Repeal BSL in Ontario – Rally at Queen’s Park

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Cheri and Miss Vickie - Courtesy Fred of One Bark at a Time

Cheri and Miss Vickie - Courtesy Fred of One Bark at a Time

As many of you realize, this ban has affected not just Pit Bulls, but ALL Bully breeds in Ontario, including Frenchies. French Bulldogs came dangerously close to being included in the last version of the ban, and without our involvement, it could actually come to pass next time around. Frenchies across Ontario have been targeted by ignorant ACs and the general public, with a KW owner being harassed recently for not muzzling their ‘pit bull puppy’.

It’s time to stand up and say “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”, and to call for end to this ridiculous legislation that has killed so many innocent dogs in Ontario, and put so many others at risk.

Oh, and if you’re still ‘on the fence’ about this whole issue, meet one of the people who the government of Ontario allowed to testify in favor of BSL. Tom Skeldon is the Dog Warden of Lucas County, Ohio, and has made it his goal in life to kill as many Pit Bulls (including puppies under 3 months of age) as possible. He sees his job as ‘protecting people from dogs, not the other way around’, which goes a long way towards explaing a kill record that, for this year alone, includes:

131 German shepherds, 88 Chows, 38 Beagles, 31 Cocker Spaniels, and 16 Shar-peis, to the 16 Chihuahuas, 12 miniature pinschers, 11 Jack Russell terriers, 7 pugs, and 5 Lhasa Apsos.

And remember, that’s not including all the “Pit Bulls” and “Pit Bull mixes” he’s had summarily executed.

Mr. Skeldon also refuses to co operate with breed rescue groups, and dismisses the idea of a No Kill sheltering system as ‘ludicrous’.  This is the man that the Ontario government turned to for ‘professional advice’ when crafting our breed specific laws – a dog killing, un repentent monster, who has refused to step down from his post even in the wake of outspread cries for his resignation. Way to go, Ontario – I feel so proud.

Please come out on November 18th, and show your support for Cheri Di Novo, and for all of the other people who have tirelessly fought against DOLA.

I plan to be there, and it would be great if some other Frenchie owners could come out to support us. Heck, come even if you’re still just THINKING about getting a Frenchie!

By the way, the ever excellent Fred over at One Bark at a Time has an audio interview with Cheri Di Novo. Turns out Cheri is a Bull Terrier owner, and is actually quite up to speed on all of the issues involved with DOLA. Wow, another politician who actually examines facts! It’s starting to feel like my birthday.

ATTENTION ALL DOG OWNERS
On November 18th, 2009 a BILL will be put forth by MPP Cheri Di Novo to
Queens Park removing the breed specific part that is currently in Ontario’s Dog Owner’s Liability Act.

If possible, attend the morning PRESS RELEASE at the front of Queens Park
on November 18th, starting at 9:30 am and ending around 11:30 am.

Cheri will be presenting the Private Members Bill in the house around 3pm,
for those who would like to stay for the afternoon and would like to sit  in
the gallery.
PARKING.  For those who need parking and do not want to drive to the
Queens Park location,  attached is a list of subway stations where you can park cars.  One would have to check if there is a cost involved at their preferred station.

http://www3.ttc.ca/Riding_the_TTC/Parking/index.jsp
http://tinyurl.com/cdtdns

Please see Cheri Di Novo’s blog page for further information.
http://www.cheridinovo.ca/blog/
http://tinyurl.com/yk6wzlz

Cheri’s interview on newstalk1010, November 7th, 2009 on “The Ben Mercer
Show”.

http://tinyurl.com/yfa6l7o

http://tinyurl.com/yjl77xt

http://tinyurl.com/y8jczqx

We have also designed a poster for people to put up in all areas of  Ontario
and the link to the poster is below.   We are in the middle of designing a
web page called “stopcanineprofiling” in support of the private members
bill.  It will be added to the poster as soon as it is decided if it will
be either dot com or dot ca.  When this is done (anytime now) the poster will
reflect the change and the support web site will be added to the poster.

POSTER FOR PRINT OUT:

http://tinyurl.com/ykvaldk

In the meantime face book has a support page up and running.  The link to
it is below.  In the discussion pages are samples of letters.

http://tinyurl.com/yau884n

If people, on face book, want to attend, please go to this EVENT page to confirm.
http://tinyurl.com/yau884n

In the meantime, PLEASE feel free to write Cheri a letter of support.

We ask that you also phone, fax or write your local MPP’s and ask THEM to
support Cheri’s private members bill.  A full list of Ontario’s MPP’s is below.

http://www.ontariotenants.ca/government/mpp.phtml

Looking forward to a end of legalized discrimination and profiling in Ontario.

French Bulldog Fashions, Human Style

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Check out what all the cool Frenchie owners are wearing this holiday season —

French Bulldog fashion dress

For those of us who aren’t cool (and who also are not 90 lb fashion models in their 20’s), you might prefer this Frenchie t shirt, from Target –

Shaun White French Bulldog t shirt

That’s snowboarder Shaun White’s Frenchie, Rambo.

Of course, if you’re like me, even a t shirt can seem a bit ‘dressy’. I’ve decided to join the rest of the slacker chicks I see in my small town, and spend the rest of my life wearing Pajama pants. Seriously – you can go almost anyplace in town, from the Co Op to the grocery store to the bank, and find at least one or two women wearing fleecy slip on shoes and plaid flannel PJ pants. It makes all of those racks of suits and low cut dresses I have gathering dust in my closet seem kind of… pointless.

No, better just to wear these drawstring French Bulldog Pajama pants, from Hue –

French Bulldog Pajama Pants

Now I just have to see if I can modify my briefcases to carry bait and grooming supplies. It’s a slippery slope, people…

UKC Dog Show, Brampton, ON

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French Bull Dog Nationals 2009 - Butters and Kay showing in open Cream/Fawn bitches.

French Bull Dog Nationals 2009 - Butters and Kay showing in open Cream/Fawn bitches.

I’m thinking of entering Butters in a UKC dog show this weekend.

The UKC is the United Kennel Club, a breed registry and event holding club that was formed in 1898. The United Kennel Club was formed as an ‘alternative’ to the American Kennel Club, by Pit Bull fancier Chauncey Z. Bennett. Specifically, Mr. Bennett wanted to found an organization that focused on the ‘total dog’, as opposed to the AKC, which he saw as focusing only on conformation.

The UKC has held a strong line on the concept of dog shows as purely a means of examining a dogs conformational adherence to the written standard, rather than a canine ‘beauty show’.

I like this part, in particular —

I. Prohibition against professional handlers in conformation shows.

United Kennel Club events are intended to be family-oriented recreation for owners of UKC Registered dogs. Accordingly, UKC encourages the promotion of the owner/breeder handler and prohibits the use of professional handlers in conformation.

1. Construction of this rule. The prohibition against professional handlers is one of the cornerstones of UKC philosophy. Therefore, this rule is to be construed as broadly as necessary to achieve that goal. Each UKC Official Entry Form includes the following statement that must be signed by the owner/handler of each dog entered at a UKC event: “I swear that this dog is not being handled by a professional handler in conformation.” Dog owners and professional handlers who look for technical ways to circumvent this rule run a grave risk of losing their UKC privileges if caught.

The part I’m NOT so sure about is this one —

E. Baiting in the ring.

The United Kennel Club believes that dogs should be exhibited in a natural state. We believe that a dog’s temperament, tractability and conformation are best evaluated when a dog is exhibited without any aids used to change the dog’s natural behavior.

Butters’ natural behavior is to EAT. Everything Butters does is designed to give her access to food. She shows well, because showing well gets her bait.

Showing her with NO bait will be sort of like trying to convince me to go to work without getting a paycheck – nice idea, but not gonna happen.

Another interesting side note – the UKC French Bulldog standard’s section on weight differs from that of the AKC and CKC standards, in having a minimum weight limit, and a maximum slightly higher than we’re used to –

WEIGHT

    A French Bulldog in good condition must weigh between 18 and 30 pounds.

    Serious Fault: Over or under the prescribed weight.

At any rate, there’s more info on the show here — http://www.mapleleafkennelclub.org/november2009showinfo.htm

And more info about UKC shows in general can be found here — http://www.ukcdogs.com/WebSite.nsf/WebPages/DogConformation

You can register same day, which is also an added bonus, although there is a discount if you enter in advance. If you’re thinking of attending, please let me know.

Score One for the Good Guys

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Leeon and Lorriane Stecher can now walk their pit bull-chocolate lab mix, Angel, in Oak Harbor city limits without a muzzle

Leeon and Lorriane Stecher can now walk their pit bull-chocolate lab mix, Angel, in Oak Harbor city limits without a muzzle

The citizens of Oak Harbor, Washington, should be very proud of their city council today. Thanks to their willingness to question facts, rather than just blindly accepting stories about killer Pit Bulls who eat babies, they’ve repealed breed specific legislation within Oak Harbor city limits.

From the Whidbey News Times –

Oak Harbor’s breed-specific ordinance went into effect in 2006 and required pit bull owners who live within city limits to house the controversial canines in a secure pen and muzzle the animals while on leash, among other restrictions. Pit bull owners who didn’t follow the ordinance ran the risk of having their dog impounded or earning a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, jail time up to 90 days, or both.

Now the animal control officer will rely on the “Dangerous Dog and Potentially Dangerous Dog” chapter of the animal control ordinance that deals with animals based on behavior, not breed.

Before the council made their final decision, Councilman Jim Campbell questioned whether the “Dangerous Dog and Potentially Dangerous Dog” chapter was enough to protect the citizens of Oak Harbor.

“We don’t need this because we have sufficient coverage in the one that we already have? Does it also have the hard rules for the owner that has a dog with biting habits?” he asked Police Chief Rick Wallace.

Wallace said yes, and proceeded to read from the “Dangerous Dog and Potentially Dangerous Dog” ordinance that requires the owner of these dogs to keep the animals in a proper enclosure, post a visible warning sign that a dangerous dog is in the area, purchase a surety bond of at least $250,000 or a liability insurance policy, have the animal microchipped and register the dog with the city.

Councilwoman Beth Munns made the motion to repeal the breed specific ordinance, and Campbell seconded her motion. The council unanimously voted to support Munns’ motion, 6-0. Councilman Danny Paggao was not at the meeting.

Like many of us, I’ve heard the stories, but I’ve almost always dismissed them as fairy tales, on par with stories about Bigfoot, Chupucabras, and the Loch Ness monster. Little did I think that within my lifetime I’d get to hear about an actual, verified instance of a politician with working brain cells, one who asks questions, rather just blindly accepting all those stories about killer Pit Bulls.

And, Holy Hell! Their Chief of Police testified against breed specific laws! He didn’t rave about how it’s necessary to shoot all Pit Bulls on sight, or tell stories about babies being stolen from their cribs and eaten. Instead, he pointed out how the town’s existing, non breed specific laws already make more than adequate provisions for the control of dangerous dogs within city limits. Politicians AND cops with brains, in one single city? I know where I want to move to.

In a statement so shocking that I almost felt light headed on reading it, Oak Harbor city council said that they hope the repeal of the law will “decrease the number of pit bulls surrendered to island animal shelters, and possibly increase their rate of adoption”.

When pigs flyGood lord. If this sort of logical thinking catches on outside of Washington state, there’s a chance that even Ontario’s fiberal goverment might re think their idiotic DOLA laws.

Oh, and look, a pig just flew overhead.

French Bulldog Gift Items, Luxe Edition

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With the holiday season approaching, we find ourselves thinking “What the hell, is it that time again already?”. We then contemplate drinking, heavily.

Wait, maybe that’s just me.

Perhaps you’re more the type who gleefully begins to search out just the perfect petit trésor for those extra special people on your list. If money is no object, and the person you’re shopping for is a French Bulldog enthusiast, we have a few shopping ideas for you.

If travel is no impediment to finding the perfect gift, book your plane tickets now for part Deux of the Auction of the Century – the final phase of the Yves Saint Laurent-Pierre Bergé Auction, to be held in Paris Nov. 17-20. As any French Bulldog fancier worth their salt well knows, St. Laurent was a die hard French Bulldog aficionado.

Yves St. Laurent's French Bulldog Moujik

The current incarnation of Moujik, shown above after a memorial service for St. Laurent held in Marrakesh, is actually one in a long line of Frenchies named Moujik owned by St. Laurent. At the upcoming St. Laurent auction, attendees will have the chance to bid on a –

“sculpture set of Mr. Saint Laurent’s favorite pets, French bulldogs, estimated at €400-€600.”

– Wall Street Journal On Line

Pricey, but for anyone who loves both the iconoclastic designer and French Bulldogs, a worth while buy. If you can’t quite commit to jetting to Paris to pick up a holiday present, perhaps some on line shopping is more your cup of tea.

Antique paper mache French Bulldog growler for sale

Antiques Atlas has this lovely antique papier mache French Bulldog growler available for sale, for the bargain price of $1484.09 – and before you deny that $1500 is a ‘bargain price’, let’s think about this for a moment. This thing is almost a hundred years old, it was created for children, and it’s made of freakin’ paper. It’s a wonder any of them survived this long. Plus, you can enjoy the freaked out cries of ‘what the hell is that thing?’ your non Frenchie friends will emit on seeing it. A definite buy for the more eclectic French Bulldog owner on your gift list.

If you’re shopping for someone who loves traditional jewelry, take a look at the Hunting Horn. Long known for having some of the best, breed specific jewelry in the world, Hunting Horn offers a plethora of French Bulldog specific pieces.

French Bulldog Jewelry

I think this brindle pied French Bulldog piece is particularly adorable, but I’m really more of a fan of sterling silver jewelry. Traditionally, the Frenchie pieces I’ve found in Sterling have been sort of… tacky. At the worst, they looked like badly formed kittens, rather than Frenchies. These new pieces from the Thomas Sabo sterling silver collection change all of that –

Thomas Sabo Sterling Silver French Bulldog

Sabo’s unfortunately named ‘Disco Dog’ collection offers two separate pieces featuring French Bulldogs – the enameled French Bulldog miniature shown above, and a small, sterling medallion with a French Bulldog head study, shown below.

Thomas Sabo French Bulldog medallion

Unfortunately, your medallion also bears the rather embarrassing inscription “Groovy DJ Dog”. Oh well, nothing’s perfect. And a note to Sean, in case he’s reading this – the FIGURINE, and NOT the medallion. Just, y’know, in case he’s doing any shopping.