Can't support relocation of pit bulls to the Untited States

Remember the article about relocating the 6 bullie puppies out of Ontario? Well it seems that Jack van der Meer in Huntsville disagrees and believes Ontario is shipping vicious dogs to the states.
Here are some of the comments her received back in the Huntsville Forrester.

Can't support relocation of pit bulls to the United States
Re: Pit bull pups set for trip south, Forester article, September 6.

Do I understand this correctly?

There is a ban on pit bulls in Ontario, presumably because the breed (which was developed for its aggressiveness and ability to kill other dogs in the dog fighting ring, or ‘pit’) has proven itself to be unpredictable, and has been implicated in a number of vicious attacks on people and other animals.

It is illegal to breed pit bulls (i.e. produce and raise puppies), or to bring pit bulls into Ontario.

Pit bulls already in Ontario must be sterilized, and leashed and muzzled in public.

Six pit bull puppies have been seized in Huntsville, and, for five months, have been nurtured (raised) by the Huntsville Animal Shelter.

A pit bull advocate from the United States has travelled all the way to Huntsville to test these animals and found them, surprisingly, ‘well-behaved’ and that the dogs “had such good temperaments.”

‘Bullies in Need’ and ‘Albany Rescue’ and, I guess, the Huntsville Animal Shelter are looking for homes for these pit bull puppies, likely in the United States. The three males will have to be neutered before this can happen, but apparently the three female puppies will not have to be spayed.

Huntsville Animal Shelter is looking for donations to help with the costs of looking after these pit bull puppies.
What can we conclude from all of this?

Obviously, pit bulls are not a problem outside of Ontario.

Once outside the province, only male pit bulls can pass on the aggressive genes of the breed, since female pit bulls apparently do not need to be sterilized before they are relocated.

If you want to get a good report about the nature of your pit bulls, make sure the expert evaluator is from an organization dedicated to saving the breed.

And how will we react if we see a headline a year or so from now, ‘Pit bull relocated from Huntsville attacks …’?

Sorry, Huntsville Animal Shelter. This is not a cause which I can support.
Jack van der MeerHuntsville

Editor’s note: According to Barb Mooney, the Town of Huntsville’s animal control bylaw officer, the female dogs have already been spayed.

Reader Comments :

Should Cruelty be Ontario's Middle Name?
In response to Mr van der Meer and his lack of support for Huntsville Animal Shelter's effort to relocate some pit bull puppies to the United States I say, shame on you. Before you spout off about the dangers of pit bulls and rescue groups endagering the lives of Americans, learn a bit more about the topic.

Breed specific legislation is not an answer to problems it is a knee-jerk reaction that is used by local politicians to give the community the facade that it is safe. It is a reactionary measure taken in response to fear and hype created by the media and animal rights group to target specific breeds and segments of dogs and their owners.

Dog bites and attacks are the result of irresponisble dog ownership and lack of education. Instead of putting money into bite education and dog onwership programs, communities choose what they think is the easy way out.

Guess what? It ALWAYS backfires. Every community that has enacted BSL to date has seen it fail miserably.
Just this summer in a local community here in the states, a woman was killed because BSL did not work.

The only people that end up being punished in the case of BSL are law abiding people that love their dogs, take an interest in the breed and would never jeapordize their families or their communities. People that work in breed rescue know better than anyone else the characteristics of their breed and they are typically very fair in their judgements of whether or not a dog is adoptable. I have worked with shelter dogs and rescue dogs for some time and I would never place a dog in a home that was questionable in any manner.

People in Ontario should be thankful that the Huntsville Animal Shelter has enough compassion and knowledge to realize that there is no reason these pups should not have the chance at having safe and loving homes.

Unfortunetly, because some community governments in my country are no smarter then yours, there is every chance that at some point they could be labeled as monsters, just for being born.

As a non-pit bull owner, but dog lover, I applaud these rescues and this shelter in taking action to right a very significant wrong. Perhaps one day, communities all over the world will wake up and understand that the only crimes dogs have ever been guilty of are loving and respecting humans.

What kind of lessons in responsiblity are we teaching our children when we allow people with no respect for life or the law to walk our streets after their dog has mauled a child; while we instead focus on killing the dog? If we want to keep communities safe, then we need to stregthen and eforce laws that punish the real animals in these crimes, humans.

Marla StoutKansas City, MO, USA

Sep 13, 2006 at 8:54 PM
"Pit bull" puppies
Mr. Van Der Meer appears to have been misled by the media hysteria and cheap politicking surrounding a type of dog. "Pit bull" is not a breed, it is shorthand for a dog with a broad head and short, close coat. Please remember that Attorney General Michael Bryant, the architect of Ontario's breed specific legislation, could not identify the "pit bull" in a series of pictures.

There are many urban myths about “pit bulls”. I ask you to look at the facts about these dogs.

There are "pit bull" service dogs, trained and dedicated to serving their owners. There are "pit bull" therapy dogs certified as to obedience and temperament – dozens, possibly hundreds lost to therapy programs because of breed specific legislation. There are "pit bull" search and rescue dogs, some of which were at the 9/11 site and the Columbia space shuttle recovery. There are "pit bull" K9 officers. The top drug-sniffing dog in the United States, Popsicle, is a "pit bull". Neville, a dog banned in Ontario and sentenced to die because of the way he looks, is now a K9 officer with Washington State Police. Then there are the tens of thousands of happy, friendly, couch-potato "pit bulls".Are these dogs assets to society, or a danger solely because of their shape?

Karen Delise has done sterling research into the issue of dog bites and attacks, published in her book Fatal Dog Attacks. Her research into over 30 years of dog attacks identified three factors that appear to contribute to canine aggression towards humans. None of these are breed. The prime cause for the three factors is human – the irresponsible owner.

The testing of over 26,000 dogs by the American Temperament Test Society indicates that the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and Staffordshire Bull Terrier have temperaments equivalent to common family breeds such as the Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever, and superior to the American Cocker Spaniel, standard Dachshund(s), Wheaten Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog and Jack Russell Terrier, among many others.

As to the myth of the dog's jaw strength and "locking", I paraphrase the findings of Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, Ph.D., Emeritus Faculty at the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory by saying: Not so. The jaw and musculature of a "pit bull" is no different from that of any dog of comparable size and build, and there is no evidence of a mechanism for a "locking jaw".

A National Geographic scientist tested domestic dogs of three breeds, among other creatures, and found that a dog has an average bite pressure of 320 pounds per square inch (psi). The American Pit Bull Terrier had the least amount of pressure of the dogs tested. For perspective, this study showed that a human has bite pressure of 120 psi while a snapping turtle has 1,000 psi.

Research proves that there is no reason or fact supporting breed specific legislation ("BSL"). BSL is driven by media hysteria and politics. It is a knee-jerk solution to a complex problem.BSL makes law abiding, responsible, tax paying and voting dog owners into second-class citizens.

History proves that targeting the responsible owners of particular breeds does not serve public safety. BSL has been a failure in the jurisdictions in which it has been tried, most notably the United Kingdom and Germany. The United Kingdom, after 14 years of BSL, has admitted its failure and is unwinding the legislation. The United States has at least 12 states where BSL is prohibited by law. The evidence presented in 2005 to Ontario’s Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly proved that BSL is ineffective, unworkable and fiscally irresponsible. All of the canine experts and 80% of the presenters opposed BSL.

This evidence presented at the Ontario public hearings may be read at http://www.ontla.on.ca/library/bills/381/132381.htm . Please scroll down to “Committee” and read the presentations on January 24th and 27th, and February 2nd and 3rd. The evidence presented by proponents of the ban should be tempered by the knowledge that these people were specifically invited to attend, and at the least their expenses were paid.

The Ontario Liberal government pushed through its unfounded, unjust, vague and shoddy BSL, without foundation in fact and against all expert advice and experience.

Ontario’s BSL affects not only residents of Ontario but also tourists and travellers such as truckers, who may have their dogs seized and killed if an authority determines the dog is a “pit bull”.

Considering the facts, expert advice and the experience of other jurisdictions where BSL has failed, I do not understand how anyone can possibly come to the conclusion that BSL is necessary, effective or workable.

A letter from a provincial government official stated that the courts must resolve the lack of definition within Ontario’s BSL. Ontario’s failure to promulgate clear and workable legislation is now to be remedied by court battles over definitions of terms within the legislation, yet another cost to be borne by taxpayers. Further, the legislation has been brought before the Canadian courts in a constitutional challenge, and we await the judge’s decision.

I point you to the recent Ohio and Englewood, NJ court decisions that BSL is unconstitutional in the U.S. BSL perpetuates prejudice, discrimination, violent behaviour towards and false accusations against responsible dog owners. Responsible dog owners have been assaulted and injured, their dogs assaulted and injured. They are subjected to physical and verbal harassment, had bottles thrown at them from cars, they are denied housing and insurance, just because of the way their dogs look. The witch hunt is well underway in Ontario.

Why should responsible, voting dog owners live under the threat and in fear of legislated vigilantism? These responsible dog owners are parents, doctors, nurses, lawyers, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, office workers, social workers, entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, and many, many others. These are responsible, law-abiding citizens who have been slandered by the media and legislated into second-class citizenship, just because of the way their dogs look.

There are common sense recommendations for improved public safety with regard to dogs, presented over and over again –which were ignored by the Ontario Liberals. These recommendations include promotion of spay/neuter of "pet" animals, strict enforcement of leash and licensing laws, bite prevention education for children and adults, strict enforcement to reduce backyard breeding, stricter laws governing breeders and trainers, funding to municipalities for dangerous dog control, and a centralized dog bite registry.

I ask you to clearly define a "pit bull terrier” - which is not a breed. Is a dog owner to assume that if his or her dog has short hair and a large head, it's a "pit bull"?

Do you realize that the definition includes Labrador retrievers, boxers, mastiffs, Great Danes, shar-peis, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Cane Corsos, and numerous other pure breeds of dogs? That does not begin to touch the crossed and mixed breed dogs of uncertain heritage that people may claim are “pit bulls”.

The Centre for Disease Control in Atlanta has stated that breed identification is the great confounder in dog attacks

.Every dog has teeth. Any dog can bite. No one wants to be bitten by any dog. A bite or attack by a dog of any breed is serious. The responsibility for preventing a dog bite by a dog of any breed rests solely on the dog's owner.

Criminals, who by definition do not obey laws, only continue to hide their "pit bulls" or turn to other breeds for their purposes. Irresponsible owners will dispose of their "pit bulls" through pounds, shelters or rescues, unwilling to do what is required to maintain a "pit bull". These same criminal and irresponsible owners will only acquire and mistreat or neglect dogs of other breeds, continuing to create vicious and dangerous dogs. This has already started in Ontario; in my neighbourhood, German Shepherd dogs now appear to be the breed of choice.

Meanwhile, responsible "pit bull" owners will labour under unfounded and unjust restrictions, attempting to keep their beloved dogs safe. BSL has caused people to move from their place of residence to keep their beloved dogs safe.

Thirty years ago, German Shepherd dogs were the demon breed. Then Dobermans. Then Rottweilers. Now, “pit bulls”. Which breed will be next to be demonized and targeted for legislated extermination? Will it be yours?

Any dog that is untrained, unsocialized, tethered, allowed to roam, neglected or abused has the potential to go one of two ways – either to bite, or not. Breed is irrelevant.

It is the owner’s deed that should be the issue and the subject of any law. Not the shape of the dog.

Taxpayers must demand that the Ontario Liberal government answer why it passed unfounded, unjust, vague and shoddy BSL that has been proven to be ineffective, unworkable and fiscally irresponsible, and why the Liberals rejected clearly defined and easily enforced all-breed dangerous dog legislation that would be effective, workable and best serve public safety.

Sep 13, 2006 at 11:15 PM
pit bull type pups
I would like to take this oppurtunity to thank the Huntsville animal shelter for their support to these dogs who have done nothing wrong only to be born an apparent breed type.

We have shipped out many dogs labeled "pit bulls" due to this legislation..and yes, some have actually made headlines, such as the case with Neville http://www.lawdogsusa.org/k9neville.html

Clearly, pit bulls aren't a problem outside of Ontario when owned by responsible people. Neither are they here...show me a responsible pit bull owner, or ANY responsible dog owner, you will never see a headline...unless it is a good one.

Lets hope these pups have a good outcome and make it out of Ontario and into safety. We thank people for any support they can offer to aid in this effort.

Sharon Hewitt
Bullies In Need

Sep 14, 2006 at 12:55 AM
Thanks Canada!!
Dear Mr. Van De Meer,You don't have to wait, Pit Bulls relocated from Canada are already making headlines in the US.

Meet Neville who was thrown away by your country and is now working with Washington State troopers on the front lines. Very few dogs have what it takes to make it in this tough and arduous field, many that are bred for it don't. However, Toronto's little stray did and is happily doing his job protecting the American public by sniffing for drugs and/or bombs and licking the faces of children.

I say Thanks Canada! Your my opic views have greatly contributed to our safety!

Sep 14, 2006 at 1:37 AM
Ontario's prejudice
Mr. Van Der Meer, have you had any direct experience with this breed? Opinions based on ignorance aren't credible and most likely incorrect.Of course only a person experienced with this breed is going to take the responsability to do an evaluation.

To make sure that dogs are what this breed is supposed to be.Safe, loyal, trustworthy.It is no surprise that this person is also supportive of the breed

.It happens when intelligent people decide to look farther into things instead of listening to those who speak out of ignorance.

If you had any direct experience with the breed you would use your time in a more productive manner.I am sure that Ontario has more important issues to worry about."And how will we react if we see a headline a year or so from now, ‘Pit bull relocated from Huntsville attacks …’?"

And how do you personally react to the fact that a pit bull out of an Ontario shelter is now working with the Washington State Patrol Detection Dog Program? This was one of those "bad" pit bull whose fate was to die alone, in Ontario.This dog is now working to keep people safe, for the US Homeland Security.And he is good at it.

Several other pit bulls are succesful in this program and they were chosed for their endless dedication and heart.

How bad can these dogs be when a law enforcement agency is using them?

Here are more information for you, these "bad" dogs are doing a heck of a job.http://www.lawdogsusa.org/

Sep 14, 2006 at 8:41 AM
relocation of pit bulls
Dear Mr. Van der Meer:

Although I was disturbed by your obvious wish to have innocent dogs put to death, I do appreciate that you used the word "presumably" in regards to the danger of these dogs.

Unfortunatly, your presumption is like many other's. The media jumps on every incident involving any dog that may even look like a "pit bull", (not a breed. Ontario never had a "pit bull" problem. Ontario has a dangerous dog problem of all breeds.

The Ontario government would like everyone to "presume" that they are making our streets safer by eliminating a look of dog, but research and experts disagree. They want us to "presume" so we do not look into the facts.All dogs can be dangerous and all dogs can bite Mr. van der Meer.

Police search for man missing after 14-hour standoff

This story was on the news last night and comes from the CBC News in Ottawa.

The suspect didn't live at the house. The woman who does live there asked the police if she can get the dogs during the stand-off and they said no.

The news story showed the inside of the house and there was blood everywhere from the dogs. The woman has already contacted a few lawyers. The dogs were definetely pit or pit type.

They shot the dogs after throwing tear gas in the house? Why would they shoot the dogs if the dogs didn't belong to the suspect and after tear gass was released? What harm could these dogs do and why would they assume they would do any harm? What is the just reason for shooting the womans dogs...because they are Pit bulls or Pit bull mixes?

I think police are getting finger happy using bullie type dogs as target practice for no good reason.

I wanted to share this update with everyone as I think it's important to hear both sides of the story and it's what I expected in the first place. Thank you Lisa for sharing this with me and everyone.

Update: My name is Lisa, the 2 dogs in the above article were named Ca$h & Oz and were more like my children then my dogs. I would like to thank everyone who has shared my outrage and felt sympathy in my time of grieving. My dogs did not attack police, my dogs wouldn`t have attacked anyone, they thought they were lap dogs- they never knew people could be mean, anyone they ever met fell in love with them. They were my best friends there love was completly genuine and unconditional.

Police search for man missing after 14-hour standoff
Friday, September 15, 2006 12:24 PM ET

Police released a photo on Friday of a man they thought had barricaded himself inside a townhouse in the Ottawa neighbourhood of Bells Corners.

When they stormed the townhouse on Thursday after an apparent 14-hour standoff, Trevor Provost was not inside.

Police are looking for Trevor Provost.

As of Friday morning, police were still looking for Provost, 35, for whom they have an arrest warrant.

Police are looking for Trevor Provost.

Police surrounded the house on Richmond Road near Moodie Drive at about midnight on Wednesday, intending to arrest the man for an earlier domestic assault and uttering threats.

A man was in the house at that time and refused to leave, police said. They believed he was alone and unarmed.

Early Thursday morning, armed police officers cleared people out of townhouses on both sides of the residence, although many people stayed in the area to watch.

Ottawa Police surrounded the townhouse at about midnight on Wednesday.(CBC)Meanwhile, they shouted at the house through a megaphone, asking the man to come out with his hands up.

Eventually, police officers obtained a new warrant that allowed them to search the house.

Ottawa Police surrounded the townhouse at about midnight on Wednesday.(CBC)

They smashed the clasp of the front door with a sledgehammer.

Then they threw a volley of tear gas into the house and continued to shout for the man to come out — but drew no response.

Finally, at about noon, the officers broke down the door.

CBC reporters outside heard the sound of gunshots from inside the house.

It turned out that officers found two pit bulls and shot them dead.

What they did not find was the man they were looking for, despite searching the house from top to bottom, said Const. Steven Desjourdy.

"Police searched the whole building, including the attic. There are no holes in the walls to suppose that he did go into another apartment. So we can only suppose that he might have left last night."

The man presumably escaped despite the fact that police had the house surrounded since Wednesday night.

Fifteen to 20 police officers left the scene after the thorough, but futile search.

Police continue searching for the Ottawa man.

Shasta - Service Dog In Training

Shasta - Service/PSD In Training

It's taken us a LONG time to get the proper answers on how to get her certified, but worth all the effort.

She will still have to wear her muzzle regardless because of the Ontario Law and the bullie breeds. There may be one way to fight that and right now I'm too exhausted from everything being a battle, that I think I will either see how the verdict turns out in court, or enjoy this new found freedom prior to fighting again.

You see, Shasta is also an Alert and Response dog. That means, should she senses when I'm starting to panic and become anxious, she knows how to calm me down. If I were in a full blown panic attack, she knows how to bring me out of it, but it requires her mouth to do both.

If I decided to go further and have her registered through Canada, the same as the Guide Dogs of Canada, I could them attempt to fight the muzzle law currently enforced upon the bullies in Ontario.

One thing I have noticed is a whole new approach of educating the public has arisen from this. People are now asking me questions, that I am gladly willing to answer. They are genuinely interested and so far we haven't had any negative responces or feed backs.

I'm not neive to say there won't be any, but this now has given me more freedom, less stress and a new opportunity to speak to people about the BSL.

We just got back from a week of camping and the welts you see on her face are from fly bites. I brought the wrong dryer sheets. *bad mommy*

I've been quite impressed with her manners in stores and towards people. Her manners have been so fantastic and I have an 'ASK TO PET' patch on her vest. The reason I went with that patch, was I wanted people to see the bullie breeds are NOT what they read about in the newspapers and this gives me the opportunity to explain to them about how the media plays games with the bullie breeds and other postive jobs these dogs are so inclined for.

Admittedly, I had reservations regarding the muzzle and her working, but that has proved to be a BIG PLUS toeards the bullie breeds.

WAY TO GO SHASTA!!! I'm PROUD of you!

Tammy Grimes Jailed for Rescuing Dying Chained Dog - PLEASE HELP!

This is an actual email from Tammy Grimes. Please call or write in everybody - this is a crime and please CROSSPOST widely too!

Tammy Grimes Jailed for Rescuing Dying Chained Dog

OK, everyone, if you're getting this e-mail it means the police followed through on their threat to put me in jail for taking Doogie today.

Here is the background info:

We got a call from Kim in East Freedom this morning, crying because Doogie hadn't gotten up since Saturday.

She had been calling the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society since Saturday to no avail.

We told her we aren't law officers, and she needed to call the humane officer.

Then we got another call about the same dog, from another person who passes him every day.

At that point we called Kim back to see if she'd heard from the Humane Officer.

She had not, so we promised her we'd go out and see what we could do.

When we got there, we took photos and video of Doogie.

We initially thought he was dead, as he was not moving and his back was to us.

We found out that the people were not home to talk to about him, so I made the decision that he could not lay there on the cold wet ground for one moment longer, and I would accept all consequences of my decision.

The neighbor Kim has agreed to testify on my behalf if necessary.

She cried the whole time we were there, you can hear her on the video.

I think once you see the video and pictures, you'll understand why I made this decision.

The vet documented his general negligent condition, low weight, sores, missing fur, and took xrays of his back and hips.

He determined that he has very bad back spurs that are causing him a lot of pain and are most likely responsible for his inability to walk.

He also saw an undetermined mass near his hip on the xray.

He gave him a shot for pain plus some B vitamins for energy, so that perhaps he could have even one good day or a few good hours.

He wrote a letter stating his condition in case we needed it.

Shortly after we got Doogie to my home, situated, bathed (had to, the stench was too bad), and fed and watered an Officer Flag called from the Freedom Township Police Department (I know, Freedom, isn't that ironic?).

He wanted me to return Doogie, which I refused to do.

Here's what I need from you all.

View the videos and photos, below.

I think you'll agree with me that this is NOT acceptable in ANY kind of humane society, and we cannot allow this kind of animal abuse.

We MUST stand up and STOP accepting this to be ok for people to do to their dogs, and STOP jailing those who are trying to help them.

I could never look myself in the eye again, much less sleep tonight, had I left Doogie there dying, shivering in the dirt.

I will spend the rest of my life in jail as opposed to handing him over to be abused further by these people.

Please, contact ALL media with these photos and videos.

Get justice, for Doogie and for me.

Do NOT allow this treatment of those who are here to help, and who actually care.

Call the Pennsylvania Humane Society and tell them you expect them to stand with me against this kind of abuse.

Doogie laying on the ground, neighbor crying in background:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN9t1rv4pj4

Doogie after vet at Grimes house:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8wxGP1N7QQ

Officer Flag: Cell 814.201.0149
Freedom Township Police Headquarters: 814.695.8545
Pennsylvania Humane Society: 814.942.5402
Humane Officer Paul Gotshall: 814.942.3780
Altoona Mirror: 800.287.4480; pbanko@...;news@...WTAJ-TV10: 814.944.1414
WJAC-TV 6: 814.255.7600
All national media!

Make sure to send them links to the video, it's very compelling.

My best friend, Tracy, has the video and hi-resolution copies of the images for print.

She can be reached attracy@...

Don't stop until there is Justice for Doogie and ME!

I'm just not tolerating this kind of treatment, for either of us.

No one should.

Tammy

Gyger to the rescue

This amazing article comes from the Hamilton Spectator.

Gyger to the rescue
Pet pit bull helps knifing victim reclaim her life
By Barbara Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
(Sep 12, 2006)


Barry Gray, the Hamilton Spectator
Gyger serves as protector of the former store manager attacked in Jackson Square.

Pit bulls usually get bad press, but not this 18-month-old service dog who got in just under the line before his breed was banned in Ontario.

Gyger is helping a former Jackson Square store manager to reclaim her life after she
was viciously attacked by a deranged man with a knife.

On May 27, 2004, Michael Gardiner, 29, left the Hamilton Community Correctional Centre on York Boulevard, entered the mall and randomly selected a woman to attack.

He watched Linda open her store, and attacked her with a knife in the rear office.

Linda fought for her life for several frenzied minutes until the sight of so much blood finally unnerved her assailant. Gardiner stopped and she escaped out of the store and into the mall.

Linda survived the attempted rape but spent the next two weeks in hospital being treated for 22 stab wounds.

For more than a year afterward, the 55-year-old woman rarely ventured out of her apartment. Pain, anxiety and insomnia were constant companions, especially when her partner was at work and she was alone at night.

"I'm lucky and blessed to have found Gyger. He's given me the confidence to be content with myself," said Linda.

"He gave me the freedom to enjoy my evenings. It's a great relief to be able to concentrate on other things and not worry about every single noise outside, wondering, 'What was that?'"

With Gyger at the foot of her bed, she now sleeps soundly through the night.

Linda found her protector, a cross between an American pit bull terrier and a boxer, at the local pound. The dog had been there for almost the maximum allotted time and was slated to be killed.

She had already searched the Internet, but learned a fully trained service dog was worth $5,000 or more, well beyond her means.

Linda brought Gyger home on Aug. 8 last year, about three weeks before Ontario's pit bull ban took effect. Bill 132 made it illegal to breed, transfer, abandon or import pit bulls and pit-bull-type dogs.

Having been born before the law was enacted, Gyger was deemed a "grandfathered," meaning Linda could keep him if she complied with strict new regulations, which required mandatory muzzling, leashing and sterilization.

Gyger spent the first week just getting used to the sights and scents of his new home. The dog followed Linda incessantly from one room to the next.

The following week, they met with Hamilton dog trainer Tony Harper who began work to turn Gyger into a disciplined service dog. Formal training continued for more than four months and between weekly sessions, Linda and Gyger practised for a minimum of 15 minutes a day.

Their bond grew as the challenging new routine became an intrinsic part of daily life. Gyger flourished on a diet of tuna, salmon, organic dog food and essential fatty acids and is brushed daily .

"It was necessary for him to be out to exercise and do his business, but it was also important for me to get out of doors because I couldn't continue to use my home as a cave," said Linda.

On their outings, Gyger wears a bright orange jacket that identifies him as a service dog.

The dog is young and spirited, but also powerful and strong. His mere presence is intimidating enough to keep away unwanted attention. At the same time, Linda is confident of her ability to control the animal. Gyger accompanies her to medical appointments and is trained to ride elevators, escalators and in cars. When she lowers her voice an octave and gives a command, she is obeyed.

Gyger recently proved his worth when they were returning home from a visit to her friend's house. She and the dog were walking along Main Street West when a man suddenly jumped out of the shadows from between two buildings and confronted her.

Linda froze and Gyger took over. He stood his ground and growled at the stranger, who took one look, let out a wail and fled.

"He's been there nights when I was still dealing with the issues of the past event and I have cried into his fur and held onto him. He licked my face and stayed with me every minute and for that I have great respect for him."

Pit bull barriers

This article is from The Beacon News Online.

Pit bull barriers
By Dawn Aulet
STAFF WRITER

What breed of dog did Helen Keller choose as her companion? What breed is the only dog to grace the cover of Life magazine? What kind of dog was used to recover the remains of the astronauts killed in the Challenger disaster? What kind of breed was Petey, the dog on "The Little Rascals"?

The answer to all these questions is the same: American pit bull terriers.

Today, the image that comes to mind when you hear "pit bull" is one of ferocious dogs attacking, full teeth bared and locking onto a victim, never letting go.

Even though some pit bulls are vicious, have bitten, mauled and killed, the problem is not in the breed, some animal lovers say.

"You can't just label a breed," said Andy Ivanicky, director of Joliet Township Animal Control. Ivanicky practices what he preaches. His dog is a Doberman.

'Judged individually'

When a dog comes to Animal Control, including a pit bull, it has to be evaluated. Although the township does not have time for intense temperament testing, it can evaluate a dog and see if the dog is friendly.

"Each dog is judged individually," Ivanicky said.

Once temperament is established, Ivanicky does have a clear rule: His first priority is to keep the public safe. So if a dog is aggressive, Ivanicky will euthanize it, especially if it has been in a fighting situation.

"You can never untrain a dog from that type of behavior," Ivanicky said.

For pit bull puppies, Ivanicky usually works with rescue organizations, including A&S Rescue. The group, founded in 2000 by Silvia Simmons, evaluates a pit bull's temperament before placing the dog in a foster home or making it available for adoption. Once a dog passes temperament tests, though, it goes from being a stray to being a beloved family pet.

Take Ty and Sox, for example. Garrett Peck of Plainfield has been a foster parent for A&S. Once Ty came to his house, he found his forever home.

"We took him as a foster with the intention of adopting if it all worked out," he said.

Today, Ty is 1-year-old, and Peck said the male pit bull is just a pushover.

"Ty's a wimp, he's a big baby," Peck said.

Both his dogs, Ty and Sox, 9 months, have been through intense obedience training. Peck took his dogs to Alex Brooks School of Dog Training in Des Plaines. The dogs stayed there for one week, while undergoing thorough training. When Peck and his wife, Christine, picked up the dogs, the trainers taught them how to reinforce the training. Ty and Sox will sit, stay, lie down and maybe most importantly, they will "leave it."

Pit bulls are terriers. And though their aggression is sometimes overstated, their tendency to be hyper is not.

"They are terriers, and these dogs can be extremely high driven," Ivanicky said.

As far as Peck is concerned, Ty passed the ultimate obedience test. A few weeks ago, on a walk through the neighborhood, another dog got loose and attacked Ty. When Ty turned to defend himself, Peck said, "Leave it," and the dog did.

One family's experience

Joliet resident Brian Johnstone is not surprised by that at all.

"Basically, dogs do what they're trained to do," he said.

Brian and his wife, Kari, already had a bulldog named Scully. They were contemplating getting a second dog, but had not really acted on it.

Then, they were at PetSmart and saw Ghia, a red pit bull.

"We fell in love with her," Brian said. "We had our two kids with us, and she was being very docile with them, she was licking them."

Brian was concerned about how Ghia would get along with Sally, but not because Ghia was a pit bull.

"I would have the same concerns if it were a poodle," he said.

Farewell to a dear, sweet dog that lost her fight to health

Forever with us Zoey

Her name is Zoey and she lost her fight to health rather than the BSL. She was one of Shasta's best friends and her mommy (owners) Tammy worked hard to fight the BSL even though she struggled with many of the same disabilities as me.

Tammy lost her best friend and service dog in training. A bond so close when one is the other part of you.

I can't even try to imagine the grief Tammy especially, but also her family feel at the loss of Zoey.

With many prayers sent out for Zoey, and the costs of all the tests to try to find out exactly what was wrong with her wasn't enough to save her.

The family put out a plea on Dogster to help financially as well as prayers if they found it in their hearts. Many don't understand how low a disability allowance is and how hard it is to save your dog should something drastically serious arrise. To those who don't understand, the family wasn't looking for handouts. They were trying to save a family member to those they trusted the most. If you felt it in your heart to help in any way, nobody was pressuring those that didn't feel or know the family to help.

This is NO TIME to tell the grieving family what your personal views are if you didn't agree. It would be best to ignore the plea and let those that love and admire both Tammy and Zoey to help in a way we felt best.

Zoey, you will be sadly missed, but never forgotten.

Love Connie and Shasta

When man and dog team up...

Many of my readers know that I have permanent disabilities and permanent and chronic health problems. I was told life could never get better and I just had to learn to live with it. Accept it.

More chronic health issues develope every year that I laugh and say, 'Just tack it to my list.' I use humour and positivity as much as possible and I call it fighting the dragon. When the dragon comes and attacks and batters and bashes my mind and body, I fight back as hard as possible, but the dragon leaves me in a battered heap.

Sometimes I stay in this heap mentally and physically, so exhausted that I feel like I will never regain my strength again, but I've gone through it so many times that I know they day will finally come that I will be able to come above my disabilities and health problems and not let them control me.

There used to be a website that was dedicated to a person who lost his battle with the dragon and finally out of desperation took his own life. My faith in God doesn't allow me to get to that point, but instead makes me stronger. The poem was called The Dragon Grins and I wish I could find it once again.

My writing this is not for you to take pity on me. That's one thing I DON'T want is pity. Understanding yes, but pity NO!

The reason I am even writing about this, is because I just do not have the words to express how much my life revolves around Shasta and how she gave me new advantages and independence in life so incredibly that that I have proved all the doctors wrong.

It's true the problems I have are chronic, but because of a puppy American Pit Bull Terrier, she has shown me how to live in the most rewarding way ever. I'm no longer a prisoner in my apartment and relying on friends for my every needs. No longer am I issolated with my fear of strangers. No longer am I limited to walk only as far as a friends car in pain walking to the parking lot, if I were even able to walk that far filled with anxiety even with a friend. That wasn't living, that was surviving from day to day, but the day this tiny little pup came into my life, my life changed more than anyone could imagine and each day taught me more and more. She is my LIFE! She is my best friend, my life line, my physician, my therapist, my courage and confidence. She is all the things that my body or health won't permit and above all, she is my gaurdian angel that each day is a blessing to me.

Yet, as I write, I find I still can not express all that she means to me and her to I. They say dogs are dogs and don't think like people. While this is true, it doesn't mean thy aren't smart and can learn on their own. I never taught her to wake me when I'm in a flare and sleeping through my medication times. Instead she gently nudges me with her nose softly to wake me up and sure enough, she's so close to the right time to me needing my meds.

I never taught her to alert me for attacks, or if in them how to bring me out of them. She found a way that works for both of us. She tried to alert my girlfriend before she was diagnosed with cancer 2 months later. I wake up to her constant licking when I get bit by a spider bite that swells my tongue and narrows my throat.

But I came across a video that explains more of the bond and oneness that a human/dog team that brought tears to my eyes as it reminded me so much of Shasta and I.

Please watch Skidboot and understand just a little bit more how teams work together.

When a wolf strikes, it's no picnic

This article is from the globeand mail.com of an attack of another kind. As I read about the way this wolf attacked, due to injury, I saw no comparison that many use called the Wolf Theory between dogs and wolves. To me, it would seem it would be the same comparison to man and ancient apes. Theories that don't sit well with me, but then it's my own opinion.

When a wolf strikes, it's no picnic

Holiday weekend ends in chaos as animal attacks families at Northern Ontario beach
HAYLEY MICK

Brenda Wright says she and her two children had just eaten their turkey sandwiches and settled onto their beach towels when the horror began.

Her son, Casey, 12, noticed a black, dog-like animal running across the Northern Ontario beach where the family was enjoying the last day of summer vacation.

In a sudden and unrelenting attack, the animal ripped into Casey's buttock, tore his mother's hands and leg, and bloodied his 14-year-old sister's scalp, lunging after the family of six as they fled screaming into Lake Superior.

"I was trying to fight him off and he grabbed my finger. I thought he pulled it off. . . . Honest to God, it looks like hamburger meat," Ms. Wright said yesterday from her mother's home in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Ms. Wright's family was not the only one to face the 33-kilogram wolf. The attacks Monday by one Canis lupus ended with the animal dead and six people, including a three-year-old girl, bloodied, torn and terrified.

For Jerry and Rachel Talbot, it started at around 4 p.m. The Wawa, Ont., couple, on their way to a wedding in Sudbury with granddaughters Leah, 3, and Madison, 5, pulled off of Highway 17 for a quick swim at a popular day picnic area in Lake Superior Provincial Park.

According to park staff, more than a dozen others were enjoying the end of the Labour Day weekend at Katherine's Cove when the Talbot family wandered onto the beach and began to remove their shoes.

Mr. Talbot noticed a black animal chasing a girl across the sand. Too slow for the girl, the animal veered off and grabbed a slower, smaller target: Leah.

It clamped its jaws around the blond toddler's left upper arm and began dragging her away from her grandmother and sister, said Leah's mother, Josee Morgan, who told the story yesterday from Marathon, Ont. The girl was dragged about six metres before the wolf dropped her on her back, startled by the shrieks of her grandparents and those who had jumped in to help.

"[Leah] started to run, but she was in sand and she was in shock and all that, that she couldn't get her feet going," Ms. Morgan said yesterday.

The wolf grabbed the hood of the little girl's black jacket. This time, Ms. Talbot's advances and screams caused the wolf to drop the girl momentarily and Ms. Talbot lunged forward, scooped up the child and raced to her vehicle. Mr. Talbot and Madison were close behind.

The attack on the Wright family occurred on Bathtub Island, a large rocky area within wading distance of the mainland and about 100 metres south of Katherine's Cove.

Ms. Wright, on a day trip with her sister-in-law, two children and their cousins, aged 10 and 13, said her family was probably attacked first. (Park officials say they aren't sure about the order of the attacks.)

She said the animal nipped the ankle of her 13-year-old nephew, Jake, then clamped down on her son's buttock, carrying him about half a metre before dropping him and lunging at her.

The wolf's teeth tore into her hands and her leg as she fought back and the group raced into the shallow swimming area. Ms. Wright said the wolf followed them, this time going after Emily Wright, 14.

"[Emily] was a real fighter. . . . She got mostly claws in her head and her arm," her mother said.

Alerted by the screams, two strangers raced over and managed to scare off the wolf. As families hid in the trees, the wolf returned minutes later and rifled through their picnic stashes, Ms. Wright said.

Park superintendent Bill Elliott, a 17-year veteran of the park and seasoned hunter, was alerted by two other visitors who rushed over from Bathtub Island.

He said a woman was bitten in a third incident Monday.

At about 6:30 p.m. Monday, Mr. Elliott shot the wolf twice on Highway 17, about a kilometre north of where Leah had been attacked.

The wolf's head has been sent to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Ottawa, where it will be tested for rabies. Mr. Elliott said that the young, full-grown male was limping, possibly from an older injury caused by a vehicle.

Brent Patterson, a scientist with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, said that wolves, who generally travel in packs and who prey on moose and beavers in Ontario, rarely attack or even show themselves to humans.

"It is abnormal behaviour for a wolf to be fearless," he said. Wolves who attack people are usually sick or injured, he said.

According to the ministry, there have been few instances in Canada where wolves have bitten people; no one has ever been killed by a wolf attack in North America.

Yesterday, Leah was recovering with her family in Wawa. She belted out You Are My Sunshine in hospital after getting 15 butterfly clips in her arm and told a local reporter: "When I was on the beach going to the water, a wolf bit my arm, and then I cried."

The attack hasn't fazed her, her mother said. "She's smiling. She knows something happened, though, because she'll often say 'I love you, I love you.' "

As for Ms. Wright and her children, who all have stitches and various puncture wounds, the shock has not worn off.

"You continue to see this wolf's face and you relive it. . . . I think it's going to take some time," Ms. Wright said.

Pit bull pups set for trip south

Let's pray everything goes smoothly for these six pups and they find the wonderful forever homes they deserve.

We still wait as patently as is humanly possible for the long awaited court verdict from our court battle back in mid May. All costs of rescues are volunteer basic. When you add the gas price costs, foods, toys, leashed, collars, muzzles, stop overs and fosters. There is much involved in planning routes, especially with frightened, malnurished, abused dogs. Many dogs are unaware that there is a better fate waiting for them with either a temporary foster or a good loving home.

These costs along with legal costs are all volunteer. Some are done by donations, being active in the welfare of the dogs and fund raisers and co-ordinating events. Many help by buying products that go toward our Legal Battle and for all those that have helped out we counldn't thank you enough.

We were hoping to see more of a turn out in Toronto for the Candle light vigil to show your support. With so many bullie owners in Toronto alone, the event should have showed the government how this law has murdered so many innocent dogs and the way of life that bullies and owners have been effected by this ban and against BSL. Still, it is always the same people coming to these events, many that don't even own bullies or even dogs. Our rights have been taken from us and BSL is still spreading. We need YOU to show your support. We had people drive in from far regions in Ontario, yet many from Toronto didn't come. They complain that the law is unfair, but complaining is only words and we need action to show the media and parliment that we are all in this together, especially a one year vigil.

Please help in any way you can to help stop BSL and do it for the dogs.

In the Huntsville Forester comes this article.

Pit bull pups set for trip south
by Laura MacLean, Wednesday, September 6, 2006

There’s a happy ending for the six pit bull puppies who were assessed on Wednesday to determine if their temperaments were suitable to ship them out of the province or if they would have to be euthanized.

“It went very well,” stated Barb Mooney, the Town’s animal control bylaw enforcement officer. “We are trying to get homes for all six of the pups.”

The pit bull puppies, three male and three female, were seized in early April by bylaw officers after they received a tip that a man was trying to hand them out for free at the Brendale Square.

The current ban on pit bulls makes it illegal to breed or bring the dogs into the province. Dogs already in Ontario are allowed to stay as long as they are sterilized, leashed and muzzled in public.

Kristy Robbins from Bullies in Need (BIN) in Indianapolis, Indiana, visited the Huntsville Animal Shelter on Wednesday to conduct an assessment that lasted just over 40 minutes.

The assessment required testing the dogs on their startle factor, which included popping open an umbrella when they were least expecting it, as well as dropping bowls on the ground to see their reactions to loud noise.

“The dogs were startled for about three to five seconds and then they went on doing whatever they were doing,” explained Mooney. “One of the males started barking really loud. So he had a failing grade for that. But he did pass overall.”

Robbins attempted to hand-feed the pups to see if they would respond aggressively or more passively. Mooney said they were reluctant to take the food from a stranger’s hand but were more apt to take food and treats from animal shelter staff, whom they are familiar with.

“The pups know the staff and are more comfortable taking food from their hands,”
said Mooney. “Kristy asked the staff to work on that and to maybe use cheese, hotdogs or kibbles. The pups also don’t know how to walk up stairs because they are let out on a flat from their pens. So if they [staff] have time, they’ll work on that with them, too.”

Robbins consistently handled the pups to test their reactions to being handled by a stranger.

“When they were touched on the head, they kind of shied away, so we need to teach them that nothing will hurt them,” Mooney said. “It was very positive. I was surprised that they were so well behaved. Kristy was very impressed with how the shelter was run and that the dogs had such good temperaments.”

BIN and Albany Rescue are working together to find homes for the six puppies, which will likely relocate them to the United States. If all goes well, arrangements should be finalized within the next two weeks.

“They are trying to get them permanent homes or foster homes,” said Mooney. “But Kristy did say that the three males must be neutered or they can’t take them.”

The animal shelter does not have enough funds to cover the costs of neutering the three males. Anyone who wishes to make a financial donation to help with the costs can visit the Huntsville Animal Shelter at 19 Bickley Country Drive. Donations can also be sent by mail to 19 Bickley Country Drive, Huntsville, Ontario, P1H 1Y4.

New items available for Legal Fund

*PLEASE CROSSPOST WIDELY*

Louise from www.allforpaws.ca has kindly created a doggy t-shirt for the DLCC and $5.00 from each shirt will be going to the legal challenge fund!

The t-shirts come in navy blue and pink and are available in 3 different sizes, 2X, 3X, and 4X.T-shirts are readily available at All Creatures Great & Small, (Cobourg and Peterborough), Critter Jungle (Ottawa).

T shirts are also available on line at www.allforpaws.ca. Phone orders are also accepted at 1-800-747-7135.

The price for each t-shirt is $25.00. Pictures are attached!!!

This is perfect timing as the weather is getting cooler and we all know that bullies need a bit of extra warmth in the fall and winter!! These shirts were specifically fitted for larger dogs so they fit the bully breeds really well.

Check them out and remember to tell your doggy friends about them too!!

All askals go to heaven

While we continue to fight the good fight of the breed bans, there is another type of fight going on to save dogs in another part of the world. I'm proud to be able to call Greg a friend.

He and the others have been months undercover working to put the dog traders in jail where they rightfully belong. It's horrifying what he see's and has to stomach while pretending to be a buyer himself and with the group of people that he works closely with. While he observes the revolting cruelties involved to the dogs and sometimes other animals as well, he says it is nothing in compared to what the innocent dogs go through. His reward is saving as many dogs as possible and putting these monsters behind bars.

Please visit his blog to see what he is currently doing and please pray that he and the others stay safe in the dangerous work they place themselves in to save these dogs.

http://allaskalsgotoheaven.blogspot.com/

Dog ban 'unconstitutional'

We already know the effects to the dogs and owners that the Ontario Ban is putting the dogs through and we are allowed to walk them in public, although always muzzled and leashed. This lack of socialization has hurt many dogs and the muzzles has stopped dogs from protecting themselves and their loved ones. This is bound to have an effect on any breed over a long period of time that is used to being socialized properly.

The law breakers continue to break the law by not muzzling them or having them spayed or neutered. Illegal backyard breeding and rumours of Pit bull fighting is still going on.

The people I come across with an unmuzzle bullie that I ask if they aren't concerned with their safety, simply state they pay the fines involved. When I ask how much do they have to pay, the last fellow I spoke to said his first fine was $50 and the last one was $90. He said you are allowed up to 3 fines. This is all new news to me. Many dogs have been put down for less, so this is very bewildering.

I've come to the conclusion that it depended on which Animal Control Officer happens to front the owner and dog and what mood the officer is on that given day. Another thing I've observed is these same dogs are either wearing Halti's or Gentle Leaders. I'm not neive enough to think ACC does not know the difference from a head leading device from a muzzle, especially when the muzzles were specifically stated in the law the requirements of for them. Matter of fact, it states the such head devices are NOT muzzles and that the leash must be attached to a secure collar of body harness.

I sometimes feel like I am doing an injustice to Shasta by abiding to the law if this is in fact true. But then I think about how hard we are fighting and as unfair as this law is, I'm going by the law to fight it properly. These same owners, when I ask them if they are in any way helping or contrubuting with the legal fight are the first to admit they aren't. When I offer suggestions of ways they could help, it's like talking to a wall. That's when I tell them we are also going for responsible ownership and how responsible are people that knowingly are breaking the law no matter how rediculas it is. When we are fighting for the freedom of specific breeds, it takes all owners to fight this together and on one side. The right one, not the side the government is counting on to use against us.

This article comes from The Herald News. Without the perseverance of a faithful dog, there would have been a fatality, yet only by breed they want the dogs banned.

Dog ban 'unconstitutional'
By:Gregg M. Miliote, Herald News Staff Reporter
08/16/2006

FALL RIVER - A proposed breed-specific dog ordinance was sent back to committee Tuesday night after the City Council heard impassioned pleas from several residents opposed to the legislation and received a letter from the city's attorney stating the City Council's proposed breed-specific dog ordinance was "unconstitutionally vague."

About 150 concerned residents, some wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase "Blame the deed not the breed," attended Tuesday night's meeting to voice their displeasure with the council's proposed ordinance.

The ordinance would have required all owners of pit bulls and Rottweilers to keep the dogs confined behind 6-foot high fences. The dogs would not be allowed off their properties except to go to the veterinarian. Also, those two breeds would not be allowed to be sold within the city limits.In his letter to the council, Corporation Counsel Thomas McGuire said, as currently drafted, the dog ordinance is unconstitutional.

He said the state's Supreme Judicial Court in 1989 ruled that a similar breed-specific ordinance penned by the Lynn City Council was unconstitutionally vague.

"As I stated to the Committee on Ordinances at its meeting on July 11, the ordinance, as presently drafted, appears to be unconstitutional," McGuire wrote. "I am therefore unable to approve the legal character of the ordinance in its present form."

McGuire's legal argument against the ordinance was bolstered by a more emotional argument from countless members of the public who addressed the council Tuesday night.Several dog owners said it was unfair to judge all dogs the same way, and asserted the council lacked an education on dogs in general.

"There's no such thing as a bad dog. There are bad owners who don't know how to train their dogs," said city resident Joe Silvia. "We really need to educate owners. Dogs need exercise. If you pen them in, they become more violent."

Worcester-based attorney Rebecca Carner, who said she has already been retained by angry Fall River dog owners, said she is prepared to challenge the ordinance in court if need be, but said she and her clients would much rather work with the council on a more sensible dog ordinance.

She also questioned the relevancy of a breed-specific dog ordinance, asserting that criminals the ordinance is intended to root out would adjust to the change in law, leaving law-abiding dog owners with the heartache.

"Drug dealers are already ignoring your laws," Carner asserted. "They will just switch breeds."

The most emotional plea came from city resident Anthony Babine, who told a story about his sister's Rottweiler, Coco, that silenced the 150 or so audience members.Babine said one day Coco began relentlessly pounding his head up against his sister's bedroom door to get the family's attention. When Babine finally came to the door, he found it was locked. But Coco would not stop slamming into it.

Babine said he eventually broke the door down and found his sister choking to death on her bed.

"Coco saved my sister's life," Babine said.

Although opponents of the proposed ordinance won a victory Tuesday night, the matter is still open. Instead, it was referred back to committee where it can be reworked and resubmitted to the full council for another vote.

City Council President William F. Whitty said the Committee on Ordinances will now reassess the issue.

"This ordinance was not just pulled out of the air," Whitty told the audience members. "We tried to be fair with it."

A date when the Committee on Ordinances next meets has yet to be scheduled.

E-mail Gregg M. Miliote at gmiliote@heraldnews.com.

One Year Anniversary Candlelight Vigil

** PERMISSION TO CROSS POST **

One Year Anniversary Candlelight Vigil to be held at Queen's Park on August 27th, 2006 at 7 pm.

Dog owners and responsible citizens will hold a candlelight vigil at Queens Park in memory of the thousands of 'pit bulls' that have been wrongfully persecuted since the enactment of Bill 132 which took effecton August 29, 2005.

We are still here and still fighting for our rights and our dogs lives!!

What: Candlelight Vigil Protesting Bill 132 – One Year Anniversary
Where: Queen's Park, Toronto, ON - South Lawn
Time: 7:00 p.m.

Come out and show your support!!

Animal Rightists: Coming to a Town Near You - Are Your Council Members Being Used as Pawns?

As a guest column in the Magic City Morning Star, this article expresses a concern many of us do with Animal Rightists. I have been asked why on my web site I do not support PETA. Due to loss of files from a crash without all my files backed up (yes! 3 lashes with a wet noodle) I had lost valuable information that this column uses as references to.

Animal Rightists: Coming to a Town Near You - Are Your Council Members Being Used as Pawns?
By Nick Van Duren
Aug 11, 2006, 21:03

A disturbing trend is sweeping America: Costly and destructive animal ordinances. The reason stems from an all-out effort by Animal Rightist organizations to lobby every single city in the U.S. They are searching out lawmakers to exploit and further their twisted agenda.

A Full-Court Press

It’s hard to comprehend, but the leadership of the largest and most profitable "non-profit" lobbying Animal Rights organizations has an ambitious goal in mind: destroying all usage and ownership of domestic animals. That includes, but is not limited to, abolishing pet ownership. (See Animal Rightist Quotes Below)

Animal Rightists know full-well that they are not main-stream. However, they’ve been successful in influencing the American lexicon with politically correct words such as "over-population". With financial support from Hollywood and an ill-informed public, they spread propaganda, and inaccuracies about dog behavior. Their legislative packets are filled with phony studies, quack testimony, faulty statistics, and other materials are sent to city councils all over the country under the guise of being a reputable source. The News Press has been all too happy to oblige, publishing sensationalized stories which trump up the credibility of such a nonsensical agenda.
What is missing from these News stories is that these groups do not care one whit about animals, the welfare of animals, or the health and longevity of animals. This is proved by the fact that animal rights groups such as PeTA, claim to be helping elephants in Africa, but are simultaneously lobbying an all-out assault to destroy cats, dogs,
and the family pet at home. Do you know the difference between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights?

Animal Welfare is concerned with health, safety, quality of life, and the future of animals.

Animal Rights views domestic animal ownership as "slavery" and seeks to destroy the domestic animal by whatever means necessary. The fastest and most effective way to accomplish this agenda is by using lawmakers to pass prohibitive animal laws, such as mandatory spay/neuter, or breed specific ordinances (BSL).

The relationship between man and dog goes back literally tens of thousands of years. Animal Rights seeks to destroy that relationship...one-law-at-a-time. Just as wild animals are important to this world, domestic animals and our pets are an integral part of our short time on this Earth. There is nothing good about the Animal Rightist’s agenda to eradicate the future of our beloved pets.

Once the ownership and the relationship we have to the domestic animal is destroyed, it is quite obvious that they’ll move on to the next power-seeking agenda. Just like a plague of locusts, they infect the culture, exploit lawmakers to do their bidding, corrupt shelters and law enforcement, manipulate the News Press, and profit off it at everyone’s expense.

What makes these activists tick? First, they are collectivist in nature. They obviously harbor a deep-seeded hatred for humanity. Yet, they should not be underestimated in any way, shape, or form. They are well-organized, well-connected and extremely well-funded.

Sphere of Influence

The pathology of this evil has many faces, which both the public and lawmakers should be aware of. This is crucial to avoiding its sphere of influence. No good can come of associating with these groups and individuals. I can not stress enough how important it is to know who they are and what they stand for...or what they’re capable of.

Some of these activists are hysterical, showing up to council meetings wearing blood-soaked t-shirts, screaming and crying hysterically. They give emotional testimonials and always seem to have a convenient supply of shocking and horrible photos to share. They are militant, obsessed, brain-washed activists, but are very motivated. They participate in protest rallies and don’t mind getting arrested to prove a point. However, they should be avoided as they are sometimes prone to violence.

Then there are the ones to really watch out for and be cautious of. These are the cool and calculated activists. Some portray themselves as individual civic leaders, and professionals such as Kory Nelson, Assistant DA of Denver, known all over the country and Internet as Denver’s "Dr. Death of Dogs". Then there is Wayne Pacelle of the Humane Society of the U.S. He is polished, charismatic, and good-looking. He trained for his position at the Humane Society of the U.S. as a member of PeTA.

They are educated and well-connected and have money to burn. They carry with them titles of accomplishment and credibility, seducing their listeners by being well-spoken and charismatic. They approach lawmakers from both parties; the goal of infiltrating and corrupting the legal process from every angle. While ALF and ELF blow up buildings, their PeTA counterparts are busy screaming for attention. HSUS then comes in to consult under the guise of legitimacy. Their websites and promotional materials are phenomenally well-crafted. Their resources are unlimited. In fact, it is likely that your municipality is already using their materials to guide policy and craft new ordinances.

Once Animal Rightists are "outed", concerns are dismissed as "conspiracy theories" and the like. They do this to shut down the debate. After all, who could believe it?

However, one thing is for sure: Animal Rights is very conspiratorial in nature. The agenda has been built into multi-million dollar enterprise harboring well-paid Capital Hill lobbyists and lawyers in conjunction with violent militants on the front line.

However, the shelf-life of these organizations is limited. They are not main-stream by any stretch of the imagination. Therefore, they have only a small window of opportunity. This partially explains why much of the propaganda materials being delivered to municipal governments and lawmakers have been authored under pseudonyms and other aliases. Phony studies, pamphlets, and letters are often Animal Rightists parading propaganda incognito.

A Powerful Lesson for Lawmakers

Few lawmakers would be willing to accept advice from People for the "Ethical" Treatment of Animals, or from the Animal and Environmental Liberation Fronts respectively for good reason. These groups happen to be tracked on the FBI’s Domestic Terrorist Watch List for their violence and damage to private and public property.

They promote a completely dishonest agenda under faulty premises. For example, the origin of lobbying for mandatory spay/neuter laws comes from PeTA’s "No Birth Nation" program; which, by the way, is not intended to end with animals. No breeding or stricter laws regarding whelping of puppies ends up aiding this systematic destruction of healthy pure bred pets. As absurd as it sounds, consider how many municipalities are flirting with the idea or have actually gone so far as to pass it. Others want registration and intact animal fees. Every one of these ideas assists PeTA’s No Birth Nation program and gives it legitimacy.

However...

No lawmaker would dare be associated with such groups and their agendas providing their constituents were aware of the names behind the proposed animal ordinances.

And yet, they do.

When all is said and done, lawmakers are being manipulated and used.
Animal Rightists have no problem exploiting lawmakers and municipalities for their own aims, nor do they care if these lawmakers wind up embarrassed, recalled, or ousted from politics.

Kory Nelson, Denver’s "Dr. Death of Dogs"

According to the News Press, you’d think dog attacks are an epidemic. However, as a percentage of population, abuses, attacks, and cruelty are very rare...especially by the poster child of Animal Rightists: the so-called "Pit Bull". The deceitful information spread about this breed reaches epic proportions.

For example, Kory Nelson, Assistant City Attorney of Denver, CO joined the Colorado Douglas County Republican Party, in which the GOP has traditionally left pet ownership rights alone. Under his influence, the Town of Parker, CO introduced Breed Specific Legislation (BSL). Council members were quoted in the press, describing horror stories of Pit Bull behavior. They mistakenly used verbatim descriptions straight from the Kory Nelson "handbook". Never before had the Town witnessed such an outcry by residents.

After the facts were brought out, the Town Council unanimously voted to remove the proposed ordinance. However, the damage was done. Nelson had contributed a valuable service to the Animal Rightist’s ability to affect the language of law and put our property rights on the defensive. It was all done at the expense of honest, law abiding residents.

Did the outrage and embarrassment at the Town’s expense stop Nelson? No. He’s moved on to other cities to pursue his Breed Specific Legislation. Kory Nelson defends his war against the Pit Bull, claiming that anti-BSL forces have some kind of financial interest in dog fighting. It is obvious that Nelson lacks credibility and a personal moral code that is necessary to continue as a prominent Assistant City Attorney of a major city. If he actually believes that certain breeds of dogs are more cunning, more powerful, more intelligent than any human being is capable of owning, how can he possibly serve the best interests of the public good?

As Animal Rightist ideology does not mix with principles of individual responsibility, morality, or responsible government, it came to a shock that a conservative community had become a home base in which to spring his platform. For whatever reason, the City of Denver, however, continues to allow him to use his position as Assistant DA to promote his destructive agenda.

If his campaign isn’t against the Chow Chow, it is the American Staffordshire Terrier. If it isn’t the American Staffordshire Terrier, it is the French Mastiff...and so on and so on. Destroying ownership of one-breed-at-a-time is what Breed Specific Legislation is all about.

No one knows for certain whether Kory Nelson operates with animal rights organizations, or acts as a lone wolf, so to speak. He is ambitious, having successfully used and exploited several local governments around the U.S. to achieve his Breed Specific Legislation trademark. Even if BSL fails, Animal Rightist language often gains a foothold into the language of animal ordinances. The criminalization of dogs and cats has begun. Regardless of success or failure, he exploits one city and then moves on to adversely impact animal owners in another.

If he hasn’t contact lawmakers in your area, it is only a matter of time. Once contacted, you’ll need to decide whether you’ll allow yourself to be used for his personal agenda and those of other Animal Rightists.

The Influence of Shelters on Animal Law

Considering the phenomenally successful statistics of voluntary spay/neuter by the general public, where are all the animal shelters getting their dogs? Regardless of the facts that most shelter dogs are adult dogs, sadly displaced due to people moving to covenant-controlled homeowner associations and cities with extreme pet limits, the numbers in shelters do not add up.

Obviously, shelters should be going out of business left and right since voluntary spay/neuter is successful. Euthanization numbers have been declining for 20 years. And yet, "over-population" is the mantra still used by animal shelters for fund-raising and selling dogs to an ill-informed public.

Where is the over-population when dogs and cats are transported across state lines and from even out of the country to fill up animal shelters?

Even the numbers of irresponsible breeding are nothing like people think it is. Considering the voluntary rate of spay/neuter, it is highly unlikely that accidental and irresponsible breeding are filling up shelters to the extent that shelters claim they are.

However, a product must come from somewhere. If your job is about to disappear, often people do desperate things. Why should animal shelters be any different; especially when one considers what is happing inside these organizations. Some are so passionate that they’d do nearly anything to keep the "moral imperative" of the shelter going. This partially explains why "over-population" is used as a marketing ploy to sell dogs and cats. Tell a family that the dog they’re interested in is about to be destroyed due to "lack of space", the deal is closed. Another dog is then shipped in to take its place as product.

City Councils and the general public should be aware that Animal Rightists lobby with local Animal Shelters as cover. The cruelty and unethical practices in the shelter industry are shocking...and make no mistake, it is an industry. Many shelters have become some of the most profitable pet shops around that kill anything that does not bring top dollar; or is too much work to place in adoption programs. Pure Bred Rescue organizations have an awful time getting pure bred dogs and cats out of the shelter system, simply because shelters exploit these breeds to increase sales. Sadly, the News Press and general public have been willing to look the other way.

Why do some shelters operate in this manner? The answer is that many shelter agencies have become havens for Animal Rightists; shelters are exploited to spread propaganda, "over-population" myths, and faulty statistics for marketing purposes. Shelters naturally become a breeding ground for recruiting new members and activists. It’s a natural, albeit unhealthy, fit.

It is no wonder dubious shelter operations are becoming an ever-increasing problem. Thankfully, not all shelters are this way, but the public should be aware of what is going on. Both Animal Control and many animal shelters have had their ethics compromised, if not downright corrupted. The end-result is that generally, shelter workers and animal control agencies are not a credible source for accurate information about animal behavior and breeding of quality pets, especially when it comes to crafting pet law.

Fancy That!

The Dog and Cat Fancy, and show-breeders alike, has been aware of shelter abuses for many years. Fanciers operate their own rescue organizations and our rules about breeding are very strict. What’s more, it’s a small world. Fly-by-nights never last long. Unethical practices are not tolerated. You would never see a Fancier cross-breeding a "mutt". Ethics are the cornerstone of show-breeding; incredible knowledge and experience is required, as is mentorship. The competition, the friendships, relationships, and even politics and rivalries, all steer show-breeding towards the future of healthy dogs of good conformation and temperament. You’re lucky to break even financially in this sport. You do it for the love of the breed. My love is the English Mastiff. Friends of mine show and breed Yorkshire Terriers, Afghan Hounds, Staffordshire Terriers, Dalmatians, and the Irish Setter.

We spend thousands of dollars and untold hours of time and effort to test our dogs for what is required for the future of our respective breeds. We labor for the love of our dogs and cry when we must send them up to Heaven. We build life-long friendships; spend untold hours of time putting on dog shows, educating puppy-buyers, labor 24 hours a day every time we whelp a litter of puppies, and work hard to learn, learn, learn. It’s an on-going process in an incredible effort to further a tradition which spans generations.

Rarely will you ever see our dogs wind up in an animal shelter. We govern ourselves. The only problem with the Fancy is it is guilty of not reaching out to the public and helping city councils as much as it could be...for good reason:

We’re under attack. Licensing, pet taxes, registration schemes have done incredible damage to healthy pet ownership over the years.

Animal Rightists know full well that destroying the Fancy is a major victory. That is why animal ordinances and restrictive measures such as licensing, registration, mandatory spay/neuter, etc. have forced the most responsible and knowledgeable group of pet owners in the world nearly into hiding. And it is the general public which misses out on the benefits of our knowledge, and experience, and our passion for furthering the love of our dogs.
Fanciers residing in cities are forced to keep a low profile or move to the country. They simply stay active amongst themselves. The result is that the general public does not get to tap into this invaluable resource for educational opportunities. What has replaced it is a variety of quack training methods, political correctness, and just plain ignorance spread by opportunists and even some pet-related businesses.

We are really interested in the health and well-being of pets, and we are just as interested in the future of our breeds. If a dog is healthy, of good temperament, and has sound conformation, it should be bred. Future health and genetics depend on it!

Education...and Lack Thereof

The vast majority of the public generally does not even understand something as simple as how to approach a dog properly. First, it is polite and expedient to ask the owner if you may pet a dog. Then you offer to have the dog sniff your hand. When the dog conveys that, "It’s okay to pet me", you’ve been given permission; but always pet from underneath the head. Never on top of the head! No matter how friendly or unknown the dog is, this is the cardinal rule before petting any dog, cat, etc...

Only do you pet the dog’s head after you’ve gone underneath and worked your way around the neckline, back of the ears (which most dogs love!) and then from behind, you may go over the top. Petting the head first is aggressive! Nearly every single person that greets my dogs in public tries it; approaching without manners...this lack of proper etiquette is simply a result of ignorance. And yet this is something as remotely simple as saying:

"Hi!"

Despite the fact that ignorance can be fixed, municipalities are quick to pass ordinances without considering the pet education element in their communities.

If safety is what we’re after, than creating an open and active, pet friendly community is what we should be striving for. Anything which contributes to this should be done. Anything that hinders it should be stricken from the books. Tapping into the Fancy and encouraging them to be active is the fastest way to build allies rather than enemies. Rather, further regulating pets and pet breeding into oblivion will contribute to animosity, an unsafe community, and unhealthy pet population faster than anything.

Municipal Animal Abuses and Cruelty

Animal Rightist propaganda would have us believe that animal abuses and cruelty are at epidemic levels, not to mention that attacks most certainly receive sensational press coverage. The Press is only too happy to oblige any political opportunism by politicians, animal control, shelter agencies, and municipal employees actively pursuing their own agendas. Animal Rightist ordinances have become a means to an end, exploited at the expense of the general public.

However, as a percentage of population, dog attacks, dog fighting, and even cruelty and nuisance behavior is rare. As disturbing as these incidents are, they are not even close to being the rule...they are by far the exception. Therefore, utilizing the exception to the rule as an opportunity to enact intrusive and unethical animal ordinances is distasteful and extremely dishonest. Witness the results:

Denver has over 1,000 kills to its credit in only the last year. Many of these dogs perfectly healthy before being confiscated, starved into ill health, and then killed.

Kansas City has concocted a process that it terms an "amnesty program". It goal is to make the slaughter of these innocent pets more convenient and less costly for animal control to enforce.

Long Beach forces residents to spay/neuter their pets, placing dogs (especially certain breeds) at physical risk by mandating surgery. We wouldn’t tolerate a municipality strapping down and sterilizing our children? Why should animal control be allowed to do this to our pets? Our private property? One begins to wonder.

Animal Control in Vermont has been going door-to-door conducting sting operations on average people; all to enforce a licensing pet tax.

Under the influence of Animal Rightists, some council members have even gone so far as to introduce legislation that governs everything down to what kind of food, containment, and even toys, are legal and illegal for our pets.

And that is just the beginning of the scandal, opportunism, abuses of search and seizure, etc. The list goes on and on. Overbearing animal ordinances almost always lead to these types of abuses, especially when shelter and animal groups are given government enforcement powers. When will these local governments admit fault and stop these destructive practices? Communities become less active and open, Fanciers become less willing to help the public, ignorance and lack of socialization becomes the norm.

That is exactly what Animal Rightists are banking on.

When Animal Rightists write ordinances that sic Animal Control on breeders via licensing, pet-limits, and registration schemes, the very future of healthy well-tempered pets is compromised. No breeding. No pure-bred animals. No healthy genetic stock. Hence, no more pets. No cats. No dogs. No nothing!

The only way to prevent these horrors from taking root in your community is not to go there in the first place. Again, only an open and active pet-friendly community creates a fun and safe place to live with our pets and neighbors.

The Ends Justify the Means

These abuses are the sure result of the Animal Rightists campaign to wage death and destruction on our beloved pets. Again, the "ends justify the means".

What exactly is the end? Power. The ensuing corruption contained within the intent to influence animal ordinances aids activists in the accumulation of wielding more power. Using and exploiting lawmakers wherever they deem necessary, the Animal Rightist goal of achieving power and wealth at public expense is in full force.

Even where lawmakers pursue their own agendas, where animal ordinances are concerned, the lawmaker is still a pawn of these lobbyists.

Fighting Animal Rightist Ideology and Helping City Councils Reform Municipal Agendas, The Moral of the Story

The lesson to be learned is that by the time Animal Rightists have taken municipalities hostage and animal ordinances pass, no one knows what has hit them. Animal ordinances quickly compromise the ethics of Animal Control agencies. These ruthless and irresponsible policies are most certainly not something that should have been introduced into law; let alone, considered, passed, and enforced.

Unfortunately, reinstating honesty into the debate is not as easy as it sounds. Egos are so entrenched to the point where lawmakers are hesitant to admit fault. They know they’ve been used, but backtracking becomes difficult; if now downright political suicide. While this does not absolve lawmakers of responsibility, it does partially explain the successes of HSUS and others to control City Councils and municipal governments.

As the Dog and Cat Fancy (show-breeders) and animal welfare groups continue to mobilize and gain influence, the general public is indeed becoming aware of what is going on. The public is aghast at how their pets are being held hostage by such political exploitation. And the fury is spreading at a rapid pace. Animal Rightist ideology is incompatible with public safety and private property ownership. Therefore, lawmakers and the ordinances they pass are being tracked. When re-educating lawmakers fails, they are being voted out and replaced.

The fight has only scratched the surface. With so many pet owners and dog fanciers in the U.S. becoming aware of the fact that animal ordinances truly do pose a very real danger to pet ownership, it is likely that elections are going to become very interesting in the near future. Those who vote for intrusive animal ordinances will lose clout, influence, and promptly voted out. Those who keep hands off and ally themselves with the Fancy to promote activities and community education will be rewarded.

As pet owners continue to mobilize, the political landscape will most likely change drastically in many areas in the country. This is actually a positive development because it is a healthy democratic process that aims at preventing constitutional infringements and other assaults on our freedoms.

Ultimately, we love our pets. We love our choices. It is a healthy tradition. Anything that puts pet ownership in jeopardy is incompatible with moral principles.

It all comes down to one thing:

Will your lawmakers and your city government aid and abet this destructive agenda?

Nick Van Duren
Colorado Director, Responsible Dog Owners of the Western StatesLocal Liaison for the
Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs

Contact Nick: checknick@comcast.net

If Anyone Doubts how Serious Things Have Become, Please Read the Following Quotes by the Leaders and Activists within the Animal Rightists Movement:

"Anybody who shoots a pit bull running loose is justified,'' Kory Nelson, Assistant City Attorney of Denver, CO, San Francisco Chronicle, Monday, June 27, 2005 (Known all over as Denver’s "Dr. Death of Dogs")

"We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding. . . One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding." Wayne Pacelle, Senior VP of Humane Society of the US, formerly of Friends of Animals and Fund for Animals, Animal People, May, 1993

NOTE: (Wayne Pacelle’s initial training was as a PeTA activist. Today he heads HSUS under the guise of "legitimacy". It is the largest and most profitable of the animal Rightist lobbying organizations.

"Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation." Ingrid Newkirk, national director, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA), Just Like Us? Harper's, August 1988, p. 50.

"As John Bryant has written in his book Fettered Kingdoms, they [pets] are like slaves, even if well-kept slaves." PeTA's Statement on Companion Animals.

"We are not especially 'interested in' animals. Neither of us had ever been inordinately fond of dogs, cats, or horses in the way that many people are. We didn't 'love' animals." Peter Singer, Animal Liberation: A New Ethic for Our Treatment of Animals, 2nd ed. (New York Review of Books, 1990), Preface, p. ii.

"Our goal: to convince people to rescue and adopt instead of buying or selling animals, to disavow the language and concept of animal ownership." Eliot Katz, President In Defense of Animals, In Defense of Animals website, 2001

"It is time we demand an end to the misguided and abusive concept of animal ownership. The first step on this long, but just, road would be ending the concept of pet ownership." Elliot Katz, President "In Defense of Animals," Spring 1997

"The cat, like the dog, must disappear... We should cut the domestic cat free from our dominance by neutering, neutering, and more neutering, until our pathetic version of the cat ceases to exist." John Bryant, Fettered Kingdoms: An Examination of A Changing Ethic (Washington, DC: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA), 1982, p. 15.

"My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture." JP Goodwin, employed at the Humane Society of the US, formerly at Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, as quoted on AR-Views, an animal rights Internet discussion group in 1996.

"Man is the most dangerous, destructive, selfish, and unethical animal on earth." Michael W. Fox, Scientific Director and former Vice President, Humane Society of the United States, as quoted in Robert James Bidinotto"

"We are not terrorists, but we are a threat. We are a threat both economically and philosophically. Our power is not in the right to vote but the power to stop production. We will break the law and destroy property until we win." Dr. Steven Best, speaking at International Animal Rights Gathering 2005. The Telegram (UK) July 17, 2005.

"Arson, property destruction, burglary and theft are 'acceptable crimes' when used for the animal cause." Alex Pacheco, Director, PETA

"Our nonviolent tactics are not as effective. We ask nicely for years and get nothing. Someone makes a threat, and it works." Ingrid Newkirk, PeTA's founder and president, US News and World Report, April 8, 2002

"I openly hope that it [hoof-and-mouth disease] comes here. It will bring economic harm only for those who profit from giving people heart attacks and giving animals a concentration camp-like existence. It would be good for animals, good for human health and good for the environment. Ingrid Newkirk, PeTA founder and president, ABC News interview April 2, 2001

A cute joke!

Waiting for the verdict of the courts regarding the outcome of the Ontario Pit bull ban has been a long, hard wait for many of us. My health has also been bad these past few months, so to lighten my blog a little, I thought I would add something a little different. ENJOY! ;)

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables, and when he picked up a CD player to place in his pack, a strange, disembodied voice echoed from the dark saying, "Jesus is watching you."

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight out, and froze. When he heard nothing more after a bit, he shook his head, promised himself a vacation after the next big score, then clicked the light on and began searching for more valuables. Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard,

"Jesus is watching you." Freaked out, he shone his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot. "Did you say that?", he hissed at the parrot.

"Yep," the parrot confessed, then squawked, "I'm just trying to warn you."

The burglar relaxed. "Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?"

"Moses," replied the bird.

"Moses?" the burglar laughed. "What kind of people would name a birdMoses?"

"The kind of people that would name a Rottweiller Jesus."

A bad encounter of the worst kind...

A couple of weeks ago I had a very scary thing happen.

I had been feeling really poorly the last few months with a flare I just couldn't pull myself out of. I wouldn't have even gone out if it wasn't for running out of a couple of medications that I didn't realize I had, but I needed them badly and others were coming close to empty.

Shasta and I went to Shoppers Drug Mart to get my prescriptions filled when an inner voice telling me to get to her quick. I always follow those heeds and it's a good thing I do.

I had her tied to a tall pole right in front of two handicapped parking spots on the sidewalk and close to the front door of the store. No sooner did I get out there when this car pulled up in the handicapped spots, only the guy didn't drive in face on like he was suppose to but rather sideways as to take up both spots. WEIRD!

He called out asking me if she was a Texas Red Nose. I told him she was an American Red Nose, but not sure if she's a purebred since I don't have papers for her. Remember, it wasn't me that bought her and as far as I know, the first owners never had or never offered me papers for her. It never mattered to me anyway.

The girl got out the passenger side and quickly went to Shasta while the guy kept talking to me. I noticed through the side of my eye that she wasn't petting Shasta like, 'Hi pooch! Nice doggie!', but more like inspecting her. Then she yelled back that she WAS a purebred. That ticked me off and I told the guy, that no one but the CKC had any way of checking that and it's not done by a simple once over. I was beginning to get very leery of these two.

The guy then offered me $10,000 to breed her with one of his 3 male studs. My hair was standing on end and I could feel the adrenaline in me starting to boil. It was beginning to get really hard to try to remain calm. I told the guy he obviously wasn't from Ontario and hadn't heard there was a Pit bull ban in effect and that breeding was illegal. He laughed and said he lived right here in London. Each time he opened his mouth I was getting madder and madder inside.

I asked him wasn't he concerned about putting his dogs lives at risk? And he laughed and bragged he had been fined 3 times starting with $200 up to $500, but that was only pocket change to him. He further bragged the authorities are hunting for him and his dogs right now, but he's too smart for them. I totally lost my cool at this point and told him He and people like him are the reason we have this ban in the first place. I told him I am a member of the DLCC and the AFTU that are fighting against the ban and against IRRESPONSIBLE OWNERS such as him that think they are above the law. While I too think this law is full of crap, it is still the law until we can change that, but it's people like him that are making it more difficult for us. FURTHER MORE, the rescues, fosters and HS are brimming with bullies that NEED forever homes, and each illegal pup he brings into this world is destroying the chance of another dog.

I was on a roll but he pressed too many buttons that I can't remember half of what I said, but I did tell him Shasta was spayed at 6 months old, not because the law told me she had to be, but by my own choice as I don't want to be part of a problem of bringing more pups in this world. Unlike him, I only wanted a companion, not a money maker! grrrrr...It was me that needed the muzzle because I just wanted to bop him right between the eyes.

That's when the female got back into the car and they drove off speeding. I was literally vibrating and my insides were totally churning. That's what happens when I get so angry that I get either close to or do cry. Finally, the buzzer thing I had in my hand that notifies you that your scripts are done went off. I asked one of the cashiers to keep an eye on Shasta just as I quickly went to pay for and get my meds.

On our walk home, the whole thing was playing back in my head as I tried to make sense of it. Because I was in so much pain, I was walking each step in agony, so we were going really slow. The more I thought about it, it came to me.

The guy parked sideways that the back door was right to where I had Shasta tied on. The woman was with Shasta the full time. Neither of them were handicapped and neither of them went into any stores. The guy never turned his engine off the whole time and we were talking for about 1/2 an hour. They were there for the sole purpose of Shasta. They knew I needed to go back into Shoppers. The breeding part might have just been a BS story to keep me occupied until I went back into the store. If I had of gone back into the store, Shasta was fully muzzled and the woman could have very easily shoved her into the back seat, jumped in with her and drive off in just a matter of seconds.

The more I thought about it the more I thought perhaps they would have used her for either dog fighting or bait. Probably bait since they would lose money on her. I kick myself for not being observant as I couldn't tell you the colour of car or the make, other than it was a sportier type and should have tried to look at the license plate. I think of things like that after the fact, so it would have sounded really stupid to phone the police and say, 'I don't know.', to everything.

Simon Says...

Okay boys and girls of all ages, it's time to play Simon Says. Only you're playing against a real winner here. Take a look and enjoy.
Simon Says

Chinese begin another mass dog slaughter

This is outrages and you can view this article in Globe and Mail.com

Chinese begin another mass dog slaughter
CHRISTOPHER BODEEN
Associated Press

SHANGHAI — A second Chinese city plans a mass dog slaughter to control a rabies outbreak, state media said Friday, days after a similar cull in which dogs were beaten to death prompted a torrent of criticism.

Officials in the eastern city of Jining said Thursday they would kill all dogs within three miles of areas where rabies had been found, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The measure came in response to the deaths of 16 people from rabies in Jining in the last eight months, Xinhua said. It didn't say when the cull would begin or how the animals would be killed. It said the city had about 500,000 dogs.

Rabies cases are on the rise in China, with more than 2,000 people dying from the disease each year. Only 3 per cent of the country's dogs are vaccinated against rabies.

Last week, a county in southwestern Yunnan province killed 50,000 dogs after three people died of rabies. The massacre provoked unusually pointed criticism in state media, while the activist group People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals called for a boycott of Chinese products.

Other slaughters have been reported elsewhere in China this year, although the government says it has no standard policy of destroying dogs.

“I think this is completely insane,” Zhang Luping, founder of the Beijing Human and Animal Environmental Education Centre, said Friday in response to Jining's announcement.

“What's more, this really damages our national image and sets a really bad example to show how lazy and inconsiderate those local government officials are,” Ms. Zhang said.

Ms. Zhang said there were no laws under which citizens could stop the killings, but said she and other animal protection activists were reaching out through the media to try to change policy.

“I think this brutal and cold-blooded campaign should stop as soon as possible,” Ms. Zhang said.

People answering phones at Jining's city government and epidemic control centre refused to comment or said they weren't authorized to release information to media.

The World Health Organization has not directly criticized the slaughters, but WHO experts have said they underscore a lack of co-ordination and other problems with China's health care system.

The killings have prompted widespread commentary in state media and on-line forums, with opinions strong divided.

Rabies attacks the nervous system. In humans, it normally results in death within a week after symptoms develop.

SFU student dogs breed-specific regs

In the Tri-City News comes this favorable column by a Simon Fraser University student doing her master's thesis studying the BSL.

SFU student dogs breed-specific regs

By Sam Cooper The Tri-City News
Aug 04 2006

Picking on pit bulls won’t make society any safer, an SFU study says.

SFU criminology graduate student Niki Huitson studied breed-specific legislation for her master’s thesis and concluded it doesn’t curb attacks.

Breed-specific legislation restricts or bans ownership of certain dogs. In Ontario ownership of pit bulls is banned outright.

About half of Lower Mainland municipalities have breed-specific laws. In Coquitlam, pit bulls are defined vicious, requiring owners to muzzle them in public, while Port Coquitlam and Port Moody have no breed-specific laws.

Huitson says pit bulls have been demonized, leading to breed-specific laws that only give a false sense of security.

“Evidence in cities with tough [breed-specific] licensing laws, like Calgary, shows it is not reducing dog bites,” Huitson said. “Dog bites are consistent regardless.”

Former Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell was external examiner for Huitson’s study and endorsed her conclusions.

Huitson interviewed representatives from the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Vancouver SPCA, the RCMP, as well as dog breeders. She says many felt there should be dog attack laws but most agreed designating certain breeds as dangerous would not solve the problem.

Huitson said there is no scientific proof that certain breeds are more vicious but the pit bull’s historic image as a fighter makes it a target of irresponsible owners.

“There is one or two per cent of the population that buys the dog to be aggressive,” Huitson said. “Clearly it is the owner that makes a dog vicious and we need to be tougher on them.

“Enforcement is the problem. There has to be liability for owners or breeders who train vicious dogs.”

Huitson said mandatory obedience training for all dogs, and responsible owner education will reduce attacks.
Port Coquitlam’s manager of bylaws, Dan Scoones, formerly in charge of animal control for Victoria, said Huitson’s conclusions seem sound.

“You get a far greater return on your money by educating people to be responsible dog owners [than using breed-specific laws],” Scoones said. “If there was persuasive evidence that pit bulls were more likely to attack, I think we would have laws on them.”

When a dog is declared vicious in PoCo, muzzling and confinement rules are applied.

PoMo bylaw enforcement officer Tom Krish also said breed-specific laws don’t make sense. “I don’t believe that just because it is a pit bull it will be vicious,” he said.

In PoMo, owners of dogs declared vicious must pay $295 for licensing and follow safety restrictions.

Coquitlam spokesperson Therese Mickelson said the city’s dog control legislation defines vicious dog broadly, including the pit bull family and any dog showing a propensity for viciousness.

Mickelson said she couldn’t comment on Huitson’s conclusions against breed-specific legislation.

Statistics show there is typically one fatal dog bite a year in Canada. The only recorded pit bull fatality in Canada was in 1995, by an American Staffordshire terrier.

Huitson owns three American pit bull terriers and said, “They have all been trained for obedience, and are sociable.”

newsroom@tricitynews.com

Katrina Survivor Becomes Police Pooch Graduate

This article in the Humane Society of the United States shows how an ordinary bullie can be transformed with some dedicated effort of people into a police pooch graduate. There are more links, and you can watch Hemi and other trainies work.

Katrina Survivor Becomes Police Pooch Graduate

A year ago, Hemi was probably just an ordinary Louisiana pooch looking forward to bones and belly rubs and the occasional game of fetch. But, unbeknownst to Hemi and thousands of other Gulf Coast people and animals, Hurricane Katrina was about to change everything.

Now, this Hurricane Katrina survivor and former resident of the Dixon Correctional Institute in Jackson, La., is about to graduate into law enforcement, thanks to the efforts of pit-friendly people who never gave up on him.

A Long, Strange Trip

Hemi's first stop on his way out of the hurricane-ravaged Big Easy was Lamar-Dixon, the temporary shelter The HSUS helped run and the initial landing point for thousands of rescued animals. Then, in late-September 2005, Hemi was transported to the Dixon Correction Institute, an HSUS-funded prison project site where approximately 160 animals rescued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina were being housed and cared for by veterinarians and a select group of inmates.

In May, when the prison project was coming to a close, several organizations visited the site to help place approximately 30 pit bulls who had not been claimed by guardians or transported to other shelters. Bad Rap, a non-profit pro-pit bull organization based in Oakland, Calif., helped evaluate the dogs and match them with organizations offering to house them and adopt them out. It was during his evaluation that Hemi started to stand out.

"We got really excited when we started putting Hemi through the paces," said Donna Reynolds, executive director of Bad Rap. "He was a barrel of fun and had the wonderful combination of being highly people focused with extreme toy drive—a true working dog. His drive made him a bit 'too much dog' for your average pet home though, so we crossed our fingers and hoped he had what it takes to be accepted in the LawDogs detection dog training program."

Law Grad

LawDogs, a non-profit organization that locates and prepares promising pit bulls for training with the Washington State Patrol Detection Dog Program, not only accepted Hemi, but successfully prepped him as well. He is set to graduate from the Detection Dog Program this month.

"The dogs that are accepted into the LawDogs program and then graduate from the Detection Dog Program go on to live with their assigned officers as family members, doing bomb and drug detection work by day and enjoying time as well loved pets after hours," said Reynolds. "It's really every pit bull's fantasy life: to work as a true American hero and be a cherished family companion at the same time."

Why train only pit bulls for this work? "The pit bull dog's athletic build and legendary determination to get the job done makes him a perfect candidate for detection work," the LawDogs website states. "We see the LawDogs program as a way to connect outstanding cops with outstanding working dogs many of whom might otherwise be euthanized for lack of a home."

Like many Gulf Coast residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina, Hemi will soon be adjusting to a new home and job in a new place. While Hemi's past remains a mystery, one thing is certain about his future—Hemi's got a lot to look forward to, and that includes bones, belly rubs and the occasional game of fetch.