A LONG time ago I wrote a post on the misperception of pit bulls. It seems that I have ruffled some feathers recently. Please take a look at the original post, and then these comments I posted below and tell me what you think.

Original Post: “The Misperception of Pit Bulls.”

Comments:

It appears that you are likening pit bulls to inanimate objects, which they are most certainly not.

As said in other posts, pit bulls are very emotional and loving dogs. But not all emotions are good. If a dog is very emotional, it can be very loving at times, or very angry or scared at others.

Pit bulls can act on their own. You don’t see guns chasing cats or cars. Cars don’t get aggressive and attack you when you walk by someone’s yard.

You also said, “. . . no one should blame a good dog ruined by the hands of ignorant people.” That is true, however, not all dogs are ‘good.’ While guns and cars all act the same way (or rather, not at all), dogs have different personalities and emotions.

You CAN train SOME dogs to not bite or act aggressive if it is frightened or threatened.
You CAN’T train ANY dog to never be frightened or angry.

 ”He will become mean because he’s afraid. It’s amazing what an abusive environment does to a dog-any dog. ”

This is a true statement. Depending on their environment, a dog will react and behave accordingly.

“Ultimately the irresponsible owner is the catalyst for any attack the dog may make. ”

This statement, however, is not true. Any dog, with any owner, responsible or not, can suddenly become aggressive or violence. Especially a mother dog with a litter of puppies.

A dog’s instincts are much more powerful than a humans, and instincts are a VERY deciding factor in how even a well trained dog will act.

———————————————————

It is commonly known and well-researched that dogs become a product of the atmosphere they were raised in. If you raise them to be mean, they’ll be mean. If not, then they should obey.

Tell me what you think about this person’s comments please…I’m curious to know how others feel about my statements, which align with those of animal welfare organizations across the country. Thanks for participating in these discussions.

It’s not often that you hear about a car dealership having an event that benefits animals, or a car dealership whose employees are dedicated to the animal welfare cause. But that’s exactly what Ganley Volkswagen/Subaru of Bedford is, and will be doing this Saturday. They are hosting the second annual “Feed the VW Bug, Adopt a Kitten or Dog” event on Saturday November 14. Hoping to fill a VW Bug with donations of treats, blankets, toys, and other supplies that shelters need, the profits from the Cleveland pet rescue event will benefit the Cleveland Animal Protective League.

It’s sure to be a day filled with fun and games, as there is a raffle for prizes, and guests are invited to test drive the new 2010 VW and Subaru lineups. For every car sold, $50 will be donated to the APL! How cool is that?

Also, expect to see special appearances by the Browns mascot Brownie, and many former Browns players, including Mike Pagel and Herman Arvie, who will be signing autographs. Red Bull will be there as well as Sirius Radio. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind event! PETCO is donating treats and coupons for the “Doggie Bags” that will be handed out,too.

Last year’s profits from the event went to the ASPCA, and it was a shining success. Ganley, and its General Manager, Michael Friedman, a huge pet lover, hope to make this year’s event even bigger and better for the Cleveland APL. Faye Birns, another Ganley employee and animal welfare advocate, said the dealership plans to continue to support animal welfare causes throughout the year with different events.

“A lot of our employees adopted pets during the ASPCA event,” she said, “and we will continue to support the shelters throughout the year with other charity events.”

Join the fun and support the Cleveland pet rescue cause from 1 – 4 p.m. at the dealership located at 250 Broadway in Bedford, Ohio.

** Where ever you live, I hope you will help me spread the word about this wonderful event by either Tweeting this post or re-posting it on your site. I think this is a GREAT step forward by a car dealership! Go Ganley:)

For more info and the GM’s take on the event, check out this video:

http://ganleyman.com/Pages/Page.cfm?pageid=147579&pagetype=26&featureid=-1

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~ 

As many of you may recall from the good news shared last week, Ohio officials have cleared the way for supporters to gather signatures for a proposed Ohio ban on auctions of dogs (officially called the Ohio Dog Auctions Act)!  We are incredibly grateful to the over 4,000 supporters (includes many hobby/show breeders) across 27 Ohio counties (and beyond) who assisted us in meeting this very critical milestone in our campaign!   

WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW… 

A unanimous 4-0 vote last Tuesday from the state Ballot Board means we may now proceed to ‘Phase 2′ of our signature drive; collecting a minimum of 120,700 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters by December 14, 2009. The signatures are necessary to put the proposed law before the Legislature in January 2010.  If our lawmakers don’t act within 90 days, our team will move to ‘Phase 3′; gathering another 120,700 valid signatures to put the Ohio Dog Auction Act on the 2010 ballot. 

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR ‘PART 2′… 

Phase 2 of our signature drive will require us to move fast and smart in collecting 120,700 signatures!  To ensure this signature drive is successful and meets the requirements mandated by the Secretary of State, three important steps must take place:

> The total number of signatures collected for our Petition must equal at least three percent (3%) of the total vote cast for the office of governor during the 2006 gubernatorial election,

> Signatures must be collected from at least 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio, and 

> From each of these 44 counties, the number of signatures must be equal to at least one and five tenths percent (1.5%) of the total vote cast for the office of governor in that county during the 2006 gubernatorial election.

Because so many people across Ohio and beyond feel passionately in supporting an ban on dog auctions, we are confident we can meet this goal!  All we need is dedicated folks to collect signatures from each of the 88 counties and our Committee will handle the rest!

WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP!   

We are reaching out to groups and individuals from across Ohio (and beyond) asking for their assistance to help us gather signatures by December 14, 2009!  THIS INCLUDES YOU! 

Helping to collect signatures is very quick and easy – you only need to be a resident of Ohio.  To assist you in this effort, we have created a Circulator Packet which contains the following:

1. Informational Flyer.  This document can be given to interested parties wishing to learn more about the Ohio Dog Auction Act and our campaign.

2. Circulator Instructions.  This document contains easy-to-follow instructions for collecting signatures. 

3. Petition (Ohio Dog Auction Act).

It is important to note that supporters who signed our Petition during ‘Phase 1′ of our signature drive may also sign as ‘Part 2′! 

****If you or someone you know is ready and able to gather signatures, please contact Mary O’Connor-Shaver at info@banohiodogauctions.com to have a Circulator Packet mailed to you. ****  

NOW IS THE TIME TO SERVE AS A STRONG VOICE FOR THE DOGS! 

The next Ohio Dog Auction is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 31.  Over 300 dogs are expected to be placed on the block, including many from the state of Pennsylvania where public dog auctions are illegal.  Now is the time to send a strong message to our state legislators that dog auctions are an embarrassment to Ohio and its humane minded citizens, and voters and taxpayers are committed to supporting a 2010 ballot initiative to ban these events from our community!

Again, we greatly appreciate all your dedication and support for the dogs!

P.S.    If you are interested in purchasing any of our low cost ‘Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions’ gear (t-shirts, car magnets, lawn signs, banners, etc.), please let us know in your message to Mary.
——————–

To reply to this message, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?inbox/readmessage.php&t=1067245140995&mid=14bc6b4Gbde602G7abfebeG0
This message was intended for amy2002buckeye@yahoo.com. Want to control which emails you receive from Facebook or have these delivered to your phone via SMS? Go to:
http://www.facebook.com/editaccount.php?notifications=1&mid=14bc6b4Gbde602G7abfebeG0&e=1
Facebook’s offices are located at 1601 S. California Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94304.

The pet blogosphere is abuzz with chatter about this, so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon with my two cents (which aren’t really mine).

According to renowned vet Dr. Donna Spector, DVM, DACVIM from VCA Animal Hospitals, here are some sample tips for keeping pets safe and stress-free on Halloween this year.

- Make sure your dog’s costume is comfortable and doesn’t obstruct vision, hearing, or restrict movement. Avoid tying anything around your pet’s neck to prevent choking or strangling. Remove small parts or pieces that may be easily chewed off and swallowed.
- Although tempting, do not bring your dog along for trick-or-treating. Even the best-trained dogs can become spooked or aggressive in the noise and confusion of Halloween. Children you encounter may also be fearful of dogs. 

- Keep your dog in a room separate from the trick-or-treaters. This will prevent them from becoming frightened and threatened by noisy children in costumes. Too many strangers can overwhelm a pet and cause them to be unusually protective or aggressive.
- If you haven’t done so already, visit your veterinarian for a microchip prior to the festivities of Halloween. If your dog does escape from the house or becomes lost, a microchip will increase the chances that they will be returned home again. Also make sure your pet is wearing a collar with proper ID tags.
- Avoid hazardous decorations such as flaming jack-o-lanterns and candles which can burn your pet. Don’t use streamers or ribbons around your pet’s neck, on their collars or costumes or in your home. These items are frequently ingested and may cause intestinal obstruction which requires surgery to remove.   

 
- Keep Halloween candy out of pet’s reach! Chocolate is toxic to pets and many candies can be harmful and make pet’s sick. Also avoid giving your dog alcohol or any rich fatty foods. Keep all countertops clean and a lid firmly locked onto the garbage can to prevent them from eating wrappers and food packages.

Today’s post is part of the Annual Pet ‘Net Event, sponsored by NBC Universal’s wonderful pet website, Petside.com. Today, in collaboration with pet bloggers across the country, we are drawing attention to safety issues regarding pets, from food and nutrition, to holiday, first-aid and travel safety. As ThoughtsFurPaws is very rescue-focused, I chose to specifically post about safety in bringing home a rescue pet or a formerly abused animal.

*Please take a look around at all the other wonderful blogs participating today; there is some fantastic information being presented to readers everywhere about pet safety. For a complete list of bloggers and topics, click here or see the press release here.*

————————————————————————————————-

Rescuing a pet calls for certain safety measures, especially if that pet has been abused. Whether it’s a dog or cat, your new rescue pet may not acclimate as quickly as possible unless you provide the right type of environment and give him enough support and time.

According to Lissa Nicholson of the blog Forever Foster, who is a well-known and respected cat rescuer, taking in a pet that has been abused will take some work. “It is very important to make sure the person truly understands what they are getting into, are prepared for problems that may come up, and to make sure they know they can ask for help or advice if they need it,” she said.

People should have a plan in place before picking up their rescue pet, whether it’s a cat or a dog (or even a bird), and know that there is no “typical” behavior for an abused pet, although you may notice that they want to be alone, that they cower when you approach, or have other symptoms.

Nicholson's Rescue Kittens

Nicholson, who fosters rescue cats, says that those she’s fostered have all reacted quite differently.

“I’ve had three who were badly abused and two of them were the most easy-going of all my fosters,” she said. This is also my experience. When we rescued Gibson, our white Golden Retriever from the breeder who had severely neglected him, he was just happy to be in a safe place and was so relaxed, yet still withdrawn.

“To me, it underscores the importance for a potential adopter to really spend time with the individual kitty, and have proper discussions with foster parents about what they can reasonably expect from an individual animal,” she said.

A woman who I will refer to as Marie (she has requested anonymity because her rescue efforts are so far-reaching and potential issues could be caused if her name is drawn up anywhere) and her husband, who lost their dog to cancer last year and are known for fostering Golden Retrievers in the southern California area, said something similar about dogs. Marie is considered an expert in the field of rescuing and rehabilitating dogs, and is considered a veteran expert.

A Second Chance Rescue Dog

“The first few nights they will be restless. Stress panting (in dogs) is common the first few days. The first time in a house they will generally check out every nook and cranny,” Marie said. “They may not sleep through the night but move around a lot. Some will cry or bark. They may not eat, or eat very little. Some may have an accident in the house or not go for a very long time. In extreme cases of abuse and/or fear they will freeze and drool if approached or belly crawl and stay in small places like under a bed.”

So what can you do as far as safety measures when you are taking in a rescue pet or an abused animal?

1. Do your own research and reading before you bring any pet home so you have a plan before you pick up your pet.

2. If you already have a pet at home, test the new pet with others before taking him home. You need to know if the rescue will get along with other animals. Some see animals already in the home as guides, some see them as a threat or get jealous. Make sure you know this before bringing the pet home.

3. Give the pet time to adjust to you. As Marie said, don’t expect the pet to be “huggy” and playing with you the first day home.

4. Make sure your tetanus vaccinations are up-to-date, and know that a bite wound will probably require a visit to the Dr.’s office and it may become infected, Nicholson recommends.

5. Take the time to learn the pet’s behavior. Marie said that many abused pets or even regular rescues, if not fostered, have never been in a home before or had positive human contact. They need time to learn that it’s a good thing.

6. Provide a “safe place” for the pet to go to alone, and leave him be when he’s there.

7. Don’t force yourself on the pet. Give them the space and peace and quiet that they need to adjust on their own time.

8. Let the pet approach you on his own terms: don’t force attention and affection.

9. Don’t rush the pet into new situations. Let them get used to their new home and then slowly introduce them to new surroundings.

10. Marie said that once trust is established, if you have a dog, try to take a positive reinforcement training class to further bond with him.

11. If you have a rescue cat, Nicholson recommends setting up a safe room with their food, some good hiding spots and litter box, then slowly let the cat out to roam around more of the house to get used to new sights and smells.

Pet-Centric Bloggers & Site Editors To Raise Voices In Unison To Shine Spotlight on Pet Safety

Organizer Petside.com To Feature Event Hub At www.petside.com/pet-net-2009

Once again, I will be participating in Petside’s Annual Pet ‘Net Event; please see the press release below, and make sure to snoop around our blogs that day for some great information! I will be posting about safety in adopting a pet/rescuing a pet, particularly one that was formerly abused. And our good friends at Zoolatry, Romeo the Cat, Petopia, and others will also be featuring specialized content that day!

“In an effort to heighten awareness about critical issues related to pet safety, Petside.com (http://www.petside.com), the popular online destination for pet owners and pet enthusiasts from NBC Digital Networks, has organized a consortium of some of the Web’s favorite pet-focused sites to launch the Pet ‘Net Safety Event on Wednesday, October 21.   

On this date, each participating site and weblog will highlight content devoted to the important topic of pet safety, with Petside.com hosting a comprehensive one-page hub (www.petside.com/pet-net-2009) with links to all of the special coverage.  Additionally, Petside will join forces with the Associated Press to conduct a poll and collect data on people’s behavior and attitudes related to the safety of their pets, the results of which will be released on October 21.

“Common household dangers threaten our pets on a daily basis,” said Joshua Fried, Director of Petside.com. “By raising our collective voice at once, we hope The Pet ‘Net Safety Event will help focus some much-needed attention to these important issues.”

The inaugural Pet ‘Net Event took place in October 2008 and successfully employed the combined reach of a more than dozen websites to raise awareness about animal shelter adoption.  This year, participating writers will focus their efforts around issues related to pet safety.  Topics covered will range from holiday dangers to travel safety to first aid tips.  Sites slated to participate in the second annual event include:

•  Aarff.com (http://aarff.com/)
• About.com Cats (http://cats.about.com)
• About.com Dogs (http://dogs.about.com)
• About.com Veterinary Medicine (http://vetmedicine.about.com)
• Altoona Mirror’s Have Dog, Will Blog (http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/blogs.listAll/display/30.html)
• Baltimore Sun’s Unleashed (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/features/mutts/blog/)
• Daily Dog Scoop (http://dailydogscoop.blogspot.com)
• Examiner.com National Pet News (http://www.examiner.com/x-1028-Pet-News-Examiner)
• Houston Pet Talk (http://www.houstonpettalk.com/)
• Love Meow (http://LoveMeow.com)
• Paw Nation (ttp://www.pawnation.com/)
• PetDoc.com (http://www.petdoc.com)
• The Pet Haven (http://the-pet-haven.blogspot.com)
• PetiQuette (http://amyshojai.livejournal.com)
• Petopia (http://www.thestarryeye.typepad.com/pets)
• PetPeoplesPlace (http://www.petpeoplesplace.com)
• Pets Channel of MarthaStewart.com (http://marthastewart.com/pets)
• PetsitUSA (http://www.petsitusa.com)
• Polka Dot Pup (http://www.polkadotpup.blogspot.com)
• Romeo the Cat (http://www.romeothecat.com)
• She Scribes (http://www.SheScribes.com)
• Thoughts Fur Paws (http://thoughtsfurpaws.com)
• Timi Talks (http://timitalks.com)
• YouPet (http://www.youpet.com)
• Zoolatry (http://zoolatry.blogspot.com)

 About Petside.com

Petside.com (www.petside.com) was created by NBC Digital Networks, in partnership with Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc., as a comprehensive source of information and services that helps pets and their owners get the most out of life.  Offering customized content and a highly personalized experience, Petside.com is ranked among the top 5 pet Web sites and offers unique editorial features, expert Q&A’s, tools and how-to videos.”

I posted on this earlier this week, but now it is even more evident that Issue 2 is a no-go in Ohio.

ASPCA President Ed Sayres released this statement today:

“The ASPCA opposes Issue 2 in Ohio. Full public debate in which all the stakeholders were heard on issues that directly impact the lives of the public and the well being of farm animals simply did not occur. By placing this measure as a Constitutional amendment, the opportunity to revise Board membership or the role and function of this board would be impossible without another Constitutional amendment.
 
 It is also unclear how this Board will impact the work of county humane societies in enforcing anti-cruelty statutes, which encompass the well being of livestock and poultry as well as companion animals.
 
Furthermore, the composition of this Standards Board is of grave concern. There is no one representing animal behavior to lend expertise in that important area, and the measure only provides for one Board member out of thirteen from the humane community.”

As many of you know, October is American Humane’s National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (in addition to Adopt a Shelter Dog Month!). AHA offers the following information about their ground-breaking research, study and promotion of the Link, and the group’s work with abused women and pets across the country.

During the month of October, the American Humane Association supports the efforts of the Domestic Violence Awareness Project (DVAP) by recognizing the seriousness of domestic violence.  Further, American Humane believes its Pets and Women’s Shelters (PAWS)® Program can, in many cases, help alleviate some of the problems associated with domestic violence.   
 
The PAWS Program, launched in February 2008, is the first and only national initiative to promote on-site housing of pets at family violence shelters in order to maintain the human-animal bond, which can be crucial to recovery after a crisis. When the PAWS Program began, American Humane was aware of only four domestic violence shelters that provided on-site housing for pets. Now there are 28 such shelters, with seven more in the process of conversion.
 
Between 71 and 85 percent of women entering domestic violence shelters reported that a partner had threatened, injured or killed the family pet, according to a study done in 1997. And a 2007 study showed up to 48 percent of women either delay leaving an abusive home or remain in the home out of fear for their pets’ safety if they were to leave them behind. Often, because of few options for safely housing pets from abusive homes, victims feel they have little choice but to stay and subject themselves, their children and their pets to further violence.
 
The PAWS Program acknowledges the link between human violence and animal cruelty. But it also recognizes the healing bond pets can provide to people who have endured trauma. American Humane encourages all domestic and family violence shelters across the country to take the necessary steps toward implementing a PAWS Program at their facilities. American Humane has published a PAWS Program Startup Guide to help shelters assess their needs and to provide step-by-step instructions for implementing the program. American Humane also provides free technical assistance and guidance to implement PAWS.  Materials are available at www.americanhumane.org/paws.
 
“The goal of the PAWS Program is to enable more domestic violence victims to leave abusive households without leaving their pets behind and at risk. We hope that more domestic violence shelters will talk to us or read the Startup Guide and realize that implementation is not costly or difficult,” says Allie Phillips, J.D., American Humane’s vice president of public policy and creator of the PAWS Program.
 
The DVAP is a collaborative effort that was launched to support domestic violence programs’ awareness and education efforts for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The DVAP collaborates to collect, develop and distribute resources and ideas relevant to advocates’ ongoing public and prevention awareness and education efforts, not only in preparation for DVAM, but throughout the year.
 
For more information about American Humane, visit www.americanhumane.org. Follow us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/americanhumane), MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/americanhumane) or Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/AmericanHumane.)

I personally think more programs like this should exist across the country. I know in Cleveland we have a program called SAFE, Safety for Animals and Families in Emergencies that does similar work and finds homes for women and pets in domestic abuse situations.

Do you know of any local programs like this in your area?

Thanks to Mary O’Connor Shaver for this important update:

As many of you are aware, Issue 2 on the November ballot is an attempt to change the Ohio state constitution, establishing a 13-member, Agri-business dominated “Livestock Care Standards Board” that will have unchecked power to establish standards for livestock and poultry.

It is our firm belief (as explained through correspondence received from Laura Allen, legal counsel for Animal Law Coalition) passage of Issue 2 could potentially impact our ability to pass humane legislation impacting Ohio dog auctions and puppy mill breeding – > http://www.animallawcoalition.com/farm-animals/article/967.

Technically the product of the Ohio General Assembly, the ballot issue is heavily backed by groups representing major agribusiness interests, including the Ohio Farm Bureau and The Ohio Pork Producers Council:

(1) While masquerading as an attempt to improve food safety and animal welfare, Issue 2 in reality is an attempt by big industry to preempt statewide initiatives like the recent Proposition 2 in California, and which phased out problematic animal production practices like battery cages for chickens

(2) If passed, he proposed Livestock Care Standards Board would give a dozen political appointees broad and unchecked power to decide rules on animal welfare, potentially reshaping regulations on how animals are raised, tracked or traced.

Changing the Ohio constitution to include the ‘Livestock Care Standards Board’ would set a dangerous precedent by creating a permanent place for special interests in the constitution. This Board would have unchecked power over all Ohio policies related to animals in agriculture, and could radically shift livestock standards in any direction, including those relating to commercial dog breeding.

It is the belief of many animal advocates that agricultural policy should be determined through an open, democratic process, vested in the state-run department of agriculture, not through a politically appointed board heavily influenced by big industry.

We encourage all Ohio voters to reject this proposal to keep integrity in Ohio’s constitution and to keep corporate agribusiness accountable.

For more information on Issue 2, including where you can order “Vote NO” yard signs, please click here – > http://www.ohioact.org/.

Check out the HSUS’s take on Issue 2 here.

I woke up this morning to read this info from the ASPCA and was shocked. We all know that BSL is a failed idea (sorry if you disagree) but for the U.S. Marines to implement it? Come on now…

From the ASPCA press release:

“On October 6, a team of ASPCA animal behavior experts arrived in Beaufort, S.C., to conduct behavior assessments of more than 100 dogs living in Marine Corps housing units in the South Carolina Tri-Command area.

The visit by ASPCA behaviorists comes after these dogs became the subject of a breed ban recently instituted by Marine Corps headquarters. The policy specifically bans purebred and mixed-breed Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and wolf hybrids, as well as canines with “dominant traits of aggression” who pose a risk to people living in U.S. Marine Corps housing worldwide.”

This is unbelievable. To me anyhow.

The press release went on to say that the dogs were assessed using the ASPCA Safety Assessment for Evaluation Rehoming—a research-based tool that helps identify the likelihood of canine aggression.

The ASPCA behaviorists who evaluated the dogs report that of the approximately 65 dogs assessed, only two have had significant aggression issues. “One, we believe, will be able to be managed while on base,” comments Dr. Weiss. “The vast majority, however, are well-loved, well-behaved family pets.”

The families of safe dogs will be given the opportunity to apply for a waiver, allowing their dog to remain on the base until 2012. “We’re very excited about the ASPCA’s assessment,” says Army Capt. Jenifer Gustafson, the Officer in Charge of the veterinary clinic on Parris Island. “This is a welcome alternative to the unpleasant possibility of pet parents being forced to give up their dogs or leave base housing.”

Like most of us, the ASPCA is opposed to breed bans, which target entire breeds instead of focusing on individual dogs. The press release said that aggressive canines are often the result of owners failing to provide proper training. DUH. As most of us say, it’s the human/owner, not the dog…

The ASPCA continues to work on identifying potential aggression in individual dogs, opening up opportunities for behavior modification

Here’s the ASPCA’s page on alternatives to BSL.