Northland Pet Pantry - The mission of the Northland Pet Pantry is to provide short-term help in the form of free food and basic supplies for the companion pets of people who are struggling financially.

Reminder from the National Canine Research Council - The excellent book The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression is available for free download at the National Canine Research Council website. Find it here.

Breed Discriminatory Fiscal Impact Calculator - Tool for municipalities in understanding the real cost of enforcing bans and restrictions on dogs because of their looks. The study that led to the calculator pointed out that dogs often identified as pit bulls may be, in fact, another breed entirely, which raises the question on how to properly identify animals that under the law might be banned.

Dog Training and the Myth of Alpha-Male Dominance - Victoria was profiled in a recent TIME Magazine article entitled "Dog Training and the Myth of Alpha-Male Dominance." In the article, Victoria helps highlight the differences between traditional dominance-based methods and her brand of positive reinforcement philosophies.

EXPECTING???? - Dogs Need To Be Prepared For Baby, Too - Shawnee Mission Medical Center Offers 'Dog & Storks' Class. Families preparing for a new baby may also want to consider preparing the family pet for the new addition, too. Dogs and Storks class is $29. For more information please see, Shawnee Mission Medical Center Classes

Gardner City, KS - BSL ALERT - Gardner City Councilman Fotovich has requested the city code be revised to ban "pit bulls." The city previously had a breed specific ordinance before moving to the current breed-neutral vicious dog ordinance.

It was determined that the proposal to ban pit bulls would be placed on an upcoming agenda, most likely on the September 5th agenda.

Please take the opportunity to send your POLITE, RESPECTFUL and INFORMATIVE letters in opposition to an ordinance that would regulate and/or restrict the ownership of pit bulls, and encourage city officials to keep the breed-neutral ordinance already in place.

TRUMANN, AR - Trumann bans pit bulls from city limits - Members of the council voted in favor of an ordinance to amend Ordinance #499 regarding vicious or dangerous animals. Among the changes in the ordinance include the banning of specific breeds. Under Section D of the ordinance, all owners of banned dogs have 60 days to remove the animal from the city limits. If the animal is not taken out of the city within the time frame, the ordinance gives the Trumann Animal Control officer authority to take the animal into custody. After 11 days of impoundment, the city will be allowed to euthanize the dog similar as a stray.

Section I of the ordinance permits owners to "grandfather" their pit bull pets into the city if they register the animal with the Trumann Animal Control Office within 60 days.

Under Section I, owners must provide proof of rabies vaccination, proof the animal has been neutered, pay a $100 licensing fee and provide proof of liability insurance on the animal in the amount of more than $100,000.

Dolly Madison came to KCMO shelter and to our amazement, was never claimed. Hard to believe someone left such an awesome dog behind. MPR was so impressed with her great disposition and loving personality that we chose her for our program.

She is super laid back, easy and very veeeery loving. She's crate trained and house-broken as well as responsive and very easy to handle. Dolly is a good watch-dog and will let you know if there is something unusual around the house. She is very friendly with people but needs to be properly introduced to strangers. No aggression, but she is somewhat "reserved" until she knows the person is welcomed. She is very "Amstaff" like.

This dog is a real beauty inside and out. A gorgeous brindle coat, big bones and stocky conformation, very easy to handle, super loving and an alert companion. Dolly has it all. This dog is truly a gem. Don't let her pass you by so APPLY for dazzling Dolly today!

We're so very pleased this month to recognize the hard work and dedication of our wonderful volunteer, Stephanie Young.

Stephanie began volunteering by offering MPR her great photography skills. She has also been active attending events, taking care of the kenneled dogs (just look at the blissful look on Nestle's face!), assisting the webmasters, doing homechecks, transporting dogs when needed, fundraising, facilitated adoptions .... and so much more. She's always willing and ready to do what's needed when she's able to.

Stephanie, your caring, hard work and commitment are such an asset to MPR and the dogs. We are so very fortunate and thankful to have you on board.

Thank you!

~ MPR Volunteers

   Happy Updates are the fuel that keeps rescuers going....

Shortly after we got Shelby we ended up renaming her and her name is now CHILI. :) She is sooo spoiled but is absolutely the best dog ever, very smart and has learned many fun tricks. Every day she goes on a run with me and then we come back and play in the backyard and on the warm days she loves to play in the little kiddie pool we bought for her. I have 4 little nieces and nephews that come over and just wear Chili out but she loves it and is great with kids. She likes playing rough with me but will stop on command and knows that I am the only one she can be that way with. There is not yet a walk/run that we have been on where someone has not stopped us to pet her and everyone says she is so pretty. Her absolute favorite thing to do though is cuddle up next to my wife and I. I think she has changed many minds about how a pit bull really are when in the right care.

~Travis

Thought you would like to have some photos of Elroy, and his sissy Anna, too. For over a year now Elroy has brought us so much joy. We love to tell people about the ride home from Missouri because Anna and Elroy wouldn't even look each other in the eye. They both sat in the back seat with their butts to each other and refused to make eye contact. As soon as we got home and let them into the apartment they were best friends from that point forward. A lot of big events have taken place w/ Elroy at our side. We bought our first house in May last year and Dustin and I got married in October. Dustin's parents have a house/farm with over 100 acres in Prescott, AR, which is about an hour from our exit to theirs. We go to their house at least 2 weekends out of the month and it is Elroy's happy place. Dustin and I will take him down to the pond and he will swim for an hour straight, we have to force him to get out of the water. The funny thing though is that he is terrified of taking a bath, doesn't seem to make much sense :) Anyway, he loves to fetch sticks out of the water and Anna (who does not like to swim) will wait at the side of the water for him to come out and will steal his sticks. Elroy doesn't mind though. He is the sweetest dog I've ever known.

Our dogs are our babies. They go everywhere with us, and if it's somewhere we are unable to take them (our honeymoon, for example) we make sure someone that is well trusted (normally our parents) stay at our house with the pups so they are comfortable while we are away. Normally though, if it is somewhere our dogs aren't welcome, we don't go :)

It is hard to imagine our lives before Elroy was in the picture. As I said earlier, he and Anna are best buds and you will hardly ever catch them sleeping without touching each other in some way. Thank you so much for everything that you guys do to try to make sure your babies get placed in good homes. I admire you for the work you do and am thankful we found Elroy.

Dustin & Whitney

Arizona really is an amazing dog :) Our only issue right now is that she's a little nippy when meeting other dogs, but after hanging out a bit, she's fine. She doesn't appear to have any real aggression, just a little nippy when first initiating play for some reason. Otherwise, she takes to training very well and has recently completed the level 1 training at Petsmart.

She's friendly with people of all shapes and sizes when meeting them. She has made a very good bond with my other dog, Duke, and they play constantly. Originally, she was a bit reserved with people and dogs, but that only lasted a month or two, and has definitely started acting like a happy pup. :) She even made some new friends with the tiny dogs at the house behind us.

She also loves to be outside. Her favorite things are eating snow, and hanging out in the shade with the tall grass next to the shed and under the tree in the back yard; she's also more than happy to help me move any treelimbs or branch clippings and such around the yard or 'inspect' the treat isle at Petsmart. We go to Petsmart several times a week, since they are right around the corner and everyone is very happy to see her and Duke and nearly get upset at me if I don't bring them in with me. :D

It could hardly get any better.

-Chris