Reply to owner: You are so rude. Rude people like you should not be allowed to run any organization because your communication skills are so terrible. It's better my dogs were overweight, well-loved and spoiled with food unlike those unfortunate dogs that are neglected, malnourished and starved. My dogs were up-to date on all annual exams and NOT unhealthy. I ended up taking them to Miranda's rescue in Fortuna. Just an FYI to those in desperate circumstances and need to place their pets in legitimate rescue. Contact any other location except this one. To the owner, you also have a bad reputation on Nextdoor and other Platforms for your feisty attitude. Try to learn compassion or change the field you are in. When you move out of your long term house and can't take your dogs to circumstances out of your control -- DO NOT REACH OUT TO BAD RAP. They will not try to help you. read more

Bad Rap - Called my dogs fat. Not fat. More to love. - Animal Shelters Near Me

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I ruv, ruv, ruv this organization! As dog lovers, we were aware that pitties had a bad reputation, but didn't think too much about it. We know that most dogs are good unless mistreated. Then we fell in love with and adopted our Mei Mei from the Alameda County shelter. She's a blue nose pit mix. And we learned how truly feared these lovable beasts are. Mei Mei loves everyone: children, adults, little dogs, big dogs. She's been a super foster sister to numerous rescue dogs from Dusty Paws Rescue, and is a cuddle bunny and kissing alarm clock to my two young girls. So it's always startling to see the terror in the eyes of some people on meeting her. And the hotel rules at some pet-friendly hotels ("No pits or pit mixes"). Someone told me about Bad Rap, and I started following them. Their mission is to change the overwhelming misconceptions about these dogs. They do this in lots of important ways. - Offering free spay, neutering and vaccinations to pit owners who can't afford it - Running a shelter/foster program and socializing dogs so they can be cherished family members - Teaching the importance of training and responsible dog ownership, which is relevant regardless of breed - Providing free training classes - Evangelizing pittie lovableness with a great website, Facebook presence, and adorable calendars Yesterday, we attended their open house in Berkeley, "Fool in Love". We got to see their classes in action, check out the spay/neuter van, meet many amazing volunteers, and get tons of slobbery dog kisses from adoptable blockheads. Keep it up, Bad Rap. I'm with you. read more

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Pitbulls will love and admire even the meanest of us. They endure so much at the hands of the cruelest - all so they can make us happy. Case in point: The Vick dogs and the 450 dogs recently rescued in a dog fighting raid (see story here: http://twt.gs/kmzv) A breed like this deserves our love. A breed like this deserves to have the negative misconceptions blown away. A breed like this deserves a second chance - a chance to run and play with reckless abandon (pitbull owners know what I mean; ZOOMIES!). Pitbulls deserve compassion, understanding and a voice who can speak up for them. Pitbulls deserve the amazing people at Bad Rap! It never ceases to amaze me the ground breaking ways Donna and Tim are changing the world for Pitbulls. They all are true heroes in my eyes! Keep the cause going http://www.badrap.org/rescue/barnraising.cfm read more

Bad Rap - Sato and Koa - happy & wagging their tails because of Bad Rap - Animal Shelters Near Me

I would love to give a better star review, but I have no idea what this program is like. I've emailed and texted for over a month now and zero response. I connected with Donna at first and she was responsive until I told her I work on Saturdays so would not be able to visit the class and dogs. Although I have 3 days free during the week, somehow the fact that I work Saturdays has affected my ability to become a foster? I have no idea if that's he issue, because I can not get anyone to respond. I guess they don't need any help adopting these dogs. Totally discouraged. I guess I'll try another agency. read more

I truly can't thank bad rap enough for what they have done for me and my pitbull!!! A friend of mine had to surrender her dog and I've known the dog since it was 8 weeks old and I know initially I couldn't afford it but I told her to give him to me and he is now my forever baby! I looked everywhere to get him neutered and everything I was quoted was $400 & up! BadRap helped me with getting my boy neutered and I'm so grateful! Donna R was truly amazing! I'm thankful for what you guys do for these amazing dogs that are the most loving and caring of all dogs! Thank you guys again!!!!!!! read more

I can't say enough positive things about Bad Rap and the work that they do! They have helped us adopt two dogs over the past ~5 years, one directly through their program, and another through Berkeley Animal Care Services who they had been working with through their Pit Ed classes. Each time we have reached out to them, they have done a tremendous job of helping us find a dog to welcome into our home. Tim and Donna are exceptionally thoughtful, helping us not just to find a dog, but helping us to find the RIGHT dog. They are considerate to our lifestyle and other pets in our home, and take time and thought into making sure they find an ideal match for us. Considering the small size of their facility and their team, they do such an amazing job of helping dogs in need, and supporting their community through their spay/neuter programs, training program, helping folks to find pit-friendly housing... They are kind people who do amazing work. Donna, Tim and the rest of the Bad Rap team, thank you for all that you do, and for the wonderful dogs that you have helped bring into our lives. read more

Bad Rap - Animal Shelters Near Me

I tried to adopt from badrap because I thought that they promoted something really great. However, it turned out to be the worst experience of my life! I had to go through so many hoops and then I was told that I was setting the dog I was fostering up for failure and she had to be removed from my home. But she wasn't taken until 3 weeks later. During those three weeks I kept asking the woman who I was working with what was going on and what I should be doing and she told me I was being pushy. Finally when the woman came to pick the dog up she didn't even come prepared and had to use my leash and collar. I blogged about the experience on another website and some one posted a reply to it saying that this was common behavior of the woman who I had worked with. All though BR does do a lot of good for dogs in need I think the process of adopting through them is long and arduous and in my experience they were one hundred percent unprofessional and I hope no one else has to go through what I went though. (Though I'm sure they will) read more

Came accross an animal a month and a half ago, called Bad Rap told them about this dog, Tim called, Donna emailed...I made it my point to catch her somehow, sweet little pit bull...now that I have her...no call , no email...hey thanks! so after two days of calling and emailing,here is the email I get..wow. Hi Linda Very glad to hear you finally caught the pup. We are out of town doing some work in the Midwest. I hope the information on our website is a help to you during her transition to your home. As you may already know, we are unable to take any new dogs right now but we can be a resource for you as training and behavior questions come up. I hope she's starting to settle in after her many misadventures. Thx for being her angel. Tim@badrap.org Tim, I have spent all this time trying to catch her to give her to you guys, I had no idea that now this is being passed on to me, I am now emotionally and physically attached to her and I cannot keep her-I have a shelter cat that cannot handle any stress. This was a dog that was all bones, she has scars all over her and had a rope tied around her neck, this is no ones dog and if she belonged to someone it was so she could be use as bait not for love. She has warmed up to me, she eats food from my hands, walks with me and even gives kisses. If I would have known this I would not be sitting here crying and begging for you to come and get her. Instead now I have to have her blood on my hands by calling animal shelter. Linda I was a huge fan now I am definitely not, do they do good things definitely, did they do it for me or for this little girl not...I realize you can't save everyone of them and this little girl will not give you celebrity status. But you lead me on, You made me believe you were coming straight to my house to help her. I am working to get her a home, and hopefully I will...enough said. (Yes donna ..you ARE ARE disappointing- this is excellent opportunity to tell you that!!!, I love how you can answer your bad yelp reviews but not your emails/phone calls) (( Funny they did an EDIT and changed everything they said, wow enough...she now has a home, and no they were not in Ohio when this all went down, not at the beginning...enough BAD CRAP!!!)) read more

BAD RAP is so much more than a rescue group, I'm not sure if everyone really understands that. In addition to evaluating/pulling dogs, obtaining/maintaining foster homes, the group also: -- has a program that educates shelter workers nationwide -- works with other orgs to mold public policy regarding pit bulls -- tackles high profile abuse cases (think: Michael Vicks' dogs) -- holds free weekly training classes for pit bulls and their owners -- organizes and implements shots fairs and free spay/neuter programs in low income areas and trains other orgs to do so themselves -- is available for emergency response (Katrina) -- continuously generates new, educational material that is referenced by pit bull owners across the nation. ... and much, much more. The size and scope of this organization continues to grow and every step forward is another good one for the dogs. Many organizations nationwide have overturned their automatic euth policies for pit bulls based on BADRAP's work. So glad to have them around, they are an invaluable resource and we are lucky enough to brag we have them in our own backyard. read more

This is an organization dedicated to responsible pit bull ownership and the salvation of abandoned pit bulls. What else should I say about them. They are a wealth of truthful knowledge about a breed of dog that gets a bad rap. I love my pit bull but have, for 10 years felt somewhat isolated and defensive. My dog is special and I know that not all pits are like him. Bad Rap has taken the ball of defense of these sensitive animals and have not dropped it yet. Fuck yeah for them no double fuck yeah! read more

I reached out twice to getting my 2 year old pitbull spayed. The first time I got a reply within one day, but I hadn't replied I was super busy. Then I reached out a second time and Sarah had replied to me. She helped me pre-register my boyfriend and I's pitbull, Jetta, to get spayed. She was super helpful with giving me the information I needed. Fast forward a couple weeks and we brought Jetta in this past Sunday. Everyone was super super super nice and accommodating. I filled out a few forms on contact information and my dog's information and while signing up for her spay, we were given options to microchip and even vaccinate her. While I was reviewing my paperwork, my boyfriend was speaking with the vet who would be performing surgery on our dog. She was so sweet to my pitbull and answered all questions we had and welcomed us if anything else came up. That definitely eased us of our anxieties going into her surgery. She was there for 2-2.5 hours and they took great care of her. Amanda informed me that Jetta was almost ready to go. Once she was ready to go, they provided her pain medications and even a cone to go home in. They gave us contact information if anything arise and so far everything has been great. This has been an amazing experience with BadRap. They are a nonprofit obviously running through donations and volunteer work. That being said, I must note that not once had they asked for any donations or did we feel like we were obligated to give money. And in the end my boyfriend and I wish we could've given more to donate. We plan to donate more when we can, but after seeing so many bad reviews, the least I could do is write a good one. I didn't expect much from a nonprofit, but the excelled my hopes and more. They took care of our pit and made sure she was fine the whole process. BadRap is amazing and we are incredibly thankful for all they have done for Jetta. For all the bad reviews, I hope a prospective person will see my review and not be hesitant about BadRap. There's only so many people that are helping in this foundation so obviously it isn't going to be service delivered right to you and catered to your absolute uttermost needs, but everyone is trying to help. They went above and beyond for Jetta throughout the whole spaying process. read more

Bad Rap - Jetta after her spay - Animal Shelters Near Me

BAD RAP is more than a rescue group-- it's also an amazing educational group! I adopted my dog from BAD RAP a few years ago and together we have been showing people just how loving, friendly, and funny a dog can be, no matter his breed. This group offers adopters and foster parents hands-on support through free training classes, and also gives other pit bull owners in the Bay Area the opportunity to attend the obedience classes and CGC classes as well as community shot clinics.. In addition to helping individual dogs, BAD RAP has helped educate the country about pit bulls, and promoted fair, individual assessment for each dog. They have helped encourage the humane treatment of all dogs, no matter where they came from or how people abused them in the past. My pit bull IS family. He was just another unclaimed stray dog, but now he's a certified therapy dog, he's got his CGC, he's working towards his UCD, but most important of all, he is my best friend. I have to thank Bad Rap for saving his life and for giving me the tools I needed to be a good dog mom. read more

Before I got my pit bull mix I read through their entire site. It was so great to have real info on this dog breed. I had bought into some of the media hype about pit bulls so I was shying away from adopting one (even though all my senses were telling me the dogs I was meeting at the animal shelter were great). They helped me get the real info on these great dogs. I've yet to met a pit bull I don't like and it warms my heart and makes me so happy that this group is out there standing up for and helping so many pit bulls. They really are the best breed of dog ever :) Thanks for fighting the good fight Bad Rap. read more

Dango just passed CGC today after rigorous and lengthy training with Linda! Thanks Linda!

Bad Rap is awesome. When I got my first dog who happens to be a pit from the spca I was totally unprepared for the breed. I read everything I could get my hands on about the breed. I read every page on Bad Rap's website and learned history and training techniques. We even attended their FREE group training (it fills up quick, so get on the list if you're interested). Imagine 20 or bully dogs with their responsible owners and awesome Bad Rap reps working to be breed ambassadors. They have an awesome rescue program with all the necessary pre-screening & training for pit-parents-to-be. read more

I heart this organization too! Bad Rap has changed my life and all those who are in or part of it! I am a new dog owner. I did not grow up with any pets and my typical thoughts of dogs were "Yuck, they jump, they bark, they drooolllll, they lick obsessively, and they stink!" Well... after a couple of good experiences with dogs and the fact that I was home more and more alone because my fiance was always traveling for business, I felt the need for a companion. But how do you find the perfect dog that matches my odd personality. So one day I decide to take one of my autistic students with me to the ASPCA to just look at the dogs. I walked in and it was exactly what I expected. It was loud, chaotic, and all the dogs were up against the kennels jumping, barking, and looking way tooo energetic and crazy for me. I just about left the aspca when I saw another door. I open it to find "Pit Bull Hall". And that was it, a complete calming sanctuary with Pit Bulls. It was totally quiet with classical music playing in the background and all the pretty dogs sitting politely just staring at me and my student. I was soooo impressed. I walked up to the last kennel where a new dog had just arrived. She was a very plain brown and fairly tiny. She looked at me, came right up to the front and turned her body to the side and sat. I was like Wow!!!! A dog that understands me. She sat very politely and let me stroke her on her side and wasn't all over me or my hands trying to smell and lick.. She just closed her eyes and let me pet her. I was like, could this really be the one. But OH NO, it is pit bull. I didn't no anything about dogs let alone pit bulls. Well after four months of going to visit her back and forth and finally convincing my fiance after no one would adopt her. We adopted Bailey. I don't think it could have been any easier of a transition. Bailey fit right into our lives. She was soooo well trained by Bad Rap. She got along with the cat, doesn't whine, doesn't bark, doesn't jump (until my idiot fiance taught her to :o) ), doesn't have accidents, and doesn't chew up anything including my shoe collection. She has won our hearts over along with everyone in my life. Bad Rap does a wonderful job prepping you and provides life time training for the dog along with CGC for free. It is amazing they are able to do it. Like I mentioned earlier, I work with autistic children and began taking Bailey to work with me during the summer. She was an instant hit. She provided a bridge for the children to connect with other children, something to talk about and something to take their mind away from their worries. Many people have hesitations about the breed, but I can't think of any other breed that would be as tolerant as her. Bailey would love the children unconditionally whether they would just pet her lightly, hug her, or even if they tugged on her ears and tail. She would just sit there politely. I have been so impressed by the breed that I have convinced another coworker to adopt another pit bull from Bad Rap as well. We now have two pits in our program working with kids as therapy dogs. It is truly amazing. I now love all dogs and am so much more tolerant of those features that dogs tend to have. Bad Rap and their dogs have changed all of our lives for the better. I couldn't imagine my life without Bailey. read more

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Bad Rap has done absolutely stellar, groundbreaking, and commendable work in the area of BSL and advocacy for a much maligned group of dogs. This is undeniable. So why the 2 star rating then, what gives?! My issue with Bad Rap is this: Whether you will have a good interaction or a bad one is all strategy with them. Does your case improve their image? Can they use it to showcase what awesome work they do with dogs? If so then you probably got a red carpet rolled out, warm smiles, photo ops, and personal attention. If it doesn't, if it's just a garden variety dog/owner need, and when the cameras aren't rolling, then you probably got no response at all or a "my way or the highway" attitude. About a year ago, I emailed them asking for resources for a friend's pit bull who was in imminent danger of being returned to the shelter because of severe separation anxiety. I emailed their Keep 'em Home program asking for leads on safe places for this dog while his owners were working to, you know, Keep Him Home. No response. I emailed rescues who are certainly also dealing with high email volumes. I also emailed our current dog trainer. Everyone got back to me...except Bad Rap. Huh. In particular I found their attitude very difficult to deal with during the pit-ed classes. My partner and I waited over a year to attend. We were instructed to have the "weakest handler" work with the dog during the training classes, which we determined to be my partner...and side rant: "weakest handler" is SUCH stigmatizing wording. Seems like Bad Rap should have a pretty good understanding of the power of a label given what they do as an organization. I digress. The first day, my partner joined the group of the assistant handler... this guy was the rudest, most judgmental trainer I have ever encountered in a training class. My partner was so upset she refused to come to the classes anymore. She fumed about the abrasive condescending manner she was spoken to the entire ride back to SF. Not wanting to give up on the first day, I suggested that we try Tim's group next time and if it was as bad we wouldn't come back. Tim was definitely better. Not positive, or collaborative, and certainly did not get any encouraging words thrown our way, but my partner wasn't being insulted so we stuck with it in Tim's group. Throughout the class, Donna was walking around and at times there were also photographers there. Tim took many of the challenging cases in his group. The dogs that were dog-aggressive and such. These dogs and their handlers were treated like royalty. Special attention from both Donna and Tim, Q&A following class, photo ops, one on one time during the class, positive words, smiles, encouragement. All the other dogs in the class got very little if any of that. I don't need a photo of my dog on the Bad Rap webpage to feel like I got something out of the training, but damn, sure would have been nice if a positive word, a smile, or a thumbs up when something goes right was given by the instructor. A couple of classes before the end of the session Tim wasn't at the training so we were left with the option of either leaving or putting up with the rude trainer again. We figured we could suck it up for an hour or so with this guy. Wrong. It was just a never-ending military style pummel from this guy. I switched with my partner because she was becoming visibly angry with the trainer, and he managed to infuriate me within 5 minutes. He also told us when we asked for a few pointers to deal with fear behaviors we were seeing at home that "she would get over it if you stopped coddling her." Right. Thanks, I guess? Now, I understand, can appreciate and even agree with the narrative that Bad Rap is fond of espousing-- that pit bulls are resilient, that they live in the moment and are quick to forgive and forget the past. But it's not always that simple or that poetic. And it certainly doesn't benefit all dogs to pretend it is. Bad Rap seems to cherry pick the dogs that they showcase on their blog as well as bring into their rescue program. Dogs that neatly fit that narrative. And that is totally their prerogative, but that is not every dog's story. Not every dog walks away from abuse and neglect free from baggage despite it's people's and trainer's best efforts. We left Bad-Rap Pit Ed feeling like we were horrible, inept handlers of our dog and we never came back even though we are afforded a "lifetime free-training brush up classes" All in all this was a poor experience-- long wait, lack of support or encouragement, constant negative feedback, etc. Unless your dog has an issue that will pull on the heart strings of Bad Rap blog readers you probably will get lukewarm treatment at best, rude assistant trainer at worst. read more

I have had further interaction with this group and think that they really do mean well. It's a great cause (I LOVE Pits) and they are super busy folks doing trainings, taking care of orphans, etc. I think that this is where the prior bad experience came out of. A lot of misunderstanding and not enough time to work it out. Sometimes animal people aren't such good people people. Ya know? read more

My sister and I adopted a wonderful one year old blockhead at the Berkeley Animal Shelter and after about 6 months of her playing with and being fine around other dogs, she began showing signs of what we understood as fear aggression towards dogs. Things got out of hand pretty rapidly: unmanageable. We were unable to leave the house without her shrieking, snarling, thrashing against her harness if she even heard a dog from a block away- never mind SEEING a dog (that was god-awful). She could not tolerate dogs in the least bit, except for her roomate (our older dog). We were perplexed, totally at a loss of what to do, and supremely frustrated because the behavior of the one dog began affecting our other blockhead who was previously fine with dogs too (pack behavior). So we sought out help from BADRAP and began doing Pit Ed classes on the weekends. The classes were what saved us, seriously! Simple, straight forward, very thorough, and well-tested. They taught us the skills to manage behaviors and use positive reinforcement techniques as well as redirecting our dog to help her thrive. We learned handling techniques and commands, and our dog learned to trust us. Fast forward... it was very hard work, and there will always be responsible "management" and avoiding any problem scenarios (this is being watchful for life), but once we knew what tools to use and how to use them to manage and help our dogzilla blockhead thrive, we slowly began creating more successful scenarios for her and voila: she is now 7 and is an incredible dog. She has dog friends, walks in dog packs, is able to be off leash with her friends, and is so happy and steady and calm. She still can't handle a dog park (ever never ever), and she can not have strange dogs rushing up to her for nose greets, but we never put her in that situation and if it happens, we protect her and are there to stand with her as her guides and keep her focused and calm. We're grateful for the skills we learned. It saved our dog! read more

Bad Rap (www.badrap.org) is one of the Bay Area's finest organizations. They are champions of our pit bully friends, and they introdued me to my very special little dogger, Georgia. The volunteers are TIRELESS in their support of this wonderful breed, and getting the good word out on all things bully. If you are thinking of adopting a K9, please take the time to contact BAD RAP and get to know this very special breed. They will help you make an informed decision about pit bulls and you may meet some cool little doggies in the process. read more

Bad Rap - Georgia: Adopted 2005 from BAD RAP, chillin lakeside summer 2007. - Animal Shelters Near Me

Tim and Donna do amazing work with amazing dogs on an amazing piece of land for an amazing cause. With that being said, I too have encountered the same issues as some of the other low rated reviews. Even my wife was convinced that it wasn't the right fit. "Going with my gutt" as donna said I continued to keep the communication with Tim open and clear. The process is designed for success, they want to know everything so that it is indeed the right fit. Yes I was confused, yes i was discouraged and yes at times I was upset. However with clear communication and honesty and intent I stuck with it, showed up to class, showed up to spend time at the Bad Rap Barn and i showed them that my wife and I were willing to sacrifice and even change a to accommodate Cooper and his baggage. With specific can and cannot dues we proved that we were the right fit ORGANICALLY. WE COULD NOT HAVE FOUND A BETTER DOG WITH THE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT HE COMES WITH. ( even if we paid thousands of dollars like some people do) It saddens my heart to hear and see these people crying on yelp about an electronic encounter that didn't go in their favor. You cannot determine tones very accurately through email. If you are serious about foster to Adopting: Be open and committed. Go and meet them, show up! Go to the classes/ volunteer. Show who you are and what you are about. Show your ability to communicate and be flexible. Be open to suggestions /dog choice from BadRap. Don't think that your previous experience will be exactly the same even if its with the same breed, all dog are different and they have a verietty of different dogs with different personalities and as rescues All have different needs. The dog you choose might not be right for your situation. Once a choice is established put in time to establish a connection with the dog. ( handle the dog in training class or ask to spend time up at the barn with the dogs) The dog may not choose you... These are their dogs and THEY know whats best for the dogs. They have the final say. We love our dog so much and BadRap has changed our lives forever. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU BADRAP! B J and COOPER!! read more

With so many rescues mired down in overpopulation, they seems to spread themselves thin. Not BadRap; they've organized it in such a way, that each dog they bring in, has a REAL chance at success and a living forever home. We've adopted BOTH of our dogs from this organization. Time is all you have; be patient and help these saviors out! I live them! read more

Bad Rap - Clyde & Squeeks - Animal Shelters Near Me

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should've given 1 star but decided not to. this rate is for the experienced we had with the organization regarding our spay voucher. my husband and I happened to drop by one of their free clinic service in west oakland. we didn't have our dog with us at that time but we chatted with one of their staff about getting our dog spayed. We noticed that most of the dogs were pitbulls so we asked if you have to have a pitbull to get their services. We were told that they do not turn away other dogs. After the inquiry, the staff gave us a voucher for spay/neuter that we can use. We specifically asked her if we can use it for our german shepherd dog and we were told that we can. 3 weeks later, in the morning of our spay appointment, we were told that they can not honor the voucher. At the vet place, we were told on the phone that even tho the person who gave us the voucher knew we do not have a pitbull, that we can't use the voucher that they supposedly mistakenly given us. It was definitely frustrating. If it were a regular business, the voucher would have been honored because it was their fault not ours. We understand that it is a free service but there is a reason why we were appreciative that we were given the voucher.... we simply can't afford the service at that time. I think the organization should have taken their responsibility and did the right thing to honor their word. definitely disappointing. I am active animal rescue volunteer and it's a shame that an organization like this would act this way. read more

If there were more organizations like Badrap the world would be a much better place. The volunteers and especially the founders (Donna & Tim) dedicate themselves daily anew to the task of breaking down the fear cycle against the American Pit Bull Terrier. Not to mention saving tons of dogs each year by bringing them into the foster program, even if it means overcrowding their own home while a qualified foster home is lined up. They are realistic about euthanasia, but it should be a last resort, and not a first option because of overcrowding. When you adopt a dog from Badrap they carefully review your needs & ability then match you with the most compatible dog. Since these dogs come in all shapes, sizes & personality types you could fall in love with all of them! But Badrap really helps you narrow it down in order to set up you & the dog for success. You bring the dog home as a foster at first but for life you have a network of people who love the breed just as much as you, free obedience classes & endless resources & support. They take securing the future of the APBT very seriously, but also know how to explore & appreciate all of the fun qualities of the breed as well. I can't wait to see what BR does next! read more

Would like to update the review we posted earlier this year. Baby (our rescue Pittie) had a completely free neuter and stiches removal, as well as her first shots and a ID chip from Bad Rap -so thankful! While there is still some work to be done in the area of follow up on e-mails on a timely manner and assistance with training/basic obedience classes, we are extremely grateful for the help and support we received trough Bad Rap! :) read more

Update to previous entries of 3/10/12 and 4/9/12: Donna and I have exchanged e-mails. After multiple communications hiccups over the years, I'm convinced that everyone tried their best and that my joining the Pit Bull Ed classes just wasn't meant to be right now. As an alternative, I've signed up to volunteer at the Berkeley Shelter and hope to gain some insight into my dog's behavior (he's smiling at me as I "speak".) Again, Bad Rap does wonderful things for the much-maligned and misunderstood pit bulls of the world, and I encourage anyone reading this message to continue to support them. Thanks for reading. read more

I have to say, so far I am not impressed with this organization's response. About seven years ago we took in a 2-1/2 year old pit-bull from a private party and attempted to contact Bad Rap for some advice. After several attempts, and only one vague response I gave up. Now, after seven years, our pit has passed and we are looking for another dog. I attempted once again to make contact. After about a month, Tim emailed, apologizing for the delayed response and asking if we were still interested. He then sent an application form. I was impressed with the detailed questions and took the time to provide complete, detailed responses. I expected the application would be the beginning of a conversation about what we were looking for in a dog and the start of our relationship with the organization. We discussed our experiences with our last dog, described our home and yard. One of the questions was where the dog would spend the night. We live in Hayward, where the nights can be warm. Our last dog enjoyed staying out on warm nights, but he could always come in when it was cold, or especially if there were fireworks, which he definitely did not like. So, in response to the question we answered, "During warm weather the dog can stay outside in the doghouse. During cold weather, or during holidays when there are fireworks, the dog can sleep inside". The next day, Tim sent the following message: "Thanks for sending back your app. We aren't comfortable adopting our dogs into a home unless it would have full-time night time access to sleep indoors throughout the year.The Hayward Animal shelter has lots of nice pit bulls in their shelter almost any day of the year, so you may want to pay them a visit for your next dog as they may not have the same restrictions as us. Best luck in the search for your next dog. All the best, Tim" No discussion, no attempting to clarify what Bad Rap thought would be best. End of story. We will continue to look for our next dog, but we are disappointed that we were so easily dismissed by Bad Rap. read more

I have the greatest admiration for all of the work Bad Rap does. From advocacy and education, their adoption program, spay and neuter clinics, Keep Em Home, and now their Newcomer's Camp. They have a lot on their plate. I live too far away to volunteer, but I have fostered pit bulls from a shelter and a different rescue. Rescue's are overwhelmed all of time with so many dogs (especially pit bulls) in need. And also trying to fundraise all of time to keep their work going. So you can understand their need to publicize. They need to to keep all their good work going. (The reality of running a non-profit). Rescue (and I would say especially pit bull rescue) can also be emotionally draining because of all of the sad cases you see. So please give them a break. Bad Rap - thank you sincerely for all of your hard work. For being such a great voice for my favorite breed. We (and all of the lovely pit bulls need you). And to everyone else out there please: adopt, foster, donate, volunteer. read more

We adopted our girly from Bad Rap, and are currently in the process of adopting her little brother from Bad Rap as well. Our dogs bring so much joy and happiness to us, and to our families and friends. They give so much back to us. The support and friendship from this group has been amazing. Donna and Tim took the time to match our personalities, our lifestyle, and the needs of our despotic cat to the appropriate dogs. Whenever we have had questions or needed help, group members and volunteers have been there for us. As happens to many Bad Rap adopters, we were so inspired by the dogs and the group that we have started volunteering for Bad Rap. Most recently, we volunteered at a Bad Rap shots fair, where dozens of pit bull lovers lined up for hours at a time to get their dogs vaccinated, collect free spay/neuter certificates, and get some great behavior and training advice. If you are an animal lover and you haven't done something like this, you need to - it is one of the best things in the world. Let me conclude by saying there are no problems we can't solve, including the unfair and baseless stigma attached to pit bulls, and pet overpopulation. Don't let anyone tell you that you should throw your hands up and not even try. Instead, volunteer with a group like Bad Rap, a group that is working with all their hearts to change things for the better. read more

While I did get a nice and sweet reply as anyone can read Nothing I wrote about was addressed. Nothing about the FB stalking or the cold shoulder or the voucher I was told to rip up. I know they are doing good for the pitties and I commend them for that but the professionalism vs I guess personal is really an issue. Also I appreciated the voucher I was told to rip up so I haven't used it. (but you say the money is refundable when you keep your appointment then you honestly need to talk with Noble their policy is, it is non-refundable, non-transferable). So as of now my baby is still un-spay till I can get an appointment through another organization. UPDATE: As you can see now over 5 months later I get an edit from Bad Rap....And if anyone can read between the lines it is a put down. Under resourced owner???? Really now.... I had paid for everything for my baby up til the point of getting her spayed. You didn't know my financial situation but Tim still stalked my facebook to find something I went to that was a gift from my mom and told me I didn't deserve my dog getting spayed. She was up to date on all her shots thru vets. that I had paid for. As of now she is spayed and it wasn't thru you I found a very decent vet that I think is wonderful. The new disclosure to refuse anyone now??? The only reason you are singling me out as the reason is I am the one who questioned why you were being so rude and disrespectful to us that day that many people seen including your own volunteers. I did offer to donate $ that day and I had offered to help volunteer at other events if you needed someone. You need to set your pride aside and stop judging people. It is much more professional then yelling and bashing people that need help. read more

Bad Rap...I do not know why on earth Bad Rap would get such a bad rap? Let me break it down for you... Bad Rap is run by Donna and her man Tim. They are one of the only pit bull rescues in Northern California. And when people get in a jam, such as I did with my pit, they google the Internet and find Bad Rap. And then they expect that they automatically will be placed in the Bap Rap programs. Honestly this is not the way it works. I know because I am one of those people. My husband came home one day with a pit bull named Bella. She was not spayed, was frightened, and definitely abused. He got her from a truck driver who was going to leave her in Hunter's Point project with some "friends." My husband took one look at the driver and then looked at Bella and said, "I'll take her." Let me tell you, I did not want her. I am a dog lover, but we had just gotten married, moved into a new house, and I seriously did not want to take care of a dog. I just wanted it to be me and my main squeeze. Now I could not imagine life without my Bellie Bell. So back to Donna and Bad Rap...We get Bella and she is just damaged. Totally scared, beaten, vocal chords damaged from being choked, terrified of water, and hates other dogs. I get scared and frantically search the Internet looking for help. I find Bad Rap. I submit my application to be in one of the pit bull programs, and a couple days later I get an email from Donna saying, "Don't cry, expect to receive and invitation to our classes in three weeks." I get so ecstatic. I mean I didn't know what to do with Bella. Three weeks goes by and alas no word from Bad Rap. I email Donna and no response. Seven months later and I finally get an invitation from Bad Rap. I can not even believe it. Am I mad that I had to wait seven months? Absolutely not, because I know that there are cases that are more extreme than mine. I also know that Bad Rap is limited with what they can do...And when I say this I mean that there are so many pit bull cases and not enough staff and volunteers. They do what they can. So please, give them a break. They have the best intentions of helping pit bulls and really honestly are some down ass people. People wait years to hear from Bad Rap, but they do hear from them. One lady in my class said she forgot she was even on the list! But we both recognized that these people are not intentionally ignoring us, they are just so dang busy. And I commend them on all their hard work. They are amazing people. So before you write a bad review about never hearing from them, or that they are not professional, please think twice. Maybe just maybe, they have their hands full. Give them a break and not a bad rap. read more

Pitbulls are my breed of choice and I have been aware of and donated money to BADRAP for years. I am very grateful for the quality of life they give pitbulls who are waiting for adoption. They do a great job with the dogs and I would love to find a BADRAP dog that is a perfect personality match for me and then actually adopt it. The low rating is based on how difficult they are to work with, the attitude of the people I have worked with and the general experience. Like many pitbull groups/people they are very opinionated and protective of the breed so even that was to be expected. On two separate occasions I was ready and very motivated to adopt a dog. I own my own home, live an active lifestyle, volunteer at the Humane Society, have experience owning/training the breed and have all my vet records to show how responsible I am. I consider myself a gold star adopter, but they were rude, dismissive and generally not helpful. On these occasions, I had a specific dog in mind and on my third and last interaction with them (after I handed them a check) I spoke with them about the type of dog I am looking for. They directed me to a dog they clearly were having issues placing and wasn't a match for me and then I heard nothing more from them. If I were to be in the running for a dog there is a pretty rigorous process where you are on probation and home checks and so forth. I ended up rescuing a dog from Berkeley Animal Care Services that was about to be put down. When shelters tell you about how your pitbull will get free training when you adopt isn't true because the leaders at Badrap are horribly inefficient as far as I can tell you won't ever actually get into a class if the dog isn't already in the class through the shelter. You will also never have your calls/emails/Facebook requests returned. I really wish I had received the training promised because the only reason I rescued this dog was because she was so fearful of people at the shelter and afraid that she wasn't adoptable. Badrap would have been a really great resource. read more

I don't remember how I came across the BadRap website (www.badrap.org), but when I did, I remember falling in love with a face. I started inquiring about the lil' guy even before he was ready for adoption. In the mean time, my boyfriend and I started visiting him at the shelter relentlessly. We never thought we would be considered, we just wanted to spend time with Mr. Friar Firkin, even if he wasn't going to be ours. We were a young couple, just starting our lives, still in the process of looking for housing. We were sure there was a better fit, someone that was already ready for a new addition, but BadRap waited for us. They helped us make it work. When we finally bought our condo, got the keys and started moving in our stuff, Firkin moved in right along with us. From that point on, BadRap has been a wonderful part of my life. From the FREE obedience classes (Firkin now Rhino, has earned his CGC) to the online community, you will always be supported. Because of Rhino, I decided to give back and volunteer with BadRap. Sometimes, Rhino comes along, as an ambassadog. BadRap is fantastic and continues to do amazing work. BadRap flies across country and conducts trainings and conferences, saves victims and nurtures their resilient spirit. So, thank you BadRap. Thank you for looking out for the underdogs. read more

Bad Rap - Rhino AKA Friar Firkin adopted 2006 - Animal Shelters Near Me

Hands down the most breed savvy and effective organization out there for pitties. We need 1,000 more BADRAPs. At least. Can we clone Donna and Tim and the gang??? read more

After picking up an entire pit bull family off the street, I emailed every organization I could think of to try and find a home for the dogs. Fortunately, Bad Rap read the email I sent them about about the Pittie Parents. Bad Rap then received another email from a couple who were looking to adopt a bonded pair of pit bulls, and referred that couple to me. The rest is history: the 2 best dogs ever are now together forever in a home with amazing parents. Thank you Bad Rap (I am now a "dog-godmother"). :) read more

As a shelter dog volunteer and an advocate for pitties, I've gotten a lot of great info from BAD RAP's website info, which armed me for conversations with coworkers, family, neighbors who are sadly misinformed. The group is doing very important work, and the stories about Vick's dogs are tearjerkers, I tell ya. Just found online (and pre-ordering) the 2011 calendar "The Unexpected Pit Bull" featuring some BAD RAP dogs and if you think pitties can't be great family dogs check out the cover (so freaking cute!!) Good group to support. read more

I wish they had something like this when I was growning up.. man there were stray pit bulls everywhere!!

Very knowledgeable and hard working rescue group. Good at evaluating dogs and people. Matched us with the perfect dog for us. Have been there for questions, concerns and updates. I recommend this group with the utmost confidence. They truly care about making sure the people and dogs are happy. My experience was really positive. I have a wonderful dog - I love these folks! read more

I heart this organization. Its name speaks to the biggest challenge facing pit bulls- the bad rap they get that seems so ubiquitous. The website is a wonderful resource for anyone who would like to learn more about this sweet, adorable breed. Go to badrap.org and become a fan :) read more

Keep Fighting the good fight Bad Rap! I work with 2 other dog rescue groups as a foster home and as a "guy with a big truck" jack of all volunteering. One is a mixed breed group and the other a boxer group, yep, not a pit group. However all of the interactions I have had through each group both with Bad Rap directly and with individual members of the Bad Rap volunteer crew have been first rate. IF you have a legitimate problem with a volunteer group you need to remember its a volunteer group. Some times its herding cats to get anything done with any volunteer group. To the lady with the problem with the long wait list- pony up and start volunteering and maybe that wait list for training might be shortened for some other person... read more