caveat

SO THAT'S HOW 'BREED' (HA HA) BANS GOT STARTED...

Selma — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:12:00 -0400

Finally, a video that explains how breed-specific legislation got its start. Thank you, Ryan O'Meara, for putting this together.

If you have been wondering what sort of person could possibly have thought that discriminating against dogs by shape was an idea with even a molecule of merit, wonder no more.

If you suspected all along that dog-killing laws were born in a dark, damp, foetid place far removed from the light of reason, here's your proof.

Watch the video from K9 Magazine by clicking here.

h/t Social Mange, who has a nice editorial piece about Brytler this week. Read Navigator's Purple Kool-Aid and Bryant's Legacy of Death. Gee, I guess Soche is a bit pissed off. Or something :>)

SUGAR-COATING MICHAEL BRYANT

Selma — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 09:26:00 -0400

Is anybody else sick of watching the media wankers as they paint Michael Bryant as the victim in Monday night's tragic incident?

Well, Fred over at One Bark at a Time has had about enough of it. Lori at Wag the Dog is really annoyed too.

I started to lose it when the smarmy news-readers at CTV, shortly after Bryant was charged, were breathlessly analyzing grainy video footage on the six o'clock news. The point was that witnesses had reported seeing the Saab driving on the wrong side of Bloor Street on Monday night. It sounds bad, alright, but guess what, folks? There was a construction truck parked on the right side of the road, see? So Bryant had no choice but to go around it - he had to drive on the left! Phew, that was a close one!

And so the bullshit flows.

Lately, there have been stories in the print media about Bryant's family, about what a swell guy he is, about how many loyal friends he has and so on and so forth. As if any of that matters.

It's so obvious that the slick PR firm hired by Bryant, Navigator, is behind all this sickly sweet nonsense. The question is whether the media minions are doing it because orders have come down from on high or because they, too are being cleverly manipulated by Navigator.

They are practically arguing the case on the suppertime news and are painting Bryant as a sterling fellow who was victimized by that nasty cyclist.

The day after the tragic incident, the insufferable snake-oil salesmen at CTV were yammering about all the collisions between cyclists and vehicles - thousands of them, see? It's a very common thing. They also ran the leaked resignation letter Bryant sent where he claims to be innocent. The next day, they were analyzing evidence - the videotape - to show why the wrong side of the road was the right side of the road. The next day it was all about how Darcy Sheppard, the person who was killed Monday night when he was knocked from Bryant's car, hit a mailbox and then smashed his head on a fire hydrant, had been cautioned by police over a disturbance that afternoon. The police sent him on his way, yet an unidentified person was commenting about how he was drunk, which doesn't make much sense.

Spin, spin, buzz, buzz.

I've been trying to pretend that Bryant is just a normal person, someone I don't despise, to see if the propaganda is as bad as it seems to be. I've even pretended that I like the little knob, that he's one of my friends, to see how the whitewash looks.

No matter how I try to spin it in my own head, the relentless coverage and clear bias are so obviously over-the-top that it's an insult to anyone of even average intelligence. I'm even wondering if they've crossed a line since this is a criminal matter that will be before the courts in October.

Everybody is saying Bryant will get off because of who he is (if anything, he should fry because of who he is as far as I'm concerned). I don't expect him to get life in prison, only hard-core deviants ever get that. I do expect him to be tried, convicted and punished, though, and I'm not talking about community service or house arrest.

Through all the fluff pieces and sugar syrup, let's keep something in mind: A person is dead.

Spin that, Navigator.

The Toronto Star is seeing things my way this morning. They have a good article entitled, Spinning the First Week of Michael Bryant's New LIfe.

WHEN IS A 'PIT BULL' NOT A 'PIT BULL'?

Selma — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:57:00 -0400

All the time, silly - there's no such thing as a 'pit bull'.

In Ontario these days, another answer would be duh, when some nimrod in Animal Control wants to pretend he knows a little sumpin' bout dogs.

But I digress.

Check out my PowerPoint presentation (965K). It's the same as the display board I did for our booth at the All About Pets show this past Easter weekend.

Here's the link.

UPDATE ONE SECOND LATER: Damn, the link didn't work. I've tried attaching it as a file instead. Just click on the paper clip to view it.

BRYANT OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO FAMILY OF VICTIM

Selma — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 11:51:00 -0400

The bizarre events continue to unfold here in Ontario.

I watched former Attorney General Michael Bryant's short comment after his release yesterday. There's a video of the statement at the Toronto Star if you want to watch.

He was offering condolences to the family of Darcy Alan Sheppard, the 33-year-old cyclist who died after an encounter with Bryant on Monday night. He went on to thank people who were supporting his family. His comments made it sound as though Bryant thought he was the victim in the case.

I get that the matter is before the courts so he obviously wouldn't comment on any details, but condolences? A simple 'no comment' would have made more sense.

Some U.S. readers have expressed concerns about the 'slap on the wrist' aspect of Bryant's charges in the case.

Dangerous driving is a crminal offense in Canada, it is not a traffic offense. Here's some info from an Ontario criminal lawyers' site:

A Dangerous Driving conviction results in a criminal record and an automatic one-year licence suspension. Dangerous driving offences resulting bodily harm can result in the accused being sent to jail, and imprisonment for up to ten (10) years. An accused convicted of Dangerous Driving cause death is liable for imprisonment of up to fourteen (14) years.

Criminal negligence causing death carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, which in Canada is 25 years. Here's the section from the Criminal Code of Canada.

So Bryant is in serious trouble.

MICHAEL BRYANT, THE GUY WHO BANNED 'PIT BULLS' IN ONTARIO, CHARGED IN CYCLIST'S DEATH

Selma — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:28:00 -0400

Former Attorney General of Ontario involved in bizarre incident last night on Toronto's tony Bloor Street.

WHY DON'T WE HEAR ABOUT THESE DOG BITES AND ATTACKS?

Selma — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:18:00 -0400

The media 'journalists' use a simple formula for their 'news' items about dog bites these days. If it can be at all passed off as a 'pit bull', do it - not showing a picture helps. Otherwise, just bury it somewhere because the fake hysteria over 'pit bulls' we've created might get diluted - and we can't have that, can we? We need the hits on our websites to generate ad revenue and stay alive. A poll about the wisdom of banning 'pit bulls' should be run whenever possible as well - it puts audience share through the roof when all the anti-BSL folk hit it to vote.

Here's a neat little blog you might want to check out:

Dog Attacks You Never Hear About

DENVER: INTERFERING IN OTHER CITIES' AFFAIRS?

Selma — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:36:00 -0400

I was cleaning out some trivial stuff and deleted a couple of posts by mistake.

I re-attach the letter from Denver's assistant city attorney to places considering revising their animal control policies.

THE LAST POST: BANNED AID BEAT OVERWHELMING ODDS

Selma — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:56:00 -0400

Phase One is over for Banned Aid

NEWS FROM ANIMAL LIBERATION-LAND

Selma — Fri, 01 May 2009 19:58:00 -0400

The FBI has added Daniel San Diego to its list of most wanted terrorists. He shares the honour with Osama bin Laden and others but has the dubious distinction of being the first domestic terrorist added to the list.

Oh, and thanks a lot, ABC. I was using the same title but had to change it after I visited your story.

The FBI put out a press release on April 22 listing various rewards for information in attacks targeting scientific researchers.

A couple of ALF members were indicted in Los Angeles on April 22, charged with conspiracy, stalking, and other crimes against researchers at UCLA.

A pro-research rally in Los Angeles attracted hundreds of supporters, vastly outnumbering the animal liberaton extremists protesting at the same time. I guess the animal liberation schtick is finally wearing thin with mainstream groups, which is a good thing indeed.

And then there's Mr Vick (rhymes with...). A buddy out west gave me the heads-up on this one:

Michael Vick in Talks to Become PETA Spokesman

Jailed NFL Superstar Looks to Rehab Image After Dog-fighting Rap

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Michael Vick is in talks to become the new spokesman for PETA.

Yes, you read that correctly. The disgraced one-time NFL superstar serving prison time for funding an illegal dog-fighting ring is primed to do public-service ads for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals upon his release later this month. According to three people with knowledge of the matter, the proposed endorsement is part of a comprehensive PR scheme aimed at rehabilitating the quarterback's image and gaining him readmission to the league that banned him from playing.

Well, at least Vick and Peta have something in common - both have used 'pit bulls' to further their own ends, both have shown no respect for animal life and both appear to be greedy and manipulative enough to deserve each other.

What's the difference between bumping off animals you promised to place in new homes then throwing the corpses into a dumpster and bumping off animals you were supposed to care for and burying the bodies in the backyard? Thirty million bucks a year, I guess.

This guy Vick isn't too bright, is he? Doesn't he have teh Google? Somebody should let him know that the worst thing he could do to rehab his image (such as it is) is to join forces with the most hypocritical, self-serving, histrionic group of animal-killing phonies around.

If Vick thinks people who love dogs are mad at him now, just wait until his goofy mug appears in a Peta commercial. I hope he goes for it just because I'm nice that way.

Roll 'em!

HALDIMAND RELEASES NAMES OF 'PIT BULL' OWNERS TO OPP

Selma — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:30:00 -0400

The target is different, the outcome may be different, but I'm definitely spotting a pattern here, and have been for some time.

MISFITS AND OUTCASTS AND THREATS - OH MY!

Selma — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:15:00 -0400

Are 'pit bull' owners perceived as members of the outcast class in the human social order?

HSUS: NEVER GIVE A 'PIT BULL' AN EVEN BREAK

Selma — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:43:00 -0400

Nathan Winograd has a couple of good posts up about the meeting of the 'pit bull' profiteers in Las Vegas.

I know that nobody is surprised that the HSUS continues to exhibit what amounts to a corporate sociopathy or by the fact that no progress was made.

The burning question isn't whether 'pit bulls' are just dogs (they are), whether fighting dogs are a product of their environment (they are), whether any thinking human would agree that dogs shouldn't die for our sins (they would) or whether the HSUS will veer away from its set course of animal liberation (it won't - at least not until the current BOD is booted out and some truly humane leaders are voted in).

No, to me, the most important question is this:

What makes these people think that they have the right to speak for 'pit bulls', dogs in general, 'bust dogs' (as they call them) or for all of us who are out here in the frontlines - in rescue, in the courts, and on the streets?

I deeply resent the intrusive, self-serving, double-dealing campaign by the HSUS to legislate pet breeding and ownership into oblivion while crying crocodile tears for dogs, cats, horses and chickens.

I'm insulted by the unending stream of contradictory, duplicitous and illogical statements that wouldn't fool a first-grader.

I am galled by their hubris in implying to the rubes ithat they are a government-sanctioned agency - worse, a law enforcement group - rather than a private special interest lobbying outfit which does not represent mainstream views.

Their arrogance in presuming to 'negotiate' repulsive ideas such as breed (ha ha) bans 'down' to breed-specific mandatory neutering (Louisville) and then say it's somehow better than a ban - would be hilarious were it not so deadly to dogs.

Most of all, I get really, really, really pissed off by all these people who make money and promote themselves on the backs of 'pit bulls' - be they incompetent politicians like Old Nanny McGuinty in Ontario, cheese-ass journalists who need a hook because they're too lazy or hung over to write an actual story, rescue groups who post all kinds of nonsense about how weird 'pit bulls' are on their websites, hysterics who get information from personal injury lawyers and white-hooders so they can get a hate on and all the rest of them - fooling themselves into believing that people like me give a damn about what they think or say.

If I want an opinion about 'pit bulls', I'll ask a 'pit bull'. At least they aren't in it for the money. Sometimes I think they're the only ones who aren't.

THE TIMES, THEY ARE A-CHANGIN'

Selma — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:52:00 -0400

It sure looks that way. Dog owners in Missouri stood up and voted out several candidates who think banning and killing dogs is where it's at.

Brent has the details.

I wonder if we'll have more luck here in 2011 than we did in 2007 trying to get people to oust McGuinty? Surely by then even the lowest of the low-information voters will have realized that the Ontario Liberals are anything but - and not only because of their draconian, antiquated approach to dog ownership. They treat everybody as if they need Old Nanny McGuinty looking over their shoulders, telling them what to buy, what to eat, how to garden...you name it, Old McGuinty will ban it or tax the hell out of it. The rest he just mismanages.

Today, I wish I were from Missouri, too.

EASTER WEEKEND - ALL ABOUT PETS SHOW

Selma — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:39:00 -0400

This weekend we will be manning the DLCC booth at the All About Pets show.

The show is huge, and apparently very busy, so if you're in Toronto area and attending, please drop by our booth, number 536. I attach the floor plan. We are almost in the centre near the big rectangular area with the red dot on its left side. If you view the plan at 150%, you'll see where we are. Unfortunately, I can't save it as a rotated version because I'm too cheap frugal to buy Adobe software, so you'll have to turn your monitor 90 degrees, or your head, whichever is easier.

Information about what's happening and directions are on the All About Pets website. We'll be beside our friends from Southern Ontario Animal Rescue so if you're visiting them, you'll see us.

Now, back to working on my display for our booth. I never do things ahead of time since half the fun is staying up late with clenched teeth working to a harsh deadline. Isn't it?

LUIS LIVE IN ASHLAND!

Selma — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:15:00 -0400

I'm really knocking 'em dead here....