Animal Cruelty

Horses are frequently the victims of cruelty and neglect, but their suffering sometimes fails to grab headlines. In honor of National Horse Protection Day, we’d like to share just one horse rescue we’ve had the opportunity to support.

Last month, 13 emaciated horses were found living on a rural farm in Vermilion County, Illinois. The horses were all skin and bones. Two were blind, and a third was found deceased on the property.

Luckily, the Society for Hooved Animal Rescues and Emergencies (S.H.A.R.E) stepped in and began the long process of rehabilitating the horses. As soon the ASPCA heard about S.H.A.R.E’s incredible work, we gave the organization a $6,500 grant to help pay for veterinary care and food for the rescued equines.

We’re so glad to assist S.H.A.R.E in its efforts to help horses! Find out how you can get involved and be a hero for horses by reading our top 10 ways to help equines.

Have you stood up for horses? Tell us about it in the comments!

We told you last week about our plans to have a booth at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year, so we wanted to make sure to let you know how it went.  Our booth, which we used to raise awareness about our campaign to fight puppy mills, was a bit of an outlier at the event, as you might expect. But, with just a few exceptions, our booth was generally well received.

We talked to people who came by about the sad realities of puppy mills, where dogs are severely neglected and left suffering for the sake of profit, showing them our written materials and pictures from puppy mill breeders. Some were surprised to learn that many of those breeders are USDA licensed. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that USDA licenses thousands of breeders who keep dogs in tiny, wire-bottomed cages and churn out as many puppies as possible to be sold in pet stores.

Other visitors asked us about a New York Times article that appeared on the front page of the Sunday sports section taking a hard look at the American Kennel Club’s role in the puppy mill industry.  In it, the ASPCA revealed that a majority of the puppy mills in raids that we have participated in had ties to the AKC-registered litters. According to the AKC’s own website, “[r]egistry with the AKC indicates that a puppy had two parents of the same breed; it does not indicate that the dog comes from healthy blood lines or guarantee that a puppy will be in good health.”

Unfortunately, AKC registration papers often give the public a false sense of reassurance that the puppy did not come from a puppy mill, which is not necessarily the case. AKC registration is in no way a guarantee of humane care for the breeding dogs or their puppies. We would like to thank the over 200 dog show attendees who took our “No Pet Store Puppies” pledge to not buy anything in pet stores or on websites that sell puppies—no pet food, kitty litter or even toys . If you weren’t able to stop by our booth, you can take the pledge at nopetstorepuppies.com/take-the-pledge and spread the word!

Although the dogs exhibited at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show were all beautiful, it’s important to keep in mind that approximately 5 to 7 million companion animals end up in shelters every year—and half of those are dogs. If you’re looking to bring a new pet into your home, please make adoption your first option. And remember that mixed breed and older dogs can make just as great companions as purebred puppies, and you get to save a life, too!

Even after a terrible experience purchasing a pet store puppy last fall, it appears Britney Spears hasn’t quite learned her lesson. Spears recently purchased a new puppy from a breeder and introduced her “new baby” to fans on Twitter this weekend.

Last fall, Spears reportedly purchased a puppy named Hannah from a Barkworks pet store in Thousand Oaks, CA. The young puppy suffered from multiple illnesses and spent weeks at the vet. What Spears experienced is no surprise to us. Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills where they are kept in filthy cages. These horrific living conditions often lead to poor health and chronic illness.

Pet stores purchase sick dogs and sell them to unsuspecting consumers, leaving the cost of care up to them. This sad truth also applies to dogs sold over the internet.

The standards of care required by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for breeders are also inadequate and leave a lot of room for dogs to be severely mistreated. We can only hope Spears chose a reputable breeder.

We wish Britney good luck with her new dog but urge her to consider making adoption her first option in the future.

Visit NoPetStorePuppies.com to learn more about puppy mills and take the pledge not to buy anything at pet stores that sell puppies.

Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) holding Bunker the Dog, Rep. John Campbell (R-CA), Del. Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)

We recently hosted a special reception in the U.S. Capitol welcoming members of the House of Representatives to the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus (CAPC). The CAPC is a bipartisan organization committed to raising awareness of animal welfare issues in Congress.

The event was also an opportunity to recognize a new Co-Chair of the Caucus, Rep. John Campbell (R-CA), along with returning Co-Chair Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA).

“I’m very pleased and honored to have the opportunity to work alongside of Congressman Moran in leading this important caucus,” said Rep. Campbell. “I look forward to the opportunities the Caucus will have this year to come together in a bipartisan fashion to highlight the animal protection needs that remain unaddressed in this nation.”

The caucus currently has 70 members—see if your representative is one of them.

Take Action
Members of the ASPCA’s D.C.-based Government Relations team had a chance to mingle with legislators, their staff, and others who are interested in animal protection issues. It was a great opportunity to meet new and returning Members of Congress and talk with them about current issues, including passing a ban on horse slaughter and the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act. Have you asked your representative to support these initiatives? If not, visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center and get started today!

Richard Patch (ASPCA), Rep. John Campbell, Nancy Perry (ASPCA), Carolyn Schnurr (ASPCA), Rep. Jim Moran