pit bulls

By Allie Simone, Acting Director, Worcester Animal Rescue League

The Worcester Animal Rescue League has received considerable feedback from the public in response to Monday’s T&G article regarding the proposed muzzling ordinance. Clients, volunteers, WARL supporters and county residents are deeply concerned about the negative impact such an ordinance will have. Should this ordinance come to pass, we are certain that many dogs will be abandoned and consequently seized in record numbers.

And, where will they go? There is no official, city-financed “dog pound” in Worcester. The only facility in the city capable of accepting lost or abandoned animals is the Worcester Animal Rescue League. The Worcester Animal Rescue League is a private, non-profit, limited intake animal shelter, accepting pets only when space is available; Adoptable pets are not euthanized because of time or space constraints. This is our firm policy, and we have worked hard to make this a positive reality for the homeless animals of Worcester County. The Worcester Animal Rescue League currently has only 96 kennels for dogs and 41 cages for cats, plus a very limited number of foster home caregivers. On average, the WARL receives over 2,600 homeless animals each year. And, in the current economy, adoption rates have dropped while surrender rates have climbed.

We are very concerned that the City Council has not thought through the ramifications of the passing of this ordinance. Animal control officers were not consulted. County shelter administrators were not conferred with. What will happen to the numerous pit bulls, pit bull crosses and others mistakenly identified as pit bulls, all of which the city finds itself newly in possession of?

The Worcester Animal Rescue League values the long standing relationship it has built with the City of Worcester. However, it is not currently held by a contract to accept impounded dogs found in Worcester. If this ordinance passes, the Worcester Animal Rescue League will no longer accept dogs from Worcester. The dedicated staff and supporters have worked too hard and advanced the organization too far in the quality of care given to its animals to suddenly reverse our no-kill, limited intake policies. This ordinance would be asking us to take a giant step backwards, becoming once again a kill shelter. We wish to be very clear: The Worcester Animal Rescue League will have no part in euthanizing dogs or any other animal due to breed discrimination.

We all know that each animal is an individual. The staff and volunteers at the Worcester Animal Rescue League care for thousands of animals each year (including many wonderful pit bulls, which happily find forever homes throughout the county and beyond) and do not believe in discriminating against a specific breed of animal. What’s more, most animal behaviorists agree that humans are the cause of the vast majority of behavior issues.

Alternatively to the City Council’s proposed plan, the Worcester Animal Rescue League believes establishing a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance for pit bulls would be a much more effective program. We are convinced that a muzzling ordinance in Worcester will ultimately fail. Why? Muzzling does not prohibit breeding; what it does do is make a dog look more intimidating, which only satisfies the social/cultural needs of irresponsible owners who use the dogs as a status symbol.

According to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), 75% of dog bites are caused by intact (that is, unneutered) male dogs. It is no wonder than that a proactive bite prevention program begins with a stricter enforcement of spay/neuter practices. This is simply common sense.

The Worcester Animal Rescue League has nearly 100 years of experience in such matters, and it welcomes members of our community and the Worcester City Council to tour the shelter, meet the staff and new director, and visit with all the great pets waiting for a home. Additionally, The Worcester Animal Rescue League hopes to work collaboratively with the City of Worcester in developing practical pet ordinances that serve all residents (both two and four-legged) of our community.

City Councilor Bill Eddy and his pit bull ordinance

By Pam Toomey

I am writing because as a owner of a pit bull I will be directly affected Worcester City Councilor Bill Eddy’s pit bull ordinance. I am hoping you can help me to get the word out that this is an unfair ordinance and that pit bulls are a very misunderstood breed. A little positive publicity and education of these wonderful dogs could do wonders.

My dog Carly is a perfect example of how great these dogs can be. I adopted her about 6 months ago after a failed attempt at fostering pit bulls. She is extremely sweet, gentle and the most understanding, want to please dogs I have ever met. It is no doubt to me that this is exactly what made the breed American Staffordshire Terriers so popular. Carly came into my life when I needed her most. I am a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and have been diagnosed with PTSD as a result. Since I have separated from the military in 2008 I have had problems adjusting to civilian life, regaining lost confidence and finding a way to do something meaningful for my fellow vets. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

They need to learn how incredible pit bulls are.

It’s a National Geographic channel special: Michael Vicks’ pitbulls - what happens to them after they are rescued and brought to Dogtown, the nation’s largest no-kill animal shelter. It’s a “Dogtown” TV show dedicated to these poor animals who football pro/murderer Michael Vicks tortured/fought/drowned/raped on his compound down South.

You meet these poor souls(pitbulls): Cherry, the bait dog, a dog so fearful, so broken (she is naturally submissive so Vicks threw her in with the fighters he was grooming so they could practically kill her and, thus, gain self-confidence). It takes months for Cherry to stop trembling when a person gently pets her head. Then there’s a big, beautiful pitbull with teeth pulled (so she could be raped by other dogs - and bred). Vicks “home” is/was nothing but a torture chamber - blood and fighting pits and metal wheels and chains … Like ancient Rome - only the slave-gladiators were the dogs. Click to continue »

editor’s note: in light of tonight’s Worcester City Council meeting, some testimonials from pit bull owners:

My dog Angel

In September of 2008, we began searching to rescue a pit bull. We wanted to rescue a pit bull particularly because of the bad reputation they have gotten due to irresponsible ownership. I researched the breed and thought a pit would fit wonderfully with our family. We have two young daughters, seven and three as well as two cats. It took just a couple of weeks to find Angel, called Amy at Worcester Animal Rescue League. Angel was in isolation due to a case of kennel cough. I figured it was a perfect chance because not many knew she was even at the shelter unless they had searched the web like me. I called the rescue league and set up a meeting for the next day. When they brought Angel out, she greeted us with a wagging tail and unbelievable happiness. She didn’t jump on my children which was a great bonus! Angel was brought to the shelter as a stray Click to continue »

By Lindsay Pollard-Post

This Fourth of July, Americans celebrated their freedom with picnics, trips to the beach and time spent with the people they love. But America isn’t a free country for everyone who lives here. In nearly every community—perhaps even on your own street—Americans’ best friends, our dogs, are kept chained and deprived of every freedom.

These dogs spent our nation’s birthday as they spend every other day: pacing their tiny patch of dirt, panting in the heat, wishing for companionship or a drink of cool water and watching the world go by out of their reach. The only difference was that many spent this night terrorized and trembling in fear because of the booming fireworks.

“Out of sight, out of mind” in the back yard, many chained dogs are deprived of even their basic needs and rights. Click to continue »

By Rosalie Tirella

Worcester Animal Rescue League’s Dorreen LaPorte was driving in the Webster Square area last summer when she saw something that broke her heart: a young pit bull dog - younger than 1 year - was straining to pull three gray cinder blocks in the summer heat. The cinder blocks (weighing about 45 pounds each) were attached to three heavy chains and the chains were attached to the dog’s collar. Pit bulls are - believe it or not - crazy about people! They were bred to bait bulls and later used to fight dogs. Without their desire to please their masters, they could not endure the insanity of the bloody dog-fighting pit or tortured bulls. Also, a less sociable dog woud not allow himself to be extricated (by his master) from the pit, in the middle of a fight. (Hence, the relatively light weight of the turn-of-the-20th century pit bull dogs - 45ish pounds).

Combine the pit bull’s fierce loyalty, love of their master/mistress, innate intelligence, stamina and steely will and you have the scene LaPorte witnessed: a pit bull on Webster Square, who when his owner says “mush,” mushes. In 90-degree weather. All heart . LaPorte, who has been the executive director of WARL for more than 10 years, knew what the owner was doing - training his pit bull for dog fights.
“There’s a [pit bull fighting] dog ring on Southbridge Street,” LaPorte says. She has called the Worcester Animal Control Officers - and their bosses - and they have done nothing about breaking up the ring and rescuing the dogs. LaPorte believes there are “multiple” dog fighting rings in Worcester. Click to continue »