Have you been following the situation is Maryland?

The gist is that the Maryland Court of Appeals declared that pit bulls are “inherently dangerous.”

Who? Me?

While this ruling isn’t legislative - in other words, it doesn’t actually ban bully breeds – it sets the stage for discriminatory renting and insurance practices, owner surrenders, greater burdens on shelters, and so on.

It baffles me how little the Maryland court learned about dogs before making the ruling. It baffles me to think about how many dogs’ lives will be lost because of this single, shortsighted ruling.

Beyond how simply heartbreaking this situation is, there’s this: It’s a massive setback in terms of public perception about bully breeds.

I should know better (I do know better… sigh) than to read the comments on all these articles, but I’ve been pouring over them. I’m amazed, completely flabbergasted, to read the misinformed rants that accompany the news articles about this ruling. It’s disheartening.

Anti-bully-breed folks feel vindicated and are posting things like, “There’s a reason this ruling is pit bulls and not cockers or labs – cockers and labs aren’t dangerous. Pits are.”

Of course, we know that cockers and labs do bite people. Any dog, regardless of breed, can bite. Instead of a dog-bite prevention focus or a responsible-owner focus, this ruling puts the onus on the dogs’ shoulders now. Not fair.

As you follow this story – or any other BSL story, really – here’s what I’m asking you to do: Leave polite, cheerful, informational comments in response to the article itself or in response to comments like the one I shared above. Try to educate without pulling from the deep emotional element of this debate.

I’ve read two comments that drive home the importance of being polite in our responses to this stuff. First, someone wrote on a newspaper piece, “The only thing more rabid than a pit bull is their owner.” While it doesn’t make any logical sense, the sentiment is clear.

The second one cracked me up. It said that the only type of people that poster hated more than pit bull owners were hybrid drivers.

Rant over! But as you follow this story, please, take action. Leave comments, engage in discussion, be polite, educate!

Image: NetDiva

Saturday was Pit Bull Awareness Day 2011, and we had perfect weather in Indianapolis for the event!

To celebrate, John and I took Cooper to Indy Pit Crew‘s annual march and festival. The event had a HUGE turnout, with over 200 dogs registered to march.

Not only was it a great way to show our support, it was also a great training opportunity for Cooper.

Overall, we were super proud. Despite being really overwhelmed at first, he came out of his shell after meeting a few dogs. He walked in between me and John, and he did his “watch me” almost perfectly, which helped immensely getting him through bottlenecks or past rambunctious dogs on the crowded walk.

The highlight, though? Cooper met one of his brothers! Like, not Emmett and Lucas, but an actual brother from his same litter!

His brother Brody – dressed as a hot dog for the costume contest – towered over Cooper. Brody was closer to Emmett’s size, and his people were really surprised to see what a pipsqueak Cooper is in person! Even though they look pretty different, you can totally see their relationship in their eyes. It was awesome to meet Brody’s people and see how happy one of Cooper’s littermates is. Brody is a very good boy!

At the end of the day, Cooper was wiped out. We visited the booths, met lots of people and dogs, marched in the parade… then Cooper crashed the second he got in the car, and he didn’t wake up until we pulled in our driveway over an hour later!

All in all, it was a great day! Thanks to Indy Pit Crew for their hard work and dedication. The event was a huge success with an amazing turnout!

To view the full Pit Bull Awareness Day 2011 album (with TONS more pics of adorable Cooper!), click on the Oh My Dog! Facebook album.

The petition urging eBay Classifieds to stop its pet sales has passed 100,000 signatures. This is a huge milestone in the campaign, but eBay has yet to respond… or act. eBay provides puppy mills and backyard breeders with an open market. Help end puppy mills by helping to end pet sales in eBay’s classifieds.

What can you do to help? Here are Change.org’s suggestions that appear in the latest article:

1) Twitter: Hey @eBay: 100,000+ people oppose pet sales on @eBayClassifieds. Help #endpuppymills http://chn.ge/eJAPwC

2) Facebook: Post a comment on eBay’s Facebook page, letting them know you don’t support pet sales on eBay Classifieds.

3) Are you an eBay user? Send a polite request to eBay Classifieds’ Help Desk, asking them to shut down live animal sales on eBay Classifieds.

And, of course, sign and share the petition.

Any other ideas to keep the pressure on eBay?

Thank you.

Two tiny words, but aren’t they awfully powerful? Those two words can make someone’s day. Think about the last time you received a handwritten thank you note in the mail. How did you feel? I bet it brought a smile to your face!

Lately, I’ve been thinking about gratitude and dogs.

• I’m grateful that all three came from rescues that took fabulous care of them before they got to come home.
• I’m grateful for the good citizens who picked up stray Emmett and stray Lucas, and for everyone who picks up wandering animals and takes them somewhere to be cared for.
• I’m grateful for volunteers who work tirelessly every single day to make sure dogs that look like Cooper get the chance at a family.
• I’m grateful for our amazing vet who moved away, and I’m grateful for our new vet who’s enthusiastically perusing a solution to Cooper’s allergies (and answering my fifty billion annoying questions with kindness and patience).
• I’m grateful for the shelter workers and volunteers who take care of my city’s homeless animals.
• I’m grateful for the vets and clinics who donate their time and expertise to provide low-cost vaccinations and discount spay/neuter services.

This list could go on and on and on. There are countless people who tirelessly give of themselves to better the lives of animals every single day, whether it’s a volunteer dog walker at your local shelter, your vet tech who dutifully takes care of your dog’s anal sacs, or even the mayor of your town who champions the cause of your local humane association.

These are people who choose to work with or volunteer for animals because they love animals. They’re following their passion, and the reality is that these jobs are oftentimes thankless, difficult, emotional, and hugely challenging. But they do them out of love. And shouldn’t they be honored for that?

For Blog the Change today, I’ve decided to veer off course a little. Instead of championing a specific cause, I want to champion the people behind the causes and outreach programs.

I bet that you could come up with a few people right off the top of your head, people who make a difference in the lives of animals in big and small ways.

And I want to challenge you to write them a thank you note. By hand. And send it in the mail. With a stamp. 

Choose someone who is important to you even if you’ve never met them: your vet, the shelter worker who helped you fill out the adoption application for your dog, the animal control officer who answered a call you placed, your city councilman who championed an animal welfare cause, the receptionist at the local spay/neuter clinic, the organizer of a fundraiser… the possibilities are endless!

Let them know they’re appreciated. Share your gratitude, and I guarantee you’ll bring about positive change, even if it’s just bringing a smile to one person.

So can I count on you? Who will you send a handwritten thank you note to someone who improves the lives of animals today?

One of the gorgeous dogs saved from an animal hoarder

This week I’m honored to be guest blogging on GrouchyPuppy.com. Recently, I experienced an animal hoarding rescue first-hand. I wrote about the experience in a three-part series. I’d love it if you could stop by and check them out!

Part 1
Animal Hoarding: What is it?

Part 2
The rescue

Part 3
The aftermath

Image: Monroe County Humane Association

If you live in the US, it’s likely that someone’s running for something near you. Doesn’t it feel like we’re always heading to the polls? I’m certainly not complaining; I love to vote!

For the last round of Congressional voting, I read up on the candidates’ positions on animal welfare issues because those policies are incredibly important to me.

Now that our town’s Mayoral primaries are coming up – as they are in many cities across the country – I had the opportunity to write questions for the two democratic candidates that were issued to them through my humane association. Their answers were revealing, and I knew that the candidate I was already leaning toward was the right one.

If elections are coming up for you, too, think about what questions you’d like to ask your candidates – and ask them! Many are on Facebook these days, answering questions from their followers/fans/likers. Write letters to the editor of your local paper. Email the campaign offices. Make sure you know where your candidates stand on the issues that are most important to you.

Tell me: Do you vote with animal welfare in mind?

Image: rikkis_refuge

Supposedly, there is some debate about whether or not violence in video games is linked to violence in real life. Google it, and you’ll get a range of reports ranging from “there is no link” to “omg, of course there is.”

In an article called “Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions,” Craig A. Anderson, PhD, took it on for the American Psychological Association. His findings? In summary, “Studies provide converging evidence that exposure to media violence is a significant risk factor for aggressive and violent behavior.” He goes on to say, “Violent video games are significantly associated with: increased aggressive behavior, thoughts, and affect; increased physiological arousal; and decreased prosocial (helping) behavior.”

Violent video games are a risk factor for real-life violence.

Okay. So, why would “Don’t be evil” Google allow a dog fighting app on their Android platform?

In the “Dog Wars” app, gamers train and fight dogs. According to Change.org, “This app makes a game out of dog fighting — celebrating cruelty against animals and contributing to the attitude that there’s nothing wrong with using animals in bloodsports.”

Dog fighting isn’t a game. It’s a violent, bloody, cruel crime. A felony, in fact.

Already pit-bull-type dogs are mired in a vicious circle: News breaks about a fight/bite/whatever, and people who want a “bad ass” dog are inspired to get a pit bull. They don’t train or care for the dog as a family pet, and eventually the dog bites someone. The media report the story, inspiring the next guy to get a pit bull to look tough/protect his stash/whatever.

These dogs are already fighting for their lives. They’re fighting against breed-discriminatory legislation and fighting against irresponsible owners, breeders, and – of course – dog fighters.

This game will only fuel that fight.

As the APA article stated, there is a link between violence and violent video games. It stands to reason, then, that these dogs will suffer further at the hands of the “gamers” who find dog fighting fun.

Google: Ditch this app. We want to believe in you and your “Don’t be evil” motto. But it’s up to you to back up your words with action.

Because right now, this is making them look pretty evil.

What can you do? Two simple steps:

1. Sign the petition on change.org.
2. Report the game in the Android Market.

Update (2/20/11): The petition has more than 85,000 signatures! Way to step up, everyone! Keep the pressure on eBay. Share the petition, post a comment on eBay’s Facebook page, tweet away!

This feels like one of those posts I shouldn’t have to write…

eBay allows live animals to be sold through the classified section of the website.

By allowing anyone to sell live animals on their site, eBay is giving backyard breeders and puppy mills an open and unregulated market. This is the kind of thing that helps puppy mills sustain their cruel operations because, like with any other business, without customers, they’d be out of business.

Plus, unlike a shelter or a responsible breeder, the online sellers aren’t doing anything to ensure that the animals are going to a good home. According to the article:

Online puppy sales not only attract puppy mills and irresponsible backyard breeders, but if you’re shipping a puppy across the country based on an eBay sale, you don’t really know who is at the other end or what they’ll do with the animal. That’s why no responsible breeder or rescuer would sell an animal on a site like eBay.

Change.org started a petition to urge eBay to stop selling live animals through the site’s classified section. As of this posting, the petition had just over 12,000 signatures. Will you add yours?

Right now, in Saginaw, MI, breed-specific legislation is a hot topic. The city council is considering an ordinance that would ban pit bulls, Alaskan malamutes and huskies, rottweilers, Doberman pinschers, presa canarios, German shepherds, Great Danes, chow chows, and St. Bernards.

It’s wrong. We know it’s wrong. We know it’s ill-informed and reactionary. We know that breed bans do nothing to decrease the numbers of dog bites, and we know that breed bans are virtually unenforceable. And we know that these laws rip family pets from loving homes.

As responsible dog owners, it falls on us to keep an eye on these proposals and to write polite, respectful letters to our city councilmen and women. It’s our responsibility to stand up for our dogs.

In Saginaw, MI, though, the attention has turned from the debate to a threatening letter received by one of the city councilmen.

I understand that there is a debate raging as to whether or not the letter was actually threatening or if the councilman is using it to fan the BSL flames.

But it doesn’t matter.

What matters is that logical, clear-headed discourse will not happen now. The council members are soured, and rightfully so. Threats – whether overt or perceived – are serious business. And so that letter writer has turned the tables of debate away from the actual bill to the old standby of BSL proponents: “Those pit bull owners are as rabid as their dogs.”

I understand that emotions run high. This is a very emotional topic. I look at Emmett and Cooper, and I can not imagine anyone trying to take them away from me. And I can’t imagine any circumstance in which I would allow that to happen.

But that’s why it’s so, so important to be level-headed, to be polite, to be respectful.

I’m angry with this letter writer. That councilman – and likely the other council members – are no longer open to discussion. Any little window that was open for education or advocacy is now shut and probably locked.

We all need to take responsibility in our towns and cities. When this type of ban is discussed, we must write to city council members, governors, legislators. But it’s our responsibility, too, to focus on education. We need to be polite and kind or else we lose the battle for ourselves.

Okay. Rant over.

What do you think? Do you think the woman’s letter was right on or crossed the line?

“Is he a pit bull?”

I get this question (or, worse, “Is that a pit bull?”) often because Emmett and I spend a lot of time out in the community through his work as a Delta Society therapy dog. I try to use those opportunities to educate, but sometimes the responses just break my heart. (Worst one to date: “You’ll put him down when you have kids, right?”)

So many people see Emmett and define him by his brindle fur or his barrel chest, not by the fact that he is a working dog who brings joy to children who desperately need him. Or that he is the snuggliest, sweetest guy who has never met a stranger.

Then this week, at his puppy socialization class, we got the same set of questions with Cooper.

And so, inspired by my wonderful dogs and by Shauna at Fido & Wino, I would like to introduce:

Positively Pit Bull! ::throws confetti::

“But, wait,” you say. “That tab is blank.” (It’s mostly blank. I did put some instructions there, but they’re pretty loose guidelines that are totally flexible if you’re prefer to tell your dog’s story differently or something.)

And that’s where you come in! Send in your positive pit bull stories! Tell me all about your pit bull, your pit bull mix, or the wonderful pit bull down the street. My goal is to compile all the positive stories in one place, to create a compendium we can all read to feel inspired and motivated.

I have to admit, though, that I’m a little fuzzy on the back-end technical bit, so this week I’m going to post Emmett’s story as the first test post. But starting today! Right now! I’m collecting your stories!

Want to share your dog’s tale? Send an email to info {at} ohmydogblog {dot} com with all the deets! (Click on the Positively Pit Bull tab first to skim the guidelines, please!)

I’m a little late to the party, but this post is part of Blog the Change! I believe that we can change the public mis-perception of pit bulls. We can change the way the dogs are viewed, and, subsequently, we can change the way they’re treated!