News Alert: July 28, 2011

1. You Can Help Pets in Hot Cars

Rayne Nolte was in the parking lot of a Mankato, Minnesota, mall last week when she spotted Roxie, a Yorkie mix, trapped in a car. The temperature was 88 degrees with a heat index of 103, and the car's owner was gone.

You may have found yourself in Rayne’s situation before. Many pet parents believe that cracking a window is enough to keep their dogs cool in the car while they make a quick pit stop—but they couldn’t be more wrong. "Automobile temperatures can very quickly rise to dangerous levels; the average temperature increase in a parked car is 40 degrees, and the majority of this increase occurs in the first 15 to 30 minutes," says Dr. Louise Murray, Vice President of ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital. When it’s 80 degrees outside, your car will be a staggering 114 degrees after 30 minutes!

Worse still, dogs can’t cool themselves down as easily as people, and once they overheat, they can suffer extensive organ damage or die. Luckily, Rayne made all the right moves. Follow her lead by taking these simple steps.

Step 1: Try to Locate the Pet Parent
Roxie’s people were nowhere in sight, so Rayne called mall security, who tried to find Roxie’s family through the loudspeaker. (You can ask most stores to do this.)

Step 2: Educate
Rayne couldn’t find Roxie’s pet parents, but if you do, explain the dangers of leaving a pet in a hot car. Make sure the pet gets out of the car as soon as possible.

Step 3: Call 911
Fourteen states have enacted specific laws that protect dogs in hot cars, as have many municipalities—but even in places lacking such a law, leaving an animal in a hot car may constitute cruelty.

Rayne and the mall security officers dialed 911. When the police pulled Roxie from the steamy vehicle, she was very ill but soon on the road to recovery.

Step 4: Pat Yourself on the Back
Pets are counting on people like you to save their lives. Rayne rescued Roxie just in time, and she made a full recovery! And according to the Mankato Free Press, the pet-sitter who left Roxie in the car was charged with a petty misdemeanor.

For more ways to help animals beat the heat, please visit our Pet Care pages.

2. Your Favorite $100K Challenge Shelter on a T-Shirt!

The ASPCA’s second annual $100K Challenge officially begins on August 1! Fifty shelters across the nation are going head-to-head, challenging themselves and their communities to save more lives in the next three months than they did over the same period last year. The ASPCA will award the winner a $100,000 grant—and you can help! Spread the word about your favorite contestant by rockin’ these custom-produced items from the ASPCA Online Store:

2011 $100K Challenge: Personalized Items Are Here!
You helped get your shelter into the running for the $100K grand prize—now you can continue to show your support and raise awareness! Choose between two designs and several colors, then select the shelter you’re supporting and we’ll create a unique T-shirt ($19.99) or mug ($9.99) personalized to your specifications!

The following shopping tips are brought to you courtesy of the recent heat waves:

Too Hot for Spot?
Our Dog Car Safety Thermometer is designed to raise awareness of the possible hazards of leaving pets in vehicles on warm days. Clings easily to car windows and works instantly!

Designer Bottle 'N Bowl Bag
It’s so important to take water with you on your warm-weather outings, and this all-in-one water carrier will help both you and your pets stay hydrated. **By the way, the ASPCA Store’s entire selection of travel items is currently 15% off, no checkout code necessary!

You can feel good about shopping with us, because all net proceeds of your purchases go to support our life-saving programs all over the country. For more tees, toys, gifts and pet supplies, visit the ASPCA Online Store 24 hours, seven days a week.

3. ASPCA Pet of the Week: Understanding Samantha

Samantha is a lovable kitty with lots of potential to be one of those unforgettable, extra-special pets. She loves to follow people from room to room and show off her larger-than-life personality. If your ideal pet is a feisty and fabulous kitty who plays hard and loves hard, read on!

In January, Samantha took a shelter break in a foster home, and her former foster mom had lots of great things to say about her: “We have come to love Samantha dearly, and hope that someone will appreciate this beautiful girl for what she is...a quirky little sweetheart of a gem just waiting to be discovered!”

Why does it take an experienced cat parent to understand this sleek little lady? “She is really affectionate, but definitely prefers it on her terms, and she will let you know when it's time to stop,” says Samantha’s foster mom, who advises: “Give her plenty of space to roam and stretch; she is high-energy at times and loves to chase a laser light or feathers on a stick.”

If you live in an adults-only home and think this kitty is a purrfect match for your household, please call our Animal Placement department in New York City at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120. To view more animals looking for homes, visit our Adoption Center online.

Want to help Samantha find her forever home? Please share this page on Facebook and Twitter. Let’s help this sweet kitty find a family!

4. On Your Mark! ASPCA $100K Challenge Blasts Off

Yes, it’s true. We’re just days away from the kick-off of the second annual ASPCA $100K Challenge, when shelters around the country will engage in a friendly, three-month-long competition to save more animals’ lives. Now that you’ve purchased a T-shirt and mug to sport your support of your favorite shelter, it’s time to get out and spread the word.

This weekend and next, our 50 Challengers are pulling out all the stops to get this party started right. From all-night adoption parties to special promotions (hello, free cats!), these events are sure to get the public pumped up to adopt a pet and help their local shelters find more pets more homes than ever before. The animals are counting on you!

For a full list of festivities near you, or to learn more about the $100K Challenge, please visit http://challenge.aspcapro.org/.

5. ASPCA Happy Tails: What’s in a Name?

When the ASPCA entered Aurora’s life, things started looking up. The six-year-old hound mix had been living in a filthy, overcrowded “shelter” in Tennessee when our Field Investigations and Response Team arrived to take her to safety in June 2010.

Aurora was taken to ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in NYC, where she received treatment for a severe case of heartworm, as well as lots of love and socialization from ASPCA staff members. Though she came to us a shy dog wary of the sounds of the city, during her year at the ASPCA, Aurora blossomed into a goofy social butterfly and staff favorite.

Although Aurora became available for adoption in February 2011, the senior dog still hadn’t found a home by July. Then David Cruz and his wife saw her on ASPCA.org, and her life changed for the better once again! Mrs. Cruz, whose name just so happens to be Aurora, was tickled by the serendipity of the matching names. “I guess you can call it fate,” says David, “and there was just something about Aurora, on top of the fact that she was adorable.”

David Cruz went to visit Aurora and “once I saw her, my heart just melted,” he says. “The first thing I said was, ‘I gotta get my wife down here.’” When the Cruzes learned that Aurora had been at the ASPCA for more than a year, David says, “that just made us want her more. We wanted to give her a home and a place where she could be loved.”

Upon arriving at the Cruzes’ house, Aurora sniffed around a little, then found a cozy place and made herself at home as if she’d lived there for years. The Cruzes are in love with their newest family member and couldn’t be happier to have their new dog—who is still named Aurora!

Check out our Happy Tails archive for more adoption success stories straight from the heart.