Hooray! Sanity Wins! Nevada Bans Breed Specific Legislation

It's the 14th state to pass a law preventing breed discrimination. Let's hope more follow.

Obviously, we don't like breed specific legislation, or BSL, which lets government bodies regulate, ban, seize, and even destroy dogs solely because they belong to a specific breed -- or just look like they do. And it's not just Pit Bulls who are affected -- many breed specific laws include such breeds as Bulldogs, Chow Chows, and even Dalmatians. They're breed-discriminatory laws, to use a more accurate term. And too often, cities adopt them as a knee-jerk reaction, based on little more than a few vocal proponents. 

But undoing those laws is a hard process, involving local heroes who take up the cause on behalf of their pets and refuse to back down. 

Thankfully, there are people such as Jessica Clemens, founder of Incred-A-Bull, and groups such as Best Friends Animal Society. They led the effort to outlaw BSL in Nevada. And they succeeded. 

Last week, Gov. Brian Sandoval signed Assembly Bill 110, which "prevents local governments from adopting or enforcing an ordinance or regulation that deems a dog dangerous or vicious based solely on the breed of the dog," according to a Best Friends' press release. 

Nevada is the 14th state to pass a law preventing breed discrimination.

The group worked with bill sponsor Assemblyman James Ohrenschall. 

"It has always been bad public policy to enact ordinances that target a certain breed of dog without considering that individual dog's actions," he said. "I'm proud of sponsoring this legislation because it will help keep our innocent friends from being killed needlessly and senselessly. This bill will help strengthen the bond between humans and our beloved dogs.”

Best Friends brought some popular figures into the campaign. Richard Hunter, owner of Mel, one of the “Victory” dogs rescued and brought to Best Friends from Michael Vick’s 2007 dog fighting bust, testified before the Nevada Senate to show support, according to the release.  

Good work, people. The ban on BSL takes effect Oct. 1. Let's hope more states follow Nevada's lead. For those looking to get involved, a good place to start is by creating a Change.org petition. Here's Incred-A-Bull's petition for the Nevada campaign, to give you a guide. 

Via Huffington Post; photos via Best Friends Animal Society

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Hooray! Kabang, the Hero Dog Without a Snout, Is Heading Home

“We were able to treat all of the complications ... with the best specialists available,” one vet said.

We've been following the story of Kabang, the hero dog who lost her snout when she jumped in front of a motorcycle and saved two little girls in the Philippines, for a long while now.  

Finally, it's over. Kabang has been successfully treated and is heading back to her family in the Philippines. She doesn't have a new snout -- that was never part of the plan -- but she's had a bunch of work done to give her a good life, free of infection and pain. 

You'll recall that after losing her snout, Kabang's online fame grew, allowing an international effort dubbed Project Kabang to raise the money to bring the dog to the United States back in October. Unfortunately, after Kabang finally arrived at UC Davis' famed Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, vets discovered she was suffering from heartworm and a type of infectious cancer, known as a transmissible venereal tumor.

A team of vets -- specializing in oncology; infectious diseases; dental, oral and soft-tissue surgery; internal medicine; and outpatient care -- went to work on Kabang with multi-pronged approach, completing a series of treatments one after another for nearly eight months. 

“Kabang’s care at the teaching hospital was a great example of the synergistic approach we have toward veterinary medicine at UC Davis,” said professor Frank Verstraete, chief of the dentistry and oral surgery service at the school’s William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

“We were able to treat all of the complications that arose with the best specialists available,” he said.

In February, heartworm and cancer treatments were completed. On March 5, vets performed the first oral surgery to remove two of the Kabang's upper teeth and reconstruct one eyelid. 

Then, on March 27, Kabang underwent a five-hour surgery to close her facial wound with skin flaps, reconstruct nasal openings, and insert stents in those passages that would allow two new permanent nostrils to form.

“The surgery was long but went just as planned, in large part due to the collaborative nature of Kabang’s veterinary team,” said veterinary surgeons Boaz Arzi. 

Outfitting Kabang with a new snout is beyond vet science at this point, but the dog has been cleared for an active, infection-free life back in the Philippines with her family. We wish her the best. 

Read more on Kabang:

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