Strutt with Your Mutt 2011 event update:

MPR's volunteers had a delightful time meeting Loretta Swit at the Strutt with Your Mutt event on Saturday, September 24, 2011. A delightful time was had and it was discovered that Loretta is a huge animal advocate! She talked at length about BSL and her experiences with her friends pit bulls. She does whatever she can to assist those with no voice. She features her artwork and the proceeds from her artwork sales goes into the fight to end the cruelty and injustice for animals.

If you would like to open your heart and home to become a foster, please take the time to fill out our foster application. MPR can provide you with the financial support for the basic needs of the dogs. With more fosters MPR can save more dogs. Within hours of getting one of our dogs into foster we are able to get another one into the program. Our dogs also provide our foster homes with an endless amount of FREE kisses, cuddles and comedic performances.

Foster Coordinator
Stephanie Pugh

Northland Pet Pantry - The mission of the Northland Pet Pantry is to provide short-term help in the form of free food and basic supplies for the companion pets of people who are struggling financially.

Reminder from the National Canine Research Council - The excellent book The Pit Bull Placebo: The Media, Myths and Politics of Canine Aggression is available for free download at the National Canine Research Council website. Find it here.

Breed Discriminatory Fiscal Impact Calculator - Tool for municipalities in understanding the real cost of enforcing bans and restrictions on dogs because of their looks. The study that led to the calculator pointed out that dogs often identified as pit bulls may be, in fact, another breed entirely, which raises the question on how to properly identify animals that under the law might be banned.

Dog Training and the Myth of Alpha-Male Dominance - Victoria was profiled in a recent TIME Magazine article entitled "Dog Training and the Myth of Alpha-Male Dominance." In the article, Victoria helps highlight the differences between traditional dominance-based methods and her brand of positive reinforcement philosophies.

EXPECTING???? - Dogs Need To Be Prepared For Baby, Too - Shawnee Mission Medical Center Offers 'Dog & Storks' Class. Families preparing for a new baby may also want to consider preparing the family pet for the new addition, too. Dogs and Storks class is $29. For more information please see, Shawnee Mission Medical Center Classes

A valuable book called Pet Meets Baby is available in a free download from American Humane Association www.americanhumane.org/petmeetsbaby to help families safely introduce a new baby or new child to a beloved pet, and a new pet to their children. Too often, young families relinquish a pet when the first baby comes, fearing harm to an infant. But there are ways to prepare the pet for a safe introduction to children, and a gentle transition in a family's attention when a new child takes center stage. Read more

ADVOCACY ALERT! - Dear Missouri Advocates,

Earlier this year, the Missouri Legislature voted to scrap voter-passed Proposition B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, which would have brought about real change for your state's long-suffering puppy mill dogs. A short time later it passed another law that gives the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MODA) considerable power to regulate commercial breeders as well as animal shelters.

Now MODA is proposing new taxes on local animal shelters and rescue organizations as if they were commercial breeders or other for-profit businesses. MODA wants shelters taxed on each and every homeless animal they adopt out. In these tough economic times, this new tax scheme could force many shelters to go under.

It should come as no surprise that MODA is also trying to weaken puppy mill protections even more than the legislature did when it repealed Prop B. The department wants to get rid of the annual veterinary exam requirement and leave terms like "extreme temperatures" and "serious illness" undefined, making it virtually impossible for inspectors to cite puppy mills for violations or for law enforcement to file animal cruelty charges.

What You Can Do We don't have much time to fight this. Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center today to email the Missouri Department of Agriculture and urge it to exempt animal shelters from exorbitant taxes and better protect puppy mill dogs in the proposed regulations. The shortcut to take action is www.aspca.org/MO

Thank you, Missouri.

This amazing looking dog went through quite an ordeal before coming to MPR. He was first brought to the Kansas City shelter by the police when his owner was arrested. Poor boy spent 10 days waiting and was eventually claimed only to be confiscated again a few days later and brought to a different shelter. We said, enough is enough. Shelter life is no party and this hunk-of-a-dog deserves better. We promised to find him a responsible and committed home where he will be safe, loved and well cared for.

Sarge is fostered in a home with several other dogs. We think that with the right supervision and the right companion, Sarge could live in a home with a compatable female. He seems too dominant to do well with another male.

Sarge is crate trained and housebroken. He seems to have some basic training too. He is very well behaved in the house and has a very easy-going personality. He loves to go on car rides and is very well behaved on outings.

Sarge is very strong and will need a home with strong leadership and good structure. Don't let this spooktacular boy pass you by so APPLY today!

We're so very pleased this month to recognize the hard work and dedication of our wonderful volunteer, Chris.

Chris is a volunteer at Missouri Pitbull Rescue's mini-shelter, where he exercises, cares for and provides training using positive methods to some of Missouri Pitbull Rescue's adoptable dogs. And, MPR thinks Chris does a fantastic job of training!

He first became interested in dogs in 2006 when he was gifted with a brindle ABPT named Smokey. Smokey quickly endeared himself to Chris, with his raw ability to learn, athletic ability and personality. In 2008 he adopted sweet little Panda from MPR. Panda and Smokey are inseparable. Shortly after adopting Panda Chris became a volunteer so he could be a part of helping more dogs.

Chris tells us that he's very happy to have an opportunity to be able to help good dogs find the right owners.

Chris, your caring, hard work and commitment are such an asset to MPR and the dogs. We are so very fortunate and thankful to have you on board.

Thank you!

~ MPR Volunteers

   Happy Updates are the fuel that keeps rescuers going....

Frankie is doing fine or maybe spoiled rotten is a better way to put it. (I should have bought stock in the company that sells Kong Dog Toys.) In one of the attached photos she has her patented "What! did I do something wrong?" look. Maybe we should have named her Buddha, she always wants her belly rubbed.

Steph and I are enjoying her greatly.

Thanks again,

Stephanie and Robert

I love Jewel... she is just amazing.

She is a couch potato, she loves to play with my other dog. Chasing squirrels is the passion of hers, also destroying squeaky toys. She likes to go fishing with us, camping and canoeing as well.

She has changed my life and has been my best friend.

Tonya

I am writing to tell you about Titus. We adopted him in mid-August and he is doing very well. I think our story begins like many others when you are not really "looking" for a dog but you end up finding that sweet face "browsing" the internet and then you become 'interested" and then it is all downhill from there. You end up filling out an application to "inquire" about the dog and the next thing you know; you are taking them home for your two week trial with no intentions of bringing them back unless it "doesn't work out". But that's the condition you tell your husband so that it is not a "commitment" until they are the ones who get attached. So...that is how we ended up with Titus. My son, James, renamed him Carl which is not your average pit bull name but when you look at him... he looks like a Carl. He is sweet and goofy and we love him dearly.

I have been looking at males for some time wanting to add another dog to our family. My husband, Mason, was satisfied with just having Sadie, our female AmStaff. So many times I would tell him about a dog where he would pretend to listen and then I would let it go and nothing would come of it. Then, our lives changed. My 15 year old brother, Andrew, passed away in July where a car ran over him in the driveway at the home I grew up in. It was a tragic accident that has been very hard for me and my family to cope with and it is only the beginning of a very long healing process. Mason finally gave in after everything we had been through and we adopted Titus. He has played a very big part by helping steer some of the sadness away because he is always making us laugh and he keeps us extremely busy. Sadie had become more of a couch ornament where Carl requires constant attention and daily walks. Basically, he keeps me going even on days I do not want to. When we first met Carl he was crazy!! He was falling off the couch, walking and falling off the table, running and tripping over his front two feet, and he was very persistent on taking Anna's stuffed animal away (although we told her to leave in the car). He still has a thing for that animal. Me and Mason just kind of looked at each other and thought "what are we getting ourselves into?' We looked at Carl with an open mind knowing that he was young and he would be easier to train and introduce a home with an established dog. He is really good with the kids (7 and 10) which to me, is the most important attribute when bringing an unfamiliar dog into your home. He is my new 'secret weapon' when it comes to getting the kids out of bed in the mornings. He will jump on the bed, sit on top of them, and lick their faces until they cannot take it anymore. Problem solved... out of bed...Thanks Carl. As for Sadie and Carl, the two dogs get along great which has made the transition easier than expected. However, they get little out of control when they are playing so we make them take it down a notch or make them take a break. It is play, play, and more play for them. It gets really annoying sometimes. Carl has gained some weight and his coat is shiny and beautiful. He sleeps at the end of our bed, he gets to run in a large back yard, and I think his favorite thing is walking Anna up to the bus stop in the mornings. The dog has it made. There are days when I want to strangle him but overall, Carl is a great boy. I want to thank everyone that made it possible for us to adopt him. Without Carl, I don't know what my mental state would be right now but I truly believe he is helping us through this trying time in our life.

Thank you, Lora, Mason, James, and Anna Phillips.