[Purple]

Some shelters refuse to take any pit bull
By Aaron Nicodemus

WESTBORO— Moose is on doggie death row. His only crime is being a pit bull.
The year-old male pit bull was found wandering in Westboro on Jan. 18, and has spent every day since then in the town of Northboro’s kennel.
The dog seemed well cared for when it was found, according to John Keefe, Westboro’s Animal Control Officer. The dog is not neutered.

“He’s got a great temperament,” said Mr. Keefe, as he watched the dog frolic and jump after being released from its cage. “It seems to be family friendly.”
Just then, Moose jumped up on Mr. Keefe, who took a step back and placed the dog’s feet back on the ground.
“Somebody would have to train it not to jump up on people,” he observed.
Westboro does not have a town kennel, so it places any stray animals in the Northboro municipal kennel. Mr. Keefe said he usually only keeps unclaimed dogs for 10 days. The Northboro kennel has been Moose’s home for 24 days. The clock is ticking.
On a visit to the kennel last week, Moose jumped up on everyone who came to visit. The dog is big and strong, its muscles obvious under its light brown coat.
When another dog was brought into the kennel, Moose barked, but not angrily, and did not appear agitated.
Mr. Keefe said he usually brings unclaimed dogs to the Baypath Humane Society shelter in Hopkinton, which seeks homes for unclaimed dogs and cats.
But for the first time, Baypath said no to Mr. Keefe, because the shelter already has seven pit bulls. If Moose were anything but a pit bull, Baypath would have accepted him.
“It is hard to find homes for pit bulls,” said Blair Boyd, shelter manager at Baypath. Several of the pit bulls at Baypath shelter have been in foster care for more than six months, she said. Baypath is pressing to find a home for Casey, a 10-month-old female pit bull, because her foster family is about to have a baby and won’t be able to care for her.
“Pit bulls have a reputation. The state is talking about banning them,” she said. “People are nervous about adopting them.”
Baypath also carefully screens people seeking to adopt pit bulls, to make sure that the dog and the new owner are a good match.
Mr. Keefe said he won’t be picky.
“I would give him to the first person who called me,” he said.
Mr. Keefe said he has only had to put down five or six dogs in the 15 years he has been the town’s animal control officer. In those cases, the dogs were either very old, very sick, or were obviously vicious.
“You can see this dog here, he’s playful and energetic. I could see him with a family,” Mr. Keefe said. “Somebody could easily train him, I think. It would just be a shame to put him down.”
Anyone interested in adopting Moose can reach Mr. Keefe on his cell phone at (508) 294-7238.

http://www.telegram.com/article/2008...802110553/1116

[Purple]

Moose the pit bull is still looking for a good home
By Aaron Nicodemus

WESTBORO— Moose the pit bull is off death row, but he still needs a home.
Westboro Animal Control Officer John Keefe dropped Moose off at the Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton yesterday, ending any possibility that the 1-year-old unneutered male dog would be put to sleep. Baypath is a no-kill shelter with at least seven other pit bulls it is trying to place.
“He’s better off now,” Mr. Keefe said. “He’s such a good dog. These dogs, they get a bad name as far as I’m concerned.”

Moose will be neutered tomorrow, according to Sue Bennison, president of Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton Inc. He will be given his rabies shots and then put up for adoption.
“We’re glad to take Moose,” she said. “Given that there’s all these people interested in him, hopefully we’ll find him a good home quickly.”
Baypath has a well-established program for adopting pit bulls, she said, and an excellent track record.
Last week, Mr. Keefe was told by Baypath’s shelter manager, Blair Boyd, that the shelter could not take another pit bull. Mr. Keefe had housed the dog in Northboro’s Animal Shelter on Route 20 since Jan. 18, and is supposed to keep stray dogs only for 10 days. He had the dog for more than double that limit.
Left without an alternative, Mr. Keefe brought Moose’s story to the Telegram & Gazette, hoping publicity for the dog would prevent him from having to euthanize Moose.
Ms. Bennison says Moose’s situation, unfortunately, is all too common.
“Moose’s fate is the same as every other pit bull in every other shelter,” she said. “They are incredibly overbred.”
She estimated that pit bulls make up 40 percent of the population in shelters, and that only one in 600 pit bulls nationally is lucky enough to find a home.
Baypath will screen potential owners carefully, she said. Potential applicants must fill out a 51-question application and should expect Baypath to conduct a reference check and a home visit.
Baypath charges adoption fees of $275 for puppies and $225 for dogs older than 10 months. All dogs are spayed and neutered, have received shots and heartworm prevention and receive an identification microchip and a collar.
“It is imperative that pit bulls be placed into responsible homes whose members are not only educated about the breed, and the challenges that come with owning them, but also dedicated to restoring and protecting their image,” she said.
Mr. Keefe usually takes stray dogs found in Westboro to Baypath and had never had a problem until Moose.
Since then, Mr. Keefe has received more than 40 phone messages from readers, most of them wanting to adopt Moose. Others were upset that the dog might be put to sleep, and offered to find alternative shelters. At least one caller was angry that Mr. Keefe had said he would give Moose to the first person who came calling.
On Tuesday, Mr. Keefe thought he had the right family. A constable from Worcester, who already owned an older pit bull, was interested in adopting Moose. He had visited Moose once and found his temperament to be acceptable.
First he wanted to introduce Moose to his 11-year-old male pit bull, to see if they would get along.
He arrived at the Northboro shelter with his young daughter and his dog.
Moose and the older dog were very interested in one another. It soon became clear, though, that the younger dog’s desire to play was overwhelming the older dog, who growled and nipped at Moose.
Moose, who jumped on everyone and was full of energy, also scared the man’s daughter. They left without him.
Ms. Bennison said that Moose had been on a waiting list, but she had made room for him. She also usually meets the dog first, but said she allowed Moose to stay in the shelter based on an assessment of his temperament by Mr. Keefe and Ms. Blair.
People interested in adopting Moose may call Ms. Bennison at (508) 740-1675. People can also check Baypath’s Web site, at baypathhumane.org, and click on Adopt a Pet. Moose will not be listed until he recovers from neutering, which should take several days.
Another resource for adopting pit bulls is the Pit Bull Rescue Center, a national organization dedicated to finding homes for pit bulls, at www.pbrc.net.

http://www.telegram.com/article/2008...S01&source=rss