Come join Love-A-Bull in celebrating 5 years!

Friday, July 12th, 2013
The Palm Door @ 401 Sabine Street Austin, TX 78701

 
♦ Beginning at 7PM with cocktails, music and silent auction
♦ Dinner will follow at 7:30PM
♦ The evening will close with the silent auction, presentation, and entertainment

Our silent auction will include many items such as autographed memorabilia, jewelry, fun event tickets, and more!

Individual tickets are $75/person and include open bar at the Palm Door, gourmet dinner catered by the Pink Avocado, silent auction, music, entertainment, and more.
Cocktail attire and 21+ only please.

Tickets are available online through Eventbrite. purchase tickets online If you would like to purchase your tickets by check or money order, please make the payment out to Love-A-Bull and mail to: Love-A-Bull | Attn: Gala/Lindsey | P.O. Box 18792 | Austin, TX 78760.

Sponsorships are available now. More information can be found on the event page.
sponsorship info

For additional information or questions about sponsorship, tickets, or event, please contact: Lindsey Ortiz at events@love-a-bull.org or (512) 773-7434.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

You may also find a link to our event on Facebook. Please note that an RSVP does not guarantee your spot; you must purchase your tickets online through the link provided above.

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, advocacy, community, nonprofit, participants, pet owner, photos, pit bullFiled under: Events

Thank you to everyone who came out to Pints for Pits “Hope for the Future” on Saturday evening! We had an amazing turnout and a great time seeing old friends and making new ones. The money we raised will help build a foundation for Hope for the Future Fund where 100% of funds will go towards helping abused and neglected dogs that come into our rescue program.

Also a big shout out to Opal Divine’s Marina for hosting our event, Infamous Brewing Company for donating a keg of their Hijack Cream Ale, Amanda Wintenburg Photography for capturing the event in photos, and The Pet Studio for donating a painted portrait of Hope that was auctioned off – and then donated to Hope’s foster from the winning bidder!

Here’s a link to photos from the event: Pints for Pits “Hope for the Future”.

For all of our supporters who weren’t able to make it out to Pints for Pits to celebrate Hope’s memory, it’s not too late to be a part of the cause! Click here to donate. You can specify that your donation goes directly to the “Hope for the Future” fund.

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, adopt-a-bull, community, event, family, friendly, media, merchandise, photos, pints for pits, pit bullFiled under: Events

Blog post by Crystal Dunn: Founder and Training Director of Leaps N’ Hounds

One day I was in my living room half paying attention to the TV when a show came on that caught my eye. I don’t recall the name, but basically it was a group of people training dogs to do everything from visiting hospitals, to helping kids take a more active interest in reading and school. I sat transfixed for the full hour. When it was over I knew right away – somehow, some way, I would be involved in something great like this.

Fast forward to eight years later and I’m standing in front of a group of exceptional dogs and handlers that are about to graduate the 5th therapy dog training class for the Pit Crew.

Skye and Steve prepare for a tough 'leave it.'

We’ve sat together here for seven consecutive weeks, once a week, for two hours. Most of us have commuted quite far after our day jobs to make it here, not to mention all of the homework. Everyone is nervous about the test – possibly me most of all. It is rare that all dogs pass the test, and everyone knows it. As the teacher, I am committed to testing them thoroughly and fairly. As a human, I want to see them all succeed but know that’s not always possible.

The tasks that we ask of these dogs are quite unfair. They are expected to tolerate and even enjoy interactions that make most dogs uncomfortable. Bear hugging by strangers, loud obnoxious sounds and equipment, staying calm in the most energized and new settings – it’s all quite odd for a dog, and I’d be doing them an injustice if I said I didn’t see the occasional genuinely confused look cross their faces. Even our assistant trainer, Maida, often makes comments about the downsides of her common role in the class: the “rude” human. Post-graduation she has the urge to visit all of the dogs just to apologize for all of her dog manners transgressions while helping to teach them patience and tolerance. It’s all in preparation for what they may encounter while visiting our many facilities. A therapy dog must be one of the most patient and passive beings on the planet. And I’m looking at a class full of them. And they are all rescues. Oh, and they are all Pit Bull-type dogs.

Jeanie may only have 3 legs, but she has a ton of love to give (and style).

Pitties as therapy dogs is nothing new. They make up a huge percentage of the dogs in almost every major therapy dog circle, whether people realize it or not. But those groups don’t advertise them as ‘Pit Bulls.’ In fact, they often go out of their way to not mention it at all. The Pit Crew is one of the only groups of 100% Pit Bull-type dogs, and we are big proponents of giving credit where credit is due. We are especially proud because none of these dogs were bred and bought for this type of work. In fact, everyone on the Crew is rescued. Some of their histories are horrendous and sad, while others are simply a mystery. What they all have in common is a loving and patient temperament, and the unique dog ability to forgive and forget their sometimes dark pasts. Thanks to the humans that rescue them, they are able to fulfill their true potential and give back to the community.

Ellie entertains some of our volunteers while the handlers take the written portion of the exam.

I couldn’t be more proud of our crew. Six total rock star dog and handler teams were certified during last Thursday’s graduation and will begin work right away. They will join the rest of the Pit Crew on outings to schools, after school programs, reading programs, elder care facilities, and hospitals. They will have the opportunity to talk to people in the community about proper animal care, training, what Pit Bull-type dogs can really be like, and rescue – as well as the simple joy of sharing the companionship of dogs.

A huge congratulations goes out to our Pit Crew graduates – both past and present – for their dedication and commitment to helping others. It is an honor to be your teacher and a privilege to be part of the Pit Crew.

- Crystal

Check out all the photos of our SIX new therapy dog and owner teams from Pit Crew’s 2013 graduation.

Pit Crew's 5th Class Graduates

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, Canine Good Citizen, love, pet owner, pit bull, Pit Crew, Pit Crew Training, rescue, The Pit Crew, therapy dog, training, training classFiled under: Uncategorized

Many of you may already be familiar with Chloe’s story. Whether you are or you aren’t, this story stands as an example of how a community formed by the love for a special breed of dog came together to honor what Love-A-Bull stands for.

What was supposed to be a short business trip to California, ended up being so much more for Joey. Upon his arrival to California, Joey logged into his Facebook account to find a picture posted of a female pit bull in need of a home. She was discovered on the street with no form of identification. Her rescuers were desperately searching for someone to claim her – they weren’t allowed to keep her because of their landlord, and the only shelters in the area were kill shelters. This was when Joey, who grew up around pit bulls, made a 40-minute trip to meet Chloe.

It was not easy getting Chloe from California to her new home in Austin. She was covered in fleas and ticks, and because of this, deemed unable to fly by airlines. She was estimated to be only a year old, but appeared to already have had a litter of puppies. It took a week to nurse Chloe back to health before she was allowed to fly back with Joey and make Austin her new home.

Chloe was slowly growing accustomed to her new life in Austin, but always remained a bit skittish. One day on a walk she was frightened and pulled out of her collar, going missing in downtown Austin. She was hit by a car and last seen running down Trinity and 11th on November 25th.

When she was found near 9th and Lamar the next day, she was severely injured but coherent. She was taken to the animal shelter and then to an emergency clinic, where she was found to have multiple broken vertebrae. Her injuries were determined inoperable, and Chloe was humanely euthanized early on November 27th.

Joey decided that the perfect way to honor her was to gather donations for the organization whose mission is to advocate for pit bulls like Chloe. Over $2,500.00 was raised in Chloe’s memory and donated to Love-A-Bull earlier this year. KXAN even did a short piece on her story and Joey’s fundraising efforts: Austin dog remembered.

There is new pup in Joey’s life. Like many of us who realize once a pit bull has come into our lives we never want anything different, Joey adopted Maya, a pit bull mix, from the Austin Humane Society. She’s quite popular, with almost 3,000 likes on Facebook, and is clearly enjoying her new home. Because of the donation raised in Chloe’s memory, more dogs have a better chance of finding their forever home and spending their days like Maya.

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, adopt, adoption, advocacy, breed specific, community, dog, friendly, love, news media, pet owner, pit bullFiled under: Uncategorized

Love-A-Bull and crew rocked out with fans and supporters on Friday, February 15 to something new and different – local Austin metal bands!

The awesome photos are up on our Flickr site courtesy of our volunteer photographer Amanda Wintenburg.

We chatted with music fans and friendly supporters and dog lovers all while listening to music and having a great time!

• The awesome patrons helped donate over $1,100 at the door.
• We raised $51 from our “chance raffle” for a Cap City Comedy Club party package or a Love-A-Bull merch package.
• We sold lots of cool apparel and other merch items. ( Look out for some stunning fans sporting their new Love-A-Bull gear around Austin! )
• And we received a $65 donation from the bar!

HUGE thanks goes out to Dirty Dog Bar for hosting the event; Dead Earth Productions and Come and Take It Productions for producing and promoting the event; metal bands Shadow Spectrum, Ethereal Architect, Dead Earth Politics, Mevyn, and Immerse for playing; and our friend Devon Brown for putting the whole event together and making it happen!

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, advocacy, calendar, community, event, fundraiser, media, merchandise, music, photosFiled under: Events

Guest blog post by Meghan Turner, Co-founder of Love-A-Bull

Hundreds of smiling block-headed, muscular dogs (some wearing tutus and feather boas) marched calmly up the Main Street of Texas. Alongside were their canine relatives, from the smallest Chihuahua to the largest Mastiff, and their human pals, including kids in strollers to those in pedicabs, soaking up the celebratory vibe.

Beginning of parade with police escort
(click to enlarge)

The parade – stretching at one time 4 to 5 blocks along Congress Avenue — filled with happy-to-be-there dogs in costume and their smiling owners – is truly something to behold. The pack streamed in to Republic Square like so many Congress Bridge bats that emerge nightly – they just kept coming and coming and coming.

While it was a day to remember (and indeed, eagerly anticipated every year), to many of the pittie supporters there, this is just another glorious day of celebrating the dogs they live with and love. It’s just another day of spending quality time with family.

Q&A with Tia Torres and VRC Crew
(click to enlarge)

Every day is Pittie Pride day for them.

Love-A-Bull celebrated our Fourth Annual Texas-Sized Pittie Pride parade and festival on October 28, 2012 in Austin. It’s one of the largest events of its kind across the country, drawing several thousand participants and big-name stars in the animal world.

This year, we hosted several members from the cast of Animal Planet’s “Pit Bulls and Parolees” and Gordon “Shotgun” Shell, a Mixed Martial Arts Fighter/Animal Advocate who has invited Michael Vick to go a round or two with him.

Puppy Love
(click to enlarge)

What many don’t understand about National Pit Bull Awareness Day is that on one hand, it’s a special day to raise awareness about a group of dogs largely misunderstood and maligned. But, on the other hand, it’s a shame that it even exists, because these dogs are just that – DOGS. They shouldn’t have to be singled out for recognition or awareness. They don’t deserve to be put in a separate or distinct category. They live normal lives with normal people in normal homes.

Zoey loves kids
(click to enlarge)

“Pit Bulls” have become a sensationalized, extra-normal concept in the mainstream media, but in reality, they mostly enjoy the simple things in life: a couple of hearty meals everyday, a soft bed, a chance to stretch their legs, and some good,  old fashioned human bonding. That’s all ANY dog (and any person) needs, for the most part. The truth is, pitties, most of the time, live pretty unremarkable lives.

A "Java Software Programmer" with former Adopt-A-Bull "Abby"
(click to enlarge)

As the Pittie Pride parade and the festival (and Animal Farm Foundation’s new “I Am the Majority” project) clearly illustrate, the average pittie owner is a government aide, or an artist, or a lawyer, or a health care specialist, or a single mom, or a sanitation worker, or a computer programmer, or a waiter – the list is limitless and incredibly varied. You couldn’t pick one out of a lineup, especially if you’re looking for the drug dealers, thugs, or underground fight ring organizers that are sometimes associated with the term “pit bull owner.” And yet, every year, groups like Love-A-Bull champion our cause, because more education is still in order and equal treatment of all dogs (and their owners), regardless of the way they look, can sometimes seem a long way off.  But, we get closer all the time.

View of the festival in Republic Square Park
(click to enlarge)

Sunday’s festivities drew a huge collection of dog owners together to take part in the fun, but also to provide much-needed services and resources to the community. Many pooches and their guardians received free microchips, made appointments for free spay/neuter, replaced worn-out leashes with new ones, had nails trimmed, picked up coupons and info about heartworm prevention, gleaned some tips from professional trainers, and signed up for Love-A-Bull’s membership program. More than 70 vendors booths showed up to support the day.  There were lots of smiles and pittie kisses!

Lining up for the Pet Costume Contest
(click to enlarge)

As we know, responsible guardianship isn’t a “pit bull” issue, but pittie owners realize that they’re held to a higher standard, and strive to meet it. From national champ Frisbee dogs like Karma, Justice and Bruzair who performed their high-flying feats in the park, to the Pit Crew therapy dogs that visit eldercare, educational, and health care facilities — some of these dogs go above and beyond the norm.  They amaze and inspire people on a regular basis, and are doing their share to enrich our lives and fortify the public good.  The Pit Crew served again this year as Grand Marshals of our Pittie Parade.

Check out all the photos and images from Love-A-Bull, our photographers, our supporters, and our friends at this year’s event:
• Fourth Annual Pit Bull Awareness Day – Texas-Sized Pittie Pride 2012 (courtesy of Arnold LeVine, TOP Photo)
• 2012 World Record Photos (courtesy of Lindsay Marsh and David Laguna)
• Bonus Album: Pit Bull Awareness Day Fan Photos! (submitted by our friends)
• CoCo Puffin’s Photos on Facebook
• Jeff’s Photos on Flickr
• Photos courtesy of Gordon Shell
• Veronique’s VIDEO on Facebook
• Rocio’s Photos on Facebook
• Photography by David C. Wells
• Photos from Warriors for Shelter Pets
• Photos from MELLY
• Katherine’s VIDEO on YouTube
• Photos by Anne of Urgent BCAS
• The Pet Gal’s Photos (courtesy of Kathy Cuff w/Katopelli Photography)

Visiting the Texas-sized mural

As it rounded the corner to Republic Square, the parade marched past the colorful Texas-sized mural at Frank Restaurant, at 4th and Colorado downtown.  This larger-than-life visual  statement was created by artists Nathan Nordstrom (aka Sloke) and Ramon Alvarez (aka Rei) as a short-term burst of doggie-centric love to accompany Pittie Pride weekend.  Even “I’m a Good Dog” author, Ken Foster,  stopped by to see it!  While it’s now gone from the wall, we’re still proud to share it on our car bumpers.

Even though we have wrapped another Texas-Sized Pittie Pride, Love-A-Bull wants to share our pittie pride with you throughout the year!  So keep in touch at love-a-bull.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LoveABullAustin, or join us at a Meetup:  www.meetup.com/love-a-bull. You’ll find lots of ordinary folks and their ordinary dogs (doing extraordinary things) ready to greet you.

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, advocacy, community, education, event, family fun weekend, free, friendly, love, national pit bull awareness day, pet owner, photos, pit bullFiled under: PBAD

We know you’ve been asking and the pictures are up. These amusing and adorable photos are now available for your viewing pleasure!

On Sunday, October 28, 2012 during the Pit Bull Awareness day festivities at Republic Square Park, pittie owners (and other dog owners alike) had the chance to pledge their commitment to responsible guardianship AND have their photograph taken with their beloved canines.

Last year the line was soooo long we divided participants between two photo booths this year – still tons of people and their dogs! It’s wonderful and amazing to have so many responsible guardians…and it means we’ll have to up our game again next year! We photographed at least 349 dogs compared to the 200+ last year.

THANK YOU to all the responsible owners that took the time to stand in line, sign the pledge, and attempt to have your dog(s) sit still while some crazy odd-shaped piece of equipment (camera) flashed and clicked at them…not every dog is so camera-savvy as we’d like.

THANK YOU to our registration volunteers Wendy, Lindley, and Melissa for promoting the pledge and keeping the line moving with so many people and pooches.

THANK YOU to our volunteer photographers Lindsay and David (and their assistants) for doing the best they could to take pictures of squirmy and excited dogs amid tons of people and other dogs in the middle of a downtown Austin park.

Check out this year’s WORLD RECORD PHOTOS and read the responsible guardianship pledge below.

Tagged: #Love-A-Bull, advocacy, community, education, family fun weekend, friendly, love, national pit bull awareness day, participants, pet owner, photos, pit bullFiled under: PBAD

Sorry all, we were running a little (okay a lot) behind on blog posting, but we’re trying to catch up now. There were a ton of photos to upload from Pit Bull Awareness weekend and we’re still working on them. Thanks so much for being patient! – The Blog Team

Austin Speed Shop once again hosted us for this year’s VIP Party to kick off the celebration in support of National Pit Bull Awareness Weekend.

We had a great time schmoozing with friends new and old, tasting some awesome food from Hickory Street, ZuZu’s, and LovePuppies Brownies, having a few drinks courtesy of Blue Nectar Tequila, Tito’s Vodka, RedBull, and Roger Lawrence Construction, and best of all checking out some really cool costumes!

Our awesome guests also joined in the fun! — Jake Gardner of Villalobos Rescue Center and now his own Fortitudine Vincimus Rescue Center, Gordon Shell MMA fighter and now fighting for the dogs and collaborating on a documentary plus LeRoy Golden’s dogs: Karma, Bruzair, and Justice as in Karma the Flying Pitbull and of Frisbee dog and dock jumping fame.

Thank you to Carol Hasty, our photographer for the evening. Her amazing photos from this evening can be found on Flickr here. Photos from our attendees will be added here soon too!

Also a big thanks to David “DJ Davros” Smith for providing some great music, and our bartenders Cody and Julian for keeping the drinks going! Of course a big thanks to Austin Speed Shop for being our hosts and hanging out with us.

Tagged: #AustinSpeedShop, #HickoryStreet, #Love-A-Bull, #TitosVodka, #TrueBlueNectar, #zuzuaustin, community, fun, fundraiser, Halloween, national pit bull awareness, pet owner, photosFiled under: Events