ASPCA Blog

Moore, Oklahoma Tornado Update

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 3:00pm
Field Investigations and Response team assisting in Joplin, MO

On the ground during a previous rescue effort in Joplin, Missouri, in 2011.

As details about the impact and devastation of the tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma, continue to emerge, the ASPCA stands ready to assist. We remain in contact with local authorities and are prepared to provide our disaster recovery expertise and support once requested. Like all of you, we grieve with those who have lost loved ones and hope for a speedy recovery.

If you are in an affected area or seeking rescue and recovery resources, please visit the local Red Cross chapter website. Please stay tuned to ASPCA.org for updates.


Tags: 
Disaster Response
Field Investigations and Response
Natural Disasters

Take Action on Rampant Abuse at Pig Slaughter Plants

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 2:30pm
Pigs cramped in pen

Last week brought bad news about the treatment of pigs in U.S. slaughterhouses. A report released by USDA’s Office of the Inspector General [PDF] found that USDA inspectors fail to punish serious animal welfare violations at pig slaughterhouses.

The Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act requires that many animals be quickly rendered unconscious before slaughter, and USDA policy requires that any plant violating this law be suspended or, at minimum, receive a warning. Despite this, the Inspector General reported that more than 25% of the time, inspectors failed to take appropriate action—in many cases electing to do nothing in response to astonishing cruelty.

The Inspector General witnessed pigs regain consciousness after being stunned, reported a captive bolt gun misfiring and becoming lodged in the skull of a still-conscious pig, and detailed a case of a downed pig being lifted and dropped by a forklift onto a concrete floor.

Take Action
Please tell the USDA that Americans won’t stand for negligence in the face of cruelty. Using the text below, please email Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at agsec@usda.gov to thank him for empowering the Inspector General to uncover these violations and encourage the USDA to act on this report to prioritize measurable, effective improvements in the handling of livestock.

Here is some sample email text, but feel free to edit in your own words:

Dear Secretary Vilsack,

The ASPCA recently alerted me to the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) appalling findings about inhumane pig handling at U.S. slaughter plants. Thank you for empowering the OIG to carefully and critically evaluate such an important area of the USDA’s mandate.

I am stunned by the accounts of cruelty depicted in the report, and concerned by the continual failure of USDA inspectors to punish wrongdoers. The USDA must ensure that its employees understand requirements for proper slaughter. The agency must commit sufficient resources to enforcing animal handling laws and put an end to institutional tolerance for cruelty once and for all.

Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.

  

Sincerely,
[Your name]


Thanks for your help, animal advocates! Please share this post with your friends on Twitter using the hashtag  #TakeAction. 

Tags: 
Advocacy
Animal Cruelty
Farm Animals
Take Action

Spread the Word: It’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week

Monday, May 20, 2013 - 2:00pm
Dog chewing on yellow plastic toy

Our dogs are our best friends, but unfortunately, we know that incidents involving dog bites are not uncommon. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the U.S. each year.

May 19-25 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, so we’d like to take this opportunity to go over some ways that you can prevent dog bites in your home and in your community.

“The absolute best way to avoid having a dog that bites a person or another dog is to ensure he or she is well socialized as a puppy,” says Dr. Pamela Reid, Vice President of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Behavior Team. “Puppies go through a period from about 6-16 weeks during which they are very impressionable and, if they have good experiences with people and dogs, are likely to grow up as confident, relaxed, friendly members of society. If the dog is integrated as a member of the family, he or she continues to meet people and maintain good social skills.”

Sadly, children are often the victims of dog bites. There are several steps you can take to teach your child the proper way to interact with dogs in order to prevent dog bites.  Here are three important tips to keep in mind:

1. Make sure that your children do not tease or go near dogs behind fences or dogs chained in yards.
2. If your child sees a dog that is loose, teach him or her to report it to an adult immediately and to avoid touching or going near the dog.
3. If a loose dog approaches your child, tell him or her not to run or scream. It is best to stand very still like a tree in this scenario.

To participate further in National Dog Bite Prevention Week, please visit our full list of dog bite prevention tips and spread awareness on Twitter by using the hashtag #PreventDogBites.

Tags: 
Events
Pet Care
Take Action

Maryland Okays Innovative Program to Fund Spay/Neuter

Monday, May 20, 2013 - 1:15pm
Black and white cat laying on purple bed

The Maryland Legislature passed three great bills for animals this year, and we are thrilled to report that Governor Martin O’Malley has now signed all of them into state law! The new laws establish a statewide spay/neuter fund; close a loophole in Maryland’s animal fighting law by adding a prohibition on “baiting”; and prohibit the sale and possession of shark fins.

Maryland will soon have one of the most robustly funded statewide spay/neuter programs in the country. As outlined in the Spring 2013 issue of our members’ magazine ASPCA Action, the new program will be funded by a small surcharge on commercial pet food brands registered in the state, and is expected to generate approximately $1 million annually by 2016. This small fee on pet food will have almost no effect on pet parents, but a huge, positive impact on efforts to manage pet overpopulation in Maryland.

“This innovative spay/neuter program is one of the most important victories for animals in many years,” says Ann Church, ASPCA Vice President of State Affairs. “This legislation should be used as a model for other states to adopt similar provisions, and we applaud the many local animal shelters and humane groups who worked together to make this new program a reality.”

Inspired by this big win in Maryland? Visit our Advocacy Center to find out you can take action for animals in your state, and share this post on Twitter with the hashtag #TakeAction.

Tags: 
Advocacy
Animal Cruelty
Dog Fighting
Pet Care
Take Action

Pet Sitter Dumps Two Cats While Family Vacations

Friday, May 17, 2013 - 4:30pm
Humane Law Enforcement

It’s every pet parent’s worst nightmare—temporarily leaving your pets with a trusted caregiver only to find out that things have gone terribly wrong. That’s exactly what happened to one New York City family. Late last month, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) Agents responded to a call from a panic-stricken woman: She had just returned home from an extended vacation only to find her beloved cats were missing.

In a shocking twist, our investigation revealed that the pet sitter, a trusted friend of the family, had purposely abandoned the animals.

“He simply didn’t want to take care of them anymore,” says Howard Lawrence, Senior Director of Operations for the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department. “And that is just not acceptable.”

Video surveillance shows two men transporting the cats from the home in carriers and dumping them in a nearby alley. A witness has also stepped up to corroborate that he saw the incident occur.

Rafael Lugo, 59, and his friend Robert Ramos, 55,were both charged with two counts of animal abandonment. If convicted, they face up to two years in jail and/or a $2,000 fine. To date, the cats have not yet been found.

“Trust was severely violated in this case, and a family is now beside themselves over the loss of their pets,” says Lawrence. “We hope that these two individuals will be held accountable for their actions.” 

Anyone with information about the cats’ whereabouts is asked to please contact the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement Hotline: 877-THE-ASPCA (843-2772). Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PetSitterBust

Tags: 
Animal Cruelty
Humane Law Enforcement
NYC
We Were There

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