August 2012

As you know, exactly seven years after Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Isaac is devastating Gulf Coast communities. Waist-high flooding has forced thousands to evacuate their homes, and as first responders work to rescue people stranded by the storm, the ASPCA is planning rescue operations for stranded and imperiled animals.

The ASPCA’s response to this crisis is only just beginning and is evolving by the minute, but we have taken the following measures:

• Our top experts are working closely with the Louisiana State Animal Response Team to plan and execute rescue.
• We’re deploying responders to conduct door-to-door rescue of animals in flooded or abandoned homes.
• We’re assisting a Louisiana animal shelter facing flooding.
• We are supplying boats and other equipment for critical water rescue missions.
• We transported animals from a Mississippi shelter to make room for possible Isaac victims.

If you’re seeking a way to help, you can make a gift to the ASPCA here. The ASPCA relies on the support of compassionate people like you to conduct rescues like this one and to assist animals facing other crises.

According to a 2012 survey by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of cats are overweight or obese. That equals 88.4 million pets!

Obesity in pets is no joke. Just like in humans, it can cause a host of health issues, including respiratory distress, orthopedic problems and arthritis, and has been shown to make dogs more prone to diabetes and compromised immune systems.

So how do you know if your dog is overweight? And what can you do to help your portly friend? Read on!

• When determining if your pet needs to shed a few LBs, ask yourself: Does he bulge at the waist? You should be able to feel, but not see, your dog’s ribs and spine
• Talk to your vet! Certain health conditions—such as a low thyroid level and other hormonal imbalances—can cause weight gain in dogs.
• One of the most important steps for controlling your dog’s weight is to cut out the treats and snacks. Exercise can only accomplish so much if your pet is taking in too many calories between meals.

“If you feel you must give your dog treats, choose low-calorie options such as veggies or a piece of rice cake,” recommends the ASPCA’s Dr. Louise Murray, author of Vet Confidential. “Decide how many treats your dog will get each day, and…make sure everyone in the family understands the plan and agrees with it.”

For more helpful advice on curbing your pet’s heft, check out our new Q&A with Dr. Murray.

Pop a candle in your morning muffin, give your pet a kiss and join us in celebrating the birthday of ASPCA founder Henry Bergh! Born in 1813, Bergh dedicated his life to advocating for the protection of animals and in 1866 founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. How amazing is that?

In honor of Bergh’s birthday we’re offering ASPCA supporters the chance to win a $50 ASPCA Birthday Gift Pack! The pack is chock-full of gear you can use to follow in Bergh’s footsteps and spread his life-saving message:

•10 ASPCA Orange Wristbands (to give to your friends)
•ASPCA Message Tee of your choice
•ASPCA Message Tote of your choice
•ASPCA “We Are Their Voice” License Plate Frame
•ASPCA “Will Fight for Cruelty” Travel Mug

The sweepstakes ends on September 29. Enter for your chance to win today!

It was a real nail-biter and there was very loud opposition by hunters, but thanks to our amazing California Advocacy Brigade, outstanding leadership from the bill’s sponsor, Senator Ted Lieu, and help from Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, this important humane measure passed the Senate last night and is now on its way to Governor Jerry Brown for his signature.

Californians, we still need you!
Governor Brown has until September 30 to act on this bill—and of course, hound hunters are bombarding him with phone calls demanding he veto it. If you are a California resident, we urge you to call the governor’s office at (916) 445-2841 to leave a message stating your support for S.B. 1221.

Keep your message short and polite:

“I urge Governor Brown to sign into law S.B. 1221 to ban the cruel practice of hounding our bears and bobcats. Californians strongly oppose this inhumane and unsporting activity because it harms wildlife as well as dogs who are injured and abandoned. Thank you.”

Learn more about the California hounding bill and send an email to Governor Brown here.

It’s time for California to stop hounding its bears and bobcats to death, as well as spare dogs from the cruelty of this practice. Let’s get this done! Thank you for caring. 

As Tropical Storm Isaac bears down on the Gulf Coast, we have some essential storm safety tips for pet parents.

• Bring pets indoors at the first sign of the storm. Animals can become disoriented and wander away from home during a disaster.

• Arrange a safe haven for yourself and your pets in the event of evacuation. Do not leave pets behind.

• Store an emergency kit—with items such as pet food, bottled water, medical records, a blanket, a flashlight and leashes—as close to an exit as possible.

• Make sure all pets wear collars and tags with up-to-date identification.

• Affix a rescue alert sticker to your front door or window to let rescuers know that there are pets inside your home.

• Choose a designated caregiver to take care of your pet in the event you are unable to do so.

No matter where you live, it’s always a good idea to develop an evacuation plan well in advance of a major storm or emergency.

“Disasters threaten the safety of people and animals alike, and it’s often too late to create a plan for your pets when you’re in the middle of a crisis,” says Tim Rickey, Senior Director of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team.

For more information on how to keep yourself and your pet safe in the event of an emergency, please read our complete list of Disaster Readiness tips.

Moving to a new home may be one of the most stressful life events you’ll ever have to tackle. But in the chaos of cardboard boxes, packing tape and moving trucks, you might not realize how stressed your pets feel, too. We chatted with ASPCA Director of Anti-Cruelty Behavior Research Dr. Katherine Miller about ways to make the transition as safe and easy as possible for your furry friends.

Choosing a new ‘hood, house or apartment

Before you pick out your dream home, make sure your pet will love it just as much as you do. When it comes to square footage needs, cats and dogs differ. Older dogs, puppies and dogs with house training issues will need to go outside often, which might be difficult in an apartment building with lots of stairs or a house without a yard.

Packing up your stuff

Cats aren’t big fans of change. You can help your cats (and skittish dogs) adjust to the moving process by bringing in moving boxes early, and by keeping your furry friends in a familiar room you plan to pack up last. On moving day, keep your pets in a quiet room or at a friend’s house.

Planning your road trip

Many pets haven’t spent much time in crates or cars. In the weeks or months leading up to the big trip, you can prepare your pets by gradually acclimating them to their crates. First, place your pets’ food inside an open crate, and eventually have your pets eat meals in the crate with the door shut.

Settling into your new digs

When you arrive at your new home, it will be tempting to set your dog or cat loose to explore. But a new and unfamiliar space can be overwhelming to your pets. Start by allowing them to adjust to one room—their “home base”—which should include their favorite toys, treats, water and food bowls, and litter box for cats.

To learn more about how to prep your pets for the big move, please read Moving with Your Pet.

Guest blog written by Ben Li’ Gon, ASPCA Senior Manager of Intake and Foster Program

Thanks to the generosity of our wonderful volunteers, the ASPCA Foster Care Program has reached its largest numbers ever. In 2011, 654 animals were placed into foster homes—and this year we have already surpassed 638 animals!

The ASPCA Foster Care Program places animals in temporary homes until they are ready for adoption. The animals we place into foster care include moms with nursing kittens or puppies, sick and injured animals, and animals in need of a bit more socialization, which can be essential to their adoptability. We also provide foster services for orphaned newborn kittens and puppies—a few of our very special foster caregivers offer these babies round-the-clock tender love and care.

By getting these guys out of the shelter and into a loving foster home, we can take in even more animals—saving even more lives. At the same time, we are providing these animals with the most comforting and nurturing environments possible until they are ready to return to the shelter and find their forever homes.

The effects of the foster care program are deeply felt throughout the entire ASPCA. If it weren’t for the hard work and dedication of all our foster caregivers, we would not be able to help nearly as many animals as we do. For this reason, we hope to see our program continue to grow each year.

Kudos to all of wonderful foster parents! The ASPCA would truly not be the same without you. To learn more about this life-saving program visit our Foster Care page.

Smitten by kittens? Well, good news—we’re transforming our mobile adoption unit into a Kitten Karavan this weekend! The ASPCA Adoption Center has received an overwhelming number of young kittens this summer, and we’re taking them on the road in an effort to find them loving homes.

“No kitten should have to grow up in a shelter, but unfortunately that’s what we have been seeing these past few months,” says Gail Buchwald, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA’s Adoption Center. “We are urging everyone who has considered adopting to come to our Kitten Karavan this weekend and help us empty our cages.”

Adoption fees for kittens younger than four months are just $99 and $50 for all kittens and cats ages four months to three years. Plus, the Buddy System is in full swing—adopt one kitten and you can bring home another for no additional fee.

Where: St. Anthony’s Market
             West Houston Street between Thompson and MacDougal Streets
             Manhattan, NY

When: Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26, 1:00-5:00 P.M.

What to Bring: In order to adopt, potential adopters should bring the following: two forms of identification, one with their current address (such as a utility bill) and one government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license, passport, military ID, or non-driver ID). Adopters may also be asked to provide one personal reference, reachable by phone. The ASPCA strongly encourages all members of the household to come to the van to meet their potential pet.

For more information about adopting a new pet, please visit our Adoption Center online. 

We are devastated to report that a three-month-old Pit Bull puppy named Joey was thrown from a car in Brentwood, Long Island, on Saturday. A witness found the tiny 10-pound pup in a plastic bag near the Sagtikos State Parkway, covered in fleas and crying out for help. Joey suffered three broken vertebrae in his neck and is recovering at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island.

The ASPCA is offering a reward of $15,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in this case. This reward is in addition to a $5,000 reward offered by the Suffolk County SPCA. We are also providing a $10,000 grant to the Veterinary Medical Center to offset some of the costs of treating and caring for Joey.

“We were both outraged and saddened to hear about this disturbing case of violent abuse, and the callousness that was demonstrated by those responsible,” says Matt Bershadker, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group. “While our ultimate hope is that these types of heinous acts never occur, this is a message that cruelty toward animals will not be tolerated. We are pleased to be in a position to help those who are helping Joey.”

If you have information related to Joey’s case, please contact the Suffolk County SPCA by calling (631) 382-7722.

Animal cruelty is a crime in every state—if you see something, call 911. Please join our battle against animal cruelty today!

Go, teamwork! The ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association and Change.org have gathered approximately 350,000 letters, comments and signatures from citizens speaking out against puppy mills. Yesterday, the information was hand-delivered to the D.C. headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in support of the agency’s efforts to regulate unlicensed puppy mills.

“The enormous public response to the USDA’s proposed rule illustrates just how strongly Americans support greater oversight of unlicensed puppy mills,” says Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations. “We have witnessed the abhorrent cruelty that often exists behind the pictures of happy puppies posted on a breeder’s website, and this rule would crack down on the worst Internet breeders.”

The USDA has proposed a rule that will require large-scale commercial breeders that sell pets over the Internet or by mail or phone, sight-unseen, to be licensed and inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act. The public comment period closes today. Now the USDA will read and consider all comments before deciding final action on the proposed rule.

“We encourage the USDA to adopt a final rule that is enforceable, effective and covers as many commercial breeders as possible,” says Perry.

Super thanks to everyone who took the time to speak out for puppy mill dogs. To learn more about our legislative efforts and how you can become involved, please visit our Advocacy Center.

Are you ready to adopt some kitties? We sure hope so—we’ve got hundreds of cats looking for loving homes in the Sunshine State.

As you may know, in late February the ASPCA helped rescue hundreds of cats from Caboodle Ranch, a one-time sanctuary where the cats had fallen victim to severe neglect. Many of the kitties were severely ill and in dire need of medical treatment. The truth is, we got there just in time. Responders also discovered a number of deceased cats and burial sites on the property.

For the past five months, these little survivors have been getting better in our temporary shelter in Jacksonville. During that time, we also ensured that all were spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and, of course, socialized extensively.

At long last, the ASPCA has won the legal right to place them into loving homes. Naturally, our first action was to find guardians who had relinquished their cats to Caboodle Ranch and give them an opportunity to reclaim their pets.

But we still need to find new homes for the majority of these kitties—and we’re doing it through three concurrent adoption events August 11 and 12! Below are events to be held around Florida in conjunction with our wonderful partner agencies. If you have room in your heart and your home for one more, we hope you’ll consider attending.

In Jacksonville:

Hosts: ASPCA and Jacksonville Humane Society

What: Adoption event to find homes for Caboodle Ranch survivors, including barn cats and cats with special needs, such as those who are FIV-positive or have feline leukemia.

When: Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12, 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.

Where: ASPCA temporary shelter
2580 West 1st Street
Jacksonville, FL 32254 Map

What to Bring: One government-issued photo ID (i.e., driver’s license, passport, military ID, or non-driver ID), proof of address and a cat carrier if you have one.

Adoption Fee: None

In Sarasota:

Host: Cat Depot

What: Adoption event to find homes for Caboodle Ranch survivors, including barn cats and cats with special needs, such as those who are FIV-positive or have feline leukemia.

When: Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12, 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.

Where: Robarts Arena at the Sarasota County Fairgrounds
3000 Ringling Boulevard
Sarasota, FL 34237 Map

What to Bring: One government-issued photo ID (i.e., driver’s license, passport, military ID, or non-driver ID), proof of address and a cat carrier if you have one.

Adoption Fee: Suggested $10 donation
 

In Clearwater:

Host: Humane Society of Pinellas County

What: Adoption event to find homes for Caboodle Ranch survivors, including some with special needs, such as those who are FIV-positive or have feline leukemia.

When: Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12, 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.

Where: 1928 Gulf to Bay Boulevard
Clearwater, FL 33765 Map
(Overflow parking will be available across the street at Clearwater High School.)

What to Bring: One government-issued photo ID (i.e., driver’s license, passport, military ID, or non-driver ID), proof of address and a cat carrier if you have one.

Adoption Fee: Name your own fee

With your support, the ASPCA is able to rescue animals in need across the country. Your gift today will help us place all cats in need in the loving homes they deserve, and help us rescue the countless animals still waiting for our help.

Sign up today to stay informed about these cats and how you can help animals in your community.

In an exciting weekend of pet adoption events nationwide, 50 animal shelters kicked off the ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge by finding loving forever homes for more than 2,700 animals. From California to Maine, adopters visited local shelters to show their support for the Challenge and went home with furry best friends of all shapes and sizes.

Here are some of the highlights from this fur-filled weekend:

When Bangor Humane Society had just one puppy left in the building, Ike—previously accompanied by his brother, Spike—the Maine agency promised his adopter a special surprise. "Spike and Ike's adoption fees were paid for by their foster parents, in turn making their adoption fees free to their new families," BHS explained to its Facebook fans. "Because of this, BOTH of Spike and Ike's adoptive families decided to pay it forward, and pay for the adoptions of two other dogs that are still in the building!”

In what turned out to be a very successful partnership, the Flagler Humane Society teamed up with local groomer Animal House Groomers, which helped transform some of the scruffier pets into adorable candidates for adoption during kick-off weekend event. The groomers worked makeover magic on this lucky pup, Scrapie, who later found a loving home.

Riddler, the kitten pictured below, was one of several friendly felines to find forever homes at Santa Fe Animal Shelter and Humane Society during kick-off weekend, thanks to his excited new pet parents (also pictured).

Every year, the ASPCA creates an exclusive wall calendar for our special friends and supporters. This year's calendar features ASPCA team members and, of course, their beloved rescued companions.

For the past several months, our creative team has been hard at work designing the calendar layout. But there's one big decision left to make: Who should grace its cover? Well, folks, this is not an easy decision for us! We've narrowed down the field to four contenders, but we're counting on you to make the final decision.  

Check out the too-cute pics and cast your vote for this year’s cover model!

Thanks for your help!

How can anyone just abandon a dog? We may never fully understand the motives behind such senseless acts—especially when there are so many options—but that is exactly what Patricia Reddick allegedly did to her one-year-old Spaniel mix, Marley.

On June 23, a passerby came across Marley tied to a fence in a park. The concerned person called Animal Care & Control, whose officers picked up the dog and took her to their Manhattan facility. Shortly thereafter, our team was notified and we transferred the skinny and dehydrated pup to ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital for immediate treatment.

“Marley was left to fend for herself, which, in addition to being illegal, is a violation of the trust your pet puts in you,” says Howard Lawrence, Senior Director of Operations for the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department. “Thankfully for Marley, a Good Samaritan saw her and contacted the appropriate authorities— she will now have an opportunity to find a loving home.”

Reddick was charged with one count of abandoning an animal, a misdemeanor offense. If convicted, she faces up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. She is due in Bronx Criminal Court on November 20. Marley is recovering at the hospital and will soon be made available for adoption.

If you feel you can no longer care for your pet, please check out these important tips first. And remember, animal cruelty is a crime in every state—if you see something, call 911. Please join our battle against animal cruelty today!

It is here, people! August 1 is the official kickoff of the 2012 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, when shelters across the country will engage in a friendly, three-month competition to save more animals’ lives.

What can you do to help? Well, get out and adopt, of course!

This weekend, the 50 shelter contestants are pulling out all the stops to get the party started right. From all-night adoption parties to special promotions (hello, free cats!), these events are sure to get the public pumped up to adopt a pet and help their local shelters find more pets more homes.

The animals are counting on you!

For a full list of festivities near you, please visit our 2012 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge events page!

And don’t forget to follow @ASPCALive as we bring you all the minute-by-minute kick-off action this weekend. Join the conversation by using the hashtag #100KChallenge and help your favorite shelter find homes for even more animals!