BAD RAP (organization)

BAD RAP (acronym for Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls) is a animal welfare and rescue group based in Oakland California, devoted to caring for and improving the public image of pit bull terriers as pets.

History and description

The organization is run by husband and wife, Tim Racer and Donna Reynolds, who started the organization in 1999 after noticing an increase in the number of abused and abandoned pit bulls. Initially, they appointed Rupert, an abandoned dog they had rescued, as their symbolic president.

Among the organization's projects are pit bull-specific dog training classes, rehabilitation and foster care of animals, and encouraging pet adoption. Dogs are typically taken from animal shelters, trained and socialized for at least two months, and evaluated for adoption. The organization also puts on public displays of pit bull behavior, and often responds to dog attacks and other negative publicity about the breed. [cite news|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|title=Animal lovers tout the goodness of pit bulls: East Bay shelter, dog group show off nice examples of the breed|author=Henry K. Lee|date=2005-08-10|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/10/BAdogs10.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea] [cite news|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|title=Pit bull fanciers eager to polish dog's
]

In its first two years of operation the organization rescued 74 dogs, of which 72 were successfully adopted, [cite news|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|title=Saving pit bulls:Owners working to overcome the breed's image say the dogs' behavior depends on their treatment|author=Janine DeFao|date=2001-07-30|accessdate=2008-01-27|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/07/30/MN166935.DTL] and a total of 200 dogs in its first five years.cite news|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2003/09/22/urbananimal.DTL|title=Oakland Cop Shoots At Celebrity Pit Bull|author=Hank Pellissier|date=2003-09-22|accessdate=2008-01-27] In 2003 an Oakland Police officer shot at but missed Rupert without warning while investigating a mugging. After the incident Bad Rap agreed to help train department personnel about interactions with pit bulls. In late 2007 BAD RAP agreed to work with thirteen dogs that had been part of Bad Newz Kennels, Michael Vick's dog fighting operation. [cite news|publisher=Associated Press|accessdate=2008-01-27|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/01/27/vick.dogs.ap/index.html| title=From fighters to friends, Vick's pit bulls learn new life|date=2008-01-27] Racer and Reynolds were nominated for Sports Illustrated's 2007 Sportsman of the Year award for their role in the incident. cite news|publisher=Sports Illustrated|date=2007-11-19|accessdate=2008-01-27|title=My Sportsman: Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls: The caretakers of Vick's dogs are the real heroes|author=George Dohrmann|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/magazine/specials/sportsman/2007/11/07/dohrmann.dogs/?cnn=yes]

External links

* [http://www.badrap.org badrap.org] - official site

References