On June 15, 2010 FABB were extremely happy to be invited to be part of the audience for New Day NW.  New Day NW host Margaret and her wonderful team were joined by Katie from the Seattle Humane Society to do a special on pit bulls and FABB were invited along to act as the cheer squad. Obviously, we want to see as much positive press as possible so we jumped at the opportunity!

We arrived at the King 5 studio around 9am and spent the next couple of hours seeing everything that happens on and off camera on the New Day NW set. It was a wonderful opportunity and we shared many laughs with other audience members and the crew who did an excellent job of ensuring the show moved along without a hitch. Obviously, we performed our cheer squad duties for the whole show, especially the segment that was show casing the wonderful traits of our beloved pitties.

We were excited to get to meet Emma; a sweet little red pit bull who is currently awaiting a forever home at the Seattle Humane Society. Emma loved all the attention she was given by Margaret; the host of New Day NW, the crew and the love that was betrothed on her from audience members; young and old alike. You can view the segment here and you can go here to see the shout-out FABB was given at the end of the show. Thank you New Day NW for the positive pit press!

Update: Emma was adopted within a week of this show airing!

• No report of the incident has been filed with Seattle Animal Control.

• No report has been filed with King County Animal Care and Control or with the Seattle Police Department. If anyone attempted to file a report with either of these two entities, they would have been directed to Seattle Animal Control.

• No eyewitnesses have come forward who can verify that such an attack occurred or who witnessed an individual leaving the park with a fatally wounded or deceased dog.

• Multiple individuals who were at the park at the time of the alleged attack reported that they did not see or hear anything out of the ordinary.

• The owner allegedly brought the Boxer to a vet clinic immediately after the attack. Some clinics were specifically mentioned, yet, these clinics have no records of an injured or fatally wounded Boxer around September 25th.

• No known body of the fatally wounded boxer.

As of October 19th, 2009, there have been no reports filed from an owner, witness, vet or police and no witnesses of an attack or a dead dog. Multiple people at the park during the supposed incident did not see anything; there have been no vet reports of a dead Boxer and no record of a carcass. A person carrying a dead or severely injured Boxer along with another injured dog out of the park would be difficult to miss. At this time, FABB has no choice but to believe that this has all been a cruel hoax.

FABB strongly encourages people to realize the damage caused by falsifying an incident or creating an uproar over an incident that has no proof to back it up. Now well behaved, leashed pit bulls are being attacked and men who remotely fit the description of the owner are being harassed by people who are afraid. If an attack had occurred, reports should have been filed immediately by the owner and anyone who witnessed it. When a dog is attacked by another dog, the filing of a report and the witness statements are crucial to the investigation. If a Boxer really was attacked and killed at Magnuson Off Leash Park, FABB respectfully requests that the owner, the vet or any witnesses file a formal report with Seattle Animal Control.

FABB would also like to remind dog owners that part of that ownership is being responsible. Every owner is responsible for his or her dog’s behavior and safety. This includes training and socialization, especially when utilizing dog parks. If any dog is acting inappropriately in a dog park, it should be removed from the park before something happens. Should the dog’s inappropraite behavior lead to a fight or attack on either a dog or a person before being removed, the victim(s) and witnesses are responsible for ensuring that a report is filed.

Families Against Breed Bans is a Seattle based group that recognizes the need for encouraging responsibility in dog owners rather than banning certain breeds. Any dog has the potential to bite and to cause damage and/or death. FABB knows that the only way to keep people and their family pets safe is to punish the irresponsible owners, regardless of the breed of dog that they own. For more information, please visit www.fabbseattle.org. FABB can be reached at fabbseattle@gmail.com.

Dear FABB Members,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  We hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season.  The past year was a big year for Families Against Breed Bans.  Not only was it the year FABB was created, but it was also a year full of anti-BSL successes.  Despite many cities opting to create non-breed specific dog laws, there still are many cities in the country that are considering some sort of breed restriction.  FABB has a big year ahead of it, as it continues to ensure that Seattle stays clear of any form of BSL.  Once BSL hits a big city, more cities are likely to follow!  The organizers of FABB would like to thank everyone who has taken part in helping our mission, as well as those who care and rescue homeless dogs everyday.  We hope everyone finds success and happiness with your endeavors in the coming year!

Holiday Wishes,

Your Organizers

BSL UPDATE

Successes
Monroe, WA - Monroe is not a final success as council was only put off BSL for six months but it was a victory none the less. The amazing amount of supporters who showed up to the council meeting and all of the eloquent speakers really made a difference in the minds of the council members who were not set in their ways. There were so many people there to speak against BSL that the council had to put up speakers in the parking lot allowing everyone to hear! We only have 3 months left to work with Monroe Council in enacting a non-breed specific solution but we can do it!

Sumner, WA – Sumner passed a non-breed specific dangerous dog ordinance in the beginning of December enabling authorities to act based on a dog’s behavior by creating restrictions for both the dog and its owners. This new ordinance allows a dog to be declared potentially dangerous before it actually attacks someone but after it displays specific threatening behavior.

Scotland, UK – Also not a final success but Scotland is looking at veering away from the UK’s 1991 Dangerous Dog Act which declares pit bulls dangerous. The Control of Dogs Bill will be published in early 2009 after multiple attacks on Scotland’s postal workers prompted the Communication Workers Union to speak out. Dave Joyce, CWU’s National Health, Safety and Environment Officer stated: “The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act has done nothing to reduce attacks. It provides little protection for Postal and communication workers. We are giving our full backing to Alex Neil’s proposed Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill. We are calling for cross party support when the Bill comes before the Scottish Parliament in order to facilitate the swift passage of the Bill on to the statute book and want the rest of the UK to follow the Scottish lead.”

Losses
Moses Lake, WA – On November 25th, despite many people including FABB member Julie Russell showing up to speak against it, Moses Lake Council passed their Hazardous Dogs ordinance. APBT’s, Rottweiler’s and AmStaff’s will be labeled Hazardous Dogs due to their breeds as of January 1, 2009. Interestingly, the council had earlier created a committee to research BSL. Despite the committee’s findings that it didn’t work, the council still proceeded with their plan. Another interest to note, the mayor’s vote was included although he was not supposed to vote. Because council member’s emails are not accessible to the public, please feel free to email mivory@ci.moses-lake.wa.us to express disappointment. The fight against BSL is still very much alive and well in Moses Lake.

WINTER SAFETY

Winter can be a cold, snowy, and wet time of year for humans and dogs alike. Here are some tips for keeping your dog warm and safe during the winter months:

•    Many dogs love playing in the snow. If your dog is one of these, make sure to check his or her paws periodically. Ice can easily get stuck in between the paw pads and cut up the tender flesh.
•    Dogs like pit bulls don’t have much in the way of fur so they tend to get cold easily. This can vary from dog to dog, of course, but keep an eye on your dog to ensure that he or she is not shivering when walking or romping outside. To combat the cold in a cost effective manner, consider going to Value Village and buying a children’s sweatshirt. You can cut the sleeves off at the length needed.
•    With winter comes shorter days and longer nights. If you walk your dog before or after work, this often means walking him or her in the dark. Consider purchasing a reflective vest for both yourself and your dog and a blinking light that you can attach to the collar so that cars can steer clear of you in the dark.
•    Off-leash dogs seem to be even more of a nuisance than usual during the winter months as owners take their dogs to run in fields. When walking your dog, keep yourself on guard for off-leash dogs as uncontrolled meetings, friendly or not, and icy sidewalks do not mix very well. Use all the normal techniques of warding of a loose dog such as yelling at the dog in a loud, deep voice, yelling to the owner (if in sight) to get the dog and even carrying a form of Mace to spray.
•    Don’t leave dogs in cars for lengthy periods of time as it will get too cold for them!
•    Don’t leave your dog unattended with electric heaters and electric blankets plugged-in as they could easily chew the electric cords or knock down the heater and cause a fire.
•    Keep your dog on-leash in public no matter how fun it is to watch them zoom around in the snow. Dogs can easily lose their sense of smell with snow on the ground and lose their way back home.
•    Make sure your dog’s tags and microchip information are updated.  If your dog isn’t microchipped, please consider doing so!

Keep you and your pups safe as you enjoy all that the cold months have to offer!

FABB’S DOG OF THE MONTH

MEET ROO!

Roo, was just 8 weeks old when he was picked up by Burlington Animal Control due to his horrific mange condition. Sadly, poor Roo had an owner who allowed him to deteriorate to the point that he looked more like a Shar-pei pup than the pit bull puppy that he is. Covered in sores, hairless, smelly and malnourished, it was difficult to decide if Roo even had a chance, or if it was better to end his suffering then and there. Fortunately for him, a Burlington area rescue, Saving Pets One At A Time (SPOT), stepped up to the plate and sent him to one of their foster homes to be slowly nursed back to health.

Roo is estimated to be 14 weeks old now and still needs medical care for his demodectic mange and the resulting deep skin infections. Though he already has 75% of his coat back, he will not be ready to go to his forever home until the mange has completely cleared up due to how fragile his skin is. Even so, Roo is still catching up socially so he will need a special person to help him along. Please contact SPOT Rescue at spot@savingpetsoneatatime.org for more information on Roo’s special needs and his constant developments.

Roo had a rough start to life. Please consider helping him overcome these rough spots (more like sinkholes!!). To see Roo you can visit him on Petfinder.

Images kindly provided by SPOT: Roo at 13 weeks old and poor state he was in upon his arrival at the shelter at just 8 weeks old!

Donations for Roo can be sent to:
Saving Pets One at a Time
PO Box 211
Burlington, WA 98233

or through Paypal

More on FABB’s Dog of the Month: Each month, we will be spotlighting a local rescue/shelter dog in need on our member’s site. If you are interested in adoption, please contact the rescue or shelter that’s housing the dog.

*Disclaimer: Families Against Breed Bans is not a rescue or dog adoption agency. We do not have the resources or the ability to assess a dog’s adoptability or a potential adopter’s qualifications. Families Against Breed Bans is not responsible for the placement of any dog it spotlights, nor does it guarantee the health or temperament of the dog regardless of what is made known by the shelter or rescue.

“SIT” AND “DOWN STAYS” ▪ By: Stormi King, CCS

Whether you’re planning to compete, or just want a dog who won’t charge your visitors when you let them in the door, a sit or down stay is a handy tool to have at your disposal. I personally use it at a coffee shop that I frequent in the mornings.  I have my dog stay near the door while I approach the counter to order my coffee (don’t attempt this before asking if the establishment is dog friendly!).

Once you have a reliable sit or down command, reliable meaning your dog responds at least 95% of the time to your cue, you can begin training stay. There are three very important factors to consider while beginning your “stay” training.  They are: Distance, Duration, and Distraction. The Three Ds! The Three Ds are important to keep in mind, because you must build your dog’s skills on each one, one at a time. Asking a novice dog to perform a three minute sit stay while you leave the room and heat up leftovers is like asking a five-year-old child to sit quietly through an insurance seminar. It’s not likely to happen.

Start off with distance in a low distraction environment like your living room. Place your dog in a sit or down, whichever you prefer, facing you, and tell him “stay” (if you’d like to use a hand cue as well, insert the cue after you tell him “stay”), and take half a step back. Immediately return to him, mark his good behavior if he stayed (i.e. “Yay! Good dog!” or use a clicker if your dog is clicker trained), and then give him a yummy treat reward. Don’t expect him to stay for more than one second at this point, and don’t take more steps back than he is ready for.

“Stay” is a tough command for a dog to learn, and you want to build on successes rather than failures. If your dog pops up, try taking a quarter step or less backwards until he gets the idea. What you want to teach him is, “if you keep your butt on the ground, you will get a reward when I come back”. Slowly increase the distance. Half a step at first, then a full step, then two, then three, and so on, immediately returning to your dog every time with a reward.

Once you’ve hit about five feet reliably, try mixing it up. Tell him “stay,” walk back just a few steps, and stay there for three seconds and then return. Now you are adding duration. Keep in mind, while working on one of the Ds, you must drop your criteria for the other two Ds. For example, if your dog is reliable at a distance of five feet, to begin working on duration you will take those five feet back to maybe one or two feet. Asking them to increase their duration while still working at five feet is asking too much for a beginner, so you have to cut the poor guy (or gal!) a little slack.

Once you have success with both distance and duration in a home environment, try taking it to the backyard. If you don’t have a yard, try somewhere outside where there is not too much distraction. Trying to train at a busy park might be asking too much for your beginner. Remember, when you move to a different location and increase the distraction (new people, sights, and smells, oh my!), you’ll need to lower your expectations for the distance you walk away, and how long before you return. If at any point in your training your dog breaks his stay and gets up, go back to the training point where he was last successful, and try again, going slower.

Keep your training sessions short and fun. When your pup isn’t “into it” anymore, take a break, or bring out some extra special treats. Only ask of them what they are capable of doing, and give them lots of love for doing it! Remember: you are helping your dog learn, so make learning fun! If you work in slow increments and build on those good stays, you’ll have a champion “stay”er in no time!

Hey Monroe!

Say NO to Breed Specific Legislation!

What is it?

Monroe City Council is proposing an ordinance that will deem dogs of certain physical attributes potentially dangerous without the dog needing to have committed any act of harm.

Why is this bad?

B.S.L. is based on physical appearance. In cities across the country dogs have been wrongly taken into custody for no wrong doing because they were believed to be a breed that they were not. Boxers, Labrador Retrievers, Ridgebacks, Great Danes, Bulldogs, Huskies, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Mastiffs, and Belgian Shepherds are just a few breeds that could fall into the descriptions of the breeds Monroe City Council has proposed.

B.S.L. does nothing to educate or protect citizens from dangerous dogs. All dogs can bite. Dogs of any breed can be dangerous. There is no such thing as a breed of dog inherently more likely to bite than another. Monroe City Council has proposed an ordinance to declare certain dogs potentially dangerous without them having committed any wrong doing at all while others must first attack a human before being declared so. Under this ordinance, an Akita who is a therapy dog for the elderly and a Dalmatian who has mauled a child are considered equal threats, and it would take a second mauling for that Dalmatian to be declared dangerous. Don’t we owe our children better protection than that? Regardless of a dog’s outward appearance, it’s the owner that is responsible for its actions. In many cities across the country with similar laws, bite statistics have sadly increased, not lowered, due to continued irresponsible ownership. Until we are able to educate owners on the importance of socialization and proper care of their canine companions, and hold all owners responsible for the actions of their dogs, regardless of breed, unnecessary bites will continue to occur.

Costly to the city and taxpayers. Higher cost to enforce BSL, more kennels to house the dogs, vet care, food, euthanasia, etc.

Are there effective alternatives?
In Calgary, BC there is no breed ban. Instead of creating more laws, existing leash laws and licensing requirements were more stringently enforced. An effective education outreach campaign was initiated. Dog bites dropped 70% and the number of dogs licensed now stands at 90%. That’s huge! As a comparison, most license rates are below 20% in the United States.

Get Involved!

Saturday November 15 @ noon

FABb members will be meeting in downtown Monroe (near Denny’s) to hand out fliers and let the community know exactly what breed specific legislation (BSL) is and how it will affect dogs and the people who love them. Focus will be on the fact that BSL will not promote community safety, but will only target responsible dog owners of those breeds that the City of Monroe seek to target.

Tuesday November 18 @ 7.00pm

Monroe Council Meeting

City Council Chambers

City Hall, 806 W Main St., Monroe, WA 98272

FABB along with concerned members of the community will be at Monroe Council meeting to oppose BSL. We encourage ALL dog lovers to join us and voice your opposition to this archaic law that punishes responsible dog owners and seeks to kill our beloved pets!

For more info:

www.FABBSeattle.org

www.StopBSL.org

http://hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/dangerous_dogs.html

www.akc.org/news/sections/legislative_alerts.cfm

www.adoa.org

]]> http://www.fabbseattle.org/?feed=rss2&p=357 0 http://www.fabbseattle.org/?p=519 http://www.fabbseattle.org/?p=519#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2008 01:26:17 +0000 admin http://www.fabbseattle.org/?p=519

Group forms to bury proposal

By LEVI PULKKINEN
P-I REPORTER

***ADOPTION INFORMATION***

Why should you adopt at this summer adoption event? Hundreds of wonderful dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, bunnies and ferrets will be available at Woofstock ’08 looking for their new best friends and forever homes. Experienced shelter staff and volunteers will be on hand to help you find the right pet for your family. Meet the many great pets from shelters and rescues from all across the Northwest. Over 20 rescues and shelters are participating, along with animal education/information groups, and many pet-caring merchants. Woofstock ‘08 is your chance to meet many wonderful companion pets in Tacoma.

Rescue groups, shelters and educational groups attending:

• Animal Disaster Response Team
• Barks R Us
• Big Dog Project
• BullsEye Rescue
• Cascade Animal Protection Society
• City of Tacoma Animal Control
• Coalition Humane
• Denise’s Delightful Dookers
• Everett Animal Services
• Families Against Breed Bans
• Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project
• Grant County Animal Outreach
• NW Greyhound Advocate Program
• Humane Society of Central Washington
• The Humane Society for Tacoma/Pierce County
• Kindred Souls Foundation
• King County Animal Care and Control
• Kitsap Humane Society
• Muttmatchers Messenger
• Prison Pet Partnership Program
• Pierce County Auditor’s Office and Animal Services
• Protect Adoptable Labs
• Puyallup Animal Rescue
• Rabbit Haven
• Recycle-A-Bull
• Washington Malamute Rescue
• Wenatchee Valley Humane Society

Adoption Fees: Adoption fees will range from $100.00 to $250.00 for dogs and $60.00 to $100.00 for cats. All pets are spayed/neutered, up to date on shots and temperament tested. Adoption is a great value. The cost of spaying and neutering alone ranges from $110 for a male dog to over $200 for a female dog. All pets are also up to date on shots and many are also microchipped. Payment options vary (cash, check and some accept credit cards).

Will I be able to bring a pet home that day? This depends on the adoption policy of the individual rescues and shelters. Some organizations will adopt pets at the event that day and some require home visits. Please refer to the organization’s websites for their policies.
Helpful Adoption Tips: If you rent, we recommend you bring proof with you to the event that you can adopt a cat or dog and/or your landlord contact information. It may also be helpful to bring contact information for your veterinarian and personal references and photos of your fenced yard.

Should I bring the dog I currently have to the event? Yes, we encourage families to bring their current dog to the event to introduce to available dogs. Staff and volunteers may also be able to give their opinion on whether it is a good match.

Please email Andrea@pawsitivealliance.org with questions.

Woofstock ‘08 sponsors include the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County, PETCO,
the Pierce County Community Newspaper Group, Reprographics NW, Heritage Bank,
Pawsitive Alliance, and 505 Broadway. Dugan Foundation and Protect Adoptable Labs are both 501(c)3 charitable organizations dedicated to ending the euthanasia of adoptable homeless pets and finding them forever homes.

For additional details about Woofstock ‘08, visit www.duganfoundation.org,
www.protectadoptablelabs.com or call 253-572-7700.

Today, Wallace is renown throughout the world for his excellence in the dog sports arena as an all round amazing dog and a tough competitor, all of which is evident in the numerous titles Wallace has won.

For more information on Wallace the Pit Bull visit http://www.wallacethepitbull.com

It has been an exciting few months for Families Against Breed Bans, better known as FABB, and we were equally pleased to see that one FABB devotee wanted to spread the word about FABB and chose to do so through Pasado’s Safe Haven newsletter. A HUGE thank you to Rita and all the great people of Pasado Safe Haven.

Here are is the article, or you can find the full article here.

“Attend a debate or campaign event during election season you’ll hear the familiar refrain of “family values” touted as a top priority for most elected officials. This usually means they’ll support programs that help heads of households provide their families with a stable and enriched life. That’s something we can all support! However, if you look a little closer, some of these same politicians take a position that is in direct conflict with family values. ”

Breed Specific Legislation restricts the breeding or ownership of certain breeds of dogs, usually the “bully” breeds including Pit Bulls and Mastiffs. Communities where a dangerous dog attack has occurred will sometimes pass BSL ordinances under the mistaken notion that banning a specific breed will safeguard them against future incidences. Many times local officials will pick up the “cause” without ever addressing the true source of the problem, irresponsible dog owners.

Pit Bulls have become the prime target of this legislation for a number of reasons. Media hype around Pit Bull attacks, the myths about Pit Bull strength and temperament and the scourge of Pit Bull fighting rings all contribute to the perception that these dogs are inherently dangerous and that the public needs to be protected from any and all exposure to them. When in fact, the opposite is true. These dogs need to be protected from dangerous people!

It’s irresponsible owners and breeders who have failed so many of these magnificent and loyal creatures. Any responsible and loving family who is lucky enough to have a Pit Bull as part of their pack will tell you that you can have no greater companion. They are extremely intelligent, gentle, playful, trusting and the best cuddlers! Nothing brightens your day more than a Pitty smile. But when a Pit Bull or any other breed of dog is confined, neglected and deprived of a stable, enriching environment, we all suffer. BSL punishes the breed based on the way they look, nothing else. A truly effective dangerous dog law holds the owner accountable. This is especially effective when there is a criminal component to keeping dangerous dogs, as in dog fighting.

Responsible families with Pit Bulls are suffering from discrimination in housing and home owners insurance. The net effect can mean breaking up a family because they can’t find a place to live. Ask any shelter and they’ll tell you about all the hundreds of friendly, balanced Pit Bulls surrendered to them because their family ran out of options.

Luckily, the tide is turning. Those with the best of intentions are fighting back against both the criminals who exploit Pit Bulls and the government officials whose knee-jerk reactions have created “tooth-less” laws that do nothing to stem dangerous dog attacks. Seattle, WA is currently the target of BSL advocates, but the Seattle area is also home to FABB, Families Against Breed Bans! Even if you don’t have a “bully” breed as part of your family, you should be concerned for a number of reasons. Your dog’s breed could be the next one to be included in BSL, or they can be mistakenly identified as a breed included in BSL. Just ask anyone who’s owned German Shepherds or Dobermans in the past. They too were discriminated against based on myths and ignorance”.

What you can do to help Ban BSL!

“Send your message of support for reasonable dangerous dog legislation by submitting a comment to the Seattle City council here. If you live in the Seattle area, join FABB to support their efforts, no matter where you and your pooches live! Let’s educate politicians and misinformed citizens as to the true nature of Pit Bulls and the true meaning of family values”.

* The sweet little guy pictured above is ‘Monkey’ who came all the way from New Orleans and is ready to go to his forever home. Contact Pasado Safe Haven for more information.