ASPCA Blog

Dognapping On the Rise—Protect Your Pet

Thursday, August 2, 2012 - 11:15am
Dognapping On the Rise—Protect Your Pet

Pet theft is on the rise. The American Kennel Club, which has been tracking pet thefts since 2007, reported a 32% increase in dog thefts last year.

While some animals are snatched from their yards or during home invasions, opportunistic thieves most commonly steal dogs left in cars or tied up outside stores. In the ASPCA’s hometown of New York City, dognappings skyrocket every summer as pet parents take advantage of nice weather to combine dog-walking with errand-running.

Protect Your Pet
Avoid becoming a victim of this heartbreaking crime!

  • When running errands around town, visit pet-friendly establishments or please leave your dog at home.
  • Keep a close eye on your pet in designated off-leash areas, where he could become a target for criminals looking to make a quick buck. (Pet thieves often try to resell—or even hold for ransom—stolen dogs.)
  • Avoid leaving your pet unattended in the front yard, especially if your lawn is exposed or accessible.
  • The same rules apply for leaving your pet tied up outside a store. In addition to being vulnerable to theft and teasing, your dog might escape or get injured.
  • Microchip your pet! Microchipping can often mean the difference between temporary and permanent separation from your furry loved one.

For more important information about what to do if your pet is missing, please read our article on Finding a Lost Pet.

Tags: 
Pet Care

ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge Heats Up

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 - 2:30pm

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!

Tags: 
$100K Challenge
Adoption
Adoption Event

One of the Largest Puppy Brokers Shuts Its Doors!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 - 2:30pm
One of Largest Puppy Brokers Shuts Its Doors!

Guest blog written by Cori Menkin, Senior Director of the ASPCA's Puppy Mills Campaign.

Lambriar, Inc., one of the largest puppy brokers in the United States, has announced that it is closing its kennel doors for good. Puppy brokers like Lambriar are middlemen, buying dogs from puppy mills and distributing them to pet stores throughout the country. Brokers are an important cog in the wheel of the cruel and inhumane puppy mill industry.

When asked why Lambriar is closing its doors, owner Roger Lambert told Kansas newspaper  The Belleville Telescope “When you couple the bad economy with increasing rules and regulations and increased pressure from animal rights activists, well, it just got too hard.”

We have been working hard to shed light on the link between puppy mills and pet store puppies, and it seems to be working! As more and more people take our No Pet Store Puppies pledge not to buy anything in stores that sell puppies, the industry will continue to feel the ripple effects and be forced to make changes.

If you haven’t taken the No Pet Store Puppies pledge yet, please do! And please be sure to share it with your friends so that one day, puppy mill cruelty will be a distant memory.

Tags: 
Animal Cruelty
Puppy Mills

Yippity-Yap—It’s Mutts Day!

Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - 10:30am
Yippity-Yap—It’s Mutts Day!

Part Terrier, part horse? This sweet mutt is currently available for adoption at the ASPCA.

July 31 has gone to the dogs—and for good reason. It’s Mutts Day! That’s right, a whole day dedicated to embracing, saving and celebrating mixed-breed dogs. We can’t think of a more deserving crew.

With the desire for designer dogs still going strong, one-of-a-kind pups are often left with the short end of the stick. What gives? Mutts rock!

They can be well-behaved and loyal family members, they’re just as talented as their purebred counterparts, and do we really need to point out how ridiculously cute they are?

If you’re the proud pet parent of a mixed breed, we hope you’re celebrating Mutts Day by spending time with your furry companion! And if you’re thinking about adding a new pet to the family, please consider giving a mixed breed a chance.

Thanks to all for making pet adoption your first option!TM

Tags: 
Adoption
Dog
Events

ASPCA Arrests Father and Son for Beating Cat to Death

Monday, July 30, 2012 - 11:30am
ASPCA Arrests Father and Son for Beating Cat to Death

We never get used to it. No matter how many cases of cruelty our team investigates, the brutality of it still hits us hard in the heart. This case was no exception. In mid-July our Humane Law Enforcement department received a call from an eyewitness who saw a father and son beating their cat to death with a stick. We jumped into action.

Quickly finding the deceased cat in a garbage bag on the side of the road, our Agents subsequently obtained a search warrant for the home. A search uncovered a broken stick encrusted with cat fibers and blood in the attic. Jean Rog Murat, 60, and his son, Robenson Murat, 29, were arrested and taken into custody.

The Kings County District Attorney indicted the duo on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals; overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; and failure to provide proper sustenance for animals. If convicted, the defendants will face a maximum of two years of incarceration.

“This was a heinous act on an innocent animal and a clear case of violent abuse,” says Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Counsel of the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department. “We praise the district attorney for his commitment to hold these perpetrators accountable for their cruel and callous acts.”

Animal cruelty is a crime in every state. With your help, we fight back. Please join our battle against animal cruelty today!

Tags: 
Animal Cruelty
Humane Law Enforcement

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