Animal Cruelty

We’ve wanted to tell you about Vampiro for some time, and you won’t believe what he’s been through. In January, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents responded to a call from NYC Animal Care & Control about a six-year-old Chihuahua who had been abandoned in a pet store.

The dog, Vampiro, was just skin and bones. At ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, veterinarians found Vampiro to be emaciated, dehydrated and suffering from an untreated skin ailment, all caused by prolonged inadequate nutrition. He was also found to be blind. Our vets gave Vampiro IV fluids, medication, water and a balanced diet right away.

Meanwhile, AC&C told us that Vampiro had been adopted in 2006 by Brooklyn resident Venus Laventure, 50. On February 25, the ASPCA arrested Laventure. She was charged with one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. If convicted, she faces up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. She is due in court on May 13.

After a few months at the ASPCA, Vampiro is doing much better. In fact, he’ll soon be made available for adoption—and his future family is in for a treat! Vampiro is a sweetheart who loves to give doggie kisses.

April is one of the most exciting months of year, in our opinion. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month (PoCAM, as we call it) is in full swing! Every year, we urge supporters across the country to Go Orange for Animals throughout April—the month in 1866 when the ASPCA's charter was signed—to raise awareness for our cause.

Here are five ways you can Go Orange for Animals this month:

1. Volunteer at your local animal shelter.Coordinate a Go Orange for Animals event with your local animal welfare group or shelter and donate the proceeds. Remember to alert local media about your event!
2. Show your virtual support. Dedicate your Facebook status, Twitter or blog to the ASPCA during the month of April and encourage people to spread the word about animal cruelty. And if you haven’t already, join us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+ and Twitter!
3. Join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade. Fight to get strong anti-cruelty laws passed on federal, state and local levels as a member of the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade.
4. Become an ASPCA Guardian. For as little as 60 cents a day, you can help us rescue animals from cruelty and help us find them loving homes. Please consider becoming an ASPCA Guardian today.
5. Enter our Facebook Sweepstakes. We want to help you make an even bigger impact! Tell us how you’ve been a hero for animals for a chance to win an ASPCA Action Pack!

For more ways to get involved in this month-long celebration, visit the special Go Orange section of our website. The possibilities are endless!

In late March, the ASPCA played a critical role in a three-state dog fighting raid that resulted in the rescue of nearly 100 animals. A few weeks after this intricately coordinated effort to rescue dogs in Texas, Missouri and Kansas went off without a hitch, we’re able to update you on the dogs and the dog fighters.

The Victims

When we found these dogs, many were doomed to live their whole lives tethered by heavy chains—and on the day of the raid, many were left outside to suffer through a blizzard. Now, says ASPCA Vice President of Field Investigations and Response Tim Rickey, they’re living in an entirely different world.

When the dogs arrived at our temporary shelter, our veterinary professionals, led by the ASPCA’s Dr. Sarah Kirk, examined them quickly and thoroughly. Some dogs needed immediate care, while others require ongoing treatment which they are now receiving from ASPCA and local veterinarians.

An ASPCA behaviorist will be on the ground at the shelter throughout this operation, and while the dogs stay in our clean and spacious shelter, they will benefit from behavioral enrichment programs that incorporate toys, games and lots of fun interactions with people. The dogs will have regular access to one of several large exercise playpens, where they’ll get to play with our responders and burn off excess doggy energy.

“Every day,” Rickey says, “we’re focusing on taking care of these animals and providing the best environment that we can for them.”

The Suspects

The ASPCA continues to work to collect evidence and provide other support to law enforcement, working to ensure dog fighters pay for harming these animal victims. The charges are just starting to roll in:

Last week Pete Davis Jr. and Melvin L. Robinson, both of Kansas City, Kansas, were each charged in federal court with one count of transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture in interstate commerce. If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000.

“The case is not over yet—there’s still a lot of work to be done on the investigation side,” says Rickey, adding that he hopes to see more arrests in relation to this raid.

The ASPCA had been assisting the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies with the planning of this large-scale raid since November 2012. ASPCA Blood Sports Director Terry Mills provided his expertise to help these agencies maximize the operation’s impact. Our next steps: continuing to provide top-notch care for these animals and working with authorities to secure the right to place dogs in loving homes.

If you’ve given to the ASPCA recently, from the bottom of our hearts: thank you. This raid is an enormous undertaking and a huge commitment, but we are dedicated to being there for animal victims of cruelty whenever they need us. If you haven’t yet given lately, please consider doing so today. On behalf of animals across the country, thank you!

Last week, the Internet exploded over a widely shared video of a New Mexico man, Tim Sappington, shooting a seemingly healthy, young horse between the eyes while cursing out “animal activists.” The video is horrifying, and Sappington is under investigation by the New Mexico Livestock Board for animal cruelty.

Sappington worked for the Valley Meat Company in Roswell, New Mexico—the same slaughterhouse that has an application pending with the USDA for permission to slaughter horses for human consumption. 

While we mourn Sappington’s victim, this callous fan of horse meat may have actually helped our mission more than he harmed it by exposing horse slaughter for what it is: cold and cruel. The video generated a firestorm of public and media criticism about the ongoing efforts to reopen horse slaughter plants in the U.S., as well as interest in the related legislative efforts to prevent it.

Take Action
The ASPCA has worked closely with federal legislators and other advocacy groups to develop the SAFE Act, a bill that will ban the slaughter of horses nationwide. Please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to urge your U.S. senators and representative to support and cosponsor the SAFE Act.