love a-bull, beyond labels: advocating for all dogs

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www.love-a-bull.org Beyond Labels: Advocating for All Dogs Ideas on how to better serve at-risk dogs, their guardians, and the community

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Presented at the American Pets Alive No-Kill Conference 2014.

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Page 1: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Beyond Labels: Advocating for All DogsIdeas on how to better serve at-risk dogs, their guardians,

and the community

Page 2: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Quick Intros Who are we?Who are you?

Page 3: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Love-A-Bull Promoting responsible guardianship and

improving the image and lives of pit bull type dogs through education, advocacy, and rescue.

Page 4: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Shelters working with rescue organizations

Promoting all dogs equally

Off-site adoptions and foster programs,

Forming relationships with local city officials and the

media

Promoting community and volunteer involvement

Current Wins

Page 5: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Shelter and adoption policies that work!http://stubbydog.org/2012/01/shelters-with-innovative-pit-bull-programs/

Page 6: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Pit Bull type dogs are just dogs.Treat them that way!

There’s no reason to have special rules applying to certain breeds.

Dogs are individuals. Don’t discriminate.

BREED DISCRIMINATORY POLICIES include:•Special applications•Special screening processes (e.g., home checks, background checks)•Blanket restrictions on adopters (e.g., no kids, no other dogs, experienced req’d)•Mandatory training for adopters•Extra requirements for volunteers who work with “pit bull” dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Page 7: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Pit bulls can be great first dogs

Requiring experience for all “pit bull” dogs sells both your dogs and your adopters

short.

First dog!

www.love-a-bull.org

Page 8: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Pit bulls can be great family petsDon’t limit a dog’s future by

placing child age restrictions on its adoption.

Treat each dog and each child as an individual to make good

matches!www.love-a-bull.org

Page 9: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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• OBSERVING the dog while in your care;• DOCUMENTING your observations;• DISCLOSING known facts; and• TRANSFERING ownership to the new

owner.

Don’t be paralyzed by liability concernsMany shelters and rescues do not adopt out pit bull type dogs, or place

heavily restrictions on their adoption.This is not necessary!

According to animal law experts, shelters and rescues can effectively manage risk by:

Bonnie L. Lutz, Esq.

President of the AmericanVeterinary Law Association

Advisor to National Canine Research Council

Page 10: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

• Start a Meetup group

• Build partnerships (vets, GoLocal, Pit Stop, etc.)

• Use social media

• Focus on positive information

• Work with other types of rescue groups to cross-promote• Provide adopter support (training, socialization, etc.)

Community Momentum

Page 11: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Mix ‘em up!

Instead of placing pit bull type dogs in

separate rooms or sections, integrate

them with other dogs --

After all, they’re just dogs like all the

others!

Page 12: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Use photos that paint a picture

www.love-a-bull.org

Page 13: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Use photos that paint a picture

www.love-a-bull.org

Page 14: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Breed-Discriminatory Legislation (BDL)

Page 15: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Any ordinance or law that bans, or places special restrictions on, a group of dogs based upon breed or appearance.

Best Friends Animal Society

Bans OR restricts certain types of dogs based on their appearance, usually because they are perceived as “dangerous” breeds or types of dogs.http://stopbsl.org/bsloverview/

The practice of using laws to regulate and restrict dog ownership based solely on the physical appearance of someone's dog. http://www.badrap.org/breed-discrimination

A common first approach that many communities take. Thankfully, once research is conducted most community leaders correctly realize that BSL won't solve the problems they face with dangerous dogs. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/dogs/facts/statement_breed_specific_legislation.html

What is BDL?

Page 16: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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What does BDL do?•Fails to improve safety•Causes an injustice to victims•Costs a lot of money•Relies on visual breed ID•Creates an attraction to danger•Allows for mismanagement•Punishes the innocent•Lacks support of professionals •Fails to evaluate dogs as individuals

Notably, not a single canine welfare organization supports BDL

Page 17: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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• American Bar Association• American Kennel Club • American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals • American Temperament Test Society • American Veterinary Medical Association• Animal Farm Foundation • Best Friends Animal Society• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention• Humane Society of the United States• National Animal Control Association• National Canine Research Council• United Kennel Club• United States Department of Justice

Sources: http://www.animalfarmfoundation.org/files/Organizations_That_Do_Not_Endorse_BDL.pdf and http://www.abanow.org/2012/06/2012am100/

Many prominent organizations, including the U.S. Department of Justice do not support BDL

Page 18: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Akita, American Bull Dog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American or Bull Staffordshire Terrier, Briard, Borzoi Hounds, Bull

Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Cane Corso, Chow, Dalmatian, Doberman Pincher, Dogo, German Shepherd, Great Dane, Great

Pyrenees, Husky, Irish Wolf Hound, Komondor, Malamute, Neapolitan Mastiff, Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Scottish Deerhound, Spitz, St. Bernard, Staffordshire Terrier, Presa Canarios, Shar

Pei, Toso Inu and Wolf-Dog Hybrid.

Who does BDL impact?

Page 19: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

What states prohibit BDL, and what does that really mean?

Page 20: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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BDL in Texas- Several Texas counties refuse to adopt out “pit bulls”

- HB 2981—Bill introduced in March 2013 that would have prevented public shelters from refusing to adopt out based on “age, appearance, size, or breed”

This bill died in the House CalendarsCommittee

Page 21: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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State silence-32 states do not/are not addressing institutional breed discrimination at the municipal/county level.

City BDL in 2013-Since Massachusetts’ ban on BDL went into effect in Oct 2012, 10 cities have replaced their breed discriminatory ordinances with vicious dog ordinances that address behavior and husbandry factors-9 other cities, in Kansas, Missouri, Wisconscin, and even Ohio, did the same-18 cities rejected proposed BDL

- Miami-Dade County: fine and removal for visually identified dogs- Denver: ADA and constitutionality lawsuits prompted by BDL

Other states and BDL

Page 22: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Breed Discriminatory Legislation does not workBreed Discriminatory Legislation does not work at the political level:

- it does not reduce dog bites

- costs a lot of money to enforce

www.animalfarmfoundation.org

Special policies & practices that only apply to “pit bull” dogs do not work – and are not needed – at the shelter level:

- separate paperwork and processing unnecessarily stigmatizes the dog - segregation leads people to believe the dogs are “different”- differentiation can equal scary and discourage adoptions

Page 23: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Alternatives to BDL- Containment laws

- Abuse prevention

- Safety education

- Spay / neuter

- Low-cost training

- Breeder regulation

- Dog-fighting prevention

- Behavior / training helpline

- Non-breed discriminatory ordinances

- Enforcement of current laws

Page 24: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

BDL tips, tracking, and resourcesTips / talking points- No evidence that BDL reduces dog bites- Focus on responsible ownership, not dog breed- Implementation and enforcement costs taxpayers- Punishes innocent dogs based merely on appearance

Bill tracking linkshttp://stopbsl.com/ http://www.navs.org/page.aspx?pid=439#.URgUJ46bJS8http://www.legis.state.tx.us/ http://openstates.org/

Love-A-Bull / Austin resourceshttp://love-a-bull.org/resources/bsl/http://love-a-bull.org/resources/housing/http://love-a-bull.org/resources/pit-friendly/

Page 25: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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BDL and advocacy-Join an advocacy grouphttp://www.aspca.org/joinbrigade

- Join some of the anti-BSL groups on Yahoohttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/dogholocausthttp://voices.yahoo.com/pit-bull-owners-breed-specific-legislation-bsl-11098350.html http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BSL-UPDATES

- Join Forces with a Pro-Dog Owners Organizationhttp://www.adoa.org/

Remember - people joining together CAN make a difference! Public pressure in Oklahoma may be what prompted withdrawal of an

emergency bill to allow a municipal breed ban.

Page 26: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Housing

Page 27: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Best Practices• Give yourself time when looking for an

apartment, insurance, any new housing

• Understand the situation—if the landlord’s or insurance broker’s hands are tied, move on

• Science and Honesty!• Call the dog a “mixed breed”—but

only if it is indeed a mixed breed• Get the DNA test to back it up

• Obedience training helps your relationship with your dog, the impression your dog makes on the community,

Page 28: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Insurance

Insurance Providers* that do not discriminate:•Amica•AAA•Chubb Group•Farmers Insurance Group•Kreigel Insurance Agency•Liberty Mutual-Nationwide**•State Farm Sunny SoCal Insurance Service* (national)•United Services Automobile Association (USAA)•Evolution Insurance

- Having the right insurance can enable a landlord to lease without discrimination, and offering to obtain renter’s insurance can help convince a hesitant landlord to lease

*Contact information is available at http://love-a-bull.org/resources/pit-friendly

Page 29: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Talking to Landlords• Create a “resume” for your dog with photos, age, temperament

•Highlight formal training and special recognitions, such as CGC•Obtain letters of recommendation from former landlords, if possible

• Offer to do a “meet and greet” with the landlord, and even other pets on the property, and allow the landlord to see the good behavior firsthand.

• If you can’t do a “meet and greet” send the landlord your best picture and a letter outlining your dog’s story and meaning in your life—this can be as effective in dispelling the negative reputation surrounding the breed

• Highlight your and your dog’s role in the community—be a member of Love-a-Bull—and point them to our website!

• If nothing else works, offer to pay an increased pet deposit or obtain renters’ insurance.

Page 30: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Post-Adoption Support

Page 31: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Helping people keep their pets is not a one-dimensional issue

Change the way we view owner surrenders

Remove judgment, focus on assistance

Look at individual communities’ needs

Changing responses:Shelter intervention programsMission shiftsPartnerships

Pet Owner Support is Human Being Support

Page 32: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Responsive community programs and resources

“Resource Deserts”

3 most needed assistance areas: Spay/Neuter; Affordability; Training

Don’t focus the message on exceptions – pittie owners are more likely to live in poverty than in places with BDL

Owner Support

Page 33: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

www.love-a-bull.org

Pitties are popular, well-loved dogs, but be inclusive, not exclusive

Think about community diversity in programming, message, and access

Encourage new coalitions and consortiums to bring together community resources

Community-wide messaging (mixed breed rescues promoting all dogs equally, sharing in support of pitties for adoption)

HSUS Pets for Life

Don’t Forget about the Love

Page 34: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Media: friend or foe?

Page 35: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Public Safety: Perception vs. Fact

Source: National Canine Research Council

Page 36: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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• Get to know a reporter sympathetic to your cause.

• Cultivate a good working relationship.

• Allow reporter to open doors for future positive coverage.

• Focus on positive, not negative or combative.

• Use “canine ambassadors” with tv spots/interviews.

Make Friends with the Media

Page 37: Love a-bull, beyond labels: Advocating for all dogs

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Reading List/Additional Info/ResourcesAnimal Farm Foundation: www.animalfarmfoundation.org

National Canine Research Council: http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/

Best Friends Animal Society: Saving America’s Dog Campaign: http://network.bestfriends.org/initiatives/pitbulls/default.aspx

Stop BSL: www.stopbsl.com

BADRAP: www.badrap.org

StubbyDog: www.stubbydog.org

Other Positive Pittie Programs: http://www.pbrc.net/programs.html

HSUS Pets for Life (toolkit): http://www.humanesociety.org/about/departments/pets-for-life/#.Uv5TwIVLmZQ

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Questions?