Tat's my dog! Photographer's touching portraits of rescue dogs with their tattooed owners By ANNABEL FENWICK ELLIOTT FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

A photographer is hoping to tackle two separate but similar prejudices, concerning shelter animals and tattooed people, in one fell swoop by photographing them together to produce powerful portraits.

Brian Batista's moving photos spotlight dogs - particularly Pit Bulls and other breeds which suffer some of the worst unfounded reputations - with the inked owners who saved them from abuse and abandonment.

The Nashville, Tennessee-based photographer tells Little Thingsthat he started his project in 2012 to challenge the notion that all rescue pets are 'damaged' and that all tattooed people are 'degenerates'.

On the mend: Two of photographer Brian Batista's subjects are Richard Burgess and his rescue puppy Major (pictured), who was attacked by other dog and badly injured

Writing on his website, Mr Batista states that he has met some 'incredible people' while shooting his photos, and 'some even more incredible animals'.

He adds: 'The things that they have seen and been through are some of the most heart-wrenching yet inspiring stories you will ever hear.'

Two of his subjects are Richard Burgess and his rescue puppy Major, who was attacked by other dog and badly injured. 

Mr Burgess, based in Alabama, says that Major is now a 'very happy dog' and aptly has his knuckles stamped with the words: 'Save Them'.

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Colorful lives: Major's owner says the pup (pictured) is now a 'very happy dog'

Moving: The photos spotlight dogs - particularly breeds which suffer some of the worst unfounded reputations - with the inked owners who saved them from abuse and abandonment. Pictured, Heather and Diesel

Man's best friend: Mr Batista started his project in 2012 to challenge the notion that all rescue pets are 'damaged' and that all tattooed people are 'degenerates'. Pictured, Stephan and Chesty

One duo is Steve Lawrence and his pit bull Lilly, who came together when Mr Lawrence rescued her from Nashville's city shelter after its ban on adopting out the breed was lifted.

Another of Mr Batista's portraits is of his fiancee getting inked while clutching the supportive paw of their rescue English Bulldog Mathilda.

The couple have several rescue dogs, but Mr Batista himself has no tattoos.  

Valuable: Writing on his website, Mr Batista states that he has met some 'incredible people' while shooting his photos, and 'some even more incredible animals'. Pictured, Sarge and his owner

Happy endings: One duo is Steve Lawrence and his pit bull Lilly (pictured), who came together when Mr Lawrence rescued her from Nashville's city shelter after its ban on adopting out the breed was lifted

Heartwarming: Mr Batista says of his canine subjects, 'The things that they have seen and been through are some of the most heart-wrenching yet inspiring stories you will ever hear'

Snapshot of happiness: Phil and Gooch share a loving embrace

Despite ongoing discrimination against tattoos in today's society, they are hardly the rebel stamp they once were.

One in five U.S. adults now has at least one, compared to just 16per cent of the population in 2003, according to the Harris Institute of Research.

Still, employment-based prejudices seem to be particularly stubborn.

No pain no gain: One of Mr Batista's portraits is of his fiancee getting inked while clutching the supportive paw of their rescue English Bulldog Mathilda (pictured)

Tides are turning: Despite ongoing discrimination against tattoos in today's society, they are hardly the rebel stamp they once were. Pictured, Phil and Gooch 

More mainstream: One in five U.S. adults now has at least one, compared to just 16per cent of the population in 2003, according to the Harris Institute of Research. Pictured, an unknown duo 

Mr Batista's take home message? 'Support your local animal rescue and advocacy groups before judging the animals,' he suggests. Pictured, Catfish, Erin and Handsome Hank

Inquire within: 'Ask a person why they have the tattoo they do before you judge them', the photographer concludes

This is nothing short of bullying. It's not fair and needs to be stopped 

Mr Batista cites an example concerning one of his friends, who got a memorial tattoo on his neck after his four-year-old son died.

'He was fired the next day for having this tattoo, which was showing his love for his son with art and self-expression,' Mr Batista writes.

'This is nothing short of bullying. It's not fair and needs to be stopped. Not all visibly tattooed people are in hate groups, just like not all pit bulls are vicious.'

Mr Batista's take home message? 'Support your local animal rescue and advocacy groups before judging the animals,' he suggests.

'And ask a person why they have the tattoo they do before you judge them.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2956265/Photographer-s-touching-portraits-rescue-dogs-tattooed-owners-fight-prejudice-shelter-animals-damaged-inked-people-degenerates.html

Anti Pit Bull Hysteria must End!! by Colleen Anne Carrigan

About two months ago (9/2013), I was driving home from Frederick at about 2 a.m., and I passed a specter on the side of the road. At least I thought so, because it was hard for me to believe that I had seen what I thought I saw. I pulled over to the side of the road and backed up slowly and found a dog — an emaciated, scared, hurt, bleeding dog on the side of the road picking through a white trash bag. I approached her carefully, but she just collapsed when I got close enough hold out my hand for her to sniff. I picked her up and carried her to my pick-up truck and placed her carefully in the front seat. When I got into the driver's side and saw the blood on my clothing, I knew I was in for a long night.

I called a good friend who is experienced with animal rescue. Together, we took her to Rocky Gorge Animal Hospital. It was after 3 in the morning when we got there, and the vet on duty confirmed what was obvious to us — she was a dog who had been used in a dog fight (most likely as a bait dog due to her submissive nature and the fact that she was so malnourished and abused) and was then dumped like trash. This had not been her first fight, but the vet cradled her head and whispered to her, "But it will be your last fight!"

The journey to bring her back to good health has been long, expensive, and heart-breaking, but she is a sweet and loving dog even though she has never known human kindness and has survived a hell on earth that few people could possibly imagine. She is a pit bull. She was abused, starved, and then was left to die on the side of I-270, but in just two months she has slowly started to trust that there are some people who won't hurt her. She has a sweet and nonaggressive nature which is why she was starved and dumped rather than used as a "star" by the dog fighting ring that treated her so horrifically.

Tony Solesky has endured a tragedy ("Making rescued pit bulls pets is an unnatural selection," Nov. 14). There is no doubt about this. The dog that attacked his son was kept in alley, in a small enclosure that was too small for the dog to even stand up or turn around. The dog was not socialized or treated humanely by his owner. The Solesky child admitted to teasing and throwing rocks at the dog. Although this does not mitigate the tragedy of the dog attack, in a better world this dog would have not been treated so horrifically and neighbors would have reported the abusive treatment to proper authorities who would act on the complaints, rather than throw rocks and tease an abused animal. I believe in this better world.

According to the ASPCA, there are approximately 80 million dogs in the U.S. Because pit bulls are not anAKC-recognized breed, and because DNA tests have shown that pit bull is more of a type of dog than a breed (encompassing up to 20 different breeds of dogs), tracking the number of dogs that could potentially be labeled a pit bull is impossible. It is not unreasonable to assume that the number of pit bull type dogs in the U.S. would number in the millions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are less than 35 dog bite-related human fatalities each year involving over 20 breeds of dogs, and this statistic has remained consistent since the 1970s. The breed of dog on the top of the CDC report has changed through the years based on the popularity of different breeds, but the overall number has remained relatively consistent for almost 40 years. Focusing on breed has no positive outcome. Focusing on the factors that are consistent across all breeds (such as spay/neuter, proper socialization, and targeting chronically bad owners) has been proven time and time again to lower incidents of dog aggression. This is why not one reputable animal advocacy or veterinary organization advocates for breed specific legislation.

Mr. Solesky cited a CDC report on dog bite-related fatalities by breed, but failed to note that the same report clearly states that dog aggression is a human issue, not a dog issue and the CDC stands firmly against breed specific legislation and advocates for more humane laws for animals, enforcement of existing laws, public education (especially concerning children and animals) and targeting of chronically bad owners.

There are many, many false statements in Mr. Solesky's commentary and the CDC, the ASPCA, the HSUS, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and every reputable animal advocacy and veterinary organization in the U.S. disagree with statements such as "Pit bulls were bred to be fighters, both physically and in their instinctual behavior, making them a dangerous choice as a companion pet." The AVMA states on their website, "…controlled studies have not identified this breed group [pit bull type dogs] as disproportionately dangerous…." The ASPCA states, "…a well-bred, well-socialized and well-trained pit bull is one of the most delightful, intelligent and gentle dogs imaginable." The HSUS states, "Singling out a particular breed or type of dog has repeatedly been proven to be ineffective because breed alone is not predictive of whether a dog may pose a danger."

There are good people who go to shelters or rescues and pick the dog and take their new companion home and make him a loved and cherished part of their family. These dogs live out their lives in peace with their families, never posing a threat to another animal or human being. The judges in the Solesky case devastated the lives of many families when they were forced to leave their family pet at a local shelter to be led to a dark room, put on a steel table, and given an injection that ended his life — alone and scared. These dogs posed zero threat to public safety, had good homes with good owners and the misguided and poorly-considered Solesky ruling put these innocent family pets on that steel table for no logical or explainable reason.

I choose to read and listen to studies published by the CDC, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the HSUS, and the ASPCA, all of whom can find no statistical evidence that dog aggression has any relation to breed. I choose to be part of the solution by advocating for stronger laws against dog fighting, irresponsible breeding, and leash and enclosure laws that protect both humans and dogs. I choose empathy. I choose to stand up to people who abuse and neglect dogs. In doing so, I make the world not only a better place for animals, but for people as well.

I live in Montgomery County, not Baltimore, and Montgomery County has laws that govern enclosures and tethering of dogs. Because of these laws, the owner of the dog that attacked the Solesky child would never have been able to legally keep his dog in such inhumane conditions in Montgomery County, which would have prevented the tragedy that befell the Solesky family. I advocate for institution and enforcement of such laws, and the institution and enforcement of laws ending dog fighting and back yard breeding, and that encourage spay and neuter and responsible ownership.

The starving, abused, half-dead dog that I picked up on the side of the road will be OK. She has already started to physically heal, and her emotional healing will eventually catch up with her physical healing. She is not the first rescue in my life and she is not the first pit bull — and she won't be the last, either.

With everything that these dogs have to endure in this state — dog fighters who starve them and then throw them on the side of the road like trash, judges who ignore reports and statistics published by the federal government and the largest veterinary medical association in the world in favor of hysteria and misinformation, people like Mr. Solesky who cling to ignorance and use a personal tragedy as a tool to cause immeasurable and unnecessary suffering to other families, and greedy ambulance-chasing elected officials in Annapolis who put their personal law practices and bank accounts before their oath of office — it seems to me that these dogs have much more to fear from the ignorance of human beings in the state of Maryland than we have to fear from them, and I've seen it firsthand. 

There hasn't been a dog bite-related human fatality in Maryland in over seven years, but we are killing these dogs by the tens of thousands, thanks to an ignorant ruling made by lazy judges, and a state assembly full of self-serving elected officials.

It's time for the state of Maryland to stop clinging to hysteria and ignorance. It's time to overturn the Solesky ruling with common sense legislation that removes landlord liability and does not single out any breed of dog.

Colleen Anne Carrigan, 

When you think of therapy dogs, the image is of golden retrievers and labs and other warm and fuzzy breeds. Pit bulls? Not so much.

By Roxanne Washington, The Plain Dealer 
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Yet around the country pit bulls that are certified therapy dogs and certified service dogs bring affection to ill children in hospitals, to the elderly in nursing homes and to others whose emotional and physical troubles could use a dose of warmth and comfort from a loving canine. Pit bulls that serve in these roles are sometimes referred to as thera-pits.

University Hospitals' Pet Pals program is open to therapy-certified pit bulls.

"We introduced pit bulls a few years ago with great success, said program director Barbara Nalette. "We currently have a beautiful all white pit bull named Whittle Girl who is a real love."

Pits for Patriots is a Chicago-area not-for-profit that trains pit bulls from rescues and shelters to work as service companions for veterans and first responders (police, fire and emergency and service personnel). The dogs are trained to improve the recipient's quality of life by doing such tasks as opening and closing doors, turning lights on and off, retrieving personal items, assisting with balance and mobility issues.

The Animal Farm Foundation in Dutchess County, New York, has a program that takes pit bulls from rescues and shelters and trains them to work for people with disabilities. They become service dogs and live with the people they assist and have government-approved access to public facilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Love-A-Bull's The Pit Crew is an all pit bull and pit bull mix therapy program that serves the Austin, Texas area. Volunteers and their pit bulls visit schools and other institutions.

And finally, thera-pit advocates love to remind that two of the pit bulls rescued from then Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick's dog fighting rings in 2007 went on to become "Vicktory" therapy dogs. One of the pits died last year.

Here in Northeast Ohio, Gemma, a caramel-colored pit bull with eyes that match her coat, is a thera-pit. In 2013, Gemma was in jeopardy of being put down. She was found as a stray and taken to the Lorain County Dog Kennel. The kennel euthanizes for space, and Gemma at the time was one of the kennel's longest residents, says Abbe Moen, Gemma's rescuer.

"I brought her (Gemma) home to foster her, but I fell in love with her and kept her," said Moen. She is a dog trainer with Elite K911 and a volunteer with Rescue K911, which is devoted to rescuing and finding homes for so-called "bully breeds."

Chuck Stella owns Elite K911 and founded the rescue, both of which are in North Ridgeville.

From the beginning, Gemma was a good-natured pup with no signs of being abused.

"She had a great temperament," said Moen. "She was very social, very laid back. I started working with her four or five days a week, for about an hour or two, on basic commands such as sit, down, heel and come. She also learned agility, which is confidence-building."

Moen decided, in part for personal reasons, to have Gemma trained and certified as a therapy dog.

"I wanted to be able to take her to see my grandmother in a nursing home," said Moen. "My grandmother had dementia, but when she saw the dog she literally lit up."

Gemma became certified in March 2014. She has visited schools in the suburbs and in the city. Last Sunday, she hung out with Lois Rudnik, a resident at St. Mary of the Woods Senior Living Community in Avon. Moen is friends with Rudnik's daughter.

Moen said Gemma was turned away only once because of her breed.

Dog Bite Data Collection, Interpretation and Misidentification

Guest blogger Ivy Collier discusses the lack of standardization in dog bite reporting in the U.S. The absence of accurate data results in questionable solutions, such as breed-specific legislation (BSL), which receive disproportionate media attention, often at the expense of more effective dog-bite prevention techniques.

Guest Blog by Ivy Collier

A simple Google News search on the term “dog bite” will bring you 21,700 returns in 0.28 seconds. Some of the headlines read, Police: Baby Mauled By Dog in Union TWP, 10 Ways to Avoid a Dog Bite in 2014, and Dog-Bite Victims Speak Against A Bill to End Breed Discrimination. By the sheer number of Internet returns, coupled with news reports on television and in newspapers, one can argue that public concern around dog bites has grown in recent years.

Although the exact number is not known, it is estimated that 4.5 million people are bitten each year. Close to 334,000 people are treated for dog bite injuries in hospital emergency units, and approximately 466,000 visit their doctor’s office with dog bite injuries annually (Quinlan and Sacks, 1999; Sacks, Kresnow and Houston, 1996; Weiss, Friedman and Coben, 1998). Dog bite fatalities are regarded as uncommon and account for approximately one in 167,000 deaths each year in the US (Bradley, 2006). However, dog bite data may be viewed as incomplete, as it is impossible to take into account the number of people who sustain dog bite related injuries but do not seek professional medical care.

According to Karen Delise, Founder & Director of Research at the National Canine Research Center (NCRC), dog bite reporting for the first half of the 20th century was recorded almost exclusively to track and prevent rabies. She further expounds on this subject by saying that she has notice a “slight shift in the last couple of decades, usually from animal control departments, on the focus of dog bite data collection, but the focus of virtually all health departments is still rabies prevention, and NOT dog bites.”

There is great concern and controversy regarding the reliability of dog bite data collection, as there is no uniform reporting procedure or best practices in place to ensure consistency and quality control of this data, say Don Clary, NCRC Director of Communications & Publications, and NCRC Associate Director of Communications, Janice Bradley. Many dog bite reports are self-reported by the victim to emergency responders, hospitals, animal control officers or via surveys and eye witnesses. This information is later filtered to the media, the Center for Disease Control, and state agencies, among others. This can be problematic, as there are no set criteria for questioning the victim, nor are news reporters and first responders properly trained to identify dog breeds.

While it may not be the intention for anyone to collect or report data incorrectly, it is still a reality that without data collection procedures and best practices in place, data collection will not be reliable, and thus may be interpreted incorrectly. Most peoples’ only connection to dog bites is what they see through media outlets. If the statistics being presented are incorrect or inconsistent, then society will be armed with misinformation that could lead to fear and paranoia.

Another major hazard of inconsistent data collection and interpretation procedures is the impact of breed misidentification. When was the last time you watched a news report and saw a story about a Pit Bull attacking someone? You may have thought to yourself, “How awful, those dogs are dangerous!” But once you saw a picture of the canine culprit, you clearly knew it was not a Pit Bull. If so, you are not alone. A research study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association focused on potentially preventable factors in human dog-bite related fatalities on the basis of data from sources that were deemed verifiable and complete, rather than data from media sources. The data obtained in the study indicated two problems with media characterization of dog breeds: poor reliability and poor accuracy (Patronek, 2013).

Their research attempted to identify all dog bite related fatalities from 2000-2009, and through this process found that breed descriptors in media reports are mostly unknown, or the breeds may have been identified by witnesses that did not have first-hand knowledge of the incident. Findings from this report show that 40% of media and animal control reports misidentified the breeds involved with the dog bite. The study also found that misidentification of pit bull-type dogs is an even bigger problem, as the breed descriptor encompasses multiple breeds and breed mixes (Patronek, 2013). Pit bull types are dogs that tend to have a medium to large muscular build, short fur, a wide muzzle, and boxy head. With such a vague description, one can imagine that these descriptors include numerous breeds and mixes. Some of these breeds contain the American Pit Bull Terrier, pit bull, pit bull terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Mastiff, Shar Pei, Box, Catahoula Leopard Dog, Presa Canario and the Cane Corso, to name a few.

It is essential for dog bite reports to be accurate and complete, as this information is critical for public health issues, dog bite evaluations, community education, dog bite prevention, and public policy review and implementation. This is especially true for Pit Bulls and pit bull types/mixes that are facing controversial breed specific legislation (BSL) across the country.

Dog bites, inaccurate data, and breed misidentification are not single issues. They are not a dog problem or even a Pit Bull problem, but a community problem. These issues and problems are complex and intertwined. Without uniform dog bite reporting or best practices in place, we will continue to rely on inaccurate data and erroneous media reports. This is harmful to humans, dogs, and communities across the country.

Fortunately, some academics, shelters, and community organizations understand the need for reliable data – that dog bites can be prevented and dog breed stigmas can be erased. There are numerous web sites that give advice on how to prevent dog bites, such as theHumane Society of the United States, how to socialize dogs to prevent bites such as Cesar’s Way and Dog Aggression- HSUS or Animal Planet, and how to monitor children with dogs from the American Humane Association or Dog Gone Safe. This is a first step in the right direction, and it is my hope that prevention programs will continue to grow. I also trust that as research on this topic continues to flourish, there will be a call to action to help community leaders across the country understand how important accurate data is when reporting dog bites. Dog bite stigma is damaging to multiple breeds and mixes, as misidentification not only causes widespread fear regarding certain breeds, but can urge lawmakers into enacting rash, misinformed decisions on legislation. And that benefits no one.

---

Ivy is an animal advocate guided by the belief that no animal should be abused or neglected. She currently works for the Ocean Conservancy as a manager in fundraising and has a history of working for wildlife conservation advocacy organizations. Ivy earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Psychology and her Master of Public Affairs focusing on fundraising and nonprofit management. Ivy is an avid volunteer for the Animals and Society Institute and sits on the advisory council for the American Sociological Association, Animals and Society Section. As an independent researcher, her interests focus on animals and society with a specific lens on companion animals and pop culture, canine selfhood, puppy mills, shelter management, and the fur trade.

American Pit Bull Terriers 10 friendly facts!!!!!

Rebecca OConnell

filed under: Animals, dogs

IMAGE CREDIT: 

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The American pit bull terrier may have a bad reputation, but under all that muscle is a heart of gold. Learn more about what makes this misunderstood dog so lovable.

1. THEY COME FROM VIOLENT BEGINNINGS. 

Pit bulls were bred for a brutal lifestyle in Great Britain. The bulldog was crossed with either the white English terrier or the black-and-tan terrier to create powerfully-built dogs for fighting. Blood sports such as bull and bear baiting were popular in England as early as the 1200s. Dogs would enter pits and fight the giant animals for entertainment (hence the name). When baiting became illegal in England in the 1800s, pit bulls were turned on each other and illegal dog fighting became prevalent. 

2. AS A RESULT, THEY HAVE A BAD RAP.

These dogs were bred to be strong and fearsome, and as a result, have a reputation for being dangerous. The type of dog is banned from Denver, parts of Florida, and even whole countries like Great Britain and New Zealand. 

Fortunately, the tide is changing for the misunderstood breed, and many cities arereconsidering their ban. 

3. AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIERS FALL UNDER THE "PIT BULL" UMBRELLA. 

Pit bull is a type of dog, but the American pit bull terrier is a breed. Other breeds that fall underthe term pit bull include the American Staffordshire terrier, the American bulldog, and the Staffordshire bull terrier. All of these breeds derive from the dogs originally bred to fight in the pits in England.

4. THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER IS NOT AN ACCEPTED BREED BY THE AKC. 

American Staffordshire Terrier

The American Kennel Club does not recognize the American pit bull terrier, but it does acknowledge an extremely similar breed called the Staffordshire terrier. This name distinction was created in an effort to separate the breed from its negative past. 

5. THE BREED HAS BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF NAME CHANGES. 

The AKC wasn't the only group to attempt a rebranding. In the '90s, San Francisco tried to change the dogs' name to St. Francis terriers.

In 2004, the New York City Animal Care and Control tried to rename the dogs “New Yorkies.” According to director Ed Boks, "New Yorkers, like pit bulls, are sometimes perceived as a standoffish and mean breed—but are actually some of the most generous and open-hearted people I've ever met." Sadly, the plan was a flop. 

6. THEY WERE ONCE THE AMERICAN FAMILY DOG. 

American pit bull terriers may need some PR help nowadays, but there was a time when the breed was America’s favorite. Petey, the canine companion of the Little Rascals, was a pit, as well as Nipper, the RCA dog, and Tige, the Buster Brown shoe mascot. 

7. SNOOP DOGG LOVES THEM. 

The famous rapper loves the breed so much, he once had a kennel of 20 pit bulls while living in Claremont, California. 

8. ONE PHOTOGRAPHER AIMED TO PUT THEM IN A BETTER LIGHT—WITH FLOWERS. 

Sophie Gamand

To showcase the softer side of pit bulls, photographer Sophie Gamand photographed a number of dogs with soft pastel colors and floral crowns. The combination of doe-eyed dogs and beautiful flowers make the pups impossible to resist.   

9. THEY MAKE GOOD BANDMATES. 

Caninus (pronounced kay-nine-us) was a pit bull-fronted grindcore band. The two lead singers, female pit bulls Budgie and Basil, would “sing” by barking. The group even made a split EP with a band called Hatebeak, which featured an African Parrot vocalist. 

9. THE ARMY USED THE PIT BULL AS A MASCOT. 

World War I propaganda posters would adopt the images of dogs to symbolize different countries. Germany was represented by the dachshund, England by the bulldog, and the United States by the pit bull. Respected for their loyalty, determination and bravery, they were considered the ideal candidate. 

10. THEY’RE VERY LOVING. 

When properly socialized and trained, pits can be some of the friendliest dogs you’ll meet. While you should never say hello to a dog you don’t know without first asking its owner, pit bulls are naturally warm and kind-hearted canines.

Keep in mind that every generation has a dog that it has decided is dangerous. In the 1800s, it was the bloodhound. Often dogs with bad reputations are guilty of the most dog attacks because they are bought, and trained, for the purpose of being aggressive—not because they're inherently so. Any poorly-trained dog can be violent; shower yours with love and attention, however, and you'll be rewarded with a cuddly, loyal companion.

Interested in adopting? The Merit Pit Bull Foundation is a good place to start.