Wallace (the Pitbull) - Book Review

I have recently finished reading Wallace by Jim Gorant, which is the story of Pitbull Wallace and his owner Roo Yori, as they champion flying disk and change perceptions in America.

The story follows Roo Yori as he and his wife, Clara, take on a pitbull from their local shelter, where they volunteer, who is acting out and has behavioural issues which threaten him with euthanization as it is feared he is unadoptable. Roo and Clara see through his problems to the great, intelligent and enthusiastic dog underneath, and fight nail and teeth for him. The results far surpass anything they could have hoped for.

The book is written by sports writer Jim Gorant, author of The Lost Dogs -the story of the pitbulls rescued from Michael Vick's dog fighting ring- and is a little sterile. Whilst giving great detail, it is detached from the characters and can feel more like a report than a story sometimes. However, it is written with a good pace, and if you're interested in pitbulls and their advocacy, it is a must-read. The story is steeped in information about pitbulls and their status in America, and the valuable contribution dog sports give to dog training, behaviour and handling. 

Wallace is currently suffering from ill health, but still continues as a massive beacon of hope for changing the views on pitbulls in America, for the good. 

He is a good dog. 

Wallace's website and facebook page. 

Lulu the therapy dog visits schools and teaches understanding

"Lulu is a therapy dog owned by teacher Tami D'Ericco. She brings Lulu into her classroom to teach her students about prejudices and discrimination."

65 Pitbulls and Beagles rescued from suspected dog fight operation

"On Thanksgiving evening, firefighters from Ashland City and Pleasant View Fire Departments in Ashland City, Tennessee, were responding to a brush fire when they discovered a large number of dogs chained outside on the property.

Firefighters called Cheatham County Animal Control, who arrived and found 65 dogs – mostly Pit Bulls and Beagles - at the residence. The dogs were all without food or fresh water, needing medical attention and appeared to have been part of a suspected dog fighting operation."

[...]

"In a press release put out by Animal Rescue Corps, they indicated the dogs were all underweight with sores covering their bodies and displaying signs of internal parasites. ARC president Scotlund Haisley said, "We believe this is the largest dog fighting rescue in Tennessee history. The conditions Animal Rescue Corps found on this property are the worst I have ever seen at a dog fighting operation in my 22 year career in animal protection." "

Read the full story here. 

Unusual request for Pit Bull rehoming

From Fox 23 News:

"The two pit bull-mix puppies found nailed to Albany railroad tracks will get their happy ending after all, but you have to put in some work before you can give it to them. 

Mohawk Hudson Humane Society is still offering a $7,000 reward for information leading to the abuser's arrest, but now that Pearl and Hudson have recovered, the shelter is asking anyone interested in adopting the dogs to write 300 words on why their home is best for them.

One dog is being fitted for a prosthesis on Monday, and that night, shelter volunteers will begin sifting through the entries."

"Yes, Pit Bulls suddenly snap"

Charming piece on Life With Dogs via stubbydog on clarifying why 5 things you hear about pit bulls are 'true'.... :)

Read it here.

Edmonton, Canada, eliminates BSL laws

EDMONTON (CANADA) - An amendment has been passed at City Council which eliminates the contentious Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) from Edmonton's Animal Control Bylaw. The BSL section outlined that certain dogs were labelled "restricted" solely based on their breed. 

Animal advocates like Bilinda Wagner of the Edmonton Humane Society have argued that the bylaw is not necessary."Every dog is an individual," she told Global News earlier this month. "It's not just an aggressive gene, it's not just a breed, it's not just a look of a dog. Every dog learns what people teach it."

Read more here.

Labrador in Ontario subject to new BSL laws

"When BSL was introduced in Ontario in August of 2005, I did not worry for my dogs. After all none of them were “pit bulls”, so we weren’t affected directly by this heinous legislation.

[...]

Niki and I were calmly walking along the beachfront when we heard “Why isn’t that “pit bull” muzzled?” I turned to find little Ms. Bluehair staring hard at Niki and pointing.

[...]

“My dog?” I asked innocently. “Ma’am my dog is not a “pit bull”, she is a husky/lab cross breed.”

“I know a “pit bull” when I see one young lady!” was the old lady’s reply. “I have already called the pound, and the SPCA is coming to get your dog. You people can’t be keeping these vicious beasts around innocent citizens! Your dog will be taken from you! Good thing too, no one has any business owning one of these dogs! I’ll fix you!” She waved her cell phone at me.

[...]

It was the muzzle that changed things. No one had ever been afraid of Niki before, they would see her smiley face headed for them, and a smile would break out on their face. She is just that kind of dog, she loves everyone, and up until she was forced to wear the muzzle everyone loved her."

Read the full story here.

City Rejects Breed Ban

"One day after the latest Pitbull attack and city officials are once again rejecting calls for restrictions on certain breeds of dogs.

Rudy, a Boxer/Bloodhound cross, is back at home recovering after he was mauled by a Pitbull that escaped from a Hawkwood yard on Wednesday.

Roger Cole, Rudy's owner, beat the Pitbull with a piece of wood, but the dog wouldn't back down.

Police had to taser the dog to subdue it and then handed it over to Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services." 

[...]

"Calgarians are mixed on banning the breed but many Pitbull owners say people over-react every time there is an incident like this."

Read full article and watch video here.

Stubbydog: Getting Hit by a Car to Avoid a Dog

"Scientists say that some [...] instinctive fears are natural and hard-wired. They come from hundreds of thousands of years of experience as a prey species, when we were being hunted by lions and leopards and needed to react quickly to the sight of a snake or spider right in front of us. But we’re not equipped to respond effectively to less visible threats. So Al Gore tells you about CO2 emissions, your adrenaline doesn’t start pumping the same way it did when Jessica Kohn caught sight of that dog coming toward her.

“I just saw him and reacted,” Kohn said. “If I’d stopped to think for a moment, I’d have at least looked to see if there was traffic on the road. But I saw the dog and I panicked.” 

[...]

Some dogs may be more likely to bite than others. But it has little or nothing to do with their breed.

[...]

So, how likely are you to actually be bitten by a pit bull? With about 64 million dogs currently in the United States, there are approximately 15 to 20 dog bite fatalities per year. In other words, the risk is vanishingly small.
“Dogs can be dangerous,” said Janis Bradley, author of “Dogs Bite, but Balloons and Slippers Are More Dangerous.” “And they’re more dangerous to children than to adults. Not as dangerous, of course, as kitchen utensils, drapery cords, five-gallon buckets, horses or cows. Not nearly as dangerous as playground equipment, swimming pools, skateboards or bikes. They’re not as remotely as dangerous as family, friends, guns or cars.” "

Read the full article here.

Impromptu Street Talk

BSL needs fixing. on the way back from the gym just now, i heard a DREADFUL noise, i thought it was a fox being strangled or something, turn round and see a guy with a pit bull walking towards me, the dog pulling proper hard on the choke chain heading into the road and the guy yanking her back, and she calmed down but it really shocked me. as she got closer i saw she had mummy nipples. poor girl. stupid man. 

then along a residential road i spotted a fox and it was just a few feet away from me so i stopped and watched it, and it was all small and thin and limping. a guy walking past looks to see where i'm looking and goes "He'll bite ya!!" so i explain that no probably not, unfortunately theres someone in government out to kill them just like he wants all staffies killed too so these stories are being driven by the media, like staffies. and they guy says " oh yeah well you know why that is, its cause they CROSS THEM (he reiterates a few times i knew he was talking pit bulls) to make em dangerous innit" and i take the chance to talk BSL with him, and it was really good he reconsidered what he had experienced, cause he knows dog fighters, and realised yes they were aggression training, and agreed its the owners not the dogs and doesn't think the dogs should die for it. 

anyway, Dennis and I had a great long talk about, well, society, the olympics, animal abuse, the government, occupy, everything. was really good. he's known animal abusers and he agrees its very wrong, and there should be greater consequences. he knew someone who had a pit bull who he would keep in the boot of his car when they went to play football, and he had a massive stereo system right above the boot and the dog would come out of the car all aggravated. then the guy would take the dog home, put it in his house and beat it to make it aggressive. one day the dog escaped, and his mates were just like "are you SURPRISED?" he thinks people like his mate shouldn't be able to get away with that or allowed more dogs. he understood totally about the BSL problem but hadn't considered the illegality of pit bulls making them popular, but agreed he knows people who have them for status. 

i happened to be wearing my cosmic pit bull t-shirt and he liked it, haha. nice guy. a mid-30s unemployed photographer forced to look for work in primark and at his interview he said it was a great long room absolutely filled with desks of people having 1 to 1 interviews. shocking. he didn't even get the job, he doesn't have much hope for the country but wants everyone to come together against the government. we went in a great long circle and yeah, he doesn't think the foxes should be culled, but hadn't heard of TNR, but thought it was a great idea. "Foxes are just like lil buddies" walking round eating our rubbish and we shouldn't be so messy cause it encourages them. i feel good after this talk.

Pet Portraits

I continue to offer pet portraits to raise money for various dog rescue charities, here are some of the recent beauties I had the pleasure of sketching

ANTI-BSL PROTEST VIDEO

https://vimeo.com/45989869

This is a video I made covering the Anti-Breed Specific Legislation Protest in London on the 14th July 2012

The video shows:

Coverage of the protesters

Snippets of interviews with:

Carol Bell, exempted 'pit bull type' guardian

Naill Lester, of New Hope Animal Rescue

Sarah Fisher, Dog behaviourist

Adele Smith, of Canine99 Dog Rescue

Sian Morton, of DDA Watch

Selected full interviews available, including one with pit bull inspired music creator Maria Danes

Topics Covered:

Process for exempting a banned breed

Breed Specific Legislation and why it does not work

The flaws in the legal process

Support available to victims

Alternatives to BSL

Many thanks to everyone who participated and came to the protest, and everyone who helps change perceptions of the UK system for dealing with 'dangerous dogs'.

Song: 'Cerberus Is As Cerberus Does' by Flipron

(Disclaimer: Please do not pick apart the lyrics of this song, for whilst I was inspired to think that Cerberus was probably a Pit Bull type of dog, this song is literally about the Gatekeeper Hound.)


There are full versions of some of the interviews featured available on that profile :)

https://vimeo.com/45989869

The Lennox Conclusion... The Bitter End

The case of Lennox has caused a stir across the globe. 

This morning Belfast City Council announced via their website that they had euthanised Lennox, deeming him to be "unpredictable". There is outcry. 

Some suspect he died a while ago, and they are covering their backs. 

Everyone knows that this is an unjust case and Belfast City Council are under huge scrutiny, even having a bomb threat via phone this morning and numerous threatening attacks.

They have not responded very well- alongside their silence, reports were released of the workers answering the phones making animals noises to callers- they must have been going bonkers in that office. 

Last night, protesters in Belfast held a candlelight vigil for Lennox outside of the Belfast Council Headquarters. Only a handful of people showed up, but with a mere hour's notice, I feel this is of significance. Their support was strong on the Facebook event page, and many many people tuned into the Council Headquarters live webcam, and posting photographs of their candles, lit for Lennox. 

Victoria Stilwell has commandeered a final attempt to get Lennox out of the country. She publicly offered him sanctuary in the USA, but was refused a meeting with BCC (Belfast City Council) over the final days of the appeal. On BBC Radio Ulster this morning, she went head to head live on air with a minister from the Council, and you can hear them talking over each other, Victoria's anguish showing through... as well as the minister's nervousness. 

This case has gone completely insane. It makes absolutely no sense, and people are mortified. He has touched hearts across the globe and people are up in arms, even declaring war on Belfast. 

Many many reports and articles have sprung up on the case, from local Irish Gazettes to CNN in America, and Channel 4 News asked on their Facebook page if Lennox should be spared, to an overwhelming response of thousands of people all agreeing, "yes." 

In a final insult to the long suffering Barnes family, Victoria Stilwell revealed on her Facebook page this evening;

"I am so disgusted and want everyone to know how low Belfast City Council have stooped. The Barnes family heard about the death of their beloved dog through me because I had been told by a source at BBC Radio Ulster. After what the council put the family through they didn't even have the decency to inform the family first before everyone else know. Someone involved in this mess needs to lose their job. If this is the way they represent their citizens then Belfast beware. Belfast City Council should hang their heads for the shameful and insensitive way they have handled this. Heartless doesn't even begin to describe the people surrounding this case. Appalling and I can assure you, this will NEVER be forgotten!"

There is a protest in London on Saturday to end Breed Specific Legislation once and for all. It is NOT WORKING. It is neither protecting the public from dog bites, innocent dogs from death, and families are losing their pets. SOMETHING MUST CHANGE.

I shall be at the protest, stay tuned for my photographic and video coverage of the event. 

Lennox, you will not have died in vain. 

<3 our dog is love <3 

Lennox trial update

For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Lennox, he is a crossbreed who was seized by Belfast council back in 2010, and has become a world example of the injustice surrounding the BSL legislation. 

The Facebook page for Lennox states this:

"Lennox is a loveable 7 year old family member. He's an American Bull dog Labrador cross that the family have owned since he was a little pup. As responsible dog owners that also foster for numerous Northern Ireland dog shelters his family had Lennox as a young pup Micro chipped, Neutered, DNA Registered, Pet Safe Registered, Insured and Licensed every year with the Council without fail. On Wednesday the 19th May 2010 he was taken from his family home by Belfast City Council as they believe he falls under the dangerous dogs act for Northern Ireland. The Council, without seeking any proper professional guidance declared Lennox to be a breed of "Pit Bull Type" and so they wish to kill him simply because he has the appearance of said breed. The Belfast City Council took Lennox from his loving family home using a wrongly addressed warrant and using copyright ADBA (American Dog Breeders Association) breed standards guide which the Council were never authorised to use, in doing so the Council broke international copyright laws and for doing so have been issued with a 'Cease & Desist' order from ADBA Inc. Lennox has never attacked anyone or anything yet the Council have removed him from his home where he lives his human family, his kennel mates and various foster dogs. Belfast City Council are pressuring Lennox's family to sign him over to them to be destroyed however we feel the need to fight his case, he cannot speak but we will be his voice! If this was a human we would declare this racism. We ask every kind hearted compassionate person for your support, don't let them murder him. This may be our dog today but it could be your best friend tomorrow! Please visit Lennox's main website for further ways in which you can help and for his full story. Thank you for your continued support." 

These photos were released showing his miscare whilst in kennels:

Source: Facebook Save Lennox page

This has caused outrage. I personally fear for his safety, and that this has caused the council to further their claim that Lennox should be destroyed, to cover their backs for animal cruelty charges. 


Recently, the family have had to admit defeat to the Council, and Lennox is to be euthanised next week, causing an uproar amongst Pitbull advocates and dog lovers across the globe. 

Recently, the family have had to admit defeat to the Council, and Lennox is to be euthanised next week, causing an uproar amongst Pitbull advocates and dog lovers across the globe. 

Despite following every correct path, and support from renowned dog trainers Victoria Stillwell and Cesar Milan, the courts have ruled for his destruction. 

The family recently released this message:

" We apologise for the silence as we know our many friends and supporters around the world have been desperate for news but until we had further talks with our legal team we had nothing new to share. We needed to explore all possible options before we issued another statement as we did not wish to give those that have campaigned so tirelessly any false hope or for anything to be taken out of context as has happened in the past. 

Whilst there may well be errors in the Judge’s ruling from a point of law this has little bearing on whether we can or should progress by taking the case to a higher court. The ruling is based on the Judge’s decision that he deems Lennox to be unsafe despite evidence given by those qualified to assess and understand dog behaviour that contradicts the testimony of the Prosecution that was presented in court. This has given us little room for manoeuvre. 

Our concern and priority has always been the welfare of our beloved boy. We have fought to have Len returned to our family from the moment he was seized but we have been advised that the legal fight is at an end. We are obviously distraught but have to consider the impact that any future lengthy legal battle would have on Len if we chose to go against the advice that we have been given. We cannot subject him to any more as there are no grounds for a further appeal and we do not wish to prolong his suffering any longer by engaging in a battle that we simply cannot win. 

We have attempted to write this statement many, many times but have struggled to put in writing that the fight to spare Lennox’s life may well be over. It has been almost impossible for us to accept that we have to admit defeat. We always believed that there was some hope and that justice would prevail. We were wrong. There have been many dark days for us since Len was taken and we want you all to know that it is your support and kindness that kept us going through the blackest times. 

This is all we can share with you at the moment and we are finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that there is nothing more that we can do from a legal point of view and that Lennox may well be killed. We have one last hope that Belfast City Council will allow Lennox to be rehomed in the USA. The offer is there but we have no say in whether this offer will be accepted. We have never refused to rehome Lennox. That decision was taken out of our hands from the moment Len took his final walk with us from our house to the Dog Wardens van. 

If the offer is turned down we will fight for our right to say goodbye. We cannot bear the thought that Lennox will die without being reminded of the hearts and hands that love him." 

Currently, Victoria Stilwell is in Ireland attempting to convince the council to allow Lennox to be homed in the USA. 

Next weekend, the 14th July, marks the National Anti-BSL rallies in the UK. I shall be attending the London one, and the focus will be on this injustice, and we all hope to draw attention to the serious misconduct this law enforces. 

A happy end to the tale of an ex fighting pitbull

"The Vicktory dogs at Best Friends, indeed all pit-bull-type dogs everywhere, have lost a true ambassador. Ellen, one of the most affectionate dogs a visitor could hope to meet, passed away peacefully last weekend. At 11 years old, she was one of the oldest of the Vicktory dogs (seized from the property of NFL quarterback Michael Vick).

“Ellen's health is failing,” explained Best Friends veterinarian Dr. Patti Patterson right before the decision was made to humanely euthanize Ellen. “Although we do not know the cause of her illness and deterioration, we have exhausted all diagnostic and treatment efforts that we feel could help Ellen.”

The caregivers and medical team fought long and hard for Ellen, but in the end her health wouldn’t turn around. Some unknown disease was causing weight loss and muscle loss, as well as preventing her stomach from emptying. Despite a barrage of tests, the medical team couldn't determine the source of the problems. Her quality of life was no longer at an acceptable level.

During her final two days, Ellen had a steady stream of visitors, all of them stopping over to say goodbye to this dog who was so easy to love."

[...]

"Admittedly, once they heard about Ellen’s background, many of the visitors were somewhat hesitant at first to meet her. After all, there are a lot of myths still floating around about fighting dogs and their personalities. Such reservations, however, only lasted seconds once she turned on the charm. “You could just see them change their perception,” Tom says. “She went a long way toward helping not only the Vick dogs that are here, but pit bulls in general. She helped to dispel the myths about them.”"

Read the full article on the Best Friends Society site here

And watch their tribute video:

Popular Dogs- The American Pit Bull Terrier

"[Buddy]’s an American Pit Bull Terrier. His patience, good humor and ability to just chill when parading around in a costume in front of other dogs doesn’t jive with the snarling, man-biting, dog-aggressive stereotype from which the breed suffers. But those who know and love this breed, like Bobbitt, know that a real live APBT can be an animal that differs radically from the breed’s not-so-sterling public image. Here are some surprising facts about what it’s really like to live with an APBT.

[...]

The APBT likes nothing better than to please his people. Janice Snyder, an APBT enthusiast from Fallon, Nevada, recalls with pride the day her dog earned a title in the canine sport of weight pulling. “At the end of the trial, the judge made a comment to all that she was so impressed by my dog’s willingness to please me,” Snyder says.

That willingness to please is no accident. Although the APBT’s forebears were bred to fight other animals, they also were bred to willingly go to extremes to please their human owners. Today, this eagerness makes the APBT surprisingly easy to train. “I have found that these dogs are very eager to please and are most happy when they are working their minds as well as their bodies,” Bobbitt says.

[...]

“The fact of the matter is that APBTs are animal aggressive,” she says. “Many terriers are this way. While each individual dog may not be animal aggressive, it’s important to remain cautious.”

Still, some owners find that their APBTs can deal appropriately with other dogs, and even pass tests that require them to be well-behaved around other canines. “I have titled dogs of this breed in conformation, obedience, agility and weight pull in addition to the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen test and the American Temperament Test Society’s temperament test,” Bobbitt says proudly. “I know some people who hunt or herd with their APBTs, although that is not common. Some participate in dock diving, drafting [carting], scent work and protection. Their willingness to work is their greatest asset with the right owner, and their biggest downfall [is when they’re in] the wrong hands.” "

Read the full article here .

Bahrain implements TNR for control of stray dogs

"DUBAI: In a move being praised by local animal rights advocates, the Bahrain government is looking to end the massive number of stray dogs on the country’s streets, but is to do so humanely.

The $795,000 birth control program hopes to eliminate stray dogs in the country within five years by spaying and neutering the animals, instead of killing them.

“I think this is a great move and something that should have been thought up long ago,” activist Yara Hussein told Bikyamasr.com, adding that “the continued killing of animals was another dark spot on the continued abuse of life in this country and glad to see it ending.”

[...]

“We are looking for the most humane way of dealing with these animals and neutering them without killing them is the best option,” said Hughes.

“Our teams will handle the dogs carefully and vaccinate them so they don’t infect other animals. After castrating them, we will return them to the wild with a clipped ear to identify them from other dogs. They will be able to eat and live normally without reproducing, which will mean that we will be able to see no trace of this problem. " "

Read more here.

" Jonny was one of 51 pit bulls seized in April 2007 from Bad Newz Kennels, the Smithfield, Va., dogfighting ring run by Michael Vick, then quarterback of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons. Although too young to have been a fighter, Jonny probably had his mettle tested a few times, and like most of the other Bad Newz dogs, he’d spent his entire life either locked up in a pen or chained to a rotating axle in the woods, with little or no positive interaction with people or other dogs. 

After the raid on Vick’s property, Jonny and the other dogs were deemed evidence and put into shelters to be held until the investigation was complete. Conditions varied, but even the best dogs can break down after a few months of confinement. With Vick’s dogs, this wasn’t much of a concern; it was assumed they all would be destroyed upon the delivery of a verdict.

[...]

But public outcry, as well as the defendant’s bulging bank account, moved U.S. District Court Judge Henry E. Hudson to issue an almost unprecedented order: that nearly $1 million be set aside to rescue and rehabilitate as many of the dogs as possible. The ASPCA was asked to assemble a team of animal-behavior experts to evaluate them. 

[...]

Cohen put Jonny on a firm program of walks, feedings, playtime, and relaxation, which helped relieve his insecurity and fear, emotions that can drive canine misbehavior. “A big part of it is building trust,” Zawistowski says, “teaching them that the world is not out to get them.” Within 10 days, Jonny embraced his routine and began to relax. 

[...]

So what conclusions can we draw from the fates of Vick’s pits? “We know so little about dogs like these because so few of them have been allowed to live,” Dr. McMillan says. “We’re learning a lot, but the work still doesn’t permit concrete conclusions. These dogs really represent the start of these kinds of studies.” "

Read the full article here.

Declaration of the No Kill Movement

"II. No Kill Resolution

Whereas, the right to live is every animal’s most basic and fundamental right;

Whereas, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals and other humane organizations were founded to establish standards for humane treatment of animals, to promote their rights, and to protect them from harm;

Whereas, traditional sheltering practices allow the mass killing of sheltered animals;

Whereas, every year shelters in the United States are killing millions of healthy and treatable animals who could be placed in homes, and are also killing millions of feral cats who do not belong in shelters;

Whereas, life always takes precedence over expediency;

Whereas, the No Kill movement in the United States has successfully implemented new and innovative programs that provide alternatives to mass killing;

Whereas, lifesaving change will come about only if No Kill programs are embraced and further developed;

Whereas, failure to implement No Kill programs constitutes a breach of the public’s trust in the sheltering community;

Now, therefore, be it resolved that No Kill policies and procedures are the only legitimate foundation for animal sheltering; and,

It is incumbent upon all shelters and animal groups to embrace the philosophy of No Kill, to immediately begin implementing programs and services that will end the mass killing of sheltered animals, and to reject the failed kill-oriented practices of the past."

Read the full article here. 

Lennox's Death Sentence

I am in shock and utterly saddened. 

"A Belfast woman has failed in a final attempt to spare the life of her pit bull terrier-type dog.

Northern Ireland's most senior judges rejected Caroline Barnes' legal bid to overturn an order for the destruction of her pet, Lennox.

The dog was seized by Belfast City Council dog wardens in May 2010. He was assessed to be a danger to the public and subsequently ordered to be put down

Two lower courts had already ruled that the dog should be put down.

Ms Barnes, 35, had accepted her pet was a pit bull type, but claimed there had been a failure to properly consider a possible exemption scheme.

Her legal team went before the Court of Appeal seeking to compel the County Court judge who confirmed the destruction order to state a case on points of law.

They argued that the animal had never bitten anyone and had behaved impeccably since being impounded. They said the dog has not been given the chance to show it could be safe.

The decision that Lennox should be put down came after amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act were extended to Northern Ireland in 2011.

However on Tuesday, the Appeal Court judges dismissed Ms Barnes' application.

"The judge had heard evidence on the issues relating to this dog over a protracted two-day hearing, carefully considered the evidence and the issues and he reached conclusions of fact which have not been vitiated by any error of law on his part," Lord Justice Girvan said."

BBC

For those unawares, here is a link to Victoria Stilwell's take on the issue, from a few months ago:

Positively

JUST ONE DAY

"Today is June 11. Just another day? Hardly. Eleven years ago, the animal sheltering movement changed forever: http://bit.ly/kinJqY. Today is the anniversary of the first No Kill community. And I wasn’t the only one who was there: http://exm.nr/LujQMl. In celebration, over 700 shelters and other organizations, including some of the largest animal control shelters have pledged to make this the safest day for animals in shelters this century by putting down their “euthanasia needles” and picking up cameras."

http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?p=9479

(from Facebook) "Some shelters are reporting they've run out of animals for adoption, others have lots of empty cages because they'd done more adoptions today than they normally do in a week, one animal control shelter reported mass crying by their staff as the animals went out the front door in the loving arms of new families in droves.

In just one community, 88 out of 100 dogs and 28 out of 30 cats were adopted by 11 am. In another, they stopped at 186 adoptions because they ran out. 

If you are one of those communities, don't close shop. It is still early. Call neighboring shelters, call local rescue groups, have them bring animals for adoption to your facility! Imagine being an animal control shelter and RESCUING animals FROM rescue groups!"

BSL- It's in the Mind not the Math

"The history of banning certain breeds of dogs in the USA started in 1989 in Denver Colorado. Since then it has spread to many cites, states, and smaller demographics such as tenant housing, and gated communities.

Over the past 25 years since BSL has had it’s chance to prove the merits of it’s effectiveness the national average of dog bites have held steady, the category of “banned breeds or types” has remained healthy and immersed in all areas of society, and deaths attributed to dog bites has also stayed roughly the same or in some cases risen due to perhaps the increase in the total dog population as well as the human population.

One thing BSL has not done is it has not solved the problem of dog bite related fatalities and it has not educated the public at all about responsible dog ownership and proper practices for training and maintaining dogs.

So why does Breed Specific Legislation stick around and keep being bandied about as a “solution”? Fear. It is “panic policy”."

Read the full article here.

This one is a good one. Go! :)

New ordinance in Arlington aims to keep owners from tethering animals

"Arlington's new anti-tethering ordinance, similar to rules in Fort Worth, Dallas and North Richland Hills, is one of several animal ordinance revisions approved by the council to better protect pets and the people who might come in contact with them, said Mike Bass, Code Compliance Services assistant director."

"Arlington's ordinance is stricter than state law, which allows owners to restrain their dogs unattended for up to three hours within a 24-hour period. State law also prohibits owners from leaving a restrained dog unattended outside between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., within 500 feet of a school or in extreme weather.

Arlington now prohibits owners from using a chain, rope, tether, leash, cable or any other device to restrain an unattended dog to a stationary object or trolley system unless the owner remains in physical control of the animal.

"Tethering is not good for an animal. Being social creatures ... they seek out their human companionship," Bass said. "Statistics related to dog attacks and human fatalities have revealed that dogs that are tethered constantly begin to show aggressive behaviors, neurotic behaviors. Because these aggression levels build up, attacks result." "

Read more here.

Delaware's leash loosening on Pit Bulls

"When Jamie Zelinsky brought home a pit bull more than two years ago, he also invited along the hefty amount of red tape that goes with owning the breed in Wilmington.

Under the city's law, Zelinsky had to register his dog, have her pass a temperament test and must keep her on a leash and muzzled while outside. She also had to be spayed to prevent her from breeding.

"It's a little ridiculous," he said Wednesday.

So Zelinsky, of course, said he was happy to hear that Mayor James M. Baker wants to eliminate the breed-specific restrictions that have been in place for nearly 12 years."

Read full article and watch video here.

Goodbye to Barky, Who Perhaps Never Knew She Was a Pit Bull

From Huffington Post;

"The people who'd found Barky in New York's Riverside Park told me she was a Staffordshire terrier. I'd grown up with golden retrievers in the Rhode Island suburbs; I did not have the Internet in my apartment. I brought home the wiggly 10-month-old orange dog with the huge ears.

The guys who kept up the all-night underground pharmaceutical market on my corner whistled when they saw Barky. "Nice pit bull," I kept hearing."

[...]

"As both a (former) lawyer and a person who has spent many nights sharing a pillow with a pit bull, I'm inclined to think the advocates are right. For one, even if there is such a thing as a pit bull, and even if they do bite more often than golden retrievers, they still don't bite often. The most alarmist, anti-pit bull statistics show that fewer than 30 people in the United States are killed every year by dogs (and no one is even suggesting that pit bulls are responsible for all of those 30 deaths, even). There are, meanwhile, almost 80 million dogs living in U.S. households."

Read the full article here. 

My Response to the Irresponsible Dog Ownership Consultation

Written to DEFRA:

My response to you is split following the separate proposals;

i. Extending the criminal offence of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control to private property (where the dog has a right to be);

ii. Compulsory microchipping of dogs;

iii. Removing the need to seize and kennel all dogs where court proceeding are pending; and

iv. Increase the fee for placing a dog on the Index of Exempted Dogs;

i. I think that extending the dangerous dogs law onto private property is a good idea where postal workers and similar are concerned. The issues of it being extended to cats that may stray onto property have come to my attention, I just hope that common sense will prevail. The straying cat had no obligation to approach the property. I think the law should extend up to the front/back door/building walls but not inside the building, apart from via letterboxes designed for the purpose- protective wire cages are easily available and inexpensive. This will halt people’s fear of burglars being exempt. A dog’s natural instinct is to defend it’s territory, and any dog could feel threatened by the approach of strangers.

ii. I do not think that microchipping should be compulsory. I really cannot see how this can curtail dangerous dogs in any way. I believe this is a general response.

It should be made common knowledge that microchipping is a good idea if you are worried about losing your dog, and be encouraged with national campaigns (the media attention this law has attracted so far has done a large part of this) but the dangers (e.g. migrating chips/cancers, faulty chips, etc) need to be known as well, and it should be the owner’s choice. It is an invasive action upon another animal and if a guardian does not want it for their dog, they should not be penalised for this view.

- If microchipping is relied on, and if it has migrated or is faulty, it might get overlooked, and dogs not given more effort to be reunited.

- Where is all the money going? In the UK there is roughly 10.5 million pet dogs nationwide, expected to be microchipping at £35 a time, and you have proposed a mere £50,000 towards education and services between THREE major charities- it seems quite tiny, particularly as education is the most effective means of dealing with the problem at source and for the longer term.

- How will it be policed? It is not possible to check visually that a dog has been microchipped. Before any new law is passed, every attempt should be made to keep the current laws enforced.

- As far as puppy farms are concerned, I believe these should be stopped altogether. This will help with the health and welfare of many dogs, and also make a large dent in halting overpopulation. This is something which needs to be considered when this law is brought in, as you know that lots more dogs will be dumped into rescues, which are already overfilled, on account of an unwillingness to obey the new law, or to escape fines.

Any single dog that suffers as a result of this law is a failure on its part.

- I am concerned that a black market of unmicrochipped dogs might arise alongside the already problematic black market for illegal breeds- this is a massive social issue which is being avoided by stamping new laws down. BSL was created in this tone- I fear microchipping may go the same way.

iii. It is documented that the stressful conditions dogs of ‘type’ are put under once seized and held during the court process, are incredibly detrimental to their welfare and natural disposition. I am happy to hear that they are able to remain at home- which I believe is thanks to the case of Snoop in Surrey, who was returned home emaciated and with an injury. It is a real shame that this poor dog had to suffer to such an extent to get this particular fault in the system noticed. I hear of stories of dogs suffering under the laws already in place every day, for instance Lennox in Belfast; or more recently a dog called William who arrived as a stray into a shelter, and was blatantly not “type”, but was killed regardless, because somebody had deemed him so, before a rescue could raise funds to hire an expert’s opinion.

iv. I think the BSL law should be withdrawn. It is the general belief amongst experts that it is ‘deed not breed’, and down to the owner, and if the number of dogs bites has risen since 1991, it is blatantly not working as far as curtailing dangerous dogs is concerned. Something else needs to be tried. Keeping these dogs illegal keeps them on the black market and keeps them desirable to the ’wrong’ people. I am very happy that making Staffies illegal was halted. Where would you stop? Victoria Stilwell documented that the biggest biter in the USA, where Pit Bulls are largely legal, is the Golden Retriever. The issue of ‘status dogs’ needs to be investigated, and is, I believe, an important factor in the rising number of dog attacks.

I do have an idea that may help this situation. Many experts agree that the dogs do not want to be aggressive, that they are pleasing their owner. Training a dog to become aggressive, and encouraging this state of mind in the animal should be classed under animal cruelty, with the related penalties for this. And this goes for any type of dog. This will also help with the irresponsible dog ownership concerning toy dogs that get greatly abused and turned aggressive as a result, but nothing is done because they are small and aren’t going to do much harm. Lift the BSL ban, so that no more dogs of ‘type’ need be denied the loving home they deserve- instead dying for how they look- and extend animal cruelty to cover aggressive dogs. There are some wonderful people out there who do great work with aggressive dogs, rehabilitating them. These people should be allowed exemption with a free-to-obtain certificate, granted by specialist rescues, acknowledging that they can do the job at hand, alongside experts being called in to rehabilitate the dogs seized under the new dog aggression/animal cruelty law. There are centres in the UK who currently deal with problem dogs, successfully. They may never reach another ‘forever home’, and remain at a sanctuary, but they certainly do not deserve to die for what their humans have done to them. As far as the nature of the Pit Bull goes- you only need to look at all the positive ‘Pibble’ groups in America to understand that they have been grossly misjudged.

To summarise:

- extension of dangerous dogs laws up to the building but not inside (except letterboxes);

- microchipping should be up to the guardian, and everyone involved be fully educated, and profits raised from this system please be put back into education and dog welfare, and other ways of addressing status dogs be found;

- whilst BSL is still in place, allow the dogs to stay in their home environment during the decision making process;

- eliminate BSL laws completely, removing illegal dog breed trade, improving the welfare of these animals involved, and increase the animal cruelty charges to include dogs trained to a state of extreme human/dog aggression, and offer exemption to those working in rehabilitation.

Thankyou very much for taking the time to read my consultation reply.