Announcing the Better Dog Legislation Forum

While many cities struggle with animal control policies, the city of Calgary has become a case study in best practices using a common sense and non-breed-specific approach. Their Dangerous Dog Legislation has reduced dog bites by a staggering 75% and Calgary now has one of the lowest bite rates in North America. Perhaps most interestingly, the program operates at a profit due to increased enforcement and fines.

The visionary behind these policies is Bill Bruce, Director of Animal and Bylaw Services. HugABull is pleased to host Mr. Bruce in Vancouver for a forum on effective dog legislation, speaking about his experiences, challenges and successes in implementing Dangerous Dog Legislation.

Event Details
Thursday, September 9
Creekside Community Centre
1 Athletes Way, Vancouver

Registration: 5:30pm
Presentation: 6:00pm

There is no registration fee, but space is limited. Please RSVP to info@hugabull.com.

We are reserving seats for city councillors throughout Metro Vancouver and will be inviting them personally. However, we encourage you to write to your local representatives and encourage them to attend. Many jurisdictions have outdated animal control policies including breed-specific legislation. Please help us spread the word about an alternative that is more effective, safer and more humane.

This event is made possible thanks to a City of Vancouver Animal Welfare Grant.

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HugABull is also hosting a half-day workshop specifically for shelter and animal welfare workers the following day: Friday, September 10. This event will feature a second presentation by Bill Bruce. If you work in animal welfare and are interested in participating in our workshop, please contact kristen@hugabull.com.

Help us create an event for real change

Thanks to an Animal Welfare Grant from the City of Vancouver, HugABull will be hosting a remarkable event on Thursday, September 9 (please note date change). Bill Bruce, the visionary behind Calgary's dog legislation - the most humane, the most profitable, and the most effective in Canada - will be our keynote speaker!

We need a lot of help putting this event together in a short time frame, and we're seeking volunteers to join our event planning committee. Duties may include phone calls, emails, correspondence, event logistics, managing RSVPs, and helping out on event day.

We would ask that you could commit a minimum of four hours a week up until September 20th. Most of this work can be done on your own schedule, and from home, but ideally you will be available for occasional meetings or activities in the Greater Vancouver area, and for the event itself.

There will be plenty of opportunities to volunteer for individual tasks, or on the day of the event, so if you can't join the committee, there are plenty of other ways you can help! Please email info@hugabull.com if you are interested and looking for an unforgettable (and fun) summer project.

HugABull the Movie

Derick Groves, a very talented filmmaker in Victoria, shot and produced this short film about pit bull misconceptions and abuse, and what HugABull is doing to help.

Derick and his partner Michelle were foster parents for HugABull almost two years ago, until their strata council decided not to allow pit bulls in their building. While they were disappointed and angry, they decided to find other ways to help, and Derick applied his considerable talent and hours of time to our cause.

We think he did an amazing job, and we challenge you to watch this short film without a tear in your eye. Enjoy, and please share it widely!

Thanks also to Monica and Tom, Lisa and John, Jeff and everyone else who participated in filiming.

Pet Talent Show and Fundraiser on July 18

As we sign adoption papers and receive final vet bills from the 23 seized dogs from Surrey it becomes clear that fundraising is still urgently needed.

Luckily, we have many creative and dedicated fundraisers on our side, helping to make a dent in the large costs associated with this rescue. Like the SFU students behind Project4Pets, a group with a mission to raise awareness of animal cruelty issues and to promote a culture that values pets and animals.

Project4Pets will be hosting Talented Tails, a pet talent show and celebration on Sunday, July 18 near Commercial Drive in East Vancouver. There will be prizes and gift bags along with a spectrum of family friendly events – a barbeque, bake sale, face painting and tons of information and resources for pet owners of all breeds.

What makes it even better? All proceeds are directed to HugABull to cover vet care for dogs like Knoxx, below. Once a tiny, neglected and sick puppy, he's now thriving in a great home and even gets to go camping!




Event Details

July 18, 2010
12:00pm – 6:00pm (talent show at 1:00pm)
Britannia High School’s Tennis Courts
1001 Cotton Drive, Vancouver

Admission: $5 in advance and $7 at the door
Registration fees for talented pets: $10 in advance and $15 at the door

For more information on the event, visit http://www.talentedtails.ca/

The Power of "Petnerships"

This summer will be very busy with events, and we'd love to see you at them! Keep an eye on the following pages for information and details about where we'll be:

• The events page on our website
• Our Twitter feed! Follow us @HugABull
• The calendar on our blog (look down and to the right!)
• Our Facebook group (log in and search "HugABull")

This weekend we'll be at The Petnerships Project. This event is a weekend of learning and connecting around animal wellness. There will be a roster of experts speaking about holistic and natural approaches to pet care, a trade show, and a rescue showcase. The organizers behind The Petnerships Project are strong supporters of rescue and are responsible for the great media stories about the 23 dogs seized in Surrey. Join us at the Hellenic Community Centre in Vancouver on Saturday or Sunday, and visit http://www.petnerships.com/ for your $5 entry coupon!

If you live on the Island, make sure to check out the fundraising car wash in Saanich on Saturday. And while we're at it, a belated shout out to the volunteers behind "Hungry for HugABull" and Nando's Restaurants who hosted a vibrant event last weekend, complete with pittie visitors (on their best behaviour, despite the fragrance of delicious chicken dinners wafting around). Thank you to all!

A Summer of Support

Since the May rescue of 23 dogs in Surrey, we have been humbled by the amazing support of the pit bull community. Six weeks later we finally have time to take a breath, and the first thing we want to do is thank the many people who made this rescue project possible.

Partners
Local pit bull rescue Bully Buddies took five of the puppies into their care, including two with severe mange. They have taken wonderful care of these dogs - all are now thriving and destined for great homes.

The organizers of The Petnership Project heard about the 23 dogs through TnT Shar Pei Rescue and immediately wanted to do all they could to help. They put a spotlight on HugABull as a featured rescue and helped us secure widespread media coverage in multiple radio stations, on CTV, and in The Province. (We'll be participating in their rescue showcase at their event on June 19 and 20 in Vancouver - come see us there!)

Sponsors
Big Heart Rescue donated boxes of supplies, toys, collars and leashes.
Cambie Animal Hospital provided a generous rescue discount for the dogs' extensive veterinary care.
Dizine Canine Training Centre in Vancouver donated daycare and training.
Dog Utopia in Surrey donated supplies and transport.
Elemental Canine in Cloverdale donated a truckload of high-quality puppy and adult food.
Furever After Small Dog Rescue Society donated collars, leashes and supplies.
Nicole Leblanc donated several bags of Wellness dog food.
W&M Pet Supplies in Langley donated toys.

Fundraisers
Meghan Clarkson is donating proceeds from her "Don't Shop...Adopt" t-shirt and sticker sales through RedBubble.com.

Doggybytes.ca is donating proceeds from button sales during the first month of its #endBSL campaign.

Natalie is organizing a fundraising car wash in Saanich on June 19.

Janice Mills spearheaded Hungry for HugABull, a fundraiser in partnership with Nando's Restaurant in Victoria.

Fosters
Thank you to the people who opened their homes and hearts to sick, suffering, and three-legged dogs. Fostering is always rewarding, but it is not always easy, especially when repeated vet visits and needle-like puppy teeth are involved! But thanks to you, these dogs thrived in family environments - rather than languishing in kennels - while they waited for their forever homes.

Donors
We received over $2,000 in cash donations from generous individuals who we would love to recognize by name - but some would rather stay out of the spotlight so we can only thank them as a group...and remind them their dollars directly save lives.

Thanks also to the volunteers who helped with homechecks, transport, positive energy and so much more over the past six weeks. It is truly a privilege to work with such a vibrant, dynamic community of animal lovers. On behalf of 23 dogs and HugABull, thank you!

HugABull now in the Okanagan

As an organization run exclusively by volunteers, we get very excited when new people join our steering committee. With the addition of Leah Gilmour, our Kamloops/Okanagan representative, we can expand our services into the Interior - supporting families, working with shelters, building our network of foster homes, and ultimately saving more dogs.

Leah has been a fan of bully breeds for years. She fell in love with a sweet, black, uber-affectionate little pit bull named Ace years ago, and after researching the breed and watching countless YouTube tributes she became determined to adopt one. The BSL in Edmonton, her city of residence at the time, was a deterrent but she persisted and added two pit bulls to her family that already included Marlon (a Boston Terrier) and 10 snakes! Stella is an AmStaff from Alberta's Pit Bulls for Life and Rufus is a mixed breed from Ontario that looked "substantially similar" enough to a pit bull to be sent out of the province.

Attracted by the sunshine and dog-friendly lifestyle of the Okanagan, Leah and her hsuband moved to Kelowna last year. She's been active in the HugABull community and eager to do her part to extend our services to new areas of BC.

Leah will be reaching out to shelters and services in the Interior to build partnerships, and recruiting volunteers and foster homes in the region. We'd like to extend a warm welcome to Leah and her family, and invite any pit bull owners, advocates or supporters in her area to get in touch! Email info@hugabull.com to find out more and connect with Leah and HugABull.