Are
you in need of getting your pet spayed or neutered in the
Kansas City area? Looking for low-cost services?Great!
We have just the organization for you! They're called Spay
and Neuter Kansas City and they are currently providing services
at two locations in Kansas City and one in Lenexa . They
are a non-profit organization formed to promote spaying and
neutering as a primary means of decreasing the pet overpopulation
in Kansas City. SNKC offers low-cost prices to the public
and also have the capability to subsidize those who cannot
afford the surgery. Surgeries can be scheduled Monday thru
Friday by calling 816-353-0940. Please visit Spay
Neuter Kansas City for more information.
A
coalition of shelters, rescue groups, clinics and individuals
working together to end pet overpopulation through spay/neuter,
humane education, and adoption programs.
MPR
Current Events
Joyhas
been waiting for a family of her own for over a year.
She doesn't understand why...
Lonely for Valentine's
Day?
Tons of homeless pit bulls are waiting for their chance to
keep you company -and wonderful Joy is
one of them! Joy's singles ad reads something like this:
"Stunning, green-eyed beauty, rednose,
nice body, loving demeanor, affectionate and fun, seeks human(s)
for cuddling, play, yummy dinners, and strolls during sunset.
I must be your one and only 4-legged friend, but I will reward
you with the love of ten pit bulls if you take a chance on me."
Then there is Star, another rescue from an
extremely high-kill shelter. We're not too sure of her background,
but it appears that she was living on concrete and spitting
out puppies left and right before her rescue. This comical
girl can speak, shake, and wiggle her way right into your
heart.
Casper the
friendly pit bull ghost was looking for love in all the wrong
places -such as in the middle of a busy 4-lane highway during
rush hour. Though we try to pull all MPR dogs from the local
shelter, when a good samaritan introduced Casper to the group,
it was obvious that we had to help. This
little boy is so much fun!
January proved to be a decent month for adoptions,
especially since winters are usually so slow. Pit bulls that
found forever homes in the past month include little Cassidy,
brindle Magenta,
her brother Riff
Raff (who now lives with MPR alum Fiesta),
gorgeous Rio (who
now lives with her Mutts-n-Stuff rescue brother, Spencer),
and pit bully cousins Mom Moonshine,
and Baby Sunlight,
an adorable pair of American Bulldogs. Congratulations, everybody,
on your great new homes! And,
a very special thanks to all MPR foster homes for their hard
work and dedication.
As always, if you are interested in
volunteering, sponsoring an adoption event, or have any other
suggestions, feel free to send them our way. Just drop us
a line at email@mprgroup.net
Spay Day USA is coming up! What can YOU
do to help?
Spay Day USA will be February 22, 2005 this year. So what
is Spay Day USA? The Doris Day Animal Foundation created
this day in 1995 to promote spaying and neutering of companion
animals in order to decrease pet overpopulation. By spaying
and neutering, communities can decrease the number of animals
that are being euthanized in shelters every day, reduce feral
animals that roam in our neighborhoods, and improve the overall
health and behavior of our pets.
The rate of reproduction in cats and dogs is staggering
and the time to take action against unnecessary litters is
now! What can you do to help?
• Start
by having all of your pets spayed or neutered. Be sure
to pass the word to your family and neighbors to do the
same. You can find affordable and financial services in
the Kansas City area on the No
More Homeless Pets in Kansas City website.
• You
can organize a Spay Day USA event in your community or
work as a volunteer. Visit the Spay Day USA website for
information on how to do this.
Can you tell we really want Joy to finally
find her forever home? Why, why, why? We cannot understand
WHY this girl is continuously overlooked! Is she not pretty
enough? We think she's gorgeous. Is she not young enough?
She's under 2 years old and has been in rescue since she
was a puppy.
Joy is housetrained, crate-trained, and easy.
She has no issues (other than the typical pit bull trait
of dog aggression) so she does need a home as an only pet.
But still, that shouldn't be too much to ask for this outstanding
dog, and she makes up for it through her LOVE for all people!
Joy would make a wonderful family
pet -she longs to have a family or special someone to call
her own. She's been waiting so patiently, for so long...
will YOU be her Valentine and make her dream come true?
Shame on NBA team Miami Heat for taking
Qyntel Woods after he pleads guilty to animal abuse and gets
barely a slap on the wrist. Full story below:
Woods ready to plead guilty to animal
abuse. The Trail Blazers player reportedly will be put
on probation and his status with the team is uncertain Friday, January 21, 2005
EMILY TSAO, OREGON CITY-
Suspended Portland Trail Blazers forward Qyntel Woods will
plead guilty today to misdemeanor animal abuse and be sentenced
to probation, according to sources close to the case.
Woods, 23, was suspended without pay Oct. 12, one day
after investigators seized what they said was evidence "consistent
of dogfighting" from
his Lake Oswego home. The Trail Blazers declined to comment
Thursday on how a misdemeanor conviction would affect
Woods' status with the team.
"This process has been long and frustrating for everyone involved and we are
hopeful for a resolution," Blazers President Steve Patterson said in a statement.
First-degree animal abuse is punishable by up to one year in jail and a $6,250
fine, but the sources said that prosecutors and Woods have struck a deal that
calls for probation.
The plea agreement ends months of investigation
that began after allegations that he abandoned an injured
pit bull in Northeast Portland. Woods' home was searched
Oct. 11 and again Oct. 15. Court records said investigators
found bloody paw prints and smears in an L-shaped room above Woods' garage.
Prescription pet antibiotics, metal dog chains, a treadmill and dozens of
other items also were seized, according to court records.
The agreement also means Woods will not face a much more serious charge of
felony dogfighting, punishable by up to five years in jail and a $125,000
fine. State law defines first-degree animal abuse as causing "serious physical
injury to an animal" or cruelly causing "the death of an animal."
Woods did not return a phone message requesting comment. Woods is scheduled
to appear at 9 a.m. today before Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Robert
Selander. Representatives from the Oregon Humane Society and the Clackamas
County Sheriff's Office are expected to be present. Clackamas County Sheriff's
Office spokesman Joel Manley said the case remains under investigation and
that Woods was not the only suspect in the case.
Woods career with the Trail Blazers began June 26, 2002, when Portland drafted
the 6-foot-8 forward out of Northeast Mississippi Community College. In March
2003 he was charged with speeding, driving without an operator's license
and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. He was later convicted
on all charges.
A year later, Woods and teammate Darius Miles were involved in a parking-lot
brawl with a group of men outside a Portland strip club. No charges were
filed in that incident.
Grab your
pens and write some letters, pit bull lovers! YOUR town
could be next!
Georgia A statewide ban on pit bull dogs has
been proposed by Rep. Earnest Williams, of Stone Mountain.
The bill would make it a misdemeanor to own a pit pull,
although current pit bull owners would be grandfathered
in. Please vote NO in this WSB
on-line poll!
New Mexico(News from the field) I attended
the meeting in Edgwood last night. The town is considering
BSL vs Dangerous Dog Legislation. Tijeras is the only
other town in New Mexico that has a pitbull ban. Additionally,
the State is working on legislation.
Speakers were: Sue Wilson Beffort (R) State Senator, who
is trying to get BSL passed, for
the entire state,
as was a representative of Gov. Richardson, who favors dangerous dog
legislation rather than BSL, and Viki Elki from Animal Protection
(a local animal rights group who is against BSL). The
audience was invited to participate in an extended question
and comment session after each speaker.
Gov. Richardson is proposing dangerous dog legislation that
is based on a model program approved by several animal groups. Hopefully
that will eventally be adopted by the State and save us a
lot of trouble and expense with legal challanges. My
group will support it.
Beffort's BSL is strange and ill-considered. Basically,
she will not ban existing pitbulls, except for a breeding
ban. However, she would declare pitbulls and 12 other
breeds "dangerous" simply by the virtue of their breed. If
you have one of these dogs, you must register them and pay
a $1,000 fee each to keep them. If your dog is involved
in a bite incident, you will be fined at a higher rate than
if your dog were a beagle or other dog not on "the list".
She seems to feel that it is more traumatic to be bitten
or killed by some breeds more than others.
The
meeting
was
very
encouraging,
and
I'm
hoping
reason
will
prevail
in
New
Mexico
and
we
can
avoid
BSL
here.
The police shooting of two pit bulls engaged in a staged dogfight last week in
Eastport has resulted in renewed discussion of rules governing the potentially
dangerous animals.
Although the Annapolis Housing Authority
bans big dogs and dangerous animals are closely regulated
by the county, the city does not have separate regulations
for pit bulls. Alderwoman Cynthia Carter, who has already
tried once to tighten the rules, sees the animals as a
threat.
"I'm against having them as pets. They aren't pets! They were bred to kill and
destroy," said Mrs. Carter, whose former mother-in-law was injured by one of
the animals. "They are dangerous animals. I've only known them to be destructive.
If someone has a pit bull, it's for no good."
The incident Jan. 11 occurred at about 8:30 a.m. between the Harbor House and
Eastport Terrace apartment complexes, both owned by the Housing Authority.
When officers arrived, the dogs were biting each other and covered in blood.
Three men, thought to be the dogs' owners, ran away.
Police tried to contain the dogs, but they charged. Both dogs were shot and
destroyed.
"I was shocked when I heard about the fight," said Anita Jackson, Annapolis Housing
Authority director of community safety.
The authority created a policy in 2000 that requires written approval for any
pet. Animals whose adult weight will exceed 30 pounds are forbidden, and pit
bulls, specifically, are illegal on public housing property.
"People are generally afraid of them," Ms. Jackson said.
Residents found to have a pet in violation of the policy are given seven days
to remove the animal. County Animal Control officers can then take the animal.
Pit bulls are not a breed but rather a type of dog, which could include everything
from the purebred American pit bull terrier to any mutt with features resembling
the breed, according to Julie King of Dogwatch.Net.
Four years ago, Mrs. Carter, Ward 6, introduced legislation to impose stringent
restrictions on pit bull owners elsewhere in the city. She withdrew the bill
after others on the City Council called it unenforceable. But the county passed
similar bill focusing on dangerous animals.
"The law is highly effective and efficient in keeping animals under control," said
Tahira Thomas, county Animal Control administrator and author of the county law.
The law forces owners to control the behavior of their animals and was created
after Animal Control got letters from people who were victimized or threatened
by aggressive animals.
"If an animal is declared dangerous, it is automatically impounded," Ms. Thomas
said. "This puts the community at ease because the immediate threat has been
removed, and the animal is protected from retaliatory harm from members of the
community."
The animal is released when restrictions placed on the owner by Animal Control
have been implemented, ranging from spaying or neutering the animal to creating
a kennel to obtaining an insurance policy.
Even when pit bulls do attack, it is only a small part of recorded dog bites
in the county each year. They were responsible for only a small number of the
860 dog bites reported last year from all breeds combined, Ms. Thomas said.
Only 5 percent of these required sanctions by Animal Control, and most of those
were repeat biters.
"Pit bulls have the power and tenacity to cause considerable damage, but properly
socialized and trained pit bulls are well behaved and not a problem," Ms. Thomas
said.
Do you have a question for Ivy? Write her!
She would love to hear from you and help with your training
and obedience -and we may even publish your questions
in upcoming MPR newsletters!
Two Easy Ways To Teach Your Dog To
Sit
The
majority of behavior problems can either be avoided or
solved by simply learning to teach your dog to sit. There
are a couple of ways to achieve this command. Please
use the method that is easiest and works best for you and
your dog.
Over-the-Head Method
Find a bite size treat that your
dog likes. Then say the dog's name and give the sit command
while holding the treat right above the dog's head. The
dog will have to look up at the treat and when he/she
does the dog's rump will lower to the ground. Once the
dog sits praise him/her by saying, “good
sit” and give the dog the treat.
Over The Rump Method
Find a bite size treat that your
dog likes. Hold the treat in front of the dog so he/she
will see it. Then say the dog's name and give the sit
command while running your hand along the back of the
dog, over the rump, and tucking the tail in. At this
point the dog will sit. Once that dog is in the sitting
position praise him/her by saying, “good
sit” and then giving the dog the treat.
Remember when using this method you should
never push down on the dog's hips. In the longer run this
can cause medical problems.
We are Accepting Submissions!
We want to hear from you! Send us your positive pit bull
press, artwork, poems, stories, games, etc. for possible
publication in upcoming MPR Newsletters! All entries
or suggestions for future newsletter features are welcome,
just send to: mel@pbrc.net
If you would like to help a wonderful
dog while she/he waits for a forever home, consider fostering
a pit bull. They require very responsible foster moms and
dads, but they will provide you with hours of laughter and
enjoyment. They will also be forever grateful to have had
a second chance at a happy life, thanks to you! For more
information on foster home requirements, go here.
Ways To Help MPR
If you love pit bulls and want to make a difference for them
you can help MPR in many ways. We hope you can join our
team of volunteers and supporters!
Volunteer Support
Donate your time helping MPR by fostering homeless pit bulls,
helping care for dogs in boarding, assist with adoption
events, printing materials, etc. If you would like to volunteer,
please fill out our form HERE.
Financial Support
Donate cash or supplies for saving more pit bulls, assisting
with medical expenses and veterinary treatment, boarding
costs for dogs without foster homes, food and toys, crates
and kennels, adoption events and printed materials, all
donations are tax deductible!
*You may donate via
PayPal on MPR’s website or checks can be sent
to:
Missouri Pit Bull Rescue
PO Box 520043
Independence, MO 64052
Community Support
Educate your neighbors, friends and family on the plight
of pit bulls. Encourage responsible pet ownership, spay/neuter
your pets, and contact your local representatives to voice
your opinions about BSL in your area. Report abuse, neglect
or abandonment of animals to local authorities, including
any suspected dog-fighting!
Sponsorship Programs
Our Sponsorship programs offer several different ways you
can help each dog. If you are interested sponsoring one
of our dogs, please go HERE.
Jen O. has volunteered countless hours helping
homeless animals in the metro. She's an active volunteer
with Missouri Pit Bull Rescue as well as a foster home and
shelter volunteer with Leavenworth
Animal Welfare Society and Kansas
Pit Bull Rescue. Jennifer has also been an advocate against
breed-specific legislation in her community, speaking in
front of city council members and other concerned citizens
about why targeting breeds is ineffective. Thanks for all
of your hard work, Jen!
Look great and support a bully-friendly
cause at the same time! We have t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers
and more! Go to MPR
Shop -your pit bull will thank you for it.
Waylon is doing quite well- spoiled
as ever. For example- last night I was in my room folding
clothes and it was much later than him and I usually go
to bed. I had the clothes basket blocking the door because
I didn't want him in there with me- getting hair all over
my clean clothes.
Well- he was just sitting there looking
at me making all sorts of noise letting me know he wasn't
too happy about the situation. I kept telling him to quiet
down- he kept making noise. Finally I gave in, and let
him in.
Turns out he was just ready for bed- he walked
right by me and jumped into bed, curled up, and layed down
in his spot and went to sleep. Silly me- I just thought
he wanted to be near me- when in all reality he was showing
how spoiled he was- couldn't sleep on the floor like a
normal dog- had to sleep in a king size water bed!!!
