Comments on: The pit bulls of Berkeley … and maybe elsewhere, too http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts led by Dr. Marty Becker. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:39:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: 2CatMom http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265361 2CatMom Tue, 13 May 2008 16:29:19 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265361 I don't know if this is what you are looking for but Chicago has several large no-kill cat rescue organizations. Several of them have placement rates of almost 4xs what their maximum capacity is. And that doesn't include the cats that will be lifelong residents because no one adopts them. Here's a couple of links: Felines Inc has space for 140 cats - they placed more than 400 in 2007. www.felinesinc.org Tree House is another high volume shelter though they don't state their statistics: www.treehouseanimals.org Hope this helps I don’t know if this is what you are looking for but Chicago has several large no-kill cat rescue organizations. Several of them have placement rates of almost 4xs what their maximum capacity is. And that doesn’t include the cats that will be lifelong residents because no one adopts them.

Here’s a couple of links:

Felines Inc has space for 140 cats - they placed more than 400 in 2007.

http://www.felinesinc.org

Tree House is another high volume shelter though they don’t state their statistics:

http://www.treehouseanimals.org

Hope this helps

]]> By: Tara http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265306 Tara Tue, 13 May 2008 10:33:29 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265306 I hear a lot of really nice stories about lowered dog euthanasia rates and higher adoption rates - even for maligned breeds like pit bulls. I think it's great news. But I'm not hearing anything about cats. Where is there a shelter with a 90% reduction in cat euthanasia rates? Where every black cat and plain tabby is finding a home - even older ones? And I don't mean very small shelters or rescues that only take in a very few cats per year, I mean large scale operations and community efforts like in this example. Can anyone point me in the right direction here, because I'd love to see what those shelters are doing to up cat adoption rates. I hear a lot of really nice stories about lowered dog euthanasia rates and higher adoption rates - even for maligned breeds like pit bulls. I think it’s great news.

But I’m not hearing anything about cats. Where is there a shelter with a 90% reduction in cat euthanasia rates? Where every black cat and plain tabby is finding a home - even older ones? And I don’t mean very small shelters or rescues that only take in a very few cats per year, I mean large scale operations and community efforts like in this example. Can anyone point me in the right direction here, because I’d love to see what those shelters are doing to up cat adoption rates.

]]> By: EmilyS http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265217 EmilyS Tue, 13 May 2008 01:23:05 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265217 Building a "no kill" (i.e. "low" kill) community, especially for pit bulls, is HARD work. But as you're finding, all the pieces go towards building communities of like minded people who care, and who then model for the rest of those who don't care as much and who may change. So it not only lowers the amount of killing, it has other positive effects. Compare/contrast to mandates such as MSN or breed bans, which are divisive and DONT work. Building a “no kill” (i.e. “low” kill) community, especially for pit bulls, is HARD work. But as you’re finding, all the pieces go towards building communities of like minded people who care, and who then model for the rest of those who don’t care as much and who may change. So it not only lowers the amount of killing, it has other positive effects. Compare/contrast to mandates such as MSN or breed bans, which are divisive and DONT work.

]]> By: Susan Fox http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265216 Susan Fox Tue, 13 May 2008 01:06:51 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265216 Up here behind the Redwood Curtain, December and January were "dump your pit bull" months. It was nuts. We had 8-10 up for adoption at a time for weeks and were moving the ones with issues to rescue as fast as we could find placements and transport. There was a beautiful dark brindle pit pup who came in at 2 months of age and went to her forever home last month, finally, at 8 months. Needless to say, her temperment is rock solid after coming of age in the craziness of a county shelter. Yep, six months and there was never any question that she'd go out on four paws. Every one of those pits, except for a couple of really, truly serious bite/attack cases, either were adopted or went to rescue. The call went out, dogs were doubled up if necessary, but there was no killing for space. We all hung in there, from the shelter director on down, knowing that the homes were out there. It just took some time and we made it! If a rural county, average income $38,000 a year can do it, anyone can, but you gotta want to. And isn't that really the issue in the end? NB-April seems to have been "dump your lab" month, so life goes on. Up here behind the Redwood Curtain, December and January were “dump your pit bull” months. It was nuts. We had 8-10 up for adoption at a time for weeks and were moving the ones with issues to rescue as fast as we could find placements and transport.

There was a beautiful dark brindle pit pup who came in at 2 months of age and went to her forever home last month, finally, at 8 months. Needless to say, her temperment is rock solid after coming of age in the craziness of a county shelter. Yep, six months and there was never any question that she’d go out on four paws.

Every one of those pits, except for a couple of really, truly serious bite/attack cases, either were adopted or went to rescue.

The call went out, dogs were doubled up if necessary, but there was no killing for space. We all hung in there, from the shelter director on down, knowing that the homes were out there. It just took some time and we made it! If a rural county, average income $38,000 a year can do it, anyone can, but you gotta want to. And isn’t that really the issue in the end?

NB-April seems to have been “dump your lab” month, so life goes on.

]]> By: Anne http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265213 Anne Tue, 13 May 2008 00:53:40 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265213 Regarding an increase in euthanasia of cats, we'd need more information, particularly how many were unweaned kittens. Some shelters do not have the resources to bottle-feed all the unweaned kittens that come in without their (usually feral) mamas, and having an empty run doesn't solve the problem. Where I live many of them are PTS right away, there are not enough bottle feeding volunteers. I applaud BADRAP as always. Regarding an increase in euthanasia of cats, we’d need more information, particularly how many were unweaned kittens. Some shelters do not have the resources to bottle-feed all the unweaned kittens that come in without their (usually feral) mamas, and having an empty run doesn’t solve the problem. Where I live many of them are PTS right away, there are not enough bottle feeding volunteers.

I applaud BADRAP as always.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265196 Christie Keith Mon, 12 May 2008 23:45:52 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265196 <i>No-kill - if that’s what you really want - hinges on whether pit bulls are allowed to have a seat on the bus.</i> I allow pit bulls on my bus. No-kill - if that’s what you really want - hinges on whether pit bulls are allowed to have a seat on the bus.

I allow pit bulls on my bus.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265128 Gina Spadafori Mon, 12 May 2008 21:39:51 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265128 Donna wrote: No-kill - if that’s what you really want - hinges on whether pit bulls are allowed to have a seat on the bus. *** Amen. Donna wrote:

No-kill - if that’s what you really want - hinges on whether pit bulls are allowed to have a seat on the bus.

***

Amen.

]]> By: Donna http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265111 Donna Mon, 12 May 2008 21:25:20 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265111 > Can we use it as an example of why MANDATORY s/n is not needed? You could. But the whole model is useless until and unless communities (outside of our wonderful east bay bubble) are willing to pour resources into increasing adoptions of treatable pit bulls and supporting their owners so they succeed in the homes. That requires a monumental shift in how society looks at this breed. No-kill - if that's what you really want - hinges on whether pit bulls are allowed to have a seat on the bus. > Can we use it as an example of why MANDATORY s/n is not needed?

You could. But the whole model is useless until and unless communities (outside of our wonderful east bay bubble) are willing to pour resources into increasing adoptions of treatable pit bulls and supporting their owners so they succeed in the homes. That requires a monumental shift in how society looks at this breed. No-kill - if that’s what you really want - hinges on whether pit bulls are allowed to have a seat on the bus.

]]> By: EmilyS http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-265024 EmilyS Mon, 12 May 2008 19:24:51 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-265024 This is a great accomplishment for Berkeley and the pit bull rescuers there. Can we use it as an example of why MANDATORY s/n is not needed? On the worry about "empty kennels".. well, it's a long way before that's really a "problem" (I suppose Berkeley could offer empty kennel space for dogs from less successful cities?) There are models for organizations that achieve their goals, aside from the nightmare scenario H Houlihan describes. The March of Dimes is the classic example.. you can read about how they changed their focus to take advantage of their successes when they accomplished their original mission, rather than disbanding (or secretly infecting chldren, which I guess would be the equivalent nightmare scenario..) This is a great accomplishment for Berkeley and the pit bull rescuers there.

Can we use it as an example of why MANDATORY s/n is not needed?

On the worry about “empty kennels”.. well, it’s a long way before that’s really a “problem” (I suppose Berkeley could offer empty kennel space for dogs from less successful cities?) There are models for organizations that achieve their goals, aside from the nightmare scenario H Houlihan describes. The March of Dimes is the classic example.. you can read about how they changed their focus to take advantage of their successes when they accomplished their original mission, rather than disbanding (or secretly infecting chldren, which I guess would be the equivalent nightmare scenario..)

]]> By: Donna http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/05/11/the-pit-bulls-of-berkeley-and-maybe-elsewhere-too/comment-page-1/#comment-264908 Donna Mon, 12 May 2008 15:45:32 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=2476#comment-264908 Thanks for the mention Gina. This is hard work, and while we don't worry about empty runs creating a panic about lost jobs (these are city jobs, after all) we do worry that other communities may never care enough about 'pit bulls' to knuckle down, learn the breed and make the fundamental changes needed to help their own populations. Too few cities, too few dog people are willing to stick their necks out for these dogs right now. They're definitely the white elephant standing in the living room - or, the white elephant in the euthanasia room, I should say - and they're simply NOT going to stop pouring off the streets until we humans take our hands away from our eyes and figure our sh*t out. I think they're actually great teachers that way. Leave it to the bulldogs to give us a real challenge! Thanks for the mention Gina. This is hard work, and while we don’t worry about empty runs creating a panic about lost jobs (these are city jobs, after all) we do worry that other communities may never care enough about ‘pit bulls’ to knuckle down, learn the breed and make the fundamental changes needed to help their own populations. Too few cities, too few dog people are willing to stick their necks out for these dogs right now.

They’re definitely the white elephant standing in the living room - or, the white elephant in the euthanasia room, I should say - and they’re simply NOT going to stop pouring off the streets until we humans take our hands away from our eyes and figure our sh*t out. I think they’re actually great teachers that way.

Leave it to the bulldogs to give us a real challenge!

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