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ASPCA Blog

Help Partner Service Dogs with Returning Veterans in Need!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012 - 2:00pm
Dog Bless You

In the spirit of 1776, the year the United States gained independence, a nonprofit organization called Dog Bless You is campaigning to help veterans gain the freedom that comes with obtaining a service dog—and helping homeless animals in the process.

Dog Bless You works with service dog organizations throughout the United States, such as Freedom Service Dogs, Canines for Service and K9s for Warriors. These organizations rescue dogs from animal shelters and train them for our wounded war veterans. And here's how you can help.

Now through the Fourth of July, for every 1,000 likes the Dog Bless You Facebook page gets, the organization will match a U.S. veteran with a new best friend.

Here’s how you can help!

  • "Like" the Dog Bless You Facebook page.
  • Share dogblessyou.org on Facebook or Twitter and encourage your friends and family to "like" the page, too.

It’s that simple! Each "like" brings a veteran one step closer to a new canine companion.

The Votes Are in—Meet the Winners of Our Cutest Cat Photo Contest!

Monday, July 2, 2012 - 1:15pm
Cute Kitten

In honor of Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, we put out a call for photos of America’s cutest kitties. Well, people, you didn’t disappoint. We received thousands of photos, and every single one featured an irresistible feline.

Voting for your top pick couldn’t have been easy. With that said, the votes have been tallied, and we are happy to announce the top entries.

Congratulations to our three prize winners! You will be receiving your $300 ASPCA Prize Pack, including beautiful cat-themed jewelry from Reeds. Our four runner-ups will be receiving ASPCA message tees!

Thank you to everyone who entered, and four paws up to America’s cutest cats!

Neglected Senior Dog Needs a Hero!

Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 1:45pm
Adopt Britney ASPCA Senior Dog

Not every visitor to the ASPCA Adoption Center in NYC sees something special in Britney, but a local artist did. Whoever adopts this sweet senior gets to take home a beautiful portrait of their new dog!

The artist chose Britney to paint instead of the hundreds of other animals in our care, and we think we know why. Britney’s life has been so hard.

When she came to us through Humane Law Enforcement last year, Britney was in lots of pain, suffering from multiple untreated conditions. But with ASPCA veterinary care and attention, she is now as healthy as possible. In her opinion—and ours—Britney is ready to find her forever home.

For now, Britney spends her days quietly sleeping in her habitat until it’s her turn to be walked. She seems to know that she doesn’t belong here. And yet, it’s been more than 200 days since she came to us. (Only one dog has been with us longer: Lady.)

Britney is not a difficult dog to care for. At 12, this low-key lady loves everyone she meets and wants nothing more than to sleep peacefully in a comfortable spot in a loving home. She’s good on walks, though she does bark at other dogs she meets along the way, and often lags behind to take in the scenery.

But Britney does need special food (at least for now) and twice-daily arthritis medication, likely for the rest of her life. That’s why she needs a really special adopter to make her golden years golden.

If you live in a six-and-up home and have a special place in your heart for seniors, this sweet Lab gal really needs you! She’s been through so much. Please share her on Facebook and Twitter, and help us give her a happy ending!

To adopt Britney, please contact our Animal Placement department in NYC at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4900. 

Senate Votes to Criminalize Animal Fight Attendance

Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 10:15am
dog in crate

Great news for animals nationwide! On June 21, the U.S. Senate took a huge step toward strengthening federal laws against animal fighting by approving the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act, which had been a stand-alone bill in the Senate (S. 1947), as part of that chamber’s version of the Farm Bill.

This humane measure would make it a federal offense to knowingly attend an organized animal fight and would impose additional penalties for bringing children to animal fights. Violators would face up to one year in prison for attending a fight, and up to three years in prison for bringing or causing a minor to attend.

While organized animal fighting is a federal crime and is illegal in all 50 states, the issue of spectators at these events has not been fully addressed on the federal level—and laws against spectatorship vary from state to state.

“This measure would help law enforcement by allowing them to pursue and punish the spectators who drive the market for animal fighting,” says Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of ASPCA Government Relations. “Furthermore, children need protection from the spectacle of animal fighting, as well as its dangerous and illegal associated activities, including drugs, weapons and gambling.”

In order for the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act to become law, the U.S. House must add the same language it its version of the Farm Bill, which is still being crafted. The Farm Bill is expected to be finalized by the end of summer.

For more information on the ASPCA’s efforts to tackle animal fighting, please join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.

Huge Courtroom Win for Caboodle Ranch Cats!

Thursday, June 28, 2012 - 10:00am
Caboodle Ranch cat

Thanks to a major court victory for the ASPCA this week, the cats rescued from Caboodle Ranch are a big step closer to finding the forever homes they deserve.

In an eight-page order, a judge of Florida’s Third Judicial Circuit transferred ownership of the felines from Caboodle Ranch to local authorities, saying the nearly 700 cats should never return to the rural Florida property.

The judge wrote that the cats “were not receiving proper and reasonable care while in the custody of Caboodle” and that Caboodle lacked “the resources, ability, skill and (most importantly) willingness to follow expert veterinary advice essential to an operation dedicated to the care of such a large and apparently ever-growing number of animals.”

The judge also prohibited Caboodle from acquiring more animals, ensuring that no more cats fall victim to hoarding there.

“The court’s decision has the best interest of the animals at heart,” says Tim Rickey, Senior Director of the ASPCA's Field Investigations & Response Team. “As the court noted, cats at Caboodle lived in filth; many were sick and in pain.”

Wednesday marked four months since authorities raided Caboodle Ranch in rural Madison County. Caboodle promoted itself as a sanctuary for unwanted felines, but the reality of life on the property was very different.

Today the cats are being housed in a temporary shelter in Jacksonville, receiving the veterinary attention, behavioral enrichment and companionship they deserve. Their road to forever homes has been a long one, but even more good news for the cats is just around the corner.

Stay tuned to ASPCA.org for more great news about these resilient kitties!

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