News Alert: May 1, 2009

1. Your Stories: Fighting Animal Cruelty, One Action at a Time

In early April, we asked you to help us celebrate Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month by telling us how you have prevented animal abuse in your communities. Boy, did you deliver! We received hundreds of remarkable stories, from a law enforcement agent who helped get the first animal cruelty conviction in Daytona Beach to folks who care for feral cat colonies. Thank you all for making a difference!

Check out these amazing stories of animal lovers just like you who took a stand against cruelty.

2. ASPCA Guide to Caring for Pets in Their Final Days

Will My Pet Show Signs that He Is Ready to Pass Away? How Can I Tell if My Pet Is in Pain? What Is Pet Hospice Care?

One of the most difficult moments pet parents face is the death of a beloved animal. “Because it is so hard to anticipate the loss, pet parents very often avoid being properly informed about the last moments of their animal companion’s life,” says the ASPCA’s Dr. Stephanie LaFarge, Senior Director of Counseling Services. “The most important thing you can do is make a pet's last months and days as good as the rest of her life has been.”

The ASPCA End-of-Life FAQ guides pet parents in giving the highest quality of care to an animal companion as she approaches her passing. Tips in our guide include:

• Minimize your pet's discomfort or pain by having her examined by a vet and treating any health problems she's experiencing.
• Keep track of your pet's quality of life by asking your veterinarian to inform you of symptoms associated with your pet’s condition.
• Keep a daily record of your pet’s behavior, noticing if she seems confused, has lost her appetite or seeks out unusual places to hide.
• Make an elderly pet feel secure by surrounding her with her favorite things, like a warm blanket or special squeaky toy.

“It is important to be as informed as you can about your pet’s normal behavior,” reminds Dr. LaFarge. “Being aware that your pet is expressing signs of discomfort or distress will give you every chance to ameliorate her suffering so that your pet's final days are peaceful and dignified.”

Let our experts guide you in caring for your pet during his final days. Read the complete ASPCA End-of-Life FAQ.

3. ASPCA Job of the Week

Are you a math whiz? The ASPCA is looking for an Accounts Payable Manager to oversee daily processing and payment of invoices and to develop a strong internal system for account coding and authorization. Our ideal candidate has advanced knowledge of accounts payable procedures in a digitized environment—including financial software—and five years’ experience in a similar role. If you’re a thorough numbers guru with a love of animals, we’d love to hear from you!

The ASPCA offers generous benefit packages for full-time employees. Please submit your resume and salary requirements for our prompt consideration.

4. ASPCA Happy Tails: The Sound of Music

Back in January 2004, camerawoman Louisa Griffith-Jones was working on the film crew of a popular Animal Planet series featuring the work of the ASPCA's Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) officers—know which one we mean!?

“It was amazing to film Animal Precinct and show people the harrowing work HLE officers do,” Griffith-Jones says. “We followed the agents around the five boroughs as they investigated animal cruelty, seized abused animals and arrested perpetrators.” One day, while filming at the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Hospital, Griffith-Jones walked by a cat with bandaged feet, sitting in his kennel on a cushion. “He gave the biggest meow I'd ever heard,” she says, recalling her first meeting with Chatterbox, a stray who’d been found in the Bronx, unable to walk on burned footpads. While healing in the hands of ASPCA veterinarians, it became clear how this kitty got his name. “The vet techs informed me that Chatterbox meowed this special way whenever he saw me,” admits Griffith-Jones. “Apparently, I was adopted!”

Though this little survivor now goes by the more dignified moniker of Alfie, his vocal talents are regularly put to good use. “If Alfie can't find me, he yowls very loudly until I find him,” Griffith-Jones tells us. “And when he travels in the car with me he sings, yowling joyfully at everything he sees.” Griffith-Jones remembers the filming of Animal Precinct as a tough job, but the benefits far outweighed the pain. “Not only did we help make people aware that they can help animals who’ve suffered, but I met Alfie, an amazing character who completely enriches my life. He’s just gorgeous and continues to sing—rather loudly—the praises of his happy life!"

5. Can My Pet Catch Swine Flu?

Don't worry, pet parents! The recent, rapid outbreak of the H1N1 virus, previously known as swine flu, appears to present little risk of infecting our furry friends. In the past few weeks, only humans have been affected by the new virus, and it's still unknown how the virus will impact other species.

"Currently there's no data demonstrating any risk of dogs and cats contracting this strain of the virus," says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Hospital in New York City. "However, owners of pet pigs, as well as farmers, should monitor their animals' health more closely and take steps to limit transmission from humans to pigs and vice versa."

If you do count a pet pig as your animal companion, please consult with your veterinarian about a Type A influenza vaccine, which is available and recommended for all healthy swine.

Dr. Miranda Spindel, Director of ASPCA Veterinary Outreach, adds: "Swine influenza or swine flu is one of the leading causes of respiratory disease in swine throughout the world. Like most influenza A viruses, swine flu generally causes high levels of illness in pigs, but fatalities are uncommon."

For the latest information about the outbreak and your pet's health, please visit the Center for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu). If you suspect your pet is ill or if he exhibits any sudden changes in behavior, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

Read the ASPCA's official statement on swine flu.