San Francisco, CA: The American Pit Bull Examiner and other astute pit bull and animal advocates have followed Charlie's story over the last few months closely. In a spiteful, loathing piece, SF Gate blogger C.W. Nevius weighed in today with his own opinions, however unfounded and un-researched.
The American Pit Bull Examiner covers pit bull and animal stories on a daily basis and brings decades of pit bull experience to the table. Nevius is akin to the sort of 'journalist' who only follow 'pit bull attack' stories. Many of these 'pit bull attack' style media personnel have been known to actually tune a police scanner to only answer calls involving pit bull attacks.
Thanks to media like Nevius and the SF Gate, hundreds of thousands if not millions of pit bull dogs are being killed due to these type stories. The American Pit Bull Examiner has a question for the public…just who is the bad guy here?
Our space is too limited at APBE to address the number of stories which have capitalized from high profile incidents involving pit bulls, but will break down this particular post to clear up some of the inaccuracies.
The post, "when Charlie attacked a park police officer and his horse at Crissy Field, biting the horse 10 times and causing the officer to be thrown to the ground and knocked unconscious," is obviously poorly researched. Anyone who's visited off leash dog park Chrissy Field is familiar with the terrain and multitudes of free running dogs at any given time.
A mounted policeman and a horse have no business trotting through a dog-filled park. Most if not all city dogs have no training around horses and accidents can and will happen. According to his own printed errors, Nevius is unfamiliar with Chrissy Field and unfamiliar with dogs and their behavior.
"Over the weekend, news came that Charlie the American Staffordshire terrier would not be euthanized {sic} but instead sent to a safe sanctuary."
Has Nevius visited this sanctuary? How does he know this sanctuary is 'safe?' In light of last years raid and seizure at Spindletop in which hundreds of dogs are still missing and feared dead, it is certainly not safe to assume any 'sanctuary' is safe.
Nevius takes issues with Charlie's boarding bill. "But who will foot the bill for Charlie to live - his owner or city taxpayers - still needs to be negotiated. So far Charlie's owner, David Gizzarelli, owes $3,600 for boarding, and if Charlie is sent to a shelter in another state, there will be transport fees and possible boarding fees for that too."
A novice like Nevius obviously doesn't realize how rescue work operates. Those of us who are active in rescue work volunteer and sponsor operations such as 'Streets of Bakersfield' which transport California animals to safety on a daily basis.
Again, someone who is not involved in or vaguely interested in rescue work would not appreciate an owner such as David Gizzarelli boarding his pet and putting up such a strong fight to try and save Charlie. How many other animals' owners would board their pet for $3600 to try and save that beloved pet's life?
Mr. Nevius doesn't have far to go to seek the answer to that question. His own town's pound, San Francisco Animal Care and Control where Charlie has been sequestered in a cold dark cell for months is full of the city's unwanted animals. In fact, state and county records have yielded statistics showing that San Francisco kills 1/3 animal intake.
www.examiner.com/article/what-is-really-going-on-behind-the-shelter-door...
San Francisco animal control is killing thousands of animals, yet no one is writing articles about them. Nevius, rather than try to actually do something about genocide in his own town is more concerned with Charlie's boarding.
Just where is that boarding bill due…the city of San Francisco? The American Pit Bull Examiner would like to see a copy of that bill. Unfortunately, that along with so many other holes in Nevius' write up is left unanswered and up to the reader to muddle through and try to figure out.
Nevius goes on and on and one to complain about Charlie's Facebook page and attempts to raise money to save Charlie through tee shirt sales. Even though this article is filled with speculation and spite, Nevius still collects a paycheck for covering Charlie's story. Just who is capitalizing on Charlie?
How much does the city stand to make off Charlie? Bottom line, the city, city attorney, SFACC et al are good and mad. This time, they've been caught red handed doing what they do every day.
"Those products will be the subject of the April meeting. In an e-mail statement Monday, the City Attorney's Office said, "We fully expect Mr. Gizzarelli to ... provide his financial records - including records of his online fundraising and merchandise sales that resulted from Charlie's notoriety."
Sounds like the city wants to get its paws on any revenue made to save Charlie.
At least Gizzarelli is fighting for his companion and trying to save Charlie's life. What is Nevius' motive in all this? Like so many others who've continued to write puff pieces about SFACC and what rescuers call 'San Francisco's Dirty Little Secret' for years while dogs and cats die, Nevius has managed to add yet one more flawed tale to the heap of other tall tales.
"If you are here to defend David, the dog's current owner, please don't bother. You will be promptly deleted and banned with no warning. There are pages where you can be a cheerleader for David. This is not that page. ... Charlie is not going back to David. Period."
This last bit is just downright laughable. Imagine telling your reader they are not allowed to rebut, to think, to speculate? Nevius sounds like an angry little man. The American Pit Bull Examiner would normally recommend pet therapy, but in this case, we think not in regards to animal welfare and their wellbeing.
Please comment below this article and share this information with fellow animal lovers. The American Pit Bull Examiner welcomes all commenters.
Cindy Marabito of Reunion Rescue writes the American Pit Bull Examiner stories to save lives. Every click on a story donates to the animals.
Reunion Rescue: www.reunionrescue.com
American Pit Bull Examiner
http://www.examiner.com/american-pit-bull-in-national/cindy-marabito
Please subscribe to and keep reading the American Pit Bull column where this and other pit bull stories are followed and the truth, made known.
Join National Examiner's American Pit Bull on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/American-Pit-Bull-Examiner/119043764844618
Check out Pit Bulls and Other Animals blog:
doggirlpitbull.blogspot.com/
Author - Pit Bull Nation
Pit Bull Nation is a tell all book about rescuing pit bulls from death row for over twelve years.
Order Pit Bull Nation:
http://www.pitbullnationonline.com
Now available in e-book and print.
Comments