Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls (BADRAP) has been working for over a decade to help the bully breeds when they landed, as they all too often did, in shelters, but the rescue came to national prominence for its role in saving the canine victims of Michael Vick's horrific abuse, as documented in Jim Gorant's bestselling book The Lost Dogs.
In addition to rescuing hundreds of dogs, BADRAP is a strong force for owner responsibility, offering free and low-cost Pit Ed classes weekly in Berkeley. It also offers quarterly fairs in low-income areas, at which collars and leashes, vaccines, spay/neuter vouchers, training and behavior counseling, and microchips are available free of charge to pit bull owners in the community.
One of BADRAP's current adoption candidates is young Patsy, probably born around April Fool's Day this year and blessed with a bit of a personality to match. Says Executive Director Donna Reynolds: "This elfin creature is a typical puppy: Curious, intelligent, social, affectionate and playful. She can be sweetly innocent one minute and a rowdy rascal the next -- our kind of dog! We still can't get over her silly ears. They just add to her appeal." Patsy is housetrained and enjoying the dogs who are helping her feel at home while she waits for her special adopter.
Patsy photo: BADRAP