A new batch of Good Neighbours!

Thirteen dogs joined us on Sunday, July 19 to take the Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) test, a Canadian Kennel Club assessment program that evaluates self-control, good handling, and canine etiquette.

We were proud to see seven HugABull dogs walk away with the CGN title. For Bronte, in particular, this was a proud achievement.

As you can tell from his huge grin, Bronte is a happy, sweet boy who has captured many hearts. Since 2004, he was adopted and surrendered a number of times, through no fault of his own. Lifestyle changes, breakups, illness - Bronte just couldn't get a break, or a family that could keep him through thick and thin.

All this turmoil paid a price. Although Bronte is whip-smart and eager to please, his time in the shelter and as a yard dog made him increasingly anxious. This came to a head when one of his owners let him loose in an off-leash dog park. He got into a fight, and although he caused no damage he was labelled a "dangerous dog" in Victoria.

After he was surrendered in 2008 (a family illness), he was fostered by Lauren, Luke and their dog Rex. Rex and Bronte bonded closely and were inseparable until Rex passed away two months ago. In their grief, Lauren and Luke decided that the best way to pay tribute to Rex was to give his best friend a forever home, and the adoption was made official just a few weeks ago.

Lauren and Bronte attend Rally-O and obedience classes, and Bronte is thriving. When he passed his CGN test on Sunday, the crowd broke into wild applause, and even a few tears.

From "dangerous dog" to certified Good Neighbour: a testament to the potential of this breed, and the power of responsible ownership!

From left to right: CGN evaluator Sam Andress, proud owner Lauren Calbeck, and HugABull's Shelagh Begg (also a previous foster mom to Bronte!)

Another CGN (and HugABull alum) is Moonpie, a completely deaf, rescued pit bull who aced the evaluation by following hand signals. She's an amazing example of the potential of dogs with disabilities.

Other HugABull CGNs include Koda (with Kristen), Granger and Fletcher (with Ashley), Chica (with April) and Jake (with Eric). Congratulations all! You are all examples of responsible ownership, expert handling, and the potential of this breed.

Some photos from Sunday's test:

Granger waits patiently in a "sit-stay" until the signal from her mom, Ashley.

A rottweiler politely navigates a crowd...

Chica and April (on the right) prepare for a calm, controlled encounter with another dog (Arlo).

A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped with set-up, registration and the evaluation. Special thanks to Samantha and Arlo (http://www.markeydasgrooming.com/) for donating their time, and to the House of Wags (http://www.wags.ca/) for hosting.

Patriotic Pit Bulls

HugABullers and dogs were proud to participate in this year's 2009 Canada Day parade through downtown Vancouver.

Hunter (formerly Rio), newly matched with his forever family through HugABull, dressed for the occasion and marched with a big bullie smile.

HugABull foster dog Edward came out with us wearing an "Adopt Me" vest, which drew a lot of attention and inquiries. He was a bit overwhelmed by all the activity, but behaved beautifully. He'll be a pro Ambassadog some day.

The Hugmobile.

Walter loved being front, centre and amongst the crowds...anywhere, as long as he's part of the action.

You've heard of face-painting? Peaches demonstrates the fine art of dog stenciling!

Muay proudly carried her country's flag for almost the entire walk...serious fortitude.

Ever-social Maggie worked the crowds...

Arlo wowed the spectators with his tricks.

And at the end of it all, we managed to round up a bunch of tired but happy dogs for a group photo. Next stop is the Vancouver Pride Parade on August 2nd. Will we see you there?

Is your dog a good neighbour?

HugABull will be hosting their 2nd CGN (Canine Good Neighbour) Test on July 19th, 2009. This test is open to all breeds!

Having you and your dog obtain your CGN certification is a huge achievement, and tells your community that you're serious about responsible ownership.

Test Date: July 19th, 2009
Time: 11am - 3pm
Location: The House of Wags
3926 Grant Street, Burnaby
Evaluator: Samantha Andress
Cost: $25.00 per dog

All dog/handlers that pass will receive a certificate issued by the Canadian Kennel Club.

For more information on what CGN is, please visit http://www.ckc.ca/en/Default.aspx?tabid=91

For more information regarding the actual test, please visit http://www.citizencanine.org/cgn12.htm

Registration is limited. If you are interested, please contact Shelagh at shelagh@hugabull.com before July 13th, 2009.

Let's Rally for Gabe

Mellow Gabe has been in foster care for eight months and is ready for his forever family. Help us spread the word about this sweet guy and find him the permanent home he deserves.

To meet Gabe is to love him: he's gentle and loving with everyone he meets. He has wonderful house manners and is a laid-back companion. No crazy puppy energy here, although he LOVES to play with his ball and his Kong!

Gabe is about eight years old and in good health, but he didn't come to us that way. His first owner kept him in a pen with two younger, bigger dogs who continually picked on him and inflicted nasty wounds on his face and body. He has one of the worst ear-crop jobs we've ever seen, leaving his ear canal completely exposed.

Other than his physical scars and a little uneasiness around new dogs, you'd never know that Gabe came from a rough background. He's a giant, cuddly marshmallow of a dog who loves to be tucked in at night with his blankie.

We're not sure why it's taken Gabe so long to find a home. He'd be a wonderful addition to a family, and would be a fabulous companion for kids. He does well with other polite, socialized dogs as long as introductions are made slowly, so a home with an existing dog shouldn't be a problem. But cats will be...felines are the only thing Gabe doesn't get along with.

If you know someone who might make a good match for Gabe, contact hugabull@gmail.com or forward them our adoption application at www.hugabull.com/application.html

A Sad Day!

Supreme Court will not hear appeal of Ontario's pit bull ban
By THE CANADIAN PRESS – 5 hours ago
OTTAWA —

The Supreme Court of Canada said Thursday it will not hear a bid to quash Ontario's ban on pit bulls.

The attempt to take the fight to Canada's highest court was launched in April by a
Toronto dog owner represented by lawyer Clayton Ruby. "That's the end of the
legal attack, but it remains a bad law, a terrible law," Ruby said in an
interview.

In his submission to the Supreme Court, Ruby argued there is no
scientific or statistical basis to conclude that pit bulls are more dangerous
than other dogs. He asked the Supreme Court to review a decision from
Ontario's Appeal Court last October that upholds the province's ban.

The high court decided Thursday that it would not hear the appeal.
The Ontario Appeal Court concluded that pit bulls are dangerous and unpredictable dogs that have the potential to attack without warning.The Ontario government enacted the Dog Owners' Liability Act in 2005 to ban the breeding, sale and ownership of pit bulls after several incidents in which the dogs attacked people.

When the law was enacted, pit bulls that were already pets in the province were grandfathered and allowed to stay with owners, but with strict rules.
As a result, many owners have opted to give up their dogs and the animals are ultimately euthanized, Ruby said."The dogs are winding up in the shelters, the shelters can't keep the dogs forever and they kill them," he said.
The challenge was launched on behalf of Ruby's client, Catherine Cochrane.

The Supreme Court also ordered the woman to pay the costs associated with her application to take the case to the high court.
Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights
reserved.

Gentle Tiger wins Animal Courage Award

Tiger is an exceptional example of a pit bull’s resiliency and capacity for love, and we were proud to see him win the BC SPCA Animal Courage Award on May 29.

Last summer in the community of Trail, Tiger was doused with gasoline and set on fire, suffering severe burns on 30% of his body including his face, nose, legs and ear. The local SPCA rushed to the scene and provided emergency treatment to a dog in unthinkable pain. He was then transferred to Vancouver for months of recovery, including the amputation of his badly damaged right ear and treatment for open wounds.

Throughout a difficult recovery, everyone who met Tiger was won over by his sweet and gentle nature. By September the SPCA determined he was ready for a forever home, but they knew it had to be the right one. They turned to HugABull, whose screening processes and support could ensure that Tiger was matched with a family that would care for his physical and emotional scars.

That family was Monica and Tom Bodie of Victoria. At the time, they were mourning the death of their 12-year-old pit bull, Pluto, whom they’d also rescued from an abusive former guardian. Monica and Tom thought that taking care of Tiger would be a wonderful way to fill their house with love once again, and honour Pluto’s memory.

Tiger’s injuries have healed and with his new loving parents, he has a new lease on life. “We are so impressed with his gentle and sweet disposition,” says Tom, “especially given how abused he was. We think he is absolutely stunning, scars and all.” Monica, Tom, and HugABull director Kristen attended the SPCA ceremony where Tiger shared dinner at the table, received his award on stage, and made friends with everyone in attendance. Congratulations Tiger, Tom and Monica!

Tiger poses with Monica, Tom and Danielle from the Trail SPCA, one of the first officers on scene for Tiger's rescue.

BCSPCA OPEN HOUSE

Thank you to Shelagh for manning our booth this weekend at the BCSPCA Open House and a huge thank you to volunteers Kayte, Jim & Jeff for coming out and helping to spread the HugABull word. Great job everyone!