Since the story seems to be everywhere (there's a group on FB and everyone seems to be posting to CL) I thought I'd share it here.
Here's the main site for the rescue.
spbr.org
Its a well maintained site, really pulls at your heartstrings. Lots of heartfelt stories and great pictures. I have to be honest I was lured in. In 2010, I was looking to get more involved with rescue and I was drawn to learning more about pits..I tend to go for the underdog. So in Feb 2010 I found this very active forum and was hooked! Then I immediately started volunteering, I helped with transports to start. That's how I met Avery. He needed a place to stay in the middle of his transport from NC to Rochester, NY. Then I was asked to transport a dog (that wasn't even part of the rescue) to get neutered. So I brought this mange filled dog out to the boonies (Fultonville, NY) because the rescue was able to get lots of their animals spayed and neutered there for really cheap. I was a little wary about the situation but just assumed that's what rescues did to keep the costs down. I met a ton, I mean a ton of good ppl at this "event". But they were talking about the "leader" of the rescue in the worse way possible. One of the girls even said "We are the rescue"...Because basically they were the volunteers behind the scenes, going through apps, setting up events, home visits and the like...Little did I know she meant more than that. As time went on I started to question things. The forum was there so the volunteers, fosters, and adopters could interact, get to know one another, and if interested in a certain dog get more information about those dogs. I started to notice there were a ton of adults on petfinder but never had any fosters on the forum talk about them. I asked directly on the forum where the dogs were and why we didn't hear much about them, I was assured the fosters were on the forum and the dogs were being taking care of.
The longer I was with the rescue, things got a little confusing. At one event I started asking the volunteers about where some of the adult dogs were, only to be told that Eric the head of the rescue was fostering all these dogs. At the time that was at least 6 fosters, and I thought Eric had 4 dogs of his own...So initially I am impressed, this man devotes his life to dog rescue, specifically pit bulls. He opens his home to all these dogs, so basically I think Eric is a god send, a hero so to speak. Then I finally meet Eric. I found him a little odd, a bit condescending, and overall was not impressed with his behavior to his own dog, but I couldn't get the other idea of him out of my head so I over looked these oddities. The event we met at was just for the volunteers to get together, bring their dogs and have a good time (there was some drinking involved)...Eric and I became friends.
After a couple of more events and some more rumors about the conditions of the dogs in Eric's house I was determined to get more information. I eventually convinced Eric to let me come over, his first line was "well you'll have to help me with the dogs" I was excited because I thought I'd be able to see the conditions for myself. I should this was the same weekend I picked Avery up. So any way I get to his house, which btw is gorgeous and huge. But the first thing I notice upon entry is the smell, I wish I could explain it but it was just gross (I'm sure you all know what a shelter smells like and this was worse)...Then I walk into the kitchen to see 6, I repeat 6 cages lined against the window. Each has a dog in it, some are sitting with poop next to them, none have water. All of these dogs are his personal dogs, not fosters. I managed to keep my cool this whole time I kept everything I was thinking to myself. He then says we should go out to the pond in his backyard and insists I take Elvis for a walk. That is the only dog that went outside the entire visit (and I was there overnight, I feel I need to clarify we were just friends nothing more, I mean he was old enough to be my dad), he let his heart dog (Precious) outside of the cage but that was it. And I tried hinting about the "other" dogs he had in the house but he wasn't willing to let me see them nor was he willing to give up much info about them, but he did confirm that they were there and that they were in the basement. So we are talking 10-15 dogs sitting in crates for 12-15 hours with no water access and no outside time. That alone should be animal cruelty. After this I was turned off my the rescue, I continued to volunteer for a little longer but I was haunted by what I saw, I wanted to help, but I knew I couldn't. A rescue should not be a place of torture for any dog. Eventually all the staff volunteers that I had grown to love, all quit at the same time. They all wanted to help but knew their was nothing more that could be done. That's when I officially walked away from the rescue.
This is just my story and to be honest this is mild. Eric does not like to have his fosters take the dogs to the vet because he doesn't want to have to pay for it. Most fosters do it anyway but its out of their own pocket. Dogs have died from parvo in Eric's care. Dogs have died from lack of vet care in Eric's care. I'll never forget the pictures he posted of Posey (one of his basement dogs) in his bed rigged to an IV when she should have been at the vet, she died only hours later. Many ppl have stepped forward with horror stories. Eric has had his house searched in the past...But he was tipped off that the search was coming and he dumped every dog in his possession, some even went back to shelters. Eric has knowingly adopted out dogs with bite histories without telling unassuming adopters...
Anywho, I thought I just share this here. I know many of you will find this as enraging as I.
Here's the truth page: Home Page - The Truth about Smilin Pit Bull Rescue (SPBR)
Many ppl have shared their gruesome stories, some of which even worse than anything I have described here. I hope I see the day when this man is shut down.
Here's the main site for the rescue.
spbr.org
Its a well maintained site, really pulls at your heartstrings. Lots of heartfelt stories and great pictures. I have to be honest I was lured in. In 2010, I was looking to get more involved with rescue and I was drawn to learning more about pits..I tend to go for the underdog. So in Feb 2010 I found this very active forum and was hooked! Then I immediately started volunteering, I helped with transports to start. That's how I met Avery. He needed a place to stay in the middle of his transport from NC to Rochester, NY. Then I was asked to transport a dog (that wasn't even part of the rescue) to get neutered. So I brought this mange filled dog out to the boonies (Fultonville, NY) because the rescue was able to get lots of their animals spayed and neutered there for really cheap. I was a little wary about the situation but just assumed that's what rescues did to keep the costs down. I met a ton, I mean a ton of good ppl at this "event". But they were talking about the "leader" of the rescue in the worse way possible. One of the girls even said "We are the rescue"...Because basically they were the volunteers behind the scenes, going through apps, setting up events, home visits and the like...Little did I know she meant more than that. As time went on I started to question things. The forum was there so the volunteers, fosters, and adopters could interact, get to know one another, and if interested in a certain dog get more information about those dogs. I started to notice there were a ton of adults on petfinder but never had any fosters on the forum talk about them. I asked directly on the forum where the dogs were and why we didn't hear much about them, I was assured the fosters were on the forum and the dogs were being taking care of.
The longer I was with the rescue, things got a little confusing. At one event I started asking the volunteers about where some of the adult dogs were, only to be told that Eric the head of the rescue was fostering all these dogs. At the time that was at least 6 fosters, and I thought Eric had 4 dogs of his own...So initially I am impressed, this man devotes his life to dog rescue, specifically pit bulls. He opens his home to all these dogs, so basically I think Eric is a god send, a hero so to speak. Then I finally meet Eric. I found him a little odd, a bit condescending, and overall was not impressed with his behavior to his own dog, but I couldn't get the other idea of him out of my head so I over looked these oddities. The event we met at was just for the volunteers to get together, bring their dogs and have a good time (there was some drinking involved)...Eric and I became friends.
After a couple of more events and some more rumors about the conditions of the dogs in Eric's house I was determined to get more information. I eventually convinced Eric to let me come over, his first line was "well you'll have to help me with the dogs" I was excited because I thought I'd be able to see the conditions for myself. I should this was the same weekend I picked Avery up. So any way I get to his house, which btw is gorgeous and huge. But the first thing I notice upon entry is the smell, I wish I could explain it but it was just gross (I'm sure you all know what a shelter smells like and this was worse)...Then I walk into the kitchen to see 6, I repeat 6 cages lined against the window. Each has a dog in it, some are sitting with poop next to them, none have water. All of these dogs are his personal dogs, not fosters. I managed to keep my cool this whole time I kept everything I was thinking to myself. He then says we should go out to the pond in his backyard and insists I take Elvis for a walk. That is the only dog that went outside the entire visit (and I was there overnight, I feel I need to clarify we were just friends nothing more, I mean he was old enough to be my dad), he let his heart dog (Precious) outside of the cage but that was it. And I tried hinting about the "other" dogs he had in the house but he wasn't willing to let me see them nor was he willing to give up much info about them, but he did confirm that they were there and that they were in the basement. So we are talking 10-15 dogs sitting in crates for 12-15 hours with no water access and no outside time. That alone should be animal cruelty. After this I was turned off my the rescue, I continued to volunteer for a little longer but I was haunted by what I saw, I wanted to help, but I knew I couldn't. A rescue should not be a place of torture for any dog. Eventually all the staff volunteers that I had grown to love, all quit at the same time. They all wanted to help but knew their was nothing more that could be done. That's when I officially walked away from the rescue.
This is just my story and to be honest this is mild. Eric does not like to have his fosters take the dogs to the vet because he doesn't want to have to pay for it. Most fosters do it anyway but its out of their own pocket. Dogs have died from parvo in Eric's care. Dogs have died from lack of vet care in Eric's care. I'll never forget the pictures he posted of Posey (one of his basement dogs) in his bed rigged to an IV when she should have been at the vet, she died only hours later. Many ppl have stepped forward with horror stories. Eric has had his house searched in the past...But he was tipped off that the search was coming and he dumped every dog in his possession, some even went back to shelters. Eric has knowingly adopted out dogs with bite histories without telling unassuming adopters...
Anywho, I thought I just share this here. I know many of you will find this as enraging as I.
Here's the truth page: Home Page - The Truth about Smilin Pit Bull Rescue (SPBR)
Many ppl have shared their gruesome stories, some of which even worse than anything I have described here. I hope I see the day when this man is shut down.
