Canis familiaris

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d8117f603&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true

Well, it has finally happened. That which I didn't want to see happen, but knew would. Michael Vick has earned reinstatement to the National Football League. Yes, they are saying on a "conditional" basis, but the fact still remains that he could be back on the football field playing in games as soon as week 1 in September, or by October if he requires the full 6 weeks to prove himself fully to the commissioner. He just needs to find a team that will take him.

While several teams have already come forward and said that the will most certainly not take him, I'm sure there is one desperate enough to do so. I mean, look, The Buffalo Bills took Terrell Owens.

Mr. Vick has aligned himself with what the general public would see as being the "right" places to prove he is now a remorseful animal lover - the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The problem? The HSUS and PETA are both animal killers in their own right. 

The HSUS pushed for the dogs pulled from Vick's operation "Bad Newz Kennels" to be killed. Many of those dogs were saved and several of them are now in homes, living life as a dog should. The HSUS believed every one of the Vick pit bulls deserved to die with no chance at proving otherwise. Thankfully, the good people of Bad Rap, a California-based pit bull organization and rescue, as well as the people of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, stepped forward and - with the help of many other people - saved many of those poor dogs' lives.

The HSUS has a track record of being anti-pit bull - supporting the killing of all dogs pulled from dog fighting rings, supporting breed specific legislation (BSL) and other such anti-pit  bull activities.

PETA does as well. Although PETA loosened its alignment with Vick after it learned that he put family pets into the ring to be savaged by his dogs, initially PETA stepped forward as a huge supporter of Vick's rehabilitation. PETA's founder, Ingrid Newkirk, has been very vocally anti-pit bull since the beginning. She supports the destruction of them all, supports removing them from our society all together. She says it would be in the best intrest of the breed, but is fueled by her own personal agenda stemming from a previous incident.

While Mr. Vick has served his time, he has not proven his remorse for his actions in my eyes. I believe he should be allowed to work, it is his right as a free man, but I do not agree that he deserves a second chance in the NFL. No man who knowingly took the lives of innocent creatures dependent upon him for love and care deserves to be back in the spotlight this quickly after his release from confinement.

He has not proven to me that he is truly and deeply sorry and although he has convinced many prominent figures in the NFL of that, I remain uncertain.

The Fila Brasileiro is a Brazilian molosser breed of legendary strength, protective instinct and loyalty. It is sometimes also called the Brazilian Mastiff.

The Fila is a large, imposing dog that was developed in the 1800's through crosses between mastiff and bulldog breeds and early bloodhounds. The resulting breed was a superior guardian breed that could also be used for tracking and hunting, often being used to hunt jaguars. The breed is famous for its temperament, which is legendary in Brazil where a common saying is "faithful as a Fila." The Fila Brasileiro would without hesitation do anything and everything for its family. For that reason, the breed makes a gentle and stable family companion and guardian. However, the breed has a strong dislike for strangers - this protective instinct is extremely prominent in the Fila breed. Although it has been lost over the years in other breeds developed for guarding, it remains very much a part of the Fila Brasileiro. This is known as the Fila's "ojeriza." 

This portion of the temperament is such a staple in the Fila breed that a dog may not attain a championship confirmation title without passing a temperament test as well, which demonstrates the dog's willingness and ability to protect his master, his dislike for strangers, the stability of the temperament when faced with new things and the dog's self confidence. A dog that is shy or overly aggressive so as to be aggressive towards his master is disqualified.

The Fila is a big breed, with males weighing a minimum of 100 and females a minimum of 90 pounds. They have short coats, a muscular body structure and often a lot a loose skin like that of a bloodhound. The breed can come in a variety of solid colors, as well as brindle colorations. The only disqualifying colors are, according to the standard, white, mouse grey, patched, dappled and black and tan. Appearance of the breed may vary according to region - in the northern Americas the more mastiff-like appearance of a broader head, shorter ears and thicker body is favored, while the South Americans prefer a dog that looks more like a bloodhound.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BREED: A strong protective instinct is both a vice and a virtue. I prefer the guardian breeds to all others. This dog is impressive to look at and means business when it comes to making sure its family is safe. The Fila is the ultimate family guardian, and an excellent companion very in tune with its master's emotions and anxiety. This breed is an easy keeper as far as grooming, and rare enough to be without a plethora of health problems, although it does suffer from the same afflictions many other large breeds do, such as hip dysplasia, elbow problems etc.

WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS BREED: Again, the vice and virtue of the protective nature. This is a breed that is not for the family that wants to take their dog out and about, or that has a lot of guests. That could make it hard to own and is a potential liability at all times.
 
For more information on the Fila Brasileiro, visit the Molosser World breed page, http://www.moloss.com/001/breed/def/f001/

The Beauceron (pronounced Bo-Sir-On).

The largest of the French shepherding breeds, the Beauceron is often mistaken for a Doberman cross, perhaps with German Shepherd, but is in fact a purely French breed dating back to at least the 1500's, when the first specific description of a dog like the Beauceron was made in a French manuscript.

The Beauceron is a jack of all trades. It was a sheep and cattle herder, home guardian and personal protector and it excelled in all of these tasks. A large, imposing breed, the Beauceron is larger than the Doberman Pinscher and some German Shepherds, weighing between 70-110 lbs and standing between 24 and 27 inches in height. The Beauceron is built in harmony with itself, and is powerful and muscular without looking overly heavy or stocky. One unusual trait of this breed is its double rear dewclaws. This breed is most commonly seen in its black and tan coloration, which is much like that of a Doberman, but also comes in a striking harlequin coloration that features a pale grey base coat with mottled black or blue colored markings and tan points.

Like the Doberman, the Beauceron is commonly cropped at a young age so that the ears stand erect, but the crop is shorter and more handsome that the common long show crop now seen on Dobermans. Beaucerons are, however, left with their natural tail, which is similar to that of a German Shepherd.

The Beauceron is not well-known outside of its native France but is gaining a foothold in the United States and Canada as a versitile worker. This breed excels in dog sports such as schutzhund, tracking, agility, herding and even mushing, truly proving itself as a do-it-all dog. The breed is not for the timid or novice dog owner and is energetic, strong-minded and easily bored. The Beauceron makes a loyal and loving family pet but must be given outlets for both its mental and physical energy lest it become bored and destructive. Male Beaucerons are especially known for their boundless energy until they reach maturity between 2-3 years of age.

What I like about the Beauceron - This breed is rare enough to still be healthy. Although prone to the health problems that face any larger dog (dysplasia, bloat), they are not immensely sickly like my preferred breed, the Doberman Pinscher, nor are they plagued by the temperament issues that face another of my favorite breeds, the German Shepherd. This breed has some coat, so it is not as bothered by the cold as a Doberman or pit bull, but does not have as much coat as the German Shepherd, which is a definite plus. This dog breed can do it all - guard your home, play with your children, go for a hike or a swim or compete in agility.

What I don't like about the Beauceron - This is still very much a working breed. That means energy and lots of it. Even experienced Doberman and German Shepherd people have commented on the Beauceron's drive, drive, drive. This is a breed that will go all day long if it is able to. I like an energetic dog but I'm not sure I have that much energy.

For more information on the Beauceron visit the American Beauceron Club's website at www.beauce.org.

FOR THE RECORD just because my chinchillas are for sale does not mean I just give them to any Tom, Dick or Harry who has the money for them.

IF you aren't going to send me emails longer than one sentence in length and tell me anything more intimate about yourself than your phone number (like, I don't know, your name?) I'm going to ask you for more information.

IT IS YOUR DECISION as to whether or not you are going to fill out my application.

BUT if you choose not to, don't waste my time and make stupid accusations because you feel like I'm asking too much in wanting to know what kind of home I am potentially sending one of the babies I have put my heart and soul into raising into.

IF you just want to walk into a place, hand them the money for the chinchilla and get it, GO TO A PET STORE.

Humble Acres isn't one.

Post an EntryThe title of this post comes from a thread I read on a forum online, in which one member said something to the effect of "If you don't clean up the shit on your doorstep, you're going to keep stepping in it." 

I liked this quote, in the context that it was in.

Animal rescue is a rough business. It can be emotionally and physically trying, it comes with a boatload of drama and until you found a rescue of your very own you're never going to like every single call the rescue you're working with makes. It's just a fact of life.

Yet, when a multitude of the rescue's volunteers, some of them very long-standing, express the same concerns over and over - don't you think it is time to "clean up the shit?" Instead of getting your hackles up and defending positions that so many people express dislike for, why not consider making a change?

Some rescues try to do too much. Unrealistically, the members of the rescue try to save them all, when there is no possible way to do so. In attempting this impossible feat, they become overburdened and unappreciated and often become defensive. Dogs spend time locked in crates or crated and rotated, managing escape for only a few precious minutes out of the day. How is this better than being locked in a kennel at a shelter or even more, humanely euth'd? 

I believe in dog rescue, with every piece of my being. But I also understand that the reality is that some dogs aren't savable. If a rescue is to truly do the work the right way, they need to realize this. They need to commit to a lesser number of highly adoptable dogs who are good representatives of the breeds that they are and they need to find the best possible homes.

It isn't about the number saved, it's about the number of successful placements that occur.

You can't save them all, but you can do what you can.

Last night, as with many rainy nights, I saw a toad on my parents' back step while visiting.
This was a rather large toad, hard to miss, and a shoo'ed him out of the way before one of my two evil terrier dogs, or my dad's big stupid lab, could find and eat him. I wouldn't have been shocked if my dad's dog had found and swallowed the poor thing whole, really. Odin is a BIG dog.

However, the toad brought back memories of my childhood. I used to love catching toads after a good rain shower. I was one of those kids, I caught anything and everything - toads, worms, baby birds, even snakes once in a while (although my grandfather always promptly disposed of those). My love for animals is nothing new, it has been a constant presence throughout my life, there without me thinking about it, as normal as breathing. I must say, my husband is very accepting of this - he has accepted two dogs, two cats and a whole multitude of chinchillas without flinching (too much).

Animals were the original plan - college, vet school, settle down somewhere where I could be an equine vet. Perhaps that would still be the plan, if journalism hadn't stalked me down and stolen my soul.

Sure, I loved words from a young age. At 2, I could recite the alphabet flawlessly, and at 4, I was reading my brother's books (he's three years my senior). But I didn't pursue journalism - it found me. In 8th grade, it grabbed me, not quite consuming my life until I was a senior in high school, the editor of the paper, still dragging along the veterinarian trail but only half-heartedly.

Where would I be if journalism hadn't found me? Still at the University of Rochester, getting ready to apply to Cornell? I guess it doesn't matter, but one can wonder.

I still have my animals. Humble Acres Chinchillas is doing far better than I could have hoped for, becoming known already in the outside chinchilla world, and my work at the SPCA is still as envigorating as it always has been.

It just amazes me what sorts of thoughts seeing a toad on a stormy summer night can bring.

It's May 2009.

I haven't blogged in months, because I just haven't felt the passion.
I haven't been involved in rescue as much as I want to be, because my chinchillas and buying our house have dominated my life.
We can't foster right now, because my husband's 98-year old great grandmother lives with us, and that just wouldn't be a good mix.
I finally have time to get to the SPCA, but haven't gotten there yet.

It does not mean I have given up on rescue, on the pit bull terrier, on saving and changing the lives of dogs.

It just means that my own life, the lives of my own animals, have gotten in the way.

To those who rescue day in and day out, I commend you.

When someone gets involved in rescue, they do so to help animals in need. Each specie and breed faces its own unique challenges.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is my rescue breed of choice, as may be evident in this blog. Much maligned and misunderstood, the APBT has garnered more hate and media hype than any other dog breed since the 1980's. Much of this stems from their fighting past, which the general public fails to understand and routinely condemns them for.

This scarred past and mutilated present is what brings me to pit bull rescue. The unique challenges faced by rescuers of the American Pit Bull Terrier draws me to the cause, rather than pushes me away. Abuse can happen to any breed but often times it is only the pit bull that comes from a fighting past. The horrid wounds found on fighting dogs and bait dogs alike may cause some to recoil in revulsion but only make me want to hold the dog close and assure them that they have finally found some love.

Yet what is a pit bull rescue doing if they do not help these dogs who are truly in need? Cute puppies and sorrow-faced mothers might attract adopters more quickly but is not a part of being in pit bull rescue helping those pit bulls who are used in the gruesome sport of dogfighting? Adult dogs rescued from cold basements or neglectful owners may be harder to place but aren't they the ones that are most at risk in a normal shelter environment? When a pit bull rescue refuses to take in true pit bulls in need, what kind of message is that sending?

This isn't just about cute little puppies and we aren't rescuing Golden Retrievers. Pit bull rescue should be about pulling ex-fighters and neglected dogs off of death row, not negotiating with back yard breeders to purchase their litter on CraigsList.

I think it is time for rescues to get their priorities straight. No sensible person enters pit bull rescue completely ignorant to the breed's past and the breed's current stigma. Shouldn't those things be what we're trying to fight?

(Don't litter. Spay and neuter.) 

I logged on to the rescue forum and was greeted with this dog, Moe. His tale is a sad one: 

Moe A794341 – 2 yr. male Pit. 26 pounds.

A VOLUNTEER WROTE: On 12/31/08, four dogs Including Moe, were found in a basement. All had dog bites, and may have been used as so-called "bait" dogs. Moe is a sweetheart, just like the three other dogs who came in with him. He is the smallest of the four (he weighed only 26 pounds when he arrived), has fewer scars than the others, and while slightly tense, is a lovely boy. He adores being in your arms. He's pretty good walking on a leash, appears to be housetrained, and as our behaviorist confirmed, is good with other dogs. He's only two years old.

Behavior: Mild
Stare A:Eyes averted with wagging tail and ears back
Sensitivity A:Stands still,accepts touch,eyes averted with low wagging tail
Tag B:Fearful and unresponsive ,but approaches the handler with soft relaxed body after play
Pinch A:Gently pulls paw away
Pinch 2 A:Gently pulls paw away
Food :No interest/inconclusive
Rawhide:No interest/inconclusive
Toy :No interest/inconclusive
Dog to dog A:Approaches the helper dog appropriately



Once again I am faced with the horrible feeling of uselessness as I am once again in no position to foster. We are moving, and have heard that we might be asked to take in the dog of an acquaintance and as much as my heart aches to help Moe, I can't.

What has Moe done in his two years of life to deserve what he has received at the hands of man? Being born a pit bull is not such a crime that the only future a pit bull should expect is to be fought or baited or killed at the hands of BSL, is it? Banned in Denver Colorado, Ontario Canada, Ohio and many other locations, the American Pit Bull Terrier was once the most beloved of dog breeds in the United States. Petey from "Our Gang/The Little Rascals?" He was a pit bull. Sergeant Stubby from WWII? Also a pit bull. At that point in time, the breed was adored. Now, it is befouled by those who use these dogs simply because the breed's loyal personality will make them do whatever is asked of them as long as their human is asking.

So many pit bulls like Moe don't deserve the hand they have been dealt. So many don't get a second chance when pulled from a fighting ring or brought through cold shelter doors, most of the time this means immediate euthanasia  of an innocent animal simply because of their breed, their previous owner or their breed's history.

Man's crime against the American Pit Bull Terrier is not making them aggressive. This breed is inherently sweet and docile with people. It is not even making them aggressive with other dogs, a trait common in many terrier breeds. It is making a dog breed so unconditionally devoted to their person that they will do anything and everything asked of them, at the cost of their own lives, at the cost of the lives of thousands of other dogs of the same breed, just for a pat on the head and then making that dog seem like a monster through stupid human actions.

Moe, if there is any way I can help you, I will find it.

The great Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi once said "I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and nonviolence are as old as the hills," a quote which I myself chose as my senior quote upon my graduation from high school.

Of every historical figure I have ever learned about, of all of the ones that fascinate me beyond comprehension (and there are several), Mohandas K. Gandhi has fascinated me the most. As I said in my application essay to the University of Rochester, it seemed as if Gandhi himself reached through time and spoke to me as I sat in my 10th grade Global Studies class and listened to my teacher talk. It took that simple 40-minute class period to change my heart and turn it from its previous tenancies towards violence and bullying.

Yet Gandhi's quote says that he had nothing new to teach the world, that truth and nonviolence were as old as the very hills themselves. I feel as if every generation needs a Gandhi, because truth and nonviolence are so often overlooked in mankind's rush for weapons and brute force to solve every little conflict that teaching is exactly what is needed.

Someone I know said to me today that "From now to the end, violence will over -rule the world.i cant stop it, no one can." That thought threatened to throw me into deep despair. The comment came from a discussion about the current argument between Native Americans and NY State Governor David Paterson where more than one individual expressed their support for the blowing up of the NY State thruway as a means to solving this issue. It made me step back and wonder why we as a society, perhaps we as a world, feel the need to turn to and condone violence each time we are faced with a disagreement. What is it that drives this desire to hurt and kill in order to get our own way? What perverse allele in the human genome has caused this trend throughout history? Can it be stopped, or at the very least, controlled? 

Gandhi believed, as Sissela Bok says in the foreword to Gandhi's autobiography, "that personal change and the ability to bring about social change are linked." If this is the truth - if we as individuals can change ourselves enough to change society - then what is the first step to bringing about change in the individual? How can we bring about enough change that truth and nonviolence no longer need to be taught, that they are just a part of life?

Again today I browsed the Buffalo Craigslist halfheartedly, knowing I would once again find massive amounts of ridiculous posts from ridiculous people with no good reason for giving up their aging pet or who unsuccessfully try to hide the fact that they bred the litter of *insert name of baby animal here* that they are trying to sell.

I look because you can sometimes find a good deal on a used cage, and also because I fear one of the babies I have sold in the past ending up on there waiting for someone to take them home for $50.

Day after day I see increasing numbers of ads for chinchillas - adults, babies, both - and the posts make it startlingly clear to my chinchilla-laden mind that the owners of these poor animals are both ignorant and uncaring. While breeder posts for dogs and cats are quickly flagged down as being "prohibited" by CL rules, I have seen ads from breeders that I absolutely know are breeders (they have contacted me wanting to buy one of my babies for their program!) selling their babies to the highest bidder with no penalty (that is, until I started flagging).

I have been working with chinchillas for six years now. It is hard to believe it has been so long. I started seriously breeding two years ago, focusing on whites and standards and buying quality stock from quality breeders, spending copious amounts of money on them, as well as proper caging, proper feed, proper dust etc. Last year I had 14 babies born, only one of which did not survive. One of them has gone on to the home of a breeder friend who is growing her out for her own program. Two were sold as pets and are happily settled in with their new families. Two will remain here as beloved pets. Four are being grown out for my breeding program. The rest are still waiting for their new homes to come along and I sometimes wonder if that new home will ever come along.

You see, it is far easier to buy a $100 throw away chinchilla off of CL or from a pet store than to undergo my screening process and pay at most $250 for a pedigreed, guaranteed chinchilla from healthy stock that has been loved and handled from birth and is therefore much more tame and patient with people than pet store or "byb" chinchillas.

It is easier for those sad "breeders" to sell to the first person with the money on CL than it is to advertise only through certain limited venues, to properly screen potential purchasers and to say "no" to those who just don't fit the bill.

Three beautiful girls, a standard and two violets, have been waiting since the fall for their new families to come along. Interested parties have emailed once or twice and then stopped emailing. The girls have continued to grow and have lost much of their "baby" appeal. They are lovely chinchillas, and if they are still here come February I will ready them for show in April because I am a serious enough breeder to participate in Mutation Chinchilla Breeder's Association sanctioned shows and I know that perhaps an interested party may buy them there. I love these girls and I will provide them with a safe and happy home until their forever homes come along, even if that takes the rest of their lives. I know that if I had posted them on Craigslist they would likely be gone by now, but that doesn't matter to me.

I do it for the love of the chinchillas. For the joy they bring me each and every day, for the good feeling it brings when I send a beloved kit off to their new family who are overjoyed to see him or her.

I'll just keep flagging and messaging the people on Craigslist and hope that the popularity of chinchillas as pets doesn't destroy them like popularity has destroyed many dog breeds.

No creature appreciates walking down a street on a cold November night surrounded by throngs of people reaching out to touch it and pet it more than a shelter pit bull. A shelter pit bull such as amazing Ethel, a dark brindle female who reveled in the adoring crowd and her short-lived freedom.

Ethel was found running at large in Rushford, NY and was brought to the SPCA where she is now up for adoption. Ethel is a typical example of a pit bull dog - she loves people with a passion and melts at their touch. She wants to give kisses and go for car rides (she is a joy in the car) and go for walks. She doesn't appear to have much in the way of dog aggression and seemed disinterested in the cats - the perfect pet to be sure, all Ethel wants is love.

Ethel isn't a large dog, about knee-height, but she is stronger than she looks. She might have had puppies at one time, as she has large nipples, but she appears to be young and eager-to-please. She gets chilled in the winter air but it doesn't dampen her zeal for life outside of her kennel and her desire to land a slobber-filled kiss on the face of unknowing passer-by.

Unfortunately, Ethel is a  dark brindle dog. Dark brindle pit bulls are harder to adopt out than their light-colored counterparts. The SPCA has several of them available now (Jackson, Jabber, Ethel, Allie, Lucy, to name a few). They are no less worthy, just less desired, like a mutt or a large, dark colored dog.

A love like Ethel's is a love that no other animal can give, the unconditional love a dog. She is just looking for that special person to share it with.

UPDATE: The dog stolen from the SPCA on the night of Monday November 17, 2008 has been located. Thank you all for your kind thoughts and help.

Between Monday 11/17 and Tuesday 11/18, a beautiful white female pit bull with brown markings on her back was stolen from the SPCA in Cattaraugus County. Chopper is a medium-sized dog and is extremely friendly. She recently weaned a litter of puppies, so her nipples are elongated.

Chopper was taken from a cruelty case and it is believed that Chopper was stolen by the people she was taken from.

Chopper is an amazing dog. I am very partial to her, and very much wish I could adopt her. The SPCA is offering a reward leading to the return of Chopper safely to the shelter, and I am personally interested in seeing her back in safe hands as well.

Here is a link to Chopper's PetFinder page: 
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12403676

If you have any information at all, please contact the SPCA in Cattaraugus County.

Sometimes the face of a dog posted on a rescue board is overwhelming. The power the simplest thing such as a photograph can have on the human mind is incredible. Such is the case of Camelia (or Cameila as she is listed on PetFinder).

Camelia is a pit bull/shepherd mix who has been at the Lycoming County shelter in Williamsport, PA since October 1. Her temperament test results were exceptional and her only flaw is that she is too energetic to live safely with young children, running the risk of knocking them over when she becomes excited. Camelia is beautiful, as her pictures show and stole my heart the instant I laid eyes on her three days ago.

If it weren't for Lizz, I would bring Camelia here to live with me. My fiancé and I both have a soft spot for shepherd/pit mixes and Camelia is a wonderful representation of one. Alas, Lizz is other-female aggressive and I can't take the chance on bringing a strange female into the mix. Yet, my heart couldn't just let me give up hope for Camelia and I desperately wracked my brain for ways to help her - Lycoming county is running out of room and more adoptable purebred pit bulls could occupy the space Camelia is occupying. Camelia's time is limited.

I contacted the director of the SPCA which I volunteer for with little hope because I wasn't sure it was the correct email address, and returned several times to look at her picture. Goodness, she is beautiful.

Then, a miracle.

My best friend said she would ask her mother if they would take her in. It felt like a long shot, but they had lost their shepherd mix a year ago and her mom is a sucker for a sad tale. Any hope was enough to set my heart to flight. I contacted the woman who had originally contacted me about Camelia, who agreed to drive her all the way from Williamsport to me if my friend's family agreed to take her. Thankfully, mom is interested and dad will likely follow. If we can arrange adoption and payment, then transport, Camelia will be on her way to her happy ending. 

But what about the thousands of other beautiful pit mixes, or mixes of any type still sitting in shelters, waiting for their happy ending? It breaks my heart to know that just because she is a mixed breed, Camelia was deemed less adoptable and therefore more likely to end up euthanized than the other dogs in the shelter. I love all dogs, regardless of breed status or mix. My heart aches to spread their stories and find them loving potential homes. Unfortunately, the problem is far too vast for one person to repair alone.

...I would like to post in this entry my three (yes, only three) entries from my Blogspot blog, Canis familiaris, in order to give potential readers a feel for the reason(s) I blog and my writing style: 

"Friday, September 26, 2008

For the Tricolor boy in NYC...

Many times in the past 24 hours I have opened and gazed upon the photo of a tricolor pit bull mix puppy sitting in the NYCACC.

He reminds me strikingly of a Doberman, with his black and rust markings and his soulful eyes. He is wearing a red harness, which stands out against his ebony fur - he is afflicted with demodicosis - a form of mange.

He sits in a small cage, gazing out from behind the bars with a most plaintiff expression and my heart breaks for him each time I see the picture; I want to have him pulled and sent the 5+ hours here to me for foster, to see him healthy, trained and loved; in the end to see him in a forever home.

Ultimately, however, my fiancé decides he isn't ready for a new foster. Tricolor boy still sits in the NYCACC cage, alone and scared.

When I stop and think that my decision to foster or not foster may mean the difference between finding a loving home and living a long healthy life or euthanasia, tears come to my eyes.

This pet overpopulation problem is man-made. There is no shortage of dogs and cats, even other species, who are in need of a home to call their own. Responsible breeding is not the issue. Irresponsible breeding - for the sake of making money or having the biggest, baddest dog on the block, or even just to let the kids see the miracle of life - that is the issue.

Currently Petfinder.com lists 303,454 adoptable pets from around the United States. All of these animals were the result of irresponsible ownership and breeding. A responsible breeder would be embarrassed to find one of their offspring listed. A backyard breeder doesn't even recognize them as one of their own.

Had tricolor boy been born to a responsible breeder, he likely wouldn't be afflicted with mange. He would not be sitting alone in a cold cage waiting for some kind soul in rescue to pull him out and find him hope. He would be healthy, happy and loved.

Sadly, there are likely thousands more animals like Tricolor boy not listed, or roaming the streets hungry and unloved. The need outweighs the supply of rescues, shelters and individuals working to save these animals and multitudes of these poor souls are put to sleep each day across the country for lack of a loving foster or forever home, for lack of space and money, for lack of a caring, responsible breeder to support them throughout their lives.

Tonight I continue to think about Tricolor boy - his is not a face I am likely to forget soon, and with it comes unbidden the grief the sometimes comes along with being involved in rescue, of knowing it isn't possible to save them all, but still wanting to.

And then I return once again to the photo of Tricolor boy and consider what can be done for him, one among many." 

"

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Dobe-desire, a selfish musing

I woke up this morning to the happy news that tricolor boy in NYC had been pulled by a rescue. Not the rescue with which I volunteer, but a rescue that would give him a chance at life nevertheless.

Happily, I reflect on his Doberman-like features and once again I feel that familiar bite of Doberman-desire that has afflicted me for nigh a decade now.

The desire for a well-bred Doberman competes with my rescue-passionate personality. Purchasing a puppy bred from a responsible breeder costs approximately $1500, more or less dependent on the breeder and the circumstances.

That's $1500 that could be used for rescue.

It also would render me unable to foster for some time. With a beagle/toy terrier mix who is other-female aggressive already owning my heart, and a potentially other-male aggressive Doberman to follow, I may be unable to take in an adult dog, and the fiancé adamantly refuses to foster a puppy, for fear of becoming too attached.

Plus, puppy would require time and training to make him into a respectable member of society. Dobermans are smart as a whip, but require firm, constant training and it could be some time before I could even think about working with another dog.

Additionally, purchasing a dog from a breeder means one less potential home for an adoptable in need.

I justify my decision based on the fact that the Doberman is a sickly breed - vWD, wobblers, HD, cardiomyopathy - and the only way to be 99% ensured health and longevity is from a line known for health and longevity from a breeder.

Plus, I want to compete in obedience trials, which often require a purebred, registered dog (to do at upper levels).

No matter how I look at it, along with the flood of Doberman-puppy-desire comes a pang of guilt for those pit bulls on my rescue's forum, looking for a foster home or a forever home that I could potentially give."

"

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Apologies to Maurice and the importance of fosters

My fiancé recently caved and agreed to foster again - his foster of choice was Maurice, a black and white ACD/pit bull mix puppy at about five months of age, a dog whose face reminded him faintly of Blazer, a dog he knows and loves.

The news should have made me ecstatic - was I not desperate to foster again, to do something for the rescue about which I was so passionate?

Instead, I decided I was not ready to give it another shot just yet. Maurice tugged at my heartstrings, yes, and when I sometimes think about cuddling with him here, close to me, I think that it would be wonderful but the doubt overrules the desire - he is a high energy mix and we are not a high energy family, our house and yard are small and yet un-fenced. It just isn't the right time, nor the right place.

This makes me realize the infinite amazingness of those who always, without blinking, have room in their homes for a foster or two, or nineteen - those who turn their schedules inside out, their houses upside down and their hearts into mush for these much deserving dogs.

They take a dog full of vices and turn them into canine ambassadors, adoptable and ready to be loved and they do it with little thanks.

I can think of a handful in my rescue alone, a handful I know outside of that too, people who will not turn down a dog in need.

There are some of us, such as myself, who aspire to do something as meaningful for these dogs as giving them a temporary home until they find their forever one but to the dogs, the time and money given are nothing compared to that home.
To the crate of their own, warm blankets, a soft couch and regular meals.
Walks, playtime, love and attention, socialization.

I know Maurice is in capable hands where he is at and I hope to go visit him if I can, possibly while helping with a transport? Probably while somehow donating my time.

As for myself, I will someday open my home to a foster again. I can't say when it will be, but I know whenever it is, there will be plenty of dogs in need and I will certainly not have enough spots to offer to them all.

My apologies to Maurice, for just not being ready yet. I know his forever home will come.
My deepest thanks to the fosters, of every kind of animal in every part of the world, for the amazing work they do."

Hopefully in making this move I can gain a larger readership and therefore remember to blog more regularly.
Now, I am off to finish a media law paper that I can't quite seem to make sound the way I want.