FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (PLEASE CROSS-POST)
DATE: May 4, 2009
CONTACT: Lydia Zaidman (718) 791-5493
PIT BULL NONPROFIT SEEKING PARTICIPANTS IN FREE TRAINING PROGRAM
AUSTIN, Texas — Love-A-Bull, a local nonprofit education and advocacy organization, invites pit bull owners to join the group in order to participate in free, 4-week basic skills dog training. The next session runs from Thursday, May 28 through June 18, from 7 – 8 pm, at Southpaws Playschool. Love-A-Bull promotes tools for responsible pit bull ownership, and is pleased to offer this opportunity in partnership with trainer, Jessica Wilson, and Southpaws Playschool. It is the only one if its kind for pit bull owners in the Austin area.
Love-A-Bull, composed of over 300 local owners, works to share information with the public on issues such as the importance of spay/neuter, rescue and training, active advocacy against breed-specific legislation, and promotion of a more positive public image of pit bulls and pit bull mixes. The free training program started in January of 2009, with the goal of helping members’ dogs gain Canine Good Citizen (CGC) status through a rigorous evaluation conducted by the American Kennel Club for all breeds. To date, more than 30 owners have taken advantage of this free program, with 10 Love-A-Bull members’ dogs having attained the CGC distinction, and 3 dogs working as certified therapy dogs in hospitals and schools.
Members of the group who have participated in the program have found consistent improvement in their dogs’ behavior and continue to highly recommend it to other pit bull owners. To join Love-A-Bull or to learn more about the free training program, please visit http://www.meetup.com/love-a-bull/pages/Love-A-Bull_Member_Programs/
About the Participants:
Love-A-Bull was organized to educate and to advocate on behalf of the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Terrier, and Bull Terrier (all breeds commonly referred to as “Pit Bulls”) and Pit Bull mixes. Love-A-Bull encourages its members to serve as role models of responsible ownership and engage in activism, including support of rescue, and promotion of spay/neuter programs, and to oppose breed-specific legislation.
Southpaws Playschool is located at 2324B South Lamar; Austin, TX 78704. The mission of Southpaws Playschool for Dogs and Puppies is to provide a safe, pleasant and stimulating environment in which clients can leave their dogs and puppies with confidence during working hours. They sponsor activities at the facility and in the community that promote enhanced human/canine relationships. Southpaws Playschool believes that giving back to the community is important and sponsors activities that will benefit service animals and animal rescue organizations.
Jessica Wilson is a Certified Canine Training and Behavior Specialist through Triple Crown Dog Trainer’s Academy. She has experience with a variety of canine behavioral issues such as separation anxiety, aggression, housebreaking problems, leash pulling, fence climbing, digging, barking, and many other problems that dog owners frequently encounter. She is also well-versed in all aspects of obedience and home manners training, including preparation at the competitive level. She also has experience with footstep tracking, search and rescue, dock dog training, agility, rally, scent discrimination, and more. She currently offers training at Bobbi Colorado’s Canine Camp in Oak Hill.
Love-A-Bull, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, promotes education, advocacy and responsibility on behalf of pit bull owners, and seeks to improve the public image of pit bull-type dogs.
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