Spring Zanyness

OK, ok, for my good friend Mike D, whom I miss very much by the way!

I wish I could say that I've been off jetsetting to Cabo, or Font, or surfing in Costa Rica, but alas, I haven't been doing any of those things. I have, however been working a lot of weekends and evenings doing special events, event planning, and working hard. I love my job. Working in animal welfare is an avocation, as well as a vocation. Sometimes it's hard to turn it off. There is always one desperate phone call or email to return, and when it's an innocent pup that's at stake, you just do it, doesn't matter the time or place.

The next month doesn't show signs of slowing. I'll be at Strut Your Mutt with some adoptables on May 22, then I'm planning my first ever large event, Pet Bull Palooza, which will vaccinate and microchip 100 dogs free of charge, as well as provide 60 free spay/neuter vouchers, free dog food, leashes, collars, and dog toys too. I hope it's a huge success, but I haven't slept in weeks. The weekend after that, I head to NYC to help with the first ever Tri State Super Adoption, then off to the Animal Farm Foundation for an internship working with what else? More shelter pit bulls! WooHoo. June will be a crazy month, but I'm excited.

I am also trying to train for climbing alot, mostly in the gym, it's all I can really fit in, plus, WTF, the weather is awful! So, Mike D, if you are reading this, come climb with me, even if it's only on plastic!

Lastly, I'm helping take care of my mom, who became gravely ill with bacterial meningitis while driving from NY to SLC this past week, so I've been at the ICU alot with her. She is doing really well, and her prognosis is very good at this point, so thanks for all of our friends and family who have sent emails and phone calls checking in.

So, that's the Spring Zanyness Report. What are all of your Spring Zany Plans?

Pits and Perception Art Show

Please join one of Best Friend's founding members and wonderful artist, Cyrus Mejia for a reception and art show entitled Pits and Perceptions running from 12/18-1/30/10.

This is an incredible collection of paintings featuring some of the Vic(k)tory Dogs and other pitties from the Sanctuary. You can visit Cyrus' website here:

http://cyrusmejia.com/art/pits-and-perception

This show has traveled the country and is finally stopping in Salt Lake! Please come to the reception and be sure to stop by while the exhibit is up!

I am truly honored to have a digital display of my photography featuring some of my favorite dogs at the Sanctuary that will be up during the exhibit. Please come to the opening and support the show, the dogs, and me!

We Made the News

Our Pittie Pumpkin Party made the Deseret News, and personally, I think our photographer, who doesn't have any pets, really fell for some of the dogs, especially Aggie, the black and white pup in a chicken costume (I was quite smitten with her as well...).

Photos by Chen Wang, Deseret News

Pinups, Puppies, Pitties, and Pumpkins- Oh My!

Cute pupper!

Pumkin or Puppy?
Short, brindle ballerina SUNNY girl!
Oscar
Lindy Princess

Heeler Pups!
One of the new heeler pups!
Campaign Tables At Pinups Event
Pinup and Adoptable
It's been a busy week for me helping the dogs! On Tuesday, we had the Pinups for Pups event, it was fun, and sexy, and if you are a single dude, you blew it by not attending...lots of beautiful women dressed as the old time pinups walking adorable adoptables down the runway. You can see pics of the Pinups for Pups event here.

Today, we held a Pittie Pumpkin Party at Salt Lake County Animal Services. I got to meet the new heeler litter...oh....my....GOD, they are so precious! Then we carved pumpkins and had a pittie parade with many of the shelters most adoptable pitties in costume.

We had two very deserving dogs go into foster care, including one of my personal favorites, Oscar, who went to crash on my good friends' Jessica and Justin's couch for a while...yayyy, I get to visit! Sunny also went, and for anyone who is a sucker for short, squatty, brindled dogs loaded with love and personality, this gal will steal your heart!

Fun, fun events, for great, very deserving dogs. Hope to see more of you out there next time!

For more puppy and PPP pics, go here.

University of Utah Research Dogs

It is only within the last few months that I learned about the University of Utah's research on dogs. When I say research on dogs, I don't mean veterinary studies...I mean medical research being conducted on dogs taken from the shelter- dogs that were going to be euthanized. These studies have been going on for many, many years, and span a variety of areas including pain studies, anesthesia studies, lung studies, and much more. Some of the dogs are control dogs, and therefore are not subjected to the "real" drugs or experiments, however many are given various drugs, procedures, etc, that some might equivocate with torture, depending on your point of view.

Many of the dogs are 'released' from the studies and are then placed up for adoption, facilitated by one very dedicated volunteer, Linda Schmidt. Linda has been helping retired research dogs find their homes since the mid 90's. Her dedication is unwavering- she has built a very nice volunteer network, and people meet daily at 5 pm to walk the dogs and give them a half hour reprieve from their kennels. She tirelessly advocates and tries to find foster and adoptive homes for dogs that have been released and has helped some 600 animals over the years have a second chance. Linda does not work for the research lab, she happens to be a scientist in her own right in a different lab. She does not conduct any testing on the animals. She is truly their angel, helping them find light at the end of a very dark tunnel.

In her words, however, many are not released- meaning, these dogs will be killed either as part of the study, or following the studies completion, never having the chance to find happiness in a loving home.

I will tell you, when I walked into the building, my chest felt an intense pressure, I could hardly breathe...I though I might pass out. The air was so thin- knowing what these dogs have endured and still seeing how hopeful they are just rips my heart out of my chest.

If any dear readers can open thier hearts and homes to a retired research dog, please, please contact Linda and she can direct you.

Please also come to a fundraiser November 12 in the Eccles Genetics center on the U of U campus, an early holiday bake and craft sale, where you can meet many of the adoptable animals. After the fundrasier, the dogs' fate is unknown.

UPDATE: Jasper, the handsome black lab/pitty mix at the top has gone into a JACKPOT of a foster home with Agnes and Brandon, who love him and have spoiled him already! Let's see if we can get a few more of these great dogs out of the kennel into foster care or adoptive homes!

Linda's email is: linda.schmidt@hsc.utah.edu Contact her if you'd like to foster, adopt, or volunteer to walk the dogs.

To see more photos of Jasper with his new foster mom and dad, copy and paste this link into your browser: http://picasaweb.google.com/woofslc/BrandonAgnesAndJasper#

Honey's Surgery Day 1

Honey is a BRAVE girl! She got through her surgeries yesterday with flying colors. Now we begin the long healing process. Honey's ACL's and CCL's were gone, and her meniscuses were torn and calcified. Dr. Dale Smith put Honey back together again by performing a bilateral TPLO surgery. Doing both knees at once has advantages and disadvantages. Right now, Honey is trying to stand up and walk, naturally this is difficult since two of her four legs are stapled and screwed together.

We will just take her recovery one day at a time, and she is a brave little trooper. She loves her food, and we're making her special meals that are extra, extra yummy. We also will be icing her throughout the day to help reduce her swelling.

Thanks for the good wishes!

Surgery Day Tomorrow

Everyone, please send us good wishes and thoughts and love out to the universe. Tomorrow, our baby Honey will be having her major knee surgeries, they will operate on both of them at the same time. We are very nervous- we know our Honey is a trooper, but it's very scary, and she will be in a lot of pain for a while. No playing, running, jumping, stairs, or dog door for a couple of months. I know she will do awesome, because she is as brave and tough as they come.

We will keep you posted, and her big brother Tiggs will be holding her paw the whole way, he's always keeping a good eye on her.

Special thanks to No More Homeless Pets in Utah for helping us with this surgery, along with Mountain View Animal Hospital in Sandy for donating their fees and anesthesia- they have been Honey's guardian angel from day one when they rescued her.

Pinups for Pups Event

This is going to be sooo cool and really fun! Pinups for Pups is a great group that does all kinds of unique fundraisers to help animals in need. Details to come, but please save the date for October 27th at Club Bliss in Salt Lake City. Please, put this on your Facebook or other social media outlets to help promote attendance! I will be there representing the Salt Lake County Pit Crew and Best Friends Pit Bulls: Saving America's Dog campaign. I will hopefully even have a few adoptable ambassadogs there for foster and adoption!


Halloween themed event--Oct 27th

6 :00 Doors open.
6:30 Fashion Show with Models from the “Voodoo Darling’s” local talent and adoptable dogs .
6:45 Interlude & Music setup -“Best Friend’s “animal sanctuary and Local Rescue Groups speak.
7:00 Singer/Songwriter: Nicole “kole”
7:30 Singer/Songwriter : “Melody with Tyler Forsberg
8:00 Singer /Songwriter : Ashlee Dickson
8:30 Singer/Songwriter : “Alicia Mcgovern



Music will finish by 9:30-10 p.m. thereafter, participants can mingle and pose for photographers until 11 p.m at culmination.

“The Depot” will be promoted as the major sponsor of this event with: “Pinup’s for Pups”

The participants are volunteer’s and the proceeds will be donated to local animal rescue’s in partnership with Best Friends Animal Society. The aim is to create an environment to educate and unify the community in support of local animal groups . We promote awareness; people want to be involved, many just don’t know how.

A table will be set up to dispense materials to attendees on fostering programs, adoption and how each person can make a difference. There will not be a fee to attend the event in hopes of encouraging more to come out. This is a method we have found successful in other markets to get people in the door. At the event we have girls walking around encouraging donations throughout the evening.

Sondra Shannon (Pinups for Pups ) has arranged ‘star clad’ fashion events in Los Angeles , Nicole Christensen (Summer Jam West) event promotion and planning , Deena Marie (women of a thousand faces) in media, and Jennifer Tarasevich (voodoo box, and the voodoo darlings) production. All these reputable ladies have joined in support of this great cause with confidence of it’s success and passion for the cause.

Thank you for your support, this will be fun!

Today on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross

I love NPR's Terry Gross and her show Fresh Air. Terry always asks candid and pointed questions and seems to be able to draw information out of people in ways that no one else can.

Today Terry is tackling the subject of dogfighting. I'm curious to see which angles she will be looking at with this story, but surely with all the recent controversy surrounding S(v)ick's return to the NFL, and huge recent fight busts in the midwest, this is a timely topic. Dogfighting seems to cross all socioeconimic lines, with some recent busts targeting teachers, police, and other "white collar" individuals.

Terry will feature John Goodwin of the HSUS, and a former dog fighter on the show. If you are in Utah, the program will air at 1pm today on KCPW.

Tune in and tell me your thoughts after the show! I hope that this show is an informative and engaging show that will enlighten many people as to the horrific abuse these dogs endure at the hands of these greed driven sociopaths.

Super Adoption Success

These are some pics from the Fall Super Adoption, and our first annual Salt Lake County Pit Crew Tent. This is an exciting collaboration between Salt Lake County shelter and Best Friends Pit Bulls: Saving America's Dog Campaign. During the three day event we adopted out about 45 animals, about 10 of which were pit bulls! In total, I believe close to 400 animals were adopted out between all of the shelters and rescues that attended the event.

Special thanks to No More Homeless Pets in Utah for organizing and hosting this wonderful event twice a year, it's a tremendous effort and none of this would be possible without them. Thank you NMHP!!

Reflecting on Katrina- the Canine Cost

It's been 4 years since Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast. So many people are still struggling to rebuild their lives and homes. New Orleans will never be the same, nor the many other surrounding affected communities.

Reflecting on all of this, I'm reminded naturally of what became of peoples beloved pets. Sadly, so many dogs lost their lives and homes during the storm. Despite heroic efforts, many people were never reunited with their pets, and this thought breaks my heart.

Not Left Behind is the story of the rescue told by Best Friends and photographed by Troy Snow.

Many animals went to rescues and sancturaries all over the country. Best Friends took a large number of these dogs, and at present, there are 28 adoptable dogs listed on the Adoptables page at the Sanctuary. There are actually many more than that, because they are not all posted at the present, and many arrived recently from another rescue that closed it's doors.

I can't help but think how broken hearted I would be if I had lost everything during that fateful storm, and then was left to wonder what became of my furry family members. I don't think I would ever sleep soundly knowing that they could be alive out there and not in my arms. What if I lacked the resources to try to find them? My heart would always have an empty void.

Please consider helping out these animals by sponsoring or adopting them. Because I work so frequently with pitty bulls, here are some of my favorite Katrina dogs residing at the Sanctuary.

Four long years later, and these beautiful dogs are left wondering where their families are and who might give them another chance.

photos by yours truly

Salt Lake County Animal Shelter Unveils New Bully Program

Meet some of the new adoptables in the progressive new Bully Program over at SLCO. This program offers the opportunity for volunteers to pair with an adoptable pittie or pittie mix to obtain the AKC Canine Good Citizen Certificate. Additionally, it provides FREE spay and neuters to pitties and pittie mixes in the County, as well as low cost Canine Good Citizen training for all pitties and mixes in the County. The goal of this program is to address the disproportionate numbers of pitties in the shelters which would also reduce the disproportionately high euthanasia rates for pitties.

Best Friends will be supporting and collaborating on the program with it's Pit Bulls: Saving America's Dog campaign. I will be a volunteer extrordinaire and photog, and am hoping this program is a huge success. As always, these programs rely on YOU, faithful readers to volunteer, donate, foster, whatever you can do!

 

 

 

 

Meet from the top: Ziggy, Zip, Lewis, Lilly- ALL ADOPTABLE

Photos by Yours Truly

Ogden Update

Hi friends,

Thank you Erin and Shannon for you comments, as always, I love my friends!

We attended the 'work session' last night, and though unable to participate, myself and Nikki Sharp of Best Friends were able to introduce ourselves after the meeting. I felt that the council did ask some good questions, and may be open to other ideas. Hopefully Nikki will be able to meet with them to propose some alternatives.

Here is what they proposed (they were clear not to say 'ban'):

Ogden City (Utah) Council regarding their proposed BSL that would add pit bulls and pit bull 'type/mixes' dogs to their dangerous dog ordinance. They are proposing legislation that would require:

*special registration of pit bulls and their owners
*special microchip and tags identifying the dog as a pit bull
*6 foot privacy fence WITH 2 FEET of underground fencing, or kenneling your dog in your yard
*for renters, written landlord consent that you have permission to make alterations to fence/property and own a pitbull
*immediate notification if your dog is loose
*special insurance or surety bond in the amount of $50,000
*Animal control can inspect at any time for compliance

They can be emailed or contacted through:

www.ogdencity.com/government/city_council.aspx

I feel this Ordinance is flawed in many ways. The problems Ogden is having relates to irresponsible ownership, people who wouldn't follow these requirements anyways. They cited their gang problem as issue number one for pit bulls...So why not address that?! They will punish the majority for the issues with the minority, and this will do nothing the help the hundreds of dogs in the shelter find good homes. It will only increase their euthanasia, and harm the dogs, and the responsible people who love them.

I am looking forward to seeing where this process goes. I do hope that we can make some headway in presenting Ogden with better alternatives.

City Of Ogden Proposes Breed Specific Legislation

There will be a meeting tonight at 5:30 pm in Ogden to review their City Council's proposed BS legislation....

Ogden City Municipal Building
2549 Washington Blvd Ste 340
Ogden UT 84401

For the uninitiated, Breed Specific Legislation simply means a ban on a particular breed (pit bulls in this case), or any pit bull 'type' dogs. What does this mean? The burden usually falls on the owner to prove that their dog is NOT the affected breed, lest their dog is impounded and euthanized, as is the case in Denver. Please read Desiree's story about her beloved Coco:

I can remember how I felt the day I came home on 6/23/2008.... When I came home & saw the card in my screen door with the writing on the back "call us about your dog." I felt so empty because I knew the destiny for my son. Denver Animal Control had taken Coco from the back yard while we were gone. The hardest thing for myself while Coco was on death row was going to visit him. He didn't understand what was going on. He thought we were there to take him home. It broke my heart every time. He was in their 3' by 5 ' cell for nearly 2 months. They said they took him outside every day, but by the way his nails looked, I doubt it. Every time I would leave I could hear him cry & scream all the way to the door. He was so confused. Several workers there at the dog pound told me how he was such a good dog, so I would reply to that, "How do you kill a innocent family dog," and they would always have the same response, "It's just our job." One animal control employee even nicknamed Coco, "Cocolicious."

The last day Coco was alive they had finally moved him to a double cell which is just a metal slab in between 2 of the 3' by 5' cells so he could run back and fourth through the 2 cells. I believe he knew what was going to happen to him within the short hours to come. He was very nervous. His eyes & nose were bright pink & I could not get him to calm down. Maybe he felt how sad and scared I was because I knew it was coming down to his final hours. I lay on the floor with him for about an hour then I said my final goodbye!!! That was the longest walk out the dog pound. I felt that I had let my son, my innocent son that has never hurt anything or anybody in his life, down. He never knew anything about violence; he was a spoiled brat that our entire family loved. The next day when we picked up his remains was even harder than the last walk. They had him in a black trash bag. About 20-25 of our family members were there and we all held hands and said a prayer. Now he is at home with us in his urn on our front desk. He will remain in our hearts & thoughts forever.



I will be in attendance with written materials to give to the Council. I'm told that while the public is invited to attend, they are not however, able to participate. Don't ya just love democracy?!

Casino Night

 

 

 

 

We volunteered at the 2nd Annual Canine Casino Night to benefit No More Homeless Pets, it was a blast. Everyone wears a wig, and people bring dogs of all shapes, sizes and pedigrees. There is a huge silent auction. I donated a few items, and won a few. I won the auction on these beautiful small hand made bud vases, as well as 2 arial dance classes at a studio called Revolve! I didn't even know we had that here, but I have a feeling I'll be addicted- it's all fabric and trapeze, Cirque du Soleil style! I also bought a beautiful handmade necklace with an old fashioned picture of a pitty bull on it. The artist's name is Paige Burris, and she is a pitty advocate too. Her necklaces show through the old photos that pit bulls were once revered family pets, not ostracized outcasts. Fun was had by all, and I hope that we raised a lot of money.