To Foster or not to Foster

To Foster or not to Foster

With so many animals in shelters and rescue organizations many citizens want to do something but don’t know where to begin.  Many citizens give money and think that’s the end of the story unfortunately that's not the end of the story...actually it’s the beginning.  Many animals that are in shelters and rescues have issues that need to be addressed.  Money takes care of  the physical wounds, broken limb(s), torn ear, gashes on various parts of their bodies, cracked skull etc. however, their care goes deeper.  What about their emotional state of mind?  Who’s going to be there while they’re healing? Volunteers come and go during “working” hours but what they need is a soft voice, a gentle caress, a warm body to snuggle up against, someone to make them feel safe to let them know they won’t be hurt anymore. There are questions that come in, what if I don’t have time? I have a family” what are my friends or family going to think? I already have x amount dogs/cats. Those that want to foster these and many other questions or comments they face.

I was one of those who wanted to do something but didn’t have the money to give to the organization so I adopted Sasha who bought so much joy and love into the life of my family that we adopted another pitbull.  To me I did my part I took two dogs off the rescues hand; it felt good we bought awareness to the plight of pit bulls so my job was done.  Not so because there are many more animals that need help.  Again, I was faced with a decision I’d been toiling with....to foster or not to foster. Many questions and concerns swirled around my head as if my name was Dorothy caught in that terrible tornado storm that took her from Kansas.  What will my family & friends say? Do I have the space? We’re a busy family, maybe we don’t have time.  My neighbor doesn’t like my second dog now I’m bringing another pit bull in the community. Friends telling me I need toget a life and leave dogs alone. Are you becoming a hoarder?  The flow of questions continues to go on.While all of these questions and concerns were swirling around more pit bullswere dying, being abused and communities were still proposing and enacting a Breed Specific Legislation (BSL).  The question became what are you willing to sacrifice? Are you going to be selfishand be content with what you’ve done? We can do what we want to do when we want to do it when it comes to ourselves but how much are we as a society willing to sacrifice for others.

 After consulting with my family we decided to FOSTER.  The void that was there is no longer there, all the questions and concerns that were swirling in my head have settled, there’s a calm in the air while there’s organized chaos at my house.  What’s ironic is those that I thought weren’t going to support are very supportive and understanding.  So you’re faced with the decision of whether to foster or volunteer asset the situation, do your homework and follow your heart! Money is good to keep the organization open and running however, the true reward is seeing how the animal you saved showing their appreciation and gratitude to you for opening your house and your heart.

Got homeowners/renters insurance? If you have a Pit Bull you may not

We all need a place a live.....no matter where you decide to reside most animal lovers want the company of a canine or feline friend. When looking for a place to live one tends to focus on the obvious....location, what is the proximity to work, play (clubs, lounges etc.) family, friends, grocery stores, libraries etc. Another concern is the community: Is it a high or low crime area? Is the neighborhood conducive for child rearing? Who are my neighbors? Are they young professionals, college students or old prunes? Does the county, state or municipalities have Breed Specific Legislation Laws (BSL)? This law restricts residents from having certain dogs or dogs that exhibit the characterics of a dog that has been banned by the city, municipalities or counties. Canines that have fallen into this forsaken ban are: American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Terriers,Chows, Rottweilers to name a few. These questions are valid for several reasons from safety to insuring your humble abode. One question many renters/homeowners do not consider but the insurance adjuster does is what kind of pet(s) you own. Depending on your answer will determine if you have a policy.

The usual questions insurance agents ask are: How many rooms do you have? What kind of flooring is in the house? Have you done any work to the house? How old is your house? Do you have an attic? Do you have a basement? to name a few. As the conversation goes most agents do not ask if you have pets unless they hear one in the background and then they may or may not ask if you have a pet. Why is this important? For one simple reason. It is not until an adjuster comes to your house for a scheduled visit that; upon leaving your residence a couple of days later you may receive a letter in the mail stating your policy will be cancelled within a certain time frame unless you get rid of your beloved pet(s). You may have several policies with this company, developed a relationship with the agent however, because you have a certain “breed” of dog your money is no longer welcomed. Although you have never filed a claim for any of the issued policies your money is no longer welcomed because you have a “POTENTIALLY” aggressive/dangerous dog that is on the insurance list. This happened to one family who had to make the decision to keep the insurance they had for several years and became great friends with their insurance agent or keep their beloved pit bull. The decision was clear and was not a hard one, the family took their business elsewhere. They went with a company that not only was pleased to insure their home, life, boat but more importantly accepted and insured their beloved pit bull. What made the deal sweeter; the family saved money on their policies as well as received benefits and extra savings because their pit bull was a therapy dog and Canine Good Citizen! Moral of the story do your homework prior to making a decision on who will get your hard earned money. The Pretty Chic with the Pits has done a little homework for you. View the information below to ensure your money isn’t being good until the insurance company finds out what type of pet you have.

Here are a few insurance companies that WILL insure you, family and your pets no matter the breed:

State Farm
Farmers
Fireman’s Fund
Chubb Group
United Services Automobile Associates

Insurance companies that will NOT insure you if you have a certain “breed” of canine:

All State
Travelers
Geico
American Strategic Insurance (ASI)
Liberty Mutual
Arrow Head

Progressive insurance will insure your home if you have a pit bull or any other “potentially” dangerous or aggressive breed however, you may NOT be able to get the maximum amount of coverage. Meaning if you decide to insure your home with Progressive you, your family & your home may not have adequate coverage. On the flip side of this if you insured your vehicle with Progressive they will cover your beloved pet in the car but not in your home.

To be sure this does not happen to your or your family please check your policy/policies, your state, county or municipalities and educate yourself about the various insurance companies and their policies. Do not be afraid to ask questions!

The Pretty Chic with the Pits, Inc.
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TRUNKING

Just about everyone is aware of dogfighting, what it entails, who participates and where it goes down. The usual hot spots are/were on school yards, playgrounds, alleys, back of someones house/apartment complex or abandoned buildings. In may states dog fighting is illegal however, criminals will always find a loophole. It’s apparent dog fighting crews have found another way to continue their criminal activities. The new but not so new trend in dog fighting is called “trunking.” What is trunking? Trunking is a form of dogfighting where two dogs are placed in the trunk of a vehicle once the trunk is closed the fight begins. Participants ride around for a period of time blaring music while the dogs are in the trunk of the vehicle literally fighting for their lives. There is no ventilation in the trunk, very little space and these dogs are forced to fight for air, space and a will live....all for money, glory and a fake reputation as being or having the baddest dog on the block. Talk about the ultimate bloodsport. After those lacking intellect decide enough time has pass they meet a mutual spot with the other dogs owner to see which dog was “victorious.” A winner is determined by who “survived.” In many cases one dog is dead the other badly wounded he/she may succumb to their injuries sooner or later. Neither dog receives proper care for their injuries ( for obvious reasons) or is laid to rest properly. Many of these dogs are discarded like garbage, found in garbage cans or left on the side of the road, left where they died in the field or thrown over bridges. For those that do survive but are severely injured are killed because the likelihood of them winning the next fight is slim to none. The winner or should I say the loser in the end is scared, scarred, damaged, barely alive only to fight another day. As cruel as this may sound it’s almost better for them to die in the trunk rather to have to deal with the torture of fighting for his/her again.

Individuals that participate in this act are depraved and have very little to no regard for life. For those who have or will say ”they're just dogs” yes they are dogs, dogs that deserve the right to live their lives to the fullest, knowing, receiving and giving love. It is because of these unintelligent folk that Breed Specific Legalisation (BSL) exists, the reason these dogs are deemed “potentially” dangerous, society scared of them making negative statements that these dogs are deemed incapable of knowing love, giving love or receiving love is flat out WRONG. With proper care these dogs after experiencing all they have experienced are capable of receiving, giving love and thrive. The Humane Society is offering a $5,000 award for information leading the arrest and conviction of participants in “trunking.” Police departments around country are being trained on how to detect and handle “trunking” activity or incidents. Lets be vigilant for those that don’t have a voice or a choice.

The Pretty Chic with the Pits
“Societies perception is NOT these dogs reality”
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