Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver

Here are all the specifics of the Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver. As updates come in, I’ll post them here. When other bloggers write about BSL, I’ll also start a link library here. So start blogging, and fire up your networks to start submitting postcards! We can be the change not only in Denver, but anywhere that BSL plagues responsible pet owners!

The Goal
The objective of Operation Denver is to collect one mile of postcards that will be delivered directly to the Mile High City’s mayor, John W. Hickenlooper. Though the state prohibits municipalities from passing BSL, Denver’s breed ban was sort of grandfathered in, so we’re targeting the city itself.

The Postcards
To meet USPS’ regulations for the cheapest postcard, they have to be 4 x 6″ which means we need to collect 10,560 postcards for them to stretch one mile, end to end! And I know we can do it!

I created a simple template in Microsoft Word with text boxes aligned to meet the post office’s regulations. These postcards can be customized any way you’d like! Get creative! Use images, clip art, text boxes, fonts and colors. If you prefer to use another program (or even make one by hand!), please feel free as long as the measurements adhere to the regulations.

Postcard template in Microsoft Word: Postcard Template or Mac Postcard Template

Here’s the postcard I made: Emmett Postcard. Feel free to download the postcard I made and tweak it if that’s easier!

All postcards should be emailed to operationdenver@gmail.com. If you’d prefer to send a handmade card via U.S. Mail, please send an email to operationdenver@gmail.com to get the mailing address!

Images
If you don’t have images to use, use images from the Flickr Creative Commons. The images located HERE only require that you credit the photographer, which you can do with a small text box. HERE is another set designated for noncommercial use, though they still require attribution to the photographer. And, lastly, HERE is a set through Google images, which are all allowed to be reused and modified, though some specify that the photographer must be cited.

Text
We want Denver city officials to know that we’re real people – not just a mass-printed mailing. So please write a heartfelt message to the mayor. Include facts, stats, stories, anecdotes, or even just a simple, “Please repeal Denver’s breed ban.” For solid stats, reference StopBSL, Pit Bull Rescue Central, or Understand-a-Bull. This is a particularly useful fact sheet.

The Cost and Fund-raising Efforts
I set up a PayPal Donation button. All donations will offset printing and mailing costs. It’s going to cost roughly $0.235 per piece. If funds exceeding the final cost are collected, they will be donated to a Colorado bully rescue. I’m researching organizations now, but if anyone has any nominations, please let me know either via comment or via email to operationdenver@gmail.com. Also, I received a fantastic suggestion to create a CafePress store because 10% of all sales would contribute to our efforts. I’m all for this, though if there are any designers out there who want to brainstorm on a logo and slogan, please, please email me!

Social Media and Media Campaign
The official hashtag for this campaign is #endBSL. Use it liberally! Several people wisely suggested choosing a day for blogs and tweets. I commit to writing and tweeting and Facebooking about BSL every Tuesday between now and BlogPaws! I’ve made Tuesday my official campaign day, and I would love for you to join in. I would LOVE to organize a monthly tweetup to occur between now and BlogPaws. I’ve never done that before – any ideas, suggestions, tips, volunteers?

In addition to the Tuesday social media push, I’m going to be writing letters to every organization and personality who might be interested in the cause. I’ll post the letters I write on Tuesdays. So far my list includes: the bully orgs mentioned above, Rescue Ink, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Pinups for Pit Bulls, Victoria Stilwell, Oprah, Ellen, Rachel Ray (a bully owner!), and The Today Show. I also want to reach out to shelters and rescues in and around the Denver area. Please feel free to comment or email with other suggestions!

And, lastly, I’m going to put together press releases to go out to the Denver media. I think we can get a lot of local attention for a mile-long stretch of postcards heading to the mayor’s office!

PHEW! I think that’s it! Every Tuesday I’ll post updates – letters, postcards, fund-raising, anything and everything to do with this campaign. Every Tuesday I’ll tweet with the #endBSL tag and post Facebook status updates. Want to help organize a tweetup? Design a t-shirt logo for the Cafe Press store? Any other ideas or volunteers? Send me an email!

This page has the following sub pages.

54 Comments »

Maggie on May 17th 2010

54 Responses to “Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver”

  1. Oh My Dog! » Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver said on 17 May 2010 at 6:51 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  2. Ed Fritz said on 19 May 2010 at 6:17 pm #

    Great idea! I hope you don’t mind if I help promote this on Pitbulls: Saving America’s Dog!

  3. Maggie said on 19 May 2010 at 6:18 pm #

    Yes!!! Thank you so much, Ed! I would greatly appreciate the promotion and am happy to help you, too, in any way!

  4. Oh My Dog! » Do you have a nickname for your dog? said on 20 May 2010 at 10:21 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  5. Oh My Dog! » BSL campaign update and giveaways! said on 25 May 2010 at 10:06 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  6. Mayzie's Mom said on 26 May 2010 at 10:41 pm #

    From the owner of a bully mix living just down the road from Denver in Colorado Springs, THANK YOU! I will be submitting our postcard soon. It breaks my heart that there are people who judge (and want to kill) my sweet dog based solely on the way she looks – not who she is. I blogged about this very subject recently if you’d like to take a look: http://mayziegal.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/a-note-from-my-mom/

    I’ll make sure and get this on my blog soon!

    Thank you again!
    Amber (and Mayzie)

  7. Maggie said on 26 May 2010 at 10:45 pm #

    Thank you so much, Amber! I’ll get your post added to the End BSL Link Library, and thank you so, so much for blogging about the campaign! I sincerely appreciate the support!

  8. Denver, CO: Campaign to end BSL « Stop BSL said on 27 May 2010 at 8:31 pm #

    [...] Denver, CO: Campaign to end BSL Posted on May 27, 2010 by stopbslcom http://ohmydogblog.com/campaign-to-end-bsl-operation-denver/ [...]

  9. josephine said on 28 May 2010 at 5:34 pm #

    Thank you so much for your efforts. You will be getting our postcards soon. I am owned by 3 pit bulls. One of them from Denver that we were able to save. He was raised by a family with children and was taken away from them to be killed. CS humane society helped me bring him here. He has been a member of our family for 4 years now.

  10. frances depaolo said on 28 May 2010 at 8:58 pm #

    end the bsl;

  11. Mehona said on 29 May 2010 at 11:22 am #

    good luck on the AntiBSL, any help is good help.

  12. Oh My Dog! » Friday Link Love said on 04 Jun 2010 at 5:38 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  13. Families Against Breed Bans said on 05 Jun 2010 at 1:04 am #

    Love it! I am in total total support of this campaign and will be passing this information along. Thanks for all that you are doing!

  14. We’re Going to BlogPaws! | DogTipper: Tips, Dog News, Photos & More said on 06 Jun 2010 at 6:19 pm #

    [...] also be joining in the “Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver” over at Oh My Dog! and encourage fellow dog lovers to do the same. This innovative campaign [...]

  15. BSL is BS « Bad Mutha Fudruckers said on 10 Jun 2010 at 8:08 am #

    [...] only on the fact that they are pit bulls. Maggie at Oh My Dog! has created and is organizing the Operation:Denver campaign to educate Mayor Hickenlooper about the facts, rather than the myths, about pits and the [...]

  16. the booker man said on 10 Jun 2010 at 9:12 pm #

    thank you for doing this!!

  17. Oh My Dog! » Emmett update and link love said on 11 Jun 2010 at 1:14 pm #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  18. Never doubt that a small group… | Web Business Woman said on 12 Jun 2010 at 8:00 pm #

    [...] change. People need to write letters, visit the town hall, join forces and be heard. People need to blog, blog, blog… and not give [...]

  19. Ryan Cudd said on 13 Jun 2010 at 2:48 pm #

    When does this end?

  20. Maggie said on 14 Jun 2010 at 12:59 pm #

    Hi, Ryan! I’m collecting the postcards until September 12.

  21. Teal'c said on 16 Jun 2010 at 10:04 pm #

    Hi there! Even if we are far, far away in Sydney we thought we should put a postcard together and spread the word…

    Good luck with the campaign.

    Cheers Teal’c and his hoomans from Australia :)

    PS: we have just e-mailed you our card.

  22. Oh My Dog! » On “pit bulls” and the media said on 22 Jun 2010 at 6:19 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  23. Oh My Dog! » 10 ways to beat the heat with your dog said on 24 Jun 2010 at 10:19 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  24. Oh My Dog! » BSL: From the mouths of babes said on 29 Jun 2010 at 12:33 pm #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  25. April said on 29 Jun 2010 at 7:05 pm #

    Would postcards from Canadians help? I work with HugABull in Vancouver, BC and would be happy to spread the word here if appropriate!

  26. Maggie said on 29 Jun 2010 at 7:19 pm #

    Absolutely! The goal is to drive the message home, and I think if the mayor realizes his reputation is spreading internationally, it’ll further drive the point home!

  27. Oh My Dog! » Puppy love said on 30 Jun 2010 at 6:14 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  28. Save This Pup - Scratchings-and-Sniffings said on 02 Jul 2010 at 11:47 am #

    [...] we each come to terms with the issues around supporting shelters, overturning breed specific legislation, and finding ways to volunteer at local rescues, sometimes an idea of gigantic porportions pops up. [...]

  29. Sandy said on 07 Jul 2010 at 11:43 am #

    Thanks for doing this! I was introduced to who I will call the best pitbull ever in Spring 2009, after fostering her for 4 months and having her get adopted to what seemed to be better homes than mine she boom a ranged back to my pack in Feb. We love her to pieces and she actually sets the standard for ACCEPTABLE behavior in my home w/ my other dogs…unruly beagles! :)

  30. Sandy said on 07 Jul 2010 at 11:46 am #

    a wonderful pit group is Pitbull Positive, they do live webcasts etc, and are extremely pro responsible pit owner and treatment
    http://pitbullpositive.ning.com

  31. Maggie said on 07 Jul 2010 at 12:41 pm #

    Thanks for reaching out, Sandy! And I’m definitely going to check out Pitbull Positive. I appreciate the suggestion!!

  32. Kathy said on 09 Jul 2010 at 9:53 am #

    Sent you some postcards!

  33. Maggie said on 09 Jul 2010 at 9:54 am #

    Awesome!! Thanks, Kathy!

  34. Alicia said on 09 Jul 2010 at 1:58 pm #

    Sending my post card now! Great cause for our first week of Be the Change!! :)

  35. Maggie said on 09 Jul 2010 at 2:00 pm #

    Thanks, Alicia!!

  36. Wendy@Anipal Info said on 11 Jul 2010 at 8:14 pm #

    Ok, so I must be really far behind as this was started in May?

    I do not have any idea as to what date you want to have all the post cards in. You mentioned having them in by Blog Paws but, I do not know when that is.

    Guess, I will watch Twitter & do a lil research about the dates.

    Love the Pits!

  37. Maggie said on 11 Jul 2010 at 8:26 pm #

    Hi, Wendy! Thanks so much for reaching out and for your support! I’ll be collecting postcards until September 12. Let me know if you have any other questions!

  38. Fido & Wino » Blog Archive » Blog the Change: R.O.A.R. Squad - A blog about dogs, wine and other happy, messy things. said on 15 Jul 2010 at 1:53 am #

    [...] Blog the Change first weekly cause: Maggie from the Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  39. Oh My Dog! » Blog the Change for Animals: Bully Love said on 15 Jul 2010 at 9:47 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  40. kelli said on 15 Jul 2010 at 2:10 pm #

    Hi! We’re encountering a sneaky “ordinance” against our bullies here in my town, and this is a great idea! I’m forwarding this to my Dog group and have already emailed you for a physical address. I can’t wait to help out!

  41. Maggie said on 15 Jul 2010 at 2:11 pm #

    Yikes! Keep me posted on what your town is up to, Kelli! And thanks for supporting the campaign!

  42. Nichole H said on 16 Jul 2010 at 7:36 pm #

    What’s the deadline to mail the postcards?

  43. The Saturday Bytes July 16, 2010 said on 17 Jul 2010 at 7:32 am #

    [...] post Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver post published on July 5th. Maggie Marton who blogs at OhMyDog.com is spearheading a campaign to #endBSL in Denver Colorado. Breed Specific Legislation laws are [...]

  44. Oh My Dog! » We’re going to get Denver’s attention! said on 27 Jul 2010 at 7:25 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  45. August 2: BtC Monthly Review said on 02 Aug 2010 at 5:55 pm #

    [...] she has only just begun. If you haven’t yet participated, you haven’t yet missed out. Send your postcards today! (Don’t force Amy to make up the difference by [...]

  46. Oh My Dog! » BSL and the Americans with Disabilities Act said on 03 Aug 2010 at 9:30 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  47. Oh My Dog! » Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver, News World said on 08 Aug 2010 at 3:01 pm #

    [...] Anti-BSL Link Library [...]

  48. Oh My Dog! » BSL update, and send in your postcards! said on 10 Aug 2010 at 7:23 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  49. Rose said on 14 Aug 2010 at 7:58 am #

    Maggie, I am taking the postcards I made to an End Dogfighting Atlanta fundraiser on the 26th to have people fill them out and also to our own Bully Beach Bash and BBQ on the 28th… I will be sending them to you shortly thereafter…
    How many do you have right now??
    Thanks for all you’re doing!!! I can’t imagine living somewhere that people could tell me who my companion would be…

  50. Oh My Dog! » What BSL means to me and my dogs (and you and yours) said on 17 Aug 2010 at 5:46 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  51. Be The Change for Pets 4 Ways to Take Action | Dancing Dog Blog said on 25 Aug 2010 at 10:55 am #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver: Don’t miss your chance to be counted! Check Maggie Marton’s page for links to the [...]

  52. Oh My Dog! » Combo post: BSL and puppy love said on 25 Aug 2010 at 1:32 pm #

    [...] Campaign to End BSL: Operation Denver [...]

  53. Fido & Wino » Blog Archive » BSL = Breed Specific Legislation = Mega Lame-o - A blog about dogs, wine and other happy, messy things. said on 31 Aug 2010 at 5:52 pm #

    [...] blogger Maggie Marton (check out her R.O.A.R. Squad post!) from Oh My Dog! is campaigning to end BSL in Denver, Colorado, where the upcoming BlogPaws conference is being held from September 9-11, 2010. Denver has a breed [...]

  54. Samantha Jo said on 01 Sep 2010 at 12:47 am #

    Dear Mayor Hickenlooper,

    Please reconsider the ban on Pit Bulls/American Stafordshire Terriers in the city of Denver. It may be more beneficial to do this on a case by case basis as it has been in the past for vicious dogs. Pit Bulls are not the only dogs in Denver that are vicious. If they are outlawed shouldn’t Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Rodizian Ridge Backs, Dobermans, Malamutes, Huskies, Dalmatians, Boxers, Bull Mastiffs and German Shepherds. The only dogs left will be tea cup poodles and Yorkshire terriers. If you ban one you can’t discriminate against the others. Please crack down on the people abusing the animals, but do not punish the animal because it’s owner is to blame.

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