B.A.D. Dogs
Created in 2006-2007, B.A.D. Dogs, or Bullies Are Deserving Dogs, is Liberty Humane Society's Pit Bull adoption and education program. The program was created when employees and volunteers noted that pit bulls generally face longer stays at the shelter despite their stellar temperaments. B.A.D. Dogs is comprised of three major components:
Behavior Enrichment & Adoptions
B.A.D. Dogs volunteers maintain weekly training session in and around the shelter with the various pit bulls housed at Liberty Humane Society. The aim of these sessions is to provide behavior enrichment and reduce stress for shelter dogs, while preparing them for adoption. B.A.D. Dogs utilizes a variety of training methods, including clicker training, to gain maximum effectiveness for each particular dog. Additionally, volunteers provide dogs with exercise, grooming, and day trips.
Canine Good Citizen
In 2008, through the work of the B.A.D. Dogs program, Liberty Humane Society's mascot, Sweets, was the first LHS dog to receive the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Award. The Canine Good Citizen Award (CGC) is given to dogs who illustrate they possess the temperament and obedience required to exist peacefully with the environment around them. The test includes portions requiring the dog to walk well on leash, behave around other dogs, and interact appropriately with strangers.
Public Education
B.A.D. Dogs provides an array of materials to the public on topics such as breed info, responsible ownership, and spay/neuter resources. These materials are distributed locally and available at all B.A.D. Dogs/LHS events, as well as at the shelter. Volunteers participate in animal welfare events in and around New Jersey, promoting the program's message of pit bull adoption and education.
Shelter Resources
Working in such a heavily pit bull populated area, B.A.D. Dogs has learned the ins and outs of a successful pit bull adoption policy. Many shelters do not have such experience and may find that pit bulls, and all that goes with them, to be very difficult.
For those, B.A.D. Dogs offers shelters specific advice and information. Topics covered include evaluations, suitable homes, when to implement breed specific policies, and much more.
Please contact LHS for more information or visit the B.A.D. Dogs website.
