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Rescue Ink Talks -- Friday March 19th, 2010

Rescue Ink talks about pit bulls and stereotypes in exclusive interview March 19, 1:51 PMDC Pit Bull Examiner ExaminerBarbara Karolchyk Amid the flurry of activity in setting up for this weekends Super Pet EXPO, the founding fathers of Rescue Ink were nice enough to set some time aside to talk to me about pit bulls, rescue, and stereotypes. Lifetime animal lovers Joe, Big Ant, and Johnny O started the rescue group about three years ago, combining their passion for animals and their no-nonsense approach to help out the most innocent and defenseless of creatures. I started out by asking the guys what they wished people knew about pit bulls, and found myself on the receiving end of an interesting history lesson. Did you know, for example, that pit bulls used to be known as America's Dog? "We ride Harleys because we're American" said Joe, "and pit bulls are American too." President Teddy Roosevelt and Helen Keller each had pit bulls, and Petey from the Little Rascals was a pit bull. Pits were bred to be working dogs, which explains their never-ending energy. "People don't realize" said Joe, "how much energy these guys have. They need socialization and walking every day. And they will do anything in their power to please their people," which as we all know is one of the pit bull's downfalls and one of the reasons why they are so easily trained to do the wrong things. We talked about stereotypes for a while - stereotypes about people and about dogs. All too often a dog is tagged as a pit bull or a bully breed when bite or attack occurs. But breed misidentification is a huge problem and many people (even those working rescue) have a hard time picking a pit bull out of the crowd. Dog bites in general are a problem, regardless of breed, and the guys wish more emphasis was put on making sure dogs don't bite than sensationalizing bites inflicted by one breed. "It's bad media" said Johnny O, "it's not the soul of the dog", telling how he often has smaller, more aggressive dogs disturb his walks with his pit bull. Despite the other dog jumping, barking, and growling, people are afraid of pits. "It used to be the Doberman" he said, "that everyone was afraid of. Then it was the Rottweilers, and now it's the pit bulls." I asked the guys if they felt a particular draw towards the pit bulls, and if so why. "Yeah absolutely" was the resounding answer from all three "there's definitely a bond with them." "We all have a past and we've all been given second chances" said Joe "and pit bulls deserve a second chance too. Everyone deserves a second chance." Despite their upfront and confrontational way of addressing animal neglect and cruelty cases, the guys couldn't stress enough that people should not try to do the same. They guys at Rescue Ink have the resources, the manpower, and most importantly the street smarts to take care of themselves when they're working a case. "Don't take matters into your own hands, call us" said Big Ant, with all the guys nodding in agreement. And it doesn't matter that they're in New York and we're down here in the DC Metro area. Rescue Ink has a large network of people who can offer them assistance, where ever the problem is. "You call us and we'll take care of it" said Big Ant "we don't stop until the animal's out of harm's way." With season one of Rescue Ink Unleashed a success and their book published last year, these guys aren't slowing down to bask in their celebrity. They're hard at work trying to educate the public on humane treatment of animals. Season two of Rescue Ink Unleashed is being planned and is scheduled to begin filming this summer. When asked if a second book would follow Joe chucked and said we'd just have to see. When most folks think of Rescue Ink they associate it automatically with the tough tattooed guys they've seen on TV, but one can't forget that these guys do so much more than knock on people's doors. They're a rescue group first and foremost, and they focus a lot of their time on educating people about humane treatment of animals, the importance of spaying and neutering their pets, and stressing training, socialization, and walking your dog. "Just go to a shelter, there's a dog in the shelter waiting to go home with you" said Big Ant, "there's a dog behind bars waiting for you". I'd like to thank Joe, Johnny O, and Big Ant for taking the time to meet with me today, and a special thank you to Mary for helping to fit me into their busy schedule. There will be a follow-up article this weekend covering the discussion the guys and I had about shelter dogs and backyard breeders. Rescue Ink will be at the Super Pet EXPO in Chantilly tonight, Saturday, and Sunday. http://www.examiner.com/x-39720-DC-Pit-Bull-Examiner-Examiner~y2010m3d19-DRAFT--Rescue-Ink-interview?cid=email-this-article

A Message to the Media -- Tuesday January 26th, 2010

Please help spread the word on what wonderful family companions pit bulls truly are!

Message to the Media

Posted with permission from Bless the Bullys


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