New Hope Welcomes Eddie Munster and Ms. Dolittle

Eddie Munster (formerly known as Eli by the HSMO shelter staff) was the first dog released to New Hope Pit Bull Rescue via Mutts n Stuff. We got the chance to meet him for the first time last Wednesday while we were in Missouri and this boy has got it going on! He's a bit unsure in new situations and places but he recovers quickly and is happy for guidance. He's about 8 months old and shows a LOT of potential to become a remarkable breed ambassador and therapy dog. We're going to be sure he makes it there!

We were fortunate enough to be able to take Eddie back to the hotel room with us that night and in doing so, we got a REAL glimpse of his personality and goofy nature. Check out his debut video.

Now that Eddie has been home for a few days and has really begun to settle in, we're learning SO much more about him. It's taken him a bit to get used to the side yard and thankfully, he's beginning to poop outside without me having to haul his butt out there mid-poop! Yes, we consider these things victories! :) Eddie is a busy boy who is definitely going to need a job. He LOVES to play tug and really enjoys playing with those cat toys with the "feather boa" attached to the end. He thinks the biggest game in the world it throwing himself at you with this big ol' cheesy grin and when he gets excited, he flattens his body to the floor and bounces around! It's mildly amusing now, but may not be when he finishes growing so we'll certainly be working on his personal boundaries and respecting others. We'll be teaching him new things in the future using Bridge and Target training and will prepare him to pass the Canine Good Citizen test in the next few months. He's very responsive to his people and he wants nothing more than to be that good dog everyone wants.

Of course we aren't going to forget to introduce Ms. Dolittle (formerly Mimi) aka Suey (because she reminds us of a little pot belly pig)! When we got to Missouri we knew 2 of the dogs we would be bringing into our program, but Ms. Dolittle here was a surprise. We had anticipated a 3rd dog, but weren't sure who that dog would be until we arrived at the bunker and began our evaluations. We had asked Gale Frey (of Mutts n Stuff) to share with us, dogs that she felt would fit the dynamic of our 3rd available foster home and "Mimi" was at the top of her list. We met her and instantly fell head over heels in love! Thank you Gale and Tracy (of Our Pack, Inc.), for recommending such a wonderfully sweet and full of life girl.

This little girl has such a spunky personality and gentle demeanor. Ms. Dolittle is all about a good game of fetch and will spend as much time as you will give her playing with cat toys, playing fetch, going for walks or just snuggling beside you for some love. And she thinks that kids are the best thing in the world next to Borden sliced cheese! (Yes, she really is a princess... she only likes Borden brand so far. Ha!) She can't seem to get (or give) enough kisses to every little one she meets.

Ms. Dolittle will also be working to attain her CGC certification and become a therapy dog. She came to us with a confidence that said "I will NOT let this beat me" and we have every intention of helping her become a true ambassador for the breed and hopefully make it easier for bust dogs in our own area to receive the chance that these very lucky dogs have been given.

We are still anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 3rd dog, and you can bet we will update again as soon as she arrives safely in our arms. She is equally as wonderful as Eddie and Suey, and we promise you all are going to love her!

We Got To Meet Fay!

You've read about our trip to Missouri and the feeling of overwhelming camaraderie at the bunker, now we want to share with you some pictures of our meeting with this VERY special girl.

We appreciate getting to meet Fay and have our pictures taken with her more than anyone can imagine, because she just radiates love and is one more dog (like our own Mickey Mouth) who is a shining example of how wonderful this breed really is. We want to share our part of Fay's story with everyone who will listen, and hopefully some will walk away with a new sense of understanding about the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Gale Frey, with Mutts n Stuff, brought Fay out to the bunker while we were there and gave us a special opportunity to meet this AMAZING girl! Fay is something else and it's obvious why she's such a much loved character throughout all this. She is a huge testament to the people loving nature of these dogs and why pit bull fanciers favor this breed like they do.

It's painfully obvious that Fay's life has been anything but stellar. Nobody knows exactly what happened to this dog with a heart so full of love. Our guess would be that Fay was as loyal to her former master as she is to everyone she meets, and wanted to make him happy. You see, sometimes when dogs fight, lips get torn and rather than providing proper medical care for the dogs, dog men will simply cut away the hanging skin (in this case Fay's mouth) and use super glue to piece together what little they can.

Although Fay may look scary, she is anything but! She is so gentle and ever so careful not to be to pushy or rough when showing her love. Incredibly, and as we have experienced before with our own Mickey Mouth, Golda and so many other dogs, Fay has such a soft mouth and when she gives kisses, she seems to have an awareness that bumping a delicate human face could actually hurt.

It's always a humbling experience to meet another dog that's obviously been through a less than wonderful life. We are reminded over and over so many times, why we love the American Pit Bull Terrier so much, and just how people loving and good natured these dogs truly are. Why these dogs are so worth saving.

Fay was of course curious about the environment around her, and as most dogs will do... she would sniff the ground, the plants and the objects around us; but she would only step away for a few short seconds before she came right back to our sides wiggling her butt and wagging her tail. She would snuggle in as close as she could get and her whole body was relaxed. This is what we experience with most of the dogs we meet.

We feel so blessed to have been able to meet Fay, the face of dog fighting and spokes dog for so many, and we wish her nothing but the best that life has to offer for the rest of her many years to come.

Fay is scheduled to have multiple re-constructive surgeries to repair as much of this torturous damage to her mouth as possible. Right now, with Fay having no lips, she is suffering from serious dental disease which is causing her teeth to rot and fall out. If you are able to and would like to help pay for Fay's much needed surgery and help give her a better life, please contact Mutts n Stuff in St. Louis, Missouri to learn where to send donations. We know they will appreciate your generosity and kindness.

Welcome Back! Our Trip To St. Louis, MO.

First we'd like to apologize for keeping everyone in suspense. Our trip out to Missouri and back was a whirlwind and we're just now settling back down and able to think straight enough to share our excitement and experience with you all. Whenever anyone has asked how our trip was, there is only one thing we can say that describes our adventure.

Unimaginable...

You think you know what to expect, but then all preconceived images that you pictured in your minds eye go right out the window when you walk in the door. We were greeted by such caring and energetic staff, and they were glad to have us there; and we were glad to be there. The donations that have come in and are still coming, the support from fellow pit bull owners, breed advocates and animal lovers is just amazing and far more appreciated than anyone will ever know. The sound of dogs waking up and saying, good morning and thank you for taking care of me is deafening, but really... we knew it would be and what can you expect with literally hundreds of dogs in one space.

We sincerely wish we would have had more than a day, because we throughly enjoyed helping clean kennels and spending time with the dogs. Unfortunately we only had one day to help AND evaluate dogs that we would be bringing home, so we had to divide our time and work in the morning and evaluate in the afternoon. But the team work among volunteers and the morale is inspiring! And the system in place to make sure everything runs smoothly is incredible! Everything works like a truly well oiled machine.

We want to thank the Humane Society of Missouri and every employee and volunteer for doing such a wonderful job of taking care of all their charges and making sure that every dog gets as much enrichment and attention as possible each and every single day. We met so many great people in Missouri and we want them to all know how truly grateful we are for being welcomed and being allowed the opportunity to help, even if for a few short hours. The dogs seemed happy, a few even greeted us with literal smiles on their faces, and most every one wore those great big "bully grins" that we all know so well and adore. They were most definitely comfortable and there wasn't one dog that we interacted with that day who missed an opportunity to share some love and enjoy what we gave in return.

A big thank you to Gale Frey with Mutts n Stuff, for getting Eli (now Eddie Munster) out of the shelter and helping him begin his adjustment to life inside a home while he waited for us to come. And we also want to thank Gale and Pam (of HSMO) for all of their help in working with us on our first bust case. We feel like we have learned so much from you all and we hope to take this knowledge and turn it into something positive for the future of bust dogs in South Carolina.

We also want to thank, again, those of you who helped make our trip to Missouri happen. Without your support, we would have never experienced such an awesome event and brought home so much knowledge or our first 2 wonderful dogs. Thank you thank you thank you!

Courts Release Dogs From Raid into Custody of Humane Society of Missouri

Did you hear the great news? The Humane Society of Missouri made a press release announcing that two districts involved in the huge Missouri-based dog fight raid and rescue released the dogs into their custody! Isn't this fabulous! So many people were worried these dogs wouldn't have a chance. Well, here ya go folks; they're getting it!

Now, are you ready for him? Eddie Munster, formerly Eli, was released to Mutts-n-Stuff on behalf of New Hope Pit Bull Rescue Wednesday, October 14, 2009! Mutts-n-Stuff will be caring for Eddie until we're able to make it out there at the end of October.

Doesn't he just make you weak at the knees? Our hopes for Eddie are high, as he will be one of 2 dogs from the MO bust that we will be training to become therapy dogs. A third dog coming to New Hope Pit Bull Rescue already has an adoptive home lined up and will attain her CGC certification prior to her adoption being complete.

The American Pit Bull Terrier is a good-natured, amusing, extremely loyal and affectionate breed that is good with children and adults alike. It should come as no surprise that Pit Bulls make great therapy dogs. Just look at Leo, one of the dogs seized from the property of Michael Vick back in 2007. A former bust dog turned therapy dog and a major contributor to the health and well being of so many people!

Therapy dogs play such a vital role in the lives of many people. They visit hospitals and nursing homes; helping to fulfill the emotional needs of patients, doctors, nurses and every life they touch. My own son and family even enjoyed an entertaining visit from a therapy dog when he spent his first birthday in the hospital at MUSC. Therapy dogs are also used in literacy programs and visit libraries and schools, spending time with children or adults who may have difficulty learning to read. These are only a few of the jobs that therapy dogs do, for there are many many more!

We feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to help with the Missouri dogs, and we are grateful for the relationships we've built over the last few months with groups like HSMO, Mutts n Stuff and Our Pack, as well as people from organizations like the Real Pit Bull. We truly hope that by teaming up with such a wonderful group of organizations and people, and working to bring some of the Missouri dogs home to South Carolina, we'll be given the chance to help save dogs seized in fight busts and abuse cases right here in our own state.

There are still many more dogs at the secret location in Missouri who need our help, as well as dogs right here in our own area shelters. If you are interested in fostering a dog for New Hope Pit Bull Rescue, please visit our web site and fill out a foster application today. These dogs need you to help us help them!

Missouri Bust Update

I assume you all have heard about the biggest dog fighting bust in US history on July 8th by our friends at Humane Society of Missouri. Over four hundred of my brothers and sisters have been rescued from the horrid life of dog fighting. I am so happy that my friends at HSMO have freed my brothers and sisters but what happens now?

Right now they are in a secret bunker safe from the bad people. The dogs have to be held for at least 40 days until the court hearing.

I, Smiley King the dog you see in the pic above with my special Pooh Bear, went through this process myself and it was scary at first being in a new place but my friends at HSMO made me feel at home right away. In the meantime, my brothers and sisters from this bust are experiencing their first toys, peanut butter, friendly hugs and kisses from humans, and fresh bedding. I wish I could talk to them to let them know their lives made a major change for the good and they will never have to fight again.

My foster mom, Gale Frey who founded MuttsNStuff is on the move to find foster homes for the dogs. She's also been on site helping the MO dogs. I've been in touch with my sister Zoe, who went to Our Pack from the same 2007 Stoddard County Mo bust that I came from. After arriving at Our Pack she went to school to become a therapist. Zoe's been asking Our Pack to ask for foster homes too.

Well heck, Zoe got adopted into an awesome home, they have toys, Kongs, balls and all the stuff that makes life wonderful! I know this is possible for all my buds out here too! Everyone should have a Pooh Bear, very comforting.

I heard that after the big bust other abused dogs outside of this case here were surrendered because their enslavers felt the heat of the FBI and HSMO. Since these dogs were owner surrenders they were able to go into rescue. But hundreds of my brothers and sisters are still waiting. Right now, I have a picture of an FBI agent and HSMO Investigator on my dog crate wall. They are my heroes.

I will send everyone updates as I know them about the Missouri Bust Dogs. They are safe in a secret place waiting for our a laws to release them to rescue. What a sight it must be having over 400 pits in one place, where I used to be! I'm so lucky to be here, with my bear and my friends. Thank you again HSMO for helping us. Your are my heroes.

Thanks for listening,
Smiley King

Our friends over in Missouri are working hard to prepare the Missouri bust dogs for rescue. We need your help to get ready for the dogs here. New Hope Pit Bull Rescue is in dire need of foster homes who can be ready to provide these dogs with a loving and nurturing environment if and when they are released. We will also be taking donations for the dogs once they are in our program, so please keep this in mind and stay with us for updates as we learn more.

Also, we still need foster homes for dogs in other shelters who need our help. Please consider opening your heart and home for a Pit Bull in need. Fostering a homeless dog is a very rewarding experience that many people truly enjoy!

Visit our web site to learn more about our foster program and to apply to become a foster home today!

Lookit Who We Had a Visit From!

This is Ryan with his adopted pooch, Rambo (formerly Tino)! It was SO wonderful getting to see them again yesterday. Tino (he'll always be Tino to me) was an awesome guy and I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him again :)

We also snagged a candid HAPPY shot of our Beacon boy who is steadily putting on some weight. :)



Beacon got to meet some wonderful people yesterday who are interested in adopting him when he's available (probably another month or so) so cross your fingers!

In other news, we have some VERY cool magnets for sale! If you are interested, stop by at one of our events or email us at info@nhpbr.org to find out another way to get one :)

The following are $5 a piece:












And these are for $3 :)

A New Look :)

As you may have noticed, we're in the process of changing things up a bit in the way our site looks. We've chosen a new layout for our website so please feel free to tell us what you think about it. As our group grows, the layout and content of our site will likely grow with us :)

In other news, we have a new event scheduled! Thank you Amie for finding the venue!



Come meet us on Saturday, June 28, 2008 at Parson Jack's Cafe in West Ashley! We'll be there from 11-3. We're going to have some goodies for both people and pooches alike so be sure to stop by!

Also, local artist Chris Sullivan will be playing later that evening so be sure to stick around to see him perform. You're sure to like him! Check out his music here!

Quite a Bit to Update About :)

Okay, so... :) Jack went to a new home with a family on 10 acres of land. I'm so jealous of him and hope we get pictures of him living it up soon :)



Our adoption event on the 7th and 8th went well too and we got to meet a lot more wonderful people! A special thanks goes to Marva for helping man a spot both Saturday and Sunday and for spoiling Mia with a toy and snazzy new collar! Bill and Anita, once again, THANK YOU for buying some goodies for the pooches in our program. Mia LOVES the ball/rope/firehose bone toy you both got for her :)

Speaking of Mia, no applications on her yet! Everyone who has met her absolutely adores her and I go home and scratch my head every day wondering WHY she hasn't been adopted yet. She is a go anywhere do anything kind of dog. She's a clown and LOVES attention. She's a good dog! Whoever you are out there that's looking for a dog, come out of your hiding spot and take a gander at Mia!



Let's see....what else?

Yesterday, we brought in a new boy named Beacon. Beacon could be right around 18 months or so but he's so underweight and affected by poor nutrition that it's hard to say. He found his way to the home of one of the board members of the animal shelter. He was severely emaciated and badly wounded. His scars indicate that he may have been used to bait other dogs into fighting but no one can confirm that information. Beacon had been at the shelter since March and in that time, they treated his wounds and started trying to get some weight on him. Beacon is still VERY small and could stand to gain 15lbs+ to be at his appropriate weight. He weighed in at a meager 33lbs when we took him yesterday. His spirits are high though and he is a WONDERFUL boy thus far. He needs a crash course in manners and house rules but its nothing that basic training won't fix :) He's very eager to please and his focus is on people. Also, there is a very good possibility this boy could go to a home with small animals. He unexpectedly met a stray cat yesterday and just wanted a good sniff. After that, he was back to looking to people for more attention and direction. We're VERY optimistic about Beacon!



If anyone would like to donate towards Beacon's care, please feel free to contact us at donations@nhpbr.org. Thank you everyone!

100 Ways to Help a Rescue

People don't realize how small of a contribution they could make, that would make such a huge difference.

Can you...

1.Transport a dog?

2.Donate a dog bed or towels or other *bedding* type items?**

3.Donate MONEY?

4.Donate a Kong? A nylabone? Treats?

5.Donate a crate?

6.Donate an x-pen or baby gates?

7.Donate a food dish or a stainless bucket for a crate?

8.Donate a leash?

9.Donate a collar?

10.Donate some treats or a bag of food?

11.Donate a halti or a gentle leader?

12.Walk a dog?

13.Groom a dog?

14.Donate some grooming supplies (shampoos, combs, brushes, etc.)?

15.Go to the local shelter and see if that dog is the breed the shelter says it is or go with rescue to be a second opinion on the dog?

16.Make a few phone calls?

17.Mail out applications to people who've requested them?

18.Provide local vet clinics with contact information for educational materials on responsible pet ownership?

19.Drive a dog to and from vet appointments?

20.Donate long distance calling cards?

21.Donate the use of your scanner or digital camera?

22.Donate the use of a photocopier?

23.Attend public education days and try to educate people on responsible pet ownership?

24.Donate a gift certificate to a pet store?

25.Donate a raffle item if your club is holding a fund raiser?

26.Donate flea stuff (Advantage, etc.)?

27.Donate heartworm pills?

28.Donate a canine first aid kit?

29.Provide a shoulder to cry on when the rescue person is overwhelmed?

30.Pay the boarding fees to board a dog for a week? Two weeks?

31.Be a foster partner in care and give the foster gifts or food for the dog?

32.Clip coupons for dog food or treats?

33.Bake some homemade doggie biscuits?

34.Make book purchases through Amazon via a web site that contributes commissions earned to a rescue group?

35.Host rescue photos with an information link on your website.?

36.Donate time to take good photos of foster dogs for adoption flyers, etc.?

37.Conduct a home visit or accompany a rescue person on the home visit?

38.Go with rescue person to the vet to help if there is more than one dog?

39.Have a yard sale and donate the money to rescue?

40.Be volunteer to do rescue in your area?

41.Take advantage of a promotion on the web or store offering a free ID tag and instead of getting it for your own dog, have the tag inscribed with a rescue's name and phone # to contact?

42.Talk to all your friends about adopting and fostering rescue dogs?

43.Donate vet services or can you help by donating a spay or neuter each year or some vaccinations?

44.Interview vets to encourage them to offer discounts to rescues?

45.Write a column for your local newspaper or club newsletter on dogs on dogs currently looking for homes or ways to help rescue?

46.Take photos of dogs available for adoption for use by the rescue?

47.Maintain web sites listing/showing dogs available?

48.Help organize and run fundraising events?

49.Help maintain the paperwork files associated with each dog or enter the information into a database?

50.Tattoo a rescued dog?

51.Microchip a rescued dog?

52.Loan your carpet steam cleaner to someone who has fostered a dog that was sick or marked in the house?

53.Donate a bottle of bleach or other cleaning products?

54.Donate or loan a portable dog run to someone who doesn't have a quarantine area for quarantining a dog that has an unknown vaccination history and has been in a shelter?

55.Drive the fosters' children to an activity so that the foster can take the dog to obedience class?

56.Use your video camera to film a rescue dog in action?

57.Pay the cost of taking a dog to obedience class?

58.Be the one to take the dog to its obedience class?

59.Go to the foster home once a week with your children and dogs to help socialize the dog?

60.Help the foster clean up the yard (yes, we also have to scoop what those foster dogs poop)

61.Offer to test the foster dog with cats?

62.Pay for the dog to be groomed or take the dog to a *Do It Yourself* Grooming Place?

63.Bring the foster take out so the foster doesn't have to cook dinner?

64.Pay a house-cleaning service to do the spring cleaning for someone who fosters dogs all the time?

65.Lend your artistic talents to your club's newsletter, fundraising ideas, t-shirt designs?

66.Donate printer paper, envelopes and stamps to your club?

67.Go with a rescue person to the vet if a foster dog needs to be euthanized?

68.Go to local shelters and meet with shelter staff about how to identify your breed or provide photos and breed information showing the different types of that breed may come in and the different colour combinations?

69.Go to local businesses and solicit donations for a club's fundraising event?

70.Offer to try and help owners be better pet owners by holding a grooming seminar?

71.Help pet owners be better pet owners by being available to answer training questions?

72.Loan a crate if a dog needs to travel by air?

73.Put together an *Owner's Manual* for those who adopt rescued dogs of your breed?

74.Provide post-adoption follow up or support?

75.Donate a coupon for a free car wash or gas or inside cleaning of a vehicle?

76.Pay for an ad in your local/metropolitan paper to help place rescue dogs?

77.Volunteer to screen calls for that ad?

78.Get some friends together to build/repair pens for a foster home?

79.Microchip your own pups if you are a breeder, and register the chips, so if your dogs ever come into rescue, you can be contacted to take responsibility for your pup?

80.Donate a small percentage of the sale of each pup to rescue if you are a breeder?

81.Buy two of those really neat dog-items you "have to have" and donate one to Rescue?

82.Make financial arrangements in your will to cover the cost of caring for your dogs after you are gone - so Rescue won't have to?

83.Make a bequest in your will to your local or national Rescue?

84.Donate your professional services as an accountant or lawyer?

85.Donate other services if you run your own business?

86.Donate the use of a vehicle if you own a car dealership?
87.Loan your cell phone (and cover costs for any calls) to someone driving a rescued dog?

88.Donate your *used* dog dryer when you get a new one?

89.Let rescue know when you'll be flying and that you'd be willing to be a rescued dog's escort?

90.Do something not listed above to help rescue?

91.Donate a doggy seatbelt?

92.Donate a grid for a van or other vehicle?

93.Organize a rescued dog picnic or other event to reunite the rescued dogs that have been placed?

94.Donate other types of doggy toys that might be safe for rescued dogs?

95.Donate a roll-a-treat or Buster cube?

96.Donate clickers or a video on clicker training?

97.Donate materials for a quarantine area at a foster's home?

98.Donate sheets of linoleum or other flooring materials to put under crates to protect the foster's floor?

99.Donate an engraving tool to make ID tags for each of the rescued dogs?

100.Remember that rescuing a dog involves the effort and time of many people and make yourself available on an emergency basis to do *whatever* is needed?

Humane Net - Low Cost Spay and Neuter Program