Thursday, September 30, 2010

CHECK OUT CHANEL IN HER NEW HOME!


Chanel enjoying the couch in her new home!

Chanel is one the lucky pups that headed North last week in search of her new beginning. This cutie has already found her adoptive home! We just received the below update from her new family.

"Penny" aka Chanel is doing wonderfully.

She had a skittish couple of days, and a little bit of adjustment time with her big brother, but they are romping and playing like old friends now. She is finally going upstairs on her own (we carried her the first few days because she was having no part of them).

There have been NO accidents in the house, at all !!!

When we first brought her home she had no idea what a toy was- and now they chase each other over ownership of the big yellow squeaky bone.

We had an interesting day yesterday because we were out of the house for a few hours, and we crated her when we left. When we got home she and Tuck both greeted us at the door. We will add "smart" to her list of qualities.

She is responding incredibly well to training, and has already mastered come. We took her to Paws in the Park and had a great day. That said, everything is going wonderfully here.

Thank you to everyone who helped Chanel find her way to a new beginning!

You can make a difference in a dog's life!
Foster a Dog
Donate

Visit us online
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Sunday, September 26, 2010

THIS WEEK'S LUCKY PUPS

FIVE lucky PAWS pups headed off to start new lives this week! Jackie, Chanel, Dakota and sibblings, Heidi and Hattie, left Thursday for foster and adoptive homes in New England.

Heidi and Hattie are particularly lucky as they are going to a foster-to-adopt situation where they will remain together as a dynamic duo!

A big "Thank you" to Leanne, Lisa and Terri for fostering these cuties! Without you - they would never have a chance at the lives they deserve.


Jackie

Chanel

Dakota

Heidi

Hattie

http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Saturday, September 18, 2010

MEET GENTLE GIANT - ESKIMO!


Meet Eskimo!

Eskimo was found by one of our foster homes. Eskimo is a gentle giant. He weighs around 105lbs, but is as sweet as can be. We think he is a mix between a Husky and a Great Pyr.

Eskimo gets along with all dogs; big, small, male or female. Eskimo knows how to sit and shake.

Eskimo, like so many of our other dogs, has tested positive for heartworms and needs funding to go through treatment. Unfortunately - he is a "high" positive - which means he will have to go through the split treatment. Due to his incredible size/weight - this will be an extremely expensive treatment. But we feel Eskimo is worth the effort.

We are hoping that once treated - Eskimo will be able to head North to New England - where he will thrive in the cooler climate and have his first snow experience!

Please chip in to help this gentle giant find his way to a new life!





Thank you for caring about our dogs!

http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Monday, September 6, 2010

FOUND ANOTHER PUPPY...


Cutie Katie Needs a Foster Home

Labor Day is not labor-free for dog rescuers:) One of our volunteers found ANOTHER puppy this weekend. Where does it end?


This Katie - she is about 10 weeks old and a total cutie pie. Katie has had her first round of shots - but will need a few more round before going to rescue or an adoptive home.

We are exploding at the seams with dogs and REALLY need to find Katie a foster home to go to.

If you are in the Memphis area and would like to help out a sweet, cuddly puppy that LOVES to be with her people - please contact Leanne, lnbslacker22@yahoo.com or fill out our online foster application: http://www.pawsofmarion.org/adoptfosterapplication.html

Thank you for caring about our dogs!

www.pawsofmarion.org

Saturday, September 4, 2010

EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO BREED BANS


Brady - abused Bully now Good Canine Citizen

We know that Breed Bans do not work for multiple reasons - they target all dogs of a breed -- the innocent as well as the guilty; are difficult and expensive to enforce; and do not end the use of guardian dogs by criminals. If pit bulls in their various incarnations are banned, drug dealers and other felons switch to another breed or mix.

With the impending vote on an ordinance that will ban American Pit Bull Terriers in Marion, AR - it is easy for us to say that breed bans are a bad idea - but where does that leave a city government that is trying to make its community a safer place to live? Below are alternative and effective strategies to address the problem of dog bites and dog fighting in any community.

EDUCATION: As proven through Calgary's animal control bylaw - Education is the key to preventing dog attacks and promoting safer interactions between humans and dogs. Research shows that just 1 hour of dog safety training in grades 2 and 3 can reduce dog bites/attacks by 80%. Since implimenting its new animal control bylaws in 2007 - Calgary's bite reports have consistently fallen and are at the lowest they have been in 25 years.

DOG LICENSING - Mandatory dog licensing enables law enforcement officers to keep track of pets and owners which assists greatly in tracking/addressing dog incidents. Many communities offer lower licensing fees for altered dogs and higher fees for unaltered dogs (unaltered dogs have a higher rate of aggression) - which encourages spay/neutering and also generates funds for low/cost spay/neuter and other community safety programs.

LEASH LAWS. Enact, strengthen and enforce leash laws. Owners are responsible for containing their animals, and far too many times, existing leash laws are simply ignored. Quite frankly, if a community cannot enforce the simplest of laws such as a leash law (where there is no question as to whether a dog is or is not on a leash), how can they possibly expect to enforce a breed ban, wherein animal control officers will be forced to question what breed a dog may or many not be?

ANTI-TETHERING LAWS. According to the Center for Disease Control - a chained dog is 2.8 times more likely to bite than one that is not. The victims of dog bites by chained dogs are mostly children. Limiting the amount of time that dogs are allowed to be tethered can greatly reduce the number of bite incidents in a community. Does this mean that dogs should be allowed to run free? Of course not. Leash walking, containing a dog in the home or in a fenced in yard is a much better way to keep a dog and its neighbors safe and more likely to result in a better socialized/less aggressive dog.

LAWS THAT HOLD OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE: Strengthen and enforce penalties for irresponsible dog owners. Rather than create dangerous dog laws, we should instead focus on "dangerous owner" laws. Problem dogs are the result of irresponsible, negligent and careless owners, and greater focus on the cause of the problem will result in a community that experiences less issues with both "dangerous owners" and their dogs. Generic dangerous dog laws which address the underlying cause of most dog-related deaths and injuries – irresponsible dog ownership - are a key point in preventing dog related incidents in the community.

Good dangerous dog laws place the owner in the position of ensuring that their dog(s) comply with all state and local requirements. Fines for violations can vary, but the leading principle is that dog ownership should be more costly to the irresponsible individuals. Experience has taught us that most bite incidents are examples of irresponsible ownership, not the specific dog breed involved. In other words, we need stricter regulations on dog ownership, no matter what the breed.

Non-breed specific legislation is cost effective in comparison to outright breed ban and is more readily accepted for the most part. More importantly, a well-thought non-breed specific legislation addresses the root cause of most, if not all, dog related injures and deaths, which is the irresponsible dog owner.

STRENGTHEN ANIMAL ABUSE & DOG FIGHTING LAWS. Dogs of all breeds become aggressive as the result of cruelty, abuse, neglect and/or otherwise improper care, and proper attention needs to be focused on the owners who inflict these living conditions on their dogs.

REGULATE DOG BREEDERS. Breeders play an important role in the temperament of the dogs they produce and sell. Irresponsible breeding plays a very important role as the mating of two dogs with poor and/or unacceptable temperaments will no doubt result in puppies with unstable temperaments. Moreover, if irresponsible breeders do not screen the individuals they sell their dogs to, you have the potential combination of ill-breed dogs in the hands of irresponsible owners. A disaster in the making.

LOW COST SPAY/NEUTER: Provide easy access low cost spay/neuter options in the community. Unneutered dogs, particularly males, are far more likely to attack a human than either neutered males or spayed females. In analyzing over 448 dog attack cases, Karen Delise, author of Fatal Dog Attacks, determined that overwhelmingly, most dogs involved in the attacks were unneutered male dogs that were maintained for reasons other than to be household companions (i.e., yard dogs).

Providing lost cost options for the healthcare of dogs, including spay and neuter services, is an excellent way to help dog owners better care for dogs and take more interest in their dog's healthcare and well-being.

Resources:
The Calgary Model
http://www.defendingdog.com/id38.html

Dog Bites: Problems and Solutions, Animals and Society Institute
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/Research/Bradley%20DogBites.pdf

Breed Statitics from The American Temperment Test Society (note that Golden Retreivers and Minature Poodles have a higher rate of failure than American Pit Bull Terriers).
http://www.atts.org/statistics.html

Which Dogs Bite? Center for Disease Control Study
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dog3.pdf

Dangerous Dog Report from Prince George County, Maryland
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/Research/PGCMD/PGCMTOC1.htm

Dog Attacks Where the Breed was Identified Incorrectly
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/MistakenIdentity/WrongId.htm

Dogs Currently Effected by BSL in the US
http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/BreedsaffectedbyBSL.htm

Related Posts
Dixon - Amazing Bully Success Story
http://pawsofmarion.blogspot.com/2010/08/dixon-amazing-bully-success-story.html

Breed Ban on the Table - Marion, AR
http://pawsofmarion.blogspot.com/2010/09/breed-ban-on-table-in-marion-ar.html

Can You Find the Pit Bull?
http://pawsofmarion.blogspot.com/2010/09/can-you-find-pit-bull.html

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Write a letter, make a phone call, send an email to Mayor Frank Fogleman and the other City Council members. Have you adopted a Pit Bull/mix from us? Be sure to include pictures and share the happiness that your Pit Bull Terrier brings to your life every day.

Attend the next City Council Meeting (9/28) - make sure your opinion is known.

Share this story with everyone you know. This is an issue that affects all dog lovers - not just the Pit Bull lovers in Marion, AR. Today it may be Marion and Pit Bull Terriers - tomorrow your town and Doberman Pinchers or German Shepherds or Chows Chows or ...

Go to the shelter and save a Pit Bull's life!


Katie deserves a loving home just like any other dog!

As always - thank you for caring about our dogs!
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

MEET THE NEW CUTIES: DAKOTA & CHANEL


Dakota -what a doll!

Two MORE cuties have magically found their way to PAWS...

Dakota mysteriously appeared in the neighborhood of one of our volunteers. It is amazing how dogs just appear when you are involved in rescue...it sometimes feels like you have a sign out in front of your house that says "leave your dog here."

Anyway - Dakota is an absolute delight. Look at that face - how can you not fall in love? At approximately 1.5 years old he is still heartworm negative (YEY!) which is a good indicator that someone was taking good care of this pup up until recently.

Dakota is a great size - he weighs around 40lbs and shouldn't get much bigger. He is sharing his foster home with multiple dogs and gets along great with everyone. He loves to go for walks and ride in the car. He appears to be housebroken. He is not a big fan of his crate but is getting better about being in it. He loves people and doesn't meet a stranger. He already knows how to sit.


One neighborhood away - another one of of our volunteers found this 10-12 month puppy. Her name is now Chanel. Isn't she ADORABLE? Chanel weighs around 35-40 lbs and is also heartworm negative! We cannot believe it!


Chanel gets along wonderfully with other dogs and will make a great member of someone's family.


I am so pretty!

You can make a difference in a dog's life!
Adopt a Dog
Donate

Visit us online
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

CAN YOU FIND THE PIT BULL?


One of the many challenges with implementing a ban of Pit Bull Terriers is that few individuals can correctly identify the "breed."

Pit Bull Terriers are not actually a breed but a combination of breeds - they are mixed breed dogs... This confusion can lead to the death of many dogs that are in fact not Pit Bull Terriers, but other breeds (Matiffs, American Bulldogs, Staffordshire Terriers, Bull Terriers) or mixed breed mutts. There are 20 different breeds that are commonly mistaken for Pit Bull Terriers.

Try this little quiz for fun: Find the Pit Bull. See how many people you know can pick out a pit bull from pictures, let alone in the a shelter or in the middle of an attack.

BREED BAN ON THE TABLE IN MARION, AR


Bayou - rescued from the Marion Shelter in 3/10

This blog is usually dedicated to the efforts of our rescue. Most of you tune in to read about our happy endings, recent intakes and requests for medical and financial assistance. We are not a legislative or political action focused organization. However, the topic of breed bans has now touched our community and has the possibility of negatively impacting our rescue efforts and endangering many of the dogs that come to our local shelter.

As a result, we ask that you bear with us through the next month - as the City of Marion is proposing a ban on Pit Bull Terriers - that could be potentially voted on and passed in the next City Council meeting on September 28. If passed this ordinance could result in the death of many wonderful dogs that have done nothing wrong other than to be abandoned, abused or neglected by irresponsible humans.

We have successfully rescued over 900 dogs since 2007 - many of which have been identified (correctly? incorrectly?) by someone (qualified? unqualified?) as Pit Bulls or Pit Bull mixes. All have gone onto wonderful adoptive homes and become positive additions to the communities that they live in.

If you think this type of ban will only impact Marion, AR or Pit Bull Terriers - think again. If Pit Bull Terriers are not an allowed "breed" - the irresponsible humans that own them, breed them and create dangerous dogs - will move onto a different breed. Then new breed bans will follow. Where does it end?

This ban WILL NOT impact the people who train dogs to fight, people who do not socialize or confine their dogs properly, or who let intact dogs roam, etc.

This ordinance WILL impact: the dogs that need our help, the finances of the City of Marion and the already stretched resources of the Marion Animal Shelter staff and facility.

Additionally, once a breed ban passes in one community - neighboring communities tend to follow suit. This is an issue that effects all responsible dog owners.

Over the next month we will be writing about different aspects of this controversial issue - in an effort to educate the public and hopefully convince the Marion City Council members that this is not an effective solution to the problems of dog bites and dog fighting in this community.


Chewy - adopted from the Marion Shelter 3/10

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Write a letter, make a phone call, send an email to Mayor Frank Fogleman and the other City Council members. Have you adopted a Pit Bull/mix from us? Be sure to include pictures and share the happiness that your Pit Bull Terrier brings to your life every day.

Attend the next City Council Meeting - make sure your opinion is known.

Share this story with everyone you know. This is an issue that affects all dog lovers - not just the Pit Bull lovers in Marion, AR. Today it may be Marion and Pit Bull Terriers - tomorrow your town and Doberman Pinchers or German Shepherds or Chows Chows or ...

Go to the shelter and save a Pit Bull's life!

As always - thank you for caring about our dogs!

You can make a difference in a dog's life!
Foster a Dog
Donate

Visit us online
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/

Friday, September 3, 2010

NEW ARRIVAL - MOMMA SUSIE


This sweet girl is not technically new to us - as we have known of her existence for sometime.

Suzie is the mother to Shannon - a black pup recently rescued by us and adopted out by our partner rescue in New England.

Susie is a stray that a kind Samaritan had been feeding for awhile. Unfortunately, the Samaritan's landlord suddenly decided that he did not want Susie hanging around anymore and threatened to shoot her. Thankfully, Super foster mom, Terri, has made room at her house for sweet Susie.

Of course, Susie has also tested positive for Heartworm. This means she will need some guardian angels to sponsor her treatment. The good news is that she is already in an indoor foster home - so can be treated once we raise the funds! We will posting a Chip-In fundraiser for Susie shortly.

Susie is a sweet dog who gets along with the other dogs in her foster home. It takes Susie a little while to warm up to new people but once she does she is so sweet. Susie weighs around 40lbs so she is a great size.

Please give Susie the same opportunity at a loving home that her puppy, Shannon, has received!



Thank you for caring about our dogs!

You can make a difference in a dog's life!
Foster a Dog
Donate

Visit us online
http://www.pawsofmarion.org/