The Dogs of HELP FIDO

(admin note: This is the second in a series of stories about the dogs who belong to the members of HELP FIDO. These stories will help you to understand why we do what we do. Also - this was written by Amanda Spires but because she STILL hasn't hooked up her pc at home and her work won't let her see blog's - it has been posted by Admin. Maybe someday we will be able to convert her posts over to her name - if she EVER gets online at home!)

Diamond Dog's Story:
Diamond's special. And when I say special, I mean short bus special, different special, backwards special and silly special. He's all sorts of special, folks. He was one of two dogs that bravely took me in a new direction that changed my life. If that sounds overly dramatic, that would be accurate. Even before I met my little alien, I had raised my hand to help a few deserving dogs from our shelter find a new home who would otherwise be put to death for just being something that “could be identified as” a pit bull. "Yea," I thought, "we’ll transfer these guys to all those awesome pit bull rescue groups that are just aching for more dogs to place. It’ll be really easy." Yea, real simple. That bubble didn’t take long to burst. After a few months of disappointing news from inundated pit bull rescue groups, and other groups that couldn’t get involved with “those dogs”, we went back to the drawing board and I found a new passion.

OK, back to Diamond. Diamond lived out an estimated 1-2 years tethered to a chain-link fence in a dusty backyard. His "shelter" was a Vari kennel (the type OK'd to transport dogs in airplanes). As an outdoor dog in Central Ohio, he endured rain, snow, freezing temperatures, broiling temperatures, fly strikes, fleas, sunburn, eye infections and probably some not so nice treatment from our fellow two-legged types. A friend of mine refers to this type of existence as "bird bath terriers" (pit bull terriers plopped in a yard and left to rot there much as an unattended birdbath would). Enter a few amazing animal cruelty investigators (two women that he worships to this day), a search warrant and the local police. Diamond’s fate took close to 1 year to be determined. Since then, over the past 2 and half years, he's been a huge part of my life. I tend to say he adopted me, but truth is the first (and last) time someone inquired about adopting him, I had to turn them down. The idea of him living with someone else was just something I couldn't bear! So, he became my "foster" dog. I think we all know the rest.

He's put on about 10 pounds since then (so he's close to 70 pounds currently) and has clothes now (which he loves, especially the rain coat and his fleece). He's been beaten up by no fewer than 2 cats and has been reduced to a shivering mess by a feisty Shi Tzu. He's my shadow and has learned to put up with a lot of changes in the past 12 months. My dude that loves . . . no . . . clings to routine lost the first real home he ever knew when I didn't renew my lease last summer. I put our life in storage, quit my job and stuffed him and his large dog bed in the car for a road trip that took 4 days to finish. I think people wondered where I found such a backwards, unidentifiable character, but he loved the West Coast sun and we found quiet spots to enjoy together. We're settled once again and his life now includes a new-ish canine lil' bro and a bratty foster puppy. He really does love to wrastle with the youngsters, but every once in a while (like when he gets clobbered by two teenaged pit bulls reenacting the Indy 500 at 11:30PM) I swear I see a look in his eyes that seems to miss that dusty Vari kennel. I know I'll never have another dog like him, and I love him to teensy weensy neurotic white dog pieces!

(Admin note: Amanda started and coordinates the bully breeds adoptable program at the Capital Area Humane Society. )

Busy Weekend!!

The crew of HELP FIDO was busy this weekend! In addition to our booth last Tuesday for National Night Out, we had a booth at the Whitehall Family Fun Night on Saturday! In total we have signed up more than 70 owners of more than 100 dogs for the planned fall micro-chipping clinic! We are tentatively looking at Saturday September 13th in Whitehall. We are also looking into the possibility of offering low-cost vaccines (including rabies), and Franklin County dog licensing. Additionally, for the two-legged folks, we may be offering voter registration! If you are interested in participating either as an owner, a volunteer (we will need many!), a vet or vet tech to help, or as a donor or sponsor please contact us!! Or if you want to make sure to hear about this and any other upcoming events, volunteer needs, or just stay in contact with us - sign up for our mailing list and Join the Pack!!
We also connected with the folks at Whiskers Animal Welfare. This rescue group shares many of our same goals and has some gorgeous kitties up for adoption. (Believe it or not, reducing the numbers of feral and intact cats can also lead to improved quality of life for dogs!!) They will be hosting a car show fundraiser September 21 in Lancaster and we hope to post more info soon!
While we were busy enjoying the beautiful weather, food and music outside, HELP FIDO treasurer and rescuer Lisa was speaking at a local pit bull expo. Lisa was invited to speak about responsible breeding practices (spay neuter contract!), image control (do you REALLY need that spiked collar?), and BSL. Lisa reports that the dogs were precious and the owners were excellent listeners. We are so thankful she was invited to speak and we look forward to more opportunities to spread this information!
Dog owners unite! Several folks in the blogosphere are reporting on what our friends up in Lucas County / Toledo are doing to get rid of the maniacal Tom Skeldon. Not only are they looking to ditch the dog warden - they are demanding low-cost spay neuter services and educational programs! If you would like to sign their petition go here and consider sending the link to anyone you know who lives in or around Lucas County. The group spearheading this movement is called 4 Lucas County Pets. Also, via comments below from Caveat via KC Dog Blog, Lakewood residents are also starting a petition - this time to repeal their recently approved ban. Go Bucks!

DNA testing....Aren't we all just mutts?

BAD RAP reported on this in a great blog about Tank...a mixed breed pup with what Franklin County dog wardens would probably label as a "mixed breed dog whose appearance and physical characteristics is predominately those of any of the dogs . . . or is a combination of any of the dogs listed" including American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and American Bulldog. How they become experts at this is any one's guess. Lisa will be posting a longer blog detailing the ins and outs of Ohio Revised Code and how it is enforced. But I wanted to touch again on the importance of how difficult it is to determine the breed of a dog, and more importantly how that determination is used to decide whether a dog is adoptable or to be killed simply because of its supposed breed and not because of behavior.

Taking a cruise through the Franklin County Dog Shelter's adoptable website - one finds some lovely mutts. This little guy to the left is labeled as a mixed breed - and I am certain he is!! But look at that brindle coat . . . those ears...that big head... dogs like him (especially in Whitehall where everyone is the expert!) might find his very life at stake because he looks so . . . mixed!

Noted in BAD RAP's blog is a recent article in the Boston Globe about DNA testing, and how several shelters in the Boston area are ready to stop trying to identify breeds in obvious mixed dogs and label them as "New England Mutts" (note: Would that mean if done here they would be "Buckeye Mutts"?? Ponder this and get back to me!). Later in the Boston article they tell of an owner who had her dog tested, and whose test results showed a "trace" of pit bull. Hoping to prove a point she asked that her dog's label as pit bull be changed...only to be told by the city's ACO's that the trace was enough. To me, and this is not meant in any way to lessen the drama of their plight, this situation reminds me the civil rights movement. In the very least, the discussion of "trace" ancestry reeks of Nazi-ism.

So - as a reminder - if you or someone you know has gotten their dog DNA tested, HELP FIDO is accruing this information for a research project. You can read more here and you can contact us for more info. Unlike some places in this country. . . all dogs and their test results are welcomed!!

Genetics and Dogs or…HELP FIDO’s DNA Study

This week there has been quite a buzz in the news about a recent study from the University of Pennsylvania on canine aggression. Brent Toellner over at KCDogBlog did a great write up on it that, if you haven’t read, you should do so now! A major problem that I have with the whole story, as covered by the media, is that the study has yet to be published. As far back as May of this year you can find references to it being published “this week” in the Applied Animal Behavioral Science journal. However, I have access to journals and I can tell that even in the upcoming August edition it does not appear. I am a HUGE believer in reading the actual science article in a peer reviewed journal before I form an opinion. Unlike many of our elected officials…I believe in getting my facts from the source and not from a media account.

But I digress.

From what I can discern from the limited information available so far about this study, it shores up what many anti-BSL advocates have been saying for a long time…you cannot create policy based solely upon the breed of a dog because breed means little. You MUST evaluate each and every dog on its individual behaviors. Genetics has always fascinated me. In my former “day job” position at a Columbus healthcare system I managed the Cancer Genetic Counseling program. Being a young cancer survivor, I was tested early on for a genetic mutation associated with breast cancer. I tested negative, however because I had great counseling I understand that this does not mean I don’t have some sort of familial condition that might have put me at risk. In other words, as much as has been learned about genetics…the unknown is far greater. That is how I came to be interested in canine genetics and the various breed tests and mixed breed “panel” tests that are currently being marketed.

Then a story aired on “60 Minutes” about human genetics and ancestor discovery. A key point made in this story is that you don’t have to go back very far in your own pedigree to see that one individual can have multiple influences such that it is nearly impossible to nail down where you “came from.” For every generation your DNA sources double: 4 grandparents, 8 great-grandparents, 16 great great-grandparents, 32 great great-grandparents…you get the picture. In case you don't - if you go back just 20 generations you have more than one million grandparents!!

Along those lines, HELP FIDO has embarked on a research study looking at breed identification subjectively and with DNA. The hypothesis is that, absent a pedigree, one cannot determine with any consistent accuracy the predominant breed of any one dog. Therefore, it is unconscionable to set policy based on a breed rather than behavior, because the penalty of being wrong is a death sentence for the dog in question.

We are doing this by collecting DNA results, photos, and narratives from owners of dogs of any breeds (with a focus on those dogs determined to be bully breeds). One outcome of this project will be to analyze how DNA results correlate with previously put-upon breed determinations. A perfect example of this comes from Jennifer Thomas over at happypitbull.com. She posted a story about her DNA test results for Dozer and I commented back about our study, shamelessly soliciting for her results, which she has generously supplied. Reprinted here with her permission is some fascinating information about what Dozer has been labeled:

"Dozer is usually somewhere between 80 and 87 pounds (he should be 80 lbs at healthy weight) and stands about 26 inches at the shoulder. Though it’s hard to tell in the photos, Dozer’s body is really not very wide or muscular; it reminds me more of a Lab’s body than a pit bull’s body.When we adopted him (as a little puppy), the shelter said he was a purebred pit bull, and told us he wouldn’t get larger than about 50 lbs. We went for a second opinion when he was about 8 months old, and a pit bull rescue group worker said he was not a pit bull at all—he was a Dogo Argentino. Though everyone at our vet office has generally acknowledged he’s a pit bull mix… Another vet .. said he was obviously a 'Lab mix of some sort.' And one time, a really clueless stranger at Petsmart marveled at our 'white Rottweiler.' "

And Dozer’s DNA results? According to his Mars Mixed Breed Panel test “Dozer ancestry contains distant traces of American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Bulldog, and Dalmatian. There are also faint signals from other breeds which are not strong enough to identify.” And yet in some cities in our country Dozer would be banned because he might possibly have some physical characteristics matching those of a pit bull.

Another outcome will be to develop a test using photos and DNA results. This test will then be taken by animal control officers, dog wardens, veterinarians and techs, animal rescue workers, and lay people. The test will be on one’s ability to determine the predominant breed of a dog based on the physical characteristics (photos) alone. Unlike the “Find the Pit Bull” tests which give you a 50% chance of guessing correctly, this test will ask the subject to determine the dogs’ predominant breed. We will then analyze the results looking at consistency associated with training, background, education level, etc. versus the DNA results.

If you would like to participate or have further questions about the study, please contact us at helpfido@gmail.com.

Fascinating stuff!

New Legislation Passes In Whitehall

Hello all. Dr. Mandi here to fill everyone in on what happened at the July 1st meeting of the Whitehall City Council. So, first things first...VICTORY. Amendments to Chapter 505 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Whitehall entitled "Animals" were finally adopted. There was only ONE vote against the ordinance and it came from our old friend, you guessed it, Jackie Thompson. Councilwoman Leslie Lacorte surprisingly voted "yes" and added something to the effect that she hopes this doesn't come back against "us".

What does this mean for HELP FIDO and our supporters you might ask? Well it's really just the tip of the iceberg. Now our real work will begin! Getting the legislation passed was only round one. Enforcement is going to be the hard part. Mayor Wolfe will need to get to work on appointing an appeals board, enforcement decisions will need to be made, and word needs to get out to the Whitehall community that there are programs to help them comply with the new laws and to help them to be responsible pet owners. At HELP FIDO we will make ourselves available to help with all steps of the process.

The passing of the revised ordinance wasn't the only notable occurrence at the meeting. As usual, Ms. Thompson was very vocal concerning her opinions on BSL as well as her opinions on HELP FIDO's involvement in Whitehall. She quoted a letter written to a Pit Bull website concerning the drafting of the new legislation which mentioned that a majority of HELP FIDO members were active in helping to re-write existing Whitehall animal laws and that we did not reside in Whitehall. She said that she was "outraged" and "never thought she would see the day when outsiders would come in and dictate how we should live here in Whitehall." What Ms. Thompson doesn't understand is that what happens in Whitehall doesn't stay in Whitehall. The legislation that is passed in that community has the potential to affect all of the surrounding communities. So if BSL is passed in Whitehall, many surrounding communities may consider following the same path. In fact, Ms. Thompson was trying to follow the path of Bexley and Reynoldsburg, and in doing so would not have been a doing a thing to help citizens and instead punishing good responsible members of the community.

It seems funny how Ms. Thompson uses examples and "facts" from communities and municipalities outside of Whitehall when it suits and supports her arguments, however, she is reluctant to let "outsiders" voice their opinion. Isn't that being a bit hypocritical? Hmmmmm Ms. Thompson?

Ms. Thompson also mentioned an "altercation" that occurred at a Whitehall music in the park event a couple of weeks ago. Again she failed to get her facts straight before preaching to the council. She made it sound like there was an incident between several "pit bulls", when in fact the altercation mentioned was between the dog owners and the dogs NEVER got involved. In fact, they never misbehaved or showed aggression in any way. IT WAS THE OWNERS. As usual owner irresponsibility caused the problem and the reputation of the breed suffers as a result.

She also explained that Whitehall is in their "current mess" because previous leaders made poor decisions and the passing of the new animal legislation is, in her opinion, another one. Now here's a question...if Ms. Thompson is so concerned about making poor decisions and is worried about the safety of "her" community wouldn't she have voted yes to the new ordinance hoping that it would at least provide for some increase in safety and quality of life of the residents of Whitehall? Hmmmm.........

There was also some concern by several council members regarding a letter in the Whitehall News that many thought was slanderous towards Ms. Thompson. Here's the link http://tinyurl.com/3z6mhx . Read the letter and decide for yourself but I think it wasn't slanderous at all. Calling for the removal of Ms. Thompson from the city council is simply one person's opinion, nothing slanderous about that.....we live in a democracy where free speech is a right....GOD BLESS AMERICA. Ms. Thompson takes advantage of expressing her opinion about lots of things every chance she gets.....she gives opinions about BSL, about "outsiders", about other city council members, "pit bull" owners (or should we say evil doers)..... Slanderous Ms. Thompson? You know what the say, "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones", I hope you have a lot of Windex Ms. Thompson to clean all of that glass.

Well, that's all for now folks. Onward and upward to continue helping HELP FIDO to fight the good fight in ALL communities.

Domestic Violence Forum 6/25

HELP FIDO members were in attendance at a public forum provided by Columbus City Councilman Hearcel F. Craig yesterday evening. It was the first of several forums, focusing on offering help to victims of domestic violence. Also speaking were:

Kristi Timbrook: Legal System Task Force Director, Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence
Anne Murray: Assistant City Attorney, Director, Domestic Violence and Stalking Unit
Detectives Gauthney and Coleman: Columbus Police Department

Columbus Police respond to over 23'00o calls and make around 5000 arrests regarding domestic violence on an annual basis. There is overwhelming evidence that animal abuse and domestic violence go hand in hand. Pets are often used by abusers as means to gain power or control over the victim. 40% of victims delay seeking help because of this. We learned that the Capital Area Humane Society has partnered with several other organizations to create a program called “Safe Haven” that assists victims of domestic violence, providing temporary foster homes for pets in these situations.

Read more about animal abuse and how it relates to domestic violence as well as the “Safe Haven” program HERE.

Realizing the relation between domestic abuse and animal abuse we (HELP FIDO) wanted to learn more about what resources are currently being implemented and are interested in showing our support, and seeing if we can assist in connecting any resources. HELP FIDO hopes to use these meetings to open lines of communication with representatives and organizations involved and will continue show our support and offer any assistance we can .

Sign up to get Columbus City Council E-mail notifications HERE.

Related Columbus City Council initiatives:
Animal Abuse and Family Violence Task Force
Preventing Domestic Violence

HELP FIDO's Response to article in The Other Paper

I'm writing in response to the 6/19/2008 article titled "Pit Stop." I want to applaud The Other Paper for delving into such a controversial issue, but I feel compelled to add some points that are critical in understanding and preventing canine aggression.

Karen Delise and her group, The National Canine Research Council, have done amazing work studying dog bites. Delise has authored two books and the work of her not-for-profit, has confirmed what so many of us already knew. There are real factors of canine aggression and those factors are not skin deep nor breed specific.

In the past 150 years, there have been countless interactions between humans and canines. In her second book, The Pit Bull Placebo, Delise breaks down the relatively low, though very important, incidents of fatal and severe dog attacks during this period. What one comes to learn is that there are three categories that are present in an overwhelming percentage of these tragic incidents:

-reckless ownership practices (such as chaining and allowing dog(s) to run at large),
-reproductive status of dog(s) (not spayed or neutered; intact), and
-the function of dog (obtained for a status symbol, breeding, fighting, protection; not a companion animal).

It's when we as a community start to address these issues that we begin to make progress. And this progress is hard work, indeed.

We must love, respect, raise responsibly and control man's best friend in order to protect the rights of all dog owners and keep our communities safe. Please, your community needs your help. Get involved! Such groups as the Capital Area Humane Society, Citizens for Humane Action, the Franklin County Dog Shelter, HELP FIDO, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, just to name a few, are wonderful organizations to support. Through their work, the intricate connection that is the human-canine bond can be understood, respected, and preserved.

Amanda Spires
HELP FIDO, Board Member

Keep It Up Columbus!!

We here at HELP FIDO have spent the better part of the past 4 months being present at Whitehall City Council discussions about a proposed pit bull ban by Councilwoman Jacquelyn Thompson. In fact, this civil action of ours was what brought about HELP FIDO as an organized effort to increase the quality of life for dogs in central Ohio.

These long, arduous, stressful Tuesday nights were not only spent listening to myths, lies and unsupported “facts,” but also were often felt like a personal attack. Indeed, we have been called evil-doers and owners of “tools of terror.” This all happened before PETA’s announcement that pit bull owners are thugs.

*sigh*

After a few months, we decided, as we were beginning to organize and talk amongst ourselves that we would continue to attend the Whitehall meetings. However, since there had been comments made about our “outside” presence being unwelcome, as well as some rude accusations lodged against us, we also decided we would refrain from further comment until the status of the proposed ban was decided. Luckily other citizens of Whitehall chose to act and spoke numerous times at the meetings and to media. They didn’t need us to point out the problems with a ban…they had found their voice. On the night it failed we decided to speak out only after the vote though afterwards we retreated again behind our “above the fray” shield.

Since then, even though Thompson’s crazy ranting speech from the night of the failed ban made it into the Saturday Dispatch editorial section, we have not felt the need to speak out. The reason we have not been voraciously responding to this? We haven’t needed to. Many others came forward to point out the incredibly unsupported stance of BSL. Online letters to editors against BSL have far outweighed any support of Thompson (here) and (here) and (here). These are but a few of the letters that appeared. And then there is the glorious statement in Saturday’s Dispatch by Amanda Gleason, a woman who states she is not only not a part of the “pit bull lobby,” she doesn’t even own a pit bull! Furthermore, a rather, um, interesting article appeared in The Other Paper and featured one of our members rescue operations, and we will be addressing some concerns with that article.

Meanwhile we wanted to take a moment to applaud the efforts of these folks who have taken the extra time to write a letter, make a phone call, or send an email. We welcome their support and encourage them to continue to use their voice!!

Well done!!

Lending a Hand

**Written by Amanda but posted by admin**

One of the privileges of volunteering for an animal welfare agency is the ability for an individual to help out on so many different levels. I've been a volunteer for the Capital Area Humane Society for about 5 years now and have worn many hats: dog-walker, enrichment care-giver, pooper scooper, doggy chauffeur, match-maker, and many more not so glamorous, but very rewarding roles. At our shelter, a unique opportunity exists for experienced (and willing) volunteers to "ride along" with our Humane Agents while they investigate reports of animals in need. So, every once in a while, I get to hop in a van and support the work of some awesome individuals.

I recently spent the afternoon traversing our seemingly huge county with a Humane Agent while we answered concerns lodged by concerned neighbors, citizens and passers-by. Now that it's not snowing in central Ohio, it's about 80 plus degrees and very humid. For a dog living outside (or even placed outside for extended periods of time), these conditions can be deadly, so there's no shortage of reports to investigate in summer. The animal care-givers we visited were as different as the animals we came to check on. Some were all smiles and tail wags, happy to talk to us about their dog(s)/cat(s), while others got their hackles up and made it clear that a marked vehicle complete with someone wearing a uniform, was not welcome. And who could blame them? How would you feel if you were paid a visit by law enforcement? I think it takes a big person to show us they've nothing to hide and, on top of that, thank the agent for looking out for animals, even if the only reason we're standing on their doorstep is because their neighbors don't like the breed of dog they chose to own.

As much as possible, donated bags of food are given to owners, sturdy buckle collars are switched out for choke chains and people get to hear about the benefits of spaying and neutering. Not everyone is going to listen and certainly many don't want to listen, but education is a huge part of fostering compassion, so no effort to explain the dangers of heatstroke or how painful mats can be is ever wasted. And, even though my small part was feverishly recording each detail at each address, at the end of the day, it just feels good to be in your community—really in your community-- and to lend a hand.

If you suspect an animal is in need (and perhaps even their owners), make the call to your local animal cruelty investigators or the local dog warden.

HELP FIDO wants every outdoor dog to have a comfortable nylon collar, a spill proof 5-gallon bucket, the product SWAT (for fly strikes) and comfortable shelter like a dog Igloo. Your local community needs your help!

Whitehall council meeting 6/17

Members of HELP FIDO were in attendance at Whitehall’s city council meeting last night. All members of council were present with the exception of Councilwoman Thompson, who's previously proposed breed ban failed two weeks earlier. This is one of two monthly meetings where the public is given a chance to speak publicly.

Two pieces of animal legislation received their second of three readings during the meeting. The first piece of legislation was regarding noisy animals. And second, the comprehensive ‘breed neutral’ piece of legislation proposed by Councilman Bailey regarding dangerous and vicious dogs, as well as humane confinement and dog fighting. Prior to receiving its second reading, an amendment was passed changing the required height of a fence containing a deemed ‘vicious’ dog from 48” to 72”.

There are many summer activities the city has planned such as farmers markets, live music and movies. You can find a listing of events in Whitehall HERE.

The next meeting in Whitehall is next Tuesday June 24th. The meeting is a committee meeting and is open to the public, although here are no opportunities for public speaking.

Welcome to the HELP FIDO blog!

As you might have clued in by reading the prior post, this blog will be dedicated to the doings of HELP FIDO. Our vision statement at the top of the page says it all. We have lofty goals but we also have brave hearts and great minds working to reach them. Among our amazing backgrounds we have a paralegal, an accountant, a drummer, a veterinarian, a vet assistant, and a pit bull rescuer. One of our team spent her summer with BAD RAP. Another maintains websites for two other rescue operations, in addition to her own. Another doesn’t even own a bully breed, but wants to make a difference for all dogs. One of our team shows her registered dogs and can speak to the amazing talent bully breed dogs have. One has started a new hobby photographing dogs.

As I said in the speech, we came together mostly as strangers. My husband Brian and I knew Amanda because we adopted Sparky from Capital Area Humane Society (CAHS) and her “Bully Breeds” special adoptables program. Amanda and Adam had spoken on the phone a few times, and Adam was a volunteer for CAHS. All of us showed up several times for Whitehall, Ohio’s city council meetings as they mulled over a ban on pit bulls. We started to work together and as a group we started to have a vision…that vision is what you see above.

This blog will document our events and thoughts. Adam and Brian will recap city council meetings and relevant legislative happenings (including action on the recently introduced statewide pit bull ban). Our vet, Dr. Mandi, and vet assistant Tonya, will take questions and answer them in a weekly blog. Feel free to send your questions! Amanda and Lisa can answer obedience and adoption questions. CAHS runs an obedience class just for bully breeds!! Thinking of adopting? Check out our links on the side – remember – “don’t buy while shelter dogs die.”

I plan to use this blog in a rather selfish way. I sit on another Board, but for a breast cancer advocacy organization. My duties there are pretty specific and very hands-off. So I plan to use this blog to flex my writing muscles, wax poetically about our cute pit bulls, about lazy reporters and crazy politicians, and about heroic efforts to help these great dogs. And maybe showcase a photo or two.

So tune in and give us feedback! We hope to announce the launch of our NEW website soon! But if you want to get on our mailing list please sign up!!

Oh and that proposed ban in Whitehall? It failed. They are now considering revised code that will judge a dog based on its actions. Additionally it adds language against dog fighting and cruelty. And we feel we helped make this happen.

HELP FIDO – there’s a new dog in Columbus!!

Statement to Whitehall City Council

The following statement was read by HELP FIDO member Anna Cluxton at the Whitehall City Council meeting on June 3, 2008. It celebrated the failure of a proposed ban on pit bulls, pushed primarily by Councilwoman Jacquelyn Thompson.

I would like to congratulate you all on voting down legislation that would have accomplished nothing. You have made the brave decision to look at the true problems in Whitehall, including irresponsible dog owners, and address them in an honest manner.
Most of all, I would like to thank Councilwoman Thompson for having put this proposed code forward. Without intending to, you have done more than you will ever know to change the lives of several people here.
Because of you, I now know more about Whitehall city business, than I know about the city of Columbus. Because of you, I am now more familiar with Roberts Rules of Order then I ever thought I would want to be. Because of you, my husband and I traveled to Iowa City this past weekend and met amazing dog advocates from around the country – including the current world champion Frisbee dog – Wallace the pitbull.
Because I work in research and am a cancer survivor, most of my personal and professional life has been influenced and comforted by the validity of evidence based decision making. But now I realize that some people will not listen to well respected national research, expert advice, and evidence contrary to their personal agenda, when dramatic rhetoric is more effective at getting air time on television.
Because of you, I realize the power that citizens can have in community governance, and my faith in government as an entity that works for the people and by the people has been restored.
But most importantly, because of you, a group of strangers came together and realized a need to work together toward a greater cause.
We have formed an organization called HELP FIDO. Together, along with others, HELP FIDOwill work to help improve the quality of life for dogs and their owners in Central Ohio, and we look forward to starting here in Whitehall.
We will coordinate low and no cost spay/neuter programs, low and no cost micro-chipping, and low or no cost obedience classes.
We will work to implement dog safety educational programs in schools.
We will work to end dog-fighting and lower pet euthanasia rates in central Ohio.
And yes, we will work to ensure that breed bans are never, ever looked at as a way to solve problems. All of this we will do because of your efforts here in Whitehall. So thank you Ms. Thompson.
Because of your actions - something good and powerful has blossomed out of something that was originally marinating in discrimination and ignorance.