From my blog at the Spencer Daily Reporter…

I have a dog named Grant. He’s a lovely dog, and has been a certified therapy dog since 2007. His favorite thing is having children read aloud to him. He’s been at my side for nearly 11 years after coming to me as a 9-week-old puppy. Before his life as a therapy dog, he was once a competition obedience dog. He was even nationally ranked with the American Kennel Club in 2005. He has his Canine Good Citizen Certificate, as well as a Herding Instinct Certificate. He’s a very accomplished dog! Despite meeting the breed standard and winning ribbons in conformation at dog shows, Grant is usually identified as a Boxer rather than what he is. He is roughly 45 pounds, quiet, polite, outgoing, and sports a warm, inviting expression. Is he too small and friendly to be a Pit Bull? Those judges who had awarded him ribbons would disagree.

Somehow, the words “Pit Bull” have nearly become analogous to “Boogeyman.” I often wonder what the picture of a Pit Bull is in the mind of the general public. Is it a large, snarling, massive beast?

The world’s eyes have turned to our little corner of the world due to a high-profile dogfight. James Sak, a disabled former Chicago policeman and Vietnam veteran, was separated from his service dog, Snickers, after the Aurelia, Iowa city council ordered him him to relinquish the dog or risk Snickers being confiscated and killed, despite this being a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Fortunately, a federal judge ruled that Snickers be returned to Sak stating that “the national public interest in enforcement of the ADA “trumps” the more local public interest in public health and safety reflected in the Ordinance prohibiting pit bull dogs within the City of Aurelia.”

The thing is, there was no reason to remove this dog. Reports say that he has a lovely temperament, and he provides support for his owner. The irrational fear of other people should not be used as a reason to violate another person’s civil rights.

There is a visceral reaction to the idea of being killed by animals. It is horrifying and something of nightmares. Despite the shocking headlines, it’s a very rare occurrence. According to the National Canine Research Council, there have been four dog bite-related fatalities in the state of Iowa since 1965. Different breeds of dogs were reported in each incident. Yet in 2007 alone, 11 people were killed in ATV accidents, 7 people were killed in bicycle accidents, and 4 people drowned in swimming pools. It makes me seriously wonder, why are we not banning ATVs, bicycles, and swimming pools? They are statistically much more likely to cause a fatality, yet we see children utilizing all of the above on a regular basis without adequate supervision or protection.

Breed specific legislation usually associated with Pit Bulls, but often extends to other breeds. In Fairfield, Iowa, the dangerous breeds list consists of Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bulls (American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and Staffordshire Bull Terriers), Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, and anything over 100 lbs. Think you are immune? How big is your dog? Has a dog of the same breed ever caused a fatality or severe injury? Dachshunds, Pomeranians, Weimaraners, and many other breeds have all fatally injured people. If you go back in time through fatal dog attack records, you see that trends change. The Pit Bull rarely made the list until the late 70s, and German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, Great Danes, and Bloodhounds are all over represented at various times in history. While the fatality numbers per year tend to be static, the breeds represented change due to what is “trendy.”

Today it is the Pit Bull that is the go-to for anybody wanting Machismo on a Leash. They attract the worst kinds of dog owners. Many shelters around the country, depending on area, report that between 30-80% of their population consists of Pit Bulls. There have been many high profile abuse cases, and there are just a ridiculous number of Pit Bulls out there. But, you never hear about the vast majority of them. Thousands and thousands of them are living the life of a regular dog right now, sleeping on couches or dog beds like the Labradors of the world. Tomorrow they will go for a walk, eat some dog food, play in the yard, get some attention, and sleep some more. And repeat. You don’t hear about these dogs, but they are what make up the vast majority of the breed.

Breed bans are failing all over the world. The United Kingdom has passed a bill through the House of Lords that would repeal their infamous Dangerous Dog Act. Why? It costs taxpayers millions, and despite such harsh laws, severe dog bites are on the rise. Scotland Parliament passed a bill to repeal their breed bans in April 2010. In 2008, the Dutch Agriculture Minister abolished the country’s 15 year Pit Bull ban because it hadn’t led to a reduction in the number of dog attacks.

Evidence and research showing the folly of breed specific legislation is readily available, yet it continues. It is expensive and difficult to enforce, and it does nothing to protect the public from dog attacks. In spite of Denver’s Pit Bull ban, their rate of dog bite-related hospitalizations is higher than other areas of the state without breed bans. Omaha has also had an increase in dog bites since passing breed specific legislation. The National Animal Control Association, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Kennel Club, and many other organizations that are actual dog experts are against breed specific legislation.

I understand wanting to protect the public. Believe me, I want to protect my own family from harm. But, this is one issue where hysteria is overpowering common sense. We don’t have to ban particular breeds of dogs to protect the public. Breed neutral dangerous dog laws have been shown to be successful in reducing dog bites. The animal control bylaws in Calgary, Alberta, Canada have been hugely successful combining pet owner education and enforcement.

I encourage you to read The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression by Karen Delise. The eBook can be downloaded for free at http://www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/publications/ncrc-publications. Or if you prefer a print copy, you can request it through inter-library loan at your local library.

Grant and I thank you for being open-minded!

From my blog at The Spencer Daily Reporter…

From The Lost Dogs by Jim Gorant, senior editor of Sports Illustrated…

“As that dog lay on the ground, fighting for air, Quanis Phillips grabbed its front legs and Michael Vick grabbed its back legs. They swung the dog over their head like a jump rope then slammed it to the ground. The first impact didn’t kill it. So, Phillips and Vick slammed it again. The two men kept at it, alternating back and forth, pounding the creature against the ground until, at last, the little red dog was dead.”

Yes, that is the same Michael Vick that is the 2011 Subway BET Sportsman of the Year and the new face of Nike.

I know, many think that he has paid his debt to society. He did time. He speaks out against dog fighting. He paid money towards the support of his surviving dogs. But the fact is, had he actually been tried according to the animal cruelty laws in the state of Virginia, he would have been charged with twenty dogfights and the cruel deaths of nine dogs. He would have faced up to sixty-five years in prison. Instead, he was able to plea bargain to one count of dog fighting got a three year suspended sentence for time served on the federal charges of one count of Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fight Venture. He served 18 months of that 23 month sentence. And now, he’s making millions, and being held up as a role model.

How many of you think that he would have gotten the same sentence if he weren’t a famous football player?

I don’t care how much time he’s done, or how much he says he’s sorry. People who are willing to beat a dog to death with their bare hands are scary. Experts have long acknowledged a link between animal abuse and violent crime against other people. So here we are rewarding a man who has openly showed sociopathic behavior. Do you want him to be a role model to your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews? Would you like to have him as a neighbor? Date your daughter? As a society, we need to stop rewarding celebrities who display violent and unstable behavior.

It’s too bad. I like Subway’s food, and Nike’s products. Yesterday I was shopping for new sneakers, and I passed over a pair of Nikes that I really liked and purchased a pair from New Balance. And from now on, I will probably go to Quiznos, Casey’s, or Hy-Vee for my sandwiches.

This morning we were at the park. It was a beautiful day, about 50 degrees. The birds were chirping. My 3-year-old was picking dandelions, and Harry was fetching his kong like we do every morning.

Suddenly he started gasping and turned blue. We rushed him to the vet. Laryngeal paralysis. He’s gone. I can’t believe it. He just turned 7 last month. His grandma passed away recently at 16. His mom just entered her first agility trial at 12. I really thought that we had so many more years together. I can’t believe this.

Syd (3yo) said goodbye to his body at the vet clinic, but I doubt she gets it. I dropped her off at daycare. I’m sure she will be asking where he is tonight.

I am in total shock. I can’t even believe that he’s gone.

From my blog at the Spencer Daily Reporter.

Every politician in office has had to bear the brunt of attacks, many of which are quite ridiculous. But the Birther Movement has to take the cake as far as grasping at straws to delegitimize an elected official.

During the last presidential election, why was McCain not torn to shreds over his birth in Panama? Maybe I missed it, but I don’t remember once it being demanded of him to provide additional proof of being an American citizen, despite him being born in a place that is most definitely not a state in the union.

Sadly, even with the release of his birth certificate, this debate isn’t going to die. I rather enjoyed this version of Obama’s birth certificate. I’m hoping that the Model Number/Robot thing takes off. That could be fun.

Hopefully now we can move on to issues that REALLY matter.

10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There’s always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It’s best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone’s going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You’ve got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There’s definitely going to be a fight.

3. You’re not sure whether anything you’re doing is right, you just hope it won’t get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

Stolen from the internet – Author Unknown

From my blog at the Spencer Daily Reporter…

Today I was walking out of a Spencer business with my three-year-old holding my hand. As we left the store, a large crew cab truck looked like they were going to pull up in front. I told my daughter that we had to stop and see what the truck was doing before we proceeded into the parking lot. The truck did in fact pull up, and I made eye contact with the female passenger and the male driver. The woman began to get out of the truck, so my daughter and I headed to our car. I was in mid-step from being in front of the truck when it took off to find a parking spot. The woman who had just exited the vehicle looked on with alarm. My child and I had literally been a couple of inches from being run over by that truck. The driver was not on a cell phone, texting, changing the radio station or anything like that. He just didn’t bother to look around before driving away.

I lived in a major city on the west coast for about twelve years after graduating from high school. I always hear people talk about those crazy city drivers, but I never had as many near accidents as both a driver and a pedestrian in my years there as I have in my four years since my return to Spencer. In the city, we HAD to be aware of our surroundings, as there were more cars, people, bicycles, and everything else to watch out for. Drivers here blow through stop signs, crosswalks, red lights, and through parking lots without even bothering to look. Shortly after arriving in Spencer, somebody backed out of a driveway right into my car. They claimed that they did not see me, despite my car being a brilliant shade of orange. So many times I’ve had to grab my child, dogs, or both and jump back up onto the curb because somebody is blowing a red light or stop sign, or pulling into the crosswalk. Then if you are lucky, you will be acknowledged with a smile and a wave. “So sorry I nearly killed or crippled you! Hope your day is blessed!”

The March 2011 issue of Parents magazine has an article called The Most Dangerous Drivers. In the article, the author sites a study by Safe Kids USA, where researchers watched more than 40,000 vehicles driven by both parents and nonparents in school zones. One of the most disturbing things noted was that the bigger and more potentially dangerous the vehicle, the more likely the driver was to have higher distraction scores. I guess if YOU feel safe, there is no reason to look around you and see what you might be running into.

As I stood dazed in the parking lot, I counted my lucky stars that my child and I were unhurt and in one piece. For a moment I wondered why I even bother teaching her not to run out into the parking lot, and to look both ways before stepping out. Perhaps her chances of survival will be greater if she is moving faster and more erratically. But alas, I will be a sensible parent and teach her what I should, and hope that the drivers around her do what they are supposed to do. I can see why fewer kids walk to school these days.

Please, just look where you are going when you are behind the wheel.

From my blog at the Spencer Daily Reporter

It happened again after this last bit of snow. I was headed south on 71 towards Spencer. I was behind several other cars, who were also going a bit slower than usual due to the limited visibility and slippery conditions. And then here they come, people in a big hurry, usually in larger vehicles. They weave in and out of the plowed right hand lane and the unplowed left lane, kicking up snow and exhaust. Every time they pass a vehicle, the driver being passed loses visibility for five to ten seconds.
Come on, are you REALLY in that big of a rush that you are willing to create unsafe driving conditions for both yourself AND other drivers? Will taking an extra five minutes to get somewhere make a huge difference in your life? The results of your inconsiderate carelessness could potentially mean the end of a life.

Winter driving is hazardous enough without other people making it more dangerous. Please be considerate when you get behind the wheel.

I’ve seen this passed around a few places, and just thought I’d share.