Love-A-Bull, Inc. | Austin, TX » national pit bull awareness day

Love-A-Bull Turns One!

jen — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 04:25:17 +0000

Happy First Birthday to Love-A-Bull, as we proudly celebrate a full year of significant accomplishments and activities:

Launch of the Free Training Program to members (to date, over 80 dogs have participated in the program, with over 10 dogs achieving the Canine Good Citizen distinction)
Four Love-A-Bull members and their dogs actively working as therapy teams
Pittie Pride Memorial Walk, on the opening day of NFL season (Sept. 13), to protest Michael Vick’s signing by the Philadelphia Eagles and to remember the many victims of dog fighting. Over 40 dogs participated in the walk from City Hall to Jo’s Coffee, along South Congress Avenue.
National Pit Bull Awareness Weekend (Oct. 24-25), featuring special guest John Garcia, handler and rehabilitator of the Vicktory Dogs from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, and Official Proclamation from Mayor and Austin City Council as “Love-A-Bull Weekend”
Receiving the Achievement and Project Support Awards from the Animal Farm Foundation in recognition of the accomplishments of Mocha, a breed ambassador, and grant funding to recognize the Canine Good Citizen distinction
Successful events at Pints for Pits at Shangri-La, and Art for Animals at Maranda Pleasant Gallery, to raise funds and awareness
Assisting with repeal of breed-specific legislation in Madisonville, Texas
Outreach and participation in the Violet Crown Festival, City of Austin vaccination clinic, Pet Fest in San Marcos, Barktoberfest, Barkitecture, South Congress First Thursdays, Ice Cream Festival, movie night at the Alamo Drafthouse, Poochinis and Peticures at Lofty Dog, the Thunderbird Subs Turkey Trot, Holiday Photos throughout the year, and other community events

Please join us, support us, and get involved, as we embark on the next year of exciting programs and activities. We cannot achieve our goals without your help and participation!

Promoting Positive Perception of Pits

jen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:53:59 +0000

Check out a great article by Love-A-Bull’s Meghan Turner on Best Friend’s website about our Pit Bull Awareness Weekend events.

Promoting Positive Perception of Pits by Meghan Turner
http://network.bestfriends.org/golocal/texas/13597/news.aspx

A Big THANK YOU!

jen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:28:24 +0000

The National Pit Bull Awareness Day Celebration (Oct. 24 and 25) was a HUGE success. Thank you to special guest John Garcia and all the sponsors, vendors, and volunteers that helped us pull it off!

Hundreds of people and their dogs were in attendance throughout the weekend events. We gathered tons of signatures for our anti-BSL petition, talked about our free training program, spread awareness about pit bulls and owner issues, and raised funds for our programs and initiatives.

Congratulations to our raffle winners! Please contact lydia@love-a-bull.org to claim your prize.

Southwest Airline Tickets: John Pope
$500 Tattoo Gift Certificate: Dwain Williams
$250 Lee Mannix Training Certificate: Deb Whitaker
$235 Blanton Museum Package: Joe Soto
Custom Jewelry by Eleven17Finery: Amy Herzog
$100 Gift Certificate from Midtown Grooming: Melissa Alvarado
OnGuard Bike Package: Patricia Hutt
$50 Gift Certificate to Cafe Josie: Susan Peters

Check out some of the photos of the events (below) and lots more here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=329268&id=543660631&l=89078ce855 and http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027189&id=1030100074&l=ccf3f60e1a

Family Fun Day (Oct. 24)

Joe Seabrooke wearing a Michael Vick jersey--in the dunk tank!

A bumblebee puppy

The crowd at Family Fun Day

John Garcia and Samantha Foss from Best Friends

Pet Parade and Costume Contest (Oct. 25)

Getting ready for the pet parade

A lion

Arr, matey! Pirate dog

Best Friends' John Garcia and Love-A-Bull co-founders Lydia Zaidman and Meghan Turner

Bat-dog

One of the contest winners: the Bat Bridge, and a bunch of bats!

National Pit Bull Awareness Celebration on Oct. 24 and 25

jen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 19:31:53 +0000

Please join Love-A-Bull in welcoming Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s famous dog handler John Garcia to Austin on the weekend of October 24-25, 2009, to participate in a weekend of family-friendly events in Austin.

John is nationally known for working extensively to rehabilitate 22 of the 49 dogs (now affectionately referred to as the “Vicktory Dogs”) seized from the bust of the Michael Vick/Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring. He is best known for his work and public appearances with Georgia, a sweet, 7-year old toothless female pit bull who, despite being a victim of cruelty and abuse, responds with love to all she meets.

The weekend will feature these FREE events:

A Family Fun Day with John Garcia
October 24, 5 PM – 9 PM at Zilker Hillside Theater
Free to the public! Dogs on leash are welcome. Chairs are not permitted, but blankets or towels are encouraged.

This fun-filled evening of activities will include:

A public screening of National Geographic Channel’s “Dog Town,” including footage of John working with the Vicktory Dogs at Best Friends (begins at 7:30 PM). Courtesy of The Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow.
Autographs with John Garcia
Games and crafts, including: henna tattoos, face painting, balloon animals, bandanna painting
Under Pressure t-shirt silk screening
Pumpkin patch photo booth
Dunk tank (dunk “Michael Vick” for charity!)
Raffle
Refreshments: Amy’s Ice Cream, Aloha Sno-Cones and Waffles, Zuzu’s tacos, Solar Natural Foods, Sweet Leaf tea
Pick the Pit Bull game, trivia, and prize giveaways
Information and adoptable pets from Emancipet, Happy Endings, Town Lake Animal Center, Best Friends, and Reunion Rescue
Booths featuring our trainer, Jessica Wilson and Haute Dog Magazine

A Downtown Pet Parade and Costume Contest, led by John Garcia
October 25, 2 PM at Austin City Hall
Free to the public! Bring your leashed loved ones and the whole family for this walk through downtown. Austin Java and Lofty Dog will provide rest stops, and there will be prizes for the best dog costumes! DJ Yoshi will be spinning tunes for your enjoyment. Free Parking in the City Hall Garage (entrance on Lavaca).

Austin Mayor Proclaims Oct 24-25, 2009 “Love-A-Bull Weekend”

jen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:48:52 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came to the proclamation to show their support for Love-A-Bull! We made quite an impression on city council.

Rolling Roadshow Presents “Dogtown” for Family Fun Day

jen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:37:08 +0000

Thanks to the Rolling Roadshow at Alamo Drafthouse for spreading the word about our event!

On October 24 at Zillker Hillside Theater, Love-A-Bull will celebrate National Pit Bull Awareness Day with a Family Fun Weekend, including a free public screening of the National Geographic Channel show Dogtown. This episode features John Garcia working with the dogs rescued from Michael Vick. The screening is put on by Rolling Roadshow and will begin at dark.

More information on the Rolling Roadshow webpage at: http://www.originalalamo.com/Show.aspx?id=6930

Please come join us for this fun event!

101X (101.5 FM) interviews John Garcia for Love-A-Bull’s Pit Bull Awareness Weekend

jen — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:08:35 +0000

101X (101.5 FM) interviewed John Garcia for Love-A-Bull’s Pit Bull Awareness Weekend!

The interview took place on 10/21/09. Listen to the interview (mp3).

Austin-American Statesman’s Charity Chat picks up our Pit Bull Awareness Weekend Press Release

jen — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:12:14 +0000

View the press release here: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/charity/index.html