News Alert: April 24, 2009

1. Secondhand Smoke: Silent Killer Hurts Pets, Too
2. ASPCA Happy Tails: Mercury Rising
3. Facebook Users: Add Our New App, Orange for ASPCA
4. Last Call for Entries in the Go Orange Photo Contest
5. Your Stories: Coming In From the Cold
6. ASPCA Job of the Week

1. Secondhand Smoke: Silent Killer Hurts Pets, Too

Health officials often talk about the dangers of living with a smoker, but few pet parents are aware that our animal companions face similar risks—from respiratory problems to cancer—when exposed to secondhand smoke. New research suggests that secondhand smoke is unsafe at all levels—for humans and pets—so it's time to get serious about ditching those butts for good.

One recent study shows that nearly 30 percent of pets live with at least one smoker. This is a grave concern, according to Dr. Sharon Gwaltney-Brant, Medical Director of the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, since secondhand smoke can damage the nervous systems of both cats and dogs.

"Tobacco smoke has been shown to contain numerous cancer-causing compounds, making it hazardous for animals as well as humans," says Dr. Gwaltney-Brant. "Exposure to secondhand smoke can cause many of the same harmful inflammatory changes in the airways and lungs of dogs as their human counterparts."

Cats who live with smokers are prone to developing malignant lymphoma, perhaps as a result of ingesting carcinogenic residue when it settles on their fur. Kitty's canine counterparts are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke's respiratory effects, and can develop life-threatening nasal and lung cancers.

Nicotine—found in cigarettes and other tobacco products—is also highly toxic to animals if ingested. A dog who accidentally eats tobacco may develop weakness, muscle twitching, decreased breathing rate, and finally collapse, coma and possibly death. The ASPCA strongly recommends keeping your pet away from tobacco as well as secondhand smoke.

In honor of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month this April, why not resolve to avoid smoking around your pet? Smoke outside and preserve the lungs of your two- and four-legged family members. Or better yet, toss those cigarettes in the trash—your pet will thank you! For more information about protecting the health of your furry friend, please visit the ASPCA’s Guide to Pet Care.

2. ASPCA Happy Tails: Mercury Rising

Though ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement officers get the satisfaction of seeing homeless and abused pets rescued, they don't always get to see how their work impacts the lives of adopters. On December 2, 2008, while investigating a deceased dog left in the yard of a North Bronx apartment complex, Special Agent Henry Ruiz found four pit bull mixes locked in undersized crates, setting in motion a story that would forever change one New York City cancer survivor's life.

Suspecting a dog fighting operation, Ruiz did the only thing he could legally do at the time. He warned the alleged owner to replace the crates with larger ones and took photos of each dog. One of them, two-year-old Mercury, caught his eye. "She had a beautiful, friendly face. She certainly wasn't a fighter," Ruiz recalls. "I had a gut feeling that I'd be seizing these animals and taking them to a better place."

Ruiz got his chance on New Year's Eve, when an informant tipped him off that the dogs had been moved to a vacant apartment. He wasted no time in having the unattended dogs seized and relocated from the city shelter to the ASPCA's Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, where they were all found to be severely emaciated.

By mid February, Mercury had experienced a 78 percent increase in body weight, and was soon ready to be adopted. Enter Queens resident Audrey Harrison, who visited the ASPCA Adoption Center on March 31. Audrey was fighting breast cancer for the second time and, as she put it, "The chemo was kicking my butt!" She'd just been discharged from a week-long hospital stay and was determined to go home with the dog of her dreams. Guess whom she fell in love with?

Mercury—now a 46-pound lap dog whose many loves include human feet (with or without shoes) and any game that involves a ball—is leaving her past in the dust and having a wonderfully healing effect on her new mom.

"My oncologist thinks it's fabulous that I adopted Mercury!" Harrison enthuses. "I can't do strenuous exercise, but I love getting up early to walk her. Because of her, my energy's up and my outlook's bright."

P.S. The pups rescued along with Mercury were adopted into loving homes, too.

3. Facebook Users: Add Our New App, Orange for ASPCA

You may as well admit it—you love to talk about your pet to anyone who will listen. And who better to listen than thousands of other animal lovers who are just as pet-passionate as you are? You'll find them on Facebook when you add our new application, Orange for ASPCA.

When you share your pet's story on Orange for ASPCA, other animal lovers can leave you a comment, and even vote for your story as their favorite. You can also virtually adopt an available dog or cat from the ASPCA Adoption Center and gift the pet to your friends.

Download the Orange for ASPCA Facebook application today, and have fun exploring while you help us end animal cruelty. Don't forget to download the ASPCA Toolbar, so you can raise money for the ASPCA without spending a dime—and win cool prizes and merchandise!

Add the Orange for ASPCA Application.

4. Last Call for Entries in the Go Orange Photo Contest

We've been asking everyone to go orange in celebration of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month—and that includes your four-legged family members, too! Send us your best shot of your pet sporting orange gear—entries in the ASPCA Go Orange Photo Contest are being accepted now through April 30. The top ten winners will be featured on our website in May and receive an ASPCA Prize Pack. All species of companion animals are invited to enter—everyone looks good in orange!

P.S. Need some inspiration? Check out these fun pix of people around the country who’ve gone orange for animals this month.

5. Your Stories: Coming In From the Cold

One evening after a big snowstorm in January 2008, Ken De Koven pulled into his driveway and noticed his wife on her hands and knees, peering under the porch. "It turns out she was investigating a mewing sound," Ken tells us. Shining a flashlight under the house, the couple saw a shivering cat, her fur coated in ice. "My wife reached her arms out, and the cat came willingly," Ken remembers.

The couple brought the cat inside and began drying her off. "We noticed she was not only freezing," explains Ken, "but her left ear had been bitten or chewed off, and was still bloody." They immediately drove to the local animal hospital. "We signed a Good Samaritan form, which allowed the hospital to treat her before turning her over to the local shelter," says Ken. "We left knowing she was safe and in excellent hands."

However, before the couple had even pulled out of the parking lot, Ken's wife turned to him and said she wanted to keep the cat. "That totally shocked me!" exclaims Ken. "We were both dog people and had never even had a cat."

After verifying with his doctor that living with a cat wouldn't be a problem for Ken, who has asthma, the couple called the veterinary hospital to inquire about the kitty's condition. The vet explained that the ear injury looked worse than it actually was, and that the cat was being treated with antibiotics. "While all the tests showed she was in excellent health, the vet said she was severely underweight," says Ken. "She was only four pounds!"

And so the family brought home their new cat, whom they named Arwen, to meet the resident cairn terrier and golden retriever. "Arwen was soon on her way to a full recovery," says Ken, "and has not only taken over the house, but our hearts. It is clear to us that we were meant to hear her cries for help, because she knew she had found her home—with us!"

6. ASPCA Job of the Week

Do you live in the Heartland? The ASPCA is looking for a Legislative Liaison based in the Midwest to track and process animal-related legislation in several states, including IL, MO, IN, WI, IA, MN, NE, KS, ND and SD. Our ideal candidate has a law degree and at least two years' experience working in state legislation or lobbying at the state or federal levels. If you're an exceptional self-starter with a passion for grassroots and animal advocacy, you could be the one!

This position is home-based and requires moderate travel. The ASPCA offers generous benefit packages for full-time employees. Please submit your resume and salary requirements for our prompt consideration.

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