Missing Bichon

A friend with the Poodle rescue sent me a link about a missing Bichon from St.Petersburg. She's an old girl and has been with her owner since puppyhood. Read the details in the
St.Petersburg Times article.

Percy The Politico

I was searching for something lighthearted to post, since there's an overwhelming amount of bad news about dogs these days and this blog is feeling heavy. I ran across a story on a BBC News site about Percy, a border collie mix who ran for Congress back in 2002 against Katherine Harris. Percy's owner, Wayne Genther, a Florida charter boat Captain wanted to focus attention on the injustices of campaign finance in American politics. Percy ran as a compassionate conservative with a campaign slogan that read "Never made a mess in the House, never will." I think the world would be a better place if there were at least one canine in each politician's office. I know I make better decisions when I let my dogs influence me.

In an effort to keep this blog balanced, I'm searching for more positive stories about your canines. They can be funny, poignant or just plain weird. Send them to me. If they keep coming, I'll make it a regular feature.

She Walks Free Which Is Something Her Dogs Never Did

According to the Tampa Tribune this morning, a Tampa woman was released on $6000 bail Saturday after being arrested on felony counts of animal abuse and neglect. She kept the male pit bull with scars all over his face, chained and emaciated. The female mixed breed was locked in an almost airless shed surrounded by feces. Neither dog had food or water. The police also found four six week old puppies, dead and decomposing in a crate. Alexiadreona Sampson said she had moved from the house and returned two weeks later to feed the dogs. A neighbor reported a bad smell coming from the place and said he hadn't seen anyone at the house in eight days. Yep, Ms. Sampson deserves every one of those six felony counts of animal cruelty and six counts of abandonment. But how hard would it have been for a neighbor to call animal services when they saw her move out of the house and noone return the next day? Dogs are not silent. Those puppies had to whine, those adult dogs, bark. How can people stand by and not do anything to help while those dogs starved and became dehydrated?

Nubs Visits The Sunshine State

Nubs, the abused Iraqi dog who was rescued by Marine Maj.Brian Dennis, visited St. Petersburg this week to meet up with some of the folks who were helpful in Nubs' rescue effort. Brian grew up in St.Pete and when he sent out an email from Iraq expressing the urgent need to transport this dog to America, he recieved 250 emails back offering help. Nubs is now living the high life in California where Maj. Dennis is stationed. You can read more about Nubs' gulfcoast visit in Tampa Tribune's story. There's also a website devoted to the pooch at http://www.brianandnubs.com/.

Pitbull Ambassadors, Mission Orange and More

Recently, The Tampa Tribune featured a story on a Thontosassa man who was charged with animal cruelty after his pitbull named "Dog" was found emaciated and weak, suffering from an easily treatable parasite. Seven other dogs were removed from the same household. The puppies will be available for adoption, but as I've learned in my research of fighting dogs, adult pitbulls are not always regarded as good candidates for adoption. Some places actually ban pitbulls from rehoming. But Hillsborough County Animal Services, who is now sheltering "Dog," believes pitbulls are unfairly maligned. In fact,"Dog" is being considered for their Pitbull Ambassador Program, one of the ways that HCAS is working to make lives better for animals. The mission of the ambassador program is to fight misconceptions about the Pitbull. Three dogs are selected at a time based on their suitability. They must be healthy and are put through behavioral and temperament testing by veterinary staff who have been trained by Oakland, California's BADRAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls). HCAS continues an association with BADRAP through ongoing education of their own staff and the public. Dogs who are chosen to be ambassadors become special adoptions, requiring home visits and screening before placement.

Recently, Jagger Park was dedicated on the HCAS grounds to benefit canines like "Dog", who are being held for investigations of abuse and neglect. Many of these dogs are pitbulls. They are kept separate from the public and aren't available for adoption while their cases are being settled, which can take months to years. Previously these dogs had no place to run freely and play. Jagger Park gives them their very own space to roam. You can read more about this worthy project at tbo.com.

FDLE has documented HCAS as having the highest rate of animal cruelty enforcement in the state. They take in one hundred animals or more a day and have staff working seven days a week. They are a partner in ASPCA's Mission Orange, which has chosen Tampa as one of four target areas in the nation this year. Mission Orange strives to aid animal welfare efforts and education in target areas in hopes of eliminating euthanasia of adoptable animals due to lack of resources or awareness. They commit to chosen communities for three years.

HCAS has a vibrant volunteer force that is helping to make a difference in an agency that has overwhelming needs. Along with being the only "open admission" shelter for the county, HCAS helps low income residents to attain reduced cost spaying and neutering, provides hurricane preparation for pets, and a rescue/foster program that coordinates with many of the rescue groups in the area. My sweet girl, Ella was a dog who benefited from HCAS' affiliation with rescue groups. She was a resident at HCAS for almost two months before being passed on to a local rescue group. I'm so grateful they made the effort to give her that extra time.

Marti Ryan, Media and Community Relations person for HCAS provided most of the information for this article. Marti offers expert advice to pet owners. Microchip your animal friends and keep ID tags on them. Pets brought into the facility with chip or tags are held twice as long, as well as providing staff with a method to track down the owners. Nevertheless, it's imperative that you visit the shelter in person quickly after your pet goes missing. It's an unfortunate fact that shelters like HCAS fill up quickly and are constantly battling maximum capacity. It's heartbreaking to know that so many unwanted animals are euthanized each year. But hearing about the efforts that are being made at HCAS gives me hope.

Friends of Mango Dog Park, Etc.

One of the perks of hosting this blog is the special people it puts me in contact with. Last week, I received an email from Nancy Latimer who hosts a website about the Mango Dogpark. She has fostered a good relationship with Hillsborough County parks personnel and been a guardian to the dogpark, helping to maintain and improve the grounds. People like Nancy are unsung heroes and crucial to making the world a better place.

SPCA Exiting New Port Richey

The Society For Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has canceled a contract with New Port Richey which guaranteed space in SPCA's no kill shelter for the city's strays. According to a Tampa Tribune article this week, the city had unresolved issues with the SPCA and the non profit agency was unhappy about the city's refusal to help fund a spay/neuter clinic. Now, all strays captured by the city officials will be taken to Pasco County Animal Services, where euthanasia is used to dispose of animals not adopted.

Dog Park Etiquette

Since, I posted dog park pictures, I thought it was a good idea to follow up with a feature about some of the issues we've encountered at dog parks. Most of the time, the Lutz dog park is full of friendly dogs and conscientious people. But there have been times when we've experienced situations that could have resulted in injury to dogs and people. A couple of times parents have brought along children who are much too young. Toddlers and small children are at risk around dogs who are running and playing. One of my pet peeves is the crowd of people who stands just inside the gate and chats the entire time they're there. Now, I know after a long day at work, it feels good to unwind and talk to friendly faces. Weekend mornings, it's especially tempting to stand in one spot drinking that cup of coffee. But where you stand, so will your dog be. When you have six or seven people standing in one spot and each has a dog or two, you have a pack that is congregating and tearing up the ground. This situation is also more likely to fuel skirmishes. In Lutz, the crowd stands just inside one of the gates to the large dog area. It makes entering that area from the outside trickier and it has created a large dirt patch, from all the wear and tear. So, walk people. Take a leisurely stroll and chat along the way.

Other issues include people who are inexperienced in dog behavior and unable to read signs of potentially dangerous situations, owners who don't supervise their dogs and those who look up in the sky when their pooch leaves a pile on the ground. Scott recently ran into the park person who oversees the Lutz park and she has promised to give him an official pooper scooper, so we can start scooping up the piles that are steadily increasing. There are plenty of waste bags in the dispenser, mind you, so no excuses for owners to not tend to this themselves. These dog parks have added such enjoyment to the lives of our dogs, and by extension to us. Complaints from owners to parks officials can threaten the success of the park. So, take care of the parks you are in and follow those rules they have posted at the entrances. There is a very informative page about dog park etiquette at FloridaPets.Net's library.

Dogpark Scene In Lutz

Here are some of Scott's photos from the dogpark. That's Hobbit (right) meeting a new friend.

This trio had great fun wrestling.

Labradoodles at play.

Ella doing what she loves, running at the park, then doing her happy dance.

Black is Beautiful and Lovable

The Tampa Tribune published an article today about large black dogs being stereotyped and difficult to adopt out. It's been labeled "Big Black Dog Syndrome" by some shelters. Black dogs are viewed as mean and unapproachable by many people. They're hard to photograph, so don't look as cute and cuddly on rescue websites. To make matters worse, resilient breeds
like pit bulls and Labrador retrievers, have large litters and perpetuate the black dog gene. In Rogers, Arkansas, the city's animal services department euthanized 14 dogs last month, thirteen of them black.

Some of the nicest personalities I've met in my life have been big black dogs. My brother had a black Labrador retriever mix named Blessing and she was named appropriately. A sweeter dog hasn't walked this earth. So, this weekend, if you're going to any of the many pet adoption events throughout the state, take a second look at those big black dogs. Look deep into their eyes and connect.

Dogfighting In Florida

Earlier this year, I was in a dog training class with Ella and had the privilege of watching another dog conquer his fears. Harry looked like a miniature black and white sheepdog with soft black eyes that peered out at the world with uncertainty. He was under the care of the Big Hearts rescue group. Harry had been found dumped by the side of the road with multiple injuries. He had been used as bait in a dogfighting operation and was barely alive. Harry survived and is slowly being rehabilitated by the dedicated folks at Big Hearts. Unfortunately his history is being repeated throughout the country. People associated with dogfighting operations have been known to steal dogs from yards to use as bait for their fighting dogs. The stolen dogs have their mouths tied shut and are thrown in with the trained dogs, to be torn apart. Some of the equipment routinely found at dogfighting operations includes bolt cutters, used to cut chains or fences of dogs to be stolen, and multiple collars of all sizes with the tags ripped off. Those are what's left of the stolen dogs.

Harry is only one type of victim of this horrendous "sport." The fighting dog is the other. Pit bulls are the predominant breed used. They're raised and conditioned to be fighting machines. They're kept tied up and isolated, lean and agitated. Devices are used to strengthen their bites, they wear weighted collars and vests and are fed enhancement drugs. According to PETA, there are at least 40,000 dogfighting operations in the U.S., plus many more "hobbyists" who organize impromptu events. Last year in Florida I counted 23 alleged cases that involved fighting dogs on the Pet Abuse.com site, where they track animal abuse cases by region.

Long before football player Michael Vicks was arrested for his involvement in dogfighting, animal rights activists had been leading a campaign seeking tougher laws against animal fighting. In 2007 Congress passed the Animal Prohibition and Enforcement Act. It makes organizing dogfights and participating in interstate trade related to dogfighting a felony, with a maximum $250,000 fine per dog and up to three years in jail. Dogfighting is against the law in all states, but punishment is unequal. Florida's laws rank twelfth toughest on the Humane Society's list of statewide penalties. It is a third degree felony in the state to organize a dogfight, own a fighting dog or attend a fight with a $5000 fine per dog and maximum five year jail sentence.

Even though strides have been made to strengthen laws, arresting and prosecuting is difficult because dogfights are often mixed in with drug and gang activity. Law enforcement officials conducting raids aren't trained to handle animal violations. and animal service officers aren't equipped to handle other criminal activities. Many states don't distinguish whether dogfights fall under the jurisdiction of animal control or law enforcement. In 2004 South Carolina created a task force to deal with this issue. Their goal is to facilitate communication across departments and allow cross training between animal control and law enforcement officers. Due to this task force, a marked upswing of dogs in fighting rings were found. Baltimore Police and Harris County, Texas have followed South Carolina's example and created their own task forces to address this problem.

Does Florida have such a task force or the cooperation needed between agencies? Last week a Tampa man and his girlfriend were arrested for having fighting dogs and equipment. Drugs were also found. You can read more about this story in the St.Petersburg Times and the Tampa Tribune. It required a court order to search Maurice Bayless' property. Animal Services and police had received numerous complaints about this man and his property. The seized dogs include puppies, who will hopefully be adopted into loving homes. But, the remaining adult dogs are aggressive and non social and often times, dogs like these are euthanized. The judge in the Michael Vicks' case set a precedent by fining Vicks $1,ooo,ooo and 23 months in prison. The money was to be used to rehabilitate and care for the 47 surviving pitbulls in his operation. What will happen to Maurice Bayless' dogs and what sort of punishment will he receive? I will try to follow this case and report on this blog about my findings. Progress has been made in fighting this abuse, but we are a long way from winning the cause. From my research, animal abuse officials say the amount of cases prosecuted is insignificant compared to the number of people they believe are involved in dogfighting. In South Florida last year, shelters were receiving as many as 80 calls a month complaining about dogs used for fighting. They routinely find dogs killed in fights that have been dumped in rural areas. Floridians, how can we do better?

* Some information for this article was gleaned from Stateline.org and the U.S Humane Society websites.

121 Neglected Dogs Seized in Tarpon Springs

A breeding operation that sold Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers and Maltese was investigated Monday by Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies, U.S Department of Agriculture and the Suncoast Animal League. Dogs were found in small crates filled with urine and feces inside a house owned by Teresita Hughes who sold puppies through her website http://www.raffinankennel.net/. On the website are telephones with receivers jumping, I assume to represent how many calls she gets. Ms. Hughes' puppies sell for $1300-$3000. This clearly is a money making factory. The dogs are now under the care of Suncoast Animal League and will be housed in three local animal shelters. More can be read about this case in today's Tampa Tribune.

Pet Adoption Expo

No More Homeless Pets and the ASPCA are sponsoring a pet adoption event at the Florida State Fairgrounds at the Charles M. Davis Special Events Center. (Enter the fairgrounds through the Orient Rd. entrance.) Admission and parking are free More than twenty animal rescue groups will be represented from 10a.m. to 4p.m. Saturday. April 12. There will also be demonstrations, pet supplies and a veterinarian will be on hand to answer questions. For more info, call (813)367-2078. or go to Tampa Pets.org.

Purina Dog Chow's Virtual Dogpark

Submit a photo of your canine pals to pictureyourdogintimessquare.com and they will become part of a virtual dogpark to be displayed on a digital billboard in New York's Times Square on June 19. One lucky winner will be invited to appear live. Photos can be submitted until April 28.
Also on this site is information about a grant program to support dog friendly areas nationwide.

Events Galore

I am no longer going to post a list of events on this blog. Time restricts me from including all the worthy rescue dog and shelter related events, even those limited to the Tampa Bay area. Instead I encourage readers to check out other online sources for events, such as the
Florida Pet Pages and Tampa Tribune's pet blog. I've added those links to the sidebar list, so they'll be easily accessible. I will also be happy to post announcements for rescue groups of any special functions that are exclusively for a particular group. Isn't it great that there are too many dog events for one woman to keep up with! Spring is the perfect time to spend outdoors with dogs, especially those in need.