The HSUS misleads citizens in Tucson, Arizona Ad

In a recent paid advertisement placed by the Humane Society of the United States the headline "Bringing Animal Abusers to Justice" is all the lies they need to tell, but they continue anyway.

This ad mentions Amy Eades (President & CEO of Humane Society of Southern Arizona) as well as Detective Therese Deschneses and Sgt. Terry Parrish as having received the 2008 Law Enforcement Awards. The 2008 Law Enforcement Awards were given to these parties for what the HSUS calls sparing 150 dogs from the cruelty of illegal dog fighting.

A speaker at the ceremony had this to say:
"We applaud these dedicated and hard-working law enforcement officials and compassionate citizens for their tremendous work to bring animal abusers to justice. These leaders have made a very meaningful impact in the lives of animals and in their communities, and we celebrate their work to create a more humane society."

Michael Markarian, executive vice president of external affairs for The HSUS

As a dog, I have this to say. . .

The fact that no actual evidence was presented in court to support allegations of dog fighting on the properties which were raided haunts my mind. It haunts me because although no factual information was presented to prove that the dogs confiscated were in fact being "spared the cruelty of [an] illegal blood sport" they are still dead. The dogs "spared" by these "hard working" and "compassionate" individuals were killed before any of the supposed abusers were allowed into court to defend themselves.

And, when Mahlon Patrick and Emily Dennis did see their day in court they were swiftly acquitted due to lack of evidence that they ever broke any laws or abused any of the dogs in question. But, the dogs are still dead.

Now, long after they cruelly killed 150 dogs which belonged to 6 people whom had not been proven guilty of abusing said dogs the HSUS is clapping it's hands. It is giving out awards to the murderers in question and running ads in local Tuscon papers telling the good people of Tucson exactly what they want them to believe.

This dog for one is sick of the unsuspecting public being led like sheep to see the villains which the HSUS so gladly paints for them. American Pit Bull Terrier breeders are swiftly being made into your neighborhood boogie men. The HSUS storms in to raid innocent people, bringing all the news reporters they can find with them. They tout how they will save these poor, neglected and abused dogs. Then, when no one is watching, they give the order to kill all the dogs they can muster up enough blunt objects for. When the accused are proven innocent they make no attempt to right the wrongs they have done in the media. Oh no! Instead they continue to claim they saved the dogs involved and that, although they had no evidence to prove it, these people were guilty, evil dog fighters!

That is why I am asking you to donate whatever you can spare to the chip in meter on this blog page. This money raised by Owners, Breeders and Dogs Against Breed Discrimination will be used to run an ad campaign which will tell the good people of Tucson what the HSUS really did with the dogs it "spared" and how the "major dog fighting operation" they heard so much about was all smoke and mirrors designed by the HSUS to get their donations and kill innocent dogs.

Please visit the chip in page to read about developments in this campaign!

Animal Owners Devoid of Constitutional Rights?

Recently I have begun to wonder if the United States has somehow amended the Constitution to exempt animal owners from certain "rights" which other citizens enjoy. For example, the the 5th Amendment which says "no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law." However, every day laws are being passed which allow cities to take dogs (aka property) from their owners without the due process of a trial. The alarming rate with which this questionable practice is spreading has lead me to this idea. . .

Perhaps the United States of America no longer views animal owners as having equal rights afforded under the Constitution.

There are many examples in today's society of this phenomenon from breed specific ordinances to so called "dog fighting investigations." What they have in common is simple, the government and private organizations support of violating the Bill of Rights in favor of Animal Rights propaganda over real public safety and animal welfare considerations.

To many people who have not witnessed this firsthand it may seem far fetched. So, let me give you a short test . . .

TRUE OR FALSE?

1. Pit bulls are owned only by drug dealers, gang members, criminals and DOG FIGHTERS!

2. Pit Bulls have locking jaws which will never let go of an animal or person they are biting

3. Treadmills are only used by dog fighters

4. Weight pull and conformation shows are cover for dog fighters

5. Pit bull bans do not affect any other types of dogs

6. Shelters are greatly over crowded with pit bulls and mandatory spay/neuter laws will fix this

Thought it over? Well, you may be shocked by the real answers.

1. FALSE. People from all walks of life enjoy owning athletic, short haired, loyal dogs (which includes the pit bull breeds) and many famous people have and do own pit bull dogs. For example, Rachael Ray, Frankie Munez, Benjamin Franklin and Helen Keller.

2. FALSE. There has never been a study to confirm this. However it has been properly disproved. As explained below by Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia.

“The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of Pit Bulls show that, in proportion to their size, jaw structure and thus its inferred functional morphology, is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of “locking mechanism” unique to the structure of the jaw and /or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier.”

3. FALSE. Treadmills have been used in the dog show world for years to keep dogs of all breeds fit and healthy. Many veterinarians and dog trainers also advocate their use.

4. FALSE. Weight pull and conformation, along with many other dog sports and acitivities are undergone by many fanciers of different breeds. Some enjoy the bonding with their dogs and fellow fanciers, others compete in order to test a dogs structure and athletic ability which they want to breed.

This is a myth created in order to cast doubt on innocent dog owners so that certain groups could continue to blemish their reputation in the court of public opinion.

5. FALSE. There are 75 breeds of dogs currently being targeted somewhere in the United States by BSL. They range from the Labrador retriever to the Boston Terrier.

"BSL Pandemic" by Scot E. Dowd Ph.D of the Canine Research Institute suggests that by the year 2022 at least 25 additional breeds will join that list. This would effectively make owning the majority of popular dog breeds illegal in the United States.

6. FALSE. Nathan Winograd's Redemption has blew the lid off the pet overpopulation myth, proving that a more active role in animal sheltering can effectively reduce the number of animals killed in American shelters each year. Additionally, mandatory spay/neuter laws have been seen to actually raise shelter populations because many people surrender dogs or have them confiscated as opposed to complying with these laws, not to mention they violate your rights just as much as BSL does.

If you were surprised by the factual answers to the above questions you have been the victim of media biased. You have watched news stories, read articles and heard tall tales for years about evil pit bull owners and how BSL would save children and kittens from being eaten. Fact is, that's a load of crap.

The reason you may find it hard to swallow that dog owners are having their rights violated every day in this country is because most of those dog owners are pit bull owners. Even when the evidence is overwhelmingly stacked in their favor the pit bull owner has a hard time getting a fair shake with the media.

Here are some facts for you to ingest. Breed specific legislation is a growing problem. It in no way solves the problems which cause a danger to the community like irresponsible ownership and violation of existing fair laws. What it does accomplish is to criminalize innocent people based on information supplied by biased sources and verified by other biased sources which has no factual basis.

Dogs are the property of their owners. Seizure of a dog based on breed and without trial is a violation of both the 4th and 5th Amendments.

Fair and reasonable laws can be created to uphold public safety. All it takes is intelligent legislators with constituents who do not buy all the media bull. The Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States has created the Model Dog Owner Regulations for this purpose. If implemented it could drastically change the climate of a community, leading to responsible ownership practices and a drop in dog bites and other animal control issues.

On a whole other topic, and yet the same problem, is the recent string of high profile dog fighting busts. I know when I say "dog fighting bust" you most likely think Micheal Vick. But, for a moment, wipe that overplayed memory from your mind and envision instead your neighbor. Any neighbor. Because today there is a $5000 reward for dog fighter information. ANY information, true or not. Any person who owns "pit bulls" and has angered a neighbor or acted "odd" can fall victim. You may be thinking that there is no way an innocent person would be raided for dog fighting. But you have been proven wrong by numerous cases recently.

Where dog fighting is concerned it is a huge cash cow to donations for groups like the HSUS. Many times warrants are given for people who have never broken the law, simply on "suspicion" of dog fighting thanks to helpful tips the HSUS supplies to local law enforcement agencies. This is thanks to a little something called the "patriot act" which basically allows warrants to be written entirely from spectulation. Fourth amendment anyone?

Many times dog fighting trials also violate the 6th amendment as well. As in the case of Floyd and Guy Boudreaux who were acquitted after THREE YEARS of stalling from the prosecution. Turns out they were stalling because they had taken 50 dogs in violation of the 4th and 5th amendments, killed them within a few days time and had no evidence to tie the Boudreaux's to ANY illegal activity.

Another recent example of this blatant violation of the Bill of Rights is the case of Pat Patrick and Emily Dennis. Not only were all of their dogs seized and killed before trial and without evidence to back up the warrant written for them, the prosecution was also pushing for forfeiture of their home in order to pay civil penalties for "cruelty." After the prosecution presented the pathetic "evidence" collected against the couple it was obvious to the judge that this case was also a witch hunt without the broomsticks and the couple was acquitted. Of course, their dogs are still dead.

Don't think it stops with pit bull owners either in Arizona recently Wanda and Bill Jones were indicted for what the HSUS describes as "Hoarding" small dogs and birds. Although the animals were well taken care of and not confined to small cages as some reports have said the HSUS and other Animal Rights Extremist groups want this couple punished for what amounts to a love of animals. The couple had a lot of dogs and birds, that is true, but even video released by the Humane Society of Southern Arizona does not show one SINGLE dog in a cage or looking unhealthy/abused.

Before the HSUS got involved the couple had been visited by Animal control without incident. Now, they are facing criminal charges. That can be called an interesting turn of events for sure.

What this all amounts to is a clear problem in America. Dog owner's are being criminalized, violated and ignored on a daily basis. Meanwhile, "Humane organizations" are overstepping their bounds (legally speaking) and supplying bogus information to law enforcements agencies in exchange for media coverage which results in donations. Directly resulting from these acts of pure greed are the deaths of innocent animals, the ruined lives of innocent dog lovers and the wasted taxpayer money which is used to arrest these people, harass these people and then lose in court to these people.

Perhaps the citizens of the United States should stand up for their rights under the 4th, 5th and 6th amendments and ask that laws to "protect" the public be fair and without breed stereotypes, that police actually have evidence before storming homes, killing dogs and wasting taxpayer dollars and that some "humane organizations" are held accountable for the lies they feed the public and the cops in the name of fund raising.

"Dog Fighting Don" Not A Dog Fighter After All?

That's right America, Floyd Boudreaux (along with son Guy) has been acquitted of all charges which stemmed from a raid on his property some three years ago. This raid was greatly hailed by the Humane Society of the United States on their website where they stated: "The arrest of Floyd Boudreaux should strike a devastating blow to the underground world of dog fighting." As it stands this arrest struck a devastating blow alright, to the constitutional rights of dog owners.

The Boudreaux's dogs were taken under the order of a search warrant which was issued because Louisiana State Trooper Jacob Dickinson testified that he saw treadmills and a "dogfighting pit" on the Boudreaux property from his perch high above, in a helicopter supplied by U. S. Customs, part of the Department of Homeland Security. However, in court the judge saw no evidence of either treadmills or dog fighting pits. Why is this? This dog says they never existed.

Given that the search warrant was obtained based on this not-so-truthful testimony from Dickinson, this dog believes that would constitute Illegal Search and Seizure. Moreover, given that the dogs seized illegally from the Boudreaux home were killed within 24 hours of their confiscation this is also a case of violation of the Right to Due Process, which is also guaranteed by the Constitution.

The more you look at this case, the more obvious it becomes that the HSUS, Louisiana SPCA and law enforcement involved here blatantly violated the rights of the Boudreaux family. Since when does owning American Pit Bull Terriers allow law enforcement to violate the Rights guaranteed to you by the Constitution of the United States?

More than 60 dogs, including a pregnant bitch and puppies were killed in this case. More than three years later their owner was found INNOCENT of the charges which the Louisiana SPCA stood behind as the "reason" for killing these dogs. The judge in the case needed only two days to see through these charges and realize that the state had insufficient evidence on the Boudreaux family.

Still posted on the HSUS website is their "victory speech" which was posted shortly after the raid. Complete with the phantom treadmills and gloating about how they had gotten the "dog fighting don." Today these words from the HSUS seem not only incredibly ridiculous, but curious as well.

"While Boudreaux evaded the law for years, his chances of escaping the justice system this time are slim, now that state and federal officials have stepped in. Regardless, the damage to his operation—and the world of illegal dog fighting—is done. The former "go-to guy" for fighting dogs has now lost most of his bark and bite.

Major dog fighting players are on notice that they could be the next ones in handcuffs, as long as they persist in their bloody business. Says Christiansen, "The arrests of Floyd and Guy Boudreaux send a message to the dog fighting community that no one is untouchable."

And the acquittal of Floyd and Guy Boudreaux will hopefully send a message to the HSUS that innocent men will not rot for their marketing scheme and the pit bull community will no longer stand for this slander.

This time the barrage of media slander, the under handed tactics to take children, homes and other property and even the death threats did not stop justice from prevailing. This time the "Dog Fighting Don" was really just the innocent old man who loved his dogs and now has to look out at their former resting places every day and think how the Humane Society killed his dogs.

Real "Pit Bulls"

Although the common perception of "pit bulls" and their owners is less than stellar it is not a realistic representation of the dogs or the people who love them.

Groups like the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have long been wearing down the public with perceptions of demon dogs owned by criminals, drug dealers, gang members and dog fighters.

They rarely speak about the responsible people or come out in defense of the breed. Instead they take every opportunity to spout vilifying statistics which even the CDC renounce as untrustworthy.

"ZAHN (voice-over): The Humane Society estimates that 40,000 people in the U.S. stage animal fights for sport and profit. Among them are drug dealers, backyard breeders and gangs, who abuse pit bulls to create fierce, aggressive dogs, prone to attack.

WAYNE PACELLE, HUMAN SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES: Pit bulls are the dogs of choice for dog fighters. And the combination of a strong dog and a person with the wrong ideas and wrong attitude makes for a combustible situation.

ZAHN: But the problem with pit bulls goes way beyond dark alleys. The family dog can also turn deadly. In San Francisco, little Nicky Faibish just 12 years old, was mauled to death by at least one of his family's two pet pit bulls. His mom was running errands, leaving Nicky alone with the dogs, and returned to discover the grisly scene. Now Maureen Faibish faces felony charges, including child endangerment. And San Francisco officials are considering an extreme and controversial measure, rewriting state law to allow for a breed- specific band on pit bulls altogether.

GAVIN NEWSOM (D), MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO: I think it's time that we get serious about pit bulls in this city, we get serious about pit bulls in this state, we get serious about pit bulls across the United States of America.

ZAHN: Fueling the debate, the fact that Nicky's tragedy wasn't an isolated attack. The Bay Area has seen a number of pit bull attacks in the past few years, with children like 8-year-old Annette Rojas and 14-year-old Shawn Jones among the worst casualties.

CARL FRIEDMAN, SORT OF ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL: Pit bulls are a problem. Let's not shy away from that. Let's not put our heads in the sand.

ZAHN: A 20-year study by the Centers For Disease Control shows that, in a country with more 4.5 million dog bites every year, children are most often the victims and pit bulls most often the perpetrators, causing more fatalities than any other breed."

-CNN Paula Zahn transcript aired July 12th, 2005

"A CDC study on fatal dog bites lists the breeds involved in fatal attacks over 20 years (Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1998).

It does not identify specific breeds that are most likely to bite or kill, and thus is not appropriate for policy-making decisions related to the topic. Each year, 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs. These bites result in approximately 16 fatalities; about 0.0002 percent of the total number of people bitten. These relatively few fatalities offer the only available information about breeds involved in dog bites. There is currently no accurate way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed, and consequently no measure to determine which breeds are more likely to bite or kill.

Many practical alternatives to breed-specific policies exist and hold promise for preventing dog bites. For prevention ideas and model policies for control of dangerous dogs, please see the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Task Force on Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions: A community approach to dog bite prevention."

-Center for Disease Control and Prevention

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had this to say about "pit bulls" on their website as reasoning for their support of breed bans:

"Over and over again, PETA rescues pit bulls like these from people who beat, starve, and neglect them; chain them to metal drums as “guard” dogs; or train them to attack people and fight other animals. We remove them from abusive homes and contact cruelty case prosecutors in their behalf. We also speak out against dogfighting"

-PETA's Position on Pit Bull Bans

These kinds of statements are constantly being thrown into the world, quoted over and over by news outlets and blogs and ignorant people of all kinds. They take on a life of their own and in the collective mind of the public, these statements are the quintessential pit bull owner. A drug dealing, dog fighting criminal who needs to be banned from civilized society.

Meanwhile, at home watching news casts and reading blogs about how awful and evil pit bull's and their owners are is the REAL pit bull owner. A real person who loves their dog. This person can be of any race, any sex and any age. They are lawyers, doctors, financial experts, fast food workers, stay at home moms. They are Americans of all kinds. And, although some pit bull owners are dog fighting, drug dealing criminals, they are sick of watching themselves be demonized by this unfair perception that they, the responsible pit bull owner, are somehow a minority. These people know tens even hundreds of other responsible pit bull owners. They talk to them every day and yet the rest of the world acts like they do not exist.

Most responsible pit bull owner's end up eventually surrounding themselves with other responsible pit bull owners. People they meet at the pet supply store, dog shows, weight pulls, agility competitions or where ever- who do not constantly give them the dreaded look.

The "Look":
Every responsible pit bull owner (as well as many Rottweiler, Doberman and other "dangerous" dog owners) has seen it, felt it and resented it. They meet someone and as they get to know them eventually they mention they own "pit bulls." The other person either falls silent or immediately starts spouting hurtful stereotypes like "aren't you afraid for your children" or "why would you want one of those monsters?" And, then you see it. A look of disgust or even fear. Suddenly they think, maybe YOU are one of those drug dealing, dog fighting criminals they have heard so much about. And, even though they usually don't say it you know it. If you ever see them again you know what they will be thinking, and how they will look at you.

Like a second class citizen.

Although the world ignores them. Although the media denies them the equal coverage they should be afforded. Although they are constantly being vilified and criminalized by unfair laws. They exist. They love their dogs. They love pit bulls. In all the shapes and sizes that the many breeds which are encompassed in the words "pit bull" come in, they love them.

Responsible pit bull owners can connect in many ways. Often times through breed clubs which are part of all the major dog registries who cater to the different "pit bull" breeds.

American Dog Breeders Association
United Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
Sporting Dog Registry
All American Dog Registry

Breed Specific Legislation Elimination

Everyday in America the war is being waged on "pit bulls" in the form of Breed Specific Legislation. Groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Best Friends are using their political and public influence to systematically outlaw and eliminate dog breeds in cities and counties across the country.

Some wars are won and some lost. But, there are a few things that every "pit bull" owner, breeder and advocate need to know in order to stand a chance in their community.

This edition of United We Bark will cover the reasons behind BSL. Stay tuned for future editions covering how to fight bsl and who you can trust in the Animal "welfare" community.

BSL is presented to the public as a means for controlling dangerous dogs and curbing dog bites in the community. However, any one who researches the subject can see that the actual danger from "pit bull" dogs is wildly overstated and BSL does not successfully address the problems which cause dog bites in the community.

Neither the CDC, AVMA or AKC acknowledge breed specific legislation as a means to effectively reducing dog bites in communities. Dog Bite Prevention week is sponsored each year by the CDC, AVMA and USPS. They collectively reject BSL and recommend other means of control and prevention.

As outlined in A Community Approach to Dog Bite Prevention The AVMA's Task Force on Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions states:

"Concerns about “dangerous” dogs have caused many local governments to consider supplementing existing animal control laws with ordinances directed toward control of specific breeds or types of dogs. Members of the Task Force believe such ordinances are inappropriate and ineffective."

". . . a dog’s tendency to bite depends on at least 5 interacting factors: heredity, early experience, later socialization and training, health (medical and behavioral), and victim behavior."

"Breed-specific ordinances, however, raise constitutional questions concerning dog owners’ fourteenth amendment rights of due process and equal protection. When a specific breed of dog is selected for control, 2 constitutional questions are raised: first, because all types of dogs may inflict injury to people and property, ordinances addressing only 1 breed of dog appear to be underinclusive and, therefore, violate owners’ equal protection rights; and second, because identification of a dog’s breed with the certainty necessary to impose sanctions on the dog’s owner is impossible, such ordinances have been considered unconstitutionally vague and, therefore, to violate due process."

What the Animal Rights community hopes to gain from BSL:

• Allowing Warrantless Search and Seizure
  
  “if pit bulls were illegal to possess, law enforcement officials could obtain search warrants where pit bulls are discovered and during such a search, additional evidence of their dog fighting could be discovered and seized for felony prosecutions”.
  - Kory Nelson, City Attorney, Denver, Colorado
  
  This can be said for anything "discovered" on your property at the time that a warrant for your "pit bull" is being executed, even things that are not in plain view.
  
  
• Gaining Police powers and forfeiture of assets for "private charities"
  
  Senate Bill 1775 by Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, would allow the forfeiture of property used for dogfighting.
  
  
• By-pass Due Process
  
  In the case of BSL dogs are confiscated and killed often without allowing a trial or opposition from the dog owner. Most Breed Specific laws actually have written in clauses which eliminate the right of due process.
  
  
• Making formerly responsible and law abiding dog owners into a new class of criminals
  
  The Humane Society of the United States has been painting "pit bull" owners as criminals, gang members and dog fighters for years. Now, with the use of BSL they are making law abiding citizens into criminals by outlawing their beloved pets. The choice of dog lovers becomes: Abide by the law and kill your dog OR Break the law and hide/relocate your dog.
  
  

  From the HSUS Website:
  How to Spot Signs of Dogfighting in Your Community (comments in red)
  

• An inordinate number of pit bulls being kept in one location, especially multiple dogs who are chained and seem unsocialized. This could include rescue organizations, responsible dog breeders and other people. The perception of a dog "seeming unsocialized" is left to the person to determine without having met the dog or conversed with the dog owner.
• Dogs with scars on their faces, front legs and stifle area (hind end and thighs). Also could include dogs at a rescue, being fostered for an adoption agency, or dogs with pre-existing conditions which have caused excess scratching in the past.
• Dogfighting training equipment such as
  • treadmills used to build dogs' endurance Responsible dog breeders of many breeds use treadmills to ensure that their dogs receive healthy exercise as recommended by veterinarians to maintain healthy weight which was proven to help dogs lead a healthy life by the Purina Life Span Study. You can see on the AVMA website a study in which veterinarians utilized specialized treadmills for dogs in a study on obesity.
    
  
  
  • "break sticks" used to pry apart the jaws of dogs locked in battle Responsible dog owners of the Bully breeds should own and carry a break stick in case of unintentional altercations between their dogs and unfamiliar animals. In the event an incident does occur the break stick is the fastest and safest way (for both animals involved) to separate the dogs.
  • tires or "springpoles" (usually a large spring with rope attached to either end) hanging from tree limbs Police K9 units and responsible dog owners who participate in Schutzhund competitions with their dogs can both benefit from the jaw strengthening safe play which is provided by a spring pole.
• Unusual foot traffic coming and going from a location at odd hours. This could apply to rescue organizations, home based veterinarians, dog breeders who sell puppies, any person who happens to have friends.

• The addition of more and more breeds to the dangerous dog list, thereby effectively eliminating dog ownership in America over a period of many years. Currently 75 breeds have been targeted by the Animal Rights advocates to be restricted and/or banned somewhere in the United States. It is only a matter of time until they petition Congress and WIN to outlaw these breeds and more in the United States as a whole.
  
  
  PETA in particular is not shy about their hatred for "pets" in America;
  ". . . we believe that it would have been in the animals' best interests if the institution of "pet keeping"—i.e., breeding animals to be kept and regarded as "pets"—never existed. The international pastime of domesticating animals has created an overpopulation crisis; as a result, millions of unwanted animals are destroyed every year as "surplus." This selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them causes immeasurable suffering. . ."
  
  ". . . many kind individuals fall prey to the picket-fence appeal of so-called "responsible" breeders and fail to recognize that no matter how kindly a breeder treats his or her animals, as long as dogs and cats are dying in animal shelters and pounds because of a lack of homes, no breeding can be considered "responsible."


All of this moral browbeating, meanwhile. . .

"People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a group that complains bitterly when animals die accidentally in horse races or intentionally in slaughterhouses, killed more than 90 percent of the adoptable animals in its care during 2007."

"In comparison, the Virginia Beach SPCA, right down the road from PETA’s Norfolk headquarters, managed to adopt out almost 70% of the animals in its care last year. And it did it on a relative shoestring budget."
Reported by Peta Kills Animals as of 10/3/08

Not to mention that the realistic basis for what PETA calls a pet overpopulation crisis has been vehemently disproved by Nathan Winograd's Redemption a book praised and renowned for it's honest portrayal of the broken Animal Control system in America which advocates killing instead of adopting for millions of healthy and wanted pets each year.

"Redemption is a passionate advocacy for ending the killing of homeless dogs and cats in shelters. Telling the story of how the movement of animal sheltering in the United States was born of compassion and lost its way... Redemption offers hope that America can yet change its ways. Highly recommended. – Midwest Book Reviews, midwestbookreview.com.

"[T]he most provocative and best-informed overview of animal sheltering ever written." – Merritt Clifton, Animal People. (To read the entire review, click here.)

"An important work... The world owes much to those rare individuals who see things differently - and who then devote themselves to vindicating their maverick conclusions." – The Bark, thebark.com. (To read the entire review, click here.)

"[An] excellent, empowering new book." – Julia Szabo, Fetchdog.com, New York Post Pet Writer. (To read the entire review, click here.)

"One of the most important books you’ll read this year."– Beth Flor, Pajiba.com

Winograd's book tells how successful the no kill shelter movement can be in America, preventing scenes like this from happening. PETA calls no kill shelters "less than ideal." They claim No Kill Shelter systems can not work. Meanwhile, Winograd "presided over America’s two most successful experiments in what’s become known as the “No-Kill” animal shelter movement.

At SPCAs in San Francisco and Tompkins County, New York, Winograd showed that No-Kill animal sheltering -- the brand of hands-on animal care that deep-pocketed animal “rights” groups like PETA and the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) ironically oppose -- can work." - Center for Consumer Freedom

In an interview with the Center for Consumer Freedom Winograd answers some tough questions about Redemption which may help you understand why you should READ THIS BOOK.

All in all,through research into the subject, it becomes painfully obvious that Animal Rights groups who advocate, or even just help along, breed specific measures in cities and counties around the country are not doing it to stop dog bites in those communities. Breed bans DO NOT stop or reduce the overall number of dog bites in a community.

Dog bites are caused by irresponsible ownership and lack of enforcement of existing fair laws in communities. Every American city needs to employ Responsible Dog Ownership Laws as opposed to BSL, like those suggested by Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States. If they did I guarantee a drop in dog bites, prolonged animal cruelty and reoffenders in communities around the country.

It also becomes obvious, if you follow the spread of BSL through the country and the world for a short time, how much of a real problem this is. BSL is becoming a pandemic and rapidly spreading. Without the committed involvement of every dog owner in America I fear myself and all dogs like me will soon be near extinction in America and around the world.

Guardianship: A Stepping Stone in the Wrong Direction

Lately, I have been hearing many organizations using the term "guardianship" instead of "ownership" when referring to the human-dog relationship. While I love to be treated like a member of the family and respected as thus, this term has me worried.

Many people may say why? And here it is. . .

I, being a dog, like to feel secure in my living situation. Ownership tells me that my person "owns" me and by law, under the constitution, has rights to me. This means that no government has legal right to take me away, upsetting my living arrangement without proof that my owner has broken a law.

That being said, many times BSL does take us dogs from our owners. But, this is illegal and violates our human's rights under the 4th, 5th and 14th amendments of the United States Constitution. In particular, the 14th Amendment states that the government shall not deprive citizens of property without due process. So, when BSL is enacted, it is in violation of these amendments and can be challenged in court. Often times it is challenged, and although cities and states have more money and time to fight in court, occasionally humans win. When they do win it is by proving that Breed Specific Legislation has violated "due process" by resulting in "grievous harm to property and liberty."

This is why the term guardianship has been concocted. Animals, including dogs, are currently considered PROPERTY by law in the United States. However, Under the Constitution of the United States a guardian does not hold property rights over it's "ward." In fact, making dog owners into dog "guardians" would not only erase the legal premise by which BSL can be fought and won, it may also place undue strain on the dog-human relationship. For example, a guardian of a child is bound by law to put the interest of the child before themselves. This means if the child needs a million dollar operation the guardian must undergo the financial hardship of doing such operation and if the guardian refuses the state can actually file suit against said guardian on behalf of the ward. In such cases with dogs, a veterinarian or other official could decide that the food or medical treatment a guardian has chosen for it's ward is insufficient and they could file suit on the ward's behalf.

This would make dog guardianship much more complicated and expensive than is dog ownership, perhaps even reducing the number of available good homes in America for dogs like myself.

Additionally, human guardians are tracked by the state in the case of having human wards. Human-dog guardians would probably be the same way, adding another undue strain on the individuals involved and the regulatory system created around this ideal.

You may be thinking, who is suggesting "dog guardianship" anyway?

Many of the Animal Rights organizations you may have thought were warm and fuzzy actually support the elimination of pet owner rights and even BSL.

ASPCA Position On Ownership vs. Guardianship

“By viewing animals as more than mere property, the focus shifts from the ownership interest in the animal to what is in the best interest of that individual animal. This altered view of animals necessarily requires that we treat them with greater respect and compassion and a higher level of care. In turn, our relationship with the animal becomes one of a “caretaker,” whose sole responsibility is to protect and nurture the animal, rather than an “owner,” who has title to and dominion over the animal for the owner’s enjoyment and benefit as he/she sees fit.”

“To fully recognize this new relationship between humans and animals, laws must change accordingly. Converting “owner” to “guardian,” however, is more than semantics. It raises many important questions regarding society’s duty of care toward and use of animals. For example, can we continue to use animals in medical research and for human consumption and still consider ourselves their guardians? These practices certainly are not in the animals’ best interests, nor do they respect them as separate and unique entities capable of experiencing pain, fear and suffering. What, then, is our duty of care toward animals whom we exploit for human interests?”

Read the bold above, as a dog, the idea that the ASPCA wants to make cows illegal to eat makes me afraid for my life. Although humans can live as healthy vegans, we dogs are carnivores.

ASPCA Position
While the legal status of animals remains to be resolved, the ASPCA recognizes that the cultural and social relationship that humans have with animals clearly transcends that of property, and is better reflected by the term “guardian” than by the term “owner.” The ASPCA therefore advocates the use of the term “guardian.”

The ASPCA is an organization which most people think of as a very mainstream animal protection agency. But, with is current adoption of guardianship language we dogs are seeing that it is really just a PETA or HSUS in friendlier clothes.

I for one, feel much safer knowing that if BSL passes where I live, my humans will have a constitutional basis to fight for my life!

Responsible Dog Owners Unite. . .

I am writing this blog as a means to reach responsible dog owners across the country. Why? Because, there are more of you than the HSUS and PETA want to admit and you need a platform for making yourselves known. Every day so called "dangerous dog laws" are stripping away your rights across the country and criminalizing you.

It is time to stand up and make a change! You need to tell America that you beloved pups are here to stay and no combination of mandatory spay/neuter, anti- tethering or breed ban laws will make us leave!

I hope that you will subscribe to this blog and tell your friends about it because there is revolution coming and I would like you and every other dog owner in America to be part of it!