News Alert: September 11, 2009

1. ASPCA Rescues 25 Dogs from Queens Hoarder

On August 19, the ASPCA, NYC Animal Care & Control and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals worked in tandem with local police to rescue 25 dogs from an animal hoarder in Queens, NY. After a carefully planned intervention led by the ASPCA, the hoarder, a man in his mid-50s, voluntarily relinquished the dogs.

While neighbors had long been complaining to each other about the excessive barking and horrible smells coming from the house, it took several years for anyone to contact authorities. Officials were finally tipped off after a neighbor complained to various city agencies about the constant barking, vile stench and the ever-increasing number of animals in the residence.

The dogs—mostly Beagles, Miniature Pinschers and mixes of the two—were living in squalid conditions and suffering from an array of medical conditions including parasites, fleas, overgrown nails and mange. Four of the dogs are pregnant.

"Hoarding situations are complex and depending upon a number of factors, including the mental health status of the hoarder, they may or may not be referred to the criminal justice system," says Allison Cardona, ASPCA Director of Disaster Response. "It is vital that authorities be notified of hoarding situations so that steps can be taken to ensure the protection of the animals. This kind of problem will not go away by itself. It will only get worse. That is why people need to speak up!"

The ASPCA also worked closely with Adult Protective Services because, as in many of these cases, the hoarder himself was in need of medical attention. "Like many psychological conditions, there are probably multiple underlying causes for animal-hoarding behavior. These are not situations that can or should be handled by animal welfare agencies alone," explains Cardona. "The ASPCA will continue to work with Adult Protective Services to monitor this man's behavior. Without intervention and monitoring, the relapse rate for hoarders is 100 percent."

The surrendered dogs are recuperating in several shelters, and ASPCA animal behaviorists are currently working with seven in particular. "These dogs have never been socialized, walked on a leash or run around in a yard," says Cardona. "Their future pet parents will need to be especially caring, patient people, willing go the extra mile."

For more information on animal hoarding, visit ASPCA.org.

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2. Pet Health Alert: Cancer Prevention in Older Dogs

Cancer is not only a risk for human beings—it can affect our canine companions, too. "Veterinary research estimates that the incidence of cancer in older dogs ranges from 50 to 75 percent," according to Dr. Louise Murray, ASPCA Director of Medicine at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital (BMAH).

Such high numbers of the disease may have to do with innovations in pet health care, such as vaccines and deworming. “Nowadays, more pets are protected from parasites, heartworms and viral disease,” observes Dr. Murray. “As a result, they are living longer and developing cancer in their old age.”

Veterinary oncologists are also detecting cancer more often and at earlier stages with the help of sophisticated diagnostic tools such as ultrasound, CT scans and even MRIs for pets.

Though we cannot prevent all cancers, there are certain steps pet parents can take to greatly diminish the chances of their animal companion contracting the disease:

• Spaying and neutering pets before their first heat cycles can significantly reduce the occurrence of mammary tumors and helps prevent ovarian, uterine and testicular cancers.
• If you notice a mass on your pet's skin, have it examined immediately by a veterinarian. If it is cancerous, have it removed as soon as possible.
• Don't allow your pet to be exposed to cigarette smoke.
• Use pet-formulated sunscreen on vulnerable, fair-skinned pets.
• Avoid chemical lawn products, which are proven to cause cancers in pets, including bladder cancer and lymphoma.

Read ASPCA veterinary tips on diagnosing, treating and preventing cancer in dogs.

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3. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Belle de Jour

Want to add some furry fun to your fam? Adopt Bella! She’s an enthusiastic, three-year-old Pit Bull mix who just wants to play fetch and run around with a human playmate. This free spirit doesn’t want to share you either and prefers to live in a dog and cat-free household—one where she has your undivided attention and affection.

“Bella is an energetic pooch looking for a pet parent who has time to exercise with her every day,” says Marny Nofi, ASPCA Administrative Assistant and Behavior Coordinator. “She loves to learn new tricks, especially if you have a treat!”

So stuff your pockets with biscuits and high-tail it over here—Bella won’t be at our Adoption Center forever. If you’re interested in adopting, 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 Bella 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 Bella http://www.aspca.org/bella, a dog at the ASPCA who needs a new home.

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4. ASPCA Happy Tails: Golden Girl

As summer comes to a close, many pet parents are starting to nest, cozying up their homes for short days and chilly nights. For Elisabeth Komito of Astoria, NY, the changing season inspired the adoption of a new furry, four-legged roommate—her first pet since moving out of her childhood home.

Elisabeth first met Pinky—a seven-year-old kitty with multi-colored eyes—on August 29 at the ASPCA Adoption Center in Manhattan, and adopted her less than a week later. Now unofficially known as “Pinky-Lee,” this outgoing feline has settled easily into her new digs and proved once and for all that older cats make fantastic companions.

“She's a remarkably well-adjusted cat,” says Elli. “I took her home, and within ten minutes of letting her out of the carrying case, she explored the apartment and settled down on my bed for a nap. An hour later, she was on the living room floor, on her back, and totally relaxed.”

Not the most demure of elder ladies, Pinky doesn’t hesitate to show her delight over physical affection. “I discovered that if you scratch just the right spot under her chin, her hind leg will thump like a dog's when you hit the sweet spot,” Elli says. “It's so adorable!”

But Pinky’s no pushover—she’s still a cat, after all. Elli explains: “She loves to play, but on her terms. Basically, she'll wait until whatever you're dangling is within arm's reach before she even considers pouncing.”

Elli acknowledges that she has become “an obnoxiously proud pet parent,” and looks forward to adding to her furry brood, as long as Pinky allows it. She adds: “It's been less than a week, and already I can't imagine my life without her. She's definitely one of the best decisions I've made since moving to the city. I love her so much—she's the most amazing cat I could ever ask for.”

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5. Vote on Your Favorite Video: Dog Days of Summer

Last month, we launched the Dog Days of Summer Video Contest by asking you to show us how your pups were reveling in the season. After carefully poring over many adorable and hilarious video submissions, we’ve narrowed them down to our top five favorites. We’ve got everything from the classic dog-versus-hose showdown to an elaborate Pug fantasy sequence (complete with slo-mo and costuming, of course). Check ‘em out and tell us which one you like best!

The creators of all five featured videos will receive the ASPCA prize pack seen here, but your top three winners will get additional goodies! Get your vote on, and we’ll announce our gold, silver and bronze “Dog Days” video champions in October. Thanks to everyone who entered!

View videos and vote now

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