NYC

On a cold day in February, the ASPCA responded to a tip that came in through our Humane Law Enforcement helpline. A dog had been left outside with no access to food, water or shelter. When we arrived at the scene, it was far worse than we had initially expected. We found a puppy, just skin and bones, who was barely able to walk.

Immediately, we jumped into action. Our team transported the emaciated dog, named Finley, to the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital for treatment. After an examination, veterinarians found the puppy to be suffering from paraphimosis, a condition of the genitals,and an untreated respiratory infection. They also found pieces of metal in Finley’s intestines and determined that his emaciated condition was due to starvation. Finley had been eating trash to survive.

On May 9, Finley’s owner, Anthony Martin, 46, was arrested for allegedly neglecting the puppy.  He was charged with one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. If convicted, he faces up to one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Update!
We are happy to report that after five weeks of treatment, Finley put on more than 20 pounds! He is continuing to recover and will eventually be made available for adoption.

Hey, New Yorkers: Let’s hear it for our state’s attorney general, Eric Schneiderman! Today he announced the Animal Protection Initiative, a new program that will use civil and criminal remedies to target allegations of animal cruelty and unscrupulous sales of pets and other animals in New York.

The initiative aims to protect both animals and people in the state by shutting down animal fighting rings, ensuring compliance with New York's Pet Lemon Law, charging those who abuse or neglect animals, and cracking down on puppy mills.

Our attorney general has long been a friend of the animals. In fact, today he announced that his office has reached a settlement with the owner of a Yonkers pet store that was keeping animals in unsafe and inhuman conditions, requiring him to take several actions to greatly improve animal care at his store. This outcome is just the latest in a string recent animal welfare victories the attorney general has won.

“We are thankful to Attorney General Schneiderman for his persistent leadership in combating some of the worst forms of animal cruelty and protecting both the animals and people of New York State,” says Stacy Wolf, Vice President and Chief Counsel of the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement and Legal Advocacy departments. “The new Animal Protection Initiative sends a clear message that perpetrators who engage in animal cruelty will be held accountable for their actions.”

Thank you for standing up for animals, Attorney General Schneiderman!

On April 3, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents arrested Alex Dykes, 49, for allegedly beating a one-year-old male Shih Tzu mix, Bentley. In September, our agents visited a Brooklyn home to investigate a complaint that a dog had been beaten and needed immediate help.

At the residence, Agents found poor Bentley in pain, and they knew something was wrong. They transported him to the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital for treatment. Our vets treated Bentley with oxygen immediately, ultimately concluding he had a brain hemorrhage and a fractured skull and jaw due to blunt force trauma. He is now recuperating in a foster home.

Dykes was charged with one count of aggravated animal cruelty, a felony, and one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. If convicted, he faces up to two years in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.

Looking at Bentley’s sweet face, we have to wonder: Who could do this to an animal?

Late last month, we shared the story of more than 50 Dachshunds, including adults and puppies, we recovered from a hoarding situation in New York City. We checked in with several of the dogs’ adopters to see how the pups are doing so far, and their replies resulted in a cuteness overload!

Adopter: Amalia R.

“Banjo was listed as extremely shy when I received his behavioral report. Upon bringing him into our home with Rhubarb [his dog brother] as a guide, he is a total social butterfly! Rhubarb and Banjo play wonderfully together, and not only has he learned from my teachings, he is learning from Rhubarb! They love to take naps together and drinking water at the same time— it’s so sweet to watch them scurry around together. We love Banjo very much and are so happy to have such a beautiful little puppy added to our family!”

Adopter: Casey K.

“After meeting with one of the behaviorists, we were introduced to Murphy—she is playful, sweet, curious, and just a really great pup overall. It was love at first sight, and each day we are all falling more in love with her. She is a very happy, playful puppy. Many friends have come to say hello to her, and each day she become more bold and curious with us and her surroundings. She is very relaxed and often will fall asleep on her back and loves having her tummy rubbed. We are deeply grateful that she has come into our lives.”

Adopter: Nicole D.

“My husband Tom, our 2.5-year-old Dachshund, Eli, and I walked to the ASPCA in hopes of adopting a little brother or sister for Eli. We picked out Emily, as she reminded us a lot of Eli, with the spots on her head and her fuzzy ears.  When the two dogs met, it was clear that this was the start of what would become a long and beautiful friendship. Although Emily is still quite shy around my husband and me, she is learning from Eli, and I know with time, she will come out of her shell and realize all the love that surrounds her.”

Adopter: Melanie S.

“After losing my childhood pet two years ago—a Lab/Basset mix—I started to really miss the warmth and energy of a dog in my life. I love Dachshunds and was spending all of my free time searching rescue websites. Finally, I heard about the puppies at the ASPCA and ran over. Marcel is adjusting at lightning speed! His first night he stayed in the back of his crate, and shook for several minutes in each new setting. Now, as much as he loves his crate, he comes out to find me to play fetch!”

Adopter: Nicole A.

“My husband and I have been looking for a dog for a little while now, and when we came across Roxy’s picture online we instantly fell in love. At that moment, we rushed down to the ASPCA and set up a meet and greet with Roxy. She was everything we hoped for and more. Roxy has a great personality, loves to play, and is already our best friend. She is definitely at home and is learning more and more each day. We are so excited to have her be a part of our family.”

Adopter: Brittney H.

“I saw Hailey’s picture on Petfinder and fell in love instantly! She is doing excellent! Hailey has an older dog sister named Lola, and they love to play and snuggle together. She does have major separation anxiety, which is completely understandable, but we are working on breaking her out of that. Otherwise, she is doing awesome! I love her!”

Adopter:  Maria G.

“I was looking at the ASPCA website on a Friday evening, saw all the puppies and dogs for adoption, and decided to come down to the Adoption Center that Saturday morning.  I came to the ASPCA with my daughter, and we both decided that Silke was the one for us. She has her own room, and she has brought joy and happiness to us both! Silke, whom we have renamed Coco Chanel, has adjusted very well. She's my little superstar. We love and adore her.”

For many more photos of these adorable puppies in their new homes, please visit our special Facebook gallery.