Old photos from The Dogs Who Found Me

When I first threw together a website for The Dogs Who Found Me, it was in response to the bio on the back of the book, which had been revised without my knowledge, replacing my email contact with the then non-existant www.dogswhofoundme.com. As I participated in more events and interviews, the original posts there got lost. I've recently uncovered them. So if you want to see some photos of the dog characters from that book, you can now find them again here.

The Costa Rican Artist controversy

Last year I received a petition regarding the work of a Costa Rican artist who supposedly used a dying street dog as part of an exhibition in Nicaragua. The dog was tied up as part of the exhibit and may have died while on exhibit. Or maybe not. No one seems to know for sure. But the petition insisted that the artist should be punished and suggested that he had been invited to participate in the Central American biennale due to this exhibit. Some versions of the petition even suggested that he planned to repeat the exhibition of a dying dog, which is oddly specific claim considering that no one was able to even document that the original exhibition had occurred. I emailed friends in Costa Rica and they concluded that a sick dog had been taken off the street as part of the show, but that no one knew what became of the dog, and that it was possible the dog had died, but there was evidence that this was anyone's intention. The gallery owner insisted that the dog had been fed while there and was only tied up for a few hours during the exhibition.

In the past month or so, the petition has been making the rounds again, with even more hyperbolic claims. In one version, it took place in Buenas Aires. In another, some other South American country. The focus of the petition is always to punish the artist and have him withdrawn from the biennale. This seems misguided to me. There are starving dogs on the streets all over Nicaragua and Costa Rica. And the United States, for that matter. It is always strange when people take up the cause of a single dog while ignoring the larger issue, which is all of the starving dogs that were not on display that night. More troubling is the number of inaccuracies in the petition's claim. Several times I have emailed the person who has sent the petition along and suggested that it is misleading and therefore should not be signed. This, of course, gets a nasty response.

But why is it that suddenly, a year later, the world cares about this dog? Not surprisingly, a number of the organizations who have latched onto this cause are less sympathetic about animals in their own backyards. In particular, I have noticed that several of these organizations are also those who endorse euthanizing all pit bulls. They are also known for latching on to any cause that can lend them some attention and financial contributions.

That said, Animal People has an interesting update on how this incident has inspired discussion of introducing a humane law to Nicaragua. You can read the story, reprinted at Ed Bok's blog for Los Angeles Animal Services.

Animal People, based in Washington State, bills itself as "news for people who care about animals." But not pit bulls. They hate pit bulls and frequently misreport statistics to support their claims. Maybe they don't think pit bulls are animals?

Also, if you want to help animals in Costa Rica (and other Central American countries), I recommend The McKee Project, which is featured in my book Dogs I Have Met.

The Turkish edition arrives

Here's what it looks like in Turkey; unfortunately, my American publisher still hasn't been able to find the fee they collected for the rights.

Meet Grover

Under nourished, severe ear infection, heartworm positive and recovering from a botched neuter surgery. But still the friendliest dog in the world.

Hillary Clinton on Obama

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

Toni Morrison On Obama

"I thought about voting for Hillary at the beginning. I don't care that she is a woman. I need more than that. Neither his race, his gender, her race or her gender was enough. I needed something else, and the something else was his wisdom." Toni Morrison, in Time Magazine

Brando/Obama surge at the polls

The presidential campaign has been exhausting, and no one knows that more than Brando Foster. In fact, in the past few weeks, he's rolled over on his back and moved on to other concerns. He's just a dog after all, and he has other things to think about.

After last night, however, he's put his party hat back on! And he invites all his former dogsitters and other concerned citizens to kick in a few bucks for Obama.

Current headlines on NOLA.com, in order of appearance

Murder trial begins for teenager who got gun from mom: Mother still in jail awaiting her own trial

LEAP and GEE scores released today

Man gunned down in eastern New Orleans

Warm weather continues today

Ex-janitor arrested in theft of drugs, guns, cash from court

Tom Benson announces purchase of WVUE-TV

David Bonds, Part Five

I'd been meaning to pick up where I left off, and actually had some observations to share regarding the prosecution's performance in the courtroom. But I'll have to wait on that.

Yesterday I got a call from someone who said that they had heard David Bonds was shot on Canal Street sometime earlier in the weekend. I called around. I looked online. Not only was there nothing to find regarding David Bonds, there was nothing regarding a shooting of any kind.

This afternoon, the NOPD announced that they are looking for David Bonds again. Two witnesses identified him as the man who shot someone after an argument at Canal and St. Charles. This incident occurred at 5am Sunday morning, but apparently they didn't release the information because they didn't want anyone to panic on the last day of Jazz Fest.

Booksigning at Jazz Fest on Sunday May 4th

I'll be signing copies of The Dogs Who Found Me, Dogs I Have Met, and The Dog Who Loved Cheerios on Sunday May 4th from 3-4pm at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. Proceeds go to a New Orleans literacy program. And I'll have some of the Sula Foundation's Pit Bull All Star posters to give away!

Tonight at Sound Cafe: Dr. Michael White, Hot 8 Brass Band, and Shamarr Allen

Tonight at 7pm, SilenceIsViolence and Putumayo present Dr. Michael White, The Hot 8 Brass Band and Shamarr Allen. Free! This should be completely over the top and a great way to kick off the second weekend of Jazz Fest.

Sound Cafe is at 2700 Chartres (at Port Street).

Pit Bull All Stars poster now on sale

The Sula Foundation's Pit Bull All Star poster is now on sale. For a ten dollar donation, you get one poster, postage paid. Additional posters are just $5.

Fetchdog.com posted a nice little piece on the poster Sunday, while we were all braving bad weather at the Zephyrs baseball game.

Bill Clinton on "the Katrina area of New Orleans"

I've been withholding my thoughts on Senator Clinton's "victory" in Pennsylvania last week. She had been, rather recently, expected to lead the state by something like 20% over Obama. Just before the vote, it was said that anything less than double digits would be a defeat. Initial press reports trumpeted her victory by a huge 10%. Actual numbers, more quietly reported, were 8.6%. This is a woman who has been in the public eye on a national level for 16 years and who claims 35 years of experience. Shouldn't she be able to do a little better in my home state?

But I