Friday, June 12, 2009

The Power of Failure

Ontario, Canada is going to keep on killing Pitbulls - legally. The Supreme Court will not hear an appeal seeking to overturn the province's breed ban. Pitbull advocates are going to keep going.

Loudoun Co, VA is going to continue legally killing Pitbulls too. The plaintiffs in the recent court case challenging the ban on Pitbull shelter adoptions testified as follows:
Puppy number 43063 was identified by the shelter as a pit bull mix. On the puppy’s pre-euthanasia report, the official reason for euthanasia is typed in as “breed.” Let me repeat that. The recorded reason for why puppy number 43063 was killed under current shelter policies was “breed.” That reason at some point was crossed out in ink and “behavioral observations” was written in its place. Behavioral observations. The shelter’s canine behavior assessment for puppy number 43063 notes that the puppy, “Approaches the front of the kennel seeking evaluator’s attention. Happily greets evaluator. Is sociable. Initiates gentle, physical contact. Wanted to be in evaluator’s lap. Moves closer for further attention. In evaluator’s lap playing. Wiggly. Leans against you. Bouncing around. Very lovey.

Read the rest on Winograd's blog. Read, weep and then - keep going. Failure is an option on the road to success. We can learn from these setbacks and strengthen our resolve to try again. We can continue our efforts to keep dogs from being killed based on nothing more than their (supposed) breed. Not only can we keep going, we must. In tribute to the memory of the dogs killed by the city of Denver, the Houston SPCA, the HSUS, Ontario, Loudoun Co and countless others - we must keep going. And in honor of the Pitbull victims currently sitting in shelters, awaiting death under these misguided laws - we must continue.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends - go forth and fail, because failure breeds success. We'll get there because we are the real humane society. Join us.

7 comments:

Fred said...

Thanks for the link to the Winograd post. That's a very strong excerpt about the puppy that was killed. Here in Ontario, we need to start putting faces onto the dead. Just saying a thousand dogs killed or ten thousand doesn't get the public's attention.

YesBiscuit! said...

Good idea Fred. A dog's photo and/or personal story can touch the hearts of people who would otherwise feel disconnected from basic stats.

Tracy said...

It makes me embarassed to live in Loudoun County. However, we WILL create change in the county, via each and every election. In the mean time, I feel it's my duty to advocate for pit bulls whereever I can. Thanks, YesBiscuit for maintaining this very important blog!

Heather B said...

Where do we go from here?
Whats the next step?
Back to square one?
What?
I`m in for the long haul but have run out of ideas and steam. Ontario used to be a good place to live.
Now its just a sad, empty shell and Big Brother keeps on making laws that make no sense to anyone with one brain cell.
I guess for me, its another letter to my M.P.and another answer that says he didn`t vote for BSL and he understands how I feel and blah blah blah...
I have to do something ...

Lori said...

Thanks for getting this out there Yesbiscuit.
This was disappointing news but we must continue on in our battle against this absolute BS.
We need to get a whole lot louder. We tried going through court and somewhere along the line, we here in Ontario were failed. We are not out of options but as far as that particular case goes, it is over.
Until people understand this is not about "pitbulls" (which can't be identified without doubt since the term refers to a cross bred type of dog) but about striping rights and freedoms, we will continue floating in propaganda and media hype land. Legislators use the precedence to further state rule type laws to gain access into your car, home, tell you what you can own, eat, where you can smoke, how and what to drive etc.
Instead of a constant attempt to extinguish bush fires we need a concrete push with the support firmly behind us. I believe the majority do not agree with BSL but don't feel passionate enough to speak up. The ones who want BSL are a small minority but noisy. They, along with animal liberationists lobby and somewhere in the myth and BS department BSL sneaks in.
I agree, the dead need to be recognized however in my experience, people generally do not take notice, they shut down. We need to educate the alternative and what really works. We need to shout out that countries have repealed BSL based on science and fact. They have replaced it with common sense.
There needs to be balance between placing the responsibility squarely in the lap of legislators that disregard the facts to further their own agenda, which is what the Ontario government has done; but people need to know they ignored the truth and alternatives. The bottom line is, like proper sheltering, an alternative that works not only exists but is being practiced by the smart cities, states, provinces and countries.

Kasha said...

Lovely blog! Thanks for all that you do for our friends! I live in Az and with all of the foreclosed homes pets are being abandoned left and right. I worry about them. It is great to read about someone putting it out there. Thank you! Than you! I love this blog and look forward to keeping in touch!
Kasha and Africa
http://trainingboerboels.blogspot.com/

maggie b said...

Never give up. Never give in. Regardless of personal cost. When you feel no one is listening, keep talking. One person with determination is a majority.