ELDERBULLS

Reefer Madness.....Animal Welfare Style

[NOTE: Please read disclaimer* at the end of this post.]

Dear Animal Rescuers:

If someone tells you he/she wants to adopt a pit bull from your shelter or rescue, you must take EXTRA precaution. Why? Because CRIMINALS are out there (in the trees?) waiting to get their hands on our dogs. It's up to you, animal shelters and rescues, to protect the pit bulls from these dogfighters, who are lurking in the parking lots and at adoption events just ITCHING to get their hands on the dogs.

They are going to use them for fighting. The shelters'/rescues' websites even said so: pit bulls were historically bred and continue to be bred primarily for fighting. Or maybe as bait? Oh, those bait dogs....I saw 87 posts on Facebook yesterday of bait dogs in shelters. They're everywhere. Haven't you seen them? They're the pit bulls with scars. Or other wounds. Or just shy. EVERYWHERE!

DANGER!

If we're not EXTRA careful, the homeless pit bulls waiting in shelters or rescue groups will fall into the hands of these violent criminals. We MUST screen our pit bull adopters FBI-style to catch them in the act. Pull out all the tricks: home checks, criminal background checks, photographic evidence of their so-called "homes." They may present as nice people (and their veterinarians and employers may claim they're upstanding citizens), but have you actually LOOKED in their closets? Who knows what you might find.....rape stands, steroids, fight records. Don't let your guard down.

No one is safe. Just look at the news.

In my hometown of Philadelphia this week, a pit bull dog from a dogfighting ring was hung from a tree and left for dead.

Not surprising, right? Because Philly is the dogfighting capital. Of the universe. Animal Planet told me so. (Or was it Chicago? Or Los Angeles? Shoot, I can't remember....)

It's sick what people will do to these dogs if we -- if YOU! -- don't protect them! You know, keep them out of "the wrong hands" and all.

Just look at what will happen.......

"A Man Discovered What Appeared to Be a Small Pit Bull Hanging From a Tree in Philadelphia"

But wait, what's that??? The media spoke too soon??? We're not actually sure what breed of dog it was???

Well certainly it MUST have been a pit bull, right? Of course it was!

And obviously it was part of a dogfighting ring!

I bet it was a bait dog.....definitely a bait dog. You know what? I bet Michael Vick was behind this.

Oh, shoot. There's more? The PSPCA did a necropsy on the fighting pit bull? And they determined it was......

A RACCOON???????

(Click on photo for full story - and note the highlighted parts)

But....but.....but.....certainly this had SOMETHING to do with dogfighting, right?

Let's ask an "expert" -- someone who works at an animal shelter:

(Again, click on photo for full story)

Huh.

So a dead raccoon turns up in a tree in Philadelphia, and the people in Cumberland County, New Jersey -- a town located over an hour from Philly -- are put on high alert for dogfighting?

And better yet, the Cumberland SPCA is faced with a "pervasive problem" of pit bulls who were "continually bred to bring out their worst traits".....as evidenced from the dead raccoon found hanging from a tree in another state?

As a pit bull dog who actually did spend the first 14 years of my life with a convicted animal abuser, I'm constantly amazed that any of us make it out of animal shelters/rescues alive. With all the tall tales the "dog advocates" spin about us, quite frankly I'm afraid I'm going to attack myself in my sleep.

Or if I don't, my owners certainly will.

After all, they never had a "home check" (!).

From,

Sarge the Elderbull

*In case you can't tell, the Sarge-ster is being sarcastic. But seriously, humans, can you please stop it with the hysteria? We dogs deserve better than fear-based approaches to "saving" us. Thank you.

Survivors, Friends, and Healers

The Oxford English Dictionary defines "SURVIVOR" as follows:

SURVIVOR (noun): A person who copes well with the difficulties in his life.

I am a SURVIVOR. I endured 14 years of abuse before the Pennsylvania SPCA (PSPCA) rescued me from a person who abused animals. In 2008/2009 I spent five months healing at the PSPCA, and then I was adopted into a loving forever home, where I could enjoy life as a family member who was loved and respected.

The boys at the "Kids in Transition" (KIT) Program are SURVIVORS, too. The KIT Program is located in Camden, New Jersey, and provides specialty residential treatment for adolescent boys age 13 to 17 who face complex emotional and behavioral challenges. The boys have suffered from traumatic physical or emotional abuse and come to KIT to heal.

WE ARE SURVIVORS.

And we are friends. I've had the honor of visiting the KIT boys on several occasions. One time I brought along my pal Hector, another SURVIVOR of abuse. Hector is friends with the KIT boys, too. My Mom works for Animal Farm Foundation, and they've supported our visits to KIT. So Animal Farm Foundation is friends with the KIT boys as well.

Yesterday I received a VERY special gift from the KIT boys, which I want to share as a reminder that we are SURVIVORS, friends, and partners in the effort to build safe and humane communities. These posters mean the world to me, and I'm so grateful for the effort and heart that went into making them!

"TOP TEN FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT SARGE VISITING THE KIT PROGRAM"

By Hamid C., 17 years old, Camden, NJ

(1) I am glad that Sarge is still alive.

(2) Sarge did not deserve to get abused.

(3) Sarge was a quiet dog when he was at KIT.

(4) He is not an aggressive dog, he is a kind and sweet dog.

(5) I think Sarge was everybody's friend in KIT.

(6) Everybody in KIT loves Sarge and he loves us, too.

(7) Sarge is one of the best dogs I ever met and he is also a brave dog.

(8) Sarge is a big-hearted dog and everybody should love him.

(9) I like the way Sarge was smiling at the kids and even me.

(10) Me and Sarge is mostly alike because me and him can get along with people right away, and another thing is me and him used to be in multiple homes.

"CAMDEN LOVES ANIMAL FARM FOUNDATION (AFF) -- HOW AFF HAS HELPED CAMDEN"

By the KIT Program, Camden, NJ

(1) Taught teenagers the misconceptions about pit bulls.

(2) Helped children build empathy.

(3) Helped teenage SURVIVORS of trauma heal by spending time with AFF ambassadors, Sarge and Hector.

(4) Educated youth about animal abuse by providing The Lost Dogs book to teens and coordinating a visit to meet the author.

(5) AFF inspired community service among teenage boys in a treatment program -- they now volunteer weekly!

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

I love history.

Maybe it’s because I’m old (16.75 years!). Maybe it’s because my Dad studied history in college. Or maybe it’s because I giggle when the History Channel comes on TV and Mary Todd Lincoln charges the screen when she hears aircraft (fact).

But there are certain “histories” that I don’t love.

“Historically, pit bulls were bred for fighting.”

We hear this over and over and over again as justification for the different treatment of pit bull dogs. It ranges from the obvious (e.g., “breed” bans, flawed dangerous dog laws, discriminatory insurance companies) to more subtle cases (e.g., shelters who won’t adopt out pit bulls, agencies who require special adoption contracts and/or procedures, therapy dog programs who won’t allow pit bull dogs to participate).

Below are some examples of how “the history of the pit bull” (and the seemingly inevitable conclusion that can be drawn from it) is used to justify discrimination against the dogs in our presence today:

So where is all this coming from? I assumed it was dog fighters. Certainly, there is ample historical evidence of American Pit Bull Terriers being used for fighting and, sadly, no one can deny that, nor can they deny that some dogs today suffer at the hands of criminals.

But below is what renowned American Pit Bull Terrier breeder and former dog fighter Louis Colby said:

"If you mated two champion dogs and harvested a litter of 12 pups, there might be one champion in the group."

(It’s worth noting that “gameness” in the fighting pit and aggression toward dogs are NOT the same thing. But that’s another blog post that would best be written by a dog behaviorist, not the Sarge-ster.)

So if the odds of producing a champion fighting dog are, at best, 1-in-12, then why are we focused on the 0.8% of dogs who might excel in a fighting pit to describe the history of American Pit Bull Terriers – let alone all “pit bull” dogs – today?

Good question.

These days, it seems as though the pit bull advocates themselves are one of the primary sources of this information and hysteria.

I did a Google search of the definition of "pit bull" and "fight" and "rescue." Here’s what I found:

(A high pain tolerance? Rubbish! No science has ever validated that claim, most often used by abusers to justify that pit bulls actually LIKE fighting.)

You can see why the Sarge-ster got confused. Let’s consider for a moment the unintended assumptions embedded in the dog advocates' arguments, which fuels the fire of fear and hysteria (and worse....):

(1) Were all, or even the majority, of American Pit Bull Terriers used for fighting? Or were some of them kept as companion animals, working dogs, or other purposes?

(2) Of the dogs who were intentionally bred for fighting, were ALL of them “successful” as "fighters"?

(3) Most importantly (!) , should we be afraid of "fighting dogs" and condemn them to death, or has experience shown that many victims of cruelty have gone on to be cherished family pets -- and in some instances, members of multi-dog households, or even therapy dogs?

IT'S TIME THAT DOG ADVOCATES STOP INADVERTENTLY USING HYSTERIA AND FEAR TO "DEFEND" THE DOGS.

Our inclination to protect the dogs put us all on the same team. But it's time that we realize how some of our words are being used to discriminate against the dogs in our presence today.

More and more, we are seeing mainstream dog owners understanding that regardless of breed or mix of breeds, every dog is an individual. We cannot know or predict anything about how an individual dog will behave based on looks alone. So why rely on old tales from days of yore to describe the dogs in our care today?

Certainly some will argue that such an approach is "naive," or "pollyanna," or "denying the 'traits' that make Pit Bulls' the dogs that they are."

My mind was blown after reading Janis Bradley's article in "The Bark" on breeds and behavior. And I quote:

“If you take more complex behaviors that are actually selected against in the wild, like compulsively fighting other dogs and failing to respond to the doggy body language equivalent of ‘crying uncle,’ for example, your odds of reliably producing the behavior through artificial selection go down dramatically. This explains how so many of the so-called ‘game-bred’ dogs from fight busts (like the ones rescued from Michael Vick’s fighting operation) have gone on to live companionably with other dogs as relative couch potatoes in normal homes.”

As my friend Jim Gorant explained in his book, The Lost Dogs:

“In truth, the pit bull was simply a dog, imbued with all the positive and negative attributes of its kind. Just like any dog, pit bulls could be sweet, friendly, and loving, and they could also be unruly, ill-manned, and prone to doing incredibly stupid things by human standards.”

Last, but not least, I want to close with a quote from someone I've never met, but has been a relentless advocate for the equal treatment of all shelter animals who are the victims of a failed relationship with the humans who domesticated them:

“The past provides lessons on how to harness what is best in humans, as well as how to overcome what is worst, such as the habit of allowing our limited experiences to validate false and misleading dogmas that justify oppression as the inevitable, or natural, state of the world.” - Jennifer Winograd

It's time we stop using the boasts of criminals and the assertions of those "experts" or advocates who believe or embrace them to defend -- and, in essence, to oppress -- the dogs who deserve our unbiased support today.

"ELDERBULLS: The Movie"

Turn up your speakers, grab some popcorn, and tune in to "ELDERBULLS: The Movie," released May 2011.

They're old! They're gold! And they're paving the way for all "pit bull" dogs, one gray muzzle at a time!

Click here to watch: "ELDERBULLS: The Movie"

Trick Questions

I love trick questions. Adore them. They keep people on their toes.

Here's a good one: AM I A PIT BULL????

The answer = yes and no.

(Still there?)

Yes, I was labeled as a pit bull by the shelter because of the way I look. Let's face it, I'm not a Pug or a Shih Tzu. I have short fur, a big (ish) head, I'm larger-than-most-lap-dogs-but-not-quite-a-Great-Dane, and Michael Phelps envies my broad shoulders. Oh, and I found myself in an urban animal shelter. And I was seized from an animal cruelty case.

So I'm a pit bull, right? Well, I AM one of the many, many, many.....many..... shelter dogs who don't come with pedigrees and don't have AKC (or UKC or any KC....) paperwork. When the kennel worker greeted me upon arrival (along with ~30 other dogs who arrived that afternoon), I had to be categorized in the shelter's database. That database does not like ambiguity, so that person had to pick a primary breed. Just saying I'm a "brown male 60-pound dog" was NOT an option. I had to be labeled.

I was labeled as a pit bull. No surprise there. Haven't we all heard that 50%....or maybe 65%....or was it 75%....no, it was 90% (??)....of shelter dogs are pit bulls?

But wait...am I REALLY a pit bull?

Not if you mean that I have AKC papers proving I'm a purebred American Staffordshire Terrier, or UKC papers saying I'm a purebred American Pit Bull Terrier. [Confused? You're not alone.....but that's another blog post!]

I'm just a d-o-g. A mutt. A mixed breed dog. A dog of unknown origins.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

That means:

* I am NOT a "breed ambassador."
* I do NOT act in a way that's "typical for my breed" or "conforms to my breed standard."
* There are NO "breed traits" or "breed characteristics" that apply to me.

But am I proud to be called a pit bull? HECK YES! Dogs labeled as "pit bulls" or "pit bull mixes" constitute such a wide range of dogs, each with his/her individual personalities and strengths. Pit bull ain't a dirty word! In fact, I quite like it!

And now for the MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION:

Does the fact that I was labeled as a "pit bull" tell you anything about me as an individual dog?

HECK NO!

All that label tells you is how-the-shelter-worker-who-was-working-when-I-came-into-the-shelter-thought-I-looked-when-she-was-forced-to-select-a-breed-from-the-drop-down-menu.

And that's about it. Really. Don't believe me? Read up: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/canines-issues/breed-identification/

So, now that we know my physical appearance tells you nothing about me as an individual dog........

Should shelters or rescues make special adoption policies for me?

NO!

Should I be considered inherently "vicious" or "dangerous" in certain parts of the country?

NO!

Should my family (and I) be denied rental houses?

NO!

Should I automatically be rejected from doggie day care?

NO!

Should only "experienced owners" be allowed to adopt me?

NO!

Should households with small dogs or cats automatically be denied the opportunity to adopt me?

NO!

Should everything I do be interpreted a "pit bull behavior"?

NO!

You get the picture.

I am Sarge. I am a pit bull and I am a dog. And it's very nice to meet you! Now, I must go snuggle with my girlfriend.

Doggie Secrets REVEALED!

I’m a dog. Aint no doubt about it. And if you’re reading this, then you’re probably a human.

From a dog to a human, I want to let you in on some secrets we dogs have kept to ourselves…….until now.

DOG SECRET #1:

We don’t like it when people or organizations assign breed labels to us unless our ancestry is known. It causes us to have an identity crisis when humans expect us to act a certain way just because some shelter worker was forced to select a breed in the drop-down box on Petfinder! Humans are skilled at many things, but NO human is capable of knowing a dog’s breed/mix of breeds just by looking at him. Really, it’s true, and I have the proof: click here! More important, NO human can accurately predict how an individual dog will behave based solely on his physical appearance. Don't belive me? Click here. Besides, more than 50% of dogs in the US are estimated to be mixed breeds, so why not ditch these silly labeling systems and get to know each dog as an individual……even if that means referring to us as just (gasp!) dogs! For more food for thought, click here.

Note: Assigning a breed and then adding the word “mix” still confuses the heck out of everyone. If you insist on labeling us, then go with the only science-based, time-tested, 100% accurate label that works: “d-o-g.” You will never go wrong, I promise!

DOG SECRET #2:

Junior, Martha Washington, and I are not “BREED ambassadors.” Why? Please refer back to DOG SECRET #1. Junior, Martha Washington, and I are mixed breed dogs, so we don’t know what breed you’re referring to!! Do we love being called pit bulls? HECK YES!!! Of course, some people/groups believe that only purebred American Pit Bull Terriers should be called “pit bulls,” but we dogs don’t have control over what people call us or the way things have evolved over time. So we proudly embrace being called pit bulls……we just can’t take credit for being “breed ambassadors!”

DOG SECRET #3:

This one’s important and lately I’m seeing a lot humans who have not heard this secret yet, so listen up: dogs DO NOT like it when humans spew hatred or threaten to use violence against people they dislike, even when those people are convicted animal abusers. Let’s be honest, some dogs (like me, Mary Todd Lincoln, and Nancy Reagan) have every right to be angry and want revenge for the horrible acts committed against us. But it upsets us when people are angry, it scares us when people want to hurt each other, and it confuses us when people would advocate for violence and hatred…..in our name! It’s a disservice to all dogs and all of mankind when humans employ the same techniques they’re supposedly advocating against. By the way, you know what hurts us dogs the most? When people post photoshopped pictures of dogs attacking animal abusers or when people say dogs would take pleasure in hurting animal abusers. Please!!! That is NOT who we are, nor would our parents EVER allow us to do such a thing! If I see this happen one more time, I’m going to…….well, I’m not going to do anything because I’m a dog and I live in the moment and don’t make moral judgments. But you get the point.

Thanks for listening!

Love,

Sarge the Elderbull

PS: We dogs give you permission to share our secrets, so go ahead and spill the beans!!

PPS: None of these are actually secrets :) Ha ha, made ya look!!

The Circle of Humanity

My Mom is a geriatric social worker who helps caregivers taking care of homebound elders. The caregivers are often the adult son or daughter of an elderly person and they provide daily hands-on care in the elder’s own home.

This morning my Mom was visiting an 91-year-old man and his adult son who serves as the primary caregiver. The father lives alone in the house he purchased for his family in the 1960s. He suffers from hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes and is diagnosed with dementia (type unknown). He is bladder and bowel incontinent so he wears adult diapers. He can’t support himself in the shower, so he gets sponge-baths every other day. He spends his days in a specialized recliner and spends his nights in a rented hospital bed, which is lined with special pads to absorb urine or feces in case his diaper leaks. He has an elevated bedside table where he keeps a glass of water, his pill box, the television remote, and a phone. His room has one window, which looks out on his street in a crime-ridden section of West Philadelphia. His wife died several years ago after a long battle with cancer. She died alone in a nursing home. His son promised that he’d never place his father in a home – not after everything his mother went through.

The elder’s son is a 63-year-old divorced male who is his father’s only remaining child. His siblings have all either died or lost contact with the family. He lives five minutes from his father in a rented studio apartment. Until recently, he worked full-time and would visit his father on the way to work, then again on the way home. In the mornings he helps his father out of bed and into his chair, dresses him, cooks him breakfast (Cream of Wheat), and takes his morning pills from the pillbox for his father to swallow. In the evenings, he cooks his father dinner (pureed food required), gives him a sponge bath, changes him into pajamas, lays fresh pads on the hospital bed, and helps his father transfer into it. Once his father is asleep, he has time to wash the dishes, do the laundry, take out the trash, and pay his father’s bills. Then he heads home to his empty studio apartment.

This routine changed a few months ago when the son was convicted of drunk driving (not the first offense) and sentenced to house arrest. He lost his job and had to forfeit his license. He now wears an ankle bracelet to track his whereabouts at all times. With Mom’s help, he got special permission to leave his house every day in order to take care of his father. He has to walk there and come straight back. He’s no longer allowed to do his father’s shopping, so he pays a neighbor to pick up Cream of Wheat, diapers, and other necessities for him.

This morning when Mom was visiting them at the father’s house, she watched the son as he spoon-fed his father Cream of Wheat, like he does every morning. This time the son was wearing an ankle bracelet, too. It stuck out from underneath his sweat pants. It was bigger than Mom expected. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen someone wearing an ankle bracelet, but it was the first time she knew the person wearing it. Maybe that made it more noticeable. She watched as the son – a convicted criminal – spoon-fed his father, just like he’d done every morning and night since his father became ill. A criminal, feeding Cream of Wheat to his elderly father to whom he promised to never place in a nursing home. Not after everything his mother went through.

At the end of her visit Mom told the son that she recently accepted a new job, so his case would be transitioned to new social worker. The son congratulated her, upset to see her go but happy for her new opportunities. He told her she’s lucky to find work in this economy. He didn’t mention how hard it was when you’re on house arrest, too. But his eyes said it for him. He asked where she’d be living and she told him New York State. He said he heard it’s beautiful up there and he’s always wanted to see it. He didn’t mention that he couldn’t because he’s on house arrest. Nor did he mention that he couldn’t travel anyway because his father needed him there. But his eyes said it for him.

Mom said goodbye and wished the son good luck and good health. She told him his father was very lucky to have him -- not everyone would make these sacrifices, even if it’s their own family. He said he’s just grateful the judge allowed him to serve his sentence at home. If he had not, his father would have suffered the same fate as his mother did several years ago – dying alone in a nursing home.

Before turning to leave, Mom caught one more glimpse at the son’s ankle bracelet.

What was once symbolic of a criminal act suddenly represented the son’s selfless commitment to his father as well. As long as that bracelet stayed on his ankle, he could honor his promise to his father. That round piece of plastic and metal symbolized both guilt and compassion.

As Mom drove away she thought of a quote from The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates: “Even the worst decisions we make don’t necessarily remove us from the circle of humanity.”

Top 10 Quotes I 'Heard' in 2010

I am deaf as a doorknob, but I heard people say some amazing and thought-provoking things in 2010. So, my friends, I present you with:

“SARGE THE ELDERBULL'S TOP 10 QUOTES 'HEARD' IN 2010"

#10: Jim Gorant, Senior Editor at Sports Illustrated and author of The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick’s Dogs and Their Tail of Rescue and Redemption: “It should not be surprising that so many of them [Vick’s dogs] seem to have failed [at fighting]. One experienced law officer estimates that 80 percent of the dogs, even those raised in a professional fighting operation, won’t even scratch. That is, they won’t even cross the line and engage with the other dog….. Some dogs can be raised in the harshest way possible and still have nothing but happiness and companionship to share with the world.”

#9: Stacey Coleman, Executive Director of Animal Farm Foundation: “People have chosen to believe what they hear [about pit bulls]…They take the criminals’ word for it. The criminals have told us that pit bull dogs are aggressive and mean. Of course they’re going to say that! They’re not going to admit that their dog is really like this [Yukon, pit bull rescued in 2010 from alleged dog fighter in Ohio, now a certified therapy dog]. It’s time for everybody to just step back and get to know the dogs like Yukon and let them teach us what they really are.” (For the complete interview, click here: All For Animals)

#8: Mary Todd Lincoln (center), upon hearing that her two boyfriends (me and Junior) are pit bulls: “Oh, Sarge! Oh, Junior! Shakespeare's Juliet asked Romeo, 'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.' Call yourselves what you want, but a pit bull by any other name would be just as sweet!"

#7: Jim Gorant on Marthina McClay, CPDT, President/Founder of “Our Pack Pit Bull Rescue”: “She began seeking them [pit bulls] out when she went to shelters, and she noticed a trend. When pit bulls were evaluated for adoptability, the attendants usually went in expecting a problem. When someone’s looking for a problem, he usually finds one.”

#6: Junior, my brother, adopted from the Philadelphia Animal Care & Control Team shelter: “Labels are for clothing, not for dogs!”

#5: Wayne Pacelle, President & CEO of The Humane Society of the United States: “Where the human-animal bond has been broken, we want it to be restored…We must be open to the possibility that rehabilitation is possible, and faithful to our hope that people can change. When that rehabilitation succeeds, it’s to the good for all involved – people and animals alike.”

#4: Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates: “Even the worst decisions we make don’t necessarily remove us from the circle of humanity.”

#3: Teenage boy (name withheld) I met at a group therapy session for boys who were abused: “Thank you for coming….I learned from your visit that kids or adults can change.”

#2: Bill Bruce, Director of Calgary Animal Services & By-Law Services: “In North America, the vast majority of animals that fill our shelters or end up on our streets have arrived at that situation because a human relationship failed them. The solution lies in responsible pet ownership and responsive animal services – not animal control and not building more shelters to fill.” (For full article, click here: Viewpoint)

#1: Sarge the Elderbull, on the eve of my 16th birthday: “We’re gonna party like it’s 1994!”

TEAM SARGE

Want to look good, do good, and feel good all at once? Order a "TEAM SARGE" shirt!

All proceeds benefit "The Sarge Fund" at the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE: http://www.vendio.com/stores/PhillyPAWS/item//sarge-t-shirt/lid=8068196

ABOUT THE SARGE FUND:

Thanks to private donations and a grant from the Animal Farm Foundation, PAWS launched "The Sarge Fund" in 2010 to celebrate and serve the City of Philadelphia’s pit bull population. "The Sarge Fund" enables dogs identified as pit bulls or pit bull mixes to receive heavily subsidized spay/neuter surgeries at PAWS’ Spay/Neuter & Wellness Clinic, thus promoting a lifetime of health, companionship, and responsible pet ownership.

Since one in four people in Philadelphia lives below the poverty line, PAWS is committed to helping pit bull owners - and all pet owners - obtain affordable and accessible health care for their pets. Doing so allows pets to remain beloved family members, helps reduce the homeless animal population, and limits the number of pets killed in city shelters simply because they do not have homes.

Donations to "The Sarge Fund" also enable PAWS to host monthly Community Pet Days in under-served neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. At Community Pet Days, dog and cat owners can receive low-cost vaccinations, low-cost microchips, and information about low-cost spay/neuter services.

With financial support from "The Sarge Fund," dogs identified as pit bulls and pit bull mixes can receive FREE microchips at Community Pet Days and their owners can obtain vouchers for $40 spay/neuter surgeries at PAWS’ clinic. Volunteers also distribute free leashes and collars to pet owners in need (or in exchange for ropes, belts, chains, and other items used for dogs) and provide tips on reward-based training and responsible dog ownership. Click here for a recap of our first Community Pet Day, held on September 18 in Frankford’s Overington Park.

Donations to "The Sarge Fund" enable PAWS to provide affordable and accessible animal health care services to Philadelphia’s pet owners, especially those who own pit bulls and pit bull mixes. They also enable us to promote responsible dog ownership and to celebrate dogs identified as pit bulls. This proactive, community-based approach (based on best practices across the country) will reduce the number of unwanted or stray animals pouring into shelters, which brings PAWS closer to its goal of making Philadelphia a no-kill city.

Here are some of the ways your donations to "The Sarge Fund" will be used:

$10 pays for one microchip (including registration)
$25 pays for one round of vaccinations
$50 pays for one spay/neuter surgery
$100 provides clinical evaluation and care for an animal with a common, treatable illness

What are you waiting for? Buy a "TEAM SARGE" shirt and support a Philly pit bull in need! All the cool humans are wearing them :)

PS: Donations to "The Sarge Fund" are always appreciated. To donate, click here: www.phillypaws.org/sargefund

We're Gonna Party Like It's 1994!!

On September 25, 2010, I'm turning 16 years old......so we're gonna party like it's 1994 at my "Sweet Sixteen" birthday party!!!!

Everyone is invited, including kiddies and dogs! There'll be vegan BBQ (courtesy of the Peace Advocacy Network)! There'll be cake (for dogs and people)!! There'll be games!! There'll be music!! There'll be tables with cool info!!

And best of all.....there'll be adoptable doggies who are looking for homes!

I'll also be honoring some special friends and organizations who have helped give me the life I deserve to live. Hey, I didn't reach this point without some special people looking out for me! What better way to celebrate my "Sweet Sixteen" than by saying thank you :)

And you know what will make this party extra sweet? My buddies at Rescue Chocolate are coming all the way from New York City to celebrate with me!!

So get your party pants on and get ready for some fun! I spent my first 14 birthdays with an animal abuser, so I've got a LOT of fun to get out of my system!

Love,

Sarge the Elderbull

PS: Rumor has it that my girlfriend, Mary Todd Lincoln (the elderpug) wants to jump out of my birthday cake.

PPS: I've also heard rumblings of my parents trading in my wagon for a sports car?!!? I hope it's red. Red is definitely my color :)

Salsa, Anyone?

Sometimes I'm so happy to be an Elderbull, I can't help but dance! Especially when there's salsa music playing!

Sarge Goes to School Again

Just before school let out for the summer, I visited three classes at Bala Cynwyd Middle School (outside of Philadelphia) for a series of humane education visits. The students wanted to learn about dogs labeled as pit bulls, and I was happy to share my "Elderbull" wisdom with them!

During our conversation, someone brought up the topic of dog bites and talked about what she'd heard from the media about pit bulls. I decided to use this opportunity to debunk some of the claims put forth by so-called "experts."

We've all heard it before: pit bulls have a unique ability to clamp down with their front teeth and grind/chew with their back teeth, thanks to some special jaw structure that enables them to cause far more damage than other "normal" dogs.

Baloney!!

As Karen Delise wrote in The Pit Bull Placebo: The Myths, Media, and Politics Surrounding Canine Aggression: "The grinding/chewing jaw capability is just another of the many myths which surrounded the Bulldog a century ago, and which has carried over into the new Pit bull mythology. Neither Bulldogs, Pit bulls, nor any other breed of dog have a jaw structure that would allow for gripping with their front canine teeth and simultaneously grinding or chewing with their back molar teeth."

To demonstrate just how difficult this would be, I had the students try it themselves. It didn't take long to realize how silly this claim is!

Thank you to my friends at Peace for Puppies for organizing these visits -- and for everything you do for dogs and the people who love them!

I Love a Parade!

I love a parade!!! On May 31, 2010, I marched in the Radnor Memorial Day Parade (outside of Philadelphia) with my friends from Pals for Life, the therapy dog group with whom I volunteer.