ASPCA Blog

How You Can Help Animals in Oklahoma; ASPCA on the Ground

kmangeno — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:31:56 +0000

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 1:15pm

As many across the country prepare to spend time with friends and family this Memorial Day weekend, our thoughts turn to the good people and pets of Moore, Oklahoma, where many lost everything earlier this week when a tornado devastated the community.

The ASPCA is currently on the ground to support partner shelter Central Oklahoma Humane Society (OK Humane) with staffing needs as the facility experiences an influx of animals affected by the disaster. We’ll continue to offer our assistance as needed and will keep you updated as the long road to recovery begins for Moore and its neighbors.

For more information about how you can help the pets and people of Oklahoma, please visit OK Humane. Moore-area pet parents who are searching for a lost cat or dog, please check www.okclostpets.com. The site was set up specifically for this disaster, and OK Humane will update its listings with any incoming animals.

This recent tragedy is the latest in a series of unforgiving weather events. We want to remind folks that the best thing you can do for yourself and your pets is to be prepared. Here are a few easy steps you can take to keep your family safe in an emergency:

• Have a Plan. Your “all-family” plan should include how you will transport your animals in an evacuation, possible routes you will take and your destination/sheltering options.
• Build a Kit. Don’t forget a photo of your pet, medical records, vaccination records, and any special food or prescriptions.
• Stay Informed. Keep an eye on the weather, learn which shelters house both people and pets, and monitor possible road closures.
• Vaccinate and Microchip. If you’re ever required to shelter your pets, you’ll want them protected against disease. Microchipping your pets can be their ticket home.

Tell us: Are you prepared for an unexpected emergency or disaster? Are you on the ground helping the good folks of Moore? Tweet us your answers to @ASPCA using the hashtag #Oklahoma.

Tags:

Disaster Response

Field Investigations and Response

Natural Disasters

Pet Care

Take Action

ASPCA Happy Tail: Band of Feline Brothers

kmangeno — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:09:09 +0000

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 11:00am

When Nada P., an ASPCA staffer, agreed to take on Champ, an office foster cat with special needs, she had no idea that he would soon join her feline family. It didn’t take long for her to fall in love with Champ, now named Mr. Wiggles, and her three resident cats, Tiger, Bucky and Squeaker, welcomed him to the group. She shared the following story with us:

I first met Champ when he came to my office as a foster in September 2012. At the ASPCA, we have a great program where special needs cats get extra attention from staff who volunteer to care for them in their offices. Champ has cerebellar hypoplasia, a condition that makes him wobbly. He was quite wobbly at first, and would fall every time he looked up at me. However, he did manage to eat, drink water and use the litter box by himself. He quickly became a staff favorite because of his sweet nature and adorable good looks. Needless to say, I was smitten from the moment I met him.

As more and more people met him and mentioned that they may want to adopt him, the more I thought, “I need to take him home before anyone else does.” My only worry was how my other three cats would react to him. On December 14, 2012, I finally decided to take a chance and see how Tiger, Bucky and Squeaker would react to Champ. After a careful, slow introduction and a few nerve-racking encounters, my other boys fell for him as hard as I did. Champ, now named Mr. Wiggles, and his brothers are the best of friends. I could not be happier that I took a chance on him. He plays with wanton abandon and runs through our apartment so fast that it looks like he’s flying. When he has his “crazies,” he hops around like a deer, which makes him even faster. He has also become much more stable over time, and easily outruns his brothers. I am so grateful the ASPCA Adoption Center brought this angel into our lives.

Got a special adoption story? Share it (or Champ’s story!) on social media using the hashtag #HappyTail.

Tags:

Adoption

ASPCA Pets of the Week: The Three Amigos

kmangeno — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:02:10 +0000

Wednesday, May 22, 2013 - 11:00am

Woodchuck, Clint and Groucho love each other, and it’s the cutest darned thing. All three were rescued from the same hoarding situation, and at first they were really shy. But now they’ve all come out of their shells and are ready to go home—and what they’d really love is the chance to go home together.

These three have a huge fan in Senior Feline Behavior Counselor Katie Watts. “Woodchuck, Clint and Groucho are the cutest threesome! They spend at least half of their day in a big cat pile,” she told us. “Just now I saw all three crowded onto one small bed. There wasn’t quite room for all three, so Clint was sitting on top of the other two.” Adorable!

Woodchuck and Clint are a bonded pair, so they must go home together. Groucho must live with another cat—Woodchuck and Clint, another adoptable, or your resident feline—just so long as he has a kitty buddy to snuggle with.

To adopt Woodchuck and Clint or Groucho—or all three—please contact the ASPCA Adoption Center in NYC at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120.

Tags:

Adoption

Moore, Oklahoma Tornado Update

kmangeno — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:55 +0000

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 3:00pm

On the ground during a previous rescue effort in Joplin, Missouri, in 2011.

As details about the impact and devastation of the tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma, continue to emerge, the ASPCA stands ready to assist. We remain in contact with local authorities and are prepared to provide our disaster recovery expertise and support once requested. Like all of you, we grieve with those who have lost loved ones and hope for a speedy recovery.

If you are in an affected area or seeking rescue and recovery resources, please visit the local Red Cross chapter website. Please stay tuned to ASPCA.org for updates.

Tags:

Disaster Response

Field Investigations and Response

Natural Disasters

Take Action on Rampant Abuse at Pig Slaughter Plants

kmangeno — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:53:52 +0000

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - 2:30pm

Last week brought bad news about the treatment of pigs in U.S. slaughterhouses. A report released by USDA’s Office of the Inspector General [PDF] found that USDA inspectors fail to punish serious animal welfare violations at pig slaughterhouses.

The Humane Methods of Livestock Slaughter Act requires that many animals be quickly rendered unconscious before slaughter, and USDA policy requires that any plant violating this law be suspended or, at minimum, receive a warning. Despite this, the Inspector General reported that more than 25% of the time, inspectors failed to take appropriate action—in many cases electing to do nothing in response to astonishing cruelty.

The Inspector General witnessed pigs regain consciousness after being stunned, reported a captive bolt gun misfiring and becoming lodged in the skull of a still-conscious pig, and detailed a case of a downed pig being lifted and dropped by a forklift onto a concrete floor.

Take Action
Please tell the USDA that Americans won’t stand for negligence in the face of cruelty. Using the text below, please email Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at agsec@usda.gov to thank him for empowering the Inspector General to uncover these violations and encourage the USDA to act on this report to prioritize measurable, effective improvements in the handling of livestock.

Here is some sample email text, but feel free to edit in your own words:

Dear Secretary Vilsack,
The ASPCA recently alerted me to the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) appalling findings about inhumane pig handling at U.S. slaughter plants. Thank you for empowering the OIG to carefully and critically evaluate such an important area of the USDA’s mandate.
I am stunned by the accounts of cruelty depicted in the report, and concerned by the continual failure of USDA inspectors to punish wrongdoers. The USDA must ensure that its employees understand requirements for proper slaughter. The agency must commit sufficient resources to enforcing animal handling laws and put an end to institutional tolerance for cruelty once and for all.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
[Your name]

Thanks for your help, animal advocates! Please share this post with your friends on Twitter using the hashtag #TakeAction.

Tags:

Spread the Word: It’s National Dog Bite Prevention Week

kmangeno — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:03:29 +0000

Monday, May 20, 2013 - 2:00pm

Our dogs are our best friends, but unfortunately, we know that incidents involving dog bites are not uncommon. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, more than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs in the U.S. each year.

May 19-25 is National Dog Bite Prevention Week, so we’d like to take this opportunity to go over some ways that you can prevent dog bites in your home and in your community.

“The absolute best way to avoid having a dog that bites a person or another dog is to ensure he or she is well socialized as a puppy,” says Dr. Pamela Reid, Vice President of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Behavior Team. “Puppies go through a period from about 6-16 weeks during which they are very impressionable and, if they have good experiences with people and dogs, are likely to grow up as confident, relaxed, friendly members of society. If the dog is integrated as a member of the family, he or she continues to meet people and maintain good social skills.”

Sadly, children are often the victims of dog bites. There are several steps you can take to teach your child the proper way to interact with dogs in order to prevent dog bites. Here are three important tips to keep in mind:

1. Make sure that your children do not tease or go near dogs behind fences or dogs chained in yards.
2. If your child sees a dog that is loose, teach him or her to report it to an adult immediately and to avoid touching or going near the dog.
3. If a loose dog approaches your child, tell him or her not to run or scream. It is best to stand very still like a tree in this scenario.

To participate further in National Dog Bite Prevention Week, please visit our full list of dog bite prevention tips and spread awareness on Twitter by using the hashtag #PreventDogBites.

Tags:

Events

Pet Care

Take Action

Maryland Okays Innovative Program to Fund Spay/Neuter

kmangeno — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:29:23 +0000

Monday, May 20, 2013 - 1:15pm

The Maryland Legislature passed three great bills for animals this year, and we are thrilled to report that Governor Martin O’Malley has now signed all of them into state law! The new laws establish a statewide spay/neuter fund; close a loophole in Maryland’s animal fighting law by adding a prohibition on “baiting”; and prohibit the sale and possession of shark fins.

Maryland will soon have one of the most robustly funded statewide spay/neuter programs in the country. As outlined in the Spring 2013 issue of our members’ magazine ASPCA Action, the new program will be funded by a small surcharge on commercial pet food brands registered in the state, and is expected to generate approximately $1 million annually by 2016. This small fee on pet food will have almost no effect on pet parents, but a huge, positive impact on efforts to manage pet overpopulation in Maryland.

“This innovative spay/neuter program is one of the most important victories for animals in many years,” says Ann Church, ASPCA Vice President of State Affairs. “This legislation should be used as a model for other states to adopt similar provisions, and we applaud the many local animal shelters and humane groups who worked together to make this new program a reality.”

Inspired by this big win in Maryland? Visit our Advocacy Center to find out you can take action for animals in your state, and share this post on Twitter with the hashtag #TakeAction.

Tags:

Pet Sitter Dumps Two Cats While Family Vacations

kmangeno — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:42:35 +0000

Friday, May 17, 2013 - 4:30pm

It’s every pet parent’s worst nightmare—temporarily leaving your pets with a trusted caregiver only to find out that things have gone terribly wrong. That’s exactly what happened to one New York City family. Late last month, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) Agents responded to a call from a panic-stricken woman: She had just returned home from an extended vacation only to find her beloved cats were missing.

In a shocking twist, our investigation revealed that the pet sitter, a trusted friend of the family, had purposely abandoned the animals.

“He simply didn’t want to take care of them anymore,” says Howard Lawrence, Senior Director of Operations for the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department. “And that is just not acceptable.”

Video surveillance shows two men transporting the cats from the home in carriers and dumping them in a nearby alley. A witness has also stepped up to corroborate that he saw the incident occur.

Rafael Lugo, 59, and his friend Robert Ramos, 55,were both charged with two counts of animal abandonment. If convicted, they face up to two years in jail and/or a $2,000 fine. To date, the cats have not yet been found.

“Trust was severely violated in this case, and a family is now beside themselves over the loss of their pets,” says Lawrence. “We hope that these two individuals will be held accountable for their actions.”

Anyone with information about the cats’ whereabouts is asked to please contact the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement Hotline: 877-THE-ASPCA (843-2772). Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #PetSitterBust

Tags:

Animal Cruelty

Humane Law Enforcement

NYC

We Were There

Honoring Our Military Dogs on Armed Forces Day

kmangeno — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:11:32 +0000

Friday, May 17, 2013 - 1:00pm

Tomorrow (Saturday, May 18) is Armed Forces Day, which honors Americans serving in the five branches of our military: the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. In addition to the brave men and women who defend our country and assist others around the globe, we’d like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to another kind of hero—the U.S. military working dog, or MWD.

According to the Department of Defense, in early 2012 there were approximately 2,700 MWDs serving worldwide, keeping us safe and performing important tasks that can be difficult, if not impossible, for people. Some experts estimate that the average military dog saves 150 soldier lives during his or her career.

Thanks in part to the efforts of animal lovers like you, late last year Congress took action in the National Defense Authorization Act to protect these canine heroes. Their post-service adoption processes are being streamlined and the Department of Defense is working on authorizing a veterinary care program at no expense to taxpayers. And while it might not mean much to the dogs themselves, it means a lot to us that all retiring military dogs will receive letters of commendation for their service.

We thank the Defense Department and the U.S. Air Force, which administers the Military Working Dog Program from its Lackland base in San Antonio, Texas, for recognizing that our government’s commitment to these amazing animals’ well-being must extend beyond their period of military service.

Show your appreciation for the selfless service of our canine heroes by sharing this article on Twitter with the hashtag #MilitaryDogs.

Tags:

Advocacy

Events

States’ Ability to Protect Animals Gutted by King Amendment

kmangeno — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:43:42 +0000

Thursday, May 16, 2013 - 3:30pm

As we mentioned earlier today, the House Agriculture Committee moved forward with a new Farm Bill last night. Although the ASPCA is thrilled that the bill includes a provision to make it a crime to attend animal fights, we’re very disappointed that a last-minute amendment proposed by Rep. Steve King of Iowa also passed committee. This amendment would have far-reaching consequences for state laws that protect animals.

The King Amendment would gut existing state laws to protect animals as well as undermine states’ ability to pass their own laws regarding any “agricultural product”—including animals. Because of the broad nature of the federal definition of agricultural products, this amendment could potentially undercut state laws and regulations on a whole host of animal welfare issues, including not only farm animal welfare, but also issues from puppy mills to horse slaughter. This amendment violates states’ rights and is a solution in search of a problem.

“This is a federal law that seriously inhibits a state’s ability to protect animals,” says Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA’s Government Relations department. “For example, in California, where a state initiative will require eggs to be cage-free in a few years, the King Amendment would block this type of voter-approved legislation and permit eggs to be transported to California from other states with fewer protections in place.”

Though we’re dismayed by this addition to the Farm Bill, we’ll continue to fight efforts to undermine animal welfare legislation on the state level. Please stay tuned to the blog for the latest news about the farm bill, and join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade to learn how you can take action for animals in your state.

Tags: