Catching up after Christmas

Peanut not too sure about this candy cane!

The Reunion Rescue No-Kill Sanctuary dogs had their first happy Christmas ever this year. Thanks to the wonderful people who believe in Reunion Rescue and agree with us that no animal should ever be mistreated, this little family shared a happy holiday for the first time in their lives.

Amber says, 'gimme that thing!'

We found some 1/2 price rawhides at PetSmart and made good use of them. Peanut was scared of his, but Amber took his on after she knawed the heck out of hers.

Amber shows 'em how it's done...

Nolan has spent his whole life confined to a field and was down to 70 pounds 
when we got to him.

Amber was chained up to a hot Houston vacant lot with Stella who we lost to Spindletop.

Guido is a happy go lucky chap from Wasco, California. Who knows what he went through in the past, but he's just glad to be here now! He just wants to wrap his stubby arms around you and hug you all day long!

Kingston came from the high kill Marin Humane Society where he turned up blind after being adopted. Glad to be alive, Kingston is learning just what Christmas means...lots of good stuff to eat, toys, rawhide candy canes and oh boy, marrow bones!

Kingston likes it!

Peanut tries to give it a chance

Nolan says, 'oh yeah!"

"let me give a shot at that thing..."

This is what Christmas means to Reunion Rescue No Kill Refuge...every day is Christmas with these precious lambs in our charge. In fact, Reunion Rescue got the biggest Christmas gift of all in the forms of these sweet dogs.

One from the heart....William comes to Texas

William meets Doug

It's been a long haul for me, Reunion Rescue and William, Guido and King James. We have been blasting their transport far and wide and are finally happy to report all three arrived safe and sound day before yesterday. Just getting an opportunity to sit down and catch up the details. I don't want to leave anyone or anything out.

Thanks to Lee Kinsel, all three were safely transported from Lodi to Palmdale Thursday night to leave the next morning on ground transport. Our good friend Angel at Big Dogs Rescue where Pip was boarded hooked us up with a private party attending a dog show.

William meets Buddy

The trip wasn't without a few bumps in the road. William, who's thought to have been overly crated during his boarding, became amped when anyone approached his crate. This behavior couldn't be allowed on the road with a dog show in the works. Thanks to Suzanne, a local dog trainer, William was worked with and caught a ride to Yuma to meet the others Monday morning.

After putting the pedal to the metal, the transport arrived at our meet up in Brownwood, Texas and I was able to see these beautiful dogs for the first time...in the flesh! William was the first off and practically jumped into my arms. The same dog I'd been told was 'a biter' and sent back from his potential adoption with all kinds of nipping reports turned out to be a mush melon, just wanting a little attention.

Doug, our wonderful foster care sergeant at arms, had stepped up to the plate to take in William so he could be given the exercise he so desperately needs. More on Guido and King James later as this blog is all about William.

First, much dog training suggests  to refrain from too much coddling with a dog like William. William has taught me yet another important dog lesson. With him, this sort of modification was ineffective. With William, I got a little spark of enlightenment. As we humans need to feel important and needed, this was William's case. He is an individual and a sensitive soul who's desperately been seeking someone to guide him. How simple and precious is that?

Benny greets fellow Californian

When he met me for the first time, it was an experience I'll always remember. He knew I was there for him and I got it. The nipping everyone was so worried about is William's way of communicating. Not appropriate, of course, but that can be dealt with later. His way of 'talking' to you with his mouth is akin to a tap on the shoulder we humans use to get someone's attention. Nothing more, nothing less.

By late Wednesday night, everyone had been settled into crates. Of the three, William was the easiest by far. The next morning, we set off for Doug's.

Everything is gonna be allright...

Met at the gate by the pack and day-care customers, William was a little apprehensive, but put on his big boy panties and a brave front. Doug came out to the greeting area and it was a 'love at first site' moment. William really likes men and Doug immediately got William.

After a few moments of settling in, the introduction began. First came Buddy, remember Buddy Johnson, Pet Detective? Buddy is Doug's stand-up introduction dog, something like the Walmart greeter. I was reminded of that special day when Raspberry first went to Doug's and met Buddy for the first time. Who ever would have dreamed she would become one of Doug's own dogs and run and play with Buddy and the rest of the dogs every day?

top of the heap...

I must say, William's intro went near flawlessly. He would get a little nervous from time to time meeting all the dogs, but exhibited excellent dog language and like a musical note in a symphony of dogs, would move accordingly. If a dog came on a little strong, William would back away or offer his hindquarters for a sniff.

When the time came to open the gate, it was truly a magic moment. William has beautiful lines, those of a classic American Pit Bull Terrier. He's not too short and not too long, not too beefy, but just perfectly formed. He's a lovely dog to watch.

Texas-size chew toy...

Perhaps the prime instant was that thing that happens in rescue when it all comes together. All the heartache, all the worry, all the dashed hopes seem irrelevant when 'it' happens. When the dog runs over to you and gives you that obligatory and hurried lick and runs back to their new person, it's as if they are saying, 'you done good.' William did that three times, just to let me know everything is going to be ok. He feels very safe with Doug and the nearest this precious dog has ever been to true happiness.

This boy, who'd been starved almost to death, thrown on a lit bar-b-que grill and drug behind a car before being thrown away at the hell hole known as Stockton shelter, had the best day of his life yesterday.

Texas-size smile...

I pulled myself away to run a few errands before heading home to the crew here, but got a call from Doug on the way. William, who wouldn't eat a bite for me, had just scarfed down a pound and a half raw chicken, liver and beef tripe without a second glance.

He went right back to his new job of playing all day long. Doug says his favorite feat is to get a running start and dive into one of the dog swimming pool, run around a minute and do it again. William is one of those dogs who will go and go before realizing his get up and go has gotten up and went.

By 7 p.m. he was whipped, like the man says, dog ass tired. He found a special place to bed down and passed out hard till around 10:30 when Doug had to wake him up to go potty. He came back and slept through the night.

Welcome to Texas, William. You are like the great men who created this great state. Through much strife and trials that would do in a lesser man, you remained brave and looked toward the long road ahead with hope in your eyes. It paid off, bubba. You're on your way.

Just bird dogging around....

Reunion Rescue has a longtime relationship with Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation in the beautiful Texas hill country.

Our own little bird rescue and sanctuary had some big toys gathering dust, so when we contacted WRR, they were happy to put these items to use.

WRR does fine work and even rescues the occasional pit bull.

Back in the day, we made the bi-weekly wildlife run from San Antonio to WRR with injured and helpless wildlife. This group turns no animal away and is home for everything from turkey vultures to cockatoos, capuchin monkeys to pigs and lions.

Our hats are off to a group that walks to walk in rescue matters.

WRR is committed to rescue, rehabilitate and release. Their commitment and ability to mimic wild environment is amazing to behold. To lower stress and address these animals' needs, WRR uses calming scents, dim lights and homeopathy. If more of the country's animal shelters put these efforts into practice, just imagine the benefits.

Thank you Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation for the fine work you do helping animals.

Reunion Rescue Singing Pit Bulls 2013 Calendar

Just as I got all the photos up and running along with a dedicated song for each Reunion pit bull, the whole thing came crashing down. I clicked the link and nada! I lost everything that had taken weeks to create.

After sweating a ton of bullets, I did what every self-respecting pit bull rescuer does. I started over. That's one thing I've learned from these wonderful dogs. Life comes at your sideways most times and the best you can do is dust off and go at it again.

Amazingly, I was able to get the calendar up and running in just a day.

This year's calendar features Reunion pit bulls who have something to sing about. Some of our dogs like BeBe were pulled from the horrors at Spindletop while other longtimers like Pip and Bruce Willis found amazing forever homes.

Guido Sarducci, King James and William are on their way to Texas to join us at the Reunion Rescue No Kill Refuge, the only holistic raw feeding sanctuary and refuge in the world.

Take a look at our little songbirds like Toot Toot, Peanut, BeBe, Amber, Nolan, Bruce Willis, Casper, Benny and the rest of the gang yodeling their little hearts out in the calendar.

All royalties from calendar and other product sales go 100% toward saving dogs at Reunion Rescue. No salaries, no mortgages, no trips, no parties..just saving and caring for the animals.

To order the Reunion Rescue 2013 Singing Pit Bull Calendar, click the following link and help us save the world, one pit bull at a time:

http://www.zazzle.com/reunion_rescue_2013_singing_pit_bulls_calendar-158688580284453985

Banned in Berkeley

Rebel at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2005

I haven't written about Rebel since he died in September 2011 at the age of 17. It broke my heart. I was so filled with despair and grief, I didn't want to go on. Something in me died when I lost Rebel. My rescue work and the animals in my care pulled me through, because I knew they needed me.

I had to push Rebel's loss way down deep inside. In fact, until today, I've been unable to look at his photos and remember the wonderful days I spent with him.

Rebel and I moved to Berkeley in 1995. He was only 6 months old and we were both like country kids off the bus wide-eyed with wonder. We were living in one of the most picturesque cities in the United States and the two of us took full advantage.

I have Rubbermaid tubs filled with Kodachrome slides shot of Rebel in every possible corner of that wonderful town. We were explorers, adventurers, embarking on a mission, destination unknown. Every day was a new journey.

We sniffed every petal at the Berkeley Rose Garden, maneuvered Grizzly Peak, spent hours losing and finding ourselves in the terrain of Tilden and luxuriated at the Berkeley pier while we gazed across the water at the skyline of San Francisco where so many others have come to dream their dreams.

Rebel and I were a team. I'd begun to rescue in a de-facto fashion years before. When Rebel and I would embark on one of our daily adventures, there was a sad element. Mookie, a beautiful German Shepherd, was owned by the white rastas who lived downstairs. They beat him for barking and kept him tied up to the side of the house. Most hurtful of all was the longing look in Mookie's eyes when Rebel and I would close the gate behind us.

Mookie

One thing led to another over the course of the next year and Mookie through the help of Berkeley Animal Shelter's Sgt. Wolfe and ACO Evan became a part of our family. On the first day we leashed Mookie up to go on a walk, the local postman interrupted us with a can of pepper spray. He didn't point it at Mookie, but at me. Knowing he'd messed up, he beat a path back to the Berkeley post office and filed a fraudulent claim that Mookie had attacked him.

I wasn't about to let a black mark and a lie ruin Mookie's life. I took on that battle and fought for a year and a half. I still have the file on it and wrote about the experience in the second chapter of my book, Pit Bull Nation.

I fought the Berkeley post office for a year and a half. An investigator was sent from Washington D.C. and although they never issued a formal statement, the claim against Mookie was removed. The postman, who'd lied under oath, was fired and the postmaster disappeared in the system.

Two other dogs from our hood crossed our path. One day, I was looking out my kitchen window to see a man in the next yard beating his dog. I called Berkeley Animal Services to report this and they were there instantly. BACS took the dog for safekeeping. Another neighbor overcome with the stresses of life began to beat her puppy. We reported the incident to BACS and they saved this puppy as well.

In fact, every experience I had with BACS as a resident of Berkeley, California was phenomenal. Here was a shelter committed to saving lives. At the time, they had a night drop box where animals could be sheltered safely.

That was then. I've gone on to rescue pit bulls and write about the ones I don't have room and funds to care for in my American Pit Bull Examiner articles. In my work, I hear about the changes that have gone on at BACS. Since the loss of Astrid and Judy who founded Home at Last Rescue, the mission to save animals seems to have shifted.

A Berkeley citizen alerted me to two dogs at the Berkeley Shelter, Joel and Ethan. These two dogs were to be killed for going kennel crazy at the shelter. How could that be? In the early days of Home at Last run by Judy and Astrid, the dogs at the Berkeley Shelter were advocated and worked with for months until they either found homes or were taken into the Home at Last program.

Like the Bob Dylan song, Times Have Changed. Today, the city of Berkeley pays Oakland group BAD RAP 20 thousand dollars a year to run the world famous pit ed class earmarked in the dialogue to help Berkeley Shelter dogs. Then how come Joel and Ethan were killed for being kennel crazy at the Berkeley Shelter?

Yesterday, I and Reunion Rescue were banned from posting on the Berkeley Animal Services Facebook Page. Hmmmm. I posted a link on their page to Craig Malisow's article, "Bad Rap: California Group Won't Come Clean on Spindletop Dogs." In addition, a Maureen Valdes Marsh issued this letter to me:

Cindy - You have been banned from the BACS page. As admin, I feel your constant badgering of BAD RAP is spiteful and malicious. It goes against everything we try to accomplish for our animals and for our followers of this page. Donna Reynolds, Tim Racer and the rest of the BAD RAP organization are all of the highest quality caliber humans. We have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for everything they do. Your continual witch hunt is disappointing and unwelcome on our page. It will no longer be tolerated.

Best regards,

Maureen Marsh, Admin.

#6 on the day of her arrival at BAD RAP

So ends a long term relationship between me and Berkeley. To ask for the whereabouts of two dogs who disappeared the minute they arrived at BAD RAP August 21 is 'spiteful and malicious.' I am the witch who continues to try and find out where these two dogs are. One, #6 according to BAD RAP, was previously known as Bindi and was as near perfect a dog as could be, cat, kid, people and dog friendly.

Then why havn't Bindi and #7 been advertised ad nauseum as the others BAD RAP 'saved' from Spindletop? The other five have been paraded across the internet with name contests, photo ops, multitudes of donations requests, meets and greets and parties galore. Why have these other two dogs who experienced the horrors of Spindletop simply disappeared off the face of the east bay.

#7 on the day of arrival at BAD RAP

BAD RAP began their fundraising and networking the day of the raid. We issued a request that they hold off until those of us who had dogs at Spindletop were able to get some answers. Our fears were that dogs would end up at BAD RAP only to be 'humanely euthanized' like many of the others they've saved from high profile cases and Hurrican Katrina. These two, #6 and #7, wouldn't be the first southern dogs to meet their maker on the million dollar BAD RAP estate in the Oakland Hills.

I am angry about these two dogs. I am angry about Joel and Ethan and all the dogs that have been killed while this group parties, draws six digit salaries, travels and lives large while dogs die. How many others have died that we don't know about?

Is BAD RAP just another Spindletop with a fancy zip code? Yes, I am angry. We all should be very angry. Reunion Rescue is on the same group emails that go out daily begging for the lives of dogs who are dying daily in California shelters.

...receiving the same automated BAD RAP replies.

I guess a half million dollars a year in donation money only goes so far.

Anyone's guess is to how many dogs are dying at Berkeley Animal Services who once had refuge and safety at that shelter. With so many unwanted animals in the nation, it's nearly impossible to keep track of the ones who turn up missing. Impossible has never run me off.

In the name of Rebel and Mookie, in the name of Stella and the so many others with no one to advocate for them I promise to try and find some answers. This time, I'm watching. Just like my hero, Tom Joad....

"...I'll be all around in the dark - I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look - wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there.

Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there."

This time, we are watching.

Pip is home for the holidays

Pip's new ride

Holiday is in the air allright. I drove to Whole Foods to meet Pip's new dad, Brett with a crate and to pick up some marrow bones for the dogs. The lights are all twinkly and stage is set to lure the crowds into Thanksgiving purchases and pave the way for Christmas. Ok, I went for it, too. I got some Rice Nog and gingerbread cookies.

We are sitting here right now eating Chef Boy-Ar-Dee pizza in a box like I used to have as a kid and watching 'To Kill a Mockingbird.' It's time for a trip down memory lane, but with new memories.

Brett and Pip

Amber, BeBe, Peanut and Nolan are just a chomping on their marrow bones. Of course, Amber ate all the good stuff out of hers and sat there waiting on something else, something better. She reminds me of me, always working that angle for a better deal. It's so hard not to spoil her.

It took six hours today, but I finally got all the Petfinder, Adopt-A-Pet and other sites updated with the dogs. I added Guido and Spuds to the Texas pages. I am so excited to get them here. I can't wait to see them and hug them, get them all cozy in their own crates with a bone to chew.

This is going to be the best Christmas ever, a season of trying to move past the awful things that happened last summer at Spindletop and look for new beginnings and healing. Amber is ready to go. I can tell she wants to meet her forever family. I wonder who it will be. Will it be a single lady who wants a gentle soulful companion or a nice man like Atticus Finch who would enjoy sitting on the front porch swing with a girl like Amber? Will it be family with kids who want a dog to share their childhood with, like Scout and Jem?

The families are the best part. You just know it when the adoption is right. The dogs tell you. Tonight, for instance, I could tell Pip was done with my part in her life. She gave me a tiny nose to my ear, or a passing nod in dog talk, but I'm thrilled. She is Brett and Jenny's dog now. They are a family. My job is done. We had a long time together, me and Pip.

A happy Pippy Christmas

 When I snapped a couple of photos, the lights just shone around her, like the world was plugged in and Pip's own backdrop. She's made it and is very much loved. I have to hold onto that as there were some sad things today.

A momma dog who looks just like Pip is in the Modesto shelter with 10 babies. The chances are slim they'll all make it out alive. The three dogs who were living by the river near Sacramento and found by a deaf boy were all shot to death by a cop. While driving to Whole Foods, a tiny dog, maybe a little Papillon was running back and forth across the busy four lane highway. I nearly had a wreck trying to find him, but he dashed terrified down a dirt road and disappeared. I am hoping he had a home down that road.

Those are the memories which keep me awake. We are living in a horrible time. There are so many unwanted animals and so much sadness. In the movie, Atticus shoots a mad dog with the children and Cal watching. I'd forgotten about that part. I'll go down to BeBe's house in a minute and finish 'To Kill a Mockingbird' with her.

Tomorrow, we have a date to watch 'Gone With the Wind.' AMC is doing it up right this Thanksgiving with the movies. I wonder if the people who run AMC have dogs. They must, because the movies they're airing are dog watching movies. I can't imagine watching a movie without the companionship of animals. They're just better.