Open Thread for Vigil Held in Raleigh

I will add to this post today as I come across stories about last night's vigil in Raleigh, NC in honor of the Wilkes Co dogs killed after HSUS lobbied for their deaths.

WNCT has a short vid and blurb, so does News 14.

ABC-11 has a longer vid and story on the memorial:

It all comes after 145 dogs, including 75 puppies, were seized from Wildside Kennels in Wilkes County and euthanized last month.

It was a dogfighter's breeding operation, so automatically the dogs and the puppies were destroyed.

Now the humane society is pushing for a new policy. They are calling for all seized fighting dogs to be examined as individuals and not as a collective lot.

Oh, um vomit. If by "the humane society", you mean The Humane Society of the US, let's be clear: Many people and groups wanted to save these dogs. HSUS wanted them killed. HSUS succeeded and then couldn't understand why people didn't think that was swell and might not keep writing checks to a group who goes to court to make sure "rescued" bust dogs die. Now they're saying they may change their ways. We'll see.

NBC-17 brings the stupid:

Those who are pushing for a change in the law say it's outdated and lacks compassion.

But others say, once a dog's been trained to kill it's really difficult to rehabilitate it.

Linda Labonte is one of those people. After breeding and training dogs for over two decades, she knows the difference between violent aggression and just plain acting out. And she says the average Pit Bull bred for dog fighting is almost impossible to rehabilitate.

Or not.

Brought up from the comments, video tribute to the dogs on YouTube.

Another video posted to YouTube by Best Friends and an article on their website.

I Want a Clown, Pony Rides, and a Magician

It's my one year Blogger birthday and this is my 200th post.  Wow.  So let me see, if I calculate the average time spent writing each post times my hourly wage for pajama blogging... [carry the eight, round to nearest dollar] - got it:  Oh.  Never mind.  

Thank you to those who read, those who write, and you who have been kind enough to add me to your blogrolls/feeds.  I won't take the responsibility lightly (unless I'm tired, hungry or distracted - oh look:  SpArKly!)

Treats on the Internets

Retrieverman has an interesting post on cropping/docking

WA set to repeal old statutes requiring owners and Sheriffs to shoot certain dogs

Moe needs your vote to win $10k for rescued English Shepherds in Montana

On Dolittler: Florida's Proposed Breeder Police Legislation (Warrantless Searches and All)

After tragedy, dog benefits from the kindness of strangers

The candlelight vigil for the Wilkes Co dogs is being held in Raleigh tonight

Rescue Forwards

Many of us regularly receive e-mails regarding dogs in need of rescue.  They are often forwarded messages and sometimes we receive them multiple times because several well intentioned forwarders send them to everyone in their address books as well as e-mail lists.  Here's the thing -  if you really want to be helpful, count to ten before hitting that forward button: 

1.  If the original message you are about to forward was not written by someone you know and trust (which is usually the case), try to verify the facts.  The message may contain partially or entirely erroneous information.  Example.

2.  Who are you more likely to listen to carefully:  a person speaking in a calm, normal voice or a child throwing a temper tantrum?  For me, it's the former.  That's why I tend to go into automatic-tune-out mode when something hits my inbox in all caps [HELP NEEDED], with dramatic language [SUPER SWEET DOG WILL BE GASSED TOMORROW AM], and repetitive exclamations [XXX URGENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  SAD, SAD, SAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!].  It's just overload.  And it keeps me from getting the info the forwarder wanted me to have because I'm glassy-eyed and searching for the delete key.

3.  If the original message is buried beneath a bunch of people posting notes that say "Don't reply to me, I'm just the messenger", that wastes a lot of my time trying to dig down to the message the sender wants me to see.  I understand the idea that the sender doesn't want me (or anyone else in his address book) to think he has first hand information about the subject of the forward, but I do get that it's a forward and as long as the original poster's info is preserved, I have no need to see all the previous forwarders' disclaimers.  Likewise, I need only the original sender's permission/request to crosspost/forward - not Dick, Jane, Tom and Harry's.  If the extraneous fluff is trimmed, I can get straight to the original message.  (Trimming all those sigs at the bottom=BONUS.)  

4.  Before forwarding the message to an e-mail list, forum, or other group, check to see if someone else has already done so.  Repeat messages in a group environment are another trigger for my automatic-tune-out setting.  And I may miss an important reply to the message because of that.

5.  Important info that I'm looking for in the message:

• City and State where dog is located
• Exactly what kind of help is needed (foster for 1 week, ID a breed, donation for Vet care, etc.)
• Contact info for person/group to get in touch with if I can offer assistance
• Original poster's contact info (if different from above)
• Specifics on dog in need of help, if known (breed, gender, age, no cats, etc.)
• Exact time of deadline, if applicable (e.g. "Dog will be PTS Wednesday morning, May 5th", NOT vague references like "Tonight" or "Soon")

6.  Info I don't need:

• Life story of the owner/former owner who can no longer/never did care for this dog.  If you say the dog is in need, I believe you.  'Nuff said.
• Condemnation of a "rival" rescue group - yo, it's not a competition.  We're all just trying to help the dogs, right?
• Philosophizing on what the judge/animal control officer/shelter director should have done - das what blogs is for - get one!
• List of mis-formatted links which may have worked in the original post but have been forwarded so many times they are now just a jumbled mess of AOL-speak.  If you can fix the links before forwarding, that would be a great timesaver.

Got more ideas? Comments are open!

New HSUS Bust Dog Policy - My Two Cents

I'm still waiting on my invitation to the rilly-super-important HSUS meeting in Vegas to discuss their policy on bust dogs. *waits by mailbox, looks longingly at mailman as he passes by* While I'm waiting, I thought I'd draft up some ideas for HSUS.

1. HSUS policy should be clearly stated, not as a recommendation to individually evaluate bust dogs, but as an absolute requirement. In the course of any HSUS involvement with law enforcement on a dogfighting case, HSUS must not only advocate for evaluations by a qualified individual(s) but, if met with resistance, should fight for this provision using all available resources, including bringing in outside subject experts and going to court. All resources and efforts which the HSUS had used in past to get bust dogs killed must now be directed toward getting them individually evaluated and, if appropriate, into rescue.

2. HSUS must bring in outside evaluators for each case, preferably including:

• someone with experience successfully rescuing and rehoming bust dog survivors
• someone from a well established no kill shelter

HSUS staff must not participate in the evaluation process except as observers, if the evaluators agree, for their own education.

3. Any puppies under 8 weeks of age at the time of seizure or any pups born after seizure must be exempt from the evaluation process as a condition to determining their adoptability. HSUS must advocate for the guaranteed right to be placed into rescue for any such pups.

4. HSUS needs to publicize their new policy on saving bust dogs far and wide so there is no misunderstanding. HSUS should reach out to law enforcement and animal control agencies to educate them on the new policy and underscore that every dog deserves a fair evaluation.

Vigil for Wilkes Co Dogs in Raleigh on March 4

Ask not for whom the bell tolls HSUS:

Organizers of Wednesday’s candlelight vigil hope lawmakers will enact change to guarantee dogs seized from dog-fighting operations will have the opportunity to be individually evaluated, rather than being automatically deemed ‘dangerous’ and destroyed.

The vigil will be held 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at Bicentennial Mall, 16 W. Jones St., in Raleigh, near the North Carolina General Assembly.
[...]
As a bell is rung 145 times --once for each of the Wildside Kennel dogs euthanized solely because they were seized from a dog-fighter’s breeding operation – a collar will be placed in a circle.

The dogs were put to death without individual evaluations after the judge heard testimony from two representatives from the HSUS urging that all the seized dogs, including 19 pups still nursing from their dams, be killed.

New Dog, Old Tricks at HSSET

An article focusing on Max Mixson, the new shelter manager at Humane Society of Southeast Texas, raises some red flags:

When the board of the Humane Society of Southeast Texas (HSSET) advertised the job of shelter manager last year, the response was good with a number of apparently qualified applicants submitting their resumes. Nestled among the group, however, was a name that immediately popped out.

Max Mixson was the manager of the Petco store on Dowlen Road in Beaumont and had previously been a senior cruelty investigator at the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In that capacity, he had been prominently featured in the hit cable series “Animal Cops: Houston,” where he made a definite impression on viewers in any number of high-profile cases.

Many remember Houston SPCA for their November 2008 secretive killing of 187 seized Pitbulls without a single evaluation before any of the owners had their day in court. I don't watch their TV show but their apparent zeal for Pitbull killing "made a definite impression" on me. A former shelter employee relates some specific incidents with Mr. Mixson at HSSET that have a ring of familiarity:

Brandi Furr, 26, was a shelter employee for most of 2008. She resigned in February because of unspecified family issues, but she said mainly due to her inability to deal with events taking place in the shelter. Described by people on both sides of the issue as “caring and compassionate” and “a good employee,” her story is worth exploring not only because it is deeply felt but also because it conveys how Mixson is perceived by the dissident faction at the Humane Society of Southeast Texas.

“I love that place,” said Furr. “I loved my job, but Max Mixson — you see him on ‘Animal Planet,’ but he’s a totally different person. He lies to the public.”

Furr said her problems with Mixson can be traced to a sharp difference in how individual dogs should be treated.

“Max does not work with the dogs, he doesn’t know anything about the dogs,” she said. “He’ll make rounds and decide which dogs will go down. I would be really mad about the euthanizing and I would let them know. I would talk to the board members and our employees and Max would get mad.”

Her allegations are not shy on details. In fact, Furr cites numerous instances involving specific animals.

“Max came in and his first day there, he went into the kennels — I was working in the kennel area — and he went up to a dog,” recounted Furr. “It wasn’t an aggressive dog; it was a hyper dog. (Max) went up to his cage and it started barking at him. I walked over to him and said ‘That dog’s not aggressive. It doesn’t know you.’ He said ‘Well, that’s the first dog on my list.’ That dog got put down; that was the first dog to get put down when he was there.”

According to Furr, scared or shy animals found no favor with the new shelter manager.

“Dogs would come in and they would be shy, this is my main thing,” she said. “Shy dogs are being put down; this never used to happen. They would come in from the street. They had a family once; we don’t know their whole story. They come in off the street not knowing where they’re at, not knowing to trust people, they hide under their bed and just shake. They wouldn’t bite, they’d let you pet them and stuff, but weren’t the dogs at the front of the cage barking."
[...]
Furr sounded near tears as she recalled the fate of a dog named Omega.

“He was a Lab and something else; he was a big, big dog,” she said. “He looked really mean, but he was not mean at all. He went on Channel 6 News as one of our pets of the week and so many people called wanting him. … but Max wanted to put it down because he thought it was mean. When you’d go to the cage, it would charge and jump and bark, but it was because he didn’t know Max. The environment those dogs are in, they’re going to act that way. But instead of Max giving him time, he made the decision to put the dog down. We had call after call after call to adopt that dog out, but he was already dead.”

The image of Mixson as a cold, unfeeling bureaucrat seems far-fetched — except in Furr’s telling of events inside the shelter.

“Another situation, somebody brought in a pit bull,” she said. “For some reason, I guess he doesn’t like pit bulls. I know they have a reputation, but still. A pit bull came in and instead of taking it to the sick room — I think somebody was in the sick room cleaning it — he took it into our break room and put it to sleep right there on the floor. It’s just crazy; I love my job, but I can’t work with a monster like him.”
[...]
Mixson acknowledged the pit bull was put down in the break room, but observed it was a closed room within the facility that was not in use at the time and that the dog’s owner had described it as “dangerous” when he brought it in. He noted that euthanasia is always a difficult decision for him, and that he believes every animal is worth saving if a good home could be found for them.

Right. But I guess you wouldn't know if a good home could be found if you kill the dog upon entry into the shelter based upon the owner's description. Newsflash: Sometimes dishonest people surrender dogs at shelters and lie about the reasons why. Every dog deserves a fair evaluation.

Oh and by the way, if you are so eager to kill an incoming dog that you can't wait for the euthanasia room to be cleaned and have to use the room designated for shelter employees to take breaks - that's some kinda problem you got there.

***

If you are a Houston area resident, you may wish to attend Nathan Winograd's seminar on March 28, 2009. See No Kill Houston for details.

Update on Seized Dogs in Gates Co, NC

Gates County, NC - Update on 13 dogs (11 Pitbulls, 2 Rottweilers) seized from Jackie Robinson Parker:

On Thursday, Jackie Robinson Parker appeared in a Gates County Court on one felony count of Dogfighting and 13 counts of Animal Cruelty.

Parker insists he does not own all 13 dogs, but Ginny Canady, of Chowan County Animal Control reminded Parker, "They all came from your property."

Parker responded, "I'm saying I don't know where they came from."

Canady allowed Parker to look at the dogs, and we asked him about the brown one that a veterinarian says has the scars and scabs that indicate dogfighting within the past two weeks.

Parker claims he doesn't know anything about it.

There is video at the link of the reporter pressing the issue and Mr. Parker reacting.  "The brown one" looks pretty beat up.  The Virginia Beach SPCA has brought in kibble and supplies for the seized dogs since the shelter where the dogs are being kept lacks resources:

The SPCA also brought heartworm tests, and four of the 13 dogs tested positive. The SPCA also took one of the dogs with a paralyzed leg back to Virginia Beach where his leg could be amputated on Saturday.

But then - Blue Needle Alert:

Veterinarian Thomas Mitchell doing relief work for PETA told us seven of the 13 dogs had poor body condition, and that the scars and scabs are consistent with dogfighting.

PETA's involvement in any way, shape or form with a dogfighting case is bad news.  PETA's stance on saving bust dogs is exactly in line with the record of the HSUS - that is, all must die.

Since the shelter appears to be in need of resources, now might be a good time for a Pitbull and/or Rottweiler rescue group to get involved and offer assistance.  It would be a good way to help the dogs and establish a relationship with local authorities in case the dogs become property of the county.

Letters, faxes and phone calls requesting the dogs receive individual evaluations by someone experienced with rescuing and rehoming bust dogs (NOT the HSUS or PETA obviously) - be polite, be respectful:

County Attorney

Phillip P. Godwin, Jr.

Godwin & Godwin Attorneys at Law

110 Court Street

Gatesville, NC 27938

(252) 357-0438

Sheriff Edward E. Webb
202 Court Street
P.O. Box 154
Gatesville, NC 27938
Phone: (252) 357-0210
Fax: (252) 357-4131

Gates County Board of Commissioners

Henry Jordan, Chairman

Sunbury District

21 Cooper Road

Sunbury, NC 27979

Phone: 465-8161



Wade H. Askew, Commissioner

Eure District

216 White Oak Road

Eure, NC 27935

(252) 357-0992



Graham L. Twine, Jr., Commissioner

Hobbsville District

1428 Carters Rd.
Hobbsville, NC 27946

(252) 221-8378



Kenneth Jernigan, Vice Chairman

Gates District

387 Gatlington Road

Gates, NC 27937

(252) 357-1007



E. Carlton Nickens, Commissioner

Gatesville District

95 NC 37 South

Gatesville, NC 27938

(252) 357-0313

Nathan Winograd Stays on Point as HSUS Flails

This is one of those Winograd posts where I'm tempted to quote the whole thing but I will limit myself to some snippets:

In response to public outcry over their support and participation in the Wilkes County Massacre, in which the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) first championed and then defended the mass slaughter of over 150 dogs and puppies, Wayne Pacelle of HSUS issued an interim new policy of favoring temperament testing of individual dogs seized in dog-fighting cases, and called for “a meeting of leading animal welfare organizations concerning dogs victimized by dog fighting.” That meeting has been called for April in Las Vegas. If history is any guide, there is little reason to celebrate as of yet.

To begin with, HSUS did not adopt a policy that all dogs will be temperament tested to determine if they are aggressive, only that they will recommend that they be, a policy which can be ignored. Second, there has been no discussion over what type of test will be used and how outcomes will be determined, a major flaw in the temperament testing process used by many shelters. Third, there is reason to believe that the outcome in Wilkes County would not have been any different even if this policy were already in place.

Yes, yes, yes.  What he said.  And:

And finally, is such a meeting really necessary? If Pacelle was willing to stand up for what’s right, rather than to defend his clearly wrong colleagues, he would not need the symposium. He would know what HSUS policy needs to be and he would ensure that it is followed.

I'm just a dog loving, pajama blogging, rabble rousing schmuck.  But even I don't need no stinkin' meeting to figger out that every shelter dog deserves a fair evaluation.  So why does a national fundraising group of "experts" like the HSUS need one?  If'n you don't know what the right thing to do is, you ain't gonna be learned it in a Las Vegas hotel is what Ima thinkin'.  

Bright Light in a Dark Place

Best Friends has a post up about Shelia Carlisle, one of the volunteers who cared for the Wilkes Co dogs.  She and her fellow vols did the best they could for those dogs, knowing there was little chance they'd be allowed to live, even if they survived the terrible conditions at the "undisclosed location" (warehouse) where they were hidden away.  Shelia gives us a glimpse into those conditions, the individual personalities of the dogs and the heartbreak of having them all killed:

The dogs were taken to an undisclosed location at the beginning of December and held for months as evidence in a warehouse. 

During this time dozens of puppies were born and Shelia and her colleagues helped care for all the dogs including the precious pups.
[...]

From the diseases spread from being in cramped, damp and dark accommodations to the fact that they were pit bulls from a known dog fighting breeder; the chances were slim that any of the animals would ever be able to live a happy life with a family that loved them. This reality did not deter Shelia and the others from their mission of giving them the love and support that they deserved.

[...]

It was a daunting task, as puppies were being born, they were quickly getting sick and some were dying even though they had the care of three different veterinarians. Shelia and three other people worked diligently to get the puppies as much individual attention and nurturing as possible . They were taking puppies to foster homes, while the other dogs at the warehouse were not allowed to leave the building. The dogs were not going outside – so much of the day consisted of cleaning and changing bedding and arranging the dog kennels to help alleviate as much stress as possible. 

“The protocol for handling the puppies was extremely inadequate: there was almost no natural light, no whelping boxes, and it was cold and damp. We had kerosene space heaters, but they would run out of fuel in the middle of the night. We were doing everything we could to make them comfortable, but it was so hard. We were cleaning constantly.”
[...]

There was Angel, a favorite of one of the hired handlers/security staff. Angel would sit with her paws up and rest her chin on them. She was so well behaved, she was just a sweet dog. 

As Shelia recounted the individual personalities of the dogs she started to choke up. The individual dogs have touched her heart in a way that the authorities never took the time to understand. 

“Once they learned to trust us they quickly came around, it was obvious these were good dogs. You could pick up a young dog or puppy and he would put his paws around your neck and would love to be held and hugged.”

[...]

“Knowing now that pit bull dogs are seized from dog fighters only with the intention of killing those dogs without even giving a single one of them a chance, sickens me.” Shelia sadly related. “The dogs are the victims and should be saved…not doomed.”

Doomed by the HSUS, to be precise.  Thank you to Shelia and the other volunteers who offered the dogs comfort amidst the misery.  The HSUS succeeded in their effort to have all the dogs, including 19 puppies still nursing from their dams, killed but they could not kill the integrity of compassionate volunteers who care about dogs.  There's more of us than there are of them.  HSUS and its barbaric Pitbull policy of seize and destroy is not representative of the attitudes and beliefs of real dog lovers in this country.  We are the true humane society and we want every bust dog to receive a fair evaluation by a qualified individual - obviously that would exclude any involvement from the HSUS, who have gone on record repeatedly, and as recently as last week, stating that all bust dogs must die.  The HSUS has way too much Pitbull blood on their hands at this point to be considered part of the solution to the problem they created.  Time to get out of the way HSUS and allow our humane society to help Pitbulls in need. 

H/T to EmilyS for the link about Ms. Carlisle.

Update on Vick

One of Michael Vick's homes is to be auctioned on March 10, as part of his bankruptcy proceedings. I guess he wants his finances all tidied up before he starts getting the paychecks with all the zeroes again:

Vick is scheduled to be released from federal custody July 20.

The suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback has said in court papers that he expects to resume his NFL career after his release.

There is already lots of buzz over who might be the lucky team to snatch Vick up:

San Francisco coach Mike Singletary said Vick deserves the chance to play in the league, and believes he will be successful if he returns.

The Minnesota Vikings are reportedly interested in Vick as well. Vick may be transferred to a halfway house in Newport News, VA any day now.

As for the multi-million dollar home on the auction block:

Funari Realty, the company marketing the property, described it in an Internet listing as a "stunning custom home with priceless lake views." It features a majestic, two-story foyer with a double curved staircase. Other amenities include an in-home theater, a workout room with sauna, an elevator, a full bar, two outdoor fireplaces and a four-car garage.

No word on whether Vick had built a stunning, custom dog killing area on the property.

Recognition in Wilkes Co Case

In recognition of some who were involved in the Wilkes Co case...

PAWS DOWN:

From the Winston-Salem Journal:

John Goodwin, the manager of animal-fighting issues for The Humane Society of the United States, said yesterday that a judge will decide the fate of the dogs later. The Humane Society worked for three years on the investigation, in cooperation with Wilkes County Animal Control and the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office.

[...]

Goodwin said that the dogs have been bred for fighting and it would very difficult and expensive to re-train the dogs, even the puppies, so that they could be adopted.

You can learn more about Goodwin at Blue Dog State but he is not one of the HSUS peeps who testified at the hearing to decide the Wilkes Co dogs' fate. He did respond to inquiries from folks who were upset at the killings.

Winston-Salem Journal:

Wilson ordered the dogs destroyed yesterday after hearing from a prosecutor, the attorney for Wilkes County government, Wilkes County's animal-control director and two representatives from The Humane Society of the U.S., who all called for the dogs be euthanized.

Amanda Arrington, N.C. director for The Humane Society of the U.S., and Chris Schindler, the agency's deputy manager of animal-fighting law enforcement, both told the judge that these particular dogs have been bred for aggression. [emphasis added]

I wanted to check out the expertise these folks had on evaluating seized Pitbulls. I picked up a few bits of info from the HSUS, first on background:

Amanda Arrington is the North Carolina state director of The Humane Society United States. Prior to joining The HSUS in May 2008 she was an office manager.

Then a quote from Amanda Arrington:

"I am committed to making a difference for the animals."

So in summary, in case you blinked, the first HSUS "expert" to explain to the judge why 146 dogs, including pups still nursing from their dams, needed to die joined the HSUS 10 months ago after leaving her office manager job. Congratulations, you have made "a difference for the animals".

The HSUS on Chris Schindler:

Besides arresting illegal animal fighters and rescuing animals from cruel deaths in the fighting ring, Chris gained valuable insight into the motivations and mentality of dogfighters.

Apparently the phrase "rescuing animals from cruel deaths" means something different to HSUS than it does to me. Because killing unevaluated dogs, including puppies still nursing from their dams, which is what Schindler recommended to the judge, doesn't seem like "rescuing" to me. Further, the HSUS contends that Schindler has insight into dogfighters - I'll take them at their word on that one. But what about the dogs? Any valuable insight on the dogs about which he was providing the recommendation in court? Does kill-them-all fall under the "valuable insight" category?

Schindler teaches a course for law enforcement, animal control, etc on cruelty investigations. For a $50 - $75 fee, attendees can learn, among other things, about dogfighting cases and the "disposition of seized animals". I assume that chapter is pretty short: K-I-L-L.

PAWS UP:

Sheila Carlisle of Morganton said she has been helping to care for the grown pit bulls and many puppies, and that the dogs are adorable.

"I've fallen in love with them," she said. "I don't want to cause anybody any problems with the court system, but I want these dogs saved."

I have no idea if this person is a shelter volunteer or what - all I know is, I'm thankful these dogs had her to care for them in their final days in this world. Thank you.

And thank you to the rescue groups who tried to intervene on behalf of the dogs, including Best Friends.

And last but absolutely not least, thank you to all my fellow pajama bloggers who continue to shine a light on this dark secret of the "Humane" Society of the U.S. It's because of you folks that I do believe we are a humane society and we can affect change for the better.

Dare Co, NC Moves Forward on Proposing BSL

Dare County initially had one set of problems, now they are compounding those by advancing the idea of breed specific legislation:

[Dare County Attorney Bobby] Outten said he is also looking into two types of breed-specific ordinances that have passed legal muster elsewhere. One would allow people to own dog breeds such as pit bulls only under certain restrictions; the other would outright ban them.

The proposals will be presented to the Board of Commissioners, probably at an April meeting, Outten said, and if the board decides to move forward on either one, a public hearing will be scheduled.

Adding insult to injury, the director of the Dare County Animal Shelter Denise Lambiotte is alerting the media to the myth(s) that wouldn't die!

Any dog left unmanaged can be dangerous, Lambiotte said.

"It's just that pits can do so much more damage," she said.

Pit bulls have powerful jaws that can lock when biting, and they are bred to attack, she said. Although they can be gentle to toddlers, the high-pitched voices of children and their sudden movements can set off pit bulls' predatory instincts, she said.

I look forward to Ms Lambiotte's presentation of the previously unknown, groundbreaking science to substantiate these claims. (She will be asked to substantiate these claims, right? I mean, the Board isn't just going to take a "Because I said so" on those claims, will they?)

Contact info - be polite, be respectful in your opposition to BSL:

County of Dare
PO Box 1000
Manteo NC 27954
(252) 475-5000

Dare Co Board of Commissioners e-mail contacts

Dare Co Attorney Bobby Outten: outten@co.dare.nc.us

Fat Cats at MSPCA Live On - Other Cats, Not So Much

The Boston Globe reports that the MSPCA may be cutting costs in the wrong areas:

As the nonprofit Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals prepares to close three animal shelters in reaction to a 25 percent loss in its endowment, advocates for animals are questioning the pay packages of the society's top administrators.
Four of the top five officials at the MSPCA make more than $200,000 annually, according to the organization's latest tax-exempt filing.
[...]
On Feb. 5, the MSPCA announced the closure of shelters in Brockton, Martha's Vineyard, and Springfield by the end of September and will downsize several programs and departments at its Boston office. MSPCA spokesman Brian Adams said a total of 46 positions would be eliminated. The three shelters slated to close cared for 11,000 animals last year. Four other MSPCA shelters, located in Boston, Methuen, on Cape Cod, and Nantucket, will remain open. Adams declined to reveal the annual operating budgets of any of the shelters.

Oh by all means, don't reveal any information not required by law. Follow the golden (parachute) rule: When confronted, hide.

Mr. Adams added this tidbit of justification:

"We have to attract the right talent, and we have to remain competitive. We can't remain competitive by asking people to work for free."

By gosh by golly, if only there could be some sort of compromise to be found somewhere between a $200k annual paycheck and working "for free". I hope science and technology someday advances us to the point where we could figure out that conundrum.

In the meantime, I'd like to point out that in fact, many animal lovers do "work for free" at animal shelters all over this country. They're called volunteers. I'm not saying shelters shouldn't pay staff, but I do think it's past time for many shelters to think outside the box. The days of ignoring the economic climate and maintaining the status quo are over. It's 2009, join us.

Treats on the Internets

Causes and Action Alerts:

Best Friends is asking NC residents to contact lawmakers and urge them to redraft the state's 'Dangerous Dog' law.

B-More Bulldogs posts about a letter writing campaign to the HSUS regarding their Pitbull 'seize and destroy' policy

Online auction to benefit the massive English Shepherd rescue in Montana (bidding closes tonight!)

Rare Wildlife Showing Up Unannounced:

"Extinct" bird has picture taken then gets eaten in the Philippines

Jaguar captured, collared and released in AZ

Sneezes:

Monkey and Panda (each sold separately)

Pitbull Hero Helps Save 11 People

In MA this week:

A dog is being credited with helping to save eleven people in Southbridge from a fire in a multi-family home. Firefighters say the dog woke up the people living there. Sadly the heroic dog didn't make it out alive.

The fire broke out early Wednesday morning. An eleven month old Pitbull named Chaos helped save 11 people from the the building.

Fire crews from five different towns battled the blaze for 90 minutes before they put it out. Family and friends are hailing Chaos the dog as a hero.

If you are a MA resident, please contact your state House representative in support of S2624 which will prohibit breed specific legislation in the state.

More HSUS Nonsense Regarding the Wilkes Co Dogs

The HSUS response (signed in brown ink) to the killing of the Wilkes County dogs, currently making the rounds online:

Thank you for contacting us regarding a county judge’s decision in North Carolina to euthanize fighting dogs seized from the property of notorious dogfighting kingpin Ed Faron. We understand your concern about the judge’s order to euthanize the dogs, and it is always a tragic outcome when healthy animals meet such a fate. But the blame lies with Mr. Faron, and not with county officials or The Humane Society of the United States. While we may not endorse every action of the county, we are grateful to them for working with The HSUS to bust a man who is responsible for an enormous amount of cruelty to dogs, and to bring him to justice.

No organization has done more to attack and harm the dogfighting industry than The HSUS. We’ve probably invested more in combating dogfighting than all other humane groups combined, and to great effect. We are principally responsible for the strong state and federal laws that make the practice a felony and ban possession and sale of fighting animals, and we have trained thousands of law enforcement personnel on investigating and raiding fighting operations. What’s more, it is our training, investigations, and rewards programs that are resulting in the arrest of countless dogfighters and the seizure of thousands of fighting dogs (which are, according to the dogfighters, an asset they lose upon seizure).

We are involved in dogfighting busts on almost a weekly basis, and the handling of Mr. Faron’s dogs raises the same questions that confound us constantly. With approximately 600,000 pit bulls killed in shelters each year, why should fighting dogs, which obviously require more resources to manage and which pose an obvious threat to other animals, get placed in favor of other equally deserving pit bulls and other breeds slated for euthanasia? In a local jurisdiction that has perhaps hundreds of other pit bulls waiting for loving homes, why not save them in favor of fighting dogs that will cost far more to handle on a per dog basis? How do we solve the larger pit bull problem in the nation, since we have an epidemic of dogfighters and others breeding them for aggression and for uses other than as companions?

We conducted a long-term investigation that led to the arrest of Mr. Faron and the seizure of his fighting dogs. He is considered one of the “Godfathers” of dogfighting, and it was our goal to put him out of business, just as it is our goal to target other industry leaders, in order to prevent thousands of dogs for use in fighting pits. Had it not been for our investigation, most of his dogs would have suffered immensely in a fighting pit in the weeks and months ahead. And who knows how many other dogs he would have bred to face this same fate.

It is now an HSUS policy to recommend an evaluation of all fighting dogs. In this case, The HSUS offered to pay for an additional professional evaluator to assess the dogs, even though we were skeptical that these dogs could be safely rehabilitated. The county did not take us up on that offer. Without an affirmative professional evaluation to indicate that the dogs could be safely placed in a new setting, we could not recommend adoption of these dogs who had been bred for generations for their instinct to kill.

While separate evaluations were not done, it is safe to say Faron’s dogs have been bred to produce animals with an unstoppable desire to fight, even in the face of extreme pain and fear. Professional dogfighters typically “cull” the dogs that don’t exhibit gameness or aggression, and only keep and breed the ones that exhibit the desired traits. For proof of that, we can refer to Faron himself, from his book about dogfighting:

“His face had only just healed from that fight with the Wreckers’ dog and he got his nose chewed half off again, that night.”

“The gamest dog I ever saw in my life was King David. At ten minutes, his right leg was broken. At twenty-three minutes, his left leg was broken. At thirty-seven he scratched on stumps, and at forty-eight minutes when he scratched he scratched down one wall and down the other ….until he got to Beau again.””

“ I mean, he broke muzzles, crushed skulls- we saw him bite dogs in the chest and their chest would literally collapse. That was Beau…”

Game-bred dogs pose a risk to other dogs not just because of training, but more importantly because of breeding for aggressive characteristics. Even no-kill shelters typically recommend euthanasia of obviously dangerous dogs.

These fighting dogs do not compare with the dogs from amateur “street fighters,” who typically take any, random pit bull and try and force them to fight. If pit bulls have not been bred for generations to have a “fight crazy” instinct, even if they have been exposed to dogfighting, they have a chance of being rehabilitated. This is why a substantial number of Michael Vick’s dogs were candidates for rehabilitation, after the court ordered Vick to pay $1 million as a set-aside to provide care and retraining for the dogs.

Once game-bred dogs are confiscated from a fighting situation, there are very few good options. There are no sanctuaries that exist for the thousands of game-bred dogs confiscated each year, and as a nation, there are hundreds of thousands of pit bulls awaiting adoptions in shelters every year. The resources that would be required to confine or rehabilitate fighting dogs could save many more dogs in shelters every year. So, in that sense, it is not a zero-sum game when it comes to euthanasia; it is a negative-sum game, and an inordinate focus on these few pit bulls would result in more euthanasia of other dogs. And if you impose upon rural counties – where most fighting busts occur – the burden of long-term holding of fighting pit bulls, then they may decline to intervene in criminal fighting cases, allowing the dogfighters to continue to operate.

There are tough choices to be made, and the only morally clear act is to attack the dogfighters where they live. We are the only national organization that has an entire unit devoted to this work on a national scale. That’s what we’ll continue to do.


A few points:

1. "We understand your concern about the judge’s order to euthanize the dogs, and it is always a tragic outcome when healthy animals meet such a fate. But the blame lies with Mr. Faron, and not with county officials or The Humane Society of the United States."

*sounds buzzer* Mr. Faron did not advocate for the killing of the seized dogs - the HSUS did. Their testimony led to the judge's ruling.

According to a ruling Monday by Judge Ed Wilson Jr. of Superior Court, state law defines dogs as dangerous if they are involved in a dog-fighting operation, and a county ordinance requires that dangerous dogs be destroyed.

The raid was the result of a three-year investigation by the Humane Society of the United States, in cooperation with Wilkes County Animal Control and the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office. Representatives of the Humane Society told the judge that the dogs should be destroyed, because they had been bred for generations to be aggressive.

And:

Judge Ed Wilson entered the order after hearing arguments from Wilkes County officials, from the prosecutor and from The Humane Society of the U.S. that the dogs are dangerous and would pose a risk if adopted into homes.

Therefore, I'll assign blame for the destruction of those dogs as I see fit - at the feet of the HSUS.

2. "With approximately 600,000 pit bulls killed in shelters each year, why should fighting dogs, which obviously require more resources to manage and which pose an obvious threat to other animals, get placed in favor of other equally deserving pit bulls and other breeds slated for euthanasia?"

*raises hand and waves violently* [I SO know this one! I hope he calls on me.] No one is placing any dogs "in favor of" any other dogs and why is it the HSUS gets to decide who's more or less worthy of a chance at life in bust dog cases? I know this message is not getting through to you HSUS, but not everyone agrees with your assertions as stated above. Some people in fact, think it's malarkey. If YOU feel a bust dog is not a good match for YOU, then don't adopt one. But by the same token, don't advocate to get them all killed before someone else, who might feel differently than you about bust dogs, has a chance to rescue them. If there is the desire out there among rescue groups to save these dogs, what business is it of yours how those rescue groups spend their resources? Perhaps you are concerned that you will be proven wrong again, like you were about the Vick dogs. Speaking of which -

3. "While separate evaluations were not done, it is safe to say Faron’s dogs have been bred to produce animals with an unstoppable desire to fight, even in the face of extreme pain and fear. Professional dogfighters typically “cull” the dogs that don’t exhibit gameness or aggression, and only keep and breed the ones that exhibit the desired traits."

This is the same argument used by HSUS when advocating for the killing of the Vick dogs:

Pacelle said, "If the current set of facts is not disputed, that they were killing off the less aggressive animals and keeping alive the best, most aggressive fighters, then it does not make sense to keep these animals alive."

And that argument turned out to be wrong. And incorrect. And really quite off.

4. "There are tough choices to be made, and the only morally clear act is to attack the dogfighters where they live. We are the only national organization that has an entire unit devoted to this work on a national scale. That’s what we’ll continue to do."

Fine. Bring it. You keep seizing Pitbulls and advocating for their destruction and we'll keep the spotlight on your hypocrisy machine. It's the only "morally clear act".

What's So Great About Tossing Puppies in a Ditch?

Nothing, as far as the puppy dumping goes, but a lot as to how the story was reported here:

Suzanne Kratz said she didn't think much about seeing a man throw something out of the back of a red pickup truck, until she realized that his street litter was actually a litter of puppies.

[...]

"They feel like instead of bringing it to a shelter where they believe they'll get killed, they think dumping the animal off might be give the animal a chance," Thompson said.

[...]

"We know that we're all faced with hard times right now, and you know this person, maybe they were laid off from their job and couldn't afford to feed them, but there are plenty of people willing to foster," Kratz said.

This happened in Montgomery County, Texas which is close to Harris County, where 187 Pitbulls were "rescued" and then secretly killed by the rescuers late last year.  So one can imagine how local folks get the idea that turning dogs in to the animal shelter might be a death sentence.  I'm happy to see that mentioned in this article.  Shelters - take note!  Your community is aware of what you do and your actions affect how people handle their pets.

In addition, I'm glad the rescuer doesn't outright condemn the person who tossed the pups.  Yeah it's a horrible deed but she extends a compassionate hand of understanding while offering a little education.  That's the way to do it.

P.S. - Watch the video of the pups - they're dang cute!  (brief commercial at beginning of vid) 

Coalition Urges HSUS to Revise Policy on Dogs Seized in Fighting Busts

The "couple of individuals on the internet" just won't go away:

“We are disheartened and shocked that HSUS, a leader in the animal welfare community, would testify in court for the automatic destruction of puppies and dogs, who had not been given the opportunity to be evaluated as individuals, based on this policy. The Michael Vick dogs have proven how antiquated this approach is,” said Ledy VanKavage, an attorney with Best Friends Animal Society.

In 2006 HSUS advocated that all of the dogs from the Michael Vick dog fighting case be put down for the same reasons they used when recommending the killing of the Wilkes County pit bulls. In that case a federal court appointed a Special Master to oversee the evaluation of Vick’s dogs, all of which were adults. Many of the Vick dogs are now in adoptive homes, and at least two of the so-called “aggressive fighting dogs” are therapy dogs that visit hospitals to cheer up ailing patients.

“The coalition members and their supporters are urging HSUS to revaluate this policy and apply a more progressive approach that reflects the lessons learned by the animal welfare groups in the coalition, as well as other organizations that work directly with dogs,” VanKavage said.

Yeah, baby.

11 Pitbulls, 2 Rottweilers Seized in NC - UPDATED

*ding* Round Two in NC:

Tuesday, Gates County Sheriff Edward Webb seized 13 dogs under court order.

[...]

Thursday morning, WAVY.com was there when the dog owner, Jackie Parker, turned himself over to the Sheriff.

[...]

Parker appeared in court Thursday on one felony count of Dogfighting, 13 misdemeanor counts of Animal Cruelty and three counts of Not Properly Disposing of Animal Carcuses.

[...]

WAVY.com visited an animal shelter in Chowan County to see the dogs. Many have scars, appear weak from malnutrition, and one appears to have a broken leg.

I don't know what the intention is regarding the seized dogs yet but I know what the outcome often is.

Letters, faxes and phone calls requesting the dogs not be killed - be polite, be respectful:

County Attorney

Phillip P. Godwin, Jr.

Godwin & Godwin Attorneys at Law

110 Court Street

Gatesville, NC 27938

(252) 357-0438

Sheriff Edward E. Webb
202 Court Street
P.O. Box 154
Gatesville, NC 27938
Phone: (252) 357-0210
Fax: (252) 357-4131

Gates County Board of Commissioners

Henry Jordan, Chairman

Sunbury District

21 Cooper Road

Sunbury, NC 27979

Phone: 465-8161



Wade H. Askew, Commissioner

Eure District

216 White Oak Road

Eure, NC 27935

(252) 357-0992



Graham L. Twine, Jr., Commissioner

Hobbsville District

1428 Carters Rd.
Hobbsville, NC 27946

(252) 221-8378



Kenneth Jernigan, Vice Chairman

Gates District

387 Gatlington Road

Gates, NC 27937

(252) 357-1007



E. Carlton Nickens, Commissioner

Gatesville District

95 NC 37 South

Gatesville, NC 27938

(252) 357-0313

Will post more when I have it. So far, no word on the HSUS being involved which is good news. Law enforcement was apparently serving a civil warrant when they happened upon the suspected dogfighting operation so it doesn't sound like this is one of those HSUS orchestrated busts. In the meantime, the suspect is presumed innocent and in my opinion, should retain ownership of his dogs unless he decides to voluntarily sign them over to the County.

Update: A bit more info, from last night:

“Actually, it made me very sick to my stomach to have to deal with what we saw,” said Sheriff Edward Webb. “We actually found some dogs that had been, appeared to have been, burned. We found, actually, an old barn with blood on the walls and so forth. We found down, had carpet in it with blood stains where they had been fighting ‘em in almost like a pit.”

Also from last night, some specifics on the dogs:

Now, all thirteen dogs are fighting to stay alive at the Tri-county animal shelter. Animal control Officer Lacey Wilkins says most have scratches and cuts all over their bodies. One dog was so malnourished that it doesn't have enough skin on his back.

"These red marks... are actually from his hip bones protruding out of his back," Wilkins says."They were living off peanut butter mixed with dog food. Peanut butter is not enough to sustain a dog."

Wilkins says the dogs are just happy now to have a roof over their head and access to clean water and food.
[...]
The Sheriff's Office says they will probably stay at the shelter for the next six to eight months, even though the shelter is at capacity.

Animal control says it's up to veterinarians to decide if these dogs can be saved or if they are too vicious and will have to be put down.