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- Florida Faces Breed Specific Legislation -
Your Voice Needed!
Dear Florida Network Members, 
Please
act today to prevent breed discriminatory legislation in Florida. Florida State
Rep. Perry E. Thurston, Jr. filed H.B. 189, "an act relating to dangerous dogs," to repeal the prohibition
on breed discriminatory legislation (BDL) in Florida. An identical bill, S.B. 922, has also been filed by
Senator Anthony C. Hill.
H.B. 189 and S.B. 922 would allow any Florida local government to restrict or regulate any
breed of dog. A similar effort to legislate BDL was unsuccessful in 2008.
Currently Miami-Dade is the only
county in Florida that is allowed to “profile” dogs and destroy them because of this. They enacted a “pit
bull” ban in 1989 and last year around 800 “pit bulls” were picked up and destroyed simply because of their
breed.
Best Friends opposes canine profiling. The problem of dangerous dogs is not remedied by the quick fix
of breed-discriminatory laws. All dogs can bite. Studies of pre and post breed ban dog bite rates in the United Kingdom and
Spain concluded that their pit bull breed ban had no effect whatsoever on reducing dog bites.
Breed discriminatory
laws cause unintended hardship to responsible owners of entirely friendly, properly supervised and well-socialized dogs that
happen to fall within the regulated breed category. Although these dog owners have done nothing to endanger the public, they
may be forced by the municipality to either give up their dogs or move out of their home. The pets that are given up are killed.
How
You Can HelpPolitics is not a spectator sport. Please take action on behalf of animals. -H.B. 192
was referred to the committee on January 22, 2009. Florida residents are asked to please write the members of the House Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Committee and ask them to vote “ NO” on H.B. 189 -Also, constituents are asked to please write
or call your Florida Representatives and Senators and respectfully ask them to vote “ NO” on H.B.
189 and S.B. 922, "an act relating to dangerous dogs." Local governments already have the ability to adopt regulations regarding
dangerous dogs and protect the public as they see fit. Breed bans are ineffective, costly to enforce, and penalize responsible
dog owners. Visit the Best Friends Network for contact information.
Please
act today.
Sincerely,
The Best Friends
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Dear Members and Friends,
It’s all about breaking stereotypes. Whether it’s dogs labeled “mean” proving that they’re
not, or people using a text messaging habit to save lives, every day at Best Friends the people and animals are throwing expectations
out the window. And that’s something to celebrate! |
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Are some dogs born to fight? Not if you ask Little Red and Handsome Dan, two former fighting dogs living here at the sanctuary.
These two were once rescued from the property of former NFL quarterback, Michael Vick. But today, they’re not fighting
-- they’re falling in love with each other!
>> Check out their new, blossoming friendship. |
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How do you fight cancer? For Nicole Bruck, part of the healing lies in giving to others. She came to Best Friends to share
her love with the dogs, cats, pigs, horses, parrots and rabbits. And back home in New York, she’s been sharing Best
Friends membership with friends around the globe.
>> Meet this extraordinary woman in our Give the Gift spotlight. |
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Speaking of surpassing expectations, 25 years ago, nobody would have thought Best Friends would make it where it is today.
It’s a year-long party for Best Friends’ 25th anniversary.
>> And Faith Maloney is on the blog, talking about some of the not-so-glamorous
early days at the sanctuary. |
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Some saw him as a terror. But Best Friends’ trainer, Sherry Woodard only saw the good boy Boss was on the inside.
And that may have saved his life!
>>Meet the new, true Boss as he finds his happy ending. |
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And as always, there’s lots more on the homepage this week, including:
- Not “Networking” – “Petworking”! It’s all the rage in Los Angeles. Best Friends is spreading the word on how you can save a life by sending
a text message.
- Everyone loves “Favorite Photos”. And when you see the pictures of the Best Friends animals getting their holiday gifts, you’ll see why!
- What a cat wants. If you missed the online webinar, you can still learn what experts said about keeping shelter cats happy and healthy.
Just visit the Best Friends Network.
Every day in our work at the sanctuary and around the nation, Best Friends sees animals transforming beyond anyone’s
wildest expectations, and people pulling off the impossible.
Some call it a “miracle,” but thanks to you, we just call it another furry day at the office.
Thank you for being a member, and making all of the work at Best Friends possible.
From all of us here, thank you.
Paul Berry, CEO
Best Friends Animal Society
P.S. New episodes of “DogTown” are airing soon on the National Geographic Channel. The dogs at Best Friends are looking forward to watching themselves,
and we hope that you’ll watch them, too! It begins March 20th, and you can read all about it here.
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Dear Members and Friends,
This week has been an adventure! When an unlicensed puppy-mill owner reportedly burned down his facility after being cited
for violations, Best Friends raced over to Missouri to help round up the confused, hungry dogs. You can read all about it on the website this week. There, you'll also see that no matter what emergencies pop up, nothing stops the ongoing routine
work of love at the sanctuary - and the work around the country - to make the world a better place for animals. |
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There's more good news from this weekend's emergency rescue as dozens of pointers go from the smoldering remains of the
fire started by the breeder to the safety and comfort of Midwest P.A.W.S.
>> Check out the Best Friends Network for this and other updates. |
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Samantha didn't know about the hubbub in Missouri. Hers was more of an everyday, "routine" Best Friends miracle: a fabulous
new home for an older, partially incontinent dog!
>> Click here to read the story. |
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AKA "Party for a Purpose"! They're fun, they're furry, and folks are hoping they'll become all the rage. There are all
kinds of perks for hosting one of these get-togethers. So find out how you can be part of the work of Best Friends - just
by having a blast!
>> Learn more on Best Friends' 25th Anniversary site. |
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"Hand-sewn jackets, just for us?" Another Best Friends member goes above and beyond for the oinkers at the sanctuary. Don't
they look fashionable?
>> Check out the stylin' Best Friends pigs. |
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And as always, there's lots more on the homepage this week, including:
- Find out what the producer of "The Amazing Race" is doing to promote the animals.
- Name the opossums! Best Friends' wildlife rehab center has two new critters, and they need your help with names.
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