Happy Halloween!

A little forethought can keep all the pibbles safe tonight. Keep the treats for the Trick-or-Treaters only, as candy and chocolate can be deadly to dogs. Make sure your dogs can't escape when the door bell rings.

And if your dog is the nervous type, block their view of the ghouls, goblins, witches, and Michael Vicks. Tonight is a great night for a special Kong to be savored in their crate.

Have fun!

Kennel my best friend...?? Eeeks!

This Columbus Day weekend I’ll be heading for the Eastern Shore for the Seagull Century bike race (as a picture-taker, not a rider). I can bring only one dog with me, so my boy Tonka gets to go, while Gracie stays in a kennel.

Now, I’ve never had to kennel my dogs, but I recently lost my most excellent pet sitter to a move. Rather than rely on someone new to stay a whole weekend in my home with Gracie, I felt that I would be best to have Gracie stay in a kennel. But which kennel? This was a serious undertaking. I Googled some places on the net, I talked to friends. I asked every kind of question regarding care, cleanliness, kindness, space, food, exercise.

Finally I chose a place that came highly recommended by a friend who’s very picky. With her assurances, my next step would be to inspect and interview. I wanted to be comfortable with what I saw and heard and feel sure that Gracie would be in good hands. It was well worth the time I’d taken to be sure, I told myself.

What I failed to reckon with is that we’re talking about a major holiday weekend. Good kennels, like good hotels, are likely to be booked in advance. While I was dithering on finding the best place possible, I totally forgot about availability. When I finally made the call, it was a quick trip back to reality. I clearly astonished the person who took the call. “But you don’t have a reservation?” she said. Her tone registered disbelief. I even detected a suspicion that I could not be worthy of Gracie or any other dog.

Immediate panic swept over me--Gracie with no place to go. It hit me that if this place was full, so would be all the other possible kennels I’d considered. I’m sure the young woman on the phone sensed my desperation when I asked her to please, please check if there’d been any cancellations, any possible space she’d overlooked. She agreed to check again. The wait seemed interminable. Back on the line, her voice was cheerier. Yes, there was one space available. Did I want it? Oh, yes, indeed I did, sight unseen. I’d rely entirely on my friend’s recommendation at this point.

The rest of our call was brief. I was prepared to spend the $28 per night plus an extra charge for Gracie to be given her medication. I’d read their website. I told the young woman I’d be by with all her records and would it be possible to tour the facilities. Even at this late date, I wasn’t going to pass on that. That’s no problem, I was told, and in fact I could even see Gracie’s suite. Uh, suite?

So, this Columbus Day Weekend my little girl will be living large in a private $55 per night suite. She’ll have her own television and bed (with a head board no less). She won’t be able to hear the other guests barking (or whining), which is a nice touch to keep her calm. While she’s enjoying Court TV (her favorite channel), Tonka and I will be cheering on the cyclists of the Seagull Century. And I’ve posted a mental note in my head to make kennel reservations for Christmas as soon as I get home. Or should I do this before I leave?

~ Lex

Follow-up:

Apparently Gracie's stay at the kennel was much harder on me than it was on her. When I picked her up she was pleased to see me, but it wasn't the throw-yourself-at-my-feet-with-joy sort of greeting I had fantasized about.

Having a suite certainly agreed with her. I was told she enjoyed her extra (private) snuggle time, and happily settled in to watch her car chase shows on Court TV.

Columbus Day weekend was a success. Gracie was happy and cared for well, so mom was happy, and Tonka was a huge hit in his bike jersey, cheering on the riders of the Seagull Century.

2008 Happy Endings Calendar!

We are pleased to announce that PBRC's 2008 Happy Endings Calendar is now on sale! It is a 12-month, full-color calendar brimming with gorgeous, rescued pit bulls of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

You can order your copy of the 2008 calendar by clicking here: PBRC's Cafe Press Store

Remember that all of the proceeds from the sale of the calendars are used to help pit bulls in need. Please don't miss out on this great opportunity to fill your 2008 with pittie smiles while helping needy pit bulls at the same time.

PITINI posters available now!

PBRC is please to present the latest vintage style poster created by artist, Christine J Head...

Translation (from Italian):

PITINI

Strong and sweet, overflowing with love
Stop breed specific legislation
Support pit bull rescue

This print is a limited edition measuring 24"x36", hand-signed and numbered by the artist. Can be proudly displayed in a standard-sized frame.

Posters are shipped rolled in a tube.

Price: $95 + $5 shipping
50% goes to PBRC!

ORDER NOW!

About the artist...
Christine J. Head’s sought-after, limited edition prints and posters have helped numerous rescues raise much needed funds.

Christine started The Puppy Sketches in 1999 and has been contributing to rescue organizations ever since by creating original and limited edition posters. Currently, her focus is on highly stylized vintage/Art Nouveau-style posters prints that raise money for multiple breed rescues.

Some notable animal lovers and celebrities who collect her work include actresses Mary Steenburgen, Jorja Fox of C.S.I., and Comedienne Elayne Boosler.

Congratulations, Teal Alt and Morgan!

PBRC would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to Teal Alt and her Flying Pig, Morgan, for taking second place, novice division at the Dock Dogs Nationals 2007 this past weekend in Minnesota.

It was cold, but they got the job done and we are so proud of them!

Thanks, Teal and Morgan for being great breed ambassadors!

2nd Annual Howl-o-ween Costume Contest!

Announcing Pit Bull Rescue Central's 2nd Annual Howl-o-ween Costume Contest!

To enter your favorite festooned fido in our contest send a photo to pbrccontest@pbrc.net

Once all pictures are received they will be put into a gallery for all to see and vote on.
Halloween Hound Gallery

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second and third place winners on Halloween!

Please submit your photos no later than October 24, 2007. Multiple entries welcome, but please submit only one photo per dog. Contest entries limited to pit bull dogs.

Good luck and may the best bully costume win!

Yo' Mama Dresses You Funny!

I remember seeing people like Paris Hilton on TV with their little dogs dressed in rhinestones and chiffon and thinking how silly and stupid that was. I mean, who would put clothes on a dog? Then, I got a pit bull.

I never set out to subject my dog to such torture. While looking for some slogan shirts for myself, I stumbled upon the doggie shirts. Surely, a few wouldn't do any lasting harm to my dog's dignity. The response was overwhelming. People who had previously walked to the other side of the street to avoid us were now rushing over to see what my dog's message of the day read. These folks were now smiling the moment they saw us and I learned that people couldn't laugh and be scared at the same time. They started asking more questions about my dog and pit bulls in general.

This revelation sent my poor pit bull into a downward spiral of fashion couture that would make Armani blush. Her wardrobe is now larger than mine. She has shirts, dresses, collars, bandanas, sunglasses, hats, coats for all seasons and even a pink faux fur stole. Most are functional and warm but, upon closer inspection, one might glimpse a rhinestone or two!

I would hesitate to condemn my dog to such torment, but she really loves wearing her clothes. It can most likely be attributed to conditioning. She knows that diving into the wardrobe means she is in store for an outing involving her favorite thing – people!

Current strategic warfare states that to win any war you have to win the hearts and minds of those whose help you need to succeed. With BSL and the negative media image of pit bulls being so pervasive, I want to do everything I can to change people's perception of the pit bull. If they are approaching with a smile on their face, I've already won half the battle.

Hmm, maybe chiffon isn't so bad after all!

~ Lynn, aka The Bat Whisperer

"Break the Chains of Cruelty"

PBRC is pleased to present vintage-look posters by artist, Christine J. Head. Christine's background is in traditional fine arts but she has perfected her talent on multimedia and digital canvases. Artwork is crafted on the computer with special software and hardware, including a pen and tablet, giving Christine virtually unlimited media at her fingertips. The final product is printed on high-quality, watercolor paper in limited runs and each print is hand-signed and numbered by Christine. Prints are shipped rolled in a tube.

On sale now in PBRC's Poppy Shop you'll find "Break the Chains of Cruelty," created in 2006 and limited to 5000 copies. Prints measure 24"x 36" and can be displayed in standard frames. The poster features Tiger, a pit bull rescued from a life at the end of a chain and the pertinent message (in Italian), "Break the chains of cruelty. Bring all dogs inside. Our canine friends deserve love and companionship." Each purchase includes a paper telling Tiger’s story written by comedian/writer/animal activist Elayne Boosler, and his happy “after” picture.

Christine has given PBRC the unique opportunity to offer her posters for purchase and help raise funds at the same time. The rescue receives 50 percent of each sale, so buyers can collect gorgeous art and help save pit bulls.

For more information and to order your vintage-look, "Break the Chains of Cruelty" poster, click here.

Bully Awareness Day - October 20th

Are you getting tired of all the negative publicity pit bulls are getting? How about all of the irresponsible and uneducated pit bull owners out there? If so, here's your chance to make a difference!

On October 20th, 2007, responsible pit bull owners and advocates around the country can make their voices heard! On this day we will celebrate the first national Pit Bull Awareness Day. It's about time that we showed the public that not all pit bull owners are alike! We are not criminals, thugs or dog fighters. We are not people with low self-esteems that need a strong dog to bolster our fragile egos. Let's set the record straight once and for all! Let's show the public that people from all walks of life, from celebrities to soccer moms, own and responsibly manage pit bulls! Let's show them that our dogs are members of our families and that we are not going to be bullied by breed specific legislation.

Regardless of where you are located, please choose an activity to participate in on October 20, 2007 to promote and celebrate responsible pit bull ownership. It can be a breed education rally, a dog walk & wash, a pet parade or a candle light vigil. The possibilities are endless! Regardless of the activity you choose, please sign up to participate so people in your area know and can participate and promote responsible ownership with you. Please visit the Bless the Bullys website to sign up.

Many thanks to Jodi and Bless the Bullys for launching this important campaign. On October 20th, let's make sure our voices are heard across the nation!