"We may not have it all together, but together we have it all."

In response to commentary on this thread on the LakeElsinore-Wildomar Patch

Your attempts to get under my skin have succeeded: "to use a disabled child as a prop in a PR stunt is truly a new low for pit bull promoters" and "at the expense of both the child and the pit bull."

In follow up to the originally posted article, I sent a request to Toni McAllister, Editor, providing and requesting corrected links be added to the article; she opted to remove links altogether instead.

Here's my reply:

I have a very visible and public bio (in PR we call it research and fact-finding): "Julie founded and served as president of a nationally recognized all breed, all age, all size animal rescue. Her foresight when requesting non-profit status created several sub-divisions of her corporation; a program designed to raise Pit Bull puppies as therapy dogs for children with autism (BullNannies); a program to place senior dogs with retired individuals at reduced adoption fees, if any (Rescue Retirement); an online auction site (Bow Wow Bid Now); a retail store (Bones & Scones featuring Beauregard Stubbs' products - a collaboration with her business partner) that created a profit center to fund the non-profit activities."

 I closed my doors and dissolved ^^^said rescue on December 8, 2009 in order to focus on my children (whom all have autism spectrum disorders, by the way) concurrent with a divorce. BullNannies is the only PROGRAM - not company, not corporation, not business - that remained because it was near and dear to my heart; you could refer to it as an "activity" or a "labor of love" or "volunteering" or "fostering." I have never charged for the service, because it's simply my pleasure. I've raised dozens of pit bulls to be SOCIAL in order to assess and prepare them to become therapy dogs; their service dog training occurs after they leave my care. Some go on to become service dogs, some do not. Pup-cake for Rock Da Mullet, Sebastian Saraceno's DaVinci and several others have earned this classification by the appropriate and necessary means (and expense) through the proper channels. We have only rescued, rehabilitated and re-homed about 600ish dogs over the past ten years, however I was hired by Mr. Rossi for my business consulting skills. I have never claimed to be a dog trainer;  nowhere in my bio, my site, my history have I, will I, or do I claim to be a dog trainer; I do, however, hire them on occasion.

During my nonprofit all breed, all age, all size animal rescue days (back in the day when most "all breed rescues" excluded bully breeds "for insurance reasons") I worked as a volunteer, alongside the other 30+ volunteers; i.e. no one at our corporation took salaries although that is legally permitted. I was the primary fundraiser and learned, after its closure, that this particular skill could be used to help others without having to care-take dozens of dogs daily. I moved out of dog-raising and care-taking and moved over to public relations, marketing and professional fundraising for others.

Shorty's Charities Inc is a registered 501(c)(3) charity in the state of California (the IRS spelled it wrong "Shorty's Charieties" and our attorney is working on fixing that, so our hope is that GuideStar will be corrected soon as well). Shorty Rossi has been my client for nearly four years.

The only thing we gain from this is doing what Shorty's Charities was created to do; Creating a strong voice against stereotyping and stigma. We do not seek your pity and don’t appreciate your prejudice. We are here to help one discrimination case at a time through education, enlightenment and fight, if necessary, for the underdogs of the world.

I do not work for Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, nor Pit Boss; my client does. I do work for Shorty's Charities, as I am the co-founder and serve currently in the corporate officer position of Secretary. As a PR rep and independent contractor, I have the ability and right to donate my skill-set to whomever I deem worthwhile of my time.

Julie Miller-Hernandez
Mother. Writer. Ally.
www.ladyluckpr.com
facebook.com/LadyLuckConsulting
@JulieforShortys

Aaaaaand...
Founder of BullNannies, a Labor of Love

To show support for my personal friends and family subjected to this set of circumstances, please like
www.facebook.com/PupcakePitBullServiceDog

Downloadable versions of our press release on behalf of our client, Shorty's Charities

To donate to Shorty's Charities, visit www.shortyscharities.org/help-us-help-them

BLOG POST AUTHORED BY: Julie Miller-Hernandez, President of Lady Luck Consulting
 

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A stiff apology is a second insult... The injured party does not want to be compensated because he has been wronged; he wants to be healed because he has been hurt. Gilbert K. Chesterton

It's been a whirlwind the past 48 hours, fielding messages, phone calls and writing up additional statements for the family that was wronged as we patiently wait for the right. The right that may never come.

Nonetheless, the staff at Lady Luck Consulting doesn't mind late nights, early mornings and busy days because if you "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." - Confucius

The hardest part of putting yourself out there, even when it is to right a wrong, you take risks, low blows and hard punches.  All in a day's work. Nothing can deter you from something you wholeheartedly believe in. With this I bring you, press release number two this week from Shorty's Charities:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tom’s Farms responds to accusations of discrimination against autistic child’s pit bull service dog
Shorty Rossi says this is not good enough. All the Santos family asked for was for an apology and to educate, enlighten and inform this business establishment of their discriminatory practices

Corona, California, US September 18, 2013

You have yet to make a public apology to the parents, child and, YES, even to the service animal.  While you state you have changed the policy (without stating said changes) please understand that a policy and a law have nothing to do with each other therefore your said changes are irrelevant. “Clarify(ing) (y)our policies and provid(ing) specific training to (y)our staff” have nothing to do with the fact that you are not above the law.  Mr. Santos came to you over 45 days ago to let you know about how a manager treated his mentally handicap daughter and her service animal with absolutely no response from your company, your managers, your owners nor your staff. The Santos family came to you on a friendly basis (we have well documented communication) to help you understand what you chose to put his daughter through. The Santos family even offered to assist with training your employee during that time (we have well documented communication) yet your business establishment chose to ignore the offer. So alas, we do not see anything that has changed for the better as of today, 46 days later, however we look forward to seeing something soon. 

Statement from the Santos family:

“It has come to the attention of the Santos family that as of late, Tom’s Farms has been provided with an abundance of information in regards to the laws that pertain to the disabled and their Service Animals. We understand that there are many laws/rules/regulations that may be hard to understand and implement.  We fully understand that we cannot force you to want to be better or to do better.  That is a choice; one that is on the shoulders of your business needs to make for itself.  However, always remember that our previous offer to work alongside you in regards to the PROPER employee training on such sensitive topics will always be available to you.  While visiting Tom’s Farms is not something we plan on doing any time soon for obvious reasons, please know that we will do so if it means that we will be helping you train your employees so that we are the ONLY family to every go through such discrimination and humiliation.

“Here is to an open mind and a patient heart.

Signed,
The Santos Family, also known as Pup-Cake’s leash racks”

In summary, Shorty Rossi advised the Santos family that “in the future, just call the police,” since according to California Code - Section 54.1(a)(1)  Access to public conveyances, places of public accommodation, amusement or resort, and housing accommodations:

Individuals with disabilities shall be entitled to full and equal access, as other members of the general public, to accommodations, advantages, facilities, medical facilities, including … places of public accommodation, amusement, or resort, and other places to which the general public is invited, subject only to the conditions and limitations established by law, or state or federal regulation, and applicable alike to all persons.

Shorty’s Charities has been assured, since the beginning of its involvement with Pup-Cake the Service dog and the Santos family, that they have not once threatened to file a lawsuit against nor have they sought money from Tom’s Farms. They have consistently sought to educate, enlighten and inform Tom’s Farms’ in regards to service dog treatment and requested an apology from the staff that subjected their daughter to unnecessary distress. The Santos family sees no other choice, at this time, than to contact the California Department of Justice and file a complaint.  All because the human element was removed for public relations’ statements; all because they wanted to hear “I’m sorry. How can we make this better for everyone?”

END

###

If you would like more information or to schedule an interview, please call Julie Hernandez at 818.850.2310 or email julie@shortyscharities.org

Julie Marie Miller-Hernandez

Director of Marketing & Public Relations

Secretary, Shorty's Charities Inc., a nonprofit corporation
www.shortyscharities.org

Seems simple enough, doesn't it?

To show support for my personal friends and family subjected to this set of circumstances, please like
www.facebook.com/PupcakePitBullServiceDog

Downloadable versions of our press release on behalf of our client, Shorty's Charities

To donate to Shorty's Charities, visit www.shortyscharities.org/help-us-help-them

BLOG POST AUTHORED BY: Julie Miller-Hernandez, President of Lady Luck Consulting
 

To continue to receive updates, please "like" us on Facebook
#smallbusiness #charity #nonprofit #success #patience #shortyrossi #pitboss #autism #advocacy #discrimination #servicedog #pitbull

I don't always write stories that go viral, but when I do they're about autism and pit bulls.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tom’s Farms faces backlash from discrimination against autism service dog

Shorty Rossi, of Animal Planet’s Pit Boss and non-profit, Shorty’s Charities, requests a formal apology to family of autistic daughter whose service dog was asked to “leave the premises”

Corona, California, US September 16, 2013

It started off as any other day in the life of a parent raising a child with autism.  This particular woman, wife to guerrilla marketing strategist adviser and a weblebrity, Rock da Mullet, and mother to two, works daily as her daughter’s guardian, protector, therapist, diligent parent, and simply wants to go about her day without apologizing for a developmental disability that affects one (1) out of  88  children.  Autism Spectrum Disorders are only as disabling as the limits set upon them by society.  Compound this by their chosen trained and certified service dog being the most discriminated against breed of dog in America; the pit bull terrier.  As Mrs. Ed Santos states, more often than a mother with a child who requires having a service animal should have to: "This is a service animal. It is allowed anywhere my daughter goes as she needs it…

When an animal becomes an animal of service the breed is no longer recognized, rather the service they provide. So this is not a pit bull this is an autism service dog."

Tom’s Farms’ website states:

“Today, the property … include(s) a variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions for family entertainment. Staying true to Tom's original core values,… visitors are always welcome. Tom wouldn't like it any other way.”

But Tom would not come when requested as his staff subjected the Santos family when they were repeatedly asked to step outside.  These visitors in August, 2013, were not welcome; in fact, they were asked, repeatedly, to leave.  The following is a recounting of the day, in their own words:

This is my 2nd post to Tom's Farms FB page. I am still waiting for a reply from anyone from Tom's Farms regarding this matter:

“This correspondence is a follow up in regards to an injustice that took place in the sweet shop on Saturday August 3rd. While my family and I were shopping we were approached by a woman who stated she was the assistant manager and told (not asked) us to leave. When I inquired as to why, she stated that dogs were not allowed in the store. We informed her that the vested dog was a service animal, offered appropriate identification for the service animal and offered to answer any

questions she may have had. Due to my willingness to clear up any lack of understanding that she may have had, I am at a loss as to why she then decided to call security on us all while yelling at my family and repeating "leave".

“I cannot even begin to express to you how hard it is for a mentally handicap child to be aggressively cornered in the way we were, you see, not only is my daughter mentally handicap she has various other issues as well. Issues that we tried to explain to the assistant manager, however I assumed she could not hear us over her yelling. I would like to assume that any employee of Tom's Farms would have the basic understanding that if a person has the need for a service animal their lives are hard enough already without being placed in position to feel as if they are less than anybody else.

“We try our best to provide our daughter with the independent freedom she deserves all while not bothering the world around us and the situation that I speak off took that opportunity away from her. While I could continue with "he said she said" I am choosing a different path in regards to this scenario. There are an excessive amount of laws that pertain to service animals and the disabled. It is painfully apparent that Tom's Farms is not aware of them and I would like to assist with rectifying that.

“So at this time I come to you and offer my assistance in regards to the proper training of ALL employees. I can assist you in the training of service animal identification as well as sensitivity training to ensure that my family is the only family that is discriminated against on your property. I sincerely hope you take the above situation seriously and strive to not only set but reach a new standard of equality not only for your patrons but for your employees as well. I look forward to hearing from you.”

Shorty Rossi faces similar discrimination throughout his travels on the Shorty Rossi and Hercules’ tours. One of his primary goals with Shorty’s Charities Inc., a newly approved 501(c)(3) charity in the state of California, is to keep pit bulls in their homes where they belong, as well as to educate, enlighten and inform individuals, and companies, about responsible Bully Breed Guardianship.

Tom’s Farms owes the Santos family a public apology and to be informed enough to improve their business’ practices in regards to service dog rights. We are simply asking for the opportunity to enlighten them, because discrimination bites.

END###

If you would like more information or to schedule an interview, please call Julie Hernandez at 818.850.2310 or email julie@shortyscharities.org

Julie Marie Miller-Hernandez

Director of Marketing & Public Relations

Secretary, Shorty's Charities Inc., a nonprofit corporation
www.shortyscharities.org

To show support for my personal friends and family subjected to this set of circumstances, please like
www.facebook.com/PupcakePitBullServiceDog

Downloadable versions of our press release on behalf of our client, Shorty's Charities

To donate to Shorty's Charities, visit www.shortyscharities.org/help-us-help-them

BLOG POST AUTHORED BY: Julie Miller, President of Lady Luck Consulting
 

To continue to receive updates, please "like" us on Facebook
#smallbusiness #charity #nonprofit #success #patience #shortyrossi #pitboss #autism #advocacy #discrimination #servicedog #pitbull

"It is difficult to be patient but to waste the rewards for patience is worse." ~ Abu Bakr

Here at Lady Luck Consulting we write press releases regularly.  We write website content, we write slogans, marketing campaigns... you name it, we write.

Slogans are something that are intended to be catchy yet I usually end up attaching great meaning behind my short, three to five word quips.  I wrote one three years, seven months ago after speaking with a gentleman who had faced discrimination his entire life, compounded by self-inflicted struggles leading to him becoming a felon and, on top of it, he decides to add a service dog to his life for his back problems; he couldn't pick a Golden Retriever, but went with a bully breed.  More discrimination.  It didn't take long to have this short slogan pop into my head "Because Discrimination Bites."  He loved it. Seemingly everyone did but I wonder if people let it sink in?  I wonder if they understand the depth of emotional turmoil this man has gone through in his life that lead me to come up with this after hearing his story for the first time?

It doesn't matter. It stuck.

I try to celebrate even the smallest of victories with my small business - a story going viral, the media contacting me to ask "what's up? got any good story leads?" - but when something this profound happens, it isn't just a moment to celebrate it is a genuine victory, it's a moment to pause and be thankful for the future of the cause with which you've fallen deeply in love.

So with this I offer the following press release that I have written an hundred times in my head over the past three years, seven months:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shorty Rossi, Pit Boss, receives designation as nonprofit

Shorty’s Charities Inc.

Los Angeles, California, US  September 6, 2013

Since 2010, you've known Luigi Francis Shorty Rossi as the Pit Boss on Discovery Channel's Animal Planet.

Shorty Rossi has subsequently become the national spokesperson and unwavering ally for bully breeds and a voice against breed specific legislation.

It's been three (long) years in seeking this designation and recognition but we moved forward with our pursuit to help injured, homeless and abandoned bully breeds in our efforts to provide financial, physical and monetary support to the smaller, local pit bull rescues across the nation. We have not wavered from this goal, holding true to our mission statement:

"Creating a strong voice against stereotyping and stigma. We do not seek your pity and don't appreciate your prejudice. We are here to help one discrimination case at a time through education, enlightenment and to fight, if necessary, for the underdogs of the world."

It is with great anticipation and pride that I am pleased to announce, as of September 4th 2013, Shorty's Charities Inc has been approved and is now recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity.

At this time, I'd like to take the opportunity to formally introduce to you, Shorty Rossi the philanthropist.

END

###

If you'd like more information or to schedule an interview with one of our corporate officers, please call Julie Hernandez at 818.850.2310 or email julie@shortyscharities.org


Julie Marie Miller-Hernandez
Director of Marketing & Public Relations

Secretary, Shorty's Charities Inc., a nonprofit corporation

BLOG POST AUTHORED BY: Julie Miller, President of Lady Luck Consulting
 

To continue to receive updates, please "like" us on Facebook
#smallbusiness #charity #nonprofit #success #patience #shortyrossi #pitboss