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Pit Bull Worthy Times

A monthly digest of pit bull tender loving care. We also support fun facts and links locally and globally, sharing the most up-to-date information available! 
Those of us who are homeowners know all too well that most insurance companies DO discriminate if you own certain breeds of dogs. Luckily there are some that don't. While not all of these are created equal, here are some options for owners of pit bulls and other unfairly maligned breeds.  

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Meet Slater And His All-Star Parents Jamie and Mark Buehrle

4/27/2015

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A little over two years ago I came across this article on the ESPN website about All-Star pitcher Mark Buehrle of the Toronto Blue Jays and how he would be spending the baseball season away from his family.

You see, the Buehrle family owns a pit bull named Slater and Toronto has a breed ban. Buehrle and his wife Jamie made the decision that rather than leave Slater in the care of others, Jamie would stay at home in Missouri with their two children and four dogs - Slater and three Vizslas, Duke, Drake and Diesel - and Mark would live in Canada.for the baseball season.

Mark and Jamie Buehrle are passionate animal advocates and Jamie actively volunteers with Hope Animal Rescues.

Today it is an honor and a privilege to bring you Jamie Buehrle as she speaks about her dogs, her rescue work and how Breed Specific Legislation has affected her family. (All photos courtesy of Jamie Buehrle)

Jamie, before we begin, I would just like to thank you for taking the time to visit with loyalpitbulllove.com and answering a few questions for our readers. 

Enjoy, everyone!


Q.  Jamie, you have three other dogs, all Vizslas, so that is obviously a breed that you like. So, how did you happen to become a pit bull owner?

A. I always said my next dog would be a "pit bull type dog" after working with so many doing rescue work. I did not plan on adding a fourth dog. Then one day I went to a local animal control with Hope Rescues and pulled thirteen dogs over two days that were on their last day of life. Slater was in the back area where hardly anyone went. He sat so quietly just hoping to be noticed. There was something about him I just loved instantly but I knew the timing for me to add another dog was not ideal. He was adopted not long after getting to Hope Rescues so I told myself that was the sign I needed that he wasn't meant to be mine. I left for Spring Training that year as usual. About three days before I was scheduled to come home to St. Louis, and then pack up for the season and head to Chicago, Slater was returned to the rescue. The home he was in had another dog that did not like to share the attention and Slater became increasingly fearful of her. The adoptive mom made the difficult to decision to return him. Mark said he never heard me talk about a dog that I have rescued this much and that I should just get him. So Slater came to my house on a trial basis and he never left. He has been a great addition to our family ever since.
Q.  Before you adopted your pit bull Slater, did you have any preconceived ideas about the breed and if so how have your views changed?

A. I always knew I loved "pit bull type dogs" but I will admit I felt like I needed to be prepared to bring him into my house with multiple dogs and small children. So, I went online and read blogs and tips from some well known "advocates for the breed." After reading a lot of them I was afraid I was making a terrible decision. Several suggested always having a break stick on hand in case a fight broke out. I kept thinking, how would that work with small children? Then I took a step back and decided to base my decision on my experience with every pit bull dog I had interacted with instead. It turns out my experience was pretty accurate.
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Q.  When you adopted Slater, did you have any idea what was in store for you and your family and how you would be affected? For example, were you aware of breed bans in certain cities and did you have a plan in place just in case?

A. I knew there were breed bans but had no idea it would ever affect my family. I remember reading a Facebook page on the Toronto ban and thinking how horrible that was. When Mark was considering signing with the Miami Marlins I knew that Miami Dade County had a ban and we made sure we could find a place to live before he committed. We also had to deal with insurance issues as well. Our homeowners insurance did not cover pit bulls. We were advised that when they did an inspection to just put him somewhere where he would not be seen. I declined as he had never done anything to warrant having to be hidden. Our insurance company decided to make an exception but I chose to change insurance companies. I do not want to support companies that discriminate.
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Q.  Tell us about the advocacy you and your husband Mark are involved in. To what extent has this been influenced by owning a pit bull?

A. Mark and I continually speak out about adopting from a shelter versus going to a breeder most of all. I always try to help people find dogs in shelters that fit their needs. Secondly, we speak out against Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) as often as we can. I am so glad that our story has helped create awareness. Not only do we have a platform with the rescue community but we also have the sports world platform. I spoke last year at the One Million Pibble March on Washington D.C. and I will say I am still continually surprised at how many people relate to my story and how many minds I have helped change on BSL. Most of all I am glad that our story has helped to start the conversation between people that otherwise had no idea such discrimination existed.
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Q.  Is there anything else you would like people to know - either about yourself, your rescue work or how people can help to affect change?

A. I love helping with rescues and interacting with the animals. I go to Hope Rescues to clean kennels and help whenever I have the chance. I hope to do it a lot more once Mark is around more. I transport dogs and sponsor as many as I can. It saddens me on a daily basis the amount of animals that are surrendered, abandoned, and abused. I hope one day the penalties become a lot stiffer and abusers are truly made to pay. I also hope that people will stop making blanket statements about any breed and start judging the dogs as individuals. Responsible owners need to be the norm not the exception. I can dream right?


Yes, we can all dream of a better world but people like Mark and Jamie Buehrle are doing so much more than that. They are amazing role models and living examples of how we should all stand up for the things that are important to us. Each and every day they demonstrate how we can all make a difference and be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves..

Thank you Jamie and Mark for all you do!

I would also like to direct your attention to another blog called Homeo Animal. Hope Rescues, the group mentioned by Jamie in this interview, was one of the contributors to this series called "The Ultimate Guide To Pet Adoption." This twelve part series contains a wealth of information that will be benefit any pet owner or anyone considering adopting a pet. Be sure to check it out here: http://www.homeoanimal.com/blog-animal-health/ultimate-guide-pet-adoption-sneak-preview/
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When The Weather Is Nice, It Is Good To Be Mickey!

4/20/2015

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If you live in the Northeast as I do, you know what this past winter was like and you also know what a treat it is to finally have some beautiful weather. The winter was not only difficult for humans but for many pets as well. Mickey is not a fan of the snow so he is loving life these days and I am having fun getting out with him and exploring our state. Our most recent excursion was to Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, CT.
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Gillette Castle was built in 1914 and was the residence of actor William Gillette. In addition to the castle itself, the grounds include smaller buildings of equally impressive architecture, hiking trails and picnic areas.
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We spent nearly two hours exploring different trails, wooden bridges and outdoor buildings but there were many additional areas of the park we only got to experience through the car window as we were driving by.
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We will definitely be back to visit more of the park and next time we can even take the ferry to get there!
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When we got home it was time for some homemade doggie ice cream!  If you have never made it, it is super easy. This batch was pumpkin, peanut butter and low-fat plain yogurt. Just mix the ingredients in a blender, pour in paper lined muffin tins and freeze. You can substitute banana for the pumpkin or whatever your dog likes. You really cannot go wrong!
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Our adventures will continue until the cold weather returns. We will be going on hikes, to parks, beaches and any other interesting, dog-friendly places we can find. And if we are not on the road we can always enjoy the nice weather in our own back yard. Yes, when the weather gets nice, it is good to be Mickey and it is good to be me too!
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The Baltimore Orioles Baseball Team - Helping Shelter Animals

4/13/2015

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This past weekend, the Baltimore Orioles opened their home season at Camden Yards with a three game series against the Toronto Blue Jays. This year, as I have for the past several years, I attended Opening Day with Matt who spent his early years in Baltimore and has remained a die-hard Orioles fan.

While the start of a new season always brings a lot of excitement to the city, regardless of how good or bad the team is projected to be, compared to previous years there seemed to be more positive energy surrounding the team this past weekend after winning the American League East last season.
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Photo Credit MLB.com

While I enjoy baseball, I would not call myself a fanatic but there is one thing I especially admire and respect about the Baltimore Orioles. As with many major league sports teams, the Orioles pride themselves on their community involvement, and among the team’s projects is a yearly calendar featuring some of the players and manager Buck Showalter posing with shelter dogs and cats as well as their own pets. Proceeds from the calendar benefit the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter (BARCS). This is the sixth year the Orioles have taken on this project.
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Photo credit Buzzfeed.com

BARCS is:  “a non-profit organization created in July 2005 to take over the operations of the city shelter and to work directly with Baltimore City Animal Control.  BARCS' mission is to accept and care for all animals in need and promote responsible pet ownership for a more humane community in Baltimore City.” (baltimoreanimalshelter.org)

Since becoming a non-profit, BARCS has dramatically increased adoptions, designed programs to promote responsible pet ownership and created new programs to help save lives.

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Photo credit Buzzfeed.com

In addition to the proceeds from the 2015 calendar, some of the Orioles players appeared at the shelter for an autograph signing event last August. Over the past few years, the Orioles have raised over $150,000 to help pay for food and medical care for the BARCS animals.

Thank you to the Baltimore Orioles for helping to make a difference in the lives of shelter pets. Bravo!
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Photo (c) Leo Howard Lubow
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Spring.....Is It Really You?

4/6/2015

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According to the calendar it has officially been Spring for over two weeks but it certainly has not felt that way. Yes, the crocuses are beginning to appear and the red-breasted Robins have arrived, but the weather has still been much colder than most of us here in the northeast would like.
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Today though was a comfortable, sunny, 60 degree day. After being cooped up for far too long, it seemed like a good day for our first trip to the beach.
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The water was calm, not many people were there - it was a great day for a walk along the water.
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I am not sure if Mickey remembered our past visits, but he walked confidently along the beach without a care in the world.
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We stopped to rest at the picnic area and looked out over the rocks at the tranquil water.
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Then we began the long walk back to the car.
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It was a great way to spend a couple of hours and I hope it will be the first of many day trips before the beaches open for the season and dogs will no longer be allowed. Unfortunately, colder temperatures will be back tomorrow, accompanied by rain. At least for today, though, there was the promise of more beautiful spring days ahead.
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    View Sue Torres's profile on LinkedIn
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    About the Author

    Sue Torres is an animal advocate, rescue volunteer and proud owner of a previously abused pit bull who was slated to be destroyed for being tense and fearful in the shelter environment.

    Inspired by their resilience, devotion and ability to forgive, she now devotes herself to restoring the image of these once-esteemed and cherished family pets. She works tirelessly to promote the adoption of pit bulls in our nation's shelters and change perceptions about this extremely misunderstood and unjustly maligned breed.

    She lives in Connecticut with her rescued pit bull, Mickey. Her first book, Loyalty Unleashed was published in May, 2014 and is avsailable in paperback and e-book formats. Loyalty Unleashed II (her second book) is now available, also in paperback and e-book formats.

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