May 2011

  • Use Social Media to Help Animals this Holiday Season!

    Monday, November 26, 2012 - 2:45pm

    During the holiday season, there is nothing more fulfilling than the feeling of giving back—and we believe the magic of social media can do just that. Social media can be a cool tool in our fight against animal cruelty. Think about it. You have friends. Your friends have friends. And they have friends, too. There is a pretty good chance you can reach hundreds—even thousands—of people with just one status update. So why not make it count for animals?

    Follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. First, be sure to Like our page on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check out our boards on Pinterest. Now that we’re connected, you’ll start seeing updates about adopted animals, top pet care tips, and animal cruelty news in your newsfeed. Plus, this simple action will spread the ASPCA’s mission to your friends, and their friends, and their friends, and so on!

    Give the Gift of a Status Update, Tweet, or Pin Board. Let the world know that adopting a pet will warm up any home for the holidays! Giving back to help animals this holiday season can be as simple as dedicating your Facebook status to an adoptable animal every week, sending out a Tweet, or Pinning a photo of an adoptable animal onto your board. It’s a great way to help homeless critters find the forever homes they deserve.

    Share! Share! Share!
    Like what you’re reading? Be sure share it on your wall, it’s the best way to get your friends involved, too. Again, this simple action can make a BIG difference!

    Join our Holiday Twitter Party on December 12! Are poinsettias poisonous to cats? Are leftover turkey bones safe for dogs? We’ll be asking these questions and many more during our #SantaPaws Holiday Trivia Twitter Party and Giveaway Extravaganza. Join us on Twitter by following the hashtag #SantaPaws on December 12 at 7 P.M. (EST).

    There’s a lot to be done, so let’s get started! Can you think of other ways to help animals this holiday using social media? Let us know!

    Tags: 
    Take Action

  • Joplin Update: Reunions Begin as Support Pours In

    Thursday, May 26, 2011 - 2:30pm

    RescuersAs Joplin copes with the aftermath of the most lethal single tornado on record, the ASPCA’s emergency response team continues to work tirelessly to rescue and shelter affected animals. More than 350 animals have been brought—most by their families—to the temporary shelter we’re operating in conjunction with the Joplin Humane Society.

    Things are starting to look brighter for these animals. By Thursday morning, more than 60 had been reunited with their families! On Wednesday, even as the threat of more severe weather loomed, 20 pets went home in just one hour. Says ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response Tim Rickey, a Joplin native: “It was a wonderful day.”

    Our work is not yet done, and none of it would be possible without generous donations from our members, supply providers like PetSmart Charities and other in-state groups, and countless compassionate volunteers. On Wednesday alone, 150 volunteers arrived at our shelter to help, and we put them to work right away. And shelters around Missouri continue to accept adoptable animals from Joplin.

    Says Rickey, “The outpouring of support from the community, the state and elsewhere has been exceptional.”

    Please help us support the animal victims of recent disasters in the South and Midwest. Text PLEDGE to 25383 to donate $10 today!

    Tags: 
    Disaster Response
    Natural Disasters
    We Were There

  • ASPCA Mounts Temporary Shelter in Devastated Joplin

    Tuesday, May 24, 2011 - 2:15pm

    Kitten being heldThe ASPCA Field Investigations and Response (FIR) Team is in Joplin, Missouri, following a lethal tornado that devastated the area last weekend. The deployment is especially meaningful for ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response Tim Rickey, who is himself a native of Joplin.

    “The destruction caused by the tornado is indescribable, and our hearts go out to everyone who has been affected by this disaster—pets and people alike,” says Rickey, who began disaster relief work in Joplin the day after the tornado.

    At the request of the Joplin Humane Society, we’re heading up emergency sheltering operations and assisting the Humane Society of Missouri with field rescues. On Monday, Rickey helped the city establish a temporary shelter for family pets near the Joplin Humane Society.

    “We hope to alleviate the stress for pet parents by temporarily caring for their animals,” says Rickey.

    PetSmart Charities is assisting in this effort, providing two Emergency Relief Waggin' vehicles filled with sheltering supplies like crates, blankets and bowls.

    The ASPCA has also coordinated the transport of nearly 150 animals from the Joplin Humane Society to Wayside Waifs in Kansas City, Missouri, and the Humane Society of Southwest Missouri in Springfield. This move will allow Joplin Humane to accept more animals affected by the tornado.

    “We’re ensuring that existing shelter animals are out of harm’s way,” says Rickey, adding that many of the dogs and cats rescued so far are suffering from lacerations, broken bones and eye injuries that appear to have been caused by the storm.

    Adds Rickey: “The ASPCA will provide ongoing assistance, personnel and resources in Joplin as long as we’re needed.”

    Please help us support the animal victims of recent disasters in the South and Midwest. Text PLEDGE to 25383 to donate $10 today!

    Tags: 
    Disaster Response
    Natural Disasters
    We Were There

  • Some Dogs Never Make It Out—Help Us End Puppy Mills

    Monday, May 23, 2011 - 3:00pm

    Rescued PuppyHolly Springs, Mississippi—The ASPCA arrived at the scene to find more than 95 severely underweight dogs living in feces-encrusted pens. The degree of neglect was shocking—skin disease, rotted teeth, malnutrition and infection were widespread. Several dead dogs and puppies were discovered on the property. Others, like Binah, were barely alive.

    Binah was one of the many victims found living in squalor at the Holly Springs puppy mill. She was dirty, skinny and unable to walk due to a congenital defect made worse by spending years in a tiny, overcrowded cage. Binah was forced, with little regard to her health or well-being, to produce puppies assembly-line style.

    "Mother dogs like Binah are considered a cash crop—the more puppies they can crank out, the more money the mills make,” says Cori Menkin, ASPCA Senior Director of Legislative Initiatives. “When they can no longer produce, they are deemed worthless, just like broken equipment."

    Special Update
    Thanks to you, our team was able to rescue Binah and countless other dogs like her. After spending months recuperating at ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, Binah made a full recovery and is now thriving with her new forever family. She enjoys the comfort of a warm bed, hearty meals, and all the love and attention she spent so many years without.

    Some dogs never make it out—without your help. Please join our fight against puppy mills.

    Tags: 
    Animal Cruelty
    Puppy Mills

  • ASPCA Assists AL with Grants, Supplies and Boots on the Ground

    Wednesday, May 18, 2011 - 2:00pm

    Rescuing Flood VictimsAs the South and Midwest have struggled to cope with severe weather and the devastation it leaves in its wake, we’ve been keeping you informed about where we’re deployed and how we’re helping animals across the regions.

    But, some of you have rightly asked, what are we doing to help Alabama’s animals as the state recovers from the worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history?

    Here are a few highlights of our work for Alabama’s animals.

    Grants
    One ASPCA grant awarded in Alabama went to the state’s largest animal welfare organization. After receiving the $128,000 grant, the Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) was able to obtain an adoption and transport rig so it can better assist the state.

    The rig will help GBHS head to other parts of Alabama—including hard-hit Tuscaloosa—to provide disaster relief. It will include space for animal transport cages, an on-board veterinary work space and room for the storage of pet care supplies.

    “This rig will help us reach even more animals in need as we work to help the pets who have been affected by these devastating storms,” says GBHS Strategic Communications Officer Laura Golden.

    Sheltering
    Collaborating with our partnership network, the ASPCA has helped bring staff to Alabama’s overburdened shelter. In Tuscaloosa, the Saranac Technical Rescue Team has five responders at Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter, and the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) has also sent a team.

    In addition to assisting with shelter management and daily care, WARL has taken animals back to Washington, D.C., for adoption, lessening the burden on Tuscaloosa.

    Supplies
    From our innovative distribution center located in Memphis, we supplied Alabama with pet food, crates, carriers, large fans, litter boxes and more. ASPCA volunteers and partners drove trucks to the state and unloaded supplies quickly, helping shelters in Alabama care for their animals in the aftermath of the tornadoes.

    Stay tuned to ASPCA.org for more news on how we’re responding to this crisis in Alabama and elsewhere.

    Tags: 
    ASPCA Grants
    Disaster Response
    We Were There

  • Animal Flood Victims Need Your Help!

    Monday, May 16, 2011 - 12:15pm

    DogThe devastation is heartbreaking. Homes have been reduced to rubble, streets transformed into flowing rivers, hundreds have lost their lives—and it’s far from over.

    "We see entire communities flooded—animals are stranded on dog houses, in trees and other small patches of dry space," says Tim Rickey, ASPCA Senior Director of Field Investigations and Response. "For many of these victims, rescue is their only hope."

    As emergency responders work to help countless families evacuated from their homes due to severe storms, teams of ASPCA responders have been deployed to Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee to rescue and care for animals who have been displaced, stranded and even abandoned.

    “Our team is specially trained in water rescue and emergency sheltering for animals in crisis,” says Rickey. “We are doing everything we can to help, and hope families find comfort in knowing their pets are safe.”

    Take Action!
    To date, the ASPCA has assisted nearly 4,000 animals in these affected areas—but we can’t do it alone. Please help us make sure that no animal is left behind.

    Learn how you can help today.

    Tags: 
    Disaster Response
    fir
    Natural Disasters
    We Were There

  • What Hazards Are Lurking in Your Garden?

    Tuesday, May 10, 2011 - 3:15pm

    dog in gardenIt´s time to treat the lawn, spray the trees and, of course, plant the garden. If you're a pet parent, please read this before you begin exercising your green thumb.

    Every year the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) receives tens of thousands of calls involving animal companions who’ve been exposed to potentially deadly garden hazards.

    The same products that produce vibrant lawns can cause serious health problems for our companions. In fact, many common plants can be poisonous, while fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides also pose serious hazards if not handled correctly.

    Please read our Guide to Pet-Safe Gardening. Your pet is depending on you.

    Tags: 
    Pet Care
    Poison Control

  • It's Kitten Season—And We Need Your Help!

    Monday, May 9, 2011 - 2:15pm

    We’ve all heard of spring, summer, winter and fall, but are you familiar with kitten season? Sounds cute, but this time of year can be devastating for shelters across the country. Every year, between the months of March and November, animal shelters experience a flood of homeless cats and newborn kittens in need of care and fostering.

    Becoming a foster parent is a vital way you can make a life-saving difference. Volunteers provide temporary care for pets in their own homes—receiving all necessary food, supplies and veterinary care.

    "The more kittens who get into foster homes, the more space there is at the shelter," says Senior Manager of the ASPCA Adoption Center Diane Wilkerson. “By offering your home to a kitten in need, you are saving lives.”

    Without loving homes or resources to support the influx of newborn felines, many shelters are often forced to make the difficult choice to euthanize. But you can help. Become a foster parent and ensure that all animals get the loving homes they deserve—we simply can’t do it alone!

  • Update: ASPCA Assisting Hundreds of Animal Disaster Victims

    Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - 3:15pm

    ASPCA FIR rescues AR dogLast week we told you that the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response (FIR) Team deployed to locations in the South and Midwest to rescue and shelter animals affected by the tornadoes and flooding in the region. Here’s the latest on what our teams are doing, and how they’re preparing to accomplish as much as possible in the coming weeks.

    - Pemiscot County, Missouri: ASPCA Midwest Director of Field Investigations and Response Kyle Held is heading up a sheltering mission in conjunction with the Caruthersville Humane Society. More than 80 animals, including a goat, are receiving care under this mission, and more are expected to arrive as flooding continues. Many animals have been removed from the area with the help of our shelter partners. At least 19 animals were rescued over the weekend, and more rescue missions are planned.

    - Faulkner County, Arkansas: A team led by ASPCA Shelter Operations Manager Bonnie Dean is assisting with sheltering and conducting field assessments in Arkansas. The team canvassed a large area and handed out pet food to local residents, and roughly 100 dogs, 12 horses and three kittens are being sheltered in a rodeo arena.

    - Shelby County, Tennessee: As the Mississippi River rises, evacuations in this area have increased. Led by ASPCA Southeast Direct of Field Investigations and Response Kathryn Destreza, the team here has been helping local organizations develop a plan for an emergency shelter in preparation for evacuation. Another team, along with PetSmart Charities (PMC), spent the weekend setting up a distribution center point in Shelby County. Three PMC trailers arrived loaded with food, sheltering supplies, 25,000 square feet of chain length fencing and crates for 2,300 animals.

    “The ASPCA is extremely grateful for the collaboration between national and local agencies that combined efforts to help animals in need,” says Tim Rickey, senior director of ASPCA Field Investigations and Response. “The ASPCA and our partners, including Memphis Animal Services, the Humane Society of Memphis, PetSmart Charities, Code 3 Associates, American Humane Association, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Humane Society of the United States, are committed to a collaborative effort to help pet parents and animals impacted by the recent chain of natural disasters. We will continue to do everything we can to help these communities as long as we’re needed.”

    Stay tuned to ASPCA.org for more breaking news from the field.

    Tags: 
    Natural Disasters
    We Were There

  • Prop B: What’s Next for Missouri’s Puppy Mill Dogs?

    Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - 2:45pm

    puppyLast week we told you how disappointed we are with the state of Missouri's so-called compromise agreement on puppy mill reform. Spearheaded by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, representatives from the dog breeding industry, and a few agriculture special-interest groups, the compromise falls far short of the provisions that Missouri voters approved just a few months ago.

    The compromise removes many of the key provisions of Prop B, including the requirement that dogs get rest between breeding cycles as well as the limit on the number of breeding dogs a breeder may keep. It also removes the requirement for prompt veterinary treatment of an illness or injury, gives dogs less space in cages, and replaces criminal penalties for violations with civil penalties, except for repeat offenders.

    Despite our disappointment, we are hopeful that the Missouri Department of Agriculture will adopt regulations that will improve the treatment of dogs at puppy mills. Over the next few months, we’ll watch closely to see if abuses in Missouri’s large-scale breeding facilities continue unabated. If the situation does not improve, we’ll consider another ballot initiative to restore Prop B’s standards.

    The ASPCA is also joining other animal welfare groups in actively supporting the Voter Protection Act, a proposed constitutional amendment to require a three-fourths vote in both houses of the legislature, or a subsequent vote of the people, in order to repeal or amend any citizen-passed initiative in Missouri. The Voter Protection Act would provide constitutional protections for citizen ballot initiatives and prevent the will of the people from being discarded or overturned like it was with Prop B. This important piece of legislation would also mean any future ballot initiative on puppy mills in Missouri will have greater long-lasting protection.

    For all the latest news about puppy mill reform, please stay tuned to ASPCA.org.

    Tags: 
    Advocacy
    Puppy Mills