Love-A-Bull opposes the nomination of Michael Vick for the Ed Block Courage Award; the award foundation received this letter from the Love-A-Bull board in early February.
Archive for the ‘Alerts’ Category
Love-A-Bull has presented a no-kill proposal to the Austin Animal Advisory Commission which includes a significant public relations component. We are now waiting to take the next steps as the Commission prepares their report and recommendations for Austin City Council. Read the full proposal here: Love-A-Bull PR Campaign Proposal (PDF)
Thanks to Jasmine for sharing her thoughts with us in this great letter. We will be sure to forward her letter to our state legislators as they think about what kinds of laws they want to propose in 2011. Jasmine and other advocates would be glad to hear that our petition against BSL in Texas has reached over 1200 signatures as of today.
Proposal from Love-A-Bull, addressing “public awareness campaign” related to adoptions (Recommendation # 1: Increase Live Outcomes)
www.love-a-bull.org
info@love-a-bull.org
(Note: This proposal does not necessarily “fit” the established recommendation categories, so we have chosen to present it with Recommendation #1 “Increase Live Outcomes” because of the public awareness component, but if there is a desire to concentrate on this issue as a separate item, we are open to that. It is Love-A-Bull’s intent to bring forth a “starter proposal” as follows, for the purpose of initiating the discussion of pit bulls and pit bull mixes in the shelter system.)
In order to achieve a 90% live outcomes goal, it is important to address the challenging issue of re-homing pit bulls and pit bull mixes that currently constitute approximately a third (or more) of the shelter population. These dogs suffer from a lower adoption rate (and higher euthanasia rate), because of several reasons:
- Stigma/negative stereotype attached to breed label
- Over-breeding/population (sheer numbers in the community)
- Behaviors that are mis-identified (kennel frustration = aggression)
- Lack of awareness of community resources for adopters (training, support network, information, etc.)
- No breed-specific rescue in Austin
- Lack of housing options for potential adopters
Other contributing factors:
- Tendency to label any dog with large head, stocky or muscular body as “pit bull,” regardless of other characteristics which may more closely align to other breeds
- No behaviorist/trainer on staff at TLAC to correctly identify behavioral or temperament issues
- No organized, consistent effort to counter media stories with accurate information
Proposed action items for TLAC:
- Launch concentrated PR campaign to increase awareness and spread positive image of pit bulls (television, radio, newspaper, social networking, adoption sites, shelter presence, community events, etc.):
- Create cute, informative “personal ads” that focus on dogs’ attributes, placed on kennels
- Feature on every kennel the free training info and support that Love-A-Bull offers to adopters
- Change terminology to “pittie” or other similar moniker to soften breed stigma
- Display and incorporate visual examples of pits in home environments, doing therapy work, participating in agility, playing with other dogs, children, etc. in as many places as possible
- Use breed ambassadors as role models in public events, media stories, etc.
- Partner with Love-A-Bull to provide campaign support, resources and assistance to potential and new adopters as well as community at large
- Strive for more pits to be pulled for off-site adoptions and fostering
- Meet with Apartment Managers Association and other local rental management agencies to discuss lifting breed-specific housing restrictions
Timeframe: Starting immediately, or as soon as practicable
Measurable:
TLAC: Track interest in pits through adoption applications, track numbers of adopted pits, and implement short survey of adoption applicants
Love-A-Bull: Track those members joining Love-A-Bull via TLAC (or APA) adoption
Austin Pets Alive has also created a proposal, which can be viewed here: http://www.austinpetsalive.org/APA-Proposal-Adoption-Program.pdf
As you may know, the Austin City Council recently passed a resolution directing steps to be taken to move Austin to a “No Kill” city (more info here: http://www.austinpetsalive.org/2009/11/no-kill-resolution-passed-unanimously/) .
The Animal Advisory Commission and staff of Town Lake Animal Center are working together with the community to discuss ways to achieve this goal. The timeline includes weekly public meetings on various topics designed to generated a comprehensive set of recommendations to be presented to City Council in March.
The meetings started Monday November 30, and run for the next 9 weeks or so. Please see schedule and info below, and feel free to attend any or all. You do not have to speak at the meeting. The meetings take place at 6:30 pm at the Austin Energy Building at 721 Barton Springs Road.
Love-A-Bull has expressed interest to the AAC and staff in being an integral partner in finding solutions to the issues involving pit bulls.
The AAC encourages all interested people/organizations to comment, make suggestions, or submit proposals on any of the AAC recommendations to make Austin a no kill city. That can be done one of these three ways:
- The first 10 persons to sign up to provide suggestions or comments will have 3 minutes.
- The first 10 individuals/organizations to sign up to present a proposal will have 6 minutes.
- Written responses may also be submitted 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
Should you choose to present a proposal, it should address the following…
- Which AAC recommendation are you going to discuss?
- Brief description of your proposal or solution.
- What resources and/or expertise can you contribute to the solution that you are proposing?
- What is your expected measurable impact and timeline?
Here is the schedule
Nov 30th: AAC Recommendation III: Structural Changes to Enhance Lifesaving
- Revise mission of animal services
Dec 7th: AAC Recommendation I: Increase Live Outcomes
- Offsite adoptions
Dec 14th: AAC Recommendation I: Increase Live Outcomes
- Increased capacity for adoption make-ready, behavioral
- Empty kennel usage
- Davenport building use after shelter move
- Increased public awareness.
Dec 21st: AAC Recommendation I: Increase Live Outcomes
- Large scale foster program
Dec 28th: AAC Recommendation II: Decrease Shelter Intake
- Reduce euthanasia of owned animals
- Increased return to owners
- Increased owner awareness of possible euthanasia
- Increased owner safety net services
Jan 4th: AAC Recommendation II: Decrease Shelter Intake
- Reduce feral cat euthanasia
- Increased feral cat spay/neuter, increased community care, and increased re-release rates
Jan 11th: AAC Recommendation II: Decrease Shelter Intake
- High volume, free and low cost spay/neuter
- Increased services available to the community
Jan 18th: AAC Recommendation III: Structural Changes to Enhance Lifesaving
- Public involvement and candor
- Increased public relations on all aspects of sheltering
Jan 25th: AAC Recommendation III: Structural Changes to Enhance Lifesaving
- Explore outsourcing possibilities
- Increased community involvement to reduce costs and increase lifesaving
Feb 1st: Finalize draft of implementation plan.
In compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, all agendas will be posted through the City Clerk’s office.
The holiday season is a great opportunity to gently remind your legislators that they need to keep pit bull owners in mind when they’re writing legislation and voting on it.
Include them in your holiday card recipient list, and in your card, enclose a nice photo of your family and your dogs. (You don’t have to write anything political in the card; just sign and mail.) It’s a simple gesture that reinforces the idea that pit bull owners are caring citizens just like any other dog owner—and it makes it harder for them to consider laws that discriminate against us.
Send a card to your state senators and representatives at a minimum; you might also consider local representatives like your city council or county commissioners.
Please write or call BET and express your opposition.
BET E-mail: https://bet.wufoo.com/forms/contact-us/
BET Phone: 202-608-2000 or 212-258-1000
VIACOM (BET’s parent company): http://www.viacom.com/contact/Pages/default.aspx
Please tell them you will boycott their sponsors, cancel your cable/satellite. PLEASE CROSS POST.
Texas state law currently prohibits discrimination against individuals based on their dog’s breed or appearance (also known as breed-specific legislation, or BSL).
However, recently, Texas has seen an upswing in cries for breed-specific legislation, including an anti-pit bull rally in Tyler and a petition in Rusk County / Jacksonville calling for statewide discrimination against “pit bull” owners that has garnered hundreds of signatures. The last Texas legislative session also saw an attempt to get legislation passed against “pit bull” owners.
We need your help to stop this discrimination before it starts!
Love-A-Bull is starting a petition which directs our state lawmakers to:
- Keep intact the current state law that prohibits breed-discriminatory legislation
- Refuse to propose or support legislation which would discriminate against people based on a dog’s breed or physical appearance
Please help us gather signatures for the petition, which will be presented to Texas state legislators in January 2010, and again at the start of the 2011 Legislative Session.
Download the petition text and signature page now! (2 PDF Docs)
OR
Download the petition text (Word Doc) and signature page (Excel) now!
Instructions:
- Download and print out ONE (1) copy of the petition text.
- Download and print out as many of the signature pages as you want.
- Gather signatures from people who are eligible to vote in Texas. (They do not have to be registered voters.)
- Make a copy of the signature pages for your records if you wish.
- Send the original signature pages to Love-A-Bull
Mail to: P.O. Box 18792, Austin, TX 78760
The text of the petition is as follows:
A Petition Directing the Members of the Texas Legislature to Oppose Discriminatory Legislation Against Dog Owners Based on a Dog’s Breed, Type, or Appearance
To be presented to the members of the Texas House and Senate on January 31, 2010 and at the start of the 2011 Legislative Session
Whereas we recognize that each and every dog is an individual in temperament and behavior, and physical appearance does not determine behavior;
Whereas all dogs have the potential to do serious or lethal harm, and this is not dictated solely by a dog’s physical appearance but by a number of complex circumstances;
Whereas dog owners should be held strictly liable for the actions of their dogs regardless of the dog’s physical appearance, so that both dog owners and victims of irresponsible dog owners are provided equal rights and restitutions;
Whereas breed-specific or breed-discriminatory legislation is unethical and inhumane, and has been shown to be financially unsupportable, a detriment to public safety, and a legal quagmire;
Whereas non-breed-specific or non-discriminatory laws provide public safety in an effective, humane, legal, equitable, and moral way;
The undersigned citizens of Texas do hereby direct the members of the state legislature to do the following:
- Keep intact Texas Health and Safety Code 822.047, which prohibits municipalities from declaring dogs dangerous based solely on breed.
- Refuse to vote for or support any discriminatory legislation against dog owners, including but not limited to breed bans, restrictions on particular types of dogs, or unequal ownership requirements that are based on a dog’s physical appearance.