Pit Bulls & Parolees: New show on Animal Planet!

This show is a must-see for anyone who loves Pit Bulls and especially for people who don't know much about them at all.

It centers on Tia Maria Torres and Villalobos Rescue Center. Situated on 10 acres just outside of Los Angeles, VRC houses between 150-200 of these wonderful creatures on any given day. They do the usual of rescuing and rehabilitating abandoned and abused Pit Bulls. And then some.

They offer FREE training classes to Pit Bull owners. The class teaches basic obedience, but it also teaches an owner how to manage dog-on-dog aggression and other situations that might pop up, no matter what type of dog you have. These free classes have been offered for 10 years to owners of Pit Bull and Pit Bull mixes. What an amazing way to reach out and get these dogs trained! Create good citizens and impress the world! I love it.

Another twist? Tia employs parolees as a way of helping some of the “baddest good guys in town” find work, be productive, and help out some of the baddest good dogs in the world. The parolees feed the dogs, clean the kennels, and help train the dogs in prep for adoption.

Something tells me Tia has raised the bar for many of us. She’s got a huge heart for the two- and four-legged, and she’s not afraid to fight on behalf of either.

Blame it on the pit bulls

When all else fails, blame it on a pit bull.

This poor toddler had to get 70 stitches on her face because a dog bit her. Mom blamed it on a wandering pit bull. Mmmm hmmm. After further questioning, mom had to admit the truth. The awful truth. That she's a neglectful, lying piece of trash.

Turns out mom wasn't watching as her toddler got too near the family dog's bowl. The dog? An Alaskan Husky. Nope; not a pit bull.

Moral of the story: Any dog can bite. All owners should take responsibility.

They're doing it again - They're making - gulp - SENSE!

What if an individual dog was evaluated to determine its behavior? Instead of labeling it aggressive based on its breed, an expert would run a battery of tests to determine if that dog, that SPECIFIC dog was aggressive or showed any signs of becoming aggressive. It's an amazing concept, isn't it?

And the ASPCA is working with the military to do just that in an effort to keep pets and their families together in Marine Corps housing units in South Carolina.

Better watch out. This idea might catch on.

More money for Michael Vick

Will this man ever stop earning money? What's the deal here? Sure, he spent a little time in jail, but he's on the top of the world. And it just keeps coming.

He just signed with BET for an eight-part documentary about his life. More income for a man who is far from deserving a high-profile or a multi-million dollar income. He’s hardly suffering for the pain and heartache he caused and he’s teaching our children that they can do whatever they want, spend a little time in jail, and still reap the rewards. Big rewards. HUUUUUGE rewards.

How I'd like to wipe that smirk off of his face.

What a great idea: Judge each dog individually!

During its ongoing ban on Pit Bulls, the city of Denver, Colorado has systematically euthanized over 550 Pit Bulls - whether or not they've bitten or acted aggressively in any way. In many instances, just "looking like" a Pit Bull was reason enough for a dog to be seized from a backyard and destroyed.

Denver Pit Bull owners moved from the city to places like Boulder. Oddly enough, in 2008, 207 dog bites were reported. Only nine of those were from Pit Bulls. Read how the city of Boulder has used its dangerous dog law to train owners and control aggressive dogs rather than try to label or extinguish an entire "breed."

National Pit Bull Awareness Day - 2009

National Pit Bull Awareness Day helps to educate people about this special dog. Celebrate the Pit Bull at an event in your area! Scroll down to find an event in your state!

"The Best Pit Bull Video Ever" and it's true!

A Great Piece from the San Francisco Chronicle (Thank You Beth!)

A nice snapshot of Pit Bulls. The author also talks about another often overlooked dog, the Greyhound.

Eight Weeks and Four Stories

That would be eight weeks old and a four story fall. Well, a fall is usually a trip and fall, a mistake, something that happens when your feet get in the way. This little girl, just eight weeks old, was actually thrown.

So that would be eight weeks old and a four story fall because she was thrown out of a fourth story window. Thankfully, she landed in a tree, and some kind young ladies who were hailing a cab saw all of this happen.

They rescued the poor, tiny pup, who amazingly was unhurt, and contacted Smilin' Pitbull Rescue, the incredible rescue organization that focuses solely on Pit Bulls. I had the pleasure of meeting Skylar at PAWS's 2nd Annual Bark in the Park event yesterday where we had SPBR as our guests again this year. She's sweet as sugar and cuddles like a pro!

I hope the woman who tossed her from the window experiences the same horror this poor little pup must have felt that day. Sometimes the punishment should equal the crime.

Vick's Apology: From the Heart?

Francis Battista, co-founder of Best Friends Animal Society, shares her thoughts about Vick's recent return to football in a letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer.