News Alert: July 31, 2009

1. ASPCA Health Alert: Are Your Pets Protected from Rabies?

In response to a rabies warning issued last week by the New York City Department of Health, the ASPCA would like to remind pet parents across the nation that it is essential to keep your pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. Recently, six raccoons from three different New York City boroughs (Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx) tested positive for rabies.

While there are treatment options for humans who have been exposed to rabies, our pets are not so lucky. The best-case scenario is that your pet will be required to enter a six-month quarantine period in an approved facility—the worst-case scenario is immediate euthanization.

“It goes without saying that neither you nor your pet should ever approach a wild animal. This is doubly true, of course, when there is a confirmed case of rabies in your area,” says Patrick O'Keefe, Vice President of the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. “I also caution against letting dogs off-lead in forested parks—they could get into a scuffle with a rabid raccoon and you might not even know it.”

ASPCA veterinarians advise that all dogs and outdoor cats be vaccinated against rabies. Because cats can occasionally experience serious side effects to certain types of rabies vaccines, the decision to vaccinate a strictly indoor cat is best left to a veterinarian and the cat’s guardian. Although in many parts of the U.S., vaccinating cats against rabies is required by law, ask your veterinarian about the new feline rabies vaccine, which has been designed to be safer for cats.

Read more about dogs and rabies.

Read more about cats and rabies.

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2. Summer Sale at ASPCA Online Store—This Week Only

Fighting cruelty is now cheaper than ever! The ASPCA Online store is having a summer sale, with 20% off all apparel through Wednesday, August 5. If you've got a passion for anti-cruelty fashion, check out the gear we’ve got lined up for you and your furry friend:

Clothing Sale for the Pet Passionate! From today until Wednesday, August 5, all clothing in the ASPCA Online Store is 20% off the original price. Wear your passion on your sleeve with our hoodies, sweatshirts, tees and more. Shoppers, please use code: APPAREL24.

Hours of Tasty Tugging Treat your dog to some yummy play with the Squirrel Dude chew toy. Just load with yummy treats and watch him go! As your pooch gnaws on this bouncy toy stuffed with kibble, tasty treats will fall through the opening, rewarding and encouraging him to play for hours.

Canine-Inspired Charm Treat yourself to our rhodium-plated Heart U Back handwoven bracelet. No bones about it, this little jewel will decorate your wrist and remind you of all the goofy fun your pooch brings into your life.

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3. ASPCA Happy Tails: Ladies Man

In May 2009, when the three-year-old Pug mix formerly known as Joe Jackson arrived at Animal Care and Control in New York City, the poor little guy was suffering from severe neglect.  He had an excruciatingly tender, dangling paw, and veterinarians at the shelter determined that he’d been in pain for two to three weeks. Joe was transferred to the ASPCA, where his left leg was removed.

It wasn’t an easy road for Joe—but by all accounts, he made great strides during his weeks of recovery at the ASPCA. In early July, he was made available for adoption and feeling well enough to participate in Broadway Barks, our annual adopt-a-thon in Manhattan. But before the big event, on Friday, July 10, certified trainer Cheryl Loiacono of Albertson, NY, received an email from us about the pup and was instantly smitten.

“I just knew!” Cheryl says. So she immediately called our Adoption Center and arranged to visit the shelter the next morning, before Joe made his way to Times Square for the adopt-a-thon. The rest is history, as they say—the pup still went to the big event, but he was already spoken for.

Nearly a month later, the pooch has a new home, a new name—George!—and a new life with four fabulous ladies—one pet mom and three four-legged sisters. 

“He’s terrific!” says Cheryl. “George has a great disposition and gets along well with my three other girls, all rescue dogs.”

Not to worry, though, this little Puggy hasn’t grown soft surrounded by all this maternal affection. “Sometimes the girls get a little annoyed because they’re older and want to relax, while George just wants to play,” Cheryl laughs. “But he’s doing great and making friends.”

“It’s nice to have a man around again,” she adds. “He's as sweet as can be and I adore him—I really do.”

For Twitter Users: What do you think? Tweet on this article. Include @aspca and #LadiesMan

4. ASPCA Jobs of the Month

The ASPCA is searching for self-motivated team players with outstanding interpersonal skills to fill a variety of roles in our organization:

Senior Director of Farm Animal Welfare Want to help improve the lives of farm animals? Our ideal candidate will develop plans to support the ASPCA's advancement of farm animal welfare. You'll be asked to keep up with trends, attend conferences and create messaging to the public regarding our work in this important area. A graduate degree and at least 3 to 5 years of full-time experience in this field is a plus.

Senior Veterinary Assistant of Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics The ASPCA is searching for a Senior Veterinary Assistant to provide essential medical support for our Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics. Our ideal candidate has at least five years’ experience in veterinary care, including surgery, pre- and post-operative and emergency care, and animal restraint and treatment. If you’re a team player with excellent customer service skills, a driver’s license and a commitment to spay/neuter, you could be the one!

Part Time Public Outreach Assistant Want to make a difference in your neighborhood? As a Mobile Clinic Public Outreach Assistant, you’ll meet and greet clients at the ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics and represent the clinic in local communities. If you have at least two years of work experience, excellent communication and customer service skills and an interest in working with diverse populations to promote spay/neuter, we’d love to hear from you!

Assistant to Direct Response Department We're looking for a detail-oriented go-getter to take charge of the administrative needs of our Direct Response department. You’ll handle office needs, data entry and management of the department newsletter, as well as directly assisting the department’s coordinator. Our ideal candidate has excellent communications skills and knows computer word processing, spreadsheet applications and how to create PowerPoint presentations.

Read our complete list of current positions for hire.

5. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Hale and Hearty Meatball

Perhaps his photo says it all—Meatball’s a get-along Pit Bull with a great sense of humor and energy to boot. He’s the perfect pooch for the active pet parent looking for a companion to hit the park—and the pavement—for fun in the sun. But don’t forget the sunscreen! This little Meatie’s snow white fur makes him prone to sunburn.

Now three years old, Meatball originally came to the ASPCA in early 2007, but his winning personality translated into a speedy adoption by a pet-loving family from New Jersey. Proving once and for all that Pit Bulls can be sweet pushovers in the right home, he lived peacefully for two years with the family’s cats, rabbit and ferret. But sadly, this animal lovefest didn’t last—the family lost their home and had to return sweet Meat to the ASPCA. That’s where you come in—Meatball is ready and waiting for another home. So why not give this tender niblet a try? If you’re interested in adopting, get on the horn to our Animal Placement department at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120. To view other animals looking for homes, please visit our Adoption Center online.

****Got Facebook? Won’t you please donate your status to Meatball today? Just copy and paste the following message onto your profile status to help spread the word that this pooch needs a home!

[Name] is donating my status to Meatball http://www.aspca.org/meatball, a dog at the ASPCA who needs a new home.

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6. Mutilated Horse Rescued; ASPCA Offers $2,500 Reward

On June 30, a grey filly was found roaming the desert near Round Mountain, an isolated mining community roughly 235 miles southeast of Reno, NV, close to the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA). The two-year-old horse had been the victim of a horrendous act of animal cruelty—the hide of her left hip, where the owner's brand was located, had been cut off in a six-by-eight inch patch, and the skin removed to make sure the filly could not be traced back to her owner.

NDA officials gently rounded up the horse and transported her to their emergency holding facility, where she was fed, watered and her wound treated by a vet. She was later transported to Return to Freedom, a wild horse sanctuary that eventually contacted her new forever home, a horse sanctuary outside of San Diego called Horses of Tir Na Nog. (Both are recipients of the ASPCA Equine Grant Fund.)

Efforts have now shifted from the horse’s rescue to finding the person responsible for her mutilation and abandonment. The ASPCA has joined forces with the Humane Society of the United States in offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrator, bringing the total reward to $5,000.

Says ASPCA President & CEO, Ed Sayres, "Abandoned horses are the result of a struggling economy and the unscrupulous overbreeding of horses around the country. The solution involves educating breeders and owners about responsible horse care.”

Questions regarding this case should be directed to the Nevada Department of Agriculture at (775) 738-8076.

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Photo Credit: Return to Freedom