Take A Step Back

A terrible incident occurred at the Cincinnati Zoo over the weekend. A young boy got through the enclosure and dropped 12' into the Gorilla World exhibit. We've all seen the video and I'm not going to sensationalize this event by posting it here. I will say that the full video is really hard to watch as a mother and as someone who works with animals every day.

As with any tragedy involving animals and humans, particularly young children, emotional responses run strong. It appears everyone has turned to the Internet and social media to arm chair quarterback what should have happened. There are petitions on both "sides" (though I hesitate to use that term because this is way more complex than a black & white issue). Some petitions are calling for criminal charges to be filed against the parents of the child who got through this enclosure and involve child protective services.

Some petitions are looking to shut down the zoo's exhibit, or the zoo itself.

Harambe (credit: Cincinnati Zoo website)

It's too easy to just yell and scream when something goes wrong. It's easy to think we know all the facts.

We really just don't.

The aftermath, though not nearly as global, reminds me of the Save Neville petitions from last year. This was a case that I reference in many of my presentations because of the perfect intersection between the animal and human worlds, and what happens when we just jump into the fray without knowing the full story.

The quick and dirty that was passed around Facebook:

A Change.org petition states that a family with a young child was looking to adopt a dog. They entered a pen with Neville and “other dogs” that were playing. The staff advised the family not to put the child on the ground, but they did anyway and when the toddler grabbed Neville, Neville bit the youngster in the face. As a result of that single bite wound Neville is court ordered to be euthanized.

The facts of the case that were absent, not discussed, or not fully understood by well-intending individuals included how many dogs were in the pen, and some huge educational gaps on the part of the shelter in how people meet their potential dog. The internet sent petitions calling for protective services to be called on the "negligent" parents, and others called for the shelter to get shut down. If you break it apart, it's really another case of not having all the facts. Once all the facts were presented, it turned out there was a much more to suss out, and a much more rational solution. (More on the Neville Case, go here.)

I think the bigger take away here is stop and take a step back. I think we would all do better to listen to the experts, consider there are two families (a zoological family and a family with a small child) who are grieving. We should stop with the online petitions unless there is a full appreciation of every intricacy as to what happened, which includes listening to zoologists and animal behaviorists (people who have earned a PhD in animal behavior). 

Petitions and yelling will not bring back Harambe. Petitions and yelling will not undo the heavy burden of guilt and second-thinking that the family has undoubtedly been dealing with since this incident knowing their child could have died, their child was in danger, and an endangered gorilla is now dead - and now the internet backlash calling for Child Protective Services or shutting down the zoo.

This incident comes at a moment when every week the morning news mentions "tourists approach rare animal and animal is killed," or "person is killed by wild animal while trying to get a selfie."

It is  time for us to look at how we engage with animals.

There have been dozens of news pieces just this year on people walking up to wild animals - a baby dolphin died because people wanted to take a selfie.

A baby bison died when tourists thought the calf looked "cold" and they put it in the back of their truck.

There are many, many more stories just like this, from 2016 alone.

We have to pay attention around animals. We have to respect their right to be on this planet just as much as we are, and if we aren't fully absorbed in the moment and think about the consequences of our actions or inactions, animals or people can die.

This is just as true for dogs, bison, dolphins and 400 pound endangered gorillas. We have to do better.

If the zoo didn't act in the way they did, this boy would likely have died.

As heart breaking as this is, it still could have been much, much worse had the two female gorillas not been called out of the enclosure by quick thinking staff that have taken the time over the years to prepare as much as possible for something like this.

This could have been much, much worse if the child died, too.

This could have been much, much worse if the boy's mother jumped in after her son.

If the parents removed the boy from the exhibit, he might not have gone in the enclosure...but how many of you have had the experience of watching a 3 or 4 year old child? It's HARD. They are fast. They are small. I've had Aislyn disappear on me for a few seconds (which seemed like minutes) and I had my eyes on her as we were walking through a mall. It doesn't take much for an accident to happen, even if you do everything right.

I'm not here to judge the parents - and I'm not here to judge the zoo's actions. Most of you know my stance: let the pros do what they need to do in an emergency. I'm a dog trainer, not a zoologist. I trust Jack Hannah, Jane Goodall, and Thane Maynard in this case as it relates to animals they understand. I would not trust them if they were explaining how to make the perfect pizza sauce - I'd look to someone who is an expert. 

Well, maybe an expert without anger management issues.

I also trust that if there are any safety protocols the Cincinnati Zoo (or other zoos) can employ after this incident, they will do it if it doesn't negatively impact the quality of life of the resident animals. Lastly, I trust that the family involved has learned a great deal and they don't need petitions calling for child protective services. Mom didn't toss her baby into the gorilla pen. It's a wake up call for all of us to be aware of ourselves, our kids, and the animals around us.

I think that we all need to take a step back, and figure out how we can live with animals in the wild, and in captivity, in a respectful manner and take this down a notch so we can have a respectful discussion.

-M3


As with any blog posts that might trigger significant emotional response, I will delete any and all comments that are not conducive to the conversation. I will not allow this to be a place to blame anyone involved in this case. It's a tragic story and these are real people, real animals and real employees. This is a safe place. Any name calling, blaming, threats or other comments will be immediately deleted. For those involved in this incident, I'm truly sorry for your experience and I hope some good can come of this event going forward. -M3

Muzzle Up!

Here is a post I wrote for 2 Dogs Treats last week. I thought it was an important one to share here in its entirety. 

Muzzle Up!

If you are reading this right now, you might think muzzles are only for “bad dogs.” Dogs that are aggressive, dangerous or mean.

I hope to change your mind by the end of this post.

I will introduce and discuss the many reasons for acclimating every dog to a basket muzzle, particularly in an urban environment. Your vet would argue (rightfully) that all dogs should be comfortable wearing a muzzle and I have to agree.

A Labrador Retriever wearing a Basket Muzzle. 
(Courtesy of TheLabradorSite.com)

Before I list the many reasons that pet professionals are pro-muzzle, I want you to think for a minute. What circumstances would a muzzle be useful? Think about veterinarians, the law, natural disasters. Now can you think of any other reason to muzzle train your pup?

Here is a short list:

• Veterinarians might have to muzzle your dog if he is seriously injured. When our greyhound broke his leg at home, my instinct was to grab his basket muzzle, put it on him, and then evaluate the situation. When a dog is in excruciating pain (such as a broken leg), their instinct is to prevent more pain. Even the best behaved dogs that would never otherwise bite their owners have bitten owners, passer bys and veterinarians - all of which were trying to help the dog. You can’t help your dog if you are also going to the ER for a significant dog bite, so put the muzzle on Sparky first and then assess the situation.
• Dogs that eat EVERYTHING. If you have a dog who has had to go to the veterinarian more than once this summer for parasites because your dog eats everything on walks, a muzzle might be a great option for preventing illness and more vet bills. This also applies to labradors who eat rocks, poop (coprophagia) or other forms ofpica.
• Local evacuations: With more and more natural disasters nationally, the chances of evacuation due to natural disaster are (sadly) increasing. Many people do not want to leave their pets behind in case of emergency, and many choose to ignore evacuation requests because of their pets. Don’t risk your life, or your pets life. Many evacuation sites will allow you to bring your pet IF it’s in a crate and muzzled. When a dog is stressed out, the likelihood of a bite increases so for everyone's protection, your pets need to be muzzled and / or crated. If you haven’t started crate training, here is a great place to start.
• Reactive Dogs: There are aggressive dogs (dogs that for a variety of reasons charge and bite) and there arereactive dogs. Dogs like my former dog, Sadie, who had a large personal space bubble and was perfectly fine as long as no other dog came into her space. If they did, then she would react by lunging, barking, and loudly express her displeasure at the intruder. It’s an even harder situation when the dog coming into her space is a “friendly” dog who “just wants to say hi.” Sorry, this might be unpopular, but as the owner of a reactive dog (like thousands of you in cities) your dog’s friendliness has absolutely nothing to do with my dog’s comfort. Your dog’s “good intentions” is not permission to come into any dog’s space. Full stop. This is why leash laws exist - it’s not just for the safety of your dog, but for the dogs that are uncomfortable their surroundings. If you do not have the ability to call your dog from any distraction (including other dogs) your dog should be leashed until trained. With that said, as an added bonus, a dog like Sadie could have worn a muzzle - which would have been a visual cue to the FDO (friendly dog’s owner) that this dog should not have her space infringed upon. Sometimes a little extra security goes a long, long way.
• If you are in a busy environment and other people ignore pleas to not get in your dog's face. If you are someone who says “yes, I know he’s cute, and he likes people but I think he’s overwhelmed now,” a muzzle is a good visual marker for people to give a little bit of space so this dog can take a quick break.
• Bully Breeds: If you own a bully breed, or a banned breed (there are 75 of them in the USA - is your dog on this list?), a muzzle might be a necessary evil for you to keep your dog. In some cases, you can only walk your banned breed down the street of your neighborhood, regardless of temperament, with a muzzle. If you think breed bans are just for ‘pit bulls’ and other bully breeds, then you’re in for a surprise because in some cases, Chihuahuas, American Eskimo Dogs and Golden Retrievers are on the list. If you are the owner of these dogs in a locale that bans these breeds, you are now going to start feeling the heat in the way that bully breed owners have been for decades. It’s time to stop BSL (breed specific legislation) and instead employ individual risk assessment per individual dogs.

Pink, custom, blinged out muzzle for this beauty! 
For more information about this particular piece, visit RedStarCafe

There are great resources for muzzles, including the popular Muzzle Up Project. This website lays out even more resources and reasons for muzzles, and works hard to erase the stigma of muzzles. The Karen Pryor website also is addressing the muzzle issue.

With all of that said, muzzles are still used on dogs that are aggressive, so it’s important to give space to ANY dog wearing a muzzle. Until we can all get on board and ask every dog owner if it’s ok to say hello to their dog (and keep going if the answer is “No,” for any reason!), then muzzles are a necessity.

And, in some cases, are really, really cute :)

2 Dogs Treats owner Christian enters J-Lo in a Halloween contest. J-Lo is wearing a Duck Muzzle - a functional muzzle designed to take some of the stigma out of muzzling dogs. Good boy, Christian! You’re doing an AWESOME job advocating for your pup!

So next time you see a dog in a muzzle, there is no reason to be alarmed. The owner is protecting their dogs from illness, good intentions and eating terrible things. They are advocating for their dog’s space. They are teaching their dogs that muzzles are no big deal in the event of an emergency. These are good dog owners who are being proactive and protective for a variety of reasons.

Training goal: Get a muzzle and start teaching your pup to wear it. You don’t have to have your dog wear it all the time, but you can start getting your dog used to it. Your vet, trainer and others will thank you for it in the event of an unforeseen circumstance. The time to try a muzzle is not when you’re being evacuated or your dog has broken his leg - the time for muzzles is when you can teach them to wear it comfortably, and treat it like a party trick.

Until next time! 
Melissa McCue-McGrath, CPDT-KA

Author Considerations for the City Dog | Co-Training Director NEDTC.org | Co-Conspirator at CarTalk FIDO

Why I Won't Sign The "Save Neville" Petition

There is a post circulating like CRAZY on Facebook. It’s called “Save Neville.” The Change.org petition states that a family with a young child was looking to adopt a dog. They entered a pen with Neville and “other dogs” that were playing. The staff advised the family not to put the child on the ground, but they did anyway and when the toddler grabbed Neville, Neville bit the youngster in the face. As a result of that single bite wound Neville is court ordered to be euthanized.

Upon hearing that story, I’d sign that petition! This dog is misunderstood. His face is so cute! It seems to be one bite. This dog might not be placed with kids in the home, but surely this is a dog worth saving, right? I mean, the parents clearly didn’t listen and the responsibility is on them...right?

Here is a great lesson in making sure you have all the facts before jumping on a Change.org bandwagon, especially if it seems like the petition is one-sided.

According to a news piece on this story, there were up to five dogs in the pen with Neville and they were all playing. As a professional, I read that as “jazzed up.” The shelter said they told the family not to put the child down (citing common sense) but the family denies being told. This part is he-said-she-said and can’t be proven unless the surveillance camera (which is part of the case) can point to the staff saying, “Hey, don’t put your kid on the ground.” When the 2-year-old reached up to “hug” Neville after hugging and shaking the dog previously, the dog turned and bit the child in the face which resulted in 16 stitches at a local hospital.

The photo of the child’s wounds was notably absent from the petition.

That does not sound like a single bite wound, though maybe it is? It *could* be a quick bite to the delicate skin where 8 top teeth met 8 bottom teeth resulting in 16 stitches (or something like that.) It could also be 3 teeth grabbing and shaking the toddler which would scale significantly higher on the Dunbar Bite Scale.

What is the Dunbar Bite Scale? If you call a professional like me into your home if your dog nips, bites, or wounds another party (person or dog), the scale I use to quantify those bites is the Dunbar Bite Scale. If you scroll down through the linked article, there are great cartoons that aren’t too graphic that illustrate perfectly how I scale a bite from Level 1 (air snap/ dog bit and “missed”) to Level 6 (death to the victim). There are only 6 levels, but they are quantifiable and can tell us a lot. How riled up was the dog? Given the severity of the bite, was the dog reacting to stimuli (a kid grabbing him?) or “looking for trouble” (charging and attacking the victim). Dogs don’t tend to start biting at level 3, 4 or 5...so the higher up the bite scale tends to indicate a bite history. This bite scale is really important in my line of work and professionals like me work hard to get this information out there. I think every bite needs to be quantified and an appropriate plan should be in place. All of this is dependent on the stress of the dog and the bite level of previous bites.

DrSophiaYin.com : Available as a free download among other fantastic resources.

I feel if we can change the way we talk about dog bites, we can stop victim blaming and stop our knee-jerk reaction to the poor dog who just didn’t know any better. I’m not saying I don’t sympathize with the situation, or want to save the dog - but this type of banter needs to stop:

 

“The parents should have known better.”

“The kid shouldn’t have hugged the dog.”

“Yes, the kid got 16 stitches, but he won’t likely have permanent damage.”

“I’ll take Neville. Say he ran away and give him to me.”

“The parents should have been bitten.”
"Euthanize the parents, not Neville." "The parents brought this upon themselves. I have no respect for them."

These are all, sadly, comments taken directly from the Change.org petition. It’s hear- breaking. This happens every time there is a dog put on doggie death row, but we have to change the way we talk about and handle dog bites and ethical rescue/adoption in this country if we really want to save these dogs.

Again, I’m not saying this dog is dangerous. I don’t have all the facts - and that’s why I’m not weighing in on if he should have a stay of execution. Some dogs are dangerous. Some dogs should not be homed. Sometimes it’s the people, but sometimes it IS the dog. Sometimes it’s the environment. Sometimes it’s poor placement from the shelters. And sometimes it’s the people. All the people. Including the shelter employees. We need to stop saying “there are no bad dogs, only bad people” because that isn’t fair to the 2-year-old kid in this case who has to deal with stitches and maybe long-term fear of dogs. Yes, there were people in this case who made this worse, but canine genetics might have also played a part in this case, and the dog might not have been ok with kids. That’s not for me to say because (again) I haven’t met this dog or seen the file. It is, however, food for thought. There is much more here than an online petition.

In this case, I see several failures and teachable moments:

• On the part of the parents who put a kid in a pen with multiple dogs, but maybe they didn’t know better - and knowing that “hugging” dogs is bad is just now getting iton the zeitgeist. Not everyone knows this, so that’s not fair to put on the parents. We are all still learning. Also, not every person is a dog expert, and we’re learning more every day. Yet, if they ignored shelter staff, then this is on them, too.
• On the part of the shelter for having a family with a young child meet more than one dog in a pen.
• On the part of the shelter for not knowing subtle stress signals in dogs if any were given, or likely triggers in dogs (for instance: 5 dogs zipping around and a toddler reaching for one of them).
• On the part of the shelter for not immediately intervening when the toddler moved towards Neville. The parents might not be experts, but the shelter staff should know better...but maybe they don’t. Again, we are all still learning, and many shelters don’t have access to the tools they need. Their good intentions are there, and needed to save dogs, but they need more tools to make better decisions when introducing families to pets.
• On the part of the shelter for not removing the family if an employee did say, “Hey, I don’t advise you putting your child on the ground.” That would be a great time to reassess the situation if there were warnings about putting the toddler on the ground. Maybe then pick a suitable match and bring the family into a single room to meet the dog - a room with a poster on “how not to say hi to dogs.”

Here’s the take away: Victim blaming is never...let me repeat, never, ok. The way I see it, everyone “failed” but that doesn’t mean it’s the time to victim blame. I see gaping holes in education and safety protocol. It’s time to look at this event and say, “Hey, we need to do better and we can’t let this happen again.” How do we do that?

• The way to truly save Neville is to have a Certified Behavior Consultant, Applied Animal Behaviorist who works with dogs or a Veterinary Behaviorist assess the dog. They might say that he needs to be euthanized, or they might say he just can't be in a home with kids or loud noises.Regardless, someone with the, knowledge, experience and authority to make this sort of call should be involved. Qualified professionals should have a bigger say as to what happens to Neville than a mob on an online petition . These findings should be presented to the court.
• There needs to be a management plan and a behavior plan in place if he is saved.
• The shelter needs to look over their policies of how families meet dogs (and maybe provide education to their shelter staff, volunteers and community about how to interact with dogs safely.)
• They need to learn about, and teach, stress signals in dogs.
• Investigate using a behavior assessment protocol, like Matchup II and employ programs like Open Paw to make each shelter an educational hub for human/dog safety.
• The shelter needs to be ok if this dog gets euthanized. They also need to make sure they take the proper steps to make sure this never happens again.
• The shelter can ask a qualified, certified animal behaviorist (someone with a PhD in the field and a certification stating they have completed a program in animal science - not just any ol’ person who says they are a behaviorist. They need to back up their profession with actual credentials) to come in and work with them on proper assessment practices and how to manage the dogs and the people who want to adopt these dogs safely.

This dog still might get euthanized, or he might not, but public outcry should not be the thing that saves Neville. Using this as a teachable moment for all parties involved and to start programs in local schools (like Doggone Safe) to teach kids and parents about safe interactions with dogs is a fantastic place to start. Additionally, the Family Paws website and everything at
Living with Kids and Dogs is useful for all parents, even if you don't have dogs. Your kid might come in contact with dogs on walks, or get chased by a dog off leash - the information in these websites is invaluable and can prepare families for the unexpected.

This shelter should take the lead, learn about safe practices, and make sure they are on the hook if Neville bites again - because if they place this dog and he has another incident where someone gets seriously hurt, the shelter who stands by this dog needs to have some accountability.

-M3

----- Update!!! Neville was eventually placed in a home and evaluated by an orthopedic veterinarian who discovered he had a case of hip dysplasia. This could have been a contributing factor, or even the primary factor, in biting this young boy. That said, even with his medical condition, preventative measures would have gone a long way in ensuring Neville wasn't in a position where he needed to protect himself, and the young boy wouldn't have been in a position where he needed 16 stitches.

I love rescue. Every pet we have in our home is adopted and that will be the most likely case case for the rest of our days. With that said, it's imporant to note that everything listed above can certainly help change rescue from a place of simply moving animals into homes that may or may not be appropriate for a particular pet, but change the conversation to one of taking responsible measures to prevent another Neville situation from happening again. Remember, I'm not there, so I don't know first-hand how many, if any of the steps above have been adopted by the shelter to prevent these things from occuring again.

Neville was instead court ordered to register as a dangerous dog, which doesn't really mean much. Registering as a dangerous dog means different things through the country so while this looks like a lot was done, the onus after all of this is still put on Neville. The very thing this rescue was trying to prevent with a court case was to, yes, save his life, but also a major part of their argument was that this wasn't Neville's fault. I still firmly believe after all these years that in order to truly save Neville and dogs like him, steps need to be taken at the facility levely. If a case like Neville occurs at a facility and steps aren't taken to properly introduce kids and dogs, or if steps are not taken to educate the volunteers and staff to prevent this occurance from happening again, then the onus is solidly on the rescue in future cases. *Due to hateful language in the comments section, the comments might have to get shut down. That said, I have reported comments that call me an asshole, or call the parents terrible things. I won't stand for it and will report all comments that are hateful and not helpful to the conversation. If they continue the post will remain up but comments will be disabled. We are all adults, so keep it civil. We can agree to disagree, but any and all personal attacks will be removed and reported immediately. I find it telling that the comments removed were exactly the speech I'm aiming to change. Clearly, there is more work to do.*

Car Talk: Pet Safety Equipment

Last week, on +Car Talk's FIDO Blog, Sip and I wrote a piece on the Center for Pet Safety. We looked at how they test crates, doggie seatbelts and other pet travel gear.

This was the first time I was totally speechless, which is a problem if my one job is to come up with actual words. After watching videos titled "Safety Harness Catastrophic Failure 2," it's easy to see why maybe I was at a loss for words.



That said, there is an upshot - companies ARE changing the way we gauge and rate safety equipment for Fido and Fluffy, and this is a VERY good thing!

More here!

#dogs
#pettravel
#cartalk

Advocate

Every part of Considerations for the City Dog is centered around the word "advocate."

Advocating for your own pet. 

Finding professionals that do the same. 

Educating yourself and others so you know how to find these professionals, certifications, and what makes them a cut above the rest. This goes for breeders, rescues, shelters, groomers, doggie daycare providers, veterinarians, dog trainers, behaviorists, and veterinary behaviorists. 

Today I dropped off some bookmarks at local animal hospitals and grooming facilities. These bookmarks have the back blurb of the book on them and #HandsOnFirst on the back. 

It's important to consider the spark for Considerations was the dog attack on Halloween night in which a bull mastiff attacked a female German shepherd, and nearly killed her 6'3" owner. This attack was in my city. I sat through the hearing where terminology like "aggression," "territory," "redirected aggression," and bunk theories like "alpha" were used in a grossly inappropriate manner. I tried to speak in the hearing. I tried to advocate for my city and the dogs I love here.

I failed.

I wrote a book.

That is evident in the promotional material. 

It's also important to note that this is a true story. Real people and dogs were involved in a horror story in this city. Everyone lived, but the wounds, though physically healed, are still visible.

Though the book isn't at all about the case, it is noted that it motivated me to write the book. The case, which was public, is noted in the introduction. The only time I mention the name of the attacking dog is here on this blog, using resources (like the Somerville Journal and The Patch). His name is not mentioned in the body of the book (though it comes up twice in the acknowledgements.)

I want to say thank you as well to the local animal hospital (unnamed for privacy - that ISN'T part of the news story) that stood up for their client. The vet doesn't deserve anyone showing up at his door going off about the case, and the staff doesn't deserve that either. The client deserves peace in getting her dog medical care without side-eyed glances. The animal hospital - one that I've always highly recommended, remains at the top of my list of recommended hospitals as a result of what I write next. 

The staff said that this is an important book, but the party who owns the attacking dog is their client. Though his name isn't on the materials, there aren't too many dogs who have got publicity for what he did just a couple of years ago (thankfully). It would make the owner uncomfortable to have this material facing her while waiting for her dogs nail trim, or vaccines. 

The case that sparked Considerations for the City Dog is real. There are real people who have dogs in this book, stories in this book, and sadly - tragedy in this book. But there are happy stories, success stories, and helpful hints, too. There are corrections on terminology that is misunderstood in today's dog-culture, which I think can go a long way to helping people truly advocate for their dogs. Do you know what a behaviorist is? Can you define it? Can you do the same for socialization? The manner in which I use socialization is very different than what most of my students think socialization is, though we all use the term regularly. The same for behaviorist and other terms (like territorial aggression). Veterinarians can read it and know exactly how to refer to a trainer or behaviorist. A trainer can read this and know how to find good dog walkers and vets, and vice-versa. A client can read this and help their dog. 

As much as I wish that these bookmarks were all over the Metro-Boston area, three cheers to the hospital that stood up for their client. You're what I'm writing about in this book - the good ones, and how to find them. How to find a good veterinarian, chapter 5 - these guys.

If it were your hospital, you'd want that advocacy. I know I would. 

 -M3

10 Minutes

"The Petfinder Loophole," and why we need to define reputable rescues in the same way we define reputable breeders.

For more information, visit my post on #HandsOnFirst , why it's important, and what we can all do to support responsible rescue groups and shelters in addition to supporting reputable breeders.

If you agree with #HandsOnFirst, please share this to help dog owners find reputable facilities in which to acquire their new pets.

#HandsOnFirst

While putting together a presentation for the Massachusetts Veterinary Technician's Association to promote the book, I stumbled onto something. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE 10 MINUTES OF THE PRESENTATION FOR MVTA

Dog trainers, veterinarians, technicians, and every dog owner in the city has seen an influx of behaviorally unsound and sick dogs. Even The Boston Globe pointed out this issue in 2013:  - I referenced this very piece in the book. Everyone knows someone who got their dog off a truck in Connecticut, New Hampshire, or other state. Go around your office today and ask where people got their dogs - my bet is at least 25-30% were picked up out of state. 

That's because there is a law on the books (has been in MA since 2005) that states:

"all dogs coming into the state must be quarantined until behaviorally and physically sound for adoption." 

To get around this law, because with every law there is a loophole, thousands of dogs are trucked in to CT and other places for  new pet owners to pick up their dog. 

Not every dog is a mess. Many do great here - but many do not. Of the 85 dogs I've seen privately in 2 years, 67 have been trucked. Half have needed behavior modification medication and/or behavior plans in addition to a standard training regimen. This seemed high to me. 

So I looked on PetFinder. 

If you put in a search for dogs on Petfinder, and limit your search to 100 miles of Somerville, MA with no other restrictions (size, sex, house-trained, etc), you get ~4,000 dogs. That seems really high to me, but we are in a metropolitan area. If you click on the first dog, currently a dog from Blues Angels, it says the rescue is in Somerville MA----but if you click through to the rescue site, the dog is in Houston, TX. 

What's the big deal?

So say you are a client looking for a dog and you think you can go down and meet it. You click on a dog from Blues Angels in Somerville, MA - a shelter/rescue that we now know does not exist in Somerville, but the client doesn't know that. They pay for the dog, the rescue talks them into driving to CT to pick it up, and now the rescue has moved a dog that hasn't had behavior testing, or passed any standardized veterinary care and has gone through a traumatic transport. When I see that dog, a few weeks later, and it's unable to adjust to the city, the owners are frustrated, and the rescue won't take responsibility, everyone is frustrated. Veterinarians are seeing cases of dog flu related to unsafe transport, other highly contagious illnesses, and parasitic illnesses like rocky mountain spotted fever (a tick borne illness indigenous to the south, but we're seeing more cases here because of sick dogs being shipped).

The most extreme case in recent history was dog that needed all of his teeth removed, expensive parasite treatment, and treatment for pneumonia as soon as he got off the truck. This dog's new owner spent well over $1,000 immediately after transport. When I saw them a week after getting the dog, I recommended behavior modification medication and a more expensive specialist because the poor guy was very likely a former puppy mill stud. He jumped off a sofa and broke his leg because he didn't know that where the couch ended there was a significant drop. He was sold as a dog from Georgia who would be a "lovely family pet. He can walk on leash, doesn't bark, and is a low-key pomeranian." The dog peed on everything in sight (including the other dog), barked incessantly, and walking on a leash? Um...nope. Utter panic as soon as he was tethered. Did the rescue step up? No. The rescue was in Georgia the onus fell on the owners to pay for all of this. They were awesome and committed to this dog so he could experience love, but what would you go through with a dog like this? 

Now, imagine you're a dog owner with an undersocialized, sick dog in Somerville. The onus is now on the owner to pay for behavior consultations, behavior modification medication, and veterinary care - sometimes over $1,000 to save a dog. A dog they were promised is "a healthy, happy pet." 

The same thing happens for 10 out of 15 dogs on that first page. 

There is no way to meet the dog first. I've reached out to some of these rescues flying under the radar. None of them acknowledge they are operating illegally. They just send me an application, tell me how many dogs they have sent North and ask if I want the dog shipped through a particular shipping service.

In my opinion, this is as bad as the puppy mill industry. The dogs I see, the ones with problems - 67 out of 85 - when evaluated, present with similar issues to those from puppy mills: 

-Clinically undersocialized

-Few (if any) coping skills

-Issues with crates

-Fear of strangers

-Fear of loud noises / any noises

- Awkward social behavior 

- Reactivity to other dogs, strangers, or outside stimuli

- Constant Stress

When I contacted PetFinder on three documented occasions from February 28th of this year to May 24th, I was either met with "there is no restrictions to who can adopt these pets," - which is false. MA has a law as to who can adopt these pets without quarantine; or met with no response. 

Today I went to Twitter to say "Hey - look! A thing!" and they said they'd look into it. I bet if this starts to get more attention, the rescues would find a way to skirt the law, but it might be harder. We HAVE to start talking about this, and praising the good rescues and shelters who are making sure the dogs are safe, sound, and well-suited to their families. If they aren't, then they have resources available to help, or even take the dog back. Dogs can be a fifteen year commitment. If you don't have support, success can be harder. Particularly for #CityDogs. 

When contacting individual rescues skirting the law, they were all "individual / independent rescuers saving dogs." While I'm sure some are great at what they do, I can say given the number of dogs I'm seeing fail here in cities from well-intending rescues and well-intending dog owners saving dogs from terrible conditions, the behavior evaluations are failing. We have to do better. We have to put our hands on these dogs prior to adoption, and cease the culture of picking dogs up from out of state. Rescues can still send dogs to brick-and-mortar shelters here so people can see the dogs first, which is always advised. 

While one hot day does not indicate global warming, a trend in a direction does. This is that trend. 

67 of 85. 

That's quite the trend. 

Additionally, the website Adopt-a-Pet.com has Al-One Dog Rescue using "Sommerville, MA" to get around the loophole. If they can't spell the name of the town they are fake-operating in, it's probably a good indication that they aren't really here.

Canada is talking about the US rescue dogs that are behaviorally unsound shipped to them. We need to talk about this in the Northeast because we are all seeing it.

As a result of this, I'm starting a new campaign: #HandsOnFirst to promote people putting their hands on dogs prior to adoption, prior to purchase, prior to rescue. This goes for rescue, shelters or well-bred dogs. We can still ship and rescue dogs - as long as they are going to a reputable foster or a brick and mortar shelter prior to adoption. 

But this system as it stands now is wickedly broken. 

Also, so no one can say I hate rescue, every pet I've owned as an adult (except for a snail and fish - those were presents from my dad to my daughter!) were rescue. We are looking for a new rescue dog, and I'm seeing it's VERY difficult to find a rescue dog that is here for us to see in person because of the dogs flying under the radar that I can't meet first. We will likely always rescue in this home, though that is a conversation between me, my husband and my daughter. Local dogs are getting overlooked in favor of these more exotic rescues from the South, from Puerto Rico, from Iraq, from Afghanistan and now...Thailand and Korea (food dogs that are now being shipped as pet dogs in urban centers.) Yes, they all need help, but we need to sort this out so we don't make this worse.

I don't hate rescue - I really, really, really don't. I don't like unethical rescue, and I don't like seeing 2/3's of my students struggling and getting in over their heads because they wanted to save a dog. 

 This is on the verge of being a huge story. I know it. If you talk with Vets, Technicians, Certified Dog Behaviorists (Iaabc.org/ccpdt.org), rescues who are doing a good job, rescues who are skirting the law, and certified dog trainers (ccpdt.org / kpa.org /iaabc.org) - there is a lot here to unwind. 

There is a lot to say for puppy mills, irresponsible breeders and the like - but that is getting attention. I think this is something that needs focus, too, because the more people get burned by rescue, the fewer people there will be to rescue. We owe it to these families and their dogs to do better and come up with solutions. This is a start, but #HandsOnFirst is all I got as a solitary person trying to do the right thing for dogs. This is a way we can put responsible breeders, responsible shelters and responsible rescues at the forefront without starting an argument of rescues vs. purebred dogs, which doesn't help anyone. 

And no, just putting your hands on a dog does not indicate that this will be a match made in heaven - three of my toughest cases were all local dogs. That said, at least the family could meet the dogs first, and have a broad idea what they were getting into prior to bringing the dog into their home. They could bring a certified trainer to assess the dog prior to adoption. One of the owners actually wanted the tough case, and she's a superstar who is in a good place to take on these tough cases. But for a family who is looking for a sturdy, well-adjusted family pet, getting a dog sight-unseen is not unlike signing a pre-nup after meeting some dude on Match.com.

#HandsOnFirst.

Please.

-M3