people don’t think are bad. Any large dog who’s been abused or driven to hurt people by an irresponsible person can be a danger.

Singling out any breed is akin to racial profiling of people, and it’s just as misleading and plain wrong. There are good and bad people in all creeds, colors and backgrounds. Same goes for dogs – of all kinds. But few people know enough about dogs to make the right distinctions, and can be easily persuaded that all dogs of a certain breed or type are bad.

In these articles, you can discover why pit bulls and pit bull mixes are in trouble at this time, and check out the testimonies of real people about their dogs.

You’ll see why banning a particular breed will not make any difference to the real issue of irresponsible and just plain bad people. If pit bulls are banned then another breed will take their place and the cycle will continue.

By learning about the true nature of these dogs we can stop blaming them for being bad and point to the real problem – the people who perpetuate a culture of violence towards people as well as these dogs.

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For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

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Pittie City... meet some of the rescued dogs at Best Friends

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:24:48 GMT

Here are the stories of some of the pit bulls of Best Friends, including some of the Vicktory dogs.
Scroll down to see just a few of the many animals at the sanctuary who would love you for a sponsor. For a complete listing go here. Or to give the perfect gift for your friends and family - a Best Friends animal sponsorship - go here.

Georgia

VICKTORY DOG: You may have seen her on the cover of the New York Times!

But Georgia doesn't exactly think of herself as a celebrity. She thinks of herself more as a very lucky dog who narrowly escaped living her whole life in pain.

She was one of the dogs rescued from the property of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick. Her ears were cropped, her tail had been broken several times, she had scars all over her face, she'd clearly given birth to many litters, and she had no teeth. That was her life!

When Georgia arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she didn't trust anybody. Until she made a special friend in John Garcia. Watch as their friendship transforms this abused dog from a fearful victim into a cutie-pie who snores, plays, always carries a bone in her mouth, and is even fighting to pass the Canine Good Citizen test. Please consider sponsoring Georgia through her journey here at Best Friends.

Denzel

VICKTORY DOG: How did this boy get so happy?

When 22 dogs arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary after they were rescued from the property of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick, most of them were pretty scared and traumatized.

But one of them - Denzel - seemed like he had somehow come out of the dog fighting ring fairly unscathed. He was so sociable and friendly! But he hadn't come out unscathed at all. Denzel turned out to be deathly ill.

The Best Friends vets come to the rescue as this pup handles blood transfusions, and extensive testing. For the first time, he has a life worth living. Balls, toys, friends, and a leash that he likes to take himself on a walk with! It wouldn't be fair to lose his health now, just when his days have turned friendly. Can the vets make sure this boy gets to enjoy his new life at the sanctuary? Absolutely, they can and Denzel is doing great. Won't you help him on his journey by being his sponsor?

Curly

VICKTORY DOG: Curly's salary as assistant chef to the Vicktory dogs may not be anything to write home about, but the fringe benefits are great! Curly is one of the Vicktory dogs himself, one of the dogs rescued from the property of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick. But today, he's at Best Friends, a star rising to fame and fortune not as a fighter, but as a "kitchen assistant" for his caregiver.

Backing up a bit, Curly has a nickname of sorts: Curly Sneaky Eyes. There's something mischievous about this guy - in a good way, of course. He sits and watches people with a certain kind of intensity, as if he's peering into their soul. He always seems to know something you don't. Part of this whole "sneaky eye" thing has to do with the fact that Curly has a lot of brain energy and he's itching to use it. Plenty of physical energy, too, but mostly brain energy. He wants to do something with all that abundant sneakiness.

When McKenzie, one of his caregivers, decided to let Curly try out his talents as an assistant chef, Curly found his calling in life. Here's how he fills his end of the bargain: Curly sits up in a chair while McKenzie mixes and prepares the food. Curly watches closely, and if you ask, adds suggestions and provides feedback on the process from his vantage point on the chair. Also, if a piece of food happens to fall to the floor, Curly makes sure the workstation stays clean. After all, any self-respecting culinary worker should ensure a clean floor, shouldn't he?

Finally, Curly always keeps a spare eye on the kitchen door to make sure nobody tries to make off with the food. They don't call him Sneaky Eyes for nothing!

If you want to help with Curly's "salary", show your support by sponsoring him today.

Shadow

VICKTORY DOG: Shadow used to be so shy he'd hide in the corner and try to disappear. When he came to Best Friends he wanted nothing to do with anybody. He was completely shut down.

Not surprising when you learn what he's had to live through. Shadow is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act."

Out of all 22 Vicktory dogs who came to Best Friends, Shadow was perhaps the most withdrawn. Everything terrified him. On his walks, he'd do a sort of commando crawl the whole way, staying as low to the ground as possible.

Wow, what a turnaround! It's amazing what a little TLC can do (okay, a lot of TLC). Once Shadow came to realize that everybody wanted to love him and help him get better, he became a different dog entirely. Nowadays he loves visitors, walks, and all things fun. An amazing act of healing in a dog who used to think the entire world was one big scary problem to hide from. Sponsor Shadow.

Willie

VICKTORY DOG; All the world is a playground for Willie. He loves his toys! One of his favorites, though, is something he can't always play with. The reason why? He needs to eat out of it once in a while! Willie's favorite toy is his food bowl. He can be seen tossing the dish high overhead over and over. He'd probably try juggling it with his water dish, but the caregivers have double-clipped that one to the fence.

It's amazing how happy Willie is day in and day out, considering how bad things were for him not too long ago. Willie is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the Animal Welfare Act."

When he first came to Best Friends, Willie was a little shy and withdrawn, like many of the Vicktory dogs (as we're now calling them). After all, they had little reason to trust people. As a group, they were afraid of almost anything new, even something as simple as crossing a threshold.

Think about that one for a minute, though. As fighting dogs, bad things happened when they crossed a doorway. Fights may have been the only time many of these dogs left confinement. That could make a doorway seem mighty ominous. Whatever the reasons, the 22 Vicktory dogs as a group were pretty shy in the beginning. But they've been receiving 24-hour care since coming to the sanctuary a month ago and it's amazing what a little TLC can do.

Willie is only one example of progress. He's now one of the happiest, most playful dogs around. He enjoys "regular" toys, too ¬ especially really large balls. Heck, he'd probably play with a bowling ball, given a chance! As Willie and the rest of the Vicktory dogs continue to overcome their awful past, it's wonderful to see their personalities surface. Life has given them a second chance, and they're giving this one their very best.

Please help Willie continue to learn the joys of life by sponsoring him today!

Ray

VICKTORY DOG: Ray would love nothing more than to be swallowed whole by a gigantic pile of blankets and pillows! He's a glutton for soft, comfy beds.

Ray is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act." When he came to Best Friends, he was skinny and nervous about the world around him. He didn't like walks and he wasn't eating very well. He needed some help.

Caregivers have been working with Ray around the clock. He may still not enjoy going on walks all the time, but they've found his weakness. Pampering! Ray is a picky eater, and as skinny as he is he's been getting a bit spoiled in the food department. Also, his fetish with blankets and pillows is indulged as often as possible. The caregivers sleep in the area at night with the dogs, and Ray gets to climb into all their blankets. He also loves full-body massages. During any massage session, Ray is likely to nod off to sleep mid-massage. After all he's been through, of course, a little pampering is the least he deserves. Sponsor Ray.

Lucas

VICKTORY DOG: Here's a guy who knows how to make friends. Lucas loves meeting people so much that he climbs on top of his doghouse whenever visitors come nearby, just hoping they'll notice him. Not a shy bone in his body! Some people seem surprised at how friendly he is, given his background.

Lucas is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act." His face is covered with scars, but not his spirit. Lucas wants to give love.

Back in his days as a fighter, Lucas was one of the grand champions. His big, muscular body has the scars all over that prove he was one of the most fought dogs out of the entire group that came to Best Friends. Yet somehow after all that tragic life history, Lucas is still nothing but kisses and smiles. Which is all part of the puzzle, sad to say. One reason pitts are such sought-after fighters is their intense desire to please people. And Lucas sure does aim to please.

Caregivers at Best Friends are working with Lucas round the clock to help teach him additional social skills, such as walking on a lead and learning how to be comfortable in new environments. And every step of the way, Lucas is waiting with a big sloppy kiss to show he's ready for the next lesson. Sponsor Lucas.

Tug

VICKTORY DOG: Tug gets his name because that's his favorite thing to do -- pull hard! He's a very strong boy, and Best Friends caregivers are trying to think up lots of creative ways to help him channel that energy.

Tug is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act." He may have been a fighting dog, but when Tug arrived at the sanctuary, he didn't want to hurt anybody; he just didn't want anybody to hurt him. He's still afraid of loud noises and camera flashes. (But we thank him for letting us take his picture! We know it was scary.)

Caregivers are working round the clock with him to help him feel comfortable, and to help him channel all that athletic energy. They take him for walks with an "easy walk harness" that keeps him from pulling them down the road in excitement. And they're looking into a scooter wagon so he can actually pull his caregivers on rides! They think he'll like that.

Tug has a lot of healing left to do. Please be his sponsor and cheer him on from afar. It's you that makes his new life at the sanctuary possible.

Theresa

Theresa's got it goin' on! With a devoted entourage making sure her wardrobe always matches, and providing the requisite bling to keep her satisfied, you'd think Theresa was the Diva of all divas. Wrong! Theresa's an over-sized lap dog who lives for love, and bestows ample kisses on all of her admirers.

It's her sweet soul that ensures such a loyal following. Well, maybe those Minnie Mouse ears, too... Hard to believe Theresa was abandoned here at Best Friends. Poor thing had horrible skin problems, and needed special care at our clinic for the first month.

Now, her skin's much better, and she gets a special potato and whitefish diet. She also had a lump removed recently, so hopes are high that Theresa's health is on the mend. She's only around five, and is an energetic girl. She absolutely adores rubber balls, and has to have one to carry at all times. She prefers her scarf to match the chosen ball of the day, and loves help accessorizing. She also enjoys going on sleepovers, but it's been discovered she has one very un-diva-like habit -- she snores like a freight train! Just makes her all the more lovable. Theresa sure would love your sponsorship! She promises happy kisses for any accessories you send.

Little Red

VICKTORY DOG: Little Red's face tells a thousand sad stories. She arrived at Best Friends covered in facial scars, and with teeth that had been filed down.

She's one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act". Her face and her teeth make her look like a "bait" dog -- a dog who is less tough than the others, who is used as a practice target for dogs training to fight.

Needless to say, when she arrived at Best Friends, Little Red was scared of everybody. If you walked up to her, she would quickly scurry away in fear. But then, after just a few weeks at the sanctuary, something incredible happened. Little Red smiled. She actually smiled. The corners of her mouth lifted and she wagged her tail. Now, when she sees her caregivers coming, she runs toward them instead of away!

Please be her sponsor and help support her new life here at the sanctuary...where she has Best Friends' promise that nothing bad will ever happen to her again.

Pickles

Calling all tennis balls! Pickles the pit bull feels that no matter how many of the fuzzy green sports accessories he collects, there's always room for one more. And for all you visitors out there, he has the same attitude toward people. Always time to meet one more!

In fact, Pickles is something of a social butterfly to those who stray near his play area. If somebody passing by doesn't happen to notice him, he's not afraid to holler out, hoping that'll make them come say "hi." His voice sounds fairly raspy and hoarse -- as if he'd been practicing this vocal "come hither" treatment for years. Truth is, Pickles likes calling out for attention. It's not really a bark. Nor a whine. It's really a true call, as in, "Come on over and play, ya big tennis ball with legs!"

Okay, okay. So when Pickles plays with visitors he doesn't exactly try to pick them up and carry them around the yard in his mouth. Thank goodness! But he loves meeting folks and chatters enthusiastically in that scratchy voice of his whenever a new face shows up.

After spending a little time with Pickles, it's hard to believe he was found abandoned in a crate with nothing but a little water to keep him company. No food. No note. No fair! Even so, Pickles doesn't hold a grudge. As long as there are tennis balls and friendly faces to meet, he's content to wait for his forever playmate. Maybe somebody with a couple of tennis rackets and a thirst for adventure! In the meantime, would you be his sponsor?

Handsome Dan

VICKTORY DOG: Handsome Dan came to Best Friends so nervous and scared. But who could blame him? Handsome Dan is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act."

Handsome Dan used to pace and walk in circles because he was so terrified of the world. Even trying to get him to go on a walk would send him running. But with the help and loves of his trainers and caregivers, Handsome Dan has become quite a confident boy! He now enters into any new environment courageously, and he even gets to be an office dog a few days a week.

Handsome Dan is amazing with other dogs; he even has two best friends with whom he loves to go on play dates. He also gets along with cats.

He has come so far and has made such wonderful progress since arriving at the sanctuary. It would mean so much to Handsome Dan to have your sponsorship and support! Sponsor Handsome Dan.

Ellen

VICTORY DOG: This girl likes belly rubs so much, it's ended up as part of her name! Well, nickname anyway. Ellen (aka Ellen Belly) is ready and willing to soak up any attention, scratches, pets and kisses you can dish out. It's almost impossible to believe somebody would want to make a fighter out of this sweetheart.

Ellen is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the animal welfare act." You'd never know it to meet her, though. Her scars tell a story her personality never would. Ellen has no quarrels with anyone. She's not shy, she loves meeting strangers, she loves going for walks. she's well, perfect!

Meeting Ellen is an inspiration. It's nothing short of amazing to realize that after all she's been through she didn't let the hard times get the better of her. She's a survivor. Sponsor Ellen.

Meryl

VICKTORY DOG: Why does she always have such a worried look on her face? Partly, it's just a cute face! Meryl can't help having that expression. But she's also a dog who's known some real heartache.

Meryl is one of the fighting dogs rescued from the property of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick. Her life had been loveless; she had only been used for what her teeth could do. And when she was rescued, she wasn't deemed safe for a home. She was court ordered to live at Best Friends, instead. And now the goal is to give this precious dog the fullest life imaginable for her...

Best Friends dog trainer Ann Allums is working one-on-one with Meryl to teach her not to lash out in fear. Confidence is the key. Meryl needs to learn that people might be approaching her for a brand new reason - not because they want her to fight, but because they want to be her friend. Meryl is a playful dog who enjoys people once she gets to know them.

Meryl would as much love and support as possible to help her progress in her life at the sanctuary. Won't you be apart of her success by sponsoring her? Sponsor Meryl.

These are just a few of the many animals at the sanctuary who would love a sponsor. For a complete listing go here. Or give the perfect gift for your friends and family - a Best Friends animal sponsorship!

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For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

And for other news about Best Friends work and stories from the sanctuary go here.

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Dogs in danger

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:23:13 GMT

Best Friends holds a summit on the growing number of "dog slaughter laws"

By Francis Battista, Best Friends Magazine Jan/Feb 2007

It’s a nationwide controversy: what to do about the number of dog attacks. And Best Friends jumped into it feet first with our Dangerous Dogs Summit held in the Denver area at the end of October 2006. Appropriately enough, there was little about the gathering that wasn’t in itself controversial – from its name to the city where it was held to the emerging strategy for dealing with the problem.

A little history
More and more cities (about 120 at last count) have passed breed-specific legislation, which encompasses any law that targets a type of animal or a specific breed, like pit bulls or Rottweilers. The idea is not new, nor is it unique to the U.S. Welsh corgis are banned in certain parts of Italy; for most of the 20th century, German shepherd dogs couldn’t be brought into Australia. In Beijing, China, dogs over 14 inches high have just been banned; any dogs taller than that are being rounded up and clubbed or shot.

Here in the U.S., these laws got their start in 1980 with a ban on pit bulls in Hollywood, Florida, and similar legislation has proliferated ever since. The bans almost always come as a reaction to some terrible dog attack on a child, which creates big news and big scary headlines.

Most people who have heard of these laws assume they only apply to pit-bull types and Rottweilers, and it is true that these breeds have been under the gun the most. But in some states, the net has been thrown wide enough to include German shepherds and other working or guard dog breeds. In fact, 26 different breeds, including golden retrievers, chow chows, shar-peis, and German shepherds (along with dogs who simply look like any of these), are now banned or subject to special restrictions somewhere in the U.S. And these laws require anything from simple spay/neuter to outright confiscation and execution.

The Best Friends summit was held in the Denver area because Denver has a pit-bull ban that has led to the seizure and death of over 2,000 household pets. In many cases, the seized dogs simply looked like pit bulls. (Dozens of other breeds and mixes look similar to pits, and the average city official can’t begin to tell the difference.) The brutality and mindlessness of the Denver ban led Best Friends to denounce the bland term “breed-specific legislation.” Let’s call a spade a spade: These are dog slaughter laws -- nothing more, nothing less.

It’s a minefield
People who try to address the subject of these dog slaughter laws instantly find themselves in the crossfire.
On the one hand, you find yourself being shot at by lazy, heartless, incompetent bureaucrats who are happy to kill anything in order to appear to be doing something about the problem of dog attacks.

And on the other hand are the folks who refuse to acknowledge that there is such a thing as a dangerous dog. They form a motley contingent of strange bedfellows, ranging from irresponsible dog breeders trying to protect their business to idealistic animal rescuers trying to protect the dogs.

So it’s no surprise that many animal welfare organizations have gone no further than writing out a policy statement and leaving it at that.

The Best Friends summit brought together an array of experts from the fields of animal rights, law enforcement, gang intervention, breed rescue, animal control, dog care and training, and politics, as well as our own team of rescuers, animal care specialists, legal eagles, and dog behavior experts.

The proceedings got straight to the point: Any dog can bite, some can do more damage than others, and some dog attacks can be fatal. Some pretty grisly slide presentations illustrated the damage that a dog can do. But, all participants agreed that more killing is not the answer, and dog slaughter laws mainly punish good dogs and good people while allowing criminals, scofflaws and exploitive breeders to slide.

To be sure (with apologies to Barbara Woodhouse, author of No Bad Dogs), there are bad dogs – those born with a medical condition that sets their behavior beyond the reach of the best intentions and technology, or those who have been abused or encouraged in aggression for so long that they are beyond intervention.

There are, however, no bad breeds.

The culture – and business – of violence
Some breeds are potentially more dangerous by virtue of their size and strength, and some bites are more likely to be reported because of the breed’s reputation. (Not many people cop to being bitten and intimidated by a Chihuahua, but it happens all the time.)
While it’s easy to focus on the perp – that is, the dog – dog attacks are a societal problem, not a breed problem. It’s no coincidence that the kinds of dogs who are coming under scrutiny are also widely associated with gang activity and rural blood-sport gambling.
Fighting dogs and giant guard dogs are big business, and the backyard and exploitive breeding of these dogs is out of control. There is a market for strength and aggression, and all the other wonderful qualities of these big, loyal dogs are being subordinated to their capacity to do damage in service of the customer base: gang bangers, redneck dog fighters, drug dealers and other criminals. On top of that, the cast-off dogs of these breeders and owners end up in already overburdened shelters.

At the summit, Tio Hardiman, a gang intervention expert from Chicago, described how most kids on his watch have been to a basement dog fight by the time they are five or six years old, and they apprentice in dog fighting and backyard breeding before age 10. It’s all part of the prevailing inner-city culture of violence that glorifies gangstas, thugs and rappers, whose videos more often than not feature aggressive-looking dogs.

What to do
Rounding up family dogs, summit participants agreed, doesn’t begin to get to the root of the problem. And banning one breed, even if it could be successfully done, simply results in some other breed being selected by the violent individuals and exploitive breeders.
Case in point: From the 1950s to the late 1970s, Doberman pinschers were the scary, dangerous breed of record. They were favored by the criminal class and suffered their own abuse, neglect and exploitation as a result. There were mythic stories about the shape of their teeth, the power of their jaws and the ripping action of their bite. They Only Kill Their Masters, a bad 1972 film playing off that stereotype, has this plot description: “A small-town California sheriff attempts to uncover facts behind the killing of a pregnant woman by her Doberman pinscher.” (Plot spoiler: It turns out the dog didn’t do it after all.) Now that pit bulls and Rotties have replaced Dobermans as the preferred dogs of the loser set, the Dobie has resumed his preferred status as a couch potato.

The challenge for those of us who love dogs and realize the inherent fallacy and unfairness of dog slaughter laws is to educate lawmakers, offer coherent animal-friendly legislative packages, and work to roll back the dog slaughter laws that already exist. To accomplish this, we need an army of animal lovers committed to the cause. So, get involved and make your voice heard. Visit network.bestfriends.org/stop-dsl to find out how to get started.

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For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

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Find the Pit Bull

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:20:54 GMT

Think you can spot the real pit bull in this clever test? Betcha can't! Have your friends and family take it, too.

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Can we make dog fighting a thing of the past?

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:15:19 GMT

Why most people "get it" and some people just don't.

By Francis Battista, Best Friends Magazine Nov/Dec 2007

It wasn’t surprising that the nation turned against superstar NFL quarterback Michael Vick and his friends when the news broke of fights to the death by dogs bred and trained to be aggressive toward other dogs, the losing dogs often being killed in brutal and spiteful ways. And it wasn’t surprising that some of his NFL colleagues, possibly familiar with dog fighting themselves, came to his defense before they got a reality check from a hostile public, press and law enforcement.

What was surprising was that some people didn’t get it at all. “Better to be accused of rape then dog fighting,” one TV analyst said, referring to the Kobe Bryant case a few years back when the LA Lakers star was indicted for rape in Colorado but allowed to play basketball. Michael Vick, by contrast, was prohibited by the league from practicing with his team and has become something of a pariah, having most of his product endorsement deals pulled, which some saw as unfair.

Another unexpected dog beating came from Joel Stein, the funny, wisecracking syndicated columnist:
“The mass public shaming of the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback, who was indicted by the Feds for running a dog-fighting league called the Bad Newz Kennels, has been way out of proportion.”

He goes on to point out that

“It's not that I hate dogs. I used to believe that I hated dogs. But now I realize that I'm apathetic about dogs, as I am about any animal that is not delicious. Dogs to me are a lot like flounder.

“What I've come to realize is that what I really hate is you, the dog owner. Because you're the one who honestly believes that your dog is sentient and that he loves you.”

Stein’s a funny guy, but he really missies the point whether he likes dogs or not, and this is not about political correctness. He, and a significant minority of people out there, don’t get it.

The Vick case brought public attention to what everyone in animal rescue and everyone living in inner cities or rural backwaters knows perfectly well: dog fighting and other blood sports are unfortunately alive and well in America. Where you find illegal dog fighting, you are likely to find gangs, guns, drugs, gambling, prostitution and, frequently, children. It’s a cruel, vicious and deadly activity that cheapens life and serves as a gateway to other violent crimes. It also drives the proliferation of backyard-bred pit bulls, much in demand by wannabe tough guys and a cause of shelter overcrowding.

The fact that Bryant’s behavior was tolerated, even if was ultimately unsubstantiated, only means that perhaps the NBA needs to look at its own policies, but obviously the public, not just the animal welfare community, regards deliberate cruelty, torture and killing of animals as an unconscionable crime for very good reasons.

It’s said that if you want to know what a person is really like, give them the power to do whatever they want to do. That’s what Vick and his friends had: absolute power over the dogs in their care. What they did with their power revealed their character. The public verdict on such character traits is that they have no place in our society.

The reactions to the allegations against Vick and his cohorts are primal. Cruelty, be it to animals or people, is no joke and has been identified as categorically evil as far back in human history as you care to look. It’s about time that this particular form of cruelty was dragged into the light. Let’s hope that this case is the first of the many such investigations that it will take to put an end this form of animal abuse.

Vick has copped a plea and is scheduled for sentencing in December. Understandably, lots of people want to see him go down hard and never be given the privilege of playing professional football again. After all, if he were an “athlete” in the league that he and his friends ran, he would have probably been hosed down and electrocuted a long time ago for his underachievement on the field.

But, I have a different take on this. Sure, I want Vick to pay for his crimes and his cruelty, but if he is banned from the sport, his value to our cause is lost. He will be forgotten and may turn up on a “What ever happened to…?” segment of “60 Minutes” in 10 years or so. But, if Vick is prepared to devote a significant percentage of his salary to campaigns against dog fighting, and if he becomes a serious advocate for our cause as part of his public contrition, then I’m all for his reinstatement into the league after his jail sentence, and I would wish him all the success in the world if his fame and celebrity were committed to an ongoing testimony against dog fighting.

This I say to Michael Vick: You can’t undo the horror of what you have done, but maybe you can help point some kids in the right direction and do something meaningful for homeless pets. A good place to start would be to visit a city shelter in Atlanta and then to visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary here in Utah. Hey, I’ll give you a tour myself. After all, I used to be a fan.

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For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

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My Kinda Town

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:12:12 GMT

Chicago kids and their dogs choose kindness

By Elizabeth Doyle, Best Friends Magazine Jan/Feb 2007

We’re on the south side of Chicago, and some young guys approach our car. Our host, Tio Hardiman, has told them we’re coming. They shake our hands firmly and welcome us cheerfully to the “hood.” I probably look a little funny in my bright pink Best Friends sweatshirt, but none of them comments on it. However, they do strongly suggest to Troy Snow, the photographer, that he carry a little less camera equipment as we walk down the street.

They’re eager to talk about pit bulls. One of the guys points out an empty lot full of trash. “Why they not talkin’ about that garbage over there?” he asks. “Why they not talkin’ about how there ain’t no jobs? But they talkin’ about a pit bull that ain’t done nothing to nobody?”

They’re worried. They’ve heard about breed-specific legislation, about places that have banned pit bulls entirely. They hear rumors about people who don’t want anyone in the ghetto to be allowed to have a pit bull. They’re afraid it will start with ex-cons being banned from having pit bulls – and that it’ll gradually extend to the rest of the neighborhood. They want us to understand: Pit bulls are popular dogs in these parts. It’s not a sinister thing. In some rich areas, dogs that fit in your purse are the favorite. Here, people like pit bulls. What’s wrong with that? Putting down pit bulls is like putting down their neighborhood. “We ain’t all fighting pit bulls,” says one of the guys.

Another goes into his house to get his pit bull, Kofi, (pictured with Tio) to show us how nice he is. “Yeah, you can pet him – go ahead.” Kofi is big and floppy and slobbers on everyone. He’s so cute, you just want to hug him, and he’ll gladly give you a kiss if you do. “It’s how you treat the dog,” they say.

We tell the guys about Best Friends and give them some magazines. They flip through the magazines and suggest that Best Friends put together a video of all the pit bulls looking friendly and get somebody to do a pit-bull rap. Then, they say, they could put it on some of the cool websites for us. Not a bad idea!

As we leave, Troy tries to shake hands with one of the guys, who says, “Naw, naw, this is how we do it in the ghetto,” and shows him a different way to shake hands (some elbows involved). When I try to do the same, he repeats, “Naw, naw, this is how we do this in the ghetto,” and forgoes the handshake altogether in favor of a tight hug. We promise to convey their message to the world: Most people love their pit bulls, no matter what neighborhood they live in!

One neighborhood at a time
These young folks don’t know it yet, but they are about to play an important role in a revolutionary project. Tio Hardiman has a dream. He wants to stop pit-bull fighting, and dispel the notion that pit bulls are mean animals who need to be disposed of. By talking to kids like these, he hopes to build a neighborhood coalition to help reduce abuse of these dogs and decrease their numbers in animal shelters. In the process, he wants to improve the image of both the community and the pit bulls.

His plan involves identifying leaders in the neighborhood, and asking them to bring the community together on this issue. He’ll work with legislators to protect the dogs without outlawing them. He’ll host hurdle-jumping competitions for the dogs, so people can show off their pit bulls without anyone getting hurt. The winners get a small cash prize, a trophy and bragging rights about their athletic dogs. He’ll put friendly pit bulls from the ghetto into the spotlight to change the negative way people think about them. Best Friends is sponsoring Tio Hardiman’s efforts. If the statistics at the end of one year show that Tio’s plan is a success, then perhaps he can take this show on the road to other cities.

If anyone can make a difference here, it’s Tio. He grew up on these streets. When he was young, a kid bashed his head into the sidewalk just for walking past him on the way to the store. Tio’s stepfather got revenge by shooting the guy. It was a tough way to grow up. “In that environment, I didn’t feel anything,” Tio says. He never joined a gang, but it wasn’t too long before he started committing small crimes, and he learned how to fight to defend himself.

Eventually, though, he found a niche as what he calls a “revolutionary.” He was into Black Power, but not in a way that put down any other race. It was about building a nonviolent community. His convictions propelled him into a leadership role as an advocate for nonviolence. He remembers an incident in his old neighborhood when 400 gang members were gathering for a fight. A real blood bath was in the works! Tio stepped into the middle of it, told everyone to hold on, talked to the gang leaders involved, and got them to call the whole thing off.

In 1999, his reputation earned him a critical role as a mediator against gang violence in a new organization called CeaseFire, a community-based effort to stop the shootings and killings in Chicago. An initiative of the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention, CeaseFire uses outreach workers from the community, involvement of the clergy and public education to accomplish its mission. In the neighborhood to which Tio was assigned, shootings have fallen by 50 percent.

So, can he reduce the number of dogs brought to local animal shelters and the amount of violence against animals while also fighting breed-specific legislation? He’s pretty sure he can, but he’ll need help. That’s where other community leaders come in.

A message of redemption
At the Liberation Christian Center on the south side of Chicago, Pastor James Dukes is giving a stirring sermon. He says that if you need anything, just ask God, because it’s already taken care of. It was taken care of when He first got the idea of making you. The pastor talks about slavery, poverty, and the one thing that hasn’t changed since the beginning of time – God’s goodness. The congregation is mesmerized. Every few minutes, we’re asked to give each other the high-five or hold each other’s hands.

Tio is listening to the sermon, but his eyes are on another man -- Elder Tony Gordon, who’s sitting quietly on stage. In addition to being a preacher, Elder Gordon is one of the best police-dog trainers in Chicago. After the service, Elder Gordon invites us to a back room where he’s meeting with some ex-convicts who are participating in the church’s Brothers Helping Brothers program. These guys, just out of prison, are facing many challenges on the outside. What has Elder Gordon been using to reach out to them? Pit bulls.

Elder Tony Gordon holds Cinnamon's lead as her family looks on.

The stigma that pit bulls face is a lot like the stigma these ex-cons are facing: Both are feared and often hated, pit bulls for their reputation as aggressive animals and ex-cons for their past. One man tells me he got a job and was doing OK at it. But then his employer ran a background check, saw he had a record, and fired him. The ex-con wondered how he could stay straight if no one would give him a chance. His luck changed when Elder Gordon stepped in and got him a job helping out at Woodlawn Animal Hospital, where his wife, Dr. Allyson Gordon, is the chief veterinarian.

Elder Gordon has been a dog trainer for 30 years, and he’s teaching these men what he knows. Soon, they’ll have a skill that no one can take away from them. And they can use their own troubled past to relate to dogs who have had difficult lives. The men beam when they talk about how much they like animals, and when they think about having not only a job, but such an important job.

So can Elder Gordon -- preacher, police-dog trainer, counselor to ex-cons -- help Tio out? He says he’d be happy to. Pastors are invaluable for bringing a community together to promote kindness to animals. And when Tio wants to rehome pit bulls who’ve been tossed out because they lost fights, who better to have on his side than one of the top dog trainers in Chicago?

A little understanding
The Word family called Elder Gordon a couple weeks ago to tell him about a family disaster. Their beloved pit bull, Cinnamon, had bitten a family member in the face. Gordon came right over. “Dogs never really turn on their owners,” he says. “It seems that way, but it’s always a process.” And in the Words’ case, he feels that well-intended roughhousing with Cinnamon as a puppy led her to think that using her mouth was OK. Trouble is, those little “gotcha” bites aren’t so cute when a dog grows up.

The Words welcome us. It’s hard to say how many people would have called a dog trainer in this situation, rather than taking the dog straight to the pound, or worse. The Words, however, wouldn’t have dreamed of doing anything except calling Elder Gordon. They proudly show us Cinnamon’s progress after just one session with the pastor. “We’re not afraid of her anymore,” they say, as Cinnamon rolls on her back submissively for a belly rub. Elder Gordon demonstrates how he can give her a bowl of food, and then take it away, without any argument from Cinnamon. After just one session!

Elder Gordon reminds us that pit bulls are often featured in the news when they’re aggressive because they’re so strong and can do so much damage when they misbehave. But, in the hands of people like the Words, who have new skills for handling Cinnamon, Gordon says, “Pit bulls are naturally one of the kindest, gentlest, most family-oriented dogs.”

Getting the word out
It looks like Tio is well on his way toward putting together a powerful coalition of community members. Before we leave, we watch Tio as he does his weekly TV show. It’s called “Community Issues with Tio Hardiman” and tonight he focuses on coming together for the animals. Wearing a suit and speaking in a low, firm voice, he takes call-in questions about everything from why dogs should live indoors to why training your dog will help make him a well-socialized, non-aggressive companion. He says, “We are trying to change the image of these defenseless animals.” And he leaves us with this thought: “Feel free to stay positive for the rest of your life.”

* * * * *

For behind-the-scenes about the Vicktory Dogs go to the Best Friends Blog.

For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

* * * * *

Rhymes with “Sick”

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:11:08 GMT

NFL star’s indictment exposes bigger issues

By Ted Brewer, Best Friends Magazine Sept/Oct 2007

Ever since the federal indictment of Michael Vick was announced, the media has been busy unearthing a culture few people knew was so prevalent in the U.S.

We’ve learned that dog fighting is a pastime, a hobby and a way of life for some 40,000 people across the country, and in arenas ranging from professionally promoted matches on the estates of millionaires to impromptu brawls in the basements of inner-city tenements. Though the blood sport has been around for centuries, only in the last few decades has it migrated so far into the cities.

“Although 48 states call it a felony,” wrote Steve Malanga in the Chicago Sun-Times, “dog fighting is undergoing a resurgence, transformed from a once largely rural and illicit sport into a fashionable pastime with a certain outlaw cachet in many urban neighborhoods.”

Certainly, the proliferation of dog fighting in urban areas blind- sided many in the animal welfare movement, and left people asking why more attention hasn’t been paid to impoverished inner-city neighborhoods, where a dearth of recreational, educational and employment opportunities has allowed such a cheap and easy source of gambling and titillation to flourish.

A native of Newport News, Virginia, Vick grew up in one of those neighborhoods. The money, fame and status that come with being a pro sports superstar might not be enough to disabuse a person of what he may have learned on the streets – that it is okay, normal even, to engage in such a sadistically cruel sport.

Tony Gordon, elder of Liberation Christian Center and director of the Woodlawn K-9 Academy in Chicago, explains that dog fighting had been around Chicago for decades on a small, exclusive scale, but that it started booming about 20 years ago, which was when drug money started to enter the scene. “Having more currency flow,” Gordon says, “the drug overlords moved in.”

The drug culture has taken a devastating toll on communities where it operates, leading to what Gordon calls “kids born from kids,” the offspring of parents much too young and immature to provide their children with any kind of family structure. Without that structure, kids have been left to their own desperate devices, acquiring their values from those who flash the most wealth and display the greatest dominance on the streets – the drug dealers. And knowing what kind of sport their role models like to participate in, the kids have followed suit, as Gordon explains, “mimicking on a smaller scale what’s happening on a larger one.”

The result is that a once-exclusive, underground blood sport has gone mainstream, accounting for the thousands of fight-wounded dogs entering the city shelters.

It doesn’t help that the kids in the inner cities have few opportunities to engage in other, positive forms of recreation. “The playgrounds are torn down,” Gordon says, “the basketball rims are missing. In [inner-city Chicago] you have to create your own recreation.”

Gordon believes that the best way to fight the growth of dog fighting is for the law to punish the adults who drive it, and for us to educate and give our help to the kids and other adults who are susceptible to it. As the director of Woodlawn K-9 Academy and an accomplished police-dog trainer, Gordon has established a program to do the latter. He teaches children and adults how to train dogs, mostly those same tough-looking breeds who might otherwise end up pitted in a fight. Believing that dog fighting is based in low self- image and low self-esteem, Gordon offers his students a healthier, more humane way to boost their self-image and lift their self-esteem by staging alternative dog agility competitions, such as races and hurdle jumping.

In our effort to end dog fighting, perhaps it’s time for all animal welfare groups to wake up to the deplorable conditions kids and adults are facing in the inner city, and realize that if we’re ever going to put an end to dog fighting, we need to help create a situation where people would have no need for it.

As Gordon says, solving the dog fighting problem is “as much about helping people as it is about helping dogs.”

* * * * *

For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

* * * * *

Personal testimony: Part of the family

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:09:19 GMT

The Hocraths and Oscar

Written by Sandy Miller
Photos by Molly Wald

Oscar sits patiently as 4-year-old Hailey and 6-year-old Parker fit him with a colorful array of different hats. He doesn’t even squirm when Hailey decides to place a princess tiara on his head.

The things a guy has to put up with!

Oscar, a 2-year-old pit bull, is a refugee from Denver. Heather Hocrath, Parker and Hailey’s mom, fell in love with Oscar the moment she first saw him at a nearby no-kill sanctuary located in the beautiful mountains of Divide, Colo.

“I squatted down to meet him and he knocked me on my butt,” said Heather, who works as a training coordinator for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado Springs. “I just fell in love with him.”

With two small children, Heather made sure Oscar was trained and socialized. He’s turned out to be the perfect family dog.

“He’s so good with kids,” Heather said. “He’s very patient with the kids, very gentle. I really love the breed.”

Heather doesn’t understand why places like Denver ban dogs like Oscar.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” Heather said. “I don’t see it as being much different than the prejudices against race and color.”

Luckily for Oscar, he managed to get out of Denver alive and find a brand new family.

“He’s so sweet,” Heather said. “I don’t see how anyone could not love him.”

* * * * * *

Personal testimony: Taking care of each other

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:06:19 GMT

Christne Garcia and the "Pit Bull Posse"

by Sandy Miller
Photos by Molly Wald

Christine Garcia knows what it’s like to be bitten by a dog.

It was Mother’s Day 1971, and Christine was two years old. She made the innocent mistake of trying to take a bone from the family golden retriever’s mouth. It took 22 stitches to mend her face.

Even though her ordeal was terrifying, Christine didn’t think all golden retrievers should be banned or rounded up and euthanized. And that’s why she can’t understand why anyone would want to ban or kill Roo, Roxi, Smokey and Capone, the beloved dogs she refers to collectively as her “Pit Bull Posse.”

“Judging a dog by his breed is like judging a human by the color of their skin,” Christine said. “It’s racial profiling for dogs.”

Roo, a female red-nosed pit bull, was the first to come into her life. It was September 2004 and life wasn’t going so well for Christine. She was grieving the loss of some people close to her and she was disenchanted with her job. That’s when a friend gave her Roo, who had her own challenges. She had a heart condition and she tired easily. She had to take medication, eat a special diet and make frequent trips to the veterinarian. Christine said taking care of Roo took her mind off her own problems. The healing began.

“He saved me by giving her to me,” Christine said of her friend. “Roo is my heart.”

It wasn’t long before Roxi, another red-nosed pit bull, Smokey, a blue pit bull and Capone, an American Staffordshire terrier, joined the family in their home in Commerce City, a community outside of Denver, Colo.

“I’ve had cocker spaniels, Scottish terriers and Westies, and never have I had a more affectionate breed of dog,” Christine said.

Christine became a tireless advocate for the breed she loves so much. She spoke to Colorado legislators at the request of Rep. Debbie Stafford when she was trying to get them to pass a law that, among other things, outlawed breed bans and held owners more accountable for the actions of their dogs, no matter what the breed. The law passed, but Denver challenged the law. The court ruled in favor of Denver, saying that because it was a “home rule city,” it had a right to enact a breed ban.

When Denver resumed its breed ban in May 2005, several neighboring cities, including Commerce City, rushed to pass their own breed bans.

“They thought, ‘All these people are going to move here with their pit bulls,’” Christine said.

Christine was a constant presence at City Council meetings.

“I broke down in tears in front of the City Council,” she said.

Still, the Commerce City Council passed its own pit bull ban. Christine’s pit bulls were grandfathered in, but she had to build an outdoor kennel, put a “Pit Bull on Property” sign on her fence, and purchase a $1 million rental insurance policy which costs her $200 a year. She also has to register her dogs each year. At first, the fee was $10 per dog. Now the city has raised it to $40 per dog.

That wasn’t all. When a local paper decided to publish the names and addresses of all pit bull owners, Christine and her dogs received death threats.

And none of them have ever hurt a soul in their lives.

“What crime did they commit other than being born?” Christine said.

* * * * * *

For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

Personal testimony: An ambassador for pit bulls

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:01:48 GMT

Howard Margolius and Cyan

I first met Cyan (pictured) at a friend’s house in 1999. She was a beautiful, shiny, blue-haired, 8-week old puppy born on Halloween. He said, "I’m going to sell her to a friend, but he lives in the ‘hood’ and I’m afraid he may raise her to be a bad dog. Do you want her?" As he said this, Cyan crawled onto my lap and looked up at me with her puppy dog eyes. I instantly fell in love with her.

Little did I know how much she would change my life, as well as the lives of others.

For the next few years, Cyan and I lived happily in a small Denver suburb. I raised her right, knowing that she would be scrutinized for the way she looked. I showered her with love and taught her to never bite. I took her to the dog park every day, where she happily played with other dogs and taught people that pit bulls are just like any other dogs, that they just want to have fun and please their owners. Nearly everyone who met her instantly smiled when they saw how happy and beautiful she was. They couldn’t believe she was a pit bull. But some people were scared by her muscular physique and the pit bull label. People would ask, "Is she mean? Does she bite?" I would tell them, "The only thing she will do is lick you to death." And of course, Cyan proceeded to do so!

And so Cyan brought me joy for many years, never harming a human or another animal (she may have scared a few squirrels). She always greeted everyone with a smile and a tail wag, desperate for affection.

In October 2003, Denver Animal Control came to my door, and said "Your dog is illegal. We are taking her away, and she will be killed within a week." You can imagine how shocked and sad I was as there was nothing I could do to stop them from taking her. She willingly jumped into their van to be taken away, her big tongue hanging out of her mouth in a cute smile, innocently thinking she was going for a ride to the park.

After the initial shock, anger and sadness subsided, I realized I had to do something to save Cyan. I scoured the Internet to find out about breed-specific legislation and what I could do to save my precious girl. Luckily, I found the American Canine Foundation, a group devoted to fighting BSL. They taught me about BSL and how wrong it is. I had no idea that the ban in Denver would result in hundreds of innocent dogs being killed every month, solely based on the way they look and not on how they act.

To save Cyan, I had to leave my home of seven years and move outside of the Denver city limits. I found a new home in a small town called Englewood. It was two blocks away from Denver. Two blocks! It’s insane to think that my dog would be killed if she were caught just two blocks south of an imaginary line.

With the help of the ACF, I started the crusade to not only save my dog from being terminated, but to prevent other innocent dogs all over Denver from suffering the same fate. I created an online petition as well as a physical one, and went to public parks and dog parks to get signatures and spread the word about BSL. Over the next several months, the word spread quickly, and soon Cyan and her story were on the local TV news and in newspapers. From all over Colorado and the rest of the world, people lent their support, including Colorado State Representative Debbie Stafford and actress Linda Blair.

In 2004, Cyan and I fought the law, and we won! We challenged the Denver breed ban in court. Our lawyer interrogated the animal control officers with facts and questions, and in the end they could not, without a doubt, correctly identify a pit bull from a boxer or any other breed with a similar physique. After reviewing several hours of facts and testimonials from veterinarians and expert witnesses, the judge realized that families and their innocent dogs’ lives were being ruined and ruled the law unconstitutional. As a result, the governor signed the bill prohibiting BSL in Colorado. It was a joyous occasion!

Thousands of dogs’ lives would be spared, saving their owners from the grief and heartache of losing their beloved family members.

Towards the end of 2004, after all this hard work to save my girl, I had to leave her behind. I got a job offer in London, England, that I could not refuse. Apparently American Pit Bull Terriers are illegal in the UK, even though thousands of Staffordshire Terriers, a breed very similar in physique, roam the land. Even if I could bring her with me, I couldn’t bear the thought of her being in a small confinement for the six-month quarantine. So I found Mike and Toni Phillips of Mariah’s Promise, an animal rescue facility in the foothills of Colorado Springs, to take care of Cyan while I was abroad for the next few years. As hard as it was to leave her, I was happy to know she was in good hands and would be having the time of her life running around with several other dogs all day long on a farm.

Alas, in May 2005, about a year after we convinced the state to repeal the ban, Denver went back to court to invoke “home rule” and reactivated the breed ban. It is now 2008 and the ban is still in effect. Several groups alongside Mariah’s Promise, including The Pit Bull Band, are continuing the fight against BSL and Denver’s ridiculous law. Thousands of dogs a year are still being killed based on how they look, not how they act. Nothing is being done to stop owners who raise any breed the wrong way. The solution begins with the owners.

On January 14, 2008, Cyan passed away as a result of cardiomyopathy, a heart disease, at eight years old. No one could have seen this coming. I’m heartbroken to think I can never see her again. I feel for Mike and Toni, who took her in and loved her like their own. As sad as this story ends, it warms my heart to have raised and known such a loving dog and to have learned so much about dogs and people along the way. To know that Cyan helped save thousands of dogs’ lives, and will go down in history as an ambassador for pit bulls, makes me very happy.

Please help continue the fight and teach the public the truth about dogs and BSL so one day, no dog or family will have to endure the pain that Cyan, I and thousands of others have gone through.

by Howard Margolius
London, England

Photo of Toni and Cyan by Molly Wald

* * * * *

For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

The Best Friends Network - More information and resources

rebecca — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:49:04 GMT

On the Best Friends Network

Learn more about these dogs, join our discussion forums, and help bring justice to these misunderstood animals.

Some current discussions:

Why some cities are banning entire breeds of dogs ... and why Best Friends is opposed to this

News and updates about breed bans

Help end dog fighting in Georgia. Some critical legislation.

* * * * *

For all the latest on the Vicktory Dogs go here.

Meet some of the Best Friends pit bulls, including the Vicktory Dogs, here.

Resources

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:06:59 GMT

Documents

4 dogs.jpg

Vicktory dogs

Links

4 dogs.jpg

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:54:39 GMT

The Drive Home and Some Final Thoughts

bellamicuore — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:20:14 GMT

Some housekeeping issues -

I'm providing the link here to my pictures. They are on Shutterfly and you may need to register to view them. They are pretty much in the order the blog is written. Click on this link to view them: http://myjourneytothebestfriendsanimals.shutterfly.com/

How did I remember everything so well you may ask? Well, I did keep a journal while I was there. Not something I normally do, but I knew it was the only way I would be able to remember everything. I also took pictures of all the dog's pictures that are hung on their pens. They have their picture and name on each pen. Otherwise, I'm not so sure I would have been able to remember all their names. Also, the scenic pictures (particularly the ones of Zion), do not do it justice at all. If you haven't been there, you will never get how jaw-droppingly beautiful it is by the pictures. What you see in the pictures is all around you. You're surrounded by beauty.

If I could have done one thing different on this trip, I would have spent the last morning at the Sanctuary. I gave myself way too much time to drive back to Vegas, even with going through Zion National Park. I also would have taken a dog for one more overnight the night before. On the way out of Kanab, we took one more drive through the canyon at BF. We just couldn't resist. I had to hold back tears. We saw the last of the turkeys, and 2 of them had their wings open. We said our goodbyes to each area as we drove through.

We drove through Zion, which was absolutely spectacular. There is one section of the park that you can drive through. You have to take shuttle buses through the rest of the park. I just really did not want to spend my time on a bus with a bunch of strangers,and not be able to stop when I wanted to. So we took a pass on that. It's $25.00 per car to drive through the park (and that includes taking the shuttle buses). When we got to St. George we had lunch at the Outback. We took our time driving back and at the spur of the moment took a drive through the Valley of Fire. It was very pretty. We were going to try for Lake Mead, but we couldn't be sure of how far it was. We also hit our first and only rain of the week. And it was raining in the desert. We still had tons of time to kill at the airport. We were even too early to check our luggage. Oh well, live and learn. Now I'll know for the next time.

Next time? Oh yes. Like most who have journeyed to Best Friends, I will most definitely be returning. This place has now become a part of me. I have even contemplated moving there. Surprisingly, Kanab has a very high cost of living and I'm not sure how I could do it. I keep looking at the available jobs and real estate on the web so, who knows, maybe someday. In the meantime, I will continue returning there regularly. And I will go for longer next time. A minimum of 10 days to 2 weeks. What did I love so much about it? It's hard to explain it all in words. It's a feeling and a sense of peace. The sense of peace comes from the location itself. I never knew a place could hold so much beauty, open space, and quiet. It was completely relaxing.
The fact that a small group of people could create such an incredible place that has saved SO many lives is nothing short of a miracle. What's that quote? "Never underestimate the power of a small group of dedicated people to change the world". They certainly have changed the animal world. They have mostly passed on the reigns to a new, younger generation that has kept the same mission of the original founders. The people here are truly amazing. They are completely dedicated to the cause of all the animals they care for, and then some. Not only that, but they are kind and respectful to all who pass through. And they are so grateful to the volunteers. I can think of nothing negative to say about anyone I met while there. It was inspiring to say the least.

And then there are the animals. All the animals at the Sanctuary are special. Every single one of them deserves a home. How anyone could abuse, neglect or throw an animal away is beyond me. Everyone of these animals touched me in some way. I so wanted to take them home with me. But, I left knowing that they were as well taken care of in the Sanctuary, as anywhere else they could be. And, allowing volunteers to take the dogs out for outings and overnights not only helps to socialize them, but gives them a soft place to lay their head at night. It also gives us the opportunity to pass the word about this wonderful place and let others know, who might be interested in adopting, what wonderful animals reside there. Hopefully, one day, all shelters will take note and begin to run their own in a similar manner as BF.

So, if you think by volunteering at Best Friends that you are not making a difference, you are very, very wrong.

Until next time.....

Best Friends - Day 6 - Horse Haven & Amra at the Clubhouse - 9/16/08

bellamicuore — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 19:33:32 GMT

This would be our last day at Best Friends. For a change of pace (for me anyway), we headed on over to Horse Haven after returning Pickles back to the Lodges. We watched a video while Brittney the pig hung out inside with us. She is one big, old pig! We spent a few minutes mucking then headed to the feed truck. We met Nina, one of the staff there, who is a real stitch! According to her, her family were the original owners of the property Best Friends sits on. The lease was sold out from under them. But she holds no grudges. She's happy to be able to work on the property and seems happy with whats been done with it. Libby also came with us. She's a volunteer who was on her third week of a three week volunteer stint. We went around to all the horses, goats, sheep, and donkeys and fed them. Keri and I rode in the back of the truck. Nina drove and Libby shared the cab of the truck with Nina and her two dogs, one of which rode on the dashboard. We were lucky to be able to cross the canyon to feed some horses in a pasture on the other side. It was a steep, cliff road and a bit scary to be riding in the back of the truck. After feeding those horses, Nina drove us up to an underground lake. It was just stunning! Afterwards, we drove back and did dishes (yeah, a bit anti-climactic). Then I groomed Bryce, a beautiful, black horse. We saw Riley, the horse with the prosthetic leg. He seems to be doing well and getting around just fine. Next, we watched a vet do a dental on a horse. This was most interesting! And quite a feat! It took 3 people to get the horse into place and keep him there. Working with the horses was probably the most fun I had. I will definitely work with them again.

We stopped by the gift shop for some last minute shopping, then went to lunch. Then we headed to HQ for the last time. We signed up for Amra at the Clubhouse. When we got there, Andrea (who I had worked with twice already) was the staff there, and Margaret who had been volunteering at the Garden (and we had met when we were volunteering there). We also met Carin who was on her 2 week evaluation as a staff. She's moving up from Reno to work at BF. Chakita appeared to not be feeling well. He was in a crate sleeping all afternoon. Hopefully, he was checked out and is feeling better. China was inside with a cone on her head because she had stitches in her ear. Pinky Bear was moved back to the Lodges. We changed the water in the water buckets and pools. Andrea had me write something up about Romo mouthing me the other day when I was in his pen. Romo has a habit of humping, which Andrea warned me about. He was fine at first (as I was changing his water), but then he latched on to me and would not let go. When I was trying to get him off me, he mouth me (not biting, but he did put his mouth on me). And apparently he did something similar to Carin. So, he may turn into a staff only dog. Poor Romo. I felt bad because after we took care of the water buckets we got to socialize with the dogs and he looked so sad that no one came in to play with him. I spent a lot of time with Scratch. He seemed so happy to see me and to have company. He's such a love! I spent some time with Debo, yet another very sweet pitbull. Then I hung out with Shocky, a sweet, high energy, young pitbull. Then Carin took Lexie out into the exercise pen so she could run around. She's another high energy, young pitbull (who I took to Angel's Landing the other day). She got to run around, play fetch, and de-stuff a toy. Then Scratch came out to run around and share some lovin'. Then Debo, who spent all of his time out lizard hunting. He was pretty determined to find and catch a lizard.

We said goodbye, which was very difficult to do, and headed to the Welcome Center so Keri could return the video camera she was using. We ate Dinner at the Rewind Cafe with Kay and her husband. Then headed back to the room to pack.

Best Friends - Day 5 - The Lodges - 9/15/08

bellamicuore — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:54:29 GMT

For those who have been to BF, but haven't been to the Lodges, you don't know what you're missing! There's a whole city of dogs back there. They're all behind the Dogtown Headquarters, and there are A LOT of dogs.

Today I dropped Keri at Cat Headquarters, returned BJ back home, and headed to Headquarters to sign up for the Lodges. While there, Cherry, one of the Vick dogs featured on Dogtown was there. She was clearly very frightened, all crouched down. She's just a beautiful dog and I just know that one day she will flourish thanks to the efforts of all the wonderful staff at BF.

I headed up to the Lodges and met Jeanne and Keelie. Jeanne moved from CA to Utah 7 years ago with her husband. She and her husband volunteer 5 mornings a week at the Lodges. Which must be a tremendous help since there are SO many dogs that need to be walked and not enough staff to walk them all. They also don't get enough volunteers over there. Everyone seems to migrate over to Old Friends. You'll work your butt off at the Lodges, but it is well worth it. And the staff are incredibly appreciative. Keelie has been at BF for a month. She used to live in another area of Utah and Seattle. You would never know she's only been working there a month. They are lucky to have that girl. One of the staff brought their dog to work with them. She's a gorgeious blue pitbull named Minnie with cropped ears. What a beautiful, sweet girl she is!

The Lodge is a huge area with lots of dogs. I started out walking dogs as soon as I got there. The trails are uphill (imagine walking on the beach UP HILL). The views are stunning. They definitely have the best views of all the dog areas, which makes up for the exhaustion you begin to feel rather quickly. Between the heat and the higher elevation, it can be a challenge. My first dog to walk was Nicole. She's a pretty little tan pitbull missing the bottom part of her jaw. The poor girl was used as a bait dog in dogfights. Unfortunately, Miss Nicole wasn't very interested in walking. We didn't make it very far when we had to turn back. She was much more interested in gettin' some lovin' than doing any kind of walking. Next up was Pickles (who would be our next overnight dog). Pickles is a very sweet, little black pitbull. Next, Jeanne and I walked Cinderella and Mr. Chips. Next to walk was the beautiful Ophelia. Yet another sweet, black pitbull. Pickles and Ophelia had both been mentioned to me during the week as great overnight dogs. Pickles hadn't been on an overnight in a while, which is why I picked him. Next to be walked was Purdy and Yogi. Yogi was a young black and white dog. Purdy was an older dog. They live together.

Time to visit Mr. Bones. Please see my last entry for details on my visits with him.

I then went to help staff walk two dogs that hadn't been walked in quite some time. Larry and I walked Buddha (who is a staff only dog) and Papago. The dogs were both wonderful to walk and very happy to get out. Larry took me to a spot with a fabulous view of the Lodges and the Garden. Larry is a retired NY fireman. He lived in NY and FL before moving to Utah to work at BF. He's been there for 2 months. You can tell how much he loves his job and all the dogs he takes care of.

Luchtime! I picked Keri up at cats and we went to Angel Village to eat. We sat out on the deck and met a woman from Cape Cod and a man from Canada. Both volunteers. The woman from the Cape is considering moving to Kanab and working at BF. She is currently an OR nurse at a hospital on the Cape.

After lunch I drove Keri to bunnies and I headed back to HQ to sign up for the Lodges again. This was the most work I've done in an afternoon since arriving at BF. But, I really felt like I was helping. Terry (one of the Care Givers who has been at BF for 5 years) and I cleaned out the lodges. We swept them out and gave the dogs fresh water. We went to give Mr. Bones his shot (mentioned in my last entry). We cleaned out Ogy's run. He is so sweet! He loved getting attention and affection. Camo (who may have since been moved), Pacer and Lola, all live there also. I met Reuben who is a real cutie pie. Bad weather scares him to the point where he'll climb under his bed and if you open his door he'll push by you into the main room and won't go back in until things quiet down. And then there's Theresa who always has a ball in her mouth. There's a blog here on her and she's going to be featured in one of the upcoming Dogtown shows, along with her caregiver - Terry (much to her chagrin!). Theresa has cancer that is under control at the moment). Recently, she had gotten sick and they thought the cancer had come back. They saw something in her stomach and she had to have surgery. They found the leg from her ball (it was one of those balls with the legs) in her stomach! So the staff had to go and remove all the legs from the balls. Theresa is SO cute and really pretty.

Time to help feed. Thankfully they have golf carts to get around this property, otherwise I would have really been dragging. Not to mention the toll it would take on all the staff every day.

I gathered up Pickles and headed to HQ to sign her out, then picked up Keri. We ordered a pizza and were concerned about Pickles driving us nuts when we were trying to eat it. But it turns out we had nothing to worry about. He went over to the door and laid down with his back to us while we ate! That was a refreshing change. All our overnight dogs were huge beggars! Not our Pickles. He was such a good boy. I just adore the pitties!

Mr. Bones

bellamicuore — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:01:26 GMT

How did I come to know about Mr. Bones? Well, I saw the Dogtown show that he was featured on. I fell in love with him (and his caretaker, Tom) from that moment on. Tom has since moved on, but Mr. Bones who is about 14 years old has been at BF since he was a young pup. So, imagine my surprise when I was planning my trip and got a network mail from the person who is planning on adopting him! Sharon said she's raising money to fly back out (from MD), rent a van, and bring him home. She's more than halfway there! She asked me to please check in on Mr. Bones and give him some lovin'. Little did I know that it would be Mr. Bones who would be giving me all the lovin' he had in him.

This has got to be one of THE most affectionate dogs I have ever come across. It is so obvious just how well cared for this dog has been for the past 13+ years that he has been residing at BF. And care for him they do. I was told by several people, including Jeanne a regular (daily) volunteer, how they check in on him daily, give him peanut butter treats and just love on him. He is full of love and affection. When I entered his home he came right over to me and began rubbing up against me. I sat down right on his bedding while we just loved each other. What a truly special dog this is. How it is that no one ever came to adopt this special dog in over 13 years is just beyond me. How luck Sharon will be to have him as part of her family, if only for a short time.

Mr. Bones is doing well considering his age and some hip problems and stiffness in his legs and joints. They are now giving him shots of something called Legend to help with the stiffness in his limbs. They are hoping this will ease some of his discomfort. But for an old boy,he really gets around well. When I went to see him the second time (they were giving him his shot), he was wet. I'm assuming that's from him swimming in his pool. Apparently he loves his pool! And he can still move pretty well too. He gets SO excited whenever anyone comes to visit him. He LOVES company. So, should you find yourself volunteering at BF over at the Lodges, be sure to go visit old Mr. Bones, before he leaves on his journey home.

The picture above is just after they gave him his shot. He was SO good for them. Sarah is the vet tech on the right and Terry is one of the wonderful caregivers at the Lodge.

If you're interested in helping him get home, please visit the following link:
http://www.firstgiving.com/milesformrbones

Best Friends - Day 4 - The Fairway and Old Friends - 9/14/08

bellamicuore — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 07:01:27 GMT

We saw more turkeys this morning on our way into the sanctuary, and a rabbit. There are also quite a few jack rabbits around. I saw them a couple of times when walking the dogs. They are the biggest rabbits I've ever seen, with huge ears. We brought Scratch back and told them about her feet. They said they'd have her checked out. Went to HQ and signed up for the Fairway. Andrea, who was at Amra yesterday, was working at the Fairway today. We began walking dogs, and three more volunteers showed up to help out. Keri and I walked Charm and Champ first. Charm was a big dog and a huge puller. It was actually quite helpful, since he was able to pull me right up the hill! Next came Marley and Filly. Filly was very shy. She is a Katrina dog. It seems that most of the Katrina dogs are very shy. She is a very cute little girl. Later on in the week, a woman who we met took Filly on an overnight. Next came Nikki and Toby. Toby was another very shy cutie pie from Katrina. He's a beautiful chow chow mix. Next, I walked Prunella, a sweet balck dog. Then came Gavin and Trap. Gavin is a white German Shephard who was in search of lizards and anything he could find in a hole. He was really funny! He kept sticking his snout in any hole he could find. Once we finished walking the dogs, we helped Andrea feed them. Once we finished feeding, we headed out to lunch. Angel Village is closed on Sunday so we drove into town. We tried for the Rewind Cafe, but it was also closed. So we ended up at Nedra's, a Mexican restaurant. We sat outside to eat and the food was very good. No Margarita's though. Only beer and wine in Utah. But, according to the waitress, this may change very soon.

After lunch I drove Keri to the cats. I signed up for Old Friends. When I got there I met Julie. She told me the 'out' dog for the day is Gramps and he had been nipping at people all day. She really wanted him to be able to get him out, so she asked if I wanted to take a dog on an outing. I asked her to pick a dog for me that needed to get out, and she picked BJ, a handsome old man. He's a 9 year old shepherd/chow mix. She told me about a park in Kanab I could take him to. I checked him out at headquarters and decided to keep him as my overnight dog. Everyone at headquarters knew BJ. While I was at HQ, I spoke with John (the trainer featured in Dogtown). He said they had filmed 10 episodes, and there will likely be more (yay!).

So, I checked out BJ and headed for the park. What a beautiful park. It was so quiet and hardly anyone was there. We hung out for about an hour or so, then headed to the hotel for an hour. BJ is a big old teddy bear who LOVES treats and loves to kiss. He can sit, stay, and shake your hand. We went to pick Keri up from cats then went to the Welcome Center to ask about sponsoring and shop in the gift shop. While there, we discovered that BJ is nothing short of a celebrity. ALL the staff new him and they all fawned all over him. After we left, we went back to the hotel and took him for a walk. Also, he is a big old beggar!
I met Kay from the network (ownedbypets is her screen name i think). She's from AZ. I thought BJ was going to sleep on the floor. I thought maybe he couldn't jump on the bed, but just hold up a treat and he turns into the flying BJ. He ended up sleeping on the bed all night.

Best Friends - Day 3 - Amra at the Clubhouse - 9/13/08

bellamicuore — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:26:43 GMT

We drove through the canyon this morning and saw a gaggle of turkeys (our first of many). We brought Chico back to the Garden. I dropped Keri off at Cat Headquarters. Then I was off to Dog Headquarters, where the lovely Patti signed me up for Amra at the Clubhouse. Amra has mostly pitbulls living there. And it's next to where the Vick dogs live (I wish we could come up with a new name for them. They deserve better than to be linked to that monster forever). I met the staff, McKenzie and Andrea. Andrea is originally from KS and moved down to work at BF after having volunteered. McKenzie is married to John Garcia, the trainer who is featured on Dogtown. They are both from Kanab. Two of the very few who are actually from the area. Another volunteer came along to help walk the dogs. I started out by walking Jackson, a sweet black and white pitbull. They all reside in individual runs and the staff get the dogs out for us to walk. Next was Dozer, a brindle pit. Loved him! Our neighbor at Quail Park took him for an overnight at the end of our stay. Next was Timmy. Timmy is absolutely gorgeous. He's black and white and VERY shy. He let me walk him, but he side stepped me often and kept looking up at me out of the corner of his eye. He goes over to HR to hang out with them there (I think once a week). Hopefully, this will loosen him up a bit and he'll be able to start trusting those around him. Next to be walked was Beans. Then came a black pit named Pandora. I wanted to take her for an overnight, but when I got to headquarters Patti said she had some negative reports, one of which said she was very dog aggressive to the point of attacking herself in the mirror. She seemed so sweet and literally crawled into my lap to be loved. She just needs a bit more work before she can go back on overnights. I just know she'll get there! Hera, was very similar in looks and temperament. I took a break and when I came out I saw Andrea and McKenzie run by the door. Apparently Scratch, who the other volunteer had been walking, managed to get away from her and ran right back to the Clubhouse. Luckily, Andrea was able to get him back with no trouble. The little bugger! Next I walked Pinky Bear, who has since been moved back to the Lodges. King and Chakita were hanging around inside Amra all day. After walking, we helped with feeding. I put food in with the dogs in the first run, then picked them up when they were finished.

Time for lunch. I went to get Keri and we went to Angel Village to eat. Hey, it's close by, the food is great, and it's only $4.00. And the view is the best one in town! Went back to HQ and signed up for Amra again. They gave me supplies for my overnight dog, who was going to be Hera. But, it turns out that Hera gets out all the time so I decided on Scratch. Which was the best choice I could have made! When I got back to Amra, I was asked if I wanted to take Lexie on an outing. Lexie is a young, small, very cute and hyper pitbull. She ripped off her nail and hadn't been allowed to go outside in her run. They thought it would be a good idea to get her out for awhile because she was so unhappy to be stuck inside. They suggested I take her to Angel's Landing. I didn't even know this spot existed. Just when you think you've seen all the beauty the place has to offer, you find a place called Angel's Landing. This is where the staff, McKenzie and her husband were married. I don't even know how to describe it. I will be posting a link to my pictures once they're all loaded. It's just so beautiful and peaceful there. Unfortunately, my camera did break and I wasn't able to take any pictures there with Lexie. But Keri and I went back at the end of the day (with Scratch), and she took picutures with her camera.
I returned to Amra with Lexie. I emptied and refilled water buckets. Then spent the remainder of the day socializing with the dogs. That's when I decided to take Scratch for the overnight.

I left to pick up Keri, and we headed to Angel's Landing to take pictures. Then we headed back to the hotel. This was when Scratch discovered mirrors and tv. After we ate, and Scratch worked hard at getting us to give hims some of our food (we held out though), we headed to Radio Shack so I could buy a new camera. Poor Scratch was licking his paws all night long. And the power was out most of the night.

Who is That Doggie in the Avatar???

bellamicuore — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:58:26 GMT

Well, it may be obvious to most people that the avatar in my profile is my dog Bella, an Italian Greyhound. As you can see, the avatar in my blog is a pitbull. If you've volunteered at BF in the last couple of months, you may have met Scratch, who resides at Amra at the Clubhouse (which will be the next entry in my blog for day 4. But I thought Scratch deserved his own spot). Scratch has only been at Best Friends for about 3 months. No one seems to know much about him except that he came in with mange, which they've been treating. He has scratches all over his face (hence the name). I don't know if this is from the mange or from a fight. Anyway, I just fell in love with him! I ended up taking him home for the overnight on Day 4. He was so funny when he got in the room. Apparently this was his first overnight. When he saw himself in the mirror, he couldn't stop looking at himself. He was just fascinated with the mirrior! Eventually, he jumped up on the bed and I put the tv on. Well, Scratch was even more fascinated with the tv! I put Animal Planet on and when a dog came on the tv he really perked up. He stood right up, then got so excited he jumped off the bed and looked straight up at the tv. If he could have, I'm pretty sure he would have jumped right INTO the tv. He was a riot! He actually laid on t he bed and watched tv. I fell completely and totally in love with this boy. He was precious. He gave lots and lots of kisses. If I could have taken him home with me I would have. Unfortunately, almost all of the pits at BF have dog aggression issues, and having an Italian Greyhound at home makes it impossible for me to have one of these awesome dogs. I will never forget Scratchy and as long as he's at BF, I will continue to visit him and have him over for overnights. But I really hope he finds his furever home soon. I love you Scratchy.