Direct Link to Article: http://www.thedurhamnews.com/front/story/191566.html
Fighting pet prejudice
Article by Pam Spaulding
I'm a Bull City native, but it's safe to say more people know me as a national political blogger at PamsHouseBlend.com, where I write about LGBT rights, race and gender issues, the Religious Right and life in the South. My first column for The Durham News is a bit off the beaten path.
When our shelter dog Lab mix Bailey passed, my wife and I (yes, we legally married in Canada, and it's not recognized in my home state) visited the Durham Animal Protection Society looking for the right match for our remaining dog Chloe, a Bichon Frise. We found Casey.
A tan American Pit Bull Terrier, she was eager to please from our first meeting. We initially had our eye on a retriever mix, but it nearly fear-bit us when it entered the room.
The irony is that the pit bull, the Staffordshire Terrier and the Bull Terrier are often targets of breed-specific discrimination that, quite frankly, is akin to racism. It touches the same hot buttons: images of gang-bangers and thugs who think owning a fighting dog enhances their street cred. It's ironic that the pit bull was historically bred not to be human-aggressive and many aren't dog-aggressive either.
The pit bull actually scores higher on the American Temperament Test than many popular breeds considered "friendly."
But with the bad rep in mind, we knew our new addition to the family had to be an exemplary ambassador for the breed; we took Casey to obedience class, and wanted to place her in dog daycare a couple of times a week for socialization. Dog parks were out, because even if our dog didn't start a scuffle, it's quite common for owners of other breeds to blame the pit if anything happens.
What I encountered during my search was one local facility with a breed-specific discriminatory policy. It said:
"Due to input from clients across North America and experience at our Camps with various breeds, we made the decision in 2006 that certain breeds are not appropriate candidates for our open play environment. ... These breeds include American Pit Bull Terrier, an American Staffordshire Terrier, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, or any dog displaying the majority of physical traits of any one or more of these breeds."
Doesn't that kind of discrimination seem quite familiar, painting an entire group with a broad brush based on the experience with a few? If we're talking about dogs with a bad rap and bite frequency, why aren't Dobermans or Rotties on that list? What if a Golden Retriever attacked another dog -- would that breed be banned? We all know the answer.
Many a young minority man can tell you how women clutch their bags or cross the street as they approach, regardless of how the man is dressed. I got a taste of this while walking Casey. Kate was walking Chloe and I was bringing up the rear with Casey and we approached a family. Chloe was getting excited, barking, and she lunged to play with the little girl. The mom let her, never questioning whether Chloe might bite. When I came past, the mom immediately called her daughter off the trail to avoid the Pit Bull.
Otherwise intelligent people completely, utterly take leave of their senses about this -- and it's too often reinforced, even by dog professionals like that dog care facility. Not all are that way though; Casey and Chloe ended up going to Pet Ritz @ The Triangle, where Pits, Dobies, Rotties and other breeds that often suffer bad raps are assessed and accepted as individual dogs.
Contact Pam Spaulding at pam@phblend.com. Tell us what you think of this and future My View columns in a letter to the editor at
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Dog Shot While Protecting Owner
Dog Shot While Protecting Owner
Pit Bull Shot During Home Invasion Robbery Attempt
POSTED: Monday, March 2, 2009
UPDATED: 9:44 pm EST March 2, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A pit bull is credited with saving his owner's life. The dog took a bullet during a recent home-invasion robbery in Mayport.
Man has to adjust to life on three legs after being shot while protecting his owner from a trio of armed robbers.
The 10-month-old dog named Man protected his master, Mike Thomas, when he needed him most.
"My dog protected all of us. He took the bullet for all of us," Thomas said.
He said he was at home last week with his brother and some friends. That's when, police said, three men stormed through the front door of the home with a shotgun.
Thomas said the men were wearing masks and trying to rob him.
"I seen like three dudes run up on the porch, and I kind of jumped up. As soon as I jumped up, they ripped the door open and my dog jumped from sitting beside me all the way to the door and jumped on one of them. The dude got scared and shot him," Thomas said.
The pit bull scared the intruders before anyone else was hurt. However, the dog's act of courage came at a large price. The shotgun pellet entered Man's left shoulder, and doctors had to amputate his entire front leg.
Thomas said the Clay County Humane Society preformed the $5,000 procedure for free.
"At first, I was a little -- it just wasn't him because I pictured him with four legs. Now, he's used to it. He still sleeps with me on my bed. It's all good. I don’t love him any less," Thomas said.
With the help of his owner, Man has adjusted to life with three legs. Thomas said his dog is pain medication and that the dog's stitches will be removed in a few days.
Copyright 2009 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The link: http://www.news4jax.com/news/18837417/detail.html?taf=jax
Pit Bull Shot During Home Invasion Robbery Attempt
POSTED: Monday, March 2, 2009
UPDATED: 9:44 pm EST March 2, 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A pit bull is credited with saving his owner's life. The dog took a bullet during a recent home-invasion robbery in Mayport.
Man has to adjust to life on three legs after being shot while protecting his owner from a trio of armed robbers.
The 10-month-old dog named Man protected his master, Mike Thomas, when he needed him most.
"My dog protected all of us. He took the bullet for all of us," Thomas said.
He said he was at home last week with his brother and some friends. That's when, police said, three men stormed through the front door of the home with a shotgun.
Thomas said the men were wearing masks and trying to rob him.
"I seen like three dudes run up on the porch, and I kind of jumped up. As soon as I jumped up, they ripped the door open and my dog jumped from sitting beside me all the way to the door and jumped on one of them. The dude got scared and shot him," Thomas said.
The pit bull scared the intruders before anyone else was hurt. However, the dog's act of courage came at a large price. The shotgun pellet entered Man's left shoulder, and doctors had to amputate his entire front leg.
Thomas said the Clay County Humane Society preformed the $5,000 procedure for free.
"At first, I was a little -- it just wasn't him because I pictured him with four legs. Now, he's used to it. He still sleeps with me on my bed. It's all good. I don’t love him any less," Thomas said.
With the help of his owner, Man has adjusted to life with three legs. Thomas said his dog is pain medication and that the dog's stitches will be removed in a few days.
Copyright 2009 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The link: http://www.news4jax.com/news/18837417/detail.html?taf=jax
Friday, January 30, 2009
New Photos of Jup-Jup
New photos are up of Jupiter! http://www.scpitrescue.org/jupiter.html Doesn't he have the most beautiful smile? What a charmer! His dog aggression rehab has been a huge success, and he's meeting new dogs with much less apprehension now, and much more ease. Yay for Jupiter!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Enough cuteness to go around!
I caught Blaze cuddling with a bookie-bear. =) Isn't this just adorable?
Blaze will be available for adoption at the end of January. He is one of Bailey's babies. He is about 8 weeks old now!
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Animals' Savior
"The Animals' Savior"
by Jim Willis
I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry.
"God" I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment, and then he spoke softly.
"I have done something," He replied.
"I created You."
by Jim Willis
I looked at all the caged animals in the shelter...the cast-offs of human society.
I saw in their eyes love and hope, fear and dread, sadness and betrayal.
And I was angry.
"God" I said, "this is terrible! Why don't you do something?"
God was silent for a moment, and then he spoke softly.
"I have done something," He replied.
"I created You."
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The Holiday Drop-In Was Wonderful!
Photos are up: http://www.scpitrescue.org/holidaydropin2008.html
Thank you to everyone who stopped by!!!! We had a GREAT turn out, and a big pile of donated christmas gifts for the dogs. They are already enjoying some stuff, and they love it!!!
Thank you!!!
Thank you to everyone who stopped by!!!! We had a GREAT turn out, and a big pile of donated christmas gifts for the dogs. They are already enjoying some stuff, and they love it!!!
Thank you!!!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Bailey & Her Puppies
We have a fabulous update from Bailey's foster mom! 
Bailey and her babies are doing well! We did lose one little guy, the little white one, unfortunately, on Thanksgiving morning. The other 7 are doing fabulously though! Foster mom says "They are all up and running! They crack us up because when you go into the room they all start yipping and growling! The kids have named them (ok, I named the blue female Talula)Talula, Princes, Precious, Milkyway, Flower, Blaze and Ace!"
And as for Bailey, the mom? We were afraid she would be dog aggressive, but it turns out she's just being a mom, protective over her puppies. Away from her puppies, she's fabulous!!! Her foster mom says "Baley has been such a surprise! She was so timid and protective when she first came to us that I just wasn't sure what to expect from her. I finally picked her up and carried her down the stairs on Friday morning so she could go outside! Once there I couldn't get her to go back in. She loved it!!! She walks very well on the leash and just really enjoyed being outside! Since then she has only used the bathroom in her bedroom once!"
Bailey was then introduced to foster mom's other dogs, and cat, which went wonderfully!!!! Her dogs include a beautiful young male Pit Bull, Dakota, a senior black lab mix female, Pearl, and Dizzy, another one of our dogs, who is her other foster dog. Foster mom said " It was like they had always been together. So, now we know that she is kid, dog, and cat friendly." She still keeps the other dogs from getting on the stairs leading up to the room where her puppies are, but that's too be expected. She's an excellent mother!
Bailey & Dakota
Bailey & Dizzy (with Larissa loving them both!)
Look what I found!
http://www.thankfulpaws.com/events-testimonials.htm
It's got photos of handsome handsome handsome Alvin at Paws in the Park! Thanks Alice!!
I'm proud to announce that Alvin DID get adopted by the person who met him at Paws in the Park. Thank you Charleston Animal Society for such a wonderful event!!!! We got Alvin adopted, which was worth it all!
It's got photos of handsome handsome handsome Alvin at Paws in the Park! Thanks Alice!!
I'm proud to announce that Alvin DID get adopted by the person who met him at Paws in the Park. Thank you Charleston Animal Society for such a wonderful event!!!! We got Alvin adopted, which was worth it all!
Friday, November 28, 2008
It's raining puppies
We've had 13 puppies come in, in a little over a week. WOW!!! It seems to have hit puppy season.
Bailey & her babies came to us on Saturday, November 22, 2008.
This is Bailey:
Isn't she gorgeous?
And these are Bailey's babies, born in a cold shelter on 11/13/08:
Obviously, they are little bitty babies and won't be available for a while!
A HUGE thanks to Lisa for being our "nursing mommy" foster home. You have a lot of work ahead of you in the coming weeks, and we'll be there for you every step of the way!
Five more puppies came in on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. They were rescued by animal control after being removed from a bad situation. They are only 5 weeks old. The wonderful staff at Charleston Animal Society took care of them for a week before releasing them to rescue, and they did a fabulous job!!!
This is Lynette!
This is Lynette on the top and Gabby on the bottom =) (do you see the Desperate Housewives them yet?)
This is Bree.
This is Susan.
This is little Orson. (so cute!)
And, of course, little Carlos. Look at that spot around his eye!
The whole puppy pile.
Thank you Alice for helping us get these puppies out of the shelter quickly and for providing them with a wonderful, warm, and family-filled Thanksgiving!
Hope!!
Hope went to her possible forever home on Tuesday, November 25, 2008. So far, so good! Cross your paws that this is her perfect home! We couldn't be happier for her.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Punkin Update
Punkin Update 11/10/08 (from her foster mom)
Punkin is adapting beautifully to her temporary foster home and nursing care. She seems to be completely unaffected by her past. She does not startle and embraces new experiences. She has integrated well into her foster pack which include a female Rottweiler, a male and female Pit Bull and a blind male Shih Tzu. She has met the "barn dogs" and horses and loves running with the bicycles around the horse rings. She doesn't mind having her wounds irrigated and cleaned. They are healing beautifully and look great with pink granulating tissue. She "sits" for her pills which she loves in Pill Pockets. Her fleas are gone thanks to Capstar and she is eating like a champ! She is sleeping ALL night in the kennel and has already learned "sit" and "shake". Her favorite spot in the house is on the big pillow in front of the fireplace.
Punkin is adapting beautifully to her temporary foster home and nursing care. She seems to be completely unaffected by her past. She does not startle and embraces new experiences. She has integrated well into her foster pack which include a female Rottweiler, a male and female Pit Bull and a blind male Shih Tzu. She has met the "barn dogs" and horses and loves running with the bicycles around the horse rings. She doesn't mind having her wounds irrigated and cleaned. They are healing beautifully and look great with pink granulating tissue. She "sits" for her pills which she loves in Pill Pockets. Her fleas are gone thanks to Capstar and she is eating like a champ! She is sleeping ALL night in the kennel and has already learned "sit" and "shake". Her favorite spot in the house is on the big pillow in front of the fireplace.
Dreaming of sugarplums...
Look at her wounds! They are hardly visible! WOW!!!!
Punkin with her foster siblings! The middle one had an embedded harness once too, and the one on the end, Marley, we all know as the dog who had an embedded collar and once looked like this....
God Bless you Heather and Brian, for everything you do for these angels. Thank you for helping our little Punkin for a while.
Sleeping in this morning!
Hope loves life now!
She has come a long way from being this....
We love you Hocus-pocus!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Punkin went into foster care!
Punkin went to her new foster home with Heather & Brian yesterday. She is going to have wonderful care in the hands of two people who have lots of experience with embedded collars and harnesses. The minute she met Daisy, their Rottie, the two of them took off full speed and ran laps around the yard. HAHA! Instant friends! And Punkin has no idea that she's injured.
Where are we going?
Can I at least drive?
Fine, I'll just lay here and look cute, then!
Some bye bye kisses!
The Fair is DONE!
We had sooooo much fun!!! I haven't had that much fun in a long time! We even finished out the fair last night with me & Sara riding the rides. Woo hoo! I think we may have been the oldest girls on the rides, but the carnies enjoyed it. LOL!
We had soooo much success at the fair! We met lots and lots of people, talked about so many people's pit bulls, saw 100's of cell phone photos, and heard the best stories. We heard some stories of loss, and some of love, and even talked to a guy whose pit is 12yrs old now, and has been with him since high school. It was so wonderful! We met some other rescuers from other areas, and people from shelters. We went through 540 business cards. That's a HUGE WOW! That's 540 people who have our information. We also went through about 150 of our rescue brochures, 70 Pit bull therapy dog brochures, and a countless number of other handouts. Our photo albums were a huge hit. We got donations every night, and sooo many people were extremely supportive of our rescue efforts! We have several new potential foster homes and lots of adoptions pending! We may just run out of dogs. =)
We have all of these adoptions pending: Truth, Daisy, Peanut, Dale, Sanatra, Alvin, and Blanco! (wow)
We also have potential interest in Sage, Eva and Josie!
A huge THANK YOU to the Coastal Carolina Fair!
We had soooo much success at the fair! We met lots and lots of people, talked about so many people's pit bulls, saw 100's of cell phone photos, and heard the best stories. We heard some stories of loss, and some of love, and even talked to a guy whose pit is 12yrs old now, and has been with him since high school. It was so wonderful! We met some other rescuers from other areas, and people from shelters. We went through 540 business cards. That's a HUGE WOW! That's 540 people who have our information. We also went through about 150 of our rescue brochures, 70 Pit bull therapy dog brochures, and a countless number of other handouts. Our photo albums were a huge hit. We got donations every night, and sooo many people were extremely supportive of our rescue efforts! We have several new potential foster homes and lots of adoptions pending! We may just run out of dogs. =)
We have all of these adoptions pending: Truth, Daisy, Peanut, Dale, Sanatra, Alvin, and Blanco! (wow)
We also have potential interest in Sage, Eva and Josie!
A huge THANK YOU to the Coastal Carolina Fair!
Monday, November 3, 2008
An Unexpected Addition
Warning: Some graphic photos
So, last night I got home from the fair around 11:00pm. I sat down to check my e-mail and there was a message from a vet tech at the ER Vet Clinic, about a puppy they had. Apparently, someone put a halter on the puppy, tied it up in the yard, and left it there. We know how fast puppies grow. This little angel grew fast enough that the little bitty halter was 2 inches deep in some places, embedded in her skin, under her arms. She was barely fed any food, has never been bathed, and has probably never had any vet care until this weekend.
I'm calling her Punky. It started as Punkin, because she was brought in right after Halloween, and she's sooooo sweet. Now it's melded into "Punky" like Punky Brewster.
The vets removed the halter from her underarms. Her wounds are deep, gaping open wounds. They cannot be surgically closed, so they have to be kept as clean as possible and allowed to heal over time. She is on pain medication and a high dose of antibiotics.
Her angel? A neighbor. This horrid person's neighbor removed her from that yard and took her to the ER vet. Thank God for people like that.
The ER vet is also an angel. Her care was donated, thanks to a stray fund they have established. Thank God for things like that as well.
Even though her vet care was donated, we could still use some donations for her care. The rescue will be providing all of this baby's food, for any foster home, as with all emaciated dogs we get. I also got some cleansing wipes for her, because this baby that's never been bathed still can't be bathed until she heals some. She also needed dewormer and wound cleanser, and some puppy-sized chewies. The rescue will be providing everything for her.
But most of all, we need a foster home for her. She has to be fed 3-5 times per day, and her wounds have to be kept as clean as possible. She needs a foster home that can tend to her on a constant basis, preferably someone who is home a lot. If you can foster, please fill out an application on our website. This baby needs us more than most. We will provide everything she needs - we just need someone who can provide a warm home for her, with a soft place to lay (which she is already amazed by), the ability to feed her 3-5 times per day (which is also amazing her), and the ability to keep her wounds clean. Foster mom will also need to have reliable transportation and be able to get her to our vet on James Island for any follow up visits she may require.
So, last night I got home from the fair around 11:00pm. I sat down to check my e-mail and there was a message from a vet tech at the ER Vet Clinic, about a puppy they had. Apparently, someone put a halter on the puppy, tied it up in the yard, and left it there. We know how fast puppies grow. This little angel grew fast enough that the little bitty halter was 2 inches deep in some places, embedded in her skin, under her arms. She was barely fed any food, has never been bathed, and has probably never had any vet care until this weekend.
I'm calling her Punky. It started as Punkin, because she was brought in right after Halloween, and she's sooooo sweet. Now it's melded into "Punky" like Punky Brewster.
The vets removed the halter from her underarms. Her wounds are deep, gaping open wounds. They cannot be surgically closed, so they have to be kept as clean as possible and allowed to heal over time. She is on pain medication and a high dose of antibiotics.
Her angel? A neighbor. This horrid person's neighbor removed her from that yard and took her to the ER vet. Thank God for people like that.
The ER vet is also an angel. Her care was donated, thanks to a stray fund they have established. Thank God for things like that as well.
Even though her vet care was donated, we could still use some donations for her care. The rescue will be providing all of this baby's food, for any foster home, as with all emaciated dogs we get. I also got some cleansing wipes for her, because this baby that's never been bathed still can't be bathed until she heals some. She also needed dewormer and wound cleanser, and some puppy-sized chewies. The rescue will be providing everything for her.
But most of all, we need a foster home for her. She has to be fed 3-5 times per day, and her wounds have to be kept as clean as possible. She needs a foster home that can tend to her on a constant basis, preferably someone who is home a lot. If you can foster, please fill out an application on our website. This baby needs us more than most. We will provide everything she needs - we just need someone who can provide a warm home for her, with a soft place to lay (which she is already amazed by), the ability to feed her 3-5 times per day (which is also amazing her), and the ability to keep her wounds clean. Foster mom will also need to have reliable transportation and be able to get her to our vet on James Island for any follow up visits she may require.
Fair Update
We have gotten hundreds and hundreds of people stopping by our table at the fair. It's been FABULOUS!! We've also gotten about $100 worth of donations since the first day, just from our donation jar. I've heard tons of awesome stories about people who love their pits, and seen sooooo many cell phone photos! I've heard lots of rescue stories, and shared sooooo many of our rescue stories with people. It's been absolutely AMAZING.
Thank you again, Sara, for making this happen!
We still have another week of fair to go, you never know what could happen!
Thank you again, Sara, for making this happen!
We still have another week of fair to go, you never know what could happen!
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Fair!!
So, I set up our table at the fair yesterday afternoon and spent the entire evening there. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! Since the people we were supposed to be sharing the table with backed out at the last minute, we got all of their entry passes, so we got 20. Here is the thing with the passes – they are one use passes, so anyone who comes in has to have one, each time they come, and you can’t leave and come back, like I was hoping.
If you are planning to help out at the fair, please pick a day that your family and/or friends can meet you there, after you’ve spent some time talking to people at our table, so you can go out and enjoy the fair and take advantage of your free pass! Admission to the fair is $8, so these passes are well worth planning for a day of fun. Remember that in order to get your free pass, you need to commit to three hours at our table. Don’t worry, it flies by really fast with so many people to talk to about Pit Bulls!
Also, when you come, wear something warm. The building is not heated. It’s still warmer than it is outside, but it got cold after 8pm last night. The later you plan to be at the table, the warmer you should plan to dress. It’s perfectly okay if you want to wear gloves while you hang out at our table. It is INDOORS, but my fingers got kinda frosty anyway. =)
I got to meet hundreds of Pit Bull lovers last night! It was SO much fun! This table is giving us GREAT coverage and exposure. Everyone who is at the fair is there having fun, laughing, playing, eating funnel cakes. It is highly unlikely that you will encounter any “angry pit bull haters” at the fair, because everyone is so joyous. Those types will just walk on by. It’s got to be the most fun table I’ve ever been at!
I heard so many stories last night.. people who LOVEEEEE their pit bulls. Even the people who are running the t-shirt booth across from us have a rescued Pit Bull! One guy stopped and picked up the “Safety Tips for Kids” handout, for his daughter, who has a toddler – and his other daughter has a Pit Bull – he was worried about the two interacting. I hope talking to him helped! One girl that stopped by works for Blue Buffalo and said “oh my god, you’re that rescue that uses our food! I love you guys!” haha… One family pointed to Hope’s first photos and said their Pit Bull looked like that when they found him, and they brought him back to health. One family ooohhed and aaaahhed over Truth’s photos for a good ½ hour. And one lady stopped just to say “God Bless You for what you are doing for these dogs,” genuine enough to make me want to cry all the sudden, and she kept on walking. These are the kinds of people we are going to get to talk to at the fair – a lot of Pittie lovers, a lot of opportunity for new volunteers, new foster homes, and a big growth of the rescue.
Here are the fair gate times:
Today, Oct. 31: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, Nov. 1: 12 (noon) – 11:00 pm **Volunteers needed all day/night**
Sunday, Nov. 2: 12 (noon) – 9:00 pm
Monday, Nov.3: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Tuesday, Nov. 4: 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm **Volunteers needed after 6:30pm**
Wednesday, Nov. 5: 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday, Nov. 6: 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm **Volunteers needed after 6:30pm**
Friday, Nov. 7: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, Nov. 8: 12 (noon) – 11:00 pm **Volunteers needed from 12-3**
*Please note that the end time is not the closing time of our building – it stays open later. We can leave the table unattended once the gate closes and you DO NOT have to stay past the closing time, but there are still plenty of people walking around, so there is an opportunity to talk to people.
We need volunteers for all days, but the ones noted as “needed” are dates/times when I cannot attend, so we need guaranteed coverage from volunteers.
If you are a country music fan, there are some GREAT concerts happening at the fair. Tonight is Little Texas (http://www.littletexasonline.com/); Tomorrow night is Jake Owen (hot, hot, hot) (http://www.jakeowen.net/); Sunday night is Heidi Newfield (http://www.heidinewfield.com/); Monday night is Joe Nichols (http://www.joenichols.com/home/); Tuesday night is Phil Vassar (http://www.philvassar.com/); and next Friday night is Bucky Covington (might remember him from American Idol) (http://buckycovington.musiccitynetworks.com/). If you pick a day when there’s a concert you want to see, make sure you specify your times to end before the concert. The concert times are on the fair website at www.coastalcarolinafair.org.
Please let me know if you can help!!
If you are planning to help out at the fair, please pick a day that your family and/or friends can meet you there, after you’ve spent some time talking to people at our table, so you can go out and enjoy the fair and take advantage of your free pass! Admission to the fair is $8, so these passes are well worth planning for a day of fun. Remember that in order to get your free pass, you need to commit to three hours at our table. Don’t worry, it flies by really fast with so many people to talk to about Pit Bulls!
Also, when you come, wear something warm. The building is not heated. It’s still warmer than it is outside, but it got cold after 8pm last night. The later you plan to be at the table, the warmer you should plan to dress. It’s perfectly okay if you want to wear gloves while you hang out at our table. It is INDOORS, but my fingers got kinda frosty anyway. =)
I got to meet hundreds of Pit Bull lovers last night! It was SO much fun! This table is giving us GREAT coverage and exposure. Everyone who is at the fair is there having fun, laughing, playing, eating funnel cakes. It is highly unlikely that you will encounter any “angry pit bull haters” at the fair, because everyone is so joyous. Those types will just walk on by. It’s got to be the most fun table I’ve ever been at!
I heard so many stories last night.. people who LOVEEEEE their pit bulls. Even the people who are running the t-shirt booth across from us have a rescued Pit Bull! One guy stopped and picked up the “Safety Tips for Kids” handout, for his daughter, who has a toddler – and his other daughter has a Pit Bull – he was worried about the two interacting. I hope talking to him helped! One girl that stopped by works for Blue Buffalo and said “oh my god, you’re that rescue that uses our food! I love you guys!” haha… One family pointed to Hope’s first photos and said their Pit Bull looked like that when they found him, and they brought him back to health. One family ooohhed and aaaahhed over Truth’s photos for a good ½ hour. And one lady stopped just to say “God Bless You for what you are doing for these dogs,” genuine enough to make me want to cry all the sudden, and she kept on walking. These are the kinds of people we are going to get to talk to at the fair – a lot of Pittie lovers, a lot of opportunity for new volunteers, new foster homes, and a big growth of the rescue.
Here are the fair gate times:
Today, Oct. 31: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, Nov. 1: 12 (noon) – 11:00 pm **Volunteers needed all day/night**
Sunday, Nov. 2: 12 (noon) – 9:00 pm
Monday, Nov.3: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Tuesday, Nov. 4: 1:00 pm – 9:00 pm **Volunteers needed after 6:30pm**
Wednesday, Nov. 5: 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Thursday, Nov. 6: 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm **Volunteers needed after 6:30pm**
Friday, Nov. 7: 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday, Nov. 8: 12 (noon) – 11:00 pm **Volunteers needed from 12-3**
*Please note that the end time is not the closing time of our building – it stays open later. We can leave the table unattended once the gate closes and you DO NOT have to stay past the closing time, but there are still plenty of people walking around, so there is an opportunity to talk to people.
We need volunteers for all days, but the ones noted as “needed” are dates/times when I cannot attend, so we need guaranteed coverage from volunteers.
If you are a country music fan, there are some GREAT concerts happening at the fair. Tonight is Little Texas (http://www.littletexasonline.com/); Tomorrow night is Jake Owen (hot, hot, hot) (http://www.jakeowen.net/); Sunday night is Heidi Newfield (http://www.heidinewfield.com/); Monday night is Joe Nichols (http://www.joenichols.com/home/); Tuesday night is Phil Vassar (http://www.philvassar.com/); and next Friday night is Bucky Covington (might remember him from American Idol) (http://buckycovington.musiccitynetworks.com/). If you pick a day when there’s a concert you want to see, make sure you specify your times to end before the concert. The concert times are on the fair website at www.coastalcarolinafair.org.
Please let me know if you can help!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Faith Update!!!
Faith had her follow up appointment with Dr. Cook today, the orthopaedic surgeon, and we have good news - NO SURGERY!!!!! =)
Faith's mommy said the x-rays show that the elbow broke (like almost in half) and the bones have healed, although not in the right place. The Dr. said going in and fixing it is not really an option. He thinks the best thing to do is just encourage her to use it so she can build up the muscle. He gave suggestions of things to do like taking her for walks on the sand and in shallow water, according to her mommy. (Maybe we should throw a beach party for Faith? Hint, hint, wink wink)
Unfortunately, the doc said that she will almost certainly develop arthritis. =( I'm going to hook Faith up with some good Dr. Fosters & Smith joint supplements, which she can stay on forever. I've seen amazing results from their joint supplements, and seen dogs go from barely walking to pouncing around within a few weeks of starting the supplements. I'm hopeful that it will ward off future arthritis and help Faith fully heal. She's so young right now that if she starts the supplements and has a great diet and a good level of exercise, she'll be very old before arthritis strikes her.
We love you Faith!! Congratulations on not having to have your leg operated on!!
If anyone would like donate gift certificates to Drs. Foster and Smith, for their supplements, or gift certificates to high quality pet stores such as All is Well, Doolittle's, or Palmetto Paws, I'm sure Faith's mommy would REALLY appreciate it. Her diagnosis has been pretty expensive along the way, even though there will be no surgery. A little help getting her some premium food, like Evo or Wellness, and some supplements, would be much appreciated!
Faith's mommy said the x-rays show that the elbow broke (like almost in half) and the bones have healed, although not in the right place. The Dr. said going in and fixing it is not really an option. He thinks the best thing to do is just encourage her to use it so she can build up the muscle. He gave suggestions of things to do like taking her for walks on the sand and in shallow water, according to her mommy. (Maybe we should throw a beach party for Faith? Hint, hint, wink wink)
Unfortunately, the doc said that she will almost certainly develop arthritis. =( I'm going to hook Faith up with some good Dr. Fosters & Smith joint supplements, which she can stay on forever. I've seen amazing results from their joint supplements, and seen dogs go from barely walking to pouncing around within a few weeks of starting the supplements. I'm hopeful that it will ward off future arthritis and help Faith fully heal. She's so young right now that if she starts the supplements and has a great diet and a good level of exercise, she'll be very old before arthritis strikes her.
We love you Faith!! Congratulations on not having to have your leg operated on!!
If anyone would like donate gift certificates to Drs. Foster and Smith, for their supplements, or gift certificates to high quality pet stores such as All is Well, Doolittle's, or Palmetto Paws, I'm sure Faith's mommy would REALLY appreciate it. Her diagnosis has been pretty expensive along the way, even though there will be no surgery. A little help getting her some premium food, like Evo or Wellness, and some supplements, would be much appreciated!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Emma is Adopted!!!!
Emma baby girl, it's been a long road. When you came into our arms back in March, you had been fighting for your life since January, dealing with an emaciated body and heartworms all at once. Charleston Animal Society took a chance on you and treated you for your heartworms. Then we took a chance on you and took you the rest of the way.
You are truly a special, wonderful girl. You caught the hearts of so many people along the way. We all love you and will miss you dearly!!!
Emma was adopted today. She moved to FL with her new mom. She has been a part of the rescue for 7 months. Her rehab was extensive and took the hearts of several people, and a lot of patience.
We love you Emma!!! Congratulations on your forever home!
Emma's before & after:
Emma's shelter photo: 
Emma's body condition when she first showed up:
Emma after a couple months of love - look at that smile!!!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Happy Tails Update
I am an updating-fool today! =)~
Happy Tails has been updated:
http://www.scpitrescue.org/happytails.html
Happy Tails has been updated:
http://www.scpitrescue.org/happytails.html
Thursday, September 18, 2008
We need foster homes!!!!
Every single day, we have to let dogs go down in shelters all around us. On Monday of this week, we had to say no to Jessie, a wonderful black & white pittie girl sitting at CAS, and Sonya, a tan brindled girl at CAS. We have to say no to dogs all of the time because we just don't have any space.
If you can foster, PLEASE foster. We need foster homes for ADULT dogs very badly. It's pretty easy to find people to foster puppies, but adults suffer because they don't have a place to go.
Please, please, please open your home to a dog in need today. They will thank you for it (and so will we). It's worth it to know you saved a life.
If you can foster, PLEASE foster. We need foster homes for ADULT dogs very badly. It's pretty easy to find people to foster puppies, but adults suffer because they don't have a place to go.
Please, please, please open your home to a dog in need today. They will thank you for it (and so will we). It's worth it to know you saved a life.
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