Ed's Corner

My favorite band once stated, “Time is on my side.” As I work toward completing nearly a decade with the ASPCA and reflect on all that we have achieved, I’ve decided it will soon be time to take on other challenges that have been on my to-do list. While this is not yet goodbye—I will remain in position until year’s end—I am ready to serve our field in another capacity that will help us reach our goals of ending homelessness and cruelty to animals.

Since becoming President and CEO, the ASPCA has dramatically stepped up the fight to save lives. Through collaboration and very hard work, we have created some of the most innovative programs—from our community partnerships, field investigations, rescue operations, and legislative initiatives, to our national transport and spay/neuter efforts. Together, we have saved many millions of animals. 

It is my honor and pleasure to work with the many talented people at the ASPCA, and I have no doubt that with your enduring support, the ASPCA’s life-saving efforts will continue to make a vital difference. In the meantime, I remain dedicated to carrying forward our mission, collaborating with our hard-working team to increase protections for animals and save more lives every day.

Thank you all for all you do for animals every day. 

It wasn't what you would think of as a typical 911 call. Terrified her horse was drowning in the Umpqua River, an Oregon woman called 911 for help. She had been with her horse at the county fairgrounds when her horse spooked and jumped into the fast-moving current of the river. Frantic, the woman tried to swim after her but couldn't catch up. She returned to shore and called for help. This particular story has a happy ending—Douglas County Animal Control Deputy Lee Bartholomew responded with a swift water rescue team and the horse was saved.

Shortly before the dramatic river rescue, local responders had taken a large animal rescue training course funded in part with a grant from the ASPCA. Strawberry Mountain Mustangs, an Oregon nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates equines, applied for an ASPCA grant to help train  law enforcement, fire departments and animal control agencies in the rescue of large animals. Because state and county governments had drastically cut budgets, most of the participants could not have attended the training program without financial assistance. 

Could Your Local Shelter Use a Grant?
During the first half of 2012, the ASPCA made 828 grants, totaling over $7.6 million. Our robust grant program helps save animals across the country, and we are always grateful when our recipients let us know how the funds have helped. If you know of an organization that could use financial assistance, please visit our Grants section.

This Memorial Day, as we remember all the brave men and women who have given their lives to protect our freedoms, let’s not forget the sacrifices of the military dogs who have served alongside them.

Much of the world cheered when 80 members of an American commando team captured and killed Osama bin Laden a little more than a year ago. One of these American heroes was Cairo, the dog who played an integral part in Bin Laden’s capture. Because so much of that mission remains top secret, we haven’t been able to see a picture of Cairo, but we know that he was one of the team members responsible for closing off the perimeter of the home where Bin Laden was hiding.

Not all dogs have had the opportunity to help capture the world’s most wanted fugitive as Cairo did, but every military dog is saving lives through detecting explosives, conducting searches and patrols, and working on specialized missions. Beyond that, though, these dogs are also extremely loyal to their handlers and are willing to do anything to protect them. For example, CNN reported the heartbreaking story of Cpl. Dustin Lee, who was badly injured in an insurgent attack while he was on patrol in Iraq. His canine partner, Lex, also suffered shrapnel injuries, but pushed himself through his pain to lie over his human partner in an attempt to protect him. Tragically, Cpl. Lee did not survive his injuries, but his dog Lex did. Lex was adopted by Cpl. Lee’s family and was then recognized by Members of Congress for his exceptional service.

Classified as Equipment
Military dogs have died, been maimed and suffered to save our military service members, yet they are currently defined as mere “equipment” under federal law. Defining military dogs as equipment is shameful. It trivializes all that dogs do, but even more important, it makes it more difficult to return retired dogs to the United States for adoption. Dogs are sometimes stuck in far away locales while those wanting to adopt them must pay large fees to transport them. Old equipment may be left behind, but retired military dogs never should be.

Please Take Action for Military Dogs
The Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act, introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and in the Senate by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), reclassifies military dogs as “canine members of the armed forces” instead of equipment. The bill also streamlines the adoption process for retired military dogs and directs the military to set up a program for retired dogs’ veterinary care, at no cost to the taxpayer. It also directs the Secretary of Defense to create a decoration or other recognition for military dogs that are killed in action or perform an exceptionally meritorious or courageous act in service to their country.

We need your help to build Senate support for the bill. For the sake of our canine heroes, please contact your U.S. senators and ask them to cosponsor S. 2134, the Canine Members of the Armed Forces Act. Like their human counterparts, our military dogs deserve a happy retirement from service.

Few causes are able to unite people such as Lorenzo Borghese from ABC’s The Bachelor, actors Bo Derek and John Corbett, school children and animal welfare organizations, but all of them got together last week to participate in the “Horses on the Hill” event on Capitol Hill. The ASPCA was proud to co-host with the Animal Welfare Institute and The Humane Society of the United States publicly urge legislators to stop our nation’s horses from being slaughtered at home or abroad.

The ASPCA’s very special guest at Horses on the Hill, nine-year-old Declan Gregg of New Hampshire, has created an organization and blog called Children 4 Horses. Declan spoke eloquently about the urgency of protecting our horses. He was joined by Senators Mary Landrieu and Scott Brown as well as Representatives Jim Moran, Ed Whitfield and David Rivera—all of whom spoke strongly to the need for passing a ban on horse slaughter.

Killing American horses for human consumption is simply not acceptable. The ASPCA’s founder, Henry Bergh, loved all animals, but initially focused his efforts on stopping horse abuse. Mr. Bergh would not have been surprised by the people who turned out in D.C. to help horses because he believed animal protection was an issue that crossed party lines and class boundaries. More than 140 years have passed since Mr. Bergh founded the ASPCA, but our commitment to horse protection remains steadfast.

Take Action

Horses in this country are in grave danger, and they need your help! You can make a difference by contacting your Congress members to request that they cosponsor and support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.