I’m heading abroad tomorrow, so last night I set out to find reading materials for my trip. The first book to catch my eye — Larry Levin’s Oogy, the dog only a family could love — was sitting squarely atop the “new releases” table. It’s the story of a former bait dog and the four people who adopted him.
I can’t even look at the cover photo without tearing up, so I didn’t buy the book. It’s the same reason I’ll recommend, but not read (at least not yet), Jim Gorant’s chronicle of Michael Vick’s Pit Bulls before, during, and after their rescue: The Lost Dogs.
When it comes to dog fighting, I’m still a few psychological steps away from being able to take in details, even when I know there’s a happy ending. Sometimes, I become so devastated by the depths of Vick’s (and others’) cruelty, it’s long stretches before I come up again to see light.
Today, though, there is excellent news about my favorite breed. PetSmart Charities just granted Best Friends Animal Society $240,000 in an effort to save the lives of Pit Bulls in five shelters around the country. The program, called Shelter Partners for Pit Bulls Project, will focus on lowering euthanasia rates, increasing adoption, and highlighting the truth about this beautiful – and horribly wronged – breed.
Education and outreach are the first steps, and the press release is worth reading in its entirety:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2010/10/19/prwebprweb4661934.DTL
Doubters, beware. It’s only a matter of time before the gentleness, innocence, and virtue of the American Pit Bull Terrier go undisputed.
See you in November…
PS. DogTime expert Michele Hollow has worked out a heck of a deal: Go to her blog and leave a comment about your own rescue pets — and you’ll earn 25 cups of food for a shelter in need:
http://petnewsandviews.com/2010/10/feed-shelter-cats-and-dogs-contest/
