Rescued: Josh Liddy and SWAYLOVE Pit Bull Dog Advocacy

Photo from Josh Liddy / SWAYLOVE..

Last week I discovered this documentary portrait of Josh Liddy, founder of SWAYLOVE.org, a pit bull dog advocacy group. Josh photographs pit bulls in animal shelters and works online to share the photos in an efforts to get the dogs adopted.

Josh is one person using his creative talents to save dogs in California.  He began his rescue efforts in memory of his own late dog, Sway. Read more about SWAYLOVE on Josh's web site or follow SWAYLOVE on Facebook.

The documentary is a Dog Park Production.  Note: One of the producers fell in love with a dog while shooting footage for this film and adopted one of the dogs.

Pit Bull PR BAD RAP Fundraiser

While I can't say I've ever wanted to live in California, these San Francisco Bay area folks are really something wonderful. This morning I had a message from BAD RAP about an incredible program.

Pet Food Express has been helping BAD RAP re-shape the image of American Pit Bull Terriers every day of the week for the last two and a half years. They've been doing it by giving customers a blast of adopted pit bull faces on posters that hang on walls and windows in stores around the San Francisco Bay area. These posters are HUGE and they grab everyone who walks in or by the store.

Right now BAD RAP is issuing a call for fresh faces. If you live in the bay area and are interested in adding your dog's portrait to this fun collection, here's your chance. Pet Food Express is lining up fresh talent to showcase bay area pit bulls while they help BAD RAP with our barn-raising. How does it work? When you donate $250 to BAD RAP, Pet Food Express will have your dog's photo taken by a professional photographer, blown up to a giant-sized poster and placed in your favorite PFE store. AND THEN they will match your donation and give $500 to BAD RAP for their new shelter barn.

Visit the BAD RAP website to see some of these beautiful posters and learn more about this fundraiser. And if you're a bully owner in the bay area, wouldn't your sweetie look fantastic on one of these?

Woof! Woof!
Tucker at For Love of a Dog

Pits Bulls, Dog Fighting, Time Magazine

What do Pit Bulls, dog fighting and Time magazine have in common? Well, pick up the most recent issue of Time Magazine and find out. You'll see a former fighter who's become a model for Time magazine.

According to the Humane Society of Missouri, Fay is a five year old Pit Bull and is an appropriate "face" for what some call the sport of dog fighting. Fay has no upper or lower lips, probably mangled from numerous fights and eventually sliced off by her owner. The side and top of her nose are missing, also the result of dog fights. Her head, legs, shoulders and face have many dog bite scars. When not forced to fight, she lived hidden, deep in the woods at the end of a 10 foot, 30 pound log chain, with rancid rain water to drink and a dilapidated doghuse for shelter.

Fay and 25 of the more than 500 Pit Bull Terriers rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri in the largest dog fighting raid and rescue in US history are featured in the current issue of Time magazine. Their story is one of spirit overcoming horrible abuse with the help of many people including staff and volunteers of the Humane Society of Missouri.

There are thousands more dog fighting victims who desperately need to be rescued from lives of pain, torture and deprivation. Visit the Humane Society of Missouri for ways you can help.

Woof!

Tucker, a lover not a fighter at For Love of a Dog Jewelry

Pit Bull Dog Breed Pin Brooch Gift

One of my favorites quotations is from Joe Gores who said: Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to. I live with the growing knowledge that is all too true. The longer I live, the more dogs I meet. The more dog breed jewelry I create, the more dog breeds I become familiar with. My list of dogs that I want to add to our family just keeps growing. The Staffordshire Terrier, or Pit Bull, is definitely in the top five on that list and there's no doubt in my mind that some day there will be a bully in our critter crew.

I don't even have a Pit Bull, yet I wear one of my own Staffordshire Terrier Pit Bull dog breed pins quite frequently. It's a great conversation starter to do my bit at increasing awareness that this dog breed is the victim of myth and misnomer. That's photo of our artisan sculpture pin above. Gorgeous three dimensional detail, if I do say so myself.

If you have a Pit Bull dog lover on your holiday shopping list, this would be a unique, rare, thoughtful gift. If you're involved in bully rescue, this is a fantastic way to show your support for these fabulous dogs.

If you look at the little photo here on this blog that is my ID photo, you'll see me on a swingset glider with my grandpa's dog, Dinkle. Dinkle was a Staffordshire Terrier, my boon companion, and a pretty wonderful babysitter.

BAD RAP Anniversary Celebration

BAD RAP's 10 Year Anniversary - History is Made Celebration

Photo Exhibit and Band Concert

December 5, 2009

6 - 10 pm at the Takara Saki Factory in Berkeley, CA.

BAD RAP has invited several renowned photographers to show their work in a ONE NIGHT ONLY exhibit that captures some of the best media moments in pit bull history.

OWN A PIECE OF HISTORY! As part of their ten year retrospective, photos of BADRAP dogs and their caretakers captured by some of the country's most talented photographers will be on display for one night only. These images have been widely published in newspapers and magazines as the world is introduced to a more compassionate view of pit bulls. Many will be available for sale at the event, in time for your holiday giving. Contributing artists:
Carol Guzy's Washington Post series, Shelter for the Scarred,
AP photog Eric Risberg's collection of Vick dog photos,
AP photog Jeff Chiu's Missouri bust dog series

and many others.

Many of the framed photos will be available for sale at affordable prices, ready to take home with you at the end of the night. Bring your gift giving allowance!

Meet some of BADRAP's dogs and score a dog-signed copy of 'the' Sports Illustrated. Good company, great art, complimentary sake tasting. AND at 8:30pm, the woman who is owned by the one and only Jonny Justice takes the stage with her upright bass to belt out tunes with SF darlings, Thee Merry Widows.

This is a Dress Your Best event. No dogs please, but supervised kids are welcome.

BADRAP is a small and busy non-profit organization of pit bull owners, trainers, educators, rescuers, and supporters. BAD RAP evolved out of a desire to respond to the difficult issues facing this misunderstood breed. Visit their website for more information about this event, as well as their ongoing programs. Be sure to take a look at the Michael Vick dogs who are now ready for adoption.

Though we can't travel to California to attend, all of us at For Love of a Dog Jewelry will be celebrating with BADRAP in spirit. What a howling good job they do!

Urgent Appeal from Humane Society of Missouri

The Humane Society of Missouri has issued an urgent appeal for supplies to help care for rescued puppies.

They are in need of donated pet supplies to continue to care for the more than 150 Pit Bull puppies rescued this summer in the largest dog fighting raid and rescue in U.S. history. Fifty puppies were among the 407 dogs rescued on July 8 and more than 100 puppies have been born since then.

Donations of rope toys, heavy rubber rings, Kong® toys, peanut butter and other toys to keep the puppies active are urgently needed.

Monetary donations to help the animals may also be made by calling 314-951-1542.or visit the Humane Society of Missouri on the web to make a donation. If you live in the St Louis area, donations may be dropped off anytime at:Humane Society of Missouri Headquarters Adoption Center 1201 Macklind Avenue St. Louis, MO

Pit Bull Awareness Day in St Louis MO

Myth Busting and Matchmaking at Pit Bull Awareness Day
October 24, 2009
10 am - 3pm
Humane Society of Missouri Headquarters, 1201 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110

Meet and greet some of our loveable Pits. Myth-busting games and activites for all ages. Important owning and training information. Learn the truth about Pits. Pit Bulls and other 'power breeds' often have a bad reputation. With proper training, love and affection, 'power breed' dogs are readily "Man's Best Friend."

Already have a pit bull? Need a great Christmas gift for a Put Buller dog lover? Check out the handcrafted Pit Bull pin at For Love of a Dog Jewelry.

July Dog Fighting Ring Raid Update

We have an update from the Missouri Humane Society on some of the survivors of the July dog fighting ring raid:

They lived tortured lives full of pain and deprivation from owners who brutally bred, trained and fought them for “sport” and profit. Their second chance for a great life began July 8 when the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued them in the largest dog fighting raid in U.S. history.

Since then the following three dogs, Fay, Jakob and Junior, have been lovingly cared for by HSMO staff and volunteers. Now, they are among the first of what they hope are many of the more than 500 dogs from this rescue who will go to rescue groups and, ultimately, wonderful new homes.

Fay is a five-year-old, black female American Pit Bull Terrier. Her scarred face tells her story – she has no lips, most likely ripped off in a brutal dog fight. Now, she will be nurtured by the founders and volunteers of Mutts-n-Stuff, a St. Louis-based bully breed rescue group. They hope Fay will eventually earn her Canine Good Citizen certification and become a Certified Therapy Dog.

Jakob is a one-year-old, brindle, male American Pit Bull Terrier. Though still a youngster, Jacob came to the Humane Society of Missouri's emergency shelter with many scars and a fresh wound on his face. The now lucky boy, who loves to snuggle and give very soft kisses, will travel this week to San Francisco for rehabilitation and a great new life with Our Pack Inc. Pit Bull Rescue

Junior is an 11 year-old, tan, male American Pit Bull Terrier. On his Rescue Day they found he had cataracts, many broken and rotting teeth and he was severely underweight. Now he’s a gentle, old soul, much healthier and ready to be pampered in “retirement” by the founders and volunteers of Missouri-based Broken Hearts, Mended Souls Rescue

From the very beginning, HSMO's goal for these desperate dogs has been to give each one the best possible chance for a loving forever home. With the help of hundreds of volunteers during the past three months, they rescued them from horrible daily abuse, treated their wounds, gave them nourishing food, walked and gave them loving attention, evaluated their health and behavior and have scoured the U.S. to find them caring, understanding homes.

We are thrilled Fay, Jakob and Junior have found their happy endings. The Humane Society of Missouri is continuing to work with these and many other rescue groups to keep the happy endings coming for as many of these deserving dogs as possible. A seventh person in this case has pled guilty to felony charges of dog fighting

Three woofs and a long howl to the Humane Society of Missouri!
Tucker at For Love of a Dog Jewelry