- 1. ASPCA Pet of the Week: A Cat Meows in Brooklyn
- 2. Go Orange for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month!
- 3. Beware the Easter Lily! Download our Petoxins App
- 4. 73 Horses Seized in Upstate New York—ASPCA Reports from the Scene
- 5. Animal Action Grants Sponsored by DoSomething.org
- 6. ASPCA Happy Tails: Broken Embraces
1. ASPCA Pet of the Week: A Cat Meows in Brooklyn
Just like his namesake, Brooklyn is a favorite of ASPCA team members. This cream-colored cutie has seen some tough times, but he’s well on the road to recovery and would be a perfect fit for most loving homes.
“Brooklyn's a real sweetie, and he's been through a lot!” says Katie Watts, ASPCA Senior Feline Behavior Counselor. “He's one of those cats who's always meowing, saying ‘hi’ at the front of his cage whenever anyone passes by. He just wants to be around people!”
Brooklyn previously suffered from a swollen paw and an upper respiratory infection, but he was a real trooper through it all—always friendly and ready to say “hi,” despite weeks of treatment. Now he's feeling better and showing off his great personality. If you’re interested in caring for this sweet soul, please contact our Animal Placement department at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120. To see other animals looking for homes, visit our Adoption Center online.
****Got Facebook? Won’t you please donate your status to Brooklyn today? Just copy and paste the following message onto your profile status to help spread the word that this kitty needs a home!
[Name] is donating my status to Brooklyn http://www.aspca.org/brooklyn, a cat at the ASPCA who needs a new home.
2. Go Orange for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month!
This April, the ASPCA invites you to join millions of animal lovers across the country as we celebrate Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month. Starting four years ago as a small adoption event in New York City, the ASPCA’s April celebrations have mushroomed into a nationwide observance of the human-animal bond and our victories on behalf of animals. We encourage you to organize a pet parade in your neighborhood, get your town hall to light up in orange, or enter our Go Orange Photo Contest to show your love and support of the furry kind.
Last April was great—let’s make this one even better! Join us for April’s “Go Orange for Animals” campaign, and together we can improve the lives of animals in every corner of the country. Here are some ways you can participate:
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Snap a Photo—and Win a Prize!
Send us photos of unique ways that you, family, friends and pets have gone orange for animals! Our top 10 favorites will receive a very special ASPCA Prize Pack and be featured on our website.
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Throw a Party!
Become an ASPCA Ambassador and create your own grassroots event, inviting friends and family to sponsor your efforts on behalf of the ASPCA.
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Show Your Virtual Support
Dedicate your MySpace page, Facebook status or blog to the ASPCA during the month of April and encourage your friends to spread the word about our Go Orange campaign!
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Support Your Local Animal Shelter
Coordinate a Go Orange for Animals event with your local animal welfare group or shelter and donate the proceeds. Remember to alert local media about your event!
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Celebrate in the Big Apple
The ASPCA will kick off our Big Apple celebration with iconic city landmarks such as the Empire State Building lighting up in our signature color—orange! Then, head out to Brooklyn for a festive, healthy block party, where you can get your pet spayed or neutered for free!
What: The ASPCA’s fleet of state-of-the-art mobile veterinary clinics will be on site offering pet parents the opportunity to have their pets spayed or neutered for free. Owners of Pit Bulls and Pit mixes can also take advantage of free microchipping and vaccinations.
When: April 17, 8:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Where: Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Visit ASPCAApril.org for more ways to celebrate Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, and have a happy April!
3. Beware the Easter Lily! Download our Petoxins App
Whether you’re celebrating Easter, Passover or the arrival of daffodils, it’s time to show our pets some love by keeping them safe from one of the season’s most popular—and poisonous—plants, the Easter lily. Our feline friends are particularly vulnerable to this arresting flower, which can cause kidney failure within 36 to 72 hours of ingestion.
“All lilies belonging to the plant genus Lilium are highly toxic to cats,” explains Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President, ASPCA Animal Health Services. “Consuming even small amounts can cause a life-threatening situation.” Common lily varieties that are dangerous for cats include the Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily and certain species of daylily.
Don’t know your lily from your laurel? Check out our new Petoxins app for all of your flower power know-how! Compatible with the iPhone and iPod touch, the app includes a searchable database of plants that are toxic to cats, dogs and horses. It’s now available in the iTunes Store—download it today, and you’ll always have the life-saving information you need right at your fingertips!
For more information about harmful household flowers, check out our online guide to toxic plants. As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested something poisonous, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s 24-hour hotline at (888) 426-4435.
4. 73 Horses Seized in Upstate New York—ASPCA Reports from the Scene
On March 16, under the authority and request of the SPCA Serving Erie County, members of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team were dispatched to assist in the sheltering management and care of 73 horses seized from a farm in East Aurora, NY (about 20 miles southeast of Buffalo). More than 100 animals—including 53 cats and four dogs—were found living in extremely unsanitary conditions with little human interaction.
Jeff Eyre, the Northeast Director of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team, is currently on the scene with other ASPCA staff skilled in horse handling. The group has been instrumental in helping to feed, water and clean the animals. For the horses' extended care, the ASPCA will grant $10,000 to the SPCA Serving Erie County and has provided a livestock trailer for transport.
“Our goal is to help the SPCA Serving Erie County rehabilitate these horses, both physically and behaviorally,” says Jeff. “We are glad to be able to provide support to the SPCA and the Erie County community.”
The ASPCA team on site is providing updates on the on the horses' daily care. The following is the first in a series of field reports from Jeff on the ground in Erie County.
Field Report #1
03-26-2010
Attended an early morning briefing with team leaders to set up a swing shift for the day-to-day operations—this will cover the early morning feeding and medications. Our goal today is to finish barn and stall improvements, provide handling for a vet visit and move or separate the horses.
After the meeting, we provided food and water for the horses, improved the stalls and cleared an area for the intake of new supplies and equipment. Later, we unloaded two tractor trailers full of supplies. We also created a staff office and site command center for operations planning and evidence organization.
A special event…this afternoon we watched as ASPCA Logistics Manager Joel Lopez handled a newborn horse, moving him from one stall to another—great job!
More exclusive field reports from the Erie County operation are available on our blog.
5. Animal Action Grants Sponsored by DoSomething.org
Under 25 and passionate about animal welfare? Apply for an Animal Action Grant, sponsored by the ASPCA and DoSomething.org! Six grants will be awarded to project proposals that have the potential to increase adoptions, decrease the euthanasia of shelter animals and reunite more people with lost pets.
Visit DoSomething.org’s animal welfare section to learn more about the specific actions proven to help improve the lives of homeless animals across the country. Then submit your application by April 30! Two $1,000 and four $500 grants will be awarded, and the winners will be announced in May. Special consideration will be given to ideas that promote innovative solutions for returning lost pets to their forever homes.
All grants are open to citizens of the U.S. and Canada who are under age 25. DoSomething.org completes the initial screening for eligibility, and then forwards the applications to an ASPCA jury, which makes the final selection. For more information about our Animal Action Grants, please visit DoSomething.org.
6. ASPCA Happy Tails: Broken Embraces
If ever there was a dog on a mission to disprove the old myth that shelter dogs are “damaged goods,” Spike is that dog. This energetic black-and-white Poodle mix arrived at the ASPCA in May 2006 with a broken hind leg that required extensive surgery. Yet his physical trials did little to diminish his sunny mood or his adopter’s unconditional affection.
Michael Alber of Manhattan met Spike two months after his arrival at the Adoption Center. “I discovered Spike online on a Saturday night, fell in love and rushed to the ASPCA to see him in person the following morning,” he says. “After an interview with his doctor, I took the two-year-old home with instructions to bring him back for a vet check two weeks later.”
During his follow-up visit, ASPCA veterinarians determined that Spike’s leg wasn’t healing properly. The little trooper required another operation to install a steel plate in his leg. It was no matter to Spike, who continued to stay positive and was thrilled when he finally went home with his new pet parent. Says Michael: “Two days after the surgery, I took him home with 17 stitches in his leg, a cone around his neck and a smile on his face.”
Spike’s challenges weren’t completely over—he and his pet parent endured physical therapy sessions four times a day—but the pup grew happier and happier with each passing week. “Throughout the healing process, the smile never left his face,” explains Michael. “Within six weeks, his limp was completely gone and he could run faster than anyone in the neighborhood, including me, a marathon runner!”
Nearly four years later, Spike is thriving. “He makes new friends—both human and canine—almost every time we step outside,” Michael says. “Spike continues to be the happiest, friendliest animal I have ever known.”