Gary is a super friendly and affectionate pup. But they don’t call this curious goofball a busy body for nothing—he’s happiest when he’s on the move! He’d make the perfect companion to your afternoon stroll or run through the park.

Gary likes to play with other dogs and with proper introductions, he could make a few canine buddies. This lively guy would be happy to go home with an experienced adopter who will give him plenty of playtime and exercise. Gary would do best in a household with teens-and-up. Adopt Gary today!

Gary is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting, please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4120. To learn more about Gary, please visit his profile page.

At the ASPCA, we LOVE black kitties—but the sad truth is that not everyone feels the same way. Due to outdated (and incorrect) myths and superstitions, black cats have a really hard time getting adopted. In fact, they are only half as likely to find homes as other cats. That’s why we were so glad to learn that this Sunday, August 17, is Black Cat Appreciation Day!

To celebrate this holiday, we put together just a few of the many reasons we appreciate these raven-coated kitties:

• Black cats go with everything—and they’ll never go out of style!
• You can tell your kids you adopted a miniature panther.
• Their fur won’t show on your little black dress.
• In most cultures, black cats are a sign of good luck.
• Black cats are just as loving, sweet and wonderful as any other cat!

We hope you will join us in celebrating Black Cat Appreciation Day by heading to your local shelter and bringing home a black cat this weekend. If you’re in the New York City area, come meet some the black cats available at the ASPCA Adoption Center right now:
 

Salem 
Salem can be a bit shy with new people, but once he gets to know you, he’ll shower you with purrs, head-butts, and plenty of lap time. If properly introduced, this handsome 2-year-old can live in a home with another cat.
 

Pinky 
This sweet, soulful 4-year-old cat is ready for his forever home. He’s a bit nervous around other cats, so Pinky would do best in a home where he gets to be the only pet. He also has a soft spot for yummy treats!
 

Princess 
Princess is a sensitive kitty and can be timid around new people. Once she relaxes, though, she is very sweet and enjoys petting. She will do best in a home with an experienced cat adopter and respectful kids ages 14 and up.
 

JamesandGwendolyn
James (4) and Gwendolyn (6) are another bonded pair. These sweeties like attention, but they also appreciate their solitude from time to time. Both are FIV positive and would do best in a stable home with an experienced adopter.
 

Bernard andMinerva 
Bernard and Minerva are BFFs (Best Feline Friends), so they are looking for a home together. These four-month-old kitties would do best in a quiet home with respectful kids ages 12 and up.
 

Chicken Scratch is an ASPCA Blog feature that highlights interesting news about farm animals and farm animal welfare.

Image courtesy of Compassion in World Farming

• This makes us sick! The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new poultry inspection program will not require plants to test for Salmonella and Campylobacter.  As reported in a Food Safety Newsopinion piece, the agency “will leave it up to the company to decide what organism to test and which pathogen to test for, leaving the public with no guarantee that poultry plants will test for the pathogens that actually make people sick.
   
• “We gotta fight…for the right…to faaarrrrm!” More like a right to harm. A controversial ballot initiative just barely passed in Missouri, making farming a statewide constitutional right. The change could potentially exempt Big Ag from future regulations, affecting food safety and the way animals are raised for food. A recount may happen, so cross your tail feathers and we’ll keep you posted on what happens next.
   
• Despite increasing interest in, and demand for, farm-to-table fare, many small-scale farmers aren’t making a living. In an op-ed in The New York Times, one young farmer writes that a whopping “93% of all farm households rely on multiple sources of income,” creating a constant source of financial and emotional stress for many in the field.  The farmer also stresses the importance of shifting subsidies from factory farms to family farms to “ensure that growing good food also means making a good living.”
   
• A new study sponsored by the USDA examined consumer safety behavior when shopping for poultry and the findings were flat out gross! Evidently, “most people do not use the plastic bags intended to carry raw meat products nor the sanitizing solution intended to mitigate the spread of harmful bacteria,” both of which are provided in stores. Poultry juices can contaminate anything, from your shopping cart to your kid! Unfortunately, retail raw chicken tends to have high pathogen rates, no surprise given the stressful and dirty conditions in which the birds are forced to live.
   
• “A force with which to be reckoned” is how Politico recently characterized the possible trajectory of the ASPCA’s farm animal advocacy work! Reposted by the Organic Consumers Association, the piece features farm animal welfare campaign member Daisy Freund, and our CEO, Matt Bershadker, discussing our increased focus on farm animals, specifically our work on broiler chicken issues, and our commitment to maintaining “a balanced approach” to the farm animal welfare issue.
   
• The USDA’s recent controversial proposal to increase poultry processing line speeds brought to light a multitude of problems associated with the chicken industry including bacterial contamination and selective breeding for unhealthy traits. One of our farm animal welfare team members, Suzanne McMillan had a letter to the editor published in The Washington Post  explaining that despite the industry’s “dangerous obsession with speed and profit… bigger and faster is not always better when it comes to raising animals.”

Guest blog by ASPCA President & CEO Matt Bershadker

With somewhere between 5 and 7 million homeless animals entering U.S. animal shelters, it’s unconscionable to suggest, as one writer did in the Washington Post, that adopting a pet from an animal shelter is a bad idea. (See a comprehensive refutation from Washington Humane Society’s Lisa Lafontaine.)

But as ridiculous as anti-shelter arguments are, they reveal destructive myths about shelter animals that need to be called out every time they arise. I’m sharing some of the most persistent ones below, and have enlisted help from ASPCA shelter science experts to help dispel them.

Myth: The major reasons dogs end up in shelters is because they were seized in criminal cases, or were too aggressive to own safely.

More than half of all dogs and cats in shelters were received as strays, but that doesn’t mean by any stretch they’re automatically aggressive, come from abusive environments, or have medical challenges. What’s much more important than an animal’s history is its current behavior and medical status. This information is typically well-known and shared by shelter staff who’ve been caring for the animal.

Myth: Shelter animals are not as clean as pet store animals.

Not only is this untrue, but the conditions of many breeding facilities or puppy mills (which supply pet stores that sell dogs) are nothing short of horrific. Puppy mill operators may fail to remove sick dogs from their breeding pools. As a result, puppies from puppy mills sometimes come with congenital and hereditary conditions including epilepsy, heart disease, kidney disease, and respiratory disorders.

Puppies born in puppy mills are usually removed from their mothers at just six weeks of age, denying them critical socialization, and housed in overcrowded and unsanitary wire-floored cages, without adequate veterinary care, food or water. Make no mistake: Anything purchased at a pet store that sells animals—even supplies—is keeping this vicious industry in business.

Myth: Older cats and dogs will not bond with new owners.

Again, simply untrue. Age is not a determining factor in an animal’s affection toward humans or its ability to bond with them. Just ask anyone who’s adopted an older pet, visit a shelter and ask to see their older animals, or simply look into the face of an older dog or cat. Organizations like Susie’s Senior Dogs are trying hard to connect more senior animals with loving homes. Believe me, they’re ready for you.

Myth: A shelter animal should never be given as a gift.

To the uninformed, this may makes sense, but data shows otherwise. A scientific study we published last October found that 96 percent of people who received pets as gifts reported it either increased or had no negative impact on their attachment to that pet. Also, 86 percent of the pets in the study are still in their homes, a percentage roughly equivalent to that in standard adoption.

The survey also showed no difference in attachment based on whether the gift was a surprise or known in advance. This is supported by previous studies conducted in the 1990s and 2000, which found that pets acquired as gifts are actually less likely to be relinquished than pets acquired directly by an individual owner.

This misconception is particularly harmful because it not only prevents shelter animals from going into loving homes, but may drive potential adopters toward pet stores that almost always get their inventory from puppy mills.

Myth: Adopting big or very strong dogs is a bad idea if you have little children.

There’s no evidence showing that big dogs are any more likely to harm children than small dogs. Chances are, you already know some very sweet big dogs, and if you don’t, the ASPCA or your local shelter would be happy to introduce you to one.

There’s been some recent debate about the inherent natures of pit bulls in particular, but again, there’s no evidence to show that pit bulls are more likely to cause harm to humans than any other breed. A dog's—any dog’s—behavior is a function of many factors, including breeding, socialization, training, environment and treatment by owners.

Myth: Getting animals from breeders is safer because the breeders know the animal’s bloodline and family history.

First know that, as a result of their breeding, purebred dogs very often have genetic disorders and medical issue predispositions, certainly no less often than shelter dogs. Also, while bloodlines and histories are useful tools to assess an animal’s value, they are limited in terms of predicting behavior. On the other hand, shelters are motivated to save lives and make strong matches. Some use science and sophisticated tools to appropriately pair up animals and owners, and are happy to share everything they know about each animal.

Good breeders are focused not on profit, but on the health and welfare of the individual animals they handle, and we applaud that. But the plain truth is you’re helping to save and protect more lives if you make adoption your first option, so please match your open home and open heart with an open mind.

Time flies when you’re having fun: Competing shelters in the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge are nearing the finish line, and we couldn’t be more excited to share that in June and July, the Challengers saved a total of 43,959 animals’ lives! The Challenge shelters achieved this by adopting out or reuniting pets with their guardians—and they saved over 9,000 more lives than during the same two months last year.

We’d like to congratulate the shelters in each division that saved the most additional cats and dogs by the end of the first two months of the Challenge:

Coastal Humane Society (Brunswick, ME) in Division 1

Clay County Animal Care and Control (Green Cove Springs, FL) in Division 2

Southern Pines Animal Shelter (Hattiesburg, MS) in Division 3

Foothills Animal Shelter (Golden, CO) in Division 4

Central California SPCA (Fresno, CA) in Division 5

Click here to see the leaderboard with complete month one and two results for all contestants.

The Challengers still have two weeks to pull out all the stops and take home the grand prize! Stay tuned as the action unfolds, and we’ll reveal the big winner on October 7.

In a huge step forward for our nation’s companion animals, U.S. Representatives Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) have come together to introduce the Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act (H.R. 5267), landmark legislation extending existing federal protections to pets of domestic violence victims.

The connection between animal cruelty and domestic violence is a well-documented one and, sadly, many pets are often used as pawns in domestic disputes. Seventy-one percent of women entering domestic violence shelters have reported that their abusers also harmed, threatened, and in severe cases, killed their pets. What’s more, as many as half of those victims delay seeking help and remain in these dangerous environments because they fear for the safety of the pets they are forced to leave behind.

If passed, the Act would prohibit abusers from crossing state lines to harm a domestic partner’s pets, making it a punishable offense under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). It also adds veterinary care to the list of restitution costs recoverable by victims, authorizes federal grant funding to provide assistance and housing to victims’ pets in need of emergency shelter and recommends states extend legal protections to include pets in court-issued protective orders in domestic dispute cases.

While twenty-seven states, as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, have passed laws allowing pets to be included in protective orders, no such legislation currently exists at the federal level, making the PAWS Act the first of its kind to explicitly address this need. 

By ensuring strong protections and valuable resources at the federal level, the PAWS Act gives victims the security they need to get help and protects their beloved pets from the hands of abusers. We are so thankful to Reps. Clark and Ros-Lehtinen for their strong leadership in taking this important step in the fight against animal cruelty and domestic violence.

Stay up-to-date on the latest animal-related legislation!

Join our Advocacy Brigade to receive our weekly newsletter, ASPCA News Alert. You'll receive important updates on what's going on in your state and how you can make an impact on animals’ lives!

We’re are beyond excited to announce a new line of plush dogs and cats that offers kids a chance to snuggle up with their very own rescue pets—no housetraining required! Besides being adorable, the ASPCA rescue plush also teaches children invaluable lessons about the importance of finding loving homes for shelter animals.

Whether your child wants a friendly dog or a furry cat, our branded plush is available now at KMART stores nationwide and on KMART.com with retail prices from $4.99 to $24.99.

The plush toys come in a variety of sizes and options, including a mini plush, an adoptable dog plush with a collar, charm, pet toys and adoption certificate, and a “rescue pet vet set” dog and cat plush complete with a stethoscope, neck cone, syringe and bandage to help nurse your animal back to health! The packaging also includes pet care tips for both plush and real life cats and dogs. 

Sales of the plush toys help animals in need with 3-5% of each sale, with a minimum guarantee of $25,000 through December 31, 2015, going toward the ASPCA’s work to protect animals from harm. 

Learn more about our new plush line.

Big news! The ASPCA has teamed up with singer, songwriter, and animal-lover Colbie Caillat to launch Come To Their Rescue, a nationwide movement to help abused and abandoned animals.

Animal welfare is an issue that is close to Colbie’s heart: her own dog, Plum, was found tied up and starving on the streets before she was brought to a shelter. Sadly, not all dogs are as lucky as Plum. Every year, more than 7 million animals enter shelters nationwide, and almost 3 million don’t make it out. It’s a staggering number, and it is a sobering reminder that our nation’s pet homelessness problem is very real and very tragic. That’s why we are so happy to have Colbie Caillat on our side.

Helping homeless animals find forever homes is one of the ASPCA’s top priorities, and we are making a difference. Every year, we are able to help tens of thousands of animals find loving homes, and with Colbie’s support—and the support of people like you—we believe that we can accomplish so much more.

If you would like to get involved, visit aspca.org/rescue. You can learn more, make a donation, sign a pledge, and help spread the world about this exciting collaboration. Nothing compares to the feeling of knowing you have given an animal a second chance, so please: come to their rescue today.

At the ASPCA, we love when adopters tell us that “it was meant to be.”  Whether or not fate is truly involved in animal adoption, it’s so comforting to know that our dogs and cats are so perfectly matched to their new homes—and it inspires us to keep doing what we do. So when we heard the story of Lucy and her new cat, Keenu, we just had to share it. Here is their Happy Tail.

Lucy recently moved to New York from the UK. Having grown up with cats, she thought a furry friend would be the perfect addition to her new home in the Big Apple. But after visiting a number of adoption centers, she was struggling to find the right pet.

Lucy’s boyfriend, who was still in the UK at the time, offered to help by searching for cats online. That’s when he saw Keenu. “He said he loved her and she was perfect,” recalls Lucy. “I wasn’t so convinced and said, ‘Oh, I’m not sure, I don’t think she’s the one.” But later that same night, Lucy left her apartment to run an errand and spotted a sign. “I saw a flyer that said the ASPCA Mobile Adoption Van would be in the neighborhood that weekend, so I thought I would pop along to see if there were any potential cats.”

True to her plan, she visited the adoption vehicle that weekend. “As soon as I walked into the van, I spotted the most beautiful cat with huge green eyes,” says Lucy. “I put my hand out and she started licking me and rubbing her head against my hands—it was honestly love at first sight.” Then came the revelation: “I read her name: Keenu, the one my boyfriend had seen online! What are the odds? I actually could not believe it,” she laughs.

Keenu, a three-year-old Siberian mix, had been surrendered to the ASPCA by her previous owner due to financial issues. She seemed eager to settle into a new home, and Lucy decided then and then and there that that new home would be hers. “Keenu is by far the most charming cat I have ever met,” she tells us. “At first she was quiet, but now she’s quite chatty and makes this cute little chirp-meow in the morning when she’s seen that I have woken up.”

Lucy now fully agrees that she and Keenu are the perfect match. “Baby Keens, KiKi, Keenypie, Keenypaws…My family say I’m obsessed with her and I quite literally am! When I pick her up, she purrs and purrs.”

Looking back, Lucy admits, “It was fate that Keenu was on the van that day,” and we couldn’t agree more. We hope that their story serves as a reminder to all readers that your very own “Happy Tail” may be nearby, even when you least expect it!

Feather is a very independent cat. She likes attention, but would prefer to decide when to receive it. This pretty lady also has a playful side! She would love nothing more than regular play sessions with her new family and favorite toys.

This special cat would do best as the only pet in a home with experienced adopters and teens 14-and-up. She would be thrilled to join a family who is willing to maintain a regular grooming routine to keep her coat shiny and free of mats. Adopt Feather today!

Feather is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting, please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4120. To learn more about Feather, please visit her profile page.

Animal lovers from across the Lone Star State adopted 2,256 cats, kittens, dogs and puppies—and even a few pocket pets—on Saturday, August 16, during “Empty the Shelter Day,” the largest ever pet adoption effort in North Texas, sponsored in part by the ASPCA.

Shelters large and small, municipal and non-profit—33 total—literally emptied their shelters during the one-day, fee-waived adoption event.

“It was a sight to see and the best day of my 18-year career,” said Corey Price, animal services manager for the City of Irving Animal Services, an open-admission shelter. “Veterans of the animal welfare community were left speechless, and shelter workers and volunteers shed tears as they walked past empty kennels and cages.”

It was Price who set the wheels in motion in June for the multiple-shelter collaboration when she and her staff began thinking beyond the smaller scale “Empty the Shelter” event they had hosted in previous years. They pitched the idea to broadcaster NBC5/Telemundo39, which immediately got on board, and began spreading the word.

Shelters signed on like wildfire. NBC5/Telemundo39 provided PSAs and promotional coverage; the ASPCA provided funds for other local advertising and grassroots efforts.

Lines of soon-to-be-adopters began at 7 a.m. at the Humane Society of North Texas in Ft. Worth.
 

Ann Barnes, executive director of the Humane Society of North Texas, the oldest animal welfare agency in the region, placed more animals—339—than any other single agency, said the event was “all hands on deck” for her team and, despite the Texas heat and long lines, “the community support was overwhelming.”

At Dallas Animal Services, customers waited as long as three hours to adopt but were “patient and committed,” says Rebecca Poling, a board member of the Dallas Companion Animal Project, which supplied volunteers to DAS for the event. “It was not so much about adopting a pet for free as it was about saving lives. The event really gave people the chance to be a part of something.”

“People got the message,” adds Pam Burney, vice president of community initiatives for the ASPCA and who visited several participating shelters during the event. “What’s great is all the shelters did well—even small ones.”

That’s certainly true of North Richland Hills Animal Adoption & Rescue Center, which placed 39 pets during their event. “In 2013, for the entire month of August, we placed less than that—just 34,” says Chun Mezger, humane division supervisor for the City of North Richland Hills. “Our community really supported us.”

Staff at North Richland Hills Animal Adoption & Rescue Center rallied in memory of their co-worker Mary Beth Chastain who died of cancer four days earlier. The shelter placed 39 pets during the event—more adoptions than in the entire month of August 2013.
 

For Chun’s staff, the event was also tinged with sadness. “We just lost one of our own—Mary Beth Chastain, a humane officer—to cancer on Wednesday,” Mezger says. “But our team did an amazing job pulling together to honor Mary Beth by ‘knocking it out of the park’ on Saturday.”

In 2013, aggregate adoptions for the same 33 participating shelters, on the same August day, was just 266, according to Price. The final count for Empty the Shelter Day increased that number nearly ten-fold.

“For the first time ever, our two shelters were nearly empty,” says James Bias, president and CEO of the SPCA of Texas, where just three dogs remained at the organization’s Jan Rees-Jones Animal Care Center in Dallas and its Russell H. Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney stood empty. “In one day, 163 animals found their forever homes—half as many as find homes in any given week.”

By 4 PM, HSNT had run out of dogs (Courtesy HSNT)
 

“We’ve never seen room after room of empty kennels,” adds Barnes, whose organization was out of its 208 dogs by 4 p.m. and by day’s end had also placed 126 cats, two rabbits and three other small mammals. “It was a real morale booster.”

By 2:30 p.m., Dallas Animal Services was out of adoptable pets and began directing clients to its Lost and Found area where they could pre-adopt animals on stray hold if they went unclaimed. “I’d never seen it empty like this since the day we opened,” says Poling. “Pod after pod, row after row. It was almost eerie. But it was a great thing.”

Hazel Russell of Watauga, Texas adopted Chloe, a Chihuahua, at the N. Richland Hills event. (Courtesy NRHAA&RC)
 

Despite the myth that fee-waived adoptions don’t yield good homes for cats and dogs, Barnes says her team’s experience during “Empty the Shelter” de-bunked that theory. “Our adoption applications were perfect—just what we wanted for each animal,” she says. Adds the ASPCA’s Burney: “It’s only the fee that was waived, not the criteria. In fact, some adopters visited shelters on Friday and paid fees so they could be sure to get first pick.”

In the end, says Price, the best part was not only the support from the community, but how “participating shelters embraced and ran with the concept.”

“I’m really impressed with the North Texas animal welfare community,” she says. “This is just the beginning.”

Guest blog by ASPCA President & CEO Matt Bershadker

Yesterday, August 24, was the 48th anniversary of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), a groundbreaking law establishing minimum standards of treatment for animals… Well, some animals.

You see, while some animals used for research, as pets, or for exhibition, are considered worthy of minimal legal protection (and to be clear, the AWA protections leave lots of room for improvement), animals used for food, like farm animals, are explicitly left out. Other federal statutes, like the 28 Hour Law and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, cover livestock transportation and slaughter, but both exclude birds, and there are no federal laws at all governing the conditions in which farm animals are raised.

The big question is: why?

Do the over 9 billion animals farmed in the United States each year require less protection? No. Should we allow them to endure extreme cruelty during their lives just because they’re destined for slaughter? Certainly not.

If anything, considering how many farm animals there are and the direct link between farm conditions and food safety, farm animals require more attention, and their conditions more scrutiny. As the products of agricultural corporations, farm animals are among the most exploited and abused animals in the world.

You don’t have to look very hard to find documented cases of cruelty against farm animals or on-going practices that fit the very definition of torture, such as battery cages for egg laying hens and gestation crates for sows. In late June of 2014, Compassion Over Killing released undercover video from a poultry farm in North Carolina that showed sick and injured chickens being dumped alive into pits of carcasses, where they suffocate or expire of hunger, thirst or exposure.

Instead of working to fix these abuses, the factory farming industry uses its influence to keep them secret by trying to pass “ag-gag” laws, which prevent video or photographic documentation of farm activities.

Ironically, this anniversary comes only a week before the start of National Chicken Month, an annual September promotional exercise by the National Chicken Council to promote chicken sales and to celebrate chicken consumption, which in effect also celebrates the cruel ways we treat those very chickens.

But imagine, for a moment, a very different “National Chicken Month,” one in which we ensure chickens are not abused, exploited, or tortured. A month in which we highlight farmers who treat chickens more like the animals they are, not like the products they become.

Some states are acting on their own to institute farm animal protections, and we hope that trend spreads throughout the country and on the federal level. But even before that happens, there are things we all can do to help.

We urge concerned consumers to ask their supermarkets and the companies that supply them to think about raising chickens that can stand up and be chickens, not be pumped with unnecessary antibiotics and bred to be so absurdly huge that they fall over in their own waste. And we encourage people to sign our pledge, urging more humane industry practices.

Whether it happens on the federal, state, community, or personal level, action must be taken to safeguard the welfare of all animals, no matter what purpose they serve.

Just days before the ASPCA’s free vaccine clinic in Lincoln Terrace Park in Brooklyn, as three team members taped flyers to windows and knocked on doors, they ran into Jessica Velez and her very skinny 4-month-old pit bull puppy, Nevesa.

Jessica told the ASPCA team that the pup was from a litter born to her dog Maddie, and she was now “stuck” with three puppies. Not only that, but Nevesa, though eating well, remained underweight and thin.

“Right then and there, we had a discussion about de-worming and the importance of vaccinations,” says Maria Hertneck, Public Outreach Coordinator for ASPCA CARES (which stands for community, advocacy, resources, enrichment and service). Maria and her team visited Jessica at her home a few days later, armed with de-wormer and puppy care information, then followed up a week later.

“All three puppies were housed in a small crate,” Maria remembers. “Jessica told us she couldn’t house train them and found it difficult to constantly clean up after them. By this time, Maddie was also fed up with the pups so they had to be separated, especially during feeding times.”

Maria’s team provided a larger dog crate and a giant bag of food. “We talked again about the dogs getting their first round of shots and invited Jessica to our upcoming vaccine clinic,” says Maria. “Jessica said she would definitely come. And she did.”

After her dogs were vaccinated, Jessica signed Maddie up for spay surgery. Maria expressed relief and excitement.

“It took the leg work of all our advocates to get Jessica there, but we did it,” says the ASPCA’s Richard Encarnación, who is now helping Jessica re-home the pups in order to keep them out of the shelter system. He’ll also arrange to have them neutered. In the meantime, Maddie won’t have another litter—another sigh of relief.

This is the crux of the ASPCA CARES team’s work: To spay and neuter every pet, especially large breed dogs and cats. It’s what keeps them motivated, inspires them to do more, fuels reward and pride. The team stays in constant contact with clients to ensure that they have the resources and services they need: food, toys, leashes, collars, ID tags, even a free ride to the mobile clinic. They also work cross functionally with the ASPCA Animal Hospital and Cruelty Intervention Advocacy (CIA) staffs and frequently host “tabling” events in underserved neighborhoods to promote their work and book spay/neuter appointments on the ASPCA’s mobile spay/neuter clinics.

On the day of the Lincoln Terrace vaccine event—one of 12 the ASPCA will host in 2014—153 vaccines were administered, and fully subsidized spay/neuter appointments were made for 33 cats and dogs the next day.

Latesha Coleman and her brother Davon, along with their neighbor, Marlene Forde, brought Doodles, a sparkly-eyed dilute calico, for vaccines. “If they hadn’t knocked on my door, I wouldn’t be here,” said Latesha of the ASPCA CARES team.

Jacqueline Pinto and her 9-year-old daughter, Karissa, who learned about the clinic through the ASPCA team’s grassroots outreach, brought Brownie and Sophie, a pair of Chihuahuas. “They’re my babies,” says Jacqueline, who gave Brownie a big kiss after his inoculation.

In the coming weeks, Richard, Maria along with team member Isadora Peraza-Martinez will personally visit clients who attended the vaccine event to assess if their pets have other needs.

“We want to make a difference and offer solutions,” says Maria. Then she adds, with a dose of optimism and pride, “It may take awhile, but we’ll get there.”

Looking back at all of our Happy Tails, a clear theme emerges: pets are more than just furry, four-legged animals living in our homes. They are our best friends, our support systems, and our constant sources of joy. That’s why, when Joshua S. was struggling through a difficult period in his life, a dog named Brewster was the only thing able to turn it all around. Here is their Happy Tail.

Joshua grew up with dogs—a Pomeranian and a Newfoundland—but had been without a pup of his own since moving to New York City. While going through what he describes as “the most trying time in my life,” Joshua thought the companionship of a dog was just what he needed. At the end of May, he headed to the ASPCA Adoption Center in search of a little companion. “I was originally looking to adopt a smaller breed as they seemed more practical for city living,” says Joshua. “However, when I began looking at the ASPCA, I fell in love with pit bulls.”

Fortunately for Joshua, Brewster—a one-year-old pit bull—was at the ASPCA Adoption Center waiting for his new forever home. He and another dog, Bonnie, first came to the ASPCA in October 2013 after being rescued from an abusive situation. Though initially timid and nervous around new people, Brewster’s puppy-like energy soon shone through, and he was eager to meet the right person.

“I knew Brewster was the dog for me as soon as I saw him,” says Joshua. “I had seen quite a few dogs, but when I got to his room, he immediately jumped up and wanted to play.” The two spent some time getting to know each other, but Joshua was already certain that Brewster was right choice. “He was so affectionate, and you could tell that he had so much love to give. I knew definitively that he was the one.”

Back at home, Joshua’s new companion proved to be everything he had hoped for. “Brewster sleeps with me at night, and if he’s not curled up at the end of my bed, he’s next to me with one paw resting below my shoulder as if he’s protecting me.” Brewster loves to daydream by the windowsill, and the two pals spend lots of time together at the dog park, running, and exploring the neighborhood. Before Joshua leaves for work, he says, “Brewster will literally jump up and wrap his arms around me to give me a hug. He does the same when I return home, except he has a lot of kisses as well.”

Both Joshua and Brewster persevered through a period of suffering before they found each other, and their bond is so much stronger because of it. “I thought the companionship of a dog would help me through,” says Joshua, “and Brewster has done just that. He has helped me more than I could ever imagine possible.”

Brewster’s sister, Bonnie, is still waiting for her forever home. If you are interested in adopting this sweet girl, please contact the ASPCA Adoption Center at 212-876-770 ext. 4120.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since more than 300 dogs were rescued from lives of misery and horror in one of the largest federal dog fighting busts in U.S. history. The August 2013 raid spanned Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Texas, and resulted in ten arrests and the rescue of 367 dogs, ranging in age from just several days to 10-12 years.

The dogs were left to suffer in extreme heat, with no visible fresh water or food, and some were tethered by chains and cables attached to cinder blocks and car tires. 

Timmy (FKA Cooper), placed by the Humane Society of Calvert County

What a difference a year makes. Thanks in large part to the incredible efforts of countless organizations* and volunteers, many of the dogs are now enjoying carefree lives of comfort in the loving arms of families who adore them. We’ve told you some of their stories (who can forget Timmy, the poster pup?) but to mark the one-year anniversary of the dogs’ freedom, we have a few more updates complete with adorable photos. Please enjoy and share these inspiring happy tails using the hashtag #367rescue. 

Arabelle
Sharon N. was volunteering with Plenty of Pit Bulls in Gainesville, Florida, when she heard about Arabelle, a senior dog and one of several who had been used as a breeder. “I have a soft spot for the seniors and couldn’t wait to meet her,” Sharon says. “It was love at first sight for both of us. I spent some time with her in her kennel and when I got up to leave, she got up and barked as if to say, ‘please don’t go.’” It was the first time since the rescue that anyone had heard Arabelle bark.  This lucky lady adores her new family, including her canine siblings, and loves life and everything it has to offer her. Sharon adds: “From the moment we arrived at the house, it was as if she had been waiting her whole life for a home of her own.”

Hope (FKA Mabel)
Mabel was one of six dogs recently transported to the Great Plains SPCA in Merriam, Kansas to find her forever home. Mabel’s stay at Great Plains SPCA didn’t last long—three days after her arrival, Lisa G. saw Mabel on the local news station and immediately contacted the shelter expressing interest in adopting the rambunctious pooch. When Lisa saw that Mabel’s shelter ID collar read “923,” she smiled. It was the same as her birthday, 9/23. “It was meant to be,” says Lisa. “We just love her to pieces.”Mabel, now renamed Hope, spends her time with her canine sister, Jasmine, who was a rescued bait dog from a separate dog fighting case, and two human siblings along with Lisa and her husband. 

Abby
Abby was 3-months-old when Tamara H. became her foster parent through Charleston Animal Society (CAS) last October. Tamara was told that Abby came from a cruelty case, but that the specifics couldn’t be disclosed. She knew it was likely a dog fighting case. Although Tamara already had two dogs—a Chow-Shepherd mix and a hound—and hadn’t planned on adopting another, she knew soon after bringing Abby home that she wouldn’t be able to give her back. When CAS contacted Tamara to ask if she would like to keep Abby or bring her back to CAS to be made available for adoption, Tamara came in immediately to sign the adoption papers and make her forever home official.

These dogs are all living in comfortable homes today because of your support. We couldn’t do it without you. Please help us continue to rescue animals from lives of abuse and cruelty.
 

Credit: Plenty of Pitbulls

* We want to extend a special thanks to the many volunteers and organizations (listed below) that have partnered with us over the past year, especially those agencies that have adopted out more than 10 dogs from the case: Thank you, Humane Society of Calvert County, Charleston Animal Society, Humane Society of Pinellas, Plenty of Pitbulls and Atlanta Humane Society!

Pixie is an energetic pup who has a lot of love to give—especially to her favorite people! She may come across as shy at first, but don’t be fooled. Once she gets to know you, this pretty lady will stick by your side like glue.

Whether going for a jog or playing with other dogs her size, Pixie loves to get plenty of playtime and exercise. This busy girl is in a hurry to get to where she’s going and would do best with an experienced adopter who is willing to spend time running around with her. Pixie would fit in well in an adults-only home. Adopt Pixie today!

Pixie is available for adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center. If you are interested in adopting, please call our Adoptions department in New York City at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4120. To learn more about Pixie, please visit her profile page.

A few weeks ago, we shared an Urgent Alert about the dangers of leaving dogs in parked cars on hot days. What we didn’t know at the time, though, was just how urgent the situation truly is.

According to a new poll conducted by the ASPCA, an overwhelming majority of adults—93 percent—who have never encountered a dog in a car on a hot day said they would do something to help, but of those adults who actually faced such a situation, only 63 percent took action.

“Taking decisive action when you see a dog left in a hot car is critical during these warm months,” said Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Hospital. “There is a startling gap between those who state they would act and those who actually did something when faced with the reality of a dog at risk.”

The nationwide telephone survey also revealed the following findings:

• 51 percent of those who saw or heard a dog in a hot car made attempts to look for the owner, making it the most common action taken
• 24 percent said they made attempts to rescue the dog themselves and 23 percent called the police
• Women were much more likely than men to have taken action (75 percent versus 58 percent) after seeing a dog in a hot car

When an animal is in danger of overheating, your actions can literally mean the difference between life and death. We hope that you will make a commitment to act whenever you encounter a dog alone in a hot car—and you can start by taking our pledge today.

Chicken Scratch is an ASPCA Blog feature that highlights interesting news about farm animals and farm animal welfare.

• A new farm animal welfare policy has been put in place by Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food companies and the parent company of Purina pet food. The policy [PDF] prohibits veal crates, gestation crates, battery cages, certain physical alterations without pain relief, and pledges to focus on reviewing ”fast-growing practices” in poultry. The shift comes shortly after an undercover exposé by animal advocacy group Mercy for Animals revealed animal abuse at dairy farms supplying Nestlé. We’re optimistic that the company’s new commitment to improve the quality of life for animals in the food system will encourage other corporations to do the same.
   
• Silicon Valley has long been a hub for high-tech innovators, but now it’s a group of forward-thinking foodies who are starting to shake up the Valley with innovative meat alternatives. A handful of local start-ups are “Rethinking Eating” and going as far as creating “meat” and “eggs” from plants or cultured animal tissue. 
   
• August 24th marked the 48th anniversary of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which establishes minimum standards of care for some animals in certain industries and situations. The act has never covered animals raised for food, and in Huffington Post Green, ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker explains that “farm animals remain the most exploited and abused animals in the world.” With only a few days left until the start of the industry-proclaimed National Chicken Month, we encourage you to speak up for chickens by asking your supermarket to carry more humanely raised chicken. 
   
• Prince Poultry, a farm supplying the Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation®, was the focus of an undercover investigation reported on CNN® and released by animal advocacy group Compassion Over Killing. The investigation, which was funded through a grant by the ASPCA, has created calls for prosecution, and the farm’s owner, Tim Prince, has ruffled more than a few feathers with his response.
   
• Wool you get a load of that?! A partnership between a non-profit farm and a New York state park preserve uses privately owned ewes to mow and maintain publicly managed land. The project will eventually add sheep to its roster of “employees,” if you will, who can “help control invasive species and improve soil health.” A similar project is also starting in New York City with three tiny lambs who will be delivered to the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
   
• We can’t help but admire this little pig for his exceptional table manners!

We have a soft spot for chickens: they’re feathery and friendly, curious and even cuddly. And did you know they experience REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, associated with dreaming? But nearly 9 billion birds in this country are not living a dream. They’re suffering on overcrowded, unsanitary factory farms, bred to grow in such rapid, unnatural ways that they often collapse and spend much of their lives lying in their own waste.

At the ASPCA, we’re fighting to change this—but we need your help.

The chicken-meat industry calls September National Chicken Month, so it’s the perfect time to use your voice and take a stand for more humanely raised, healthier chickens:
 

1.      Check out our new video, “The Professor,” to learn what’s gone wrong in chicken farming and what can be done about it:

2.      Demand more humanely raised chicken right where you shop…without even leaving home! Fill out our online grocery store request letter, and we’ll make sure your supermarket gets the message.
 

3.      Spread the word. Let your friends and family know that September is National Chicken Month and there’s a lot they can do to help! Join us on Friday, September 12 at 3:00 P.M. (Eastern time) for a special Twitter chat using the hashtag #ChickenMonth. And be sure to spread the word on your social channels using the sample post below!

Chickens suffer on factory farms and they deserve better! Join @ASPCA and take action: truthaboutchicken.org #ChickenMonth
 

Thirty days and three powerful ways to help billions of animals. Cluck yeah!

When Hunan and Adore came to the ASPCA at the height of kitten season, they were less than 4 weeks old. The tiny kitties had been found together as strays, and both were suffering from untreated infections that left them with serious eye damage. Though we hoped to keep them together, we were struggling to find one family willing to take both babies home. Fortunately, two roommates from Brooklyn came along and adopted Hunan and Adore—proving that in the end, family is whatever you make of it. Here is their doubly-happy Happy Tail.

Sam and Kaylie have been sharing an apartment in Brooklyn since January, when Kaylie moved to New York from California. After a few months together, the lifelong cat-lovers realized that their apartment was missing something very important: a feline! Not content to share a cat, the roomies decided that they each wanted a furry friend of their own, and in May, they headed to the ASPCA Adoption Center.

“Kaylie and I both wanted to adopt,” Sam recalls. “We thought it would be great to adopt a pair so that when we have to leave the apartment, it will be a bit more bearable.” After meeting many cats, though, the roommates hadn’t found any that felt like the perfect fit. They were nearly ready to leave when they spotted two tiny tuxedo kittens, Hunan and Adore.

At just a few months old, Hunan and Adore were far from the adult cats that Sam and Kaylie had envisioned before their visit. But they were drawn to pair and asked to meet them. “We took them out and immediately they started running around and playing with each other and falling all over themselves,” laughs Kaylie. It didn’t take long before one duo was sold on the other. “When Hunan looked at me with her one eye in a perpetual wink, I found her so heart-meltingly charming that I knew she was the one for me,” Kaylie says. Sam felt the same way about Adore: “With the distinguishing white-dipped tail, I knew my kitten was a star.” The new foursome headed home together that very same day.

Back at home, Sam and Kaylie’s new four-legged roommates settled in easily. “There was barely an adjustment—they both took to the apartment almost immediately!” Kaylie tells us. “Having a buddy throughout the whole move seemed to give them both an added boost of courage,” adds Sam.

In the weeks that followed, things only got better. Adore quickly established herself as the “house musician,” thanks to her tendency to walk on Sam’s piano, while Hunan is known as the family “techie” who loves to pounce on phones and computers. Looking back, both Sam and Kaylie are thrilled with how their home has grown. “It was a great decision to get both cats,” Kaylie says. “They bring us so much joy every day, and we couldn’t be happier with our new roommates and family members.”

To help provide more Happy Tails for deserving animals like Hunan and Adore, please consider making a donation to the ASPCA today.