The Sula Foundation

Andrew the Orphan

2012-01-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

My name is Andy. When I was a little pup, I lived outside with another dog that was always picking on me. Every day, I hoped that my owner would come into the yard to play with me, or let me come inside to snuggle with him. But that never happened. One day, he left me at a place called Canine Connection, which was AWESOME because I got to play with lots of other dogs, sleep inside, and gives lots of kisses to the staff there. All the humans loved me, and I felt so lucky.

But I’ve been here for a really long time now. Most of the other dogs get dropped off early in the morning, run around the yard for a while, and then a human comes to pick them up when it gets dark. I wonder why no human comes to pick me up. All I want to do is give lots of kisses, run around with my girlfriend Angel, and have a human to call my own.

I have TWO basic obedience certificates. The trainer people said that I was the star pupil of the classes. I know sit, down, stay, come, touch, and watch! I’m super-focused on my people, and I’m highly food-motivated. I love every human I’ve ever met, even the little ones. Every night, when the dogs at Canine Connection go home with their people, I wonder if I’ll ever be so lucky. I want a home too, cause I deserve it.

-Andy

Biloxi does the right thing

2012-01-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

After seizure, the dogs spent over a month
at the County Farm in Gulfport

For the past month, The Sula Foundation has been working (at no fee) with authorities in Biloxi, Mississippi, in response to a recent case in which twenty-five dogs were seized after being found tethered on a rural property, covered in wounds. The Biloxi police were determined to find the person responsible, and also determined to save any of the dogs that were sound enough to become pets, which is what the dogs deserve.

This girl had no reason to trust humans,
but welcomed us with open arms.

One can never know what to expect when called to assess a group of dogs like this, yet we still weren't prepared for the condition the dogs were in, and the dignity with which they still managed to carry themselves. Several had to be euthanized due to gangrene. Others were so traumatized that they would only crawl along the ground in our presence, never rising up onto their feet.

Dogs of the 9th Ward, For the Love of Pits, and Animal Farm Foundation each generously offered to take one dog into rescue, but we're still working toward finding placements for some of the rest. It's been a rough month, as we inevitably bonded with many of the dogs who's futures are still uncertain. At the same time, it's been incredibly rewarding. Today, the star of the evaluations, Mama, will arrive in Cleveland, Ohio to begin a new journey...learning what it means to be part of a family. Each of the survivors deserves the same fate as Mama; we can only hope that there are enough resources available to afford them the chance at life they're entitled to.

Mama soaks up some New Orleans sun
before heading to Cleveland, Ohio

Beau's Journey

2011-11-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

Jamie and Beau

Many of you already know our dedicated Volunteer Coordinator, Jamie Patterson. But when she’s not rounding up volunteers for our events, visiting our foster dogs at Canine Connection or snapping photos of adoptable pets, she’s at home, hanging out with her own furry friend, Mr. Beau. This handsome blue boy was featured in our 2012 Calendar, but we didn’t have enough room to share his incredible journey there.

In the world of pit bull advocacy and rescue, we’re often forced to be reactive: we speak out against Breed Specific Legislation when it threatens our communities; we pull wonderful dogs from area shelters that wouldn’t make it to adoption otherwise; we provide support to pit owners in need. So on this Thanksgiving, we’re thankful for responsible pit bull owners, like Jamie, who are spreading the truth about pit bulls and keeping these amazing creatures out of shelters.

Here’s Beau’s story:

Baby, bobble-head Beau

Beau came to Jamie’s family as a special needs pup—a former pick of the litter that had developed neurological problems and couldn’t walk in a straight line. He navigated the world as best as he could, wobbling around with his bobble head before running into whatever came into his path. Jamie was told that Beau wouldn’t be as active as other pups, and that he’d have a considerably shorter life span. But she was determined to give him a home filled with love, no matter had long he had.

In the beginning, he was weak and groggy, but battled his health issues valiantly. He would run three steps, fall, pick himself up and keep going. Soon after adopting him, Jamie discovered another health problem—Mr. Beau would need to undergo surgery for a hernia. But once the operation was complete, he came back at a miraculous full recovery. He went from running sideways and falling, to racing around the backyard like an arrow released. Beau was a dog with a new lease on life. The resiliency of these animals never ceases to amaze me.

Special needs who?

In Jamie’s words:

"Today, Beau Diesel Patterson is in beautiful health—80 lbs of stubborn, sofa-hogging snuggler. He spends equal time infuriating us and making us fall in love. He thrives on schedules—a.m. walks, keeping his toys in the same spot, play dates with the pup next door. When something in his routine changes, he expresses a disapproval that is comical in its intensity. He can say more by fixing you with a look, than most people can in a long conversation. He has a special howl he saves for when he’s really frustrated. He’s sneaky, affectionate, charming. He’s stolen countless socks, food within reach…and our hearts. We go to battle daily—him for more sofa time, me for more Beau photos. He’s my exercise buddy, my best friend, my furry son. He has taught me never to give up. I’ve tried to remember life before him and can’t. And life without him now would be unbearaBEAU. Just like any other family with kids would say—it’s hard work but so worthwhile."

Mr. Beau in front of Jacques-Imo's on his calendar photo shoot

The Pit Bulls of New Orleans 2012 Calendar

2011-10-27T05:47:00.000-07:00

Our 2012 calendar is at the printer now ... Pre-order your copies and they will ship the first week of November! Alongside our city’s distinctive urban fabric, you’ll find the pit bulls of New Orleans seated on stoops, relaxing on porches, hanging out at local shops, restaurants and bars, and together with some of our favorite graffiti art.

$18 per copy; $4.95 shipping per order.

Introducing Chandler

2011-10-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

Chandler being his usual happy self

Meet Chandler, a young pit-mix who was found a few months ago wandering near a heavily-trafficked intersection in New Orleans. We were thrilled to discover that he was microchipped, but disappointed to learn that his owner didn’t want him back. Forewarned about his “severe” separation anxiety, we were up for the challenge and offered him a foster spot in a home with two other dogs.

And what a gem little Chandler has turned out to be. We were prepared to tackle the typical behavioral problems that often accompany rescues. But much to our delight, he came to us house-

trained, was crate-trained within a week, and had no destructive tendencies. And as for the alleged separation anxiety? No doubt, Chandler enjoys the company of his people. But we’ve also discovered how much he loves the company of his foster siblings, who seem to have quelled his fear of being alone.

Chandler and Villere practice their snuggling

It was a match made in heaven with his foster brother, Villere. Since day one, they’ve been non-stop play buddies, chasing each other around our shotgun house and playing tug to their heart’s content. But it’s not all rough-housing with these two; they know a thing or two about relaxation and spend most of their down time using each other as pillows.

But it took a little more time for him to win over his foster sister (former Sula Foundation adoptable), Kiana. Kiana was dog-intolerant when we adopted her a year and a half ago, but had been making major strides on walks and at home with her brother. By the time Chandler arrived, she’d learned to tolerate most dogs, but still wasn’t comfortable at close distances. She had never played with another dog, but we knew that type of positive interaction would go a long way for her. And Mr. Chandler changed all that. For the first month or so, he patiently followed her around, keeping as much distance as she needed. As she became more and more at ease, he got closer and closer, until they were ending their days cuddled up against each other on the sofa.

And just a couple days ago, she finally let her guard down....

It was such a major breakthrough for her, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Chandler’s patient persistence, his incredible intuition and ability to gauge her play style. The next day, Kiana was playing with her brother Villere and they’ve been at it ever since! We’ve worked on behavior modification with her for a year and a half, and made great progress, but it was Chandler who was able to show her that other dogs can be trusted.

I’m often commended for “everything I do” for homeless dogs. Less often are the dogs commended for what they give me and my family in return. Chandler is one special boy who deserves to bring all the laughter, joy and trust he has brought to my family to a family of his own.

xoxo

-Kelly and Chandler

We love getting letters like this...

2011-08-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

August 22, 2011

Greetings Ken Foster and Sula Foundation,

Over the last few years we have read Ken’s book “The dogs who found me” and

subscribed/given (many) of the annual Sula foundation calendars to friends and family. We also have followed all the information on-line via the blogs from both of you and enjoy hearing what is going on with your continued efforts.

Because of the influence you have provided we have successfully adopted a 9-12 month old pit bull mix (pit and mastiff) named Monty from the Southwest Washington Humane Society three weeks ago from the writing of this letter.

We also have a 9 ½ year old Rottweiler, Stacia, that in recent months has become very arthritic and is unable to play at the pace her brain thinks she can. In raising Stacia we have found many people realize these breeds are not “dangerous” but very loving and friendly. We cannot even get close to telling anyone the amount of opinions and mis-perceptions this dog has changed. We thought it would be great if another dog learned from her mannerisms and after careful thought we adopted Monty with the intention to carry on your/her influence and a positive change to these breed of dogs. Each day we continue to make all the efforts we can to follow your lead and tell everyone not to be afraid, but embrace the love these animals give.

Although a couple of our neighbors were leery of the breed, this dog has won over many a heart already and changed a few perceptions. Because of Ken and the Sula foundation we are proud to say, this is not a “bully breed” but a loving, wonderful, sensitive breed.

For your enjoyment we have attached a couple of pictures of Monty and ask that you continue to do your valuable work and positive influence to potential owners all over the US.

Thank you both for all the hard work you and the foundation do, we have been blessed for 9 ½ years and look forward to many, many more.

Andrew, Stephanie and Cameron Bremner

August isn't slow around here

2011-07-23T05:15:00.000-07:00

We've got a whole lot happening in the coming weeks, so here's our slate of events, all featuring some of our foster dogs. Come by and support our work, snuggle a dog, and possibly even take one home!

Saturday July 23rd, 11am--2pm
Sula Foundation Open House
Gallery Rinard, French Quarter

Saturday July 30th, 11am--4pm
Pitty Fairness with Ken Foster and Shorty Rossi
Louisville, KY

Saturday August 6th, 11am--4pm
A Cool and Clean Canine Event, with doggie baths and the NO Fleas Market
Pinkberry, Magazine Street, New Orleans

Tuesday August 9th, 5:30-7:30
Yappy Hour at Fetch Midcity
Join us for winetasting, dog baths and adoptable dogs

Hercules, Shorty and Me

2011-07-19T05:55:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I was invited as a guest at the American Pit Bull Foundation's

first annual summer benefit concert in Charlotte, NC. It was a great day, with a fair full of vendors and rescues throughout the afternoon, and five bands performing in the evening, including the "Pit Bull Blues" guy, John Shipe. But the big lure for all of us was the guest MC (or MCs): Shorty Rossi and Hercules from the Animal Planet show "Pit Boss." You never know how a celebrity will be when you meet them in person, but Shorty was totally cool, and devoted his day to signing autographs, taking pictures and making sure everyone knew that we were there to support adoption and spay/neuter, not breeding (which, as he said, may have pissed some people off.)

As you can see from this photo, someone forgot their sunblock. I was a little red after an afternoon signing books and selling Sula shirts in the sun, but it was worth it. Shorty and Hercules and I will be at it again on Saturday, July 30th in Louisville for the Pitty Fairness event organized by Saving Sunny. Come by if you are in the area! -- Ken Foster

Join our Summer Fundraiser and we'll thank you with our new bumper sticker

2011-07-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

Summer can be a long dry stretch when it comes to fundraising and we usually plan to coast through to the fall with frugal spending. But instead of paring down the number of dogs in our foster program, we've actually taken on quite a few more. Chandler was found in downtown New Orleans near Mardi Gras World. Betty was wandering in the Bywater. Wilson was on the side of a road on the Westbank. And so we're asking everyone to chip in if you can. Any donation of more than $5 earns you a free bumper sticker.

Help us foster responsible adoptions

2011-06-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a new flyer promoting our adoption program. We currently have nine great dogs looking for new homes, but our adoptions have been at an all time low. While there are no doubt a number of reasons why, we've become aware of the fact that some people would rather quickly grab a dog from a shelter or rescue that is grateful to be rid of it, rather than go through the home check process and adopt one of our foster dogs, who come with training and a list of all of their potential quirks. If you are looking to adopt, or are interested in helping promote our dogs through distributing flyers and planning events, please contact us at volunteer@sulafoundation.org or adopt@sulafoundation.org. We'll be featuring some of our foster dog stories on this blog in the coming weeks.

Pit Bulls for Peace shirts

2011-04-02T05:02:00.000-07:00

Vaccination clinic March 26 from noon-3pm

2011-03-19T06:48:00.001-07:00

Special offer for Sula supporters: see "My Dog Tulip" at a special price, courtesy of Chalmette Movies

2011-03-10T06:44:00.000-08:00

For all of you who live in the New Orleans area, we have a special offer from the Chalmette movies. Print out this page and you and a guest can see the new animated film "My Dog Tulip" for $5.50. The movie opens exclusively at the Chalmette Theater, Friday March 11th through Thursday the 17th, with shows at 2:15 and 7:15.

Also, on Sunday afternoon, we'll be at the theater with an info table and a dog or two from 1-3pm. The theatre is located at 8700 Judge Perez Blvd, about six miles from the French Quarter.

Just in time for a new year: A new website

2010-12-31T07:58:00.000-08:00

Our new website is a work in progress, but it is now finally up and running at www.sulafoundation.org. Please check it out as it continues to expand and promote our upcoming events and adoptable dogs. Meanwhile, this blog will continue to give more information from behind the scenes.

Also just in time for the new year: our beautiful new certificate, available to our donors in their own name, or in honor of another. Contributions are tax-deductible, and they make it possible for us to continue with our programs in 2011. You can donate via the Paypal button on the right. Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays

2010-12-14T23:12:00.000-08:00

Join us Tuesday December 21st from 6-8pm
at Canine Culture
for pit bull carols and holiday cheer.

Also, be sure to order your 2011 calendar and support our work in the new year:

Our 2011 Calendar features dozens of photos and pit bulls, including the French Quarter, Lucky Dogs, Jackson Square, Meauxbar, City Park, Hanson's snowballs and more. Also: Christian, Jewish and New Orleans holidays. We earn more via PayPal, but you can also order it from Amazon.

Bonnie: The ups and downs of a pit bull's recovery

2010-11-29T05:53:00.000-08:00

In July, BAD RAP asked us to take in a little girl dog who was part of a dog-fighting case in Florida. Our updates on her have been infrequent because of a number of complications she has encountered. When she first arrived, she was diagnosed with cortical blindness. She walked in figure eights. She couldn't go up ...or down stairs to get into the yard. Through it all she has remained happy and determined. She now can do the stairs and walk in a straight line. But her increased mobility has led to new problems. Her bow-leggedness has caused recurri...ng ankle sprains. And she has a distinct heart murmur. We'll be consulting with a specialist to see what, if anything, can be done to solve that issue. Meanwhile, he's a video from a few months ago:

Get "The Dogs Who Found Me" signed by Ken Foster and Brando

2010-11-23T08:03:00.000-08:00

Quantity

Inscription request

"My Pit Bull is a Saint" t-shirts now available via mail order

2010-11-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

Printed on 100% cotton American Apparel, in women's sizes S through XL; Unisex M through 3XL; $20 plus shipping. Please allow up to two weeks for delivery (although it will likely come much faster than that.)

Our new website is coming...

2010-11-03T05:58:00.001-07:00

We are busy designing a new website, which will be up soon! Meanwhile, if you are in New Orleans, stop by the NOLA Bookfair this Saturday on Frenchmen Street from 11-6pm and check out the 2011 Pit Bulls of New Orleans calendar!

October 16th Barkmarket features low-cost vaccinations, free spay/neuter appointments and art!

2010-10-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 16th, 10am-4pm
Markey Park, Piety Street between Dauphine and Royal

The Sula Foundation, a New Orleans non-profit that promotes responsible pit bull ownership, will be providing another round low-cost vaccinations for pit bulls at just $15; $45 for other breeds. The Foundation, through a partnership with Animal Farm Foundation, will also be taking appointments for free spay and neuter surgeries for pit bulls.

The event also marks the release of the 2011 Pit Bulls of New Orleans calendar, which features pet pits enjoying the city at locations such as Hanson's, City Park, Meauxbar, and other hot spots.

In addition, there will be:
art vendors and dog vendors
rescue groups (there is no fee for rescue groups to participate)
raffles
dog training demos
a dog wash and other resources

For more information on the market, visit the Bywater Artmarket website and The Sula Foundation's website at www.sulafoundation.org.

The Pit Bulls of New Orleans 2011 Calendar now shipping!

2010-09-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

Our 2011 Calendar features dozens of photos and pit bulls, including the French Quarter, Lucky Dogs, Jackson Square, Meauxbar, City Park, Hanson's snowballs and more. Also: Christian, Jewish and New Orleans holidays. We earn more via PayPal, but you can also order it from Amazon.

Meet our dogs--and win a copy of Jim Gorant's "The Lost Dogs"

2010-09-16T05:47:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, we'll be in the French Quarter at Gallery Rinard with a few of our most adoptable dogs. Stop by between 11am and 1pm and you could win a copy of Jim Gorant's new book "The Lost Dogs," which tells the story of what happened to Michael Vick's dogs after being taken from his custody. It's a great, inspiring story that shows the true, resilient nature of these great dogs.

Saturday, September 18th, 11am-1pm
Gallery Rinard
723 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA

Commemorate Katrina with our Sula dogs on August 28th

2010-08-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, August 28th, we'll be marking the anniversary of Katrina with an Open House at Just Dogs Bakery in the French Quarter. Join us for fancy dog treats, and meet our crew of foster dogs, all of whom are waiting to find their permanent homes.

11am-2pm, Saturday August 28th
Just Dogs Gourmet Bakery
813 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA

Help pay for Perry's knee surgery

2010-08-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Recently we told you about Perry, who was transferred from the Louisiana SPCA's adoption room and then diagnosed with a serious orthopedic problem in both knees. He's recooperating from the procedures, but now we're hoping to replace the funds that were used to pay the bill. If we reach our goal, we hope to be able to expand to two low-cost vaccination clinic events this fall.

Marisa, Sanjay and Perry hold a kissing contest at Gallery Rinard

2010-07-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

July events, Gulf Coast Aid, and a New Pup

2010-07-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

We have a number of great events coming up in the next two weeks--including a gallery event this weekend, the first No Fleas market on the 24th, a July 29th happy hour at Capdeville and a volunteer training session on the 31st. We'll get to that later, but first we have a few updates--and a new pup to introduce.

If you watched Anderson Cooper on CNN last night, you probably heard about the Louisiana SPCA's Gulf Coast Companion Animal Relief program. Next week, The Sula Foundation will be providing volunteer support to staff the program's locations in the outlying parishes. We also want to thank Ellen Gilmore at Best Friends. After The Sula Foundation contacted her at the end of May, Ellen began working on ways in which Best Friends could most effectively partner with the broad needs of those affected by the economic hardships of the oil spill. On July 1st, Best Friends delivered to the SPCA a 20 ton donation of dog food from Del Monte, which was immediately available for distribution to area shelters. You can read more about Best Friends' efforts, and their First Home Forever program, at their website.

Perry swims at Canine Connection.

Meanwhile, Perry, our recent transfer from the LA-SPCA, has run into some unexpected trouble. He's certainly been coming out of his shell, thanks to the attention of his foster parent and the staff at Canine Connection. But the more active he became, the more we began to notice periodic limping, which has been diagnosed as Medial Patellar Luxation. As you might imagine from the number of syllables, this is an expensive problem to solve, requiring surgery on both legs to correct the architecture of his knees.

About the same time that Perry was being diagnosed, little Sanjay dropped, almost literally, into our laps. We won't go into the details, except to say that we were faced with a choice that made it easy to bend the rules a bit to accept a dreaded puppy even as we were beyond capacity. And why did we name him Sanjay? Last month BAD RAP, in Oakland, asked us to judge a naming contest for a little of puppies they had just taken in. (They also donated 10% of the contest proceeds to the Sula Foundation. Thanks guys!) One of the winning names was Sanjay (you can read all about the pups and their names here), and it must be a lucky name, because within a week he'd found a home and shed his name to pass it on to our little guy. Sanjay is currently being treated for non-contagious mange, and playing with some of the best pit bulls we know.

With so many surgeries to pay for and dogs to help, we've kicked up our summer schedule:

Saturday July 17th, 11:00am-2:00pm
Open House at Gallery Rinard, 738 Royal Street
"Come meet the dogs"

Saturday July 24th, 10:00am-2:00pm
NO Fleas Market at Canine Connection
$10 Dog Wash, microchips, adoptable dogs and flea market

Thursday July 29th, 5:30-7:30pm
Happy Hour at Capdeville
2-for-1 Drinks; $2 off local draft beers

Saturday July 31st, 10:00am-1:00pm
Volunteer training--"Come learn more about The Sula Foundation, dog handling, and how you can help"
Location TBA

Meet Gladys, Perry and Marisa

2010-06-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

In the past month or so, we've had several of our dogs go to wonderful new homes, including the ever-popular Blue, Ohio hoarding-case survivor Kianna, deaf Mississippi hoarding survivor Peggy, and, happily, the delightful Dusty, who has been with us for more than a year and now gets to share a home with two children. Of course, all of that means it is time to take in a few new dogs. Meet our newest trio:

Perry

Perry is a young male who is a bit shy around strangers. He was lucky enough to be chosen for the LA-SPCA's "All-Stars" program, funded by Animal Farm Foundation. The program provides six weeks of training while the dogs are included in the adoption program at the shelter; unfortunately, Perry didn't get much interest from the public, so we were happy to take him and give him more time to get socialized and ready for a home.

While we were evaluating Perry, we couldn't help

Gladys

noticing Gladys, a blue brindle girl who had been dropped at the shelter by someone who had offered to take her once the five-day hold was up. But they never came back. Gladys is heartworm positive, and will be treated in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, she is proving to be quite a charmer--and we suspect she may even enjoy the company of cats.

Marisa

Last, but certainly not least, we have Marisa, who was the victim of abuse in St. John Parish, where the shelter is not allowed to adopt out pit bulls. Once Marisa's court case was finished, the shelter employees contacted us to see if we could take another dog. Despite her abuse, Marisa LOVES people, does quite a happy dance, and provides more kisses than we've received (from anyone) in a long, long time.

If you find yourself doing a bit more of your shopping online in the heat of the summer, please remember that you can generate donations to The Sula Foundation just by shopping via www.iGive.com. Hundreds of shopping sites, including Barnes and Noble, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Gap and common brands--will donate up to 10% of your purchase.
In our last newsletter, we showed off the special Sula collar designed by Paco Collars. Now, Paco Collars and Fetching Tags will donate 20% of any purchases of their collars, leads, leashes and tags. Just use the code LASU01. Thank you!

A few weeks ago, we joined LiteracyCorps/ Americorps to bring dogs to the Even Start program in Marrero. Among the dogs volunteering that day: our wonderful dogfight-bust survivor, Annie, who has been living with a family since January. Annie loves her own two kids, so having a bunch of strangers line up to read to her was a great way to spend the day.

2010-06-04T04:14:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe a month has passed since Sula's passing, and with that milestone comes...hurricane season. The LA/SPCA has a great page of tips for hurricane preparation; in short: be sure you know several places that you can evacuate to with your pets; have crates ready for each animal; bring copies of vet records; have their favorite food and toys on hand (or pre-packed through the season); and be sure your animals have collars and tags as well as microchips for identification.

Speaking of collars, we're thrilled with the gorgeous Sula collar that was launched yesterday by Paco Collars. Paco collars create exquisite, hand-crafted leather leads, collars and leashes. "The Sula" features a diamond pattern modeled after our Sula's white diamond marking on the back of her neck. A portion of all sales of the collar will be donated to The Sula Foundation, and through June 7th, 20% will be coming our way. Check out "The Sula" and other collars at their website; they may be a little more than you are used to spending, but they are worth every penny.

Some additional uplifting news: two of our foster girls, Blue and Kianna, were adopted this week, and we have several more adoptions in progress. Because we're slow careful with our adoption process, we've changed the name of our "adoption days" to "open houses," and we invite people to meet our available foster dogs, learn more about the breed, and share ideas about our ongoing work on behalf of the pit bull.

Our next Open House will be held:
Saturday, June 5th
Noon-2pm
Freret Market
Freret and Napoleon Avenue

Another upcoming event: On Saturday June 12th, we'll be taking some of our foster dogs, as well as a few graduates, to team with Literacy Americorps to help a group of all-ages with their reading skills. The dogs will sit and listen, without judgment, while students practice reading aloud. We'll send out more information on this next week, but if you are interested in volunteering with us for this or other events, please be sure that we have your volunteer application on file by contacting volunteer@sulafoundation.org.

We're also working on a program to assist the pets and families of fishermen (and fisherwomen) affected by the Gulf Oil spill. And...be sure to check out the website for the soon-to-open NO FLEAS market, where you can clean out your closets and earmark the proceeds to go your favorite local rescue organization. (May we suggest The Sula Foundation?)

That's it for now. We hope to see you soon.

In the French Quarter today!

2010-05-22T08:29:00.000-07:00

Stop by and see us (and a few dogs)

We'll be at Gallery Rinard,
723 Royal Street

from 11-2, with Monday, Kiana, Peggy and other special guests.

Remembering Sula

2010-05-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

The following was sent to subscribers of our email list:

Early this week, my dog Sula passed away. This is the kind of thing for which you can never prepare yourself; I wake up every day to find a blank spot in my daily routine. The house is too quiet. The other dogs don't know what to do.

I know that Sula meant a lot to other people too, which is why I am sharing this news publicly (in an essay at Salon.com), while at the same time mourning privately. At some point in the future, we will have an event to celebrate her life and her legacy.

Sula's arrival

Sula showed up on St. Patrick's Day in 2004. In the past six years: she has been the subject of a memoir and numerous news features and essays; she has appeared on television interviews in New Orleans, Gulfport, and Memphis. She was a guest at the St. Louis Film Festival and discussed on NPR's Fresh Air. Her image was plastered on large posters all around the city of Los Angeles. Her story has been translated into Turkish and Japanese. She had a very full life and helped to save the lives of countless other pit bulls around the country and the world.

More than that, I loved her and she loved me. And I miss her.

We have already begun to receive donations in her name, which will go toward paying medical bills for other stray pit bulls; donations can be made by PayPal to sulafoundation@gmail.com or by mail. But we also know that Sula would also be honored if you chose to give something to your own local pit-friendly rescue, in her name. Or by volunteering a few extra hours at a local shelter, and thinking of her while you are there.

Sincerely,

Ken Foster
The Sula Foundation
PO Box 3780
New Orleans, LA 70117

The Sula Foundation is a 501c3 public charity.

Sula Foster, 2003-2010

2010-05-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

Sula passed away earlier this week. We'll share more, including memorial plans, at a future date. Meanwhile, please keep her, and us, in your thoughts.

We would like to thank those of you who have made donations to the Sula Foundation in her memory. We know Sula would also appreciate any gifts you give in her memory to your own local pit bull friendly shelter or rescue group.

Read Ken's essay at Salon.com.

Customize Your Pit Bull--Free Spay Neuter available through The Sula Foundation

2010-04-07T06:25:00.000-07:00

With three bad examples of ownership now in the news, it is the perfect time to show off your responsibility by customizing your pet pit bull with free spay and neuter surgeries. For more info, contact info@sulafoundation.org.

Dog Safety is not Breed Specific

2010-04-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

This past week, we were devastated to learn of two incidents involving roaming pit bulls attacking children in the city of New Orleans. We have been following these cases closely, as well as the ensuing media coverage. The owners in both incidents have been identified and cited by the Animal Control officers working with the Louisiana SPCA. The two little girls involved are recovering from their injuries.

Both incidents were entirely preventable. In spite of media coverage highlighting the breed of the dogs involved, dog safety is not breed specific. Earlier this week, an 11-year old in Washington was mauled by a mixed breed dog; in Concord, California, a young girl sustained serious injuries after being bitten by a yellow lab; in Vicksburg, Mississippi, a child was attacked by the family's cur; and so on.

In light of this, we want to reiterate our standards for responsible dog ownership (of any breed):
*Never leave your dogs unsupervised, even in a fenced yard.
*Always supervise interactions between dogs and children.
*Report any stray or aggressive dogs in your neighborhood--don't wait until something happens.
*Never allow your dog to walk or roam off-leash--no matter how well-behaved.

Unfortunately, rather than focusing on individual dogs and their owner, "pit bulls" continue to garner the headlines. On WWL radio, Tommy Tucker was heard telling his listeners that pit bulls should be shot and "sent to doggie heaven and be done with." It is not appropriate for mainstream media to encourage people to shoot family pets--and it doesn't feel like something that would make the community safer. ABC26 has posted a poll on banning pit bulls--a costly practice that has actually resulted in increased dog bites in other cities. None of this hysteria promotes safety.

With so much misinformation being recirculated on the airwaves, we thought it was a good time to remind people of some of the basic facts:
*Pit bulls do NOT have "stronger jaws" than other breeds; all dogs, on average, have a bite with 320 lbs of pressure per square inch.
*Pit bulls do NOT have "locking jaws"; the University of Georgia found that there were no differences in jaw structure between pit bulls and other dogs
*The CDC does NOT track dog breeds involved in bites and does NOT endorse the suggestion that a dog's breed is a predictor of behavior; an often-cited CDC study of dog breeds has actually been discredited by the CDC on their own website.
*Pit bulls do NOT attack without warning; a study by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover, Germany found that "pit bulls signal like other dogs."

If you would like more information on the truth about pit bulls, including some helpful, printer-ready handouts, go to Animal Farm Foundation.

Join us for Margaritas on April 1st!

2010-03-31T07:17:00.000-07:00

In honor of the anniversary of Bad Rap, April 1st is "Buy a Pit Bull Rescuer a Margarita" Day. And our friends at Juan's Flying Burrito are offering pit bull people 2 for 1 margaritas. Bring a cell phone loaded with pit bull photos for proof -- and for the fun of showing off your pups.

We will be at the Juan's Flying Burrito located at 2018 Magazine Street in New Orleans from 6PM to 8PM.

Thank you for celebrating with us

2010-03-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

If you have our 2010 calendar, you know that March 17th is the anniversary of Sula finding Ken Foster; this weekend also marked the second anniversary of The Sula Foundation. We want to thank everyone who came to the Barkmarket to help us celebrate, including the 59 dogs who came for low-cost vaccinations (34 were pit bulls!)

This gorgeous cake was made by the Cake Cafe at Spain and Chartres in New Orleans.

Dominick On Good Morning New Orleans

2010-03-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

Join us at the Barkmarket Saturday March 20th

2010-02-22T05:29:00.000-08:00

Saturday March 20th: Bywater Barkmarket, 10am-4pm
The Bywater Art Market turns into the Barkmarket, with proceeds going to The Sula Foundation!
We'll be on hand with our low-cost vaccination clinic: $15 for pit bulls; $45 for other breeds
Other rescue groups are invited to attend. Local artists will be showing their work; dog vendors too! With a performance by the Hot 8 Brass Band.
Markey Park, Piety between Royal and Dauphine, New Orleans

Saturday March 27-Sunday March 28th: Deconstructing the Growl
North Coast Dogs presents a conference on dog aggression and the human response to it. For more information
go to North Coast Dogs.

Here's Jacques

2010-02-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Jacques is a deaf pit bull puppy who was abandoned by his breeder several weeks ago. We were called for help because, at the time, the City of New Orleans still didn't have a contract for animal control. We were able to turn him into the shelter for a five day waiting period, and line up a new home for him while he was vaccinated and neutered. How did we manage to find the right home so quickly? In this case, we have to say it was luck. Pure luck.

Take the Super Bowl Pledge: Support the Saints and the pit bulls of New Orleans

2010-01-25T17:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal: dogs aren't allowed at the Super Bowl. Not only that, the ticket prices are so outrageous, our pit bulls would rather see the money spent on our spay/neuter campaign and vaccination clinics, not to mention a few other top secret projects in the works. So they hatched this plan.

We're asking everyone to take a Super Bowl Pledge to donate to The Sula Foundation:
$5 per Saints touchdown
$1 per Saints field goal
and an extra $10 for the win.

When you the game comes around on February 7th, you'll have two reasons to cheer: for the team, and for the pits.

There are quite a few pit bull fans among the Saints team, and we'll be sure to let the team know ahead of game-time how much each score will earn their home-town dogs.

To take the pledge, just email us at sulafoundation@gmail.com with "Superbowl Pledge" in the subject line.

And remember, no matter what happens, the pit bulls will be winners in the end.

Total pledged so far:
$151 per touchdown
$32 per field goal
$310 for the win

Mimi makes an appearance on Good Morning New Orleans

2010-01-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Vaccination Clinic, January 9th, Lower Ninth Ward

2010-01-05T06:47:00.001-08:00

The Sula Foundation, New Orleans' pit bull advocacy group, will sponsor a low-cost vaccination clinic on Saturday January 9, from 1-4pm at the Sankofa Market at St. Claude and Caffin in the Lower Ninth Ward. Working in conjunction with Dr. Jessica's "Pets R Our World" mobile veterinary clinic, the following services will be offered:

For pit bulls: $15 for complete vaccinations (including rabies, bordetella and distemper)
Appointments for FREE spay/neuter surgeries

For all other breeds: $45 for complete vaccinations.

Max is looking for a Happy New Year

2009-12-13T07:16:00.000-08:00

This is Max, our latest Sula dog. He and his foster family have been waiting very patiently for a spot in our program, and with two recent adoptions, we're finally able to welcome him into the Sula family. Max is a young male, still a little shy with strangers, but quite playful and friendly once he gets to know people. He gets along so well with his foster sister that we think he'd probably like to go to a home with another female dog to follow around.

Meanwhile, our recent adoptees are enjoying the holidays in their new homes. Congratulations to Luna (a former cruelty case from the LA/SPCA) and Louis (a three-legger from Jefferson Parish).

Our own New Year's plans include a vaccination and spay/neuter clinic in the Lower Ninth Ward on January 9th, followed by plans for clinics in Algiers and Bywater. Funding for these events comes from our calendar sales, so thank you to all who have chipped in already. If you still need some calendars for holiday giving, we're filling orders as fast as they come in (and if you order by 12/20 we should be able to get it to you by 12/24.) We also have these holiday events and pawtographings coming up:

Thursday 12/17: Holiday Happy Hour at The Transportation Revolution, 901 Julia Street at Baronne, 6-8pm (with Fido, Mr. March...and complimentary wine and food)

Saturday 12/19: Bywater Art Market, Markey Park, 9-4pm

Annie makes her television debut

2009-11-27T09:01:00.000-08:00

It was inevitable. After charming her way across several states before settling into her new life in New Orleans, Annie has modeled in a fashion show, appeared in our calendar, made the local society page and inspired our first greeting card. Breaking into television was the next step.

The Pit Bulls of New Orleans 2010 Calendar

2009-11-27T04:16:00.001-08:00

There's still time to order for New Years! Orders received by 12/28 should arrive via Priority mail by 12/31.
The 2010 Calendar features two dozen dogs in locations all over town. (You can preview some of the photos on Facebook.) You can order it online, or pick it up at Canine Connection, Canine Culture, Petcetera, Beth's Books, Garden District Bookshop, The Transportation Revolution, 45 Tchoup, FAB, Neophobia, Snake and Jakes, Juan's Flying Burrito, Fair Grinds Coffee House.

Two holiday pawtographing events: 12/17 at The Transportation Revolution, 901 Julia, from 6-8pm; 12/19, Bywater Art Market from 9-4.

Just $18 plus $4.95 postage, with proceeds going to continue our work. You can use a credit card via the PayPal button below, or send a check to The Sula Foundation, PO Box 3780, New Orleans, LA 70117. (Or via Amazon, if that makes you more comfortable, although we earn less with Amazon sales.)

Babe at Bud Rips

2009-11-24T04:44:00.000-08:00

Babe was found wandering the Lower Ninth Ward last fall after we returned from a hurricane evacuation. (He had formed a pack with the English bulldogs Harold and Maude, who we also rescued.) Babe was fostered at Zeus' Place and there he fell in love with Charity and her beagle, Hubig Pie. So, of course, they're all living together now. In this shot from our 2010 Calendar, Babe makes a very confident first visit to a bar. (And somehow manages to look twice his actual size.)

If you haven't ordered your calendar yet, get on it! And pick up a few for your family and friends too.

Send holiday greetings with Annie

2009-11-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

When we saw this photo from our calendar photo shoot, a greeting card was born. If you ordered your calendar already, you'll find our thanks inscribed on this card. And soon you will be able to order a set of cards to send your own holiday wishes.

The cards are 5.5" x 4.25" and the inside reads "Here's to getting everything you wish for..." The back features a small photo of Annie in her Oklahoma kennel and the details of her rescue.

In Memory of Houndy Girl

2009-10-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

(The following update was included in one of our newsletters several weeks ago; if you would like to be on our mailing list, you can sign up on the upper right of this page).

It is hard to believe that three months have passed since we brought you the news of the "largest dog fighting bust" in US History. Even harder to fathom: the majority of those dogs are still being warehoused in St. Louis, awaiting the moment when they might be allowed to go to rescue. The numbers of dogs kenneled there have grown as those who arrived pregnant have now given birth to puppies. It makes us even more grateful for the efforts of Bad Rap, who invited us to join them in evaluating a small group of dogs who were fortunate enough to land at the Claremore Animal Shelter in Oklahoma. Eight of the twelve dogs there went to rescue, including our own Annie, who has been happily unwinding and enjoying an increasing social calendar that includes playing chase with Doug and wrestling with Beast, a four month old puppy that lives down the street.

Houndy Girl, pictured above with Ken Foster, wasn't one of the lucky ones. We don't have video of Houndy, because she was too busy kissing and sitting in his lap for Ken to get anything. But she passed her evaluations, and then waited for a possible placement in a foster home. During this waiting period (because there just aren't that many qualified homes waiting to take in a fight-bust dog), Houndy demonstrated some issues that hadn't been seen in the evaluation. In particular, she was fearful of women, in much the same way that many dogs who have been abused are fearful of men. She also didn't know what to think of children. Both of these are things that can be worked with, but with so few homes available, and so many other dogs waiting, the decision was made to give Houndy some special time and care, and then put her down.

It is important to recognize the limitations we have in saving these dogs; and it is even more important to recognize that their failures were not their own. Molly Gibb, who took good care of Houndy and called in tears when the decision was made, has a great, honest essay about the experience at the Bad Rap website.

But we also want to remember the others we met there, none of whom had any of the human aggression so often assumed in fighting dogs. In addition to Houndy, we lost Black Dog, Bailey, and Scarface.

Rest in Peace.

National Pit Bull Awareness Day, Saturday October 24th

2009-10-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is National Pit Bull Awareness Day and we'll be celebrating all day long in New Orleans.

The day starts at 11 with a walk along the Moon Walk in the French Quarter; we'll meet at the Mint (facing the French Market) and walk along the river and through Jackson Square.

From 11-12:30, Ken Foster will be signing books at Tisket a Tasket in the French Market.

From 12-3 we'll be station the Gallery Rinard on Royal Street, so be sure to stop by and meet a variety of well-trained pit bulls who will be taking shifts in the gallery and walking through the Quarter. We'll have information and resources on hand too.

And from 4-8pm, we'll be uptown with our adoptable dogs at Canine Connection's Barktoberfest, 4920 Tchoup.

It's almost here: the 2010 Pit Bulls of New Orleans Calendar

2009-10-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Calendar features two dozen dogs in locations all over town. You can order it online, or pick it up at Canine Connection, Canine Culture, Petcetera, Beth's Books, Garden District Bookshop, The Transportation Revolution, 45 Tchoup, FAB, Neophobia, Snake and Jakes, Juan's Flying Burrito, Fair Grinds Coffee House.

Just $18 plus $4.95 postage, with proceeds going to continue our work. You can use a credit card via the PayPal button below, or send a check to The Sula Foundation, PO Box 3780, New Orleans, LA 70117. (Or via Amazon, if that makes you more comfortable, although we earn less with Amazon sales.)

Meet Louis "Toots" Pibble IV

2009-09-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we received an email from Tessa at the Jefferson Parish Animal Shelter, asking if we would come evaluate a pit bull that had recently come in--with a fractured leg. She knew this would be a special case for us--and we knew that the dog must be pretty special for her to be asking us, so off we went. In the dormant lobby on a Sunday afternoon, this little guy came scrambing through the door on his three working legs and proceeded to take turns burying his face in the lap of each stranger present. Typical pit bull, making it nearly impossible to say no. But we didn't say yes without subjecting him a few more tests, pinching his toes, bringing him out to meet a few dogs, and then, the ultimate challenge, a very controlled encounter with a crabby Jack Russell. Newly christened Louis (think French aristocracy) Toots (as in the Maytals) Pibble (you know) the IV (even though there is no other dog like him) is now recouperating from his amputation surgery and looking forward to a meeting with his new mentor, our three-legged wonder, Bella. If you'd like to contribute to his care, you can donate via PayPal.-s

Annie went shopping on Saturday

2009-08-31T07:08:00.001-07:00

Here's Annie

2009-08-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

This is Annie. We're not sure how old she is, but we do know that she's spent her life being bred to supply a dogfighter with fresh puppies. She was part of the enormous federal bust involving dogfighters in Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Mississippi. While the bulk of the dog victims are being held in St. Louis, several pockets of dogs are being held elsewhere and have been able to be evaluated and released into rescue.

Because there are still some dogs awaiting transfer to rescue from this location, there are details we cannot yet share. You can see more of the dogs in the video "Meet the Oklahoma Dozen."

For most of the dogs, their interaction with the outside world had been limited; several had not been outside in over a month. Yet, aside from an initial hesitation--possibly due to the 100 degree weather--most of them completely unwound as we worked them through their assessments. They wanted to play. They wanted to kiss.

After the assessments were complete, Annie's custody was signed over to The Sula Foundation. But by then, Ken had already returned to New Orleans, so the question became how to get her safely to our custody, and this was complicated by the fact that, for security reasons, we still didn't want anyone to know where these dogs were being kept. No funds were available for vaccines or spay/neuter surgeries during the six weeks the dogs were held. And an intact dog without vaccines is at the bottom of the priority list for most dog transport operations.

Fortunately, a number of people stepped up to help with the top secret transport. (Thank you to: Lori Leonhardt of Catahoula United Rescue Society; Sandy Ray of Pryor Animal League; Shelley Seitz; Bill and Linda Wissen; Broad Street Bakery; Ed Fritz and Patty Meehan). Annie left her first location on Friday evening, made her way to Little Rock on Saturday morning, then onto Memphis, Winona and Jackson, where Ken picked up the end of her trip. She arrived in New Orleans on Saturday, August 22nd, at midnight. We're looking forward to introducing Annie to everyone at an upcoming event, but first we're going to give her time to get used to sleeping in a dog bed, eating decent food, and just being a regular dog.

But she also has some additional hurdles to face. Nearly all of the dogs in Oklahoma had terrible teeth. One had no teeth at all. Even the younger dogs had severe tartar or, in at least one case, a purple tinge to the enamel of the teeth. Annie, unfortunately, is no exception. We've discovered that at least five of her teeth are fractured and need to be extracted.

Our little Annie is holding together well, considering all these changes. On her way uptown to her spay appointment, she sat upright, craning her neck to check out all the mansions as we passed. Yes, she's looking forward to a good home.

If you'd like to help support Annie and our other activities, please consider making a donation or contact us at volunteer@sulafoundation.org.

UPDATE: Take a look at an almost unrecognizably happy Annie on her shopping trip.

Meet the Oklahoma dozen

2009-08-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

Treating dogs as individuals

2009-08-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened on our way to dinner with some folks from Bad Rap and Animal Farm Foundation last week. First, Donna Reynolds, the wonderful co-founder of Bad Rap, had to cancel in order to head from their home-base in Oakland to the middle of the country to evaluate a group of dogs that were part of the enormous multiple-state dogfighting bust that took place earlier this summer. Previously, The Sula Foundation joined Bad Rap in urging the Humane Society of the United States to reverse their policy of euthanizing all "bust" dogs without evaluation.

The largest group of dogs from this recent bust are being held in St. Louis with the Humane Society of Missouri. The Sula Foundation has reached out to them several times in the past month offering our volunteer support to come up and help clean kennels or take custody of a dog or two once they have been released and passed their evaluations. But, as often happens in the rescue world, we're still waiting to hear back. So, in a Freaky Friday sort of twist, Sula-founder Ken Foster took Donna's place, and met with Bad Rap co-founder Tim Racer at a still-undisclosed location to meet and assess another group of dogs that are part of this same expanding federal case.

We can't give all the details just yet. But we can throw out a few adjectives: Moving. Intense. Emotional. Rewarding. (You can read a bit more over at the Bad Rap blog.)

Happy Birthday Meg!

2009-08-01T05:13:00.000-07:00

Our friend Meg Lousteau is celebrating her birthday this week and she's asked her friends and family to donate to her favorite charities--including The Sula Foundation--instead of gifts. What a great, painless way to raise money! Money raised from Meg's friends will go toward our upcoming low-cost vaccination days, free spay/neuter and other efforts to help keep dogs off the streets. Thanks Meg! And Happy Birthday!!

Here's a great video of Meg's dogs waking up a houseguest:

Could Michael Vick become a Saint?

2009-07-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Early this week, news broke of Michael Vick's reinstatement with the NFL. He can play ball immediately, although the initial terms stipulate that he must sit out the first six games of the season. In justifying the reinstatement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell cited Vick's remorse and his work with the Humane Society of the United States. Yet many have pointed out that at his most recent trial, on state charges in April, Vick pled not guilty to animal cruelty even while entering guilty plea on the charge of dogfighting. Is it possible to be remorseful for something for which you still avoid taking responsibility? And, while Vick and HSUS do, indeed, have an agreement to work together, that work, so far, has been limited to press releases promoting their partnership.

There has been speculation, going back to last spring, that Vick might make a "great" addition to the New Orleans Saints. On Tuesday afternoon, Saints player Lance Moore told WWL-TV that he would love to have Vick join the team. "He'd bring a whole other dimension to this team that we don't really have," he said. "I think he's more than paid his debt to society," Moore continued. "He's done everything that's been asked of him and I would assume you are not going to see any problems. I'm sure the damage that it has done to him mentally is plenty for him to have learned his lesson." Elsewhere, one online report even sketched out a scenario of how to reintroduce Vick to New Orleans, with a joint press conference featuring the Louisiana SPCA.

Certainly Vick deserves a shot to return to society and earn a living; but does that mean that he is fit to serve among the elite of the NFL, among athletes who are regarded as role models to millions? Some argue that denying him the game is robbing him of his livelihood; others say that he can find a job doing something else. Yet what is often missing from this debate is a careful look at the actual facts of the case: one still hears the words "alleged dogfighter" or comparisons to hunting. Vick was involved in an illegal dogfighting operation that included gambling; he and his cohorts admitted to killing dogs that didn't perform; among the methods used to kill the dogs, they electrocuted some by attaching car batteries to their live bodies; these electrocutions were performed at the bottom of an empty pool, where it was possible, months later, to see the claw marks made as the dogs frantically tried to escape; during the investigation, Vick lied to law enforcement, to federal agents, and to his employers and teammates; and, in April of this year, while still serving time in a federal prison, he pled not guilty on state charges of animal cruelty.

Of course, the Saints and the NFL can choose to do what they feel is appropriate, and already they have heard from many fans and players who feel Vick should return. But wouldn't it be something if the teams actually took a vocal stand against dogfighting and animal cruelty this season? If you want to make sure they know how you feel, here are some helpful contacts:

NFL:
Roger.Goodell2@nfl.net
212-450-2000; 212-450-2027

New Orleans Saints:
New Orleans Saints
5800 Airline Drive
Metairie, LA 70003
(504) 731-1080

UPDATED! Events this week: Hug, wash, kiss, adopt...

2009-07-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

Join us this Saturday, July 25
at the new location for Canine Connection, 4290 Tchoup
11-3pm, with adoptable dogs and $10 dog washes for your own dirty pooch

Saturday, August 1st
Dog Daze at Fortier Park, a benefit for the LA-SPCA, The Sula Foundation and City Bark
9am-noon

A stroll with Mardi, Tiramisu and Empanada

2009-06-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a sample video from our new YouTube channel, which features our adoptable dogs.

Dusty, now available via The Sula Foundation

2009-06-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

Dusty was a stray a few months ago and was taken in as a foster by a woman uptown. Unfortunately, her landlord threatened her with eviction. Meanwhile, Dusty's been neutered, treated for heartworms and is up to date on his vaccinations. Here's a video from shortly after he was found:

Our newest addition

2009-06-10T03:57:00.001-07:00

Watch Luna learn how to play in this video with her foster-brother, Monty.

"Who's Your Daddy?" Thursday May 21st, 6-8pm

2009-05-14T05:42:00.001-07:00

Party, Dogwash and DNA tests!

Join us Thursday May 21st, 6-8pm
Canine Culture
8110 Hampson Street

$10 Dog Wash while you enjoy refreshments
Last chance for discounted DNA tests
And, we'll reveal the genetic identity of Brando and Zephyr! (And we'll have a little guessing game before the reveal!)

More Dog Day on Julia

2009-05-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Here's video from our Dog Day on Julia Street. The gallery will be open tonight from 6-8pm, and the show runs through May 23rd. Robert Tannen will be donating 50% of sales of his ball portraits to The Sula Foundation!

And yes, I do look awful. But doesn't Gus look great?

Dog Day on Julia Street: Friday May 1st

2009-04-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

Friday May 1st
527 Julia Street
noon-bark

Celebrate the life of Rocky with your four-legged friends. Attend the first-ever dog-friendly art show on Julia Street. See Robert Tannen’s “A Show of Balls,” sure to be a hit with Fido. Also visit “Rocky’s Ballroom.” Low-hanging art, water, and lots of balls. Treats for dogs and their humans.

Rocky was a 65 pound pit/lab mix. Twenty percent of the proceeds from art sales during the show will benefit the Sula Foundation for local rescue pits.

Gambit features the Sula Foundation

2009-04-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

The current issue of Gambit features a story on the Sula Foundation. It also features some of our favorite foster dogs, including Roosevelt (aka Ghost), Tiramisu and Empanada. Thank you Gambit!

For your consideration: Nana and Mardi

2009-03-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

These girls have been waiting too long for their permanent homes.
Mardi is a young, female pit bull who was found on Magazine street in January and fostered for a month in a house with four other dogs and two young children. When they had to move across the country for work, they realized they could no longer keep her as they had planned. We found room for her at Canine Connection. She's up to date on shots, spayed and on heartworm prevention.

Nana is a white pit bull mix who was adopted from the LA-SPCA as a puppy. After less than a year, he developed health complications that forced him to leave his job and move in with relatives. He contacted us, because he was worried that Nana would fall into the wrong hands, or possibly be euthanized if taken to a shelter. Nana's been staying at Zeus' Place since October! She is spayed, heartworm negative, friendly with children and dogs. Yet so many other dogs have come and gone while she continues patiently waiting.

You can view our other adoptable dogs at Petfinder.

The Sula Foundation announces our first annual five-minute film festival

2009-03-25T04:46:00.000-07:00

We're still putting the plans together, but this summer The Sula Foundation will be sponsoring our first film competition. The basic guidelines: you have five minutes to portray the American Pit Bull Terrier on film. You may use a documentary style, PSA format, or narrative short. Finalists will be broadcast on our YouTube channel and the winners will be screened at our first Pit Bull Film Festival this summer in New Orleans.

More details--and entry forms--will be online in a few days.

Happy Anniversary

2009-03-17T10:59:00.001-07:00

myadorablesula
Originally uploaded by kfoz

Ken Foster found Sula five years ago today. Happy Anniversary!

Special Meeting: The Future of Pit Bulls in New Orleans

2009-03-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, The Sula Foundation contributed toward the expenses of two LA-SPCA staff members who flew to Oakland to join Bad Rap for a week of training and education at Oakland Animal Services. Join us for a talk with LA-SPCA Humane Education director Amy Lundeen, as she fills us in on what they learned and what we can all begin working toward regarding the pit bulls of New Orleans.

Thursday, March 19th, 7pm
Canine Culture
8110 Hampson Street
New Orleans, LA

Also, this week marks two important dates in pit bull history. Monday March 16th marks the anniversary of the death of Sgt. Stubby, the most decorated dog in military history. Tuesday, St. Patrick's Day, is the five year anniversary of Ken Foster finding his dog Sula as a stray. You can honor them by making a small contribution to the Sula Foundation, or by contributing to our efforts to raise money for the LA-SPCA's annual Dog Day Afternoon campaign.

Help Dominick and find out what makes up your mutt

2009-03-14T11:08:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure what kind of dog Dominick is. When I picked him up a few weeks ago, he was eating garbage out of a gutter in front of a McDonalds on St. Claude Avenue. At first he didn't want anything to do with me, but eventually he got into my car and within a few blocks he was in my lap, on his back, getting his scrawny belly rubbed as I drove. Please, don't try this in your own car. Dom stayed for a few weeks with a vet uptown and then moved over to Zeus' Place, where he has been delighted to be fed, petted and surrounded by dozens of other dogs. But like most strays in New Orleans, he has heartworms. In order to pay for his treatment and that of other dogs, we need to do a little fundraising. (In addition to Dominick, in the past week we vaccinated and neutered five dogs, and we're treating a pair of puppies for mange.)

Beginning March 21st, The Sula Foundation will be holding an ongoing Swab-a-thon. We're working with the folks at CanineHeritage, and in addition to sharing the proceeds on their canine DNA testing kits, they've also, for the first time, agreed to drop the price from $120 to $99.95. The test involves collecting a DNA sample from your dog's mouth, which is then compared to 100 breeds. It should be noted that they do NOT test for "pit bull." But if you have ever wondered, debated or argued about what your rescue dog is made of, now is your chance to get scientific proof. You won't love your dog any more or less, but you might learn some surprising things about his or her past. We'll have the kits available March 21st at the Bywater Bark Market, and also at Canine Connection and Canine Culture, as well as other upcoming events. You can preorder your kit online now, for pick up when they arrive.

from the North Carolina vigil

2009-03-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

The Sula Foundation joins coalition of animal welfare groups

2009-02-20T04:32:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, The Sula Foundation joined a coalition of animal welfare organizations demanding temperament evaluations before the euthanization of 145 dogs seized in a North Carolina dogfighting/breeding case. The coalition includes BAD RAP, Animal Farm Foundation, Villa Lobos Rescue Center, Downtown Dog Rescue, and Our Pack. You can read more about it here, and here, and read our recent email to our members here. For the best coverage, and more links, go to BAD RAP's blog. We'll continue to post some updates and important links as things progress.

The Louisiana SPCA's Dog Day Afternoon is coming...

2009-02-16T16:53:00.000-08:00

On March 29th, the Louisiana SPCA's Dog Day Afternoon will take place in City Park. This is the first time that City Park has been the location for the event--in the past, it has always been held at Audubon Park.

You can make a contribution to our fundraising efforts or you can join us as part of The Sula Foundation's team. We're hoping to raise at least $1,500 for the SPCA, and show how strong the pit bull community can be!

Barkus on Sunday

2009-02-11T05:13:00.000-08:00

We'll have a booth at Barkus on Sunday, with free samples of Racheal Ray's Nutrish, posters of Leo (the Vick dog turned therapy dog), bumper stickers, shirts and more.

Also, in addition to needing help with our own booth at Barkus, the Barkus parade krewe is looking for volunteers to help throughout the day. The parade is Sunday, February 15th. Available shifts: 8AM – 12Noon or 10AM – 2PM or 1PM – 5PM. Volunteers cannot bring their dogs. This is a great opportunity for middle/high school students who need service hours for school, as well as college students and adults who want to be part of the fun! When you sign up as a volunteer, be sure to list the Sula Foundation as the organization affiliation so we get credit for having the best volunteers!! To sign up email info@barkus.org put ”volunteer” in the subject line.

Pit-Bull Love-In on Saturday February 7th

2009-02-01T07:36:00.000-08:00

We're having a snuggle-fest/adoption day at Canine Connection, 3440 Magazine Street, New Orleans, on Saturday February 7th from 11am-3pm. Come on by and meet some of our dogs, pick up a 2009 calendar, etc.
(Note: the great poster is from www.obeythepurebreed.com)

The Pit Bulls of New Orleans 2009 Calendar

2008-12-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

There's still time to order our gorgeous calendar and help support our efforts to promote responsible ownership. We've got pit bulls from all over town: Uptown, Treme, Holy Cross, Bywater, The French Quarter, and a surprising number to work behind the scenes at Magazine Street boutiques. In addition to ordering online, the calendar is available at the following stores: Garden District Books, Canine Culture, Canine Connection, Petcetera, Belladonna Day Spa, Neophobia, Petcetera, Pet Asylum, Faulkner House, and Barnes and Noble in Metairie and Harvey. It is also available on Amazon, although we make less money that way.

The calendar yours for a $20 donation, payable by check to The Sula Foundation, PO Box 3780, New Orleans, LA 70117. You can also order via paypal by directing your donation to sulafoundation@gmail.com.

We are no longer taking orders for the 2009 Calendar, but you can order the 2010 calendar using the link on the left margin under "merchandise".

WDSU airs a feature on the pit bulls and their calendar

2008-12-10T10:37:00.000-08:00

I was a little worried when I saw their teaser, but...Here's the story as it actually aired.

Upcoming events: Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Ann Arbor

2008-12-03T23:15:00.001-08:00

Ken Foster will be appearing at the following events:
12/6: Furball, Ann Arbor MI
12/13: Sankofa Market, New Orleans
12/13: Barnes and Noble, Baton Rouge, 6-8pm
12/20: Belladonna Day Spa, New Orleans

Suzie the pit bull will be appearing:
12/6: Canine Culture, New Orleans

Also, you can find us listed at SitStay Dog Rescue Directory

A few of our favorite shots from the calendar

2008-12-02T09:28:00.000-08:00

The Pit Bulls of New Orleans Calendar is getting great reviews. It is an editor's pick from Bark magazine; was featured on Gambit's Blog of New Orleans; and yesterday was included in the Times-Picayune's gift guide.

In addition to being available directly from The Sula Foundation, you can find it at pet and book stores around New Orleans, including Belladonna Day Spa, Canine Culture, Canine Connection, Beth's Books, Garden District Books, Faubourg Art and Books, Pet Asylum, Petcetera, and even on Amazon. We also have mail order available directly from us (scroll down a few entries for details).

Who do our calendar sales benefit?

2008-12-02T05:41:00.000-08:00

In addition to funding our low-cost vaccination and spay/neuter programs, money from the calendar sales will help other dogs like these recent Sula beneficiaries:

Dudley Do Right was formerly named Bruiser, but we thought a name change was in order. Dudley was surrendered by an owner at a shelter in a neighboring state. He was previously neutered and is extremely calm and friendly. But he is also heartworm positive and being treated.

Nana came to us this summer after an owner had to give her up for health reasons. She is incredibly playful and loves people, but hasn't found a new owner.

Eleanore is a dog who was living on the street for months. She'll sit and beg for anything, including cigarettes. She just began heartworm treatment.

Foxy Brown is a gorgeous copper colored dog with a slight brindle pattern. She followed a volunteer home a few weeks ago, and just got a clean bill of health from the vet after a ringworm scare.

Pit Bull Awareness Day, Part Two

2008-10-27T05:12:00.000-07:00

We had a great time walking through the French Quarter with these two dogs and their family on Saturday morning. What was surprising was the number of people who came over to squeeze them and talk about the pit bulls in their own family. Well, maybe that wasn't so surprising. Also not surprising: the number of people who nearly fell of the sidewalk trying to get away from the dogs, even though the dogs weren't anywhere near them.

We also distributed cake and cookies to Octavia Books, Canine Connection, Zeus' Place, Neophobia, and Slim Goodies Diner, where one young woman said, "There are people who don't like pit bulls?"

National Pit Bull Awareness Day

2008-10-24T04:05:00.000-07:00

October 25th is National Pit Bull Awareness Day, and we'll be doing a visibility event on Saturday morning.

What: Pit Bull Awareness Walk through the French Quarter
When: Saturday October 25th at 10:30am
Where: We'll meet near the base of Canal Street at the pedestrian entrance to the Ferry
Why: To show people what responsible pit bull owners look like

Please bring your dog if you feel he or she is up to it, but remember that we'll be walking through the Quarter, which means lots of other people, dogs, horses, noise, traffic, etc. We want to show our dogs in the best possible light, so if your dog doesn't like crowds, consider his/her feelings. But, you can still join the walk, even without a dog. Wear a t-shirt, make a sign. We'll have Sula shirts at a discount for anyone who doesn't already have a pit bull themed wardrobe.

If you plan on coming, please respond to this email so that we know how many to expect.

Also, we'll be offering petit fours and cookies along with pit bull facts at various locations in town, including Octavia Books and Neophobia furniture store. The LA-SPCA will be having an adoption day at Canine Culture.

And, we're still looking for some volunteers with the following events:
Jefferson Pet Fest, Sunday Nov. 2
NOLA Bookfair, Saturday Nov. 15

Was your mail returned?

2008-10-23T06:51:00.000-07:00

We recently discovered that the post office has been returning some of our mail, including donations. And invitations! We've straightened all out, but we have no idea how many pieces of mail were returned "undeliverable" while others were in fact delivered without a problem. If you have had a problem with this, please let us know.

Meanwhile, here are Roseanne and Lucinda, who were abandoned in a yard at about six weeks old. They are going through the vaccinations now, and will eventually be socialized and put up for adoption.

Come to the Bark Market, Saturday Oct. 18th

2008-10-16T07:01:00.001-07:00

Hugh

2008-10-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hugh was sent to us from another Animal Welfare organization in Louisiana. Before agreeing to take him, we asked that he be vaccinated and checked for heartworms. We were told this was done and that he tested negative. When he arrived with no vet records, we discovered that he had been taken to a vet, but no vaccines were administered and he was not tested for heartworms. In addition, he had patches of missing hair from what was apparently some type of staph infection. And he tested very high for heartworms.

Unfortunately, this is an example of how difficult it can be taking rescues from other individuals or organizations. And Hugh will now take the resources required for five or more other dogs. The good news is that he is really sweet.

Saturday October 4th: Two events

2008-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Rick Arruzza will be reading and signing books inspired by his pit bull/pointer mix Sparky on Saturday October 4th from 11:00 AM until 12:30 at Maple Street Bookshop, 7523 Maple Street.

From noon on, we'll have a few dogs at an adoption event at the Freret Market, at the corner of Freret and Cadiz. The Louisiana SPCA and ARNO will also have dogs on hand.

Vote for The Sula Foundation and help us win a grant

2008-10-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

The good news is that several dogs now have new homes: Grover, Kaspar, Bandit, Bess, Sable and JP all have foster or permanent homes. Maude, the female bulldog, had to have a hernia repaired, but hopefully she and Harold will soon be in a foster home receiving their heartworm treatment. The bad news is that an organization in Baton Rouge sent down a pit bull named Hugh that is in much worse shape than we were led to believe.
So, if you want to help out but don't have the cash, please vote for The Sula Foundation at The Animal Rescue Site's Shelter Challenge. You can vote everyday through December 14th, and they will be awarding $100,000 in grants based on the results. Just follow the link and type in The Sula Foundation and select LA for the state. Then follow the directions to vote.

Bandit's New Life

2008-09-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Meet "Our Gang" Saturday September 20

2008-09-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

We're holding an adoption event Saturday September 20th from 11-3pm at Canine Culture, 8110 Hampson Street. In addition to meeting our gang of adoptable dogs, you'll be able to enjoy a selection of Little Rascals movies and free lemonade!

Here's Shiloh (He's not a pit bull, but we like him anyway)

2008-09-13T06:10:00.001-07:00

Shiloh was found completely hairless earlier this summer. Now he's grown up into a Catahoula/beagle and he's ready for a home. You can meet him at Dag's House or at our adoption event on Saturday September 20th at Canine Culture, 8110 Hampson Street, from 11-3pm.

The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser

2008-09-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

This morning as I walked my own dogs through the lower Ninth, I came across a young man on a stoop with a blue pit bull puppy. "Do you want another one?" he asked. And then he proceeded to tell me the mysterious story of the dog we now call Kaspar Hauser. Since the power is still out, this man slept with his door ajar--and when he woke in the morning he found Kaspar curled up next to him in bed. He said he wanted to keep the dog, but knew he wouldn't be able to take proper care of him. He said he'd already had someone offer to buy him. I told him I'd take good care of the dog, but when I returned to fetch him, but the dog and the man were gone. I left a note offering a reward, and a few hours later he called me.

You can read about the real Kasper Hauser here.

If anyone would like to help with this influx of dogs, even small contributions are meaningful.

Here's Bandit

2008-09-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

Bandit was on the street with Harold and Maude, and after picking them up, I returned to find him waiting for me. Like Harold and Maude, he is heartworm positive. He was also so infested with fleas that they could be seen from several yards away. We named him Bandit, after Vicki Hearne's dog.

Harold and Maude

2008-09-05T10:28:00.001-07:00

While the storm wasn't as bad as we feared, there are still lots of dogs running loose in New Orleans. This morning I picked up a black female English (I think?) bulldog and with her a white male bulldog. The female was in particularly bad shape, with bite marks on one side of her face. The male was wearing a tag that belonged to a black lab that was lost during Katrina. They are both heartworm positive. Now I'm going back to see if I can catch the white male pit who was roaming with them. If anyone can help with these dogs, please contact us at sulafoundation@gmail.com. More later--Ken

Gustav Evacuation update

2008-08-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

All of our Sula dogs have been out of the city for several days, and I know most of our friends have left safely with their animals already. Brando, Sula, Zephyr and I will be on the road shortly. But as I distributed pet carriers yesterday, it was clear that there will be some pets and strays left behind. Particularly pit bulls, which have already been rejected for evacuation by at least one major effort. More later...

Stay safe.

Puppies!

2008-08-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

Tonight at Canine Culture, 8110 Hampson Street, New Orleans, from 6-8pm, you can meet Jean-Pierre (pictured here) and his two sisters, all of whom are looking for homes. The story of where these pups came from is long and I won't go into it here. But if you can't come see them tonight, they are also available by appointment.

Also, dog baths for $10, and beer!

Call for models: 2009 New Orleans Pit Bull Calendar

2008-08-19T06:37:00.000-07:00

We're getting ready for the first calendar devoted to New Orleans pit bulls! If you have a photogenic pit bull and would like to be considered, please email us. We'll be setting up a series of photo shoots to make sure we get a wide range of dogs, owners and neighborhoods. We might also be able to include some of your own shots, so feel free to send us photos of your dog(s) in a New Orleans setting, but remember we'll only be able to use high quality shots in the finished product. The 2009 Pit Bulls of New Orleans calendar will be on sale in October, and it will be a great opportunity to show how much fun our happy dogs are.

Email: sulafoundation@gmail.com

Beer n' Bath Thursday August 21st

2008-08-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

From 6-8pm we'll be washing dogs and drinking beer at Canine Culture, 8110 Hampson Street, New Orleans. Suggested donation $10 per dog. Suggested pre bath activity: running along the levee.

Sula Merchandise

2008-07-31T04:39:00.001-07:00

sula shirt, originally uploaded by kfoz.

In addition to volunteering or making a donation, you can help New Orleans pit bulls by wearing some of her fancy new clothes. And look for some Brando and Zephyr endorsed items in the coming weeks.Visit the store., with proceeds going to help New Orleans pit bulls and our educational programs.

Donate $20 or more to the Sula Foundation, and we'll send a signed copy of The Dogs Who Found Me. Donate $30 or more and we'll send a copy of Dogs I Have Met. Donate $50 or more and we'll send both.

Best Friends Webinar this weekend

2008-07-30T04:21:00.000-07:00

Ken Foster be doing a series of webinars with Best Friends this weekend and The Sula Foundation is one of the topics of discussion! The first of them, on Friday, is for BF volunteers only. But Sunday's session is open to anyone, and it is free. For details, go to the Best Friends Network.

Adoption event this Saturday, July 26

2008-07-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

Grover, Gus, Panda and maybe even Burgundy will be at Canine Culture on Saturday from 11am-3pm, 8110 Hampson Street, New Orleans. There will also be some cats, kittens and dogs from ARNO. Some come by!

Special Talk July 24

2008-07-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

On Thursday July 24th, The Sula Foundation will sponsor a talk with Ledy Van Kavage, Senior Director of Legislation and Legal Training with the ASPCA. The topic: American Pit Bull Myths, the dangers of breed profiling, and how we can all work together toward responsible laws that address dangerous dogs and owner responsibility. Ledy is a dynamic, entertaining speaker, so this will be a fun evening, in spite of the serious topic. And to make it a little more fun, we'll be holding the event at the dog-friendly Bridge Lounge! Admission is free for well-behaved people and leashed dogs.

Ledy Van Kavage
Thursday July 24th, 7pm
The Bridge Lounge
1201 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70117