Pit Bulls

I doubt it - seeing as just about every other dog is a pitbull here - and if it's not a purebreed then it'll have some pitbull in it somewhere. If you're thinking about moving down here I would think twice about bringing a pitbull - unless that is, you actually plan to fight it. Which I hope you don't - it could get stolen and used for fighting. Just some things to bear in mind.

There are fighting dogs in the virgin islands. Stupid, insensive people train their dogs to attack each other, tear out their throats and kill each other. I can't imagine that anyone would do that to an an innocent animal. They must be very sick perverted people. We should all band together to put those people in "prison" and protect animals and the rest of us from these very sick people..

Dog lover,

I totally agree about protecting animals. I'm a member of the Humane Society of the U.S., a member of the A.S.A.P.C., and a volunteer for my local Humane Society. I had the opportunity to adopt a beautiful, well mannered Pitt/Shephard mix - who is nothing but a lover - but I would never put an animal in a worse situation than they are already in, so I decided not to adopt him in the event we do decide to stay in the V.I.

Thanks to you all for letting me know about their "practices" with dogs in the V.I. It's not like I don't know it exists in our world, but if I ever catch a person letting it happen - God help 'em!

Bou'ya

Bou'ya,
Do I understand that you were going to adopt a pit but have now decided against it based on the off-chance that it may be stolen and used for fighting?
I know people who have had their Golden Retrievers "disappear" and feared used for bait--it is not specific to pits. As long as you have a handle on your dog and do not let it roam all over the place it should be fine. I have two mutts, one pit, and someone would have to work real heard to get them from me. I think you should be fine.
At the very least I wouldn't pass up a dog that is typically difficult to adopt out (as you must know pits are) only because you fear what is a very slim possibility of harm.

I am a proud owener of the sweetest dog that ever lived....she also happens to be a pit bull. I am moving down to St. thomas on the 15th of january and was wondering if anyone has had any problems with shipping their dog. I am flying from Philly to San Juan then to St. Thomas. Does anyone know of any previous pet shipping problems pit bull or not? Thanks

Laura

I would check with the airlines about Pits. I am a massive dog lover, but my friend had a very very friendly pit, but he bit me once when I went down to play with him. I think there is something in the back of their head that can get triggered in certain circumstances. Just my opinoin, and my only experience with Pits.

Anyway, my dog travelled on US Air and had no problems, and he is a big yellow lab wuss.

Sadly, the dog situation here is out of control. The humane society has too many dogs, and unfortunately it is NOT a no-kill shelter. I wish there was some agencies in the mainland that could help. I actually plan on contacting the one I used to foster for and see. I saw a purebred blacklab at the humane society. I'm sure someone up in the states could help with rescue. I'll got put him on a plane. Ugh. So heartbreaking seeing the pictures in the paper and know they have about a week or two to live.

Smith bay, in my personal opinoin seems to be the dog fighting area. I hate that area. Everynight I see people walking their dogs, all going in the same direction to the same area, and not a residential area either so its quite odd. And you hear unusual types of barking, meaning fighting barking. Cops are too busy with other stuff to worry about this. I mean cockfighting is still legal here so whats the difference.

Definitely keep and eye on your dog, and do not put a tag on them with your address, just put the dogs name and your cell number only. I have heard "stories" where people will walk up to the dog on the beach, pet them, look at the tag and then the dog is missing from the owners yard a few days later. Could be folklore but I doubt it.

Anyway if anyone out there wants to help save some of these dogs let me know. I'm going to contact a few rescue leagues in the states today.

GO for it Stu. I'm sure that some of the purebreed resues will help. i don't know how much it would cost to fly a couple of dogs back to the states....but most purebreed rescues will go out of their way to find a dog a good home or bring them to the shelter. if you need any help contacting some places here in the states, let me know and i'll be more then happy to help!
jenny

Contact as many as you would like. Tell them to contact me. Hopefully they have some sort of special deal worked out with airlines etc. I know its $100 if it travels with a passenger, but boy that adds up, especially for me.

So contact as many as you like and let me know how they can help. I'm all for putting them on a plane and getting them up there.

Stu.....first, where can i find pics or write ups on the dogs available down there. I need to know what type of dogs there are so i can contact the right rescue.

let me know!!!! and i'll start calling people and sending out emails.

jenny

ps- for the skeeter problem......has anyone heard of burt's bees??? they make a product that really works well to keep them away. their website is www1.burtsbees.com
however, i'm not sure if they deliver to the VI's....if not here is another website that distributes they stock. www.forever-natural.com
hope this helps to those that can't find anything in the stores. : )

This is the humane society website. Unfortunately all the rescue leagues typically take pure breds in the breeds they rescue, so the mutts are in trouble. But what I would like to do is hook up with all of the various breed rescues Pit and Rotty are common so when one of them comes into the shelter I can go whisk them away to make room for more mutts.

I've already contacted a lab rescue because there happens to be a pure bred black lab in there now, but PLEASE contact as many as you can because the more we contact the more options we have.

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the humane society website. Unfortunately all the rescue leagues typically take pure breds in the breeds they rescue, so the mutts are in trouble. But what I would like to do is hook up with all of the various breed rescues Pit and Rotty are common so when one of them comes into the shelter I can go whisk them away to make room for more mutts.

I've already contacted a lab rescue because there happens to be a pure bred black lab in there now, but PLEASE contact as many as you can because the more we contact the more options we have.

THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.humanesocietyofstthomas.com

Grrrrr these snotty purebred adoption agencies are basically people who want to place dogs in the most perfect home they can find that they lose sight of what they are supposed to be trying to accomplish.

READ THIS. Their response is below my wise ass response I'm sending back to them.

Ahhhh yes. Now I remember why I stopped being a foster for you. You won't adopt a dog into a family that lives on 6 acres abutting a lake because there was no fence, or to a couple in their 50s because they were "too old" to give the dog the proper exercise, or to a youn woman in her 30s with a lake and dock in her fenced backyard because she worked during the day.

Its shame a good organization like yours doesn't try to place dogs in happy loving homes as quickly as possible. You have a waiting list of people looking to adopt but of course they don't qualify for some silly arbitrary rule or another. As if no dog lives in one of your homes without a fence. I think you all have lost sight of what you are trying to accomplish which is to save dogs.

This is why myself and several other foster families quit because you are not saving dogs, you are playing God with show quality dogs and putting them in homes that you deem appropriate.

I wish everyone was like BuddyDog in Sudbury where as long as the family seems loving and conscientous they will place the dogs. I understand you don't want to have dogs back again, but you take it to a whole new level.

Its sad really.

> Stuart,
>
> Via our mission statement, NEARR is restricted to helping dogs in our
> region
> until such a time as our resources are greater than the need.
>
> At the present item, we are turning away local dogs who need our help.
> So,
> I can empathize with your plight. I see local dogs in shelters that we
> are
> unable to help on a daily basis.
>
> wendy

stu....ok, i sent an email to a small dog rescue in florida. are there any other dog shelters on st. croix or st. john? i would like to try to get as many of the purebreeds out of there, like you said, free up the space for the mutts. let me see what else i can do. if i didn't already have two dogs and two cats, i would adopt a couple of the mutts myself.

Stu--
You might want to take a deep breath before you send your reply. I interpret her response as valid--NEARR does not currently have the resources to assist dogs outside their community. Unless, you have some history or other info. to which I am not privy, your response seems a bit, well, out of whack.

That said, there is an organization on STX that regularly ships dogs for adoption back to the mainland. Their name and website info:
Pets from Paradise/ http://www.gotostcroix.com/petsfromparadise

I have not heard of a similar program on STT, but let me know if you start one.
I would be more than gald to provide what assistance I can!

I know as much as you want to help it can take up your life or you will end up with 15 dogs and cats.

I wonder if they will even respond to my snotty comments, bastards.

Island folk,

DId you all see that the Senate finally passed the animal creulty legislation this week? Granted it is a weaker version than before because it still allows cockfighting (which was left out because of its role in HIspanic heritage? Please - slavery and racism was/are a part of American heritage but that doesn't mean they are moral, right or should be continued).

The Avis ran a large story on it, which I no longer have in hand, and I'm hoping that once we learn the enactment date it will help to get the people engaging in dog fights arrested and prosecuted.

HC
Proud parent of five cats, including two Crucian kitties adopted from the STX shelter

Stu,

I can't say I disagree more with your attitude towards rescues. To begin with, the goals of the various breed rescue groups are the same as reputable breeders of those breeds; and that is, to further the standards of the breed and to provide the best possible environment for them. First and foremost, the "volunteers" of rescue groups provide their time, money, and efforts for the love of the breed they represent.

The operative word here is "volunteers". I find it a bit insensitive that you would choose to chastise those who care for nothing but the best interests of the dogs for whom they're trying to place in the best possible homes. As you've noted yourself, most rescues have waiting-lists of potential adopters. Why would they NOT insist that a home have a fenced in yard to keep the dog safe from other animals, or from running out into traffic, or roaming and getting lost? Why would they not INSIST on having active people adopt dogs that require a fair amount of exercise to keep them in shape and occupied? Certain breeds such as labs and golden retrievers require a great deal of human interaction and would not thrive in an environment where the sole care-provider spends a great deal of time away from the home. When faced with an abundance of people who wish to adopt a rescue, why NOT choose the BEST possible environment for the dog?

You certainly have the right to choose or not choose to foster rescues. However I think it would be civil of you not to criticize those who give freely of their time and energy in helping abandoned dogs find good homes. If you don't agree with the policies of rescue organizations you are certainly free to start your own rescue group or expend the energy to find homes for those dogs who currently find themselves at shelters.

Sincerely,

Richard and my two ( http://www.networkvi.com/rkurpiers/photogallery.cfm?pic=127796)

Onika,

Actually I have a long history with them. They take show quality dogs and put them into families that they "deem" appropriate. I had a pure bred gorgeous black lab fostered in my home for months and everytime we took her to an adopt a day she was the favorite ham. But for some reason or another she "couldn't" be placed.

I just get aggravated with these dogs snobs that take a long time to place easily adoptible dogs, especially when there was a backlog of applicants. One family was too old to give the dog enough exercise (in their 50s) one didn't have a fenced yard lived on 6 acres abutting convservation land and a lake. Please adopt me with that kind of property.

Just crap like that pisses me off. One time I was picking up a black lab puppy and this guy was in there about to adopt them. I call the rescue league and say hey I can foster another dog, a family is here picking up the puppy. They got on the phone with the shelter and CHEWED her out for letting that dog go to someone else, and we had first dibbs and a bunch of other bullcrap. She and I laughed and I even told the new owner please take this dog now because if we get her hands on her you she will be in foster care for months and you won't get approved because you are too old. We all laughed.

I think some of these rescues lose sight of what they are supposed to be doing.

Stu

HC-
i did see that article. i hadn't realized that cockfighting was still legal. if the governement and animal rights folks really want to crub the dog fighting problem in the USVI's then the complete ban of cockfighting is needed. by allowing any type of animal fighting for profit you are underminding the laws that make dog fighting illegal. By saying that it is ok to fight a bird but it isn't ok to fight a dog is hypocritical and immoral. by doing this they are, in essence, allowing the criminals to carry on with illegal activities. How can a law disminish the right to life for one animal and not another. this type of hypocritical action/thinking/laws are the reason why animal cruelity will never disappear.

excuse spelling mistakes. : )

As much as I despise cockfighting. isn't this law the same as saying Marijuana is illegal but tobacco is legal?

Jenny,

The problem is, and has been, that the Legislature wouldn't pass the animal cruelty bill when cock-fighting was written into the bill. The bill in various forms has been debated on the Senate floor for years. In the meantime, the punishment for the crime of animal cruelty remained a mis-demeanor.

Small steps. By addressing the issue of cock-fighting separately, the animal-rights advocates were able to finally have a law passed that, if enforced, will help to curb the horrible treatment of animals in the V.I.

I don't think one needs to criticize the bill that was recently passed. Rather, one needs to focus on passing an additional bill that will make cock-fighting illegal and punishable as a felony.

I think we all know that cockfighting is wrong. Its pretty much just condoning the violence of one group of animals and saying that its wrong it allow another ( cuter and cuddly ) group of animlas to act out in vicious ways for a bunch of peoples sick pleasures.

But annnyyywwaayyyy...... I actually adopted my pit from a rottweiler and pitt bull rescue called Its a RottnPitty located in Philadelphia, PA. You can see how much they are in need from going on their website at http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/PA243.html.I know that they wouldn't be able to take them but they could def. provide some connections for placement..at the very least start up ideas.

HOWEVER... I do volunteer work for The Spayed Club which obviously promotes responsible pet ownership and spay and neutering at a fraction of the price. They are having their annual pet walk next Saturday. I'm baking all natural doggie treats (dont laugh people, they do sell) and was going to give all of my proceeds to The Spayed Club. But since I am moving down in January I could always continue to save up the dog treat earnings for a possible rescue for relocating the unwanted dogs on the islands, or atleast for start up costs. I don't know what is actually possibe with all of this, but at the very least I will be volunteering at the shelter in St. Thomas. Any one feel free to email me directly with any ideas. Let me know what u guys think.

Laura

Jenny,

Richard N. Kurpiers hit it right on the head. Politics is the art of the possible, and making any advance -- especially in a legisaltive body that seems to lack a certain sense of responsbility to the constituents they serve -- is a victory. I'd much rather know that there's a vehicle that 's going to save hundreds of dogs that would likely be used in dog fights now instead of waiting until I can save the roosters, too.

This type of compromise isn't limited to the VI. The organization I work for has been working for the last four years to get a bill through Congress that would provide money for states to start voluntary programs to people accused of capital crimes access to a competent attorney and DNA testing after they are convicted, and to clear out the test the backlog of unprocessed rape kits that are sitting in storage at state crime labs.

This is the third Congress we've tried to get to pass the bill. The original version was only sponosored by Democrats. This latest version relfects a whole lot of compromise to make various constiuencies happy, and it shows because it is sponsored by the Republican chairman and the ranking minority members of the Senate and House Judiciary committees, and it passed the House last fall by a vote of 357-67, a pretty overwhlming margin. It's also passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee,. but we still can't get it to the Senate floor because three Senators and John Ashcroft don't like some of the provisions in these VOLUNTARY new programs to which states can opt-in.

While I totally understand the federalist opposition no vote on bills to creating mandatory programs in which states must participate, it seems to me that anyone/any state that had concerns about a voluntary program should simply choose not to participate nstead of denying funds to all of the other states that do want those resources.

So we're doing the same thing that was done here with the animal cruelty bill: trying to see if there is something that we can change to address the concerns of the folks who are blocking. If making those changes leaves us with a bill that still does something real and good, we'll do it and then try again hext year on the parts that had to slip away this year.

I keep track of these things and will let you know when you should call or write your VI Senator about any new cock-fighting anti-cruelty bills. 🙂

HC

HC-
trust me, I commend the efforts you animal lovers are doing in the VI's!!!!!!!!!
I truly do and I understand the reason for allowing the cock fighting to go on. i just don't agree with any form of animal fighting. even if someone had a way to fight those horrible centipedes....i would stick up for them. ; )

jenny