Hi Friends!
Our t-shirt slogan contest was a success! For more about the t-shirt and the contest, please click here:
http://therealpitbullblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/announcing-our-tee-shirt-slogan-contest.html
We are now getting ready to place an order for t-shirts. Shirts will be black with light blue text on the back, reading:
"Judge all the same by what's on the inside and not by a name."
The RPB logo (which is the likeness of Krash, one amazing Pit Bull and the "dog behind RPB"), will be featured on the front of the shirt, in light blue.
We were all set to place an order, but unexpected vet bills ate up our t-shirt fund in February. (This is rescue work! Always expect the unexpected!) Now we are accepting "pre orders", which means you pay now and your shirt will be shipped to you as soon as they are printed up (target: end of March).
Shirts are $15.00 and you can pay through our Paypal.com account using the email: support@realpitbull.com
Please be sure to indicate you are ordering a shirt as well as the sizes and quantity you would like. Pre-ordering t-shirts is a great way to support RPB, help us pay recent vet bills for our OH200 bust dog, Sedona (who is doing fine and is healthy now!), and show your love for Pit Bulls by way of a great shirt that sports a great message.
Any questions? Info@realpitbull.com
Showing posts with label The Real Pit Bull. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Real Pit Bull. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Thursday, August 13, 2009
When the Past & Present Collide
With all the talk about fighting dogs recently – the big busts, for instance, and the finally-wide-spread realization that fighting dogs are actually victims that deserve a chance at life – we thought we’d talk a little bit about breed history, and how it relates to the dogs today: both those rescued fighters AND the typical Pit Bull that shares a home with humans as a companion dog.
Pit Bulls as a breed were originally created to fight other dogs in the pit. This much we know as fact. Something else we know as fact: Pit Bulls from the very beginning have also been…Companion Dogs! The scrappy, brave fighting dog also a family animal? You betcha! The APBT breed has historically walked parallel paths – one of fighting dog, one of family, farm, and companion dog. Through the course of the breed’s history, these two paths often crossed and at times they were barely distinguishable from each other. A fighting dog might be a companion dog might be a fighting dog; and sometimes a dog was just a companion, sometimes just a fighting dog. But the breed had two distinct roles and it often hopped from one to the other.
Eventually, the fighting path began to fade away, grown over with the thoughts and ideals of more humane, enlightened attitudes. What was left for the APBT? The job of purely companion dog within the modern dog fancy. People continued to keep the breed as a pet, a show dog, a working dog. Hey! These are the jobs these dogs are REALLY good at, anyway. There is a reason that the breed has flourished since the outlawing of the so-called ‘sport’ of dog fighting.
When people ask, “Why are Pit Bulls good companions when they were bred to fight other dogs?”, the simple answer is, “But they have always been companion dogs too! We just eliminated one crappy element: the dog fighting!”
Well, not REALLY eliminated. Because despite its felony status, dog fighting still continues on today. Pit Bulls, although legally freed from the cruelty of dog fighting, are still in reality subjected to this brutality.
RPB has always recommended that rescued Pit Bulls be treated the same, regardless of their backgrounds: dog dumped by someone who lacked the means to care for him, or dog rescued from a fighting bust. A Pit Bull is a Pit Bull is a Pit Bull. A fighting dog isn’t so different from the companion dog snoring on your couch (gawd we love those bulldawg snores!) It’s just that one dog had the misfortune of being born into a dog fighter’s yard. The other landed on your couch.
And sometimes....a dog goes *from* the fighter’s yard TO a savior’s couch!
This has been happening more and more as of late, due to new attitudes about the rescued canine victims of fight abuse. Dogs being confiscated from dog fighter raids are starting to trickle down into rescue on a greater scale. And guess where they end up? In new homes, as companion dogs. Wow!
In a sense, times have changed little. Some Pit Bulls are still companion dogs. Some Pit Bulls – sadly, tragically – are still fighting dogs. And some Pit Bulls are just lucky enough to be given the opportunity to make that leap from fighter to companion dog.
We hope and pray to doG for the day when NO Pit Bull will ever to be placed on the path to fighting dog. But until that day comes, the way is paved for the rescued victims to cross over onto the path of loved, cherished, family companion.
The majority of Pit Bulls today will never be within sniffing distance of a fighting pit. But they are still playing one role they've always played throughout their history, in good times and bad: loving, intelligent companion, partner, best friend, and family member. And these dogs are so good at what they do that we think their future in this job is pretty much nailed down.
To learn more about breed history and dog fighting, visit our fresh page, Dog Fighting: Then, Now.
Pit Bulls as a breed were originally created to fight other dogs in the pit. This much we know as fact. Something else we know as fact: Pit Bulls from the very beginning have also been…Companion Dogs! The scrappy, brave fighting dog also a family animal? You betcha! The APBT breed has historically walked parallel paths – one of fighting dog, one of family, farm, and companion dog. Through the course of the breed’s history, these two paths often crossed and at times they were barely distinguishable from each other. A fighting dog might be a companion dog might be a fighting dog; and sometimes a dog was just a companion, sometimes just a fighting dog. But the breed had two distinct roles and it often hopped from one to the other.
Eventually, the fighting path began to fade away, grown over with the thoughts and ideals of more humane, enlightened attitudes. What was left for the APBT? The job of purely companion dog within the modern dog fancy. People continued to keep the breed as a pet, a show dog, a working dog. Hey! These are the jobs these dogs are REALLY good at, anyway. There is a reason that the breed has flourished since the outlawing of the so-called ‘sport’ of dog fighting.
When people ask, “Why are Pit Bulls good companions when they were bred to fight other dogs?”, the simple answer is, “But they have always been companion dogs too! We just eliminated one crappy element: the dog fighting!”
Well, not REALLY eliminated. Because despite its felony status, dog fighting still continues on today. Pit Bulls, although legally freed from the cruelty of dog fighting, are still in reality subjected to this brutality.
RPB has always recommended that rescued Pit Bulls be treated the same, regardless of their backgrounds: dog dumped by someone who lacked the means to care for him, or dog rescued from a fighting bust. A Pit Bull is a Pit Bull is a Pit Bull. A fighting dog isn’t so different from the companion dog snoring on your couch (gawd we love those bulldawg snores!) It’s just that one dog had the misfortune of being born into a dog fighter’s yard. The other landed on your couch.
And sometimes....a dog goes *from* the fighter’s yard TO a savior’s couch!
This has been happening more and more as of late, due to new attitudes about the rescued canine victims of fight abuse. Dogs being confiscated from dog fighter raids are starting to trickle down into rescue on a greater scale. And guess where they end up? In new homes, as companion dogs. Wow!
In a sense, times have changed little. Some Pit Bulls are still companion dogs. Some Pit Bulls – sadly, tragically – are still fighting dogs. And some Pit Bulls are just lucky enough to be given the opportunity to make that leap from fighter to companion dog.
We hope and pray to doG for the day when NO Pit Bull will ever to be placed on the path to fighting dog. But until that day comes, the way is paved for the rescued victims to cross over onto the path of loved, cherished, family companion.
The majority of Pit Bulls today will never be within sniffing distance of a fighting pit. But they are still playing one role they've always played throughout their history, in good times and bad: loving, intelligent companion, partner, best friend, and family member. And these dogs are so good at what they do that we think their future in this job is pretty much nailed down.
To learn more about breed history and dog fighting, visit our fresh page, Dog Fighting: Then, Now.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
HSUS Policy Shift
Today, we have something more than Mardi Gras to celebrate. Towards the end of the day on Monday, RPB received word that HSUS had introduced an interim policy that, get this, instructs decision makers in bust dogs cases to evaluate the dogs as individuals! Yes, you read right - HSUS' long-standing policy which called for the automatic descruction of dogs seized in fighting raids is being reviewed in April. Thanks to the hard work of Best Friends and other Pit Bull advocacy groups on this one. The internet is abuzz today with talk about this exciting news.
A meeting of the minds
February 23, 2009 : 8:44 PM ET
The Humane Society of the United States on February 23 issued an interim policy recommending all dogs be evaluated as individuals, and is calling a meeting of leading animal welfare organizations concerning dogs victimized by dog fighting.
Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer and president of the Humane Society of the United States, suggested the meeting of major stakeholders in Las Vegas to work through the associated issues. This meeting is in response to concerns expressed by Best Friends Animal Society in December 2008 regarding HSUS policies related to animals confiscated in dog-fighting busts.
Pacelle said the meeting, scheduled for April, will include the participation of national stakeholder organizations that deal with pit bulls. The meeting was in the planning stages before Superior Court Judge Ed Wilson Jr. ruled that 145 pit bulls, including approximately 70 puppies, confiscated from Wildside Kennels in Wilkes County, North Carolina, would be euthanized without evaluation to determine suitability for placement.
The new interim policy announced by the HSUS, pending the outcome of the meeting, recommends that local law enforcement and animal control evaluate such dogs as individuals rather than as a category before any decision is made regarding their future.
“We expect government, corporations, and individuals to constantly re-evaluate how they deal with animal issues,” Pacelle said. “Likewise, we regularly review our own policies and procedures here at HSUS, and we think it is important to talk with professional colleagues in the movement to examine issues related to the disposition of fighting dogs.
“I am pleased to discuss these issues with personnel from Best Friends and other organizations interested in the welfare of pit bulls.”
Julie Castle, director of Community Programs and Services for Best Friends said, “There had been more than enough airing of feelings and outrage that the dogs were not evaluated prior to being summarily euthanized. It was time to hit the reset button on this in order to move things forward in a constructive way. Mr. Pacelle was open and receptive to what we had to say and we are looking forward to our meetings in April.”
Best Friends, through its campaign, “Pit Bulls: Saving America’s Dogs,” is looking forward working cooperatively with HSUS, according to Castle.
The campaign is aimed in part at educating the public and the media about pit bulls in order to help save the breed’s reputation. “Our goal is to bring positive change to lives and image of pit bulls,” she said.
Written by Best Friends staff
Photo of Meryl, a Vicktory dog, by Gary Kalpakoff
We ARE making progress, and this latest victory comes at a much needed time, when many of us are still reeling over the descruction of the Wilkesboro, NC bust dogs. These dogs - and others - haven't died in vain. Not only has this case been the seeming catalyst for change at HSUS, but it gave birth to a fight bust dog coalition consisting of concerned Pit Bull groups - RPB included - with Best Friends at the helm. Is 2009 showing more promising things for Pit Bulls than any previous year in recent memory? You betcha!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Cultivating Gratitude
On this day held aside to give thanks and count blessings, we may sit and take stock of the previous year, spend time with our family, look into the eyes of our gentle dogs and offer a silent 'thank you' to the universe for having blessed us with such amazing Pit Bull-shaped souls. This is the one day of the year where gratitude is the main focus and being thankful takes front and center stage. But in life in general, and particularly in our work as advocates and activists, it can be difficult to cultivate a grateful attitude that becomes a part of who we are and how we live day to day.
We see much pain and suffering we are unable to ease, feel trapped because 'there is only so much' we can do, feel hopeless when the problem seems so big. Focusing on these things can become draining, and too much attention drawn to 'failures' can be defeating and actually undermine our cause and the work we do for Pit Bulls. Sometimes, we begin drowning in the negative, virtually ignoring the life-rafts of our successes which are right within our grasp.
It is important to take stock daily of what we DO have to be thankful for in the Pit Bull advocacy community, and to cultivate gratitude for what we've personally been able to accomplish for the dogs, as well as the wonderful people working for the same causes.
This past year we have a lot to feel grateful for, and we've seen things we never thought we'd see: More groups & individuals than ever working and sacrificing for Pit Bulls; people willing to come together to work for the greater good; the results of a celebrity fight bust which generated more positive press for the breed than seen in the last 1o years combined; a day set aside for country-wide celebration of the breed that seems to be growing more every year; and all the little, quiet successes that you may not hear about - the dogs that have been saved, their wounded souls made whole again. Every single one of these rescues is a miracle and we should all feel a strong sense of gratitude for each and every one.
Cicero said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
Gratitude props us up, and is a platform on which we are meant to use our other virtues. It is a mindset of positivity, of thankfulness, of gratefulness that gives us strength do what we have to do for the dogs.
So today, on this Thanksgiving, take stock of what you feel grateful for. And each day, cultivate an attitude of gratitude for what's been accomplished, for all the success - both big and small - and for all the other people who are doing amazing things for the APBT. Perhaps we can take a lesson from our dogs, who, in many cases despite incredibly hard, abusive, painful lives, show us more gratitude than could ever be measured, each and every day.
We see much pain and suffering we are unable to ease, feel trapped because 'there is only so much' we can do, feel hopeless when the problem seems so big. Focusing on these things can become draining, and too much attention drawn to 'failures' can be defeating and actually undermine our cause and the work we do for Pit Bulls. Sometimes, we begin drowning in the negative, virtually ignoring the life-rafts of our successes which are right within our grasp.
It is important to take stock daily of what we DO have to be thankful for in the Pit Bull advocacy community, and to cultivate gratitude for what we've personally been able to accomplish for the dogs, as well as the wonderful people working for the same causes.
This past year we have a lot to feel grateful for, and we've seen things we never thought we'd see: More groups & individuals than ever working and sacrificing for Pit Bulls; people willing to come together to work for the greater good; the results of a celebrity fight bust which generated more positive press for the breed than seen in the last 1o years combined; a day set aside for country-wide celebration of the breed that seems to be growing more every year; and all the little, quiet successes that you may not hear about - the dogs that have been saved, their wounded souls made whole again. Every single one of these rescues is a miracle and we should all feel a strong sense of gratitude for each and every one.
Cicero said, "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
Gratitude props us up, and is a platform on which we are meant to use our other virtues. It is a mindset of positivity, of thankfulness, of gratefulness that gives us strength do what we have to do for the dogs.
So today, on this Thanksgiving, take stock of what you feel grateful for. And each day, cultivate an attitude of gratitude for what's been accomplished, for all the success - both big and small - and for all the other people who are doing amazing things for the APBT. Perhaps we can take a lesson from our dogs, who, in many cases despite incredibly hard, abusive, painful lives, show us more gratitude than could ever be measured, each and every day.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The RPB Mission & Vision Statements
The Real Pit Bull has gone through many reinventions since 1997, with several 'unofficial' mission and vision statements that have been amended as the organization has evolved. One critical aspect that has always been part of the RPB mission is education of owners, other advocates, and the public. This is something that has never changed or wavered and will always be the most important thing we do.
As we approach our 12th year, big things are in store for RPB and we hope to make our biggest impact yet, as we work diligently towards creating a brighter future for the APBT. In light of the new and improved goals and plans, we'd like to present you with our fully updated Mission and Vision statements. We think they pretty much say it all.
*drum roll*
- Mission Statement -
The Real Pit Bull is an education and advocacy organization dedicated to the American Pit Bull Terrier; our mission is to serve as an advocate for the breed; provide information; and educate those who impact the lives of Pit Bulls.
- Vision -
RPB envisions a future in which the American Pit Bull Terrier is widely recognized as a companion animal and working dog partner; dog fighting is a thing of the past; dog laws focus on deed not breed; and all American Pit Bull Terriers have loving, responsible homes.
As we approach our 12th year, big things are in store for RPB and we hope to make our biggest impact yet, as we work diligently towards creating a brighter future for the APBT. In light of the new and improved goals and plans, we'd like to present you with our fully updated Mission and Vision statements. We think they pretty much say it all.
*drum roll*
- Mission Statement -
The Real Pit Bull is an education and advocacy organization dedicated to the American Pit Bull Terrier; our mission is to serve as an advocate for the breed; provide information; and educate those who impact the lives of Pit Bulls.
- Vision -
RPB envisions a future in which the American Pit Bull Terrier is widely recognized as a companion animal and working dog partner; dog fighting is a thing of the past; dog laws focus on deed not breed; and all American Pit Bull Terriers have loving, responsible homes.
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