NYC

When Jessica Lovelace-Chandler visited the ASPCA Adoption Center in Manhattan for the first time, she was nervous but hopeful that she’d find a cat who could be a companion to her older, resident cat named Winston. Our staff led Jessica to meet some friendly felines who would be great candidates for cat companionship. That’s where Jessica met Francine, a sweet kitty who had been the victim of a hoarding situation.

Once in Jessica’s home, Francine was still pretty shy. She didn’t eat much at all and seemed uninterested in human affection.

“I knew things would take time, and I knew how to handle the situation thanks to the wonderful coaching I received at the Adoption Center,” Jessica says.

With patience, loving care, and some time alone spent in Jessica’s bathroom, Francine seemed ready to come out of her shell and join her new crew. And, while Winston wasn’t sure what to think of Francine at first, he is coming around as well.

“Winston hissed viciously every time he walked by Francine’s door and at the slightest reminder that she was in the house,” Jessica says. “Francine handled it all like a champ, which made me particularly glad the adoption center had suggested her as a cat-friendly cat.  I'm pleased to say…that they are able to be in the same room now and get along. They're not best friends yet, but they tolerate each other.  I'm sure as time goes on, they'll continue to grow with love—or at least, acceptance.”

We feel sure these three amigos will enjoy a long-lasting friendship.

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!

Weather Update: Due to the blizzard, this event will be held Sunday, Feb. 10, only. Please watch ASPCA.org/onelove for the latest information.

When Hurricane Sandy hit NYC, the ASPCA’s Cruelty Intervention Advocacy (CIA) program was preparing to remove more than 30 cats from a New York City apartment. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, CIA realized that the cats’ situation could quickly develop into a full-scale crisis.

The team took swift action, rushing to the apartment to provide immediate relief. With the lives of the animals potentially at risk, the CIA team acted quickly to remove the cats and bring them to safety.

Ever since, these resilient kitties have been recovering at our wonderful partner One Love Animal Hospital in Downtown Brooklyn. Today, they’re all in tip-top shape. In fact, the only thing they need now is a loving home to call their own.

Special Adoption Event This Weekend!

Animal lovers of NYC, that’s where you come in! This Sunday, February10, at One Love, the ASPCA is hosting a pop-up adoption event for these very special cats, and we can’t wait for you to meet them! Each of the adoptable feline cuties is so cuddly, sweet and outgoing that you’d never suspect their lives haven’t been all catnip and stuffed mice.

You can change a life just in time for Valentine’s Day by giving a kitty a brand-new family to love. And if one isn’t enough for you, consider taking home a pair of BFFs! Some of the cats are available in bonded pairs.

Ready to take the plunge and fall in love with a new furry friend this weekend? Check out aspca.org/onelove for more details, including information about how New Yorkers can help us get the word out.

To learn more about how CIA helps hoarded animals and those who are overwhelmed by the number of animals in their care, please visit CIA’s page.

We hope to see you this weekend!

Now that the Emergency Boarding Facility for Sandy animals is closed, we’re taking a moment to look back at the hundreds of amazing reunions that we got to witness there.

We want to thank Rachael Ray for her generous gift that allowed us to launch the facility, and to thank the many animal welfare organizations from near and far who helped us run this operation.

We also want to take a moment to thank all of our supporters. Without you, we couldn’t have helped any of the families whose pets we boarded after Sandy—nor could we have helped the thousands of others who benefited from our other Sandy relief programs like search-and-rescue and food distribution.

We invite you to watch this video and remember that our work is sponsored by your generosity and kindness!

Tonight, hundreds of animals who were once boarded with us are now sleeping near their loved ones once again.

Our boarding facility also housed stray animals found in disaster areas in the wake of Sandy. Those who weren’t claimed after exhaustive efforts to find their families are getting happy endings, too: All were transferred to either our Adoption Center or our rescue partners for adoption, and some have already found loving homes.

From the bottom of our hearts: Thank you, ASPCA supporters! We’re committed to staying ready to respond to any natural disaster at a moment’s notice, and we’re so glad you’re in our corner.