It's been a hectic week -- with a wave of tragic news that started the week. But some other interesting stories that you may have missed during the week. Enjoy.
Cities/States and Laws
Brevard County, FL is looking at possible ways to prevent a man from owning dogs in the county in the future. The man has apparently been quite a nuessence -- with numerous finds and over $1000 worth of animal control fines in the past decade that remain unpaid. Officials say the man refuses to cooperate and art trying to prevent him from owning dogs. Officials there say it is a clear case of owner irresponsibility, involving multiple dogs over multiple years. This is exactly the type of thing that I think CAN help make communities safer.
Sioux City, IA is looking at extending the deadline for people to relicense there 'pit bulls' under the city's 'pit bull' ban. Only about 1/2 of the 'pit bulls' grandfathered in under their ban passed last year are licensed -- and they suspect that many don't know they need to relicense every year.
Hinds County, MS is looking at beefing up their dangerous dog laws following an incident where a young girl was killed in the county a few weeks ago. The county is looking at ways to prevent some of the tethering of dogs in bad conditions as well as increase fines for irresponsible ownership. The county wisely seems to be moving away from breed specific regulations because "you're always going to have another breed that comes up."
The Jackson, MS city council has been discussing possible breed bans following the same incident -- but it sounds like the majority of the council is not in favor of breed bans.
The city of Los Angeles is strapped for cash -- and is apparently going after unlicensed dogs in order to make up for the short fall. The city thinks it could make about $3.6 million if all of the dogs in the city were licensed.
The Toledo Area Humane Society is discussing the possibility of adopting out pit bulls to the community. For decades, the shelters in Toledo have killed all 'pit bulls' that come into the shelter but now, just months after Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon was forced out, it looks like they may be given the same second chance at life that other dog breeds get.
Worcester, MA is looking at potential restrictions on owners of 'pit bulls'
With a 4-3 vote, Elgin, IL passed the first reading of an ordinance that would ban 'pit bulls' from the city -- including restricting dogs that are just being transported through town. Apparently one of the city council members hasused information supplied by fringe animal rights group PETA as to why they favor the ban as opposed to listening to real animal welfare experst in the community. There is still time to educate these council members on PETA's end goal and stop them from moving forward with this ill-advised bill. No Pit Bull Bans has been doing a great and thorough job of covering the Elgin meetings.
Boaz, AL is still considering breed specific regulations -- but there is still time for those in the community to step up and try to educate the city council so they don't do it.
Veedersburg, IN is looking at updating their dangerous dog ordinance after a dog broke free from its chain and attacked a worker there.
Dog Bites & Attacks
A Pulaski County (MO) Sheriff's Deputy received medical treatment after being attacked by two Great Danes. The deputy had gone to the home to check on a woman who had made suicide threats earlier in the week.
A five year old Henderson, TX boy received minor injuries after a 'pit bull mix' broke it's chain and bit the boy while he was out playing. Chaining dogs often leads to the dogs getting frustrated and undersocialized which is why incidents like this are fairly common.
A five year old boy in the UK was attacked by a Rottweiler -- receiving pretty dramatic injuries. The UK has a nearly 20 year long ban on particular breeds of dogs....but there is always another dog breed that irresponsible owners can own that can still cause problems.
An 89 year old Gainsville, FL woman was attacked by a "Spaniel" that was known to have food aggression issues. The dog caused "substantial" damage according to the officials and was euthanized.
A Pittsburgh, PA area family pet was killed by a neighbor's bloodhound that wandered next door.
Abuse Cases
124 animals were rescued from a property near St. Clair, MO. The animals included 102 domestic rabbits, 3 dogs, 5 cats, one guinea pig, three goats, four hens, two roosters, two pigeons and two ducks. All of the animals were living in apparently really filthy conditions.
An Oakland, CA man was put in jail after being charged with two felony counts of animal abuse for beating his 'pit bull' with a crowbar and an ax.
Miscellanious
A good story about a Pooch Class that is taught to children to teach them how to read a dog's body language and how to interact with dogs. I've walked through the pooch puzzle class and think it is quite good and a good way to teach kids which can help prevent dog bites.
A good editorial from out of Philadelphia -- It's not the dogs, but the people behind them.
Blogs Worth Reading
Reno Leads the Pack -- Winograd had a good overview of the No Kill success in Reno, NV -- a city that faces one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, poor schools and was named the 2nd drunkest city in the country, Reno has still become no kill. It's a good read about how they were successful in doing so as a community.
In Colorado, aveterinarian was calling for a 10 year old Dachshund to be euthanized for being aggressive because the dog bit a vet technician in the chin. PetDocsOnCall has a good post on this case, as well as YesBiscuit! for the Veterinary Office Fail.
For the Pits has a great breakdown of the proposed Animal Abuse Registry -- comparing it to the Sex Offenders database. Based on her breakdown, the prospects for the Animal Abuse Registry working don't look good.
Buckets of Blood -- YesBiscuit! has additional information on a York County Dog Fighting Bust this week.
YesBiscuit! also has great breakdown of the new Memphis Animal Shelter Director Matthew Pepper. Pepper is taking over an awful situation in Memphis where the former director was fired after multiple cases of animal cruelty. Pepper's track record doesn't inspire a lot of hope.
Homeless People's Pets Aren't Homeless - a good view of what having a "home" means to a dog from Change.org
More History Making. This time from NACA - BAD RAP takes a look at a new policty by the National Animal Control Association that will provide more compassion for animal cruelty victims. NACA doesn't have the best history of putting a lot of weight behind its policies -- but it is a good first step.
Good coverage on the UK's failing breed Ban from NoPitBullBans.
As we close out the month of February, I feel that it is important to note that it is National Pet Dental Health Month.
Most estimates say that about 80% of pets over the age of three suffere from some sort of dental disease. Most animals appear to have normal mouths, but actually have problems that haven't become visible.
There are other bloggers out there that are a lot more knowledgable on the subject of Pet Dental Health than I do -- particularly over at PetdocsOnCall (who has a ton of good links on the subject) and Dr. Marty Becker over at the Pet Connection (they have a video).
Suffice it to say, dental health is becoming an increasingly important part of caring for our pets -- not only does it help their well-being, but it makes their breath better too.
I strongly encourage everyone to talk to their vet about it on their next trip. It could be an important part of your pet's health you have been missing. And with the increasing awareness of dental hygene as an important health, there are becoming a lot more new products that make it easier for pet owners to treat their pets with little effort.
A special thanks to toward the folks at Ark Naturals -- they were the first ones I'd heard about Dental Health month from and they sent me some Brushless toothpaste and Plaque-Zapper. My dogs loved the Brushless Toothpaste treats and the Plaque Zapper goes effortlessly in their food or water and they just gobble it up as they go. The dogs loved them and they sure helped their breath - and I've been doing quite a bit of reading on the topic since they did.
As with everything, consult with our veterinarian...but know that it's important to ask about your dog's teeth.
There was a great article this week over at Matadorchange.com about Pit Bull Bigotry and Public Perception. It's worth the read on its own, so go check it out.
I think the story really registered with me because the author's experience pretty closely mirrored my own.
Several years ago my wife and began discussing adding a dog to our family. We both agreed that we were going to adopt -- and that we wanted to adopt a dog that badly needed a home. My wife had been watching a lot of Animal Planet at the time, and had seen all of the adorable 'pit bulls' on the show and had decided that we should adopt one.
I can't remember what my first reaction was -- but I know it wasn't positive.
Keep in mind, I had never really met a dog that would be considered a 'pit bull' - or at least, not that I knew of. But I had an image of them that many have that was shaped solely based on their reputation and media hype. But I love my wife, so I agreed to do some research and meet a few dogs. And what I found was that the image I had in my mind was NOTHING like their real-life behavior. While all of the reliable sources I found online about the dogs said they were great dogs, I was still skeptical -- so we went to the local shelters to meet a few.
What I found were sweet, gentle dogs -- almost all of whom were completely unaware that their 45 lbs bodies were not really the right size to be 'lap dogs'. And they licked. A lot. Pretty much exactly what all of the respectable websites tell you.
And that is how I went from having a negative, stereotyped image of 'pit bulls', to being an advocate for them....just like the writer of the other story...and just like many others like me.
It is human nature to fear the unknown. We fear the dark, because we can't tell what's out there. We fear going into caves, because we can't see what's inside. We often fear taking a new job, moving to a new city, or going to new places because we fear what we don't know.
It's a natural reaction.
My experience is that most people who think they are afraid of 'pit bulls' have limited, or zero, experience being around these types of dogs. They may know what they've read in the newspaper, or heard from friends, but they really don't know much about the dogs. In fact, I've never met anyone with much experience with the actual dogs, that has a negative opinion of these types of dogs.
Knowing, breeds understanding -- and knowing eliminates fear.
And as more people are paying positive attention to these dogs, more people are having positive experiences with them....which is how stories like the Matador article get written. And articles like that, and experiences with dogs like mine, will change how people view these dogs....it's already happening. This is why more and more people oppose breed specific policies and why more people are supporting these dogs....exposing those who still live in fear as those who usually possess the least amount of experience with them.
If you are one of those people who has a fear of 'pit bulls' -- I strongly encourage you to go to your local shelter or rescue and ask to meet some of them. It will change everything you think you know about the dogs.
Photo Credit: My dogs at Christmas.
A five day old infant in Georgia was bitten by a family dog. The infant was in the baby's bassinet and the mother heard the baby crying. When she entered the room where the baby was, she found the family's dog on the bassinet -- the dog bit the young child -- who died later in the hospital.
The dog is being called a 'pit bull' type dog.
The article features some good information from Conyers K-9 Academy owner Danny Lowery:
“Any dog can be good with kids if you socialize it and train it the right way,” Lowery said. “He needs mental and physical stimulation every day, and you can’t set him aside when a baby comes or you’re going to have issues.
You got to work at it. You got to let the dog know he can’t develop jealousy issues over the baby,” Lowery said, explaining specific, necessary steps to go through in the training and acclimation process.
“Training is so important ... because the dog is going to be curious,” Lowery added. “It all goes back to socialization. You can do a lot even before the baby gets here.”
This was an entirely preventable, and tragic, incident. While these incidents are extremely rare (it happens only a handful of times each year) this incident, along with a simlar incident last week again shows the dramatic need for information that will help new parents integrate their newborn infant into their family when there is a dog present.
To that end, I plan to do a follow-up with Jennifer Shyrock at Dogs & Storks sometime in the next couple of weeks so I can provide more information on this. Owner education is too important not to spend time on this.
My heart goes out to the family after this tragedy.
This was a hot topic on the radio last week during our radio call-in program last week -- and so I thought I would post the MVMA's new position statement on the initiative. I"m going to post it in its entirety but you can read it here for yourself. The bolded items are done by me for emphasis.
Puppy Mill"
Initiative Ballot
Discussion Points
MVMA member veterinarians care very much about the welfare of dogs in breeding facilities in our state. We have devoted our lives to the treatment of animals and the prevention of suffering and pain.
The issue of the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act has come about because breeding facilities that are unlicensed are not being regulated or inspected.
Our state has good existing laws, but those laws need enforcement.
The ballot being proposed for this November would completely outlaw our state’s well-run and licensed facilities that have over fifty breeding dogs. This is unfair and misguided. These are operated properly under the guidance of extensive current regulations in order to provide families with pets to love and cherish.
Cases of neglect and bad conditions have come mainly from unlicensed breeders who are not overseen by state inspection.
Passing blanket initiatives without careful consideration of the facts and ignoring existing law is not in the best interest of the dogs we are trying to protect.
We don’t need more laws and more governmental limitations on those who follow the rules. We do, however, strongly denounce any animal neglect and cruelty.
The MVMA believes the answer lies in adequate funding for more inspections and better enforcement.
The MVMA's stance and mine seem pretty similar.
Meanwhile, the initiative is facing even more hurdles as the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners has filed a lawsuit challenging the ballot language. The lawsuit centers around the use of the term "puppy mill" which MoFed claims is an "intentional strategy" to gain support using a prejudicial term.
