Over 100 angry dog owners marched down Brea Blvd to City Hall in peaceful protest.

On October 24th at 10am, more than 100 outraged dog lovers (and maybe a few cat lovers) marched down Brea Blvd and Birch Street in protest of unfair breed discriminatory ordinances in a growing number of cities scattered all across the country.

With signs waving, tails wagging, and cars honking, activists walked more than two miles in a loop to Brea City Hall. More than 90 events were well attended in cities all across the United States and Canada, in a national campaign to create social awareness about the danger of allowing renegade cities and insurance companies to impose restrictions on dog ownership.

Dog owners — in policed cities with breed restrictions — have been forced to move from their homes or surrender the family dog. Others can stay in their homes but will lose their homeowners insurance if they admit to owning a targeted breed. Some say it’s an outrage! Some say it’s a violation of our Constitutional rights! I say something has gone terribly WRONG and I will remain at the forefront of this battle until our freedom to choose our canine companions is a protected right — not a crime. As a civilized society, we don’t accept racial discrimination — why on earth would we tolerate discrimination against dog breeds?

Winter issue 2009.

This year we spiced up our protest with a fundraising raffle and contest. All monies were donated to support the work of Mariah’s Promise in Divide, CO — giving shelter to hundreds of family dogs made homeless by Denver’s brutal breed ban. To further our fundraising efforts, the American Dog Magazine is making this special offer: Buy a subscription to The American Dog Magazine and proceeds will be donated to Mariah’s Promise. In the Winter 2009 issue, American Dog published an article I wrote: Vet Warns Dog Owners to Stay Out of Denver, CO. 

Each quarterly issue is loaded with information from respected dog experts from all over the world: veterinarians, professional dog trainers, lawyers, and animal welfare advocates. All for the bargain price of only $20. And the upcoming January issue will feature ROVERlution.org and photos from the October 24th Luv-a-Bully March hosted by Founders. You and your dog could be captured for the two-page feature! See all photos taken by Lisa Scarsi Photography here.

When you subscribe, please use animal charity code: BSL to ensure your donation goes to the homeless bullies (awaiting new homes in safe cities) at Mariah’s Promise. If you already get this outstanding magazine, please gift one to a friend this holiday season!

Nicholas Burr, winner of Best Kissed Kid contest. $100 gift certificate to Disneyland!

And the winner of Best Kissed Kid is … Nicholas Burr! Who could resist that smile? This happy kid is a natural dog lover and a budding animal activist! We are sure he will be smiling again soon as the winner of a $100 gift certificate to Disneyland.

My special thanks to all the wonderful souls (clients and concerned citizens) that joined hands and hearts again for our 5th annual Luv-a-Bully March. You did your civil duty to your dog and your community.

Excited raffle prize winner Nadine and her dog Junebug. Won signed copy of Cesar Millan’s book, Cesar's Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems.

“Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.”

— Margaret Mead

Here are some dog breeds on the ‘Hit List’ prohibited by city ordinances and insurance companies which will not insure your property if you admit to having one these breeds: Akita, Chow Chow, Doberman, German Shepard, Great Dane, Mastiff, Rottweiler, and of course the infamous Pit Bull — not an actual breed but loosely refers to three breeds: American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Now, turn the clock back and travel with me to the year 2005, to a dark city with a haunting past and uncertain future, Denver, CO.

My fatal attraction to Denver began in the Spring of 2005 when news of Denver’s brutal breed ban hit the LA Times. Shocked and sickened by the shameful ignorance of city leaders to outlaw good family dogs — targeting them to be hunted and destroyed in the name of public safety — I was immediately recruited to fight the war on breed discrimination.

Denver became my Ground Zero as panic hit the streets when animal control and police officers aggressively invaded private homes and yards to confiscate dogs reported to be “pit bulls.” Denver’s army of dog police also nabbed mixed breeds guessed to carry the bully genetic code — dogs like my very own bully mix Brad Pit and white boxer Rosie! More than 2,000 dogs to date have received a merciless death sentence for being the “wrong breed” in Denver…

Our 2008 march to Brea City Hall.

ROVERlution.org was the counterattack as I sounded alarm bells to dog owners everywhere about Denver and other copycat cities gone bad. Next was my Call to Action — the birth of organized city by city protests which I dubbed Luv-a-Bully Marches. Each October I rally the troops in the parking lot at Founders for a one mile street-side March to Brea City Hall.

This October marks our 5th annual March in protest of breed discriminatory laws, sending a clear warning to my city representatives: Don’t even!

This year, Rovers will be joined by cities nationwide in Colorado, Indiana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Texas — hosting Luv-a-Bully Marches in support of Pit Bull Awareness Day on October 24th. Over 70 events have been planed in states all across the country. More about the Third Annual Pit Bull Awareness Day posted on Bless the Bullys.

Please join us once again — or for the first time — on Saturday, October 24th. Download flyer here for more details. (pdf format — large file)

Children are especially welcomed and invited to visit our Kiss-a-Bully booth. A special prize will be awarded to the Best Kissed Kid!

2008 winner of Best Kissed Kid.

PS: Early this year, ROVERlution.org gave wings to DenverKillsDogs.com — exposing the disastrous results of the ban and demanding the repeal of Denver’s notorious anti-breed legislation. More about the Denver protest rally I attended on August 25th.

PSS: Find out WHY fighting breed discrimination is so personal to me in my tribute to Petey: The Pit Bull Who Could Only Forgive.