Pet Care

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today welcomed the new federal rule issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requiring facilities regulated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) to create contingency plans for emergencies to better protect animals during disaster situations. The facilities will be expected to develop a plan detailing how they will respond to and recover from potential natural disasters and other emergencies that could affect the animals in their care.

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) announced today that its Animal Poison Control Center has officially handled 2 million cases since its inception in 1978. The record breaking call involved a domestic longhair cat whose owner suspected exposure to a new houseplant.

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today released the findings from a recent poll of more than 1,000 pet guardians across the country, which has uncovered new data on people planning for their pets' futures in the event that the human caretaker dies. The survey shows that while most do some planning, few pet parents take the necessary steps recognized by law to ensure their pets are taken care of when they pass away.

NEW YORK—In anticipation of winter storm Nemo, the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) urges pet owners to make preparations ahead of the blizzard to keep their families and pets safe.

NOTE: For current information on the ASPCA’s Spay/Neuter programs in New York City, please visit ASPCA Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic.

NEW YORK—According to a new list released today by the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), the Labrador retriever led the pack when it came to cases handled by its Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). The APCC, headquartered in Urbana, Ill., handled more than 180,000 cases about pets exposed to possibly poisonous substances in 2012 – and nearly 14,000 of those calls were from worried Lab owners whose naughty pups got into things they shouldn’t have.

NEW YORK— The warmer spring weather is finally approaching, and the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is urging all pet owners, especially those who live in multi-story residences, to place screens in their windows to prevent their pets from falling out—incidents commonly referred to as “high-rise syndrome.” Unscreened windows pose a serious danger primarily to cats, although dogs and other pets are also susceptible. These types of falls can result in serious injuries or even death.

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) has expanded its Cruelty Intervention Advocacy (CIA) program with the addition of a social worker and a caseworker who will work alongside animal response professionals to provide critical resources to pet owners who find themselves and their animals in unstable situations.