Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is, essentially, an effort used to restrict, ban and/or eliminate certain breeds of dogs, purebred or mixed. It can include anything from requiring special licensing of a breed (breed restriction) to the total ban of certain breeds.

Many jurisdictions in Canada have either enacted Breed Specific Legislation or are proposing enacting legislation that specifically names certain breeds as restricted or prohibited.

To learn more about the specific breeds generally known as “Pit Bull types” see:

Staffordshire Bull Terrier

American Staffordshire Terrier

American Pit Bull Terrier

The Pit Bull Educational Packet (PDF format) from www.understand-a-bull.com.

Everything You Wanted To Know About ‘Pit Bulls’ — From GoodPooch.com (Link added 25 Jan 2005)

Unwrapping Pit Bulls from Karen Peak of West Wind Dog Training (Article added 26 Jan 2005)

Banning specific breeds is not the solution to preventing dog bites incidents. Education of the general public, dog owners and in particular parents and children, is the key to reducing the number of dog bite incidents.

Breed specific legislation (“BSL”) historically bans one breed at a time, then another, then another. BSL slowly erodes dog owners’ rights. Once one breed has been banned, the precedent is set and all breeds are at risk; indeed, all dogs are at risk. Under BSL, the list of banned breeds usually gets longer over time. Italy is a prime example with its BSL targeting over 90 breeds, including breeds usually considered benign such as the Bearded Collie.

BSL enforcement relies on the arbitrary judgement of police and animal control officers who may not have the training, expertise or even the legal right (depending on legal interpretation of the Canada Animal Pedigree Act) to identify a dog’s breed. Seizure of what the officer thinks is a banned-breed dog may result in the dog being euthanized or sold to a research laboratory.

Ontario’s Bill 132 permits an officer to enter your home without a warrant and seize or destroy your dog, regardless of breed.

Destroy your dog in your home. It has happened before, it can happen again.

Are you now looking at your dog and starting to feel very uneasy, even a bit afraid?

You should. Your dog’s breed may be next.

For more information on standing up and having BSL repealed in Ontario visit with our friends at Stop K9 Profiling

On Saturday, March 26th, 2011 in Cambridge, Ontario and Sunday, March 27th, 2011 in Toronto pit bull lovers and their supporters will join forces and together with their dogs will March in protest of BSL in Ontario. Join us either in Cambridge or in Toronto on the following day, March 27th, 2011. Here is the info on both marches:

Million Mutt March Cambridge  .

Saturday, March 26 · 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Cambridge Center Parking Lot, Cambridge Ontario

Here’s a link to a map.

Support pit bulls and their owners. Come out and march with us. Let the government of Ontario know we will not stand for the legalized persecution and slaughter of good dogs based on their breed! Hope to see you there!

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

Our HuMom spends her days rehabilitating rescue dogs. She does not believe that you can help a rescue dog to adjust to life in the average family home unless they live in a home during rehab training. Therefore, she lives with our pack of multiple dogs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. HuMom says “It’s rather like living with a preschool classroom full of 3 year olds on a daily basis. However, this particular group of three year olds, doesn’t speak my language, and they will never progress mentally past the human age of three. Turn your back on them for a second and there is no telling what they might get into.”

Every dog is different, each has their own unique quirks of character. and traits humans see as “behavioral problems.” One dog may enjoy snacking on those $500.00 Manolo Blahnik shoes their HuMom bought on her last trip to Europe, or providing her with an endless supply of crotchless Victoria’s Secret panties. Another dog may prefer mopping the kitchen floor using the water from the dish they just upended, and the clean laundry they pulled out of the basket HuMom left by the door. Suffice it to say that left to our own devices, us dogs can do a lot of damage.

A bored or anxious dog can be a destructive dog.

But is all this destruction willful, or is something else at work here? Is your dog acting out because of another problem? Chances are, the answer is yes. What makes a dog chew and destroy? With some dogs it is boredom, with others anxiety. Large breed dogs and high energy breeds, need a LOT of exercise. They need a hour walk at least three times a day in order to burn off pent up energy. If not given the exercise they require on a daily basis they begin to get bored or anxious. They have to dispel that energy somehow, and a good chew at your shoes or a nice wet romp on the kitchen floor with the laundry seems just the ticket.

So if you are finding yourself with a larger supply of crotchless panties than one person could ever want or need perhaps it is time to assess whether you and Fido are getting enough exercise. Letting him out the back door once or twice a day is NOT enough, no matter how small he is. So get out and explore the neighborhood, visit the off leash park, EXERCISE your pooch, and perhaps you’ll actually get to wear those Manolo’s BEFORE the dog redesigns them!

Remember, a TIRED DOG IS A HAPPY DOG! But more importantly, a tired dog is less likely to be destructive.

Of course if your dog is still a puppy there are entirely different reasons as to why your shoes are so attractive. We’ll combat those in the next “Dog Den” post.

Until Then,

May your feet stay furry, your nose stay wet, and your food bowl never empty!

Toodles,

Pebbles & Harley

Bud in the sink

Bud is a Siamese Cat, with beautiful markings.  We first heard about him through friends who told us that they had to give Bud up to the shelter as they could no longer keep him.  He had spent most of his life outside looking after himself.

We at first took him in to look after him until the owners found him a home.  He was scared, anti-social and not in the best of shape.  He had broken teeth, filthy ears, was infested with fleas and vomited constantly.

We gave him a flea treatment, made sure we had food and water constantly available so he knew he didn’t have to go in search of food and left him to his own devices.  At night we kept him indoors, and he spent most of his time hiding in his tower away from my husband and I.  If we went near him or tried to touch him, he shied away in fear and began to shake.

I called the old owners and told them that we would keep him forever.  We patiently waited for Bud to make a move towards us.  It took a month but he eventually did.  Slowly he began to trust us, and we loved having him around.

He still spent most of his time outside … until one evening, he was chased by a dog, and hit by a car and we almost lost him.  He lost the use of his back legs, had cuts all over and was bleeding from his ears and mouth.  Beyond all expectations he pulled through and lived.

Our home now had ramps everywhere to allow Bud to get up on the couches, get onto his tower, get onto the bed, etc.  I did months of  Kitty Physio with him, and it eventually paid off. Slowly but surely he recovered mobility in his hind quarters and was able to walk, then run, then eventually jump short distances until he was back to his full range of motion.

Just when I thought things were going well, I came home to find Bud screaming in pain . A vet exam told us that he had an abcess in his mouth from the new damage the accident had done to his teeth.  New Years Day was spent worried out of our minds as Bud had emergency dental and mouth surgery. The vet removed 9 teeth, drained and flushed the abscess, and did a root canal.

As he recovered he became a very different cat.  He became loving, demanded attention and spent less time outside.  He continued to vomit, so we had him tested and an ultrasound discovered chronic pancreatitis, brought on by a poor diet in his developing years.

Soon my neighbour began asking me if I had taken in another cat, as a cat who looked a lot like Bud had been seen carrying food out to a little fluffy kitten who seemed homeless.  I laughed, said “nope, wouldn’t happen, not with our Bud.”  Boy was I wrong!

Roxy being adorable

Bud came home one Saturday morning, with a fluffy kitten in tow.  Without even knowing what sex the kitten was, I named her Roxy.  She was in pretty rough shape, her fur was  matted and she was dirty.  I put food outside for her to eat. I couldn’t get near the kitten, she was way too skittish.

One day, I opened the door as Roxy was coming under the fence … she bolted.  As I stood there with the door still ajar, Bud made some odd noises and Roxy stopped in her tracks and looked back at me.  She turned and watched as I put the food bowl down, but for the first time she didn’t run.

That evening I told my husband what had happened, he looked at me like I was insane.  I asked him if we could take the kitten in, and he said no, Bud is too territorial, he would hurt the kitten. I continued to put out food for the little one.

The next morning, my husband found out how wrong he was.  Bud was curled up on the mat by the patio door.  His favourite toy,  was propped up against the glass, and on the other side of the door was the kitten, curled up, lying in the mirror position of Bud.  “Now can we take her in?”  my husband said we should have her health checked first, and I called the vet and made an appointment.

Now I had to catch her to get her to the vet.  As I opened the door to go out, Bud “spoke” again to Roxy, instead of running, she stood there, and allowed me to pick her up and put her in the carrier.  Neither my husband nor I could believe it … but were greatly relieved.

Roxy was suffering from severe malnutrition and had a few other ailments.  If we hadn’t taken her in, she would have died within the week.  She spent almost a week at the vets office getting her strength back.  Bud had brought Roxy to us for help, because we had helped him, he knew we would help her too.

Roxy had never lived in a home before.  Bud taught her everything she needed to know about living with people.  Taught her not to bite, how to use the litter box, and where to find food and water, and of course taught her that I am a pushover with the treats. 

Bud and Roxy sleeping together Oct 16th, 2010

Four years later, they chase each other through the house, eat together and sleep together at night.  They are very loving and very spoiled.  Taking them in was the best thing we have ever done.

I highly recommend taking in a pet who need rescuing.  My life will never be the same again, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Thank You to Diane Harrison for providing us with today’s wonderful “Happy Tail” You have some very lucky cats there! Bless you for opting to adopt! Congratulations to you for BEING THE CHANGE!

Want to see your rescued pets story in our next “Happy Tails” blog? Write it in five hundred words or less and send it (with pictures please) to:

janettehamilton@bell.net

Have a happy day with your pets!

Janette

This Samoyed inspects her raw food dinner.

What are you feeding your beloved pet? If you are like most North American pet owners, somewhere in your home I will find a bag of kibble or a few cans of moist pet food. “I only purchase high end pet foods” you will tell me as I pick up the bag and wave it at you. But is it really the best you can do for your pet? Do you know what goes into the food you are doling out to your precious dog or cat on a daily basis?

As I ask this question, your mind is conjuring up images of juicy steaks, and thick chicken breasts accompanied by fresh crisp vegetables. Why wouldn’t you be thinking these things, these are the images pet food companies use to convince us their product is the best choice for our pet’s health. Therefore your ignorance of the truth can be excused, but let me educate you to what REALLY goes into the kibble you feed your pet.

In 1990, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that euthanized animals were being used in pet food. Pet food manufacturers have vehemently denied the report; however, the American Veterinary Medical Association has confirmed the Chronicle’s story as to what is really in the dog and cat food.

Companion pets and zoo animals are euthanized with sodium pentobarbital and then processed and rendered. The sodium pentobarbital poison does not break down in the processing and goes into many commercial pet foods and feed for cows, pigs and horses, and yes, even your precious pet!

The most commonly used antioxidant preservative is ethoxyquin(EQ) that has been found in dogs’ livers and tissues months after it had been removed from their diet. EQ has been proven to have an effect that may lead to the development of certain types of cancer and may promote liver disease and other medical problems.

Governmental rules require ingredients to be listed from the largest amount to smallest. Protein is crucial to your dog’s health, yet sources such as soybean meal, corn glutens, corn meal, whole corn, and ground or crushed corn is used in many pet foods as a protein source.  While dogs do need some grains, too many commercial dog foods use grains as a substitute for meat. Meat should be the number one ingredient in any decent dog food. Ideally, the meat should be high quality human grade, making your dog’s chances for developing a protein deficiency very low. However the meat in dog food consists mostly of bones and viscera and scraps not fit for human consumption.

So basically that bag of kibble I just shook at you is a bag of garbage, high end garbage perhaps, but garbage nonetheless. Knowing what you know now do you still think your kibble is the best diet for your pet?  Here is what two of the planet’s leading vets have to say on the subject:

Dr. Richard Pitcairn  DVM

“Although we have come to accept commercial foods as being normal or natural ways to feed animals (and indeed ourselves), in fact they are not. They are simply what we’ve gotten used to in the last few decades. But nothing we can produce commercially ever can rival those mysteriously complex foods manufactured for eons by nature itself.”

“All processed pet foods – whether sold in cans, bags, or frozen packages, in either giant supermarket chains or local health food stores – are missing something that seems to me to be one of the most important “nutrients” of all. This key ingredient is something nutritional scientists have practically ignored. But when it’s there, you and I can know it and feel it. It is a quality found only in freshly grown, uncooked whole foods. It’s life energy.”

Dr. Charles E. Loops  DVM

“The best diet is a raw food diet.”

“Science Diet & Hill’s dog & cat food products are not good diets. They use chemical preservatives that have been shown to cause problems in some animals & they use by-products, which are words on the ingredient label that need to be avoided at all costs. This generally means food not utilized for human consumption.”

But you don’t have to take my word or even the word of the world’s most prominent veterinarians, research things for yourself. I guarantee you will be shocked by what you find!

Here are a few links to get you started:

Rawfed.com

rawlearning.com

rawfeeding.net

Happy researching!

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

At least two Ontario politicians won’t get much voter support from animal rights activists or inner-city wild animal lovers in the next election, but they will more than likely gain votes from the farming community.

Tory MPP Bill Murdoch has drafted a petition calling for a $200 bounty on dead coyotes. The coyotes are smart, and fences and pens don’t keep them from killing and carrying off livestock. Murdoch maintains there is no defense against them except to eliminate them. Athough Dufferin County Council has been told in the past that the local sheep farmers are interested in culling the wild packs. Murdoch says the predators are hard to find and it’s hardly worth the effort without a realistic bounty, although they can be hunted year-round.

Bruce-Grey Owen Sound Tory MP Larry Miller agrees with Murdoch. “The only good coyote is a dead coyote,” he is reported to have told approximately 150 people during a panel discussion on “sheep day” at the 45th annual Grey Bruce Farmers Week. The discussion was titled Predator Control – What Do You Do When the “Wolf” is Knocking at the Door?

“We shoot every one we see. They’re a pest,” is what Miller reportedly told the crowd.

The Owen Sound Sun Times said Mr. Miller used the debate to again state his opposition to the national gun registry. He said farmers, like himself, who once carried a couple of rifles in their truck are “afraid to bring out their guns and travel around like they used to.”

“What the MNR needs to do when it comes to unregistered guns and what have you, they’ve got to start turning their heads the same way as they do with commercial fishermen that break the law,” Mr. Miller is quoted as telling the meeting.

“Let the farmers out there that have guns do a lot of this control.”

Greg Cull, a fish and wildlife technical specialist with the Ontario natural resources ministry, confirmed coyote numbers are peaking in many areas of Ontario and Grey-Bruce. With other coyote food sources depleted, they began attacking sheep more frequently in 2008 and losses have worsened since.

According to Mr. Murdoch’s petition for a $200.00 bounty on dead coyotes, the animals killed 6,000 sheep in Ontario last year. In last year’s meetings in Dufferin and in subsequent interviews, Mr. Cull and others were opposed to a bounty system but, at the same time, left no doubt that a solution to the problem of problem coyotes needs to be found.

Perhaps there is a problem with the number of coyotes in farming areas, but surely we have progressed beyond the archaic attitude that if we don’t like something we can just barbarically blast our guns at it until we have eradicated the species. There are other ways to manage wild animal populations. Trapping and relocation comes to mind. If euthanization is unavoidable (which I don’t believe for a minute) then trap and euthanize humanely. No animal deserves to have a bounty on its head, and no animal deserves to die a slow death at the hands of a blood thirsty sport hunter.

Basically what Murdoch and Miller are lobbying for is the right to go out and blast away at any coyote they see, any time of the year, and get paid for the privilege. This petition in my opinion is nothing more than the wish of two men who love guns just a little too much, to be able to go out and kill things legally all day, and get paid for it as an added little bonus.

Until Tomorrow Remember

BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!

Janette

There is a disturbing new trend emerging in North American animal rescue. Private “rescue agencies” are popping up all over the continent.

I’m not talking about the type of rescues we are all used to working with, I am talking about “rescue for profit,” rescue operations set up for the sole purpose of making money. “No” you are thinking. “No one would do that!” However if you think that, you’d be wrong. There is a definite climb in the number of groups calling themselves rescues. A number are legitimate and do good work, but more and more we are seeing groups set up to “rescue” animals only to be found selling them to anyone with the money to pay the purchase price.

These groups import death row dogs from high-kill shelters in the states just south of the border. They pick out small breed purebreds that have been picked up as strays or surrendered by their owners. They then sell them for ridiculous sums of money to unwary adopters. Adopters think they are getting a rescue that has been vetted and proven healthy, truth is these agencies do no vetting of the animals they bring in, they do not pay for shots or medical exams. They simply pick out the most desirable dogs, pull them from the shelter and sell them for profit.

“But what is wrong with them finding dogs homes?” you ask me, a puzzled look on your face. “Isn’t that what they are supposed to be doing?” Yes, a rescue agency is usually set up to rehome unwanted animals, and for the most part they all do, but most rescues don’t pick and choose the animals they work with based on their adoptability. Most of us take in whatever animal that comes along and needs our help, we don’t worry about breed, size, age, or ability to procreate. (as a matter of fact our first order of business is usually to remove the ability to procreate by spaying or neutering the animal.) In many cases, legitimate agencies charge only a token adoption fee, or as in the case of Let’s Adopt, no rehoming fee at all. Why? Because our sole mission is to find the animal the right forever home, not just one that can pay a ridiculous fee. We have long ago proven that the ability to dole out large amounts of money for the privilege of owning a pet, does not ensure that pet will be properly treated. To some money means nothing.

These new money making rescues don’t care who buys the dog, as long as they can pay the price. There is no screening process, first come, first to pay gets the animal. These animals are subjected to conditions similar to those found in puppy mills or back yard breeding operations, and in some cases, are underground breeding operations. Many dogs “rescued” from death row are intact and capable of breeding. These so called rescuers will breed the dogs after “rescue” and pass the puppies off as having been saved from euthanasia along with their mother. They will charge three to four hundred dollars a pup, in many cases without vetting the animal before its adoption.

Is there a place in your neighborhood that calls itself a rescue? Do they consistently have an influx of small breed purebreds they call “rescues”? Do they always have puppies available for adoption? If so chances are you have a bogus rescue operation in your own back yard. Don’t panic or run to the phone, you have to be SURE! Talk to these people, find out what it takes to adopt a dog from them, be observant of the conditions in which they keep the dogs. If you still feel strongly that they are just a money making operation, bring it to other people’s attention, see what they think. Do not take any action unless you are 100% sure that what you think is really what is going on.

Above all, check out a rescue group before adopting an animal from them. Are they legit? How long have they been in business? Can they provide the proper paperwork to back up their claims of vetting and shots? In other words be diligent. Don’t support the continued exploitation of rescue pets!

Until Tomorrow Remember
BE THE CHANGE YOU SEEK!
Janette