State of the Bully Ranch Union

State of the Bully Ranch Union

*This post was written on Tuesday, May 24th. A couple of hours after it was written, nineteen children and two teachers were gunned down one-hundred-and-forty-three miles away in Uvalde, TX. All of the sudden, our bully breed rescue didn’t seem that important. Like most Americans (with empathy), we were left nauseated by the senseless deaths of children and teachers. This, only ten days after ten mostly elderly POC were murdered by a domestic terrorist. If you, like us, are sick of this shit, please vote, please let your voices be heard, please TAKE ACTION. Don’t let anyone tell you that nothing can be done.

This coming July marks four years since we launched Bully Ranch. A peculiar four years, considering a good portion of it, the world was enveloped by a pandemic which has altered this author’s perception of time. The following is a re-cap of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re heading. 

Past

We’ve made some mistakes. We’ll make more. For instance, language. This author is actually an Author by trade, often using language that’s bombastic, colorful, and sometimes hyperbolic. This works for books and essays outside of the rescue world, but not always inside. After our recent rescue and adoption of Rex, when raising funds for his care, I said we rescued Rex from “death row” without thinking about the implications of using that language. Thankfully, our friend Michelle pointed out the associations of that phrase both on the shelter and the breed. After changing the language, I made note to remember Michelle’s advice in the future.

We’ll never call Miss Georgia a mistake because she’s currently living a wonderful life filled with play, treats, belly rubs, and we adore her. Initially, we never expected she would be in rehab with us for so long (over 2.5. years) and we’re not sure if she’ll ever be ready for adoption. Due to limited space, this has impacted our opportunities to house other dogs and we've had to rely solely on fosters. We should probably do something about that…

We’ve lost and gained board members. As with any business, working with friends can be a challenge. It has cost relationships. We wish it hadn’t while also recognizing that there are costs and benefits to every damn thing. With the addition of Good Taylor pre-pandemic, we feel confident in our Board of Directors, each one bringing different strengths and ideas to the table.

The sporadic nature of fundraising and how to align funds with current needs while also keeping our eyes on future plans is something we’re learning and will continue to improve upon.

Something that I hadn’t anticipated was how hard and sad it would be to open my BR email. It’s a constant barrage of dogs needing rescued, re-homed, or saved from euthanization. It’s not my favorite part of the day, only because we are currently limited in our scope and want to rescue ALL of them.  

There have been many more lessons, but these stick out. If you want to witness us learn from our mistakes, keep following. As long as we're running this operation, there will be mistakes. Hell, we encourage them (as long as they don’t result in death or cost too much money).

Current

Considering NOW is all that really exists (this moment, now this moment, and so on and so forth) I’ll keep this section limited to the last year. We’re not a “don’t bring your personal life to work” kind of operation. This is our life so what happens in our personal lives directly affects Bully Ranch.

I injured my back this past September at a fundraiser for Bully Ranch. It was the second time within as many years. This resulted in spinal surgery where parts of two discs and two vertebrae were removed. The recovery has been an intense seven months combining a lot of rest mixed with physical therapy. It also kept me from working with dogs, writing, and the ability to move around freely. I’m happy to report that my back feels stronger than ever and I’m able to once again do what I love.

Diane’s father passed away this past March. Grief affects every part of one’s life and we are no different. All of our love to Diane and her family. Rest easy, Bob.

Good Taylor recently tied the knot with her longtime beau, Bad Taylor. We’re stoked for both of them as they begin their marriage adventure and wish them all the best!

This past weekend we were part of a fundraising event at The Little Darlin’ in South Austin. It was an unbelievable feeling being back at it post-pandemic (?), post-surgery, post-grief. We’re humbled by the support we received and are thrilled to be back in the fundraising saddle again. The Little Darlin’ is publishing their inaugural calendar for 2023 entitled, “The Dogs of Little Darlin’.” Keep your eyes peeled for it as the proceeds benefit Bully Ranch, as well as our tank top collaboration which is coming very soon to The Little Darlin’. 

More events coming soon…

Future

Any good article needs a callback. So, going back to the earlier “we should do something about that…” portion of this update: WE ARE MOVING. We want a larger space to help more dogs and after the past few years, we’re ready to move forward. We don’t have our new location just yet, but it’s coming over the summer. That’s both exciting and nerve-racking for us!

Along with having more space, our eyes are set upon ending BSL (breed specific legislation) through various means including lobbying, legal challenges, etc; a ranch that will be a safe place for the rehabilitation of bully breeds as well as a sanctuary for other animals; having a paid staff along with volunteer staff; launching “Don’t Feed the Humans,” a novel narrated by a rescued pit bull; a dog fighting hotline with reward for arrests; bully breed education and advocacy; and more.

If you’re still with us, excellent! Here are some things you can do to support and be a part of our vision.

1. Donate money.

2. Purchase our merchandise.

3. Become a foster.

4. Volunteer.

5. Help spread the word by sharing.

6. Use your voice.

7. Train your dog(s) to be an excellent ambassador for bully breeds.

8. Fight disinformation.

You’ve heard me say or write, “Help us help them.” We love your support and are grateful for everyone and every other rescue that has supported us over the last four years. We’re excited to apply all the lessons we’ve learned and to discover what else we don’t know (which is infinitely more than what we know). 

The State of the Bully Ranch Union is strong. Thank you for being a part of this adventure with us!