THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF UTAH
4242 SOUTH 300 WEST
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84107-1415
(801) 261-2919 phone • (801) 261-9577 fax
www.utahhumane.org
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PRESS RELEASE
RELEASE DATE:
Immediately (August 6, 2008)
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Gene Baierschmidt (801) 261-2919 phone
HUMANE SOCIETY TO HOST "CANINE GOOD CITIZEN" DEMONSTRATION OF PIT BULLS, SHOW FLAWS IN BREED-SPECIFIC BANS
On Thursday, August 14, at 1:30 PM, at the Humane Society of Utah’s facility located at 4242 South 300 West, a live demonstration will feature pit bulls who will be testing for "Canine Good Citizen Certification" through Michelle Rizzi’s Handle with Care dog training classes. The participants will include a very special pit bull named "Miss Piggy," in an effort to make clear to the community that issuing a blanket ban on the ownership of certain breeds of dogs is not the solution for all problems involving aggressive animals. Says Humane Society of Utah Executive Director Gene Baierschmidt, "We want to present living proof that dogs, like people, should be judged as individuals. Just because some particular breeds have been mishandled and exploited by some people, all representatives of those breeds shouldn’t be denied the chance for good homes with caring people, where they will be as likely as other kinds of dogs to become good neighbors, good family members, and good citizens."
All dogs who enter the Canine Good Citizen program must already understand the fundamental obedience commands like "sit," "stay," "heel," and "come." After that, they are put through an intensive training course which requires them to learn more complex behaviors. Some of these include the following:
Calm and well-mannered greeting of approaching strangers
Passing another dog and handler without lunging or showing anything more than a casual interest in them
Rection and recovery to distractions (e.g., loud noises, wheelchairs, something startling or out of the ordinary). The dog may show curiosity, but must remain calm and not panic.
Heeling with handler through a crowd of people without sniffing, jumping, etc. Dog must maintain composure while walking though pedestrian traffic.
"Dogs who misbehave can be the result of inadequate training or improper handling, not genetic traits," says Mr. Baierschmidt. "There are good and bad dogs in every breed, and it’s not fair to make generalizations about any specific breed. Proper training — done with patience, love, and respect — can make a huge difference in the way ANY dog responds to his or her environment."
Miss Piggy, for example, was a one-year-old pit bull adopted from a shelter in 2005; soon afterward she was struck by a car and rendered virtually paralyzed. In spite of gloomy predictions from medical specialists, her new handler refused to give up. She obtained a cart to support Piggy’s hindquarters and took her to twice-weekly physical therapy sessions. Later, Miss Piggy’s person was "walking" her with her cart when they met a man in a wheelchair who had been permanently injured in a climbing accident. This man and Piggy fell in love with each other at first sight, and he began visiting her on a weekly basis. He said that Piggy was the best thing that ever happened to him, because she’s so loving and friendly in spite of her handicap. Says her owner, "That got me to thinking about getting her certified as a therapy dog. She has passed her ‘Good Citizen’ trials, and soon she’ll be bringing hope and happiness to lots of other people who need the love she gives so abundantly."
For more information, please call Michelle Rizzi at 583-3369, or the Humane Society at 261-2919.
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