Hero Holds Out for the ASPCA

The Hero Initiative, a nonprofit that benefits comic book creators, held an event last week at Flatiron Joe’s in Manhattan to pay tribute to comic book legend Mike Wieringo, best known for his work on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four.

Mike passed away on August 12th of this year after a heart attack. The Hero Initiative and the ASPCA were Mike’s “two ‘pet’ charities,” according to Hero’s blog entry on the event, which raised over $4,000 dollars—half of which was donated to the ASPCA!

This overwhelming outpouring of generosity has us wanting to buy a whole lot of comic books! The Hero Initiative is a really awesome and unique cause. We all grew up with comics, and continue to decorate our cubicle and office walls with them—thanks to Hero for reminding us to show some appreciation for the geniuses behind the artwork.


Walter Simonson, Amanda Connor, Jimmy Palmiotti and more came to Flatiron Joe's to do some sketches.

Photos: © 2007, Marvel Characters, Inc.

Do You Feed Your Dog Chicken Jerky?

If you feed your dog chicken jerkey, you're obviously a loving pet parent who wants to spoil your pooch with yummy treats. But to be on the safe side, you might want to choose another treat for a while.

FDA update from the Center of Veterinary Medicine:

The Food and Drug Administration is cautioning consumers of a potential association between development of illness in dogs and the consumption of chicken jerky products also described as chicken tenders, strips or treats. FDA has received more than 70 complaints involving more than 95 dogs who experienced illness that their owners associated with consumption of chicken jerky products.

To date, FDA has not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses. FDA has conducted extensive chemical and microbial testing but has not identified any contaminant. Many of the illnesses reported may be the result of causes other than eating chicken jerky.

For more information, please visit the FDA's website.

For general pet nutrition tips-- check them out at our website's pet care section.

See, Told Ya Cats Were Sweet

If you want to know the truth about the mysterious ways of felines, ask your cat. Cat won’t talk to you? Well, neither will ours. We had to settle for getting some info from the second-best source—their human roommates.

Last month, in order to complement the launch of Feline-ality™, the kitty component of the ASPCA®’s Meet Your Match™ shelter adoptions program, we invited cat lovers across the country to take a fun online survey detailing adventures in life and love with their kitties.
Nearly 12,000 people responded, and get this— when 50 percent of pet parents called their cat’s name, rather than yawning, their kitty’s response was akin to: “Here I am, bright-eyed and bushy tailed!”

Harumph. And cats get a bad rep for being aloof. Way to show ‘em, kitties. By the way, it’s much more rewarding when your cat comes running to you than when a dog does. Most dogs will run to anyone, but with a cat—you’ve gotta earn it.


Check out more of our surprising and funny survey findings.

Cat Chat with ASPCA Expert -- TODAY!

Why does my cat purr in my arms one second and swipe at me the next?

Will my kitten ever realize he can’t get to the birds he sees from our window?

I fell in love with a cat at our local shelter who seemed to shun everyone but me. Will she like my kids, too?

Anyone who lives with a cat—or wants to—knows how quirky felines can be. Kitties have minds of their own, but that’s why we love them. Here to help us decode these quizzical creatures is the ASPCA’s Dr. Emily Weiss, who will join us for a live online chat today from noon to 2:00 P.M. She’ll be standing by to answer all of your questions about why cats relate to humans, dogs, each other and the world at large the way they do.

Dr. Weiss is the ASPCA’s Senior Director of Shelter Behavior Programs and the developer of Feline-ality™, the first research-based adoption program for cats in shelters. To join our chat this afternoon and ask Dr. Weiss all about feline relationships, visit our community forums at www.aspca.org/community. Please note, you’ll need to sign up (it takes seconds), if you haven’t already.

Bravo! Recalled Three Products

Bravo! has voluntarily recalled three products due to potential contamination:

Product: Bravo Original Formula Chicken Blend frozen raw food
Reason for recall: Salmonella, Listeria

Product: Bravo Original Formula Turkey Blend frozen raw food
Reason for recall: Listeria

Product: Bravo Basic Formula Finely Ground Chicken frozen raw food
Reason for recall: Salmonella, Listeria

Bravo!’s website reports:

The recalled products should not be sold or fed to pets. Pet owners should return unopened frozen tubes of food to the store where purchased for a full refund. Pet owners should dispose of opened tubes of product in a safe manner example, a securely covered trash receptacle) and return the washed plastic batch ID tag to the store where purchased for a full refund.

There have been no known illnesses reported in relation to these products. For more info, visit Bravo!’s FAQ list.

But Did He Serenade the Shelter Animals?

Peter Yarrow visited our shelter this afternoon! Yep, that would be the Peter in Peter, Paul and Mary. He dropped in to surprise his assistant, Rachel Jackson, for her birthday (Happy Birthday, Rachel). Rachel is a volunteer dog walker here. Maybe some of Peter’s do-gooder spirit rubbed off on her…

While visiting, the folk singer met ASPCA President & CEO Ed Sayres and toured our recently renovated adoption center. Peter is the proud parent of a rescued Jack Russell-Chihuahua mix named Zackie, and recently penned a best-selling children's book titled—well, whaddya know!—Puff, the Magic Dragon.

You rock, Peter—thanks for stopping by!

'Nuff said...

Another Horse Down in Central Park

Last Friday Smoothie, a 13-year-old carriage horse in New York City’s Central Park, was spooked by the loud drum of a nearby street performer. She broke free and "ran nearly a block along the sidewalk on the southern edge of the park before colliding with the tree," said the ASPCA’s Joseph Pentangelo, Assistant Director, Humane Law Enforcement. Not only did the poor mare die, but her frantic galloping startled a second horse, who broke free and crashed into a Mercedes on the street. The driver was unharmed, and so was the second horse.

Another scared Central Park horse died only months ago. Both stories received plenty of attention from the media and otherwise. Carriage drivers are clamoring for better conditions for their horses, while New Yorkers are clamoring for the horses to receive better treatment from the carriage horse industry. Interesting timing, given the press release the ASPCA issued just a couple of weeks ago:

"The Audit Report points to, among other things, the lack of required number of inspections of horse-drawn carriages, an absence of veterinary examinations in the field, and the presence of too many passengers in carriages. The lack of designated formal hack stands also results in horses who must often stand in
their own waste without shade or water. Eleven recommendations were made in the report to address the findings, including how the oversight for the monitoring of such guidelines will be established in the future."

To read up on the ASPCA's involvement with horses, visit: http://www.aspca.org/pro_equinecruelty.

Who Let The Dogs In?

Canines at Shea Stadium were sporting blue and orange tonight, showin' some signature doggie loyalty to the New York Mets.

The game was a nail-biter as the Metsters tried to obliterate the Phillies' smug mugs and erase all memory of their previous sweep (oh, I cringe, I cringe). I watched the game from my couch at home, hoping they'd show more shots of the cute dogs in the crowd who were happy to sit in the stands, tails wagging, no matter what was going on at the plate. We should look to these furry wise ones to learn the meaning of a true fan.

Four paws up to the Mets and the North Shore Animal League for hosting Dog Night at Shea. Tickets for the poochies were 5 dollars (part of the proceeds went to the shelter). I know that lots of water and space were provided, and the dogs looked comfy as can be from what I saw on TV. I didn't hear anything about how their..er..bathroom needs were accommodated. If you know, fill me in!

By the way, we went into extra innings. For us, that meant additional heart failure and panic attacks. For the dogs, it meant more time to sneak fallen crackerjacks from underneath the seats. If you must know, we lost, and only the four-legged ones in the crowd left the stadium happy.

Chat With ASPCA Animal Cop -- TODAY!

Some of our Humane Law Enforcement cops have achieved celebrity status thanks to their appearance on Animal Precinct. Special Agent Diane DiGiacomo is one of them, and she'll be available today, from noon to 2 P.M., to chat with you one-on-one.

So, what to ask, what to ask? For starters, you can hit her up for behind-the-scenes info on the taping of Animal Precinct. Or log on to tell her how cool she is! I don't know about you, but I want to know what it's like to flash that badge to unsuspecting, animal-abusing bad guys on the street, right before she slaps on the cuffs. Most of these brainiacs don't even realize they're committing a crime when they harm little creatures.

DiGiacomo has been at it for ten years now, and you can bet she's seen it all. A dog abandoned in an apartment, a starving kitten, a puppy abused on the street—"I am very dedicated to protecting the animals we all cherish so much," says Officer DiGiacomo, "and I’m looking forward to chatting with a great number of animal lovers like myself."

Join Officer DiGiacomo in the ASPCA Online Community today from noon to 2:00 P.M EST, when she’ll be on hand to share her experiences with you. Please note, you'll need to log in to post your questions, so click here to sign up if you're not already a member of the ASPCA Community.

Two Heroic Surfers Save Drowning Dog

When we found this story in the Muskegon Chronicle, we just had to share it with you! Who doesn’t love the story of a man who saves a drowning dog? And this one does it with a surfboard—check it out:

The waves on Lake Michigan Tuesday afternoon "were about as big as they get," said surfer Matt Smolenski, 25, of Grand Haven. And the rip current along the Grand Haven pier was "really strong."

One of those big waves swept a man's dog off the pier around 2:30 P.M., and it was Smolenski who rode a wave in to save the struggling pet, said off-duty Muskegon Heights police officer Royce Rodgers, who witnessed the rescue. That wave caught the dog owner first and "knocked him off his feet," Rodgers said, then knocked the dog into the water. "The dog was trying to swim, but the waves were very large. It was struggling," he said. "The owner was screaming for the dog."

Smolenski saw the familiar dog owner, then said to his surfing buddy, Joe Riopelle, 24, also of Grand Haven, "Oh man, that guy's dog went in. I'm going to go for it."

"When I got to the dog, it wasn't dog-paddling anymore," Smolenski said. "He was able to grab the dog's collar," added Rodgers. "He put the dog up on his surfboard."

Smolenski got the 30- to 40-pound dog onto his surfboard and he stayed in the water, fighting the strong current to get to shore. "I got pretty tired," he said. "I had a hard time getting in myself." He was joined by Riopelle, who helped both to shore.

Nikki Sets Good Standards for Kids—By Singing Them!

Why, thank you, Nikki Granat! Our new 12-year-old friend will be singing to raise money for the ASPCA and for The Friends Of County Animal Shelters in Bergen County, New Jersey.

Proud parents Jay and Robin Granat wanted to introduce their daughter to the concept of philanthropy, and asked her to choose a charity to support. “I feel bad when I see puppies without homes and I wanted to sing to help them,” says Nikki.

Crooning classics by legends like Nat King Cole and Jennifer Holliday, Nikki is obviously no ordinary kid. So show this special songbird some love in Jersey this weekend!

Performance info:
Sunday, September 16th
2:15 P.M.
Oritani Field Club; Hackensack, NJ

To read more about how kids can help animals, check out our kid site, Animaland!

Ode to Horses

There was a time, before ye olde automobile, when horses were essential to our nation’s prosperity and development. Humans depended on horses far more than they depended on us, but no one was looking out for their welfare. The creation of the ASPCA in 1866 sought to remedy that, and we’ve been advocating for horses ever since.

Today, many Americans have never had the opportunity to interact with a horse—but while these noble animals may be out of sight for some, they are never “out of mind” for us. We are proud of our roots and successes, and regard the horse not only as an extremely intelligent, sensitive animal, but as an American icon.

Whether your home is a 50-acre farm or a 50th-floor apartment, you can help horses! Please visit our main website to see the top ten ways to help horses.

Ask Dr. LaFarge: Teaching Young People to Cope with Pet Loss

Our son Brandon, age 11, was blessed with a wonderful dog, Tasha. Returning from a walk last week, Brandon let go of Tasha’s leash to allow her to run up to the house—their usual routine. For the first time, Tasha instead ran excitedly in the road. Brandon watched as his love was crushed by a large, speeding vehicle, and then dragged five miles.

My son has been crying day and night. He says that he cannot shake the vision of the accident. Tasha was a gentle, loving, obedient dog whom Brandon turned to every time he felt sad. A hit-and-run charge was filed against the driver, but never an “I’m sorry” was heard. Brandon copes with ADHD, and now this tragic accident has compounded his emotions. What can we do to lessen his tears? Would you recommend getting another dog?
—Curtis

Curtis, I am so sorry your son is going through this, and that your family has lost a wonderful dog. It is so hard to watch a young person feel such grief. Unfortunately, the kind of loss Brandon experienced is the hardest from which to recover. It was violent, sudden and unexpected, and it is natural for him to feel anger with both himself and Tasha (for running into the road). The good news is that the loss of a pet is a chance for the family to show how it works together to get through crises.

Click here to read the rest of Dr. LaFarge’s answer.

Stephanie LaFarge is a psychologist and the senior director of Counseling Services for the ASPCA.

Get Your Stuff Together!

Of course you’d never forget to include your pet in your emergency planning. It’s just a matter of how. Here are some essential items to pack:

- Pet first-aid kit and guide book
- 3-7 days' worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food
- Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)

- Litter or paper toweling

- Liquid dish soap and disinfectant

- Disposable garbage bags for clean-up

- Pet dishes for food and water

- Extra harness and leash (Note: harnesses are recommended for safety and security)

- Photocopies of medical records and a waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires (Remember, food and medications need to be rotated out of your emergency kit—otherwise they may go bad or become useless.)

- Bottled water—at least seven days' worth for each person and pet
- A traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet

- Flashlight

- Blanket (for scooping up a fearful pet)

- Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make "Lost" posters)

We have a new product at the ASPCA online store that can be crucial to protecting your important paperwork. The Pet Grab 'N Go Bag is an element-proof storage bag that has passed rigorous testing and is virtually indestructible.

For more disaster readiness tips and information on our national disaster relief efforts, click here.

Teachers, Invite the Animal Kingdom Into Your Classroom!

Want your classroom to be aflutter with young animal lovers this September? Check out the ASPCA's Humane Education section for some great ideas on how to incorporate animal themes and humane lessons into your plans. Kids love animals—and including them in a reading, writing or math activity can make the lesson more effective and double the fun.

You'll find:

- Back-to-school classroom tips

- An animal-themed event calendar

- Downloadable lesson plans (in keeping with national standards)

- Children’s book list

And that's just for inside the classroom. We also offer service learning projects and links to volunteer opportunities that allow students to practice being humane citizens in the giant classroom outside of school.

Cascading Cat Mobile

Who wouldn't want a bunch of cats hanging around? This whimsical cat mobile will brighten any room and is especially purrfect for a child's room. It is handcarved and handpainted by artists on the island of Bali, Indonesia, from non-endangered plantation wood. The three-dimentional work of art comes fully assembled and balanced. All you need to do is hang it.

This mobile should not be used over a baby's crib. The product is recommended for ages 6 and up. (But isn't it nice that older kids get to have a mobile, for once?)

Visit our online store for more details on the product.