News Alert: August 21, 2009

1. These Little Piggies Need Real-Life Care

This summer’s Disney blockbuster, G-Force, which features an army of heroic guinea pigs wielding high-tech gadgets, may have put these cuddly rodents atop the A-list of desirable pets. But a word of caution to parents whose kids are suddenly begging to bring a guinea pig home: these docile members of the rodent family can be fragile, need spacious cages, a good amount of exercise and are expensive to care for if they get sick.

Please consider the following facts from ASPCA experts before bringing a guinea pig home:

• Guinea pigs can cost $635 per year—$705 for the first year alone. Read more about guinea pig costs
• They generally have a lifespan of 5 to 7 years.
• Training a guinea pig to use a litter box is possible, but requires lots of time and patience.
• Guinea pigs have delicate digestive systems. They require a special diet and must be fed twice daily.
• A proper cage, which should be a minimum of four square feet, needs to be cleaned daily of droppings and soiled bedding.
• Guinea pigs must gnaw to keep their ever-growing teeth from getting too long; they should constantly be provided with items to chew on, like fresh grass, hay, branches and twigs.

That said, guinea pigs make wonderful companions, rarely bite and are known for squeaking with delight when their favorite humans enter the room. If you are considering owning a guinea pig, don't buy one—there are plenty of rescues across the country who will gladly adopt their furry residents out to the right families.

Read our complete tips on guinea pig care.

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2. Hot Dog! How to Keep Your Pets Cool

Squeezing in some last days of summer in the great outdoors? Take care, pet parents: being overeager in hot weather can spell danger for our furry friends.

“Even the healthiest pets can suffer from dehydration, heat stroke and sunburn if overexposed to the heat,” says Dr. Lila Miller, ASPCA Vice President of Veterinary Outreach, “and heat stroke can be fatal if not treated promptly.”

Watch out for the following symptoms of overheating in pets:

• excessive panting or difficulty breathing
• drooling
• mild weakness
• stupor and even collapse

Pets can also suffer from seizures, bloody diarrhea and vomiting, along with an elevated body temperature of over 104 degrees.

Take these simple precautions to help prevent your pet from overheating. And if you suspect your pet is suffering from heat stroke, get help from your veterinarian immediately.

• Avoid dehydration by always having fresh, clean water available and lots of shady places where pets can cool off. When the weather’s extremely hot, keep your pets indoors.
• Give your dog a haircut to help prevent overheating. Shave the hair to a one-inch length, but never down to the skin, as fur offers protection from the sun. Brushing your cat more often than usual can also help prevent problems caused by excessive heat.
• When using sunscreen or insect repellent, be sure the product is labeled specifically for use on animals.
• Never leave an animal alone in a parked vehicle. “On a hot day, a parked car can become a furnace in no time—even with the windows open—which could lead to fatal heat stroke,” says Dr. Louise Murray, Director of Medicine at ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital.

Please visit ASPCA.org for our complete list of hot weather safety tips!

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3. ASPCA Happy Tails: Young Love

Love often lives in curious places—for Amy Springer of Manhattan, her true furry love was found in Times Square, a neighborhood not known for encouraging quiet reflections of the heart. But don’t tell Cooper, a wiggly Pit mix, whom Amy met by chance at Broadway Barks, an annual ASPCA adoption event in midtown Manhattan.

“It was an unexpected encounter,” explains Amy. “I was told about the event earlier that morning at an adoption clinic.” But the moment’s spontaneity didn’t temper her feelings one bit. “I saw Cooper and immediately fell in love with him!” she says.

Thankfully, Cooper isn’t quite as madcap as one might expect of a six-month-old puppy. “Cooper is generally very laid back and more docile than I thought he might be, since he’s so young,” Amy explains. “He’s also very social with people and other animals we encounter on our walks.”

And unlike most doggies, personal hygiene is apparently a big priority. “Every morning when I take a shower for work, he tries to get into the shower with me,” says Amy with a laugh. “Some days I’ll let him, and he just lies down and lets the water fall on him—I’m glad he likes to stay clean!”

In no time, the pup has become a constant companion for Amy and a much-welcomed addition to hers and her boyfriend’s lives. Amy adds: “Cooper is who I’ve been waiting for—he is the start of our family and our life together. He has changed our lives in the most positive way.”

Do you Twitter? Use this hashtag to tweet on this article: @aspca and #MrCleanCooper

4. Shop the ASPCA Store and Help End Animal Cruelty Today!

Shopping the ASPCA store is a fun and easy way to help animals in need. Our fabulous tees, personalized jewelry and fun pet toys all help spread the message that you love animals. Not to mention, all proceeds directly promote ASPCA efforts to help end animal cruelty! Check out some of these hot summer deals:

20% Off All Pet Care Products From squeaky plush toys to pet travel carriers, for this week only, you can save an additional 20% off all pet care products! Simply use the discount code PETCARE21.

“Let One Love You” Fitted Tee Declare heartfelt love for the animals in your life with this super soft, fitted tee—made with 100% fine jersey cotton. It’s a great gift from the heart for you or someone special in your life!

“I Heart ASPCA” Dog Tee This hot dog tee is a fun and fashionable way for your dog to make a real statement on behalf of animals. These comfy duds are designed with 100% high-quality, machine-washable cotton.

Do you Twitter? Use this hashtag to tweet on this article: @aspca and #ASPCASale

5. ASPCA.org Launches Web Pages in Spanish

We are happy to announce that ASPCA.org/espanol is up and running! Twenty of our website’s informative pages have been translated into Spanish, and more are on the way. Most of the newly translated pages cover our New York City-based services, like how to adopt a pet at the ASPCA or where to get your pet spayed or neutered—but many will interest our national readers, too, including how to recognize and report animal cruelty. ¡Bienvenidos!

Do you Twitter? Use this hashtag to tweet on this article: @aspca and #SpanishSite

6. Brooklyn Man Arrested for Neglecting Aging Pet

On August 11, Brooklyn resident Vincent Turzio, 43, was arrested by ASPCA Special Agent Kristi Adams for severely neglecting his 12-year-old German Shepherd, Bella.

Covered in urine and feces, Bella was brought to the Bay Ridge Animal Hospital, where veterinarians contacted the ASPCA about the dog’s deplorable condition. Emaciated and too weak to stand on her own, Bella was also suffering from an open wound on her hind leg that was the size of a large grapefruit. The wound was infected, and blood, bone and tissue were fully exposed.

“By the time we arrived, the vet had already made the decision to humanely euthanize the suffering dog,” explains Special Agent Adams. “Bella’s old age, coupled with the severity of her body condition and open leg wound, left the vet little choice. She had been in pure agony for some time.” The vet estimated the dog had been in this terrible state for over a month.

Turzio was charged with one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. He faces up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Learn how to recognize and report animal cruelty in your community.

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7. ASPCA Pets of the Week: Double Your Fun!

We all know dogs love to roll in packs, but sometimes cats, too, like to lounge the day away with a furry friend. If you’re thinking about adopting a kitty, why not choose a bonded pair? Take Justine and Miranda—both three years old, these sweet lassies are like the yin and yang of the feline world.

Miranda is sensitive and quiet, while Justine is an outgoing lap cat—“a dog in a cat suit,” according to our behaviorists.

“With Justine and Miranda, you get the best of both worlds!” says Katie Watts, ASPCA Senior Feline Behavior Counselor. “They need a quiet household with an adopter who has some patience, one who will be rewarded with the company of two lovely, affectionate kitties.”

If you’re interested in adopting this darling duo, please call our Animal Placement department at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120. Or to view other animals looking for homes, visit our Adoption Center online.

****Got Facebook? Won’t you please donate your status to Justine and Miranda today? Just copy and paste the following message onto your profile status to help spread the word that these kitties need a home!

[Name] is donating my status to Justine http://www.aspca.org/justine and Miranda http://www.aspca.org/miranda, cats at the ASPCA who need a new home.

Do you Twitter? Use this hashtag to tweet on this article: @aspca and #BondedCats

8. Carriage Horses Pulled from the Streets of NYC

Starting last Monday, August 10, and repeating this past week, temperatures in New York City reached and exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time this summer. According to the New York City Administrative Code, 90 degrees is the temperature at which carriage horses must stop working and be allowed to rest in their stables. As the de facto enforcer of New York City’s carriage horse laws, ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Agents were on hand to make sure carriage horse operations ceased and that the horses were safe. No medical emergencies were observed.

“Temperatures at that level only compound the already difficult job performed by carriage horses,” says Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement. “Ideally, we would like to see this industry leave New York City entirely—but until then, ASPCA Agents will continue to make sure that the carriage horses are well cared for.”

The 90-degree threshold is a strict measure of air temperature alone. The law does not take into account humidity or the extreme heat that radiates off the city’s black asphalt streets onto horses’ legs and stomachs.

The ASPCA believes that our city’s unique environment is incapable of ensuring that horses and their human passengers stay healthy and safe, and we have been fighting to get the horses off our noisy, congested streets. To learn more about the fundamental cruelty of New York City’s carriage horse industry—and to see proposed humane alternatives and solutions—please visit our partner agency, NYCLASS.

Do you Twitter? Use this hashtag to tweet on this article: @aspca and #CarriageHorses