Patrick

This is an intense post, and might be hard to read...but it's a very important one, a very moving and inspiring story that is a prime example of how common and neglectful and cruel abusers are and can be to their animals. Despite his tragic and sickening past, this dog was able to recover and forgive and remain a gentle and loving soul. He has also become a beloved ambassador not only to his breed, but to the countless victims of abuse and neglect.

This is Patrick.

Looks beautiful, happy and healthy doesn't he? Well he hasn't always been this lucky. 

The image below may be disturbing to some, the first time I saw it I felt physically ill. Perhaps you cannot bare to see something so awful, and may feel the need to look away. At first I had that same thought process, and  then I realized, looking away is part of the problem...because issues like this have been ignored too much and for too long. So I forced myself to look at this photo again and again, and I have never seen such suffering on any beings face in my life. As hard as it may be, I think it is necessary to see things like this in our lives. Images and stories like this shock us and make us stop, think, care and maybe even count our blessings. But there are so many homeless, neglected and abused animals of all kinds out there who are desperate for help, support and love. So I ask you to try not to look away. 

This is Patrick on March 16, 2011 when he arrived at Newark's Animal Shelter. 

He was found in a garbage bag at the bottom of a 19 story building's garbage chute by a maintenance worker who came on a Wednesday to empty the bin and dump the trash into a compactor. He felt the bag move as he picked it up, so he opened it and this was what he found. When Patrick arrived at the hospital, his temperature was so low that it did not even register on the thermometer. He was immediately given fluids and covered in blankets and heating pads, and also received a blood transfusion and a bath. Once stabilized he was moved to an animal hospital where he would receive intensive 24 hour care. And his progress was remarkable...

2 days into recovery...

12 days into recovery...

He is proof that even a pit bull can recover from a traumatic nightmare of a past, forgive and continue living their lives happily if they are lucky to be rescued and rehabilitated. 

photo credit: http://www.facebook.com/ThePatrickMiracle

Grab a tissue box...

This article showed up a few times on my Facebook wall, I knew it would be emotional and sweet, but not gonna lie, I cried. haha!....wasn't expecting it to strike a chord with me, but I was not alone in my reaction. I think everyone has had that ONE pet in their life who has been more of a family member or best friend than an animal. One that who lives the course of his or her life loyally along your side, and becomes a key character in many memories that you will have for the rest of your life.

Singer Fiona Apple poured her heart and soul out into a four page, hand-written letter (transcribed below) to her fans in which she explained her very emotional reason for cancelling her upcoming South American Tour.

I'll let her do all the talking....

It's 6pm on Friday, and I'm writing to a few thousand friends I have not met yet. I am writing to ask them to change our plans and meet a little while later. Here's the thing. I have a dog Janet, and she's been ill for almost two years now, as a tumor has been idling in her chest, growing ever so slowly. She's almost 14 years old now.I got her when she was 4 months old. I was 21 then, an adult officially - and she was my child.

She is a pitbull, and was found in Echo Park, with a rope around her neck, and bites all over her ears and face. She was the one the dogfighters use to puff up the confidence of the contenders. She's almost 14 and I've never seen her start a fight, or bite, or even growl, so I can understand why they chose her for that awful role. She's a pacifist.

Janet has been the most consistent relationship of my adult life, and that is just a fact. We've lived in numerous houses, and jumped a few make shift families, but it's always really been the two of us. She slept in bed with me, her head on the pillow, and she accepted my hysterical, tearful face into her chest, with her paws around me, every time I was heartbroken, or spirit-broken, or just lost, and as years went by, she let me take the role of her child, as I fell asleep, with her chin resting above my head. She was under the piano when I wrote songs, barked any time I tried to record anything, and she was in the studio with me all the time we recorded the last album. The last time I came back from tour, she was spry as ever, and she's used to me being gone for a few weeks every 6 or 7 years.

She has Addison's Disease, which makes it dangerous for her to travel since she needs regular injections of Cortisol, because she reacts to stress and to excitement without the physiological tools which keep most of us from literally panicking to death.

Despite all of this, she’s effortlessly joyful and playful, and only stopped acting like a puppy about 3 years ago. She's my best friend and my mother and my daughter, my benefactor, and she's the one who taught me what love is.

I can't come to South America. Not now.

When I got back from the last leg of the US tour, there was a big, big difference. She doesn't even want to go for walks anymore. I know that she's not sad about aging or dying. Animals have a survival instinct, but a sense of mortality and vanity, they do not. That’s why they are so much more present than people. But I know that she is coming close to point where she will stop being a dog, and instead, be part of everything. She’ll be in the wind, and in the soil, and the snow, and in me, wherever I go.

I just can't leave her now, please understand.

If I go away again, I’m afraid she'll die and I won't have the honor of singing her to sleep, of escorting her out. Sometimes it takes me 20 minutes to pick which socks to wear to bed. But this decision is instant. These are the choices we make, which define us.

I will not be the woman who puts her career ahead of love and friendship. I am the woman who stays home and bakes Tilapia for my dearest, oldest friend. And helps her be comfortable, and comforted, and safe, and important. Many of us these days, we dread the death of a loved one. It is the ugly truth of Life, that keeps us feeling terrified and alone. I wish we could also appreciate the time that lies right beside the end of time. I know that I will feel the most overwhelming knowledge of her, and of her life and of my love for her, in the last moments. I need to do my damnedest to be there for that. Because it will be the most beautiful, the most intense, the most enriching experience of life I've ever known. When she dies.

So I am staying home, and I am listening to her snore and wheeze, and reveling in the swampiest, most awful breath that ever emanated from an angel. And I am asking for your blessing.

I'll be seeing you. 
Love, Fiona

At Last!!!

Congratulations to Tanner for finally finding his forever home!!!!

 Tanner came to us in early June when he was about 5 months old, he was rescued from the euthanasia list at the Sacramento Animal Shelter. The day he was picked up, over 30 other dogs were put to sleep due to a contagious upper respiratory infection called kennel cough. But the lucky lucky boy was saved by volunteers and quarantined until his symptoms diminished, then the work began!

Tanner has always been a very very good boy filled with curiosity and love. He enjoys very much being around people (including kids), cats, horses, other dogs...and even chickens! So what took him so long to find a home? Well, of course, finding a stable and suitable home for an animal takes patience, skill and a positive attitude! But as mentioned in the interview with Becky a few posts back, Tanner lived in a cage for the first 4 months of his life, and even though he has been crate trained, remaining still in one for hours on end or in a stimulating environment can be difficult for him. Unfortunately, during many adoption events he would have to be in a crate for a period of time...so his barking would intimidate some from wanting to get to know him. He would also sometimes become nervous when initially meeting someone for the first time, if not properly introduced (i.e. walking right up to him and pet him without giving him a moment to sniff you and realize you are not a threat). We did our best to desensitize him to that and to teach any newcomer how to properly become acquainted with a strange dog for the first time, and progress was made very quickly!

Here he is at an adoption event! It's much more fun out of crates! =) 

For those who are unsure how to interact with a strange dog, here is a good illustration of the basic do's and don'ts: 

Best wishes Tanner! 

Lucky, Lucky Boy!

Here is an old, blind pit bull who was found emaciated in a dumpster in the East Bay, and was scheduled for euthanasia...today.  

This photo and brief explanation was shared on Facebook last night. The odds seemed against him, but thanks to the quick spread of word, he was lucky enough to have someone waiting for him at the shelter door the very next morning! Lucky guy gets to live out his golden years in a warm house next to someone who loves him! Always happy to share news like this!! 

What a handsome fella! 

Brilliant Beyond Brilliant Interview: Part 2

One of my first posts was with my trainer that I work for at the barn, Rebecca Cushman. She trains horses and fosters dogs for Anderson Valley Animal Rescue, especially Pit Bulls. She her interview was great and very in depth! Shortly after she answered my questions, she was kind enough to forward the interview to the Dog Coordinator at the rescue, Laura. Her interview does not disappoint either! 

Me: What made you so passionate about pit bulls? 
Laura: I too, fell into the media hype that pits were awful dogs, but then I was asked to foster one. . . yes, I was initially somewhat afraid, but I like a challenge, so, agreed to it. . . he had a sad story, of course. . . I picked him up at the vets, where he had been taken, several days after getting hit by a bus. He belonged to some homeless people who couldn't afford the vet bill, so they didn't take him. . . a friend of mind found out about it, and rescued him. . . he was just over a year, and very wild. I brought him home and thought, "what'd I get myself into?"  after a few weeks of recuperation, he was ready to go to mobile adoptions, and I realized that he was such a loving, cuddly boy, I couldn't face giving him up. I remember crying that day, taking him. . . I learned so much from him: that pits are great dogs - loving, want to please, smart - so I decided that I needed to keep him.After that, whenever I'd get pits to foster, they were always so responsive, albeit stubborn, but very smart, and learned quickly. . . and I learned quickly myself - I learned that they are the sweetest dogs, and just want to please, as long as they have a good leader. I learned that people treat them poorly so they can be mean and scary, but that's not really who they are. I wanted to help break that myth. I  tell people who're interested in adopted our pits, that they have to be the pit bull ambassadors, and if they can't commit to training, loving, and exercising the pit, they can't adopt it.

Modios, her first pit mix foster, who taught her about Pit Bulls.
He's now 9 years old, and she's had him for 8 yrs. 

Me: How difficult has it been for you to change people’s  minds about pit bulls? And what obstacles have you faced? 
Laura: It's very difficult to change people's minds. I used to try by my words, but I learned that doesn't work, so I use my actions.  I'll take a pit to the store or to the bank, and people will want to come up and pet, especially miss piggy, a pit/ridgeback mix, who everyone falls in love with, she's so sweet. People will ask me what kind of dog she is, and when I tell them, they're shocked, and will say, "I thought pits were mean."  Miss piggy is very sweet and a bit shy, but she does like attention, and to be petted. One time I had a 10 week old pit puppy, and a woman came up to us at Petco, and wanted to hold her. . . she had the pup to her face, and was loving on her, when she asked what kind of dog it was. . . I told her, and she almost dropped the little thing. . . I said, "moments ago, you were just in love with her, and now that you know she's a pit, you want to drop her. She hasn't changed in those few moments, but you have."  The woman agreed, and as we spoke more, she continued to hold the little one, and give it love. 

Miss piggy, Her little girl. Rescued about 6 years ago from a back yard
where she was tied up. They were planning on breeding her. . . but Laura
was fortunate to get her out of there!

 Obstacles have been mostly the media and the tough guys who walk around with their pits on huge chains. . . people don't want to hear anything that changes their minds a lot of times. They have these stereotypes that they just need to hold on to.  I used to try and give a lot of information at adoption day, but, I realized I was blowing hot air, so, now, if people are interested, I talk to them. I also hand out a page from badrap.com, that has true/false questions, and their website, and encourage them to read up on them. . . And what have the majority results been in your efforts?  it's hard to say, because most people I talk to are usually passing by Petco. . . I have had success with people who were somewhat interested in pits, wanted to know more, did the research (as required by our rescue), and ended up successfully adopting.

This is tango, a 4 year old pit who used to live with a family until the
landlord decided he didn't want pits there anymore, even though he's
very sweet, and loves kids! Isn't he gorgeous?? 

Here's an amazing story! Tommy, 4 years old. Ha came in with his litter mates at 6 weeks old, and died during his neutering, but was brought back to life by the vet!  He was deaf, blind, and unable to use his limbs. . . but fortunately he recovered, and was adopted out about 3 years ago! He came back to visit this past spring and  he's doing really well!

This is Aaron, who Laura had for 1 1/2 years. Very

sweet little boy, who was born with crooked front legs. The rescue got one surgery on him, and he did well. When he was adopted out, the new family decided to go ahead and get a second surgery on his legs, as he was slowing down after play. Unfortunately, he never woke up from the anesthesia. The vet thought he might have had an aneurysm. =( 

Me:  Approximately how many homes have you found for your foster pits or others from the rescue?  
Laura: That's hard to say, as we don't keep those kinds of statistics. All I can say is we adopted out 74 dogs last year. . .no idea how many of them were pits.

Radar, a 3 year old pit we currently up for adoption

Me: What have your challenges or frustrations been as a pit bull owner? More specifically socially, how do strangers react to you or your dogs when you are out and about?  
Laura: It really depends on which dog I have. . . as I mentioned, miss piggy is very endearing, and people are attracted to her. . . she's also tan. .. black pits usually don't get a lot of attention. Brindles do sometimes, depending on how well behaved they are, but mostly I get either positive comments, or none at all. Mine are usually pretty well behaved. We have one dog in the rescue that gets very reactive in a crate at Petco at some dogs. . . people see this, and the stereotype is reinforced. It's hard to work with him, as we don't have enough volunteers, so dogs are rotated in and out of crates. He's in a training program we run, and does really well, but, it's a completely different environment. . . of course, he needs to learn that he has to be a good boy in all environments. 

Me: Any dog training tips that you can recommend for people seeking to adopt or already own a dog in general?  
Laura: Yes!  consistency is the key word!  even with things that seem unimportant, i.e., making them sit and wait until you release them to go outside the house, or come in. There's a great training program called "nothing in life is free" and that's what it's all about - sit for everything. They learn that you're the boss, and they have to await your command. . . but whatever program you use, you have to do it every single time you have contact with the dog, otherwise, they start to learn they can get away with things. Once you have the dog trained, then you can let up, and not be so rigid. And crate training is a real good tool for you and your dog. . . I used to be against it, but that was before I really knew anything about it.  

The rescue's volunteer training group: California conservation corp members

working with the dogs. Molly is in front, then tango, Katie (a cattle
dog mix), Bobby, and Questa, (a husky/shepherd mix).

America's Dog

Ok! Time for a little Veterans Day tribute annnnnd a little history lesson! I had a busy weekend so unfortunately it's a delayed Veterans day post...oh well! So thank you to the four legged veterans who also served their country!

Soldiers alongside their pit bulls and terriers on the front lines

Alrightie! Let us have a look at the history of the AMERICAN Pit Bull Terrier!

The pit bull as we know it today was developed in the British Isles, the breed is derived from crossing the Old English Terrier with the Old English Bulldog. These two breeds combined made an athletic, spirited, intelligent and loving dog. It goes without saying that the dogs became  used as "fighting dogs" and were put into pits to fight for public entertainment, and that of course where the "pit" in Pit Bull originated. Not much has changed with time, huh? Other fighting dog breeds include: the Akita, English Mastiff, shar pei, and the English White Terrier.

Dog fighting, and animal fighting in general is nothing new, it's actually been very common and a "popular" blood sport since the ancient times. Dogs were used in gladiator fights against bears, lions, tigers and other dogs. It was introduced in the United States around 1817, and of course is sadly still continuing to happen every day across the world.

But of course that was not their only purpose, in fact pit bulls moved on to become a beloved household dog in the public eye. Many families trusted their pit bull to be "nannies" for their small children, because the dog was very loyal, incredibly loving, gentle, and protective to the family. Have a look at these vintage photos showing pits roles as a family dog and an old time pop culture icon. 

The Pit Bull also became revered as a patriotic symbol during times of war, earning the name "America's watch dog." Ironic...if someone has a pit bull as their own watch dog today...the dog (usually) may be feared, ostracized or even seized due to breed restriction laws in certain areas while the owner is heavily criticized by some. Clearly many have forgotten or failed to acknowledge how heroic and loving Americans once saw the pit bull to be. 

Here are some notable military dogs "Sergeant Stubby's" story is especially amazing and touching! 

What a Schnoz!

I just wanted to post a picture of my favorite pit bull (mix) Tanner! He has been mentioned in a previous post AND is up for adoption!  He is growing up so fast and still learning how to be a very good dog every day! When he plays with us at the barn, he loves to take initiative and "help out" by holding the lead rope in his mouth and leading the horses in and out of their stalls (not kidding). I'm sure the horse must think, "wow...seriously? I'm being walked like a dog...BY A DOG!" I must get a picture or video of him doing so...because it is far too cute.

 All he wants to do is please and enjoy being by your side. Never have I met such a snuggly dog! All he wants to do is cuddle up in your lap and get hugs and kisses. If only I had the yard and $$ to care for a dog. He would be MINE in a second!  And LOOK at those amazing amber eyes! What a handsome lad!