- 1. ASPCA Happy Tails: Two Cats Are Better than One
- 2. ASPCA Store Helps You Be Prepared; Plus, Get 20% Off Jewelry!
- 3. CT Tethering Regulation Bill Passes, Goes to Governor
- 4. Subaru Donates Customized Animal CSI Vehicle to the ASPCA
- 5. Farm Owner Charged with Multiple Counts of Cruelty in Erie County, NY
- 6. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Happy Together
1. ASPCA Happy Tails: Two Cats Are Better than One
When mellow brothers Mist and Miki (now Misty and Mickey) first arrived at the ASPCA, they were bonded boys who looked practically identical. But their personalities—Mist was the shy guy, while Miki liked to investigate the scene—told a different story. They soon found their way home with Fiona McCormack of Manhattan, who is anything but a third wheel in this happy family.
ASPCA: How did you first meet Misty and Mickey?
Fiona: I met Mickey just before Thanksgiving 2009. At the time, his brother Mist wasn't up for adoption, or even out with the other cats, because he was so shy and withdrawn. But I brought Mickey home and he settled right in. He soon became such a good buddy that I couldn't imagine what it would be like without him.
ASPCA: How did you come to adopt Mist?
Fiona: I started wondering if Mickey might be getting bored at home while I was at work all day, so in February 2010, I called the ASPCA to see if I could adopt Misty, too. When I met him, he was very shy, easily frightened and much smaller than Mickey, but I could see the resemblance. I just couldn't leave him, so I took him home.
ASPCA: How did he adjust to his new home?
Fiona: Misty stayed under the bed for a good long while, and then Mickey started to sit with him. One day, Misty came out and claimed the rest of the apartment. Now he loves to jump up on the couch, bed, windowsills and my lap.
ASPCA: Do Misty and Mickey have any funny habits or behaviors?
Fiona: They mostly spend their time sleeping, often next to each other, or play-wrestling. My friends and family have bought various cat toys for them, but the toy they love the best is one they received over the holidays. It's beat up and frayed, and I've had to tie it back together a dozen times, but it's their favorite thing—one of them will often bring it to me, or even jump up on the bed with it in the morning.
ASPCA: What do the boys mean to you and your family?
Fiona: They're both such good cats, and so funny in so many ways—I feel grateful and happy every day to have brought them home.
Read more touching tails of furry fate in our Happy Tails archive.
2. ASPCA Store Helps You Be Prepared; Plus, Get 20% Off Jewelry!
When it comes to emergency situations, how does your home measure up? From natural disasters to everyday injuries, pet guardians need to take extra steps to make sure their furry friends will be safe and cared for—and that means having the right tools at your disposal before you need them.
Pet First Aid Kit
With an astonishing 126 items, this attractive and convenient kit can be used for medical emergencies prior to receiving the professional care of a veterinarian.
Grab 'N Go Bags
These 12 x 12-inch zip-lock bags are waterproof and virtually indestructible. Get one for each pet; they’re perfect for transporting vet records, photos, medicine and other must-haves during an emergency.
Travel & Safety Gear
When space and time are of the essence, don’t be caught without the gear you need to strap in, transport and nourish your cats and dogs.
Already kitted out with emergency supplies for your pets? How about a little something for yourself? Check out our extensive line of jewelry, which is 20% off when you use the code SpringJewelry20 at checkout from May 21 to 25! View our jewelry at the ASPCA Store.
3. CT Tethering Regulation Bill Passes, Goes to Governor
Great news, animal advocates: Connecticut Senate Bill 274, legislation to prohibit the dangerous and inhumane chaining/tethering of dogs, proved victorious in the final hours of the state’s legislative session, passing overwhelmingly in both the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday, May 4. SB 274 addresses some of the worst aspects of dog chaining.
“Passage of SB 274 was necessary because Connecticut’s cruelty law has been insufficient to remedy the abuses of dog chaining,” explains Debora Bresch, Esq., of the ASPCA Government Relations Department. “It is imperative that dogs not be forced to suffer on short, tangled chains, trapped in ill-fitting collars, or otherwise be exposed to risk of strangulation or injury. Endangering dogs in this way is inhumane and, tragically, can make them aggressive, transforming our best friend into a public safety hazard.”
SB 274 will now go to Governor Rell for her approval. Once it lands on her desk, the Governor has 15 days to either veto SB 274 or sign it into law—if she chooses to do nothing, the bill will become law by default.
After the hard-fought battle in the legislature to get SB 274 this far, we must ensure that the bill is not vetoed and actually becomes law—so if you’re a Connecticut resident, please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to email Governor Rell and politely urge her to sign SB 274 into law.
As always, we encourage animal lovers to join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade to receive important, timely news about pending animal-related legislation in their states and in Congress.
4. Subaru Donates Customized Animal CSI Vehicle to the ASPCA
On May 12, at the Third Annual Veterinary Forensics Conference in Orlando, FL, the ASPCA unveiled our newest mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) response vehicle, a 2010 Subaru Outback generously donated by Subaru of America, Inc. The Outback is customized specifically for our Veterinary Forensics team, and will help support and expand the work we are able to do with our Mobile Animal CSI Unit, a state-of-the-art laboratory on wheels.
The new CSI response vehicle will be used for field work to transport animal victims, store evidence from crime scene investigations and provide access to areas that are typically off-limits due to challenging terrain. It is outfitted with many unique features, including a slide-out cargo floor, evidence refrigerator, laptop computer station and exterior power outlets. The vehicle will be based in Gainesville, FL, with Dr. Melinda Merck, the ASPCA Senior Director of Veterinary Forensics.
Dr. Merck is one of nation’s premiere forensic veterinarians and often provides expert testimony in animal cruelty trials around the country. In 2007, she was instrumental in assisting with the recovery and analysis of forensics from Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels—work that helped to produce evidence that led to a guilty plea. With the addition of the ASPCA’s custom CSI vehicle, Dr. Merck can continue to do her essential work and ensure that perpetrators of animal cruelty receive proper punishment.
Action Tip: Want to help crack down on cruelty in your community? Get to know your local animal control officer! Search our database of nearly 3,000 community SPCAs, humane societies and animal control organizations to find the person responsible for enforcing animal cruelty laws in your area.
5. Farm Owner Charged with Multiple Counts of Cruelty in Erie County, NY
Last Friday, May 14, investigators from the SPCA Serving Erie County (NY) charged Beth Hoskins with 10 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty after 73 horses, 53 cats and four dogs were found living in deplorable conditions on her Erie County, NY, farm. She faces up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine per count. While Hoskins’ attorney maintains his client’s innocence, the accused is scheduled for arraignment on May 26 in Aurora Town Court. To date, the total cost of the investigation, including animal care, has exceeded $110,000.
“These are some very serious charges,” says Jeff Eyre, the ASPCA’s Northeast Director of Field Investigations and Response. “It’s important to remember that each animal involved was abused.”
Eyre was one of several members of the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team deployed this past March to assist in what has been declared the largest farm animal rescue in the area. For more than two months, the team oversaw the sheltering and care of the horses recovered from the scene. By April 30, all of the remaining horses had been transported to new foster homes. "We achieved our goal to rehabilitate these horses, both physically and behaviorally," reports Eyre. "These are now happy horses, and I could not have asked for a better ending."
To read more about this case and the charges filed against Beth Hoskins, visit our Raids and Investigations page.
6. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Happy Together
Choose Twix! This darling Lab mix was one of more than 400 animals rescued from a severely overcrowded animal shelter in Clarksdale, MS, earlier this year. It’s been a tough road for many of these dogs, who suffered from an array of medical conditions, including mange, injuries and bite wounds sustained as a result of living in tight cages.
After several months of TLC, Twix is getting more confident and learning how to play with others. Initially wary of new people, she's happiest in the company of other dogs and would do best with a compassionate, experienced adopter.
If you’re interested in adopting sweet Twix, please contact our Animal Placement department in New York City 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 Twix today? Just copy and paste the following message onto your profile status to help spread the word that this doggie needs a home!
[Name] is donating my status to Twix http://www.aspca.org/twix, a dog at the ASPCA who needs a new home.