If, on the other hand, this commercial works its magic on you and you decide it's time to adopt a(nother) cat who needs a home, visit www.animalhumanesociety.org/iwant for more information.
Posts tagged "aspca"
It's nice to see a new ASPCA adoption commercial without having our tears jerked by some sappy Sarah McLachlan song. Don't get us wrong; this ad is going to manipulate your emotions just as hard, but wouldn't you rather be made to consider taking home a needy cat because you have a heart full of warmth rather than eyes full of tears? And if you already have as many pets at home as you can handle, simply sit secure in the knowledge that you've done your part, and enjoy all the cuteness of a talking-animals fantasy world without all the done-to-death pidgin language and endless cheeseburger requests.
If, on the other hand, this commercial works its magic on you and you decide it's time to adopt a(nother) cat who needs a home, visit www.animalhumanesociety.org/iwant for more information.
Share
If, on the other hand, this commercial works its magic on you and you decide it's time to adopt a(nother) cat who needs a home, visit www.animalhumanesociety.org/iwant for more information.
Jesse Oldham
In addition to running her own nonprofit feral cat protection and advocacy organization, Slope Street Cats (2004-2009), she's since worked extensively with the NYC Feral Cat Initiative including teaching Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) certification workshops and working as a humane trapping coach.
What do you do?
Right now I work at the ASPCA. My title is Senior Administrative Director for Community Outreach.
What is your history with feral cats?
Honestly, I had no idea what a feral cat was until about 2002. I moved to an apartment in South Slope, Brooklyn, and the area was just overrun with cats ... I tried to rescue what I could and start adopting them out, and then I realized, there were these other cats left over [that] I couldn't touch ... I couldn't get near them.
Sponsored Links
The garbage can -- especially if it is overflowing with holiday trash -- contains big risks for your pet. Alamy.
"The holidays are a dangerous time for pets," says Ann Hohenhaus, DVM, DACVIM, at The Animal Medical Center in New York City, who specializes in oncology and small animal internal medicine.
So what can you do to ensure this really is the most wonderful time of the year for your cat or dog? We spoke with Dr. Hohenhaus to find out about the most common reasons pet owners visit her emergency clinic during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.
Top Holiday Dangers
1. Trash. Sure, you probably know whether your cat or dog is a garbage forager by now, and are normally very vigilant about keeping it out of your pet's reach, but during this busy time of year when unaware company can throw off family routines, a "pet is more likely to get in the trash," says Dr. Hohenhaus. There they'll find foods and other objects they shouldn't -- but will want to -- eat.
2. Unusual foods. Overindulging your pet with fatty treats, like gravy or too much turkey or ham, can cause upset stomach and even pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Onions, garlic and scallions can damage dogs' red blood cells. Symptoms you can expect include lethargy and red discoloration in the dog's urine. And as you probably know, chocolates are a no-no.
3. Decorations. The worst combinations are cats and tinsel, and cats and wrapping-paper ribbon, says Dr. Hohenhaus. Curious cats are likely to swallow these enticements, "which causes their intestines to bunch up, and cuts into intestinal wall, so cats can't pass food through the intestinal wall normally," says Dr. Hohenhaus. "It requires surgery to cut these out surgically." "Don't have icicle tinsel on tree at all," she cautions.
Holiday lights are also risky temptation to pets, according to the Washington State University's College of Veterinary Medicine website, which recommends humans, "check cords for any signs of bite marks, loose or frayed wires, proximity to the tree's water supply, or evidence of short circuits." Electrical shock that could result can cause burns, difficulty breathing, abnormal heart rhythm, loss of consciousness, and death, the website warns.
Door Number 3 / Austin Humane Society
Click to Give: The ASPCA and Walmart have teamed up for a cool new initiative with an even cooler name: Lend a Paw. Every day that you visit the Lend a Paw Facebook page and click on the Lend a Paw tab, Walmart donates $1 (up to $100,000) to the ASPCA. And, if you're in the Miami area on May 1, you can help even more by attending the Pet Care Fair, an event sponsored by Walmart to benefit the ASPCA.
Sharing is Caring: The Austin Humane Society, with the help of ad agency Door Number 3, has come out with a series of adorably funny videos featuring shelter dogs and cats, proving that animal shelters and rescues don't have to use guilt trips and sad puppy eyes to convince people to adopt and donate. Share the videos with your animal-loving friends, and spread the word that shelter pets are cool!
United States Postal Service
Set to debut April 30, these adorable 44-cent stamps promote shelter animal awareness and encourage adopting homeless animals. The stamps will be available for purchase at your local post office, or pre-order online.
ASPCA Donates $1,000,000 To NYC Homeless Pets
Through the nonprofit Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, a coalition of animal rescue groups, the ASPCA will funnel a million bucks to help the city's needy animals. While the NY Daily News reports that it's not yet clear whether any of those funds will aid the recently slashed budget of New York City Animal Care and Control (the nonprofit currently contracted to run the shelters in the city), it is certain that some of the money will go toward transferring animals from shelters to rescues and aid low-cost spay-and-neuter programs.
Shortlist For Large Conservation Prize Announced
Six finalists have been announced for the $100K Indianapolis Prize for Conservation, and it looks like big cats and marine animals are popular this year. The finalists are Snow Leopard Conservancy founder Rodney Jackson, Cheetah Conservation Fund founder and executive director Laurie Marker, Blue Ocean Institute founder Carl Safina, University of British Columbia seahorse expert Amanda Vincent, Mexican conservation strategist Gerardo Ceballos and Iain Douglas-Hamilton, the president and chief executive of Save the Elephants. The Indianapolis Prize was initiated by the Indianapolis Zoo and is the "the largest individual monetary award for animal conservation in the world and is given as an unrestricted gift to the chosen honoree."
Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog meets Frankie the Walk 'n' Roll Dog.
Sparkles -- who you might already know -- met up with another special dog, Frankie, to teach school children some very important lessons. Fire safety was a big part of the presentation, but they also focused on how to handle adversity and being different, something with which Frankie, a dachshund in a wheelchair, is quite familiar. And that's not all. These tech-savvy dogs shared their message with a Canadian classroom via Skype.
Westminster-winning Sadie's got nothing on Prince. The three-legged pit-bull mix won "Best in Show" at a shelter dog talent competition at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The two-year-old wowed the crowd at the New York City event by catching three baseballs thrown by his handler/pitcher.
Prince's major league talent won over the judges, who included singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, actress Bernadette Peters, ballroom dance champion and So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Melanie LaPatin, and Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Joseph Pentangelo.
Prince lost his leg after being hit by a car, but Gail Buchwald, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA Adoption Center, said Prince's disability doesn't hold him back. "The talent show demonstrates the resilience of these wonderful dogs," Buchwald also said, "but the real prize will be finding their two-legged soul mates and homes to call their own." Yes, Prince and the other competition contestants are up for adoption. Visit ASPCA.org to learn more about adding him to your team!
Share
Prince's major league talent won over the judges, who included singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, actress Bernadette Peters, ballroom dance champion and So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Melanie LaPatin, and Assistant Director of ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement Joseph Pentangelo.
Prince lost his leg after being hit by a car, but Gail Buchwald, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA Adoption Center, said Prince's disability doesn't hold him back. "The talent show demonstrates the resilience of these wonderful dogs," Buchwald also said, "but the real prize will be finding their two-legged soul mates and homes to call their own." Yes, Prince and the other competition contestants are up for adoption. Visit ASPCA.org to learn more about adding him to your team!
Flickr/Muffet
According to the ASPCA, the avocado plant contains a substance called persin. "Different species of animals have different toxic reactions to avocados," said Dr. Tina Wismer, the senior director of veterinary outreach and education at the ASPCA. "Animals such as birds can develop respiratory distress, fluid build-up around the heart, and death. Horses, rabbits and goats can develop both mastitis [inflammation of the mammary glands] and cardiac problems. They also get a build-up of fluid under the skin in the face and chest."
"In dogs, cats and ferrets there are no reliable reports of poisoning," she added. "However, dogs commonly ingest the pit and it can get stuck in the digestive tract."
One other thing to keep in mind: different varieties of avocado contain different amounts of persin. So even if your pet rabbit or horse has eaten avocados without a problem in the past, the same might not be true in the future. The common Guatemalan variety seems to be the most worrisome, the ASPCA notes. And avocado leaves contain the most persin, Wismer told Paw Nation.
So what's the verdict? If you have a pet bird, horse, or rodent, absolutely keep it away from the guac. If your dog adores avocados, he can probably keep on enjoying them. Just make sure to keep those pesky pits far out of reach!
Flickr/BigTallGuy
The ASPCA Poison Control Center recently released a list of the top 10 poisons that affected cats and dogs in 2009. So take note, and be sure keep these toxic substances far away from your pets in 2010!
Human Medicines
Human drugs were the top cause of pet poisoning in 2009, the ASPCA reported. Last year, the Poison Control Center managed more than 45,000 calls from people whose pets had swallowed pills such as pain relievers, cold meds and antidepressants.
Insecticides
One of the most common insecticide problems was misuse of flea and tick products. Make sure to talk to your vet about how to properly use these products.
Human Food
Most people know chocolate is dangerous to dogs. But did you know that grapes, raisins, avocados and products containing xylitol (like sugar-free gum and candy) can also be harmful to your pets?
Plants
Dozens of common houseplants, including azaleas, rhododendrons, sago palm and kalanchoe are dangerous for pets. Lilies are particularly toxic for cats, and can cause deadly kidney failure.
Vet Medicines
Almost 8,000 cases of pet poisonings in 2009 involved pets that were given medicines incorrectly. Make sure you follow instructions and talk to your vet about how to safely apply over-the-counter and prescription medicines for your cat or dog.
To celebrate the joy of New Yorkers' favorite companions this holiday season, the ASPCA and host Cindy Adams sponsored their first-ever ASPCA Holiday Blessing of the Animals at Christ Church in New York City on Sunday. Pets of all shapes and sizes gathered with their doting owners as the non-sectarian service honored companion animals. Take a look at some of the precious pets who attended the service.
Share
The ASPCA will be handing out 10 Humane Awards on October 29, reports USA Today. Among the recipients are law-enforcement agents involved in the largest dog-fighting raid ever; a couple whose ranch is now a sanctuary to about 70 animals; and, of course, Nora the Piano-Playing Cat, the ASPCA's 2009 Cat of the Year.
Wait, what? The mewing musician isn't being rewarded for her mad musical skills (although she's better at tickling the ivories than some of us here at Paw Nation), but for the way she's raised the profile of shelter pets. You see, shelter pets aren't just sad, furry faces waiting to be rescued. They're animals with lovable personalities and talents, and Nora is proof. You just never know who's going to steal your heart (and maybe the spotlight) at your local shelter or rescue!
Check out the ASPCA Website for a full list of 2009 Humane Award winners.
Brooklyn Decker hosts "It's Raining Shelter Cats and Dogs"' with ASPCA president Ed Sayres. Photo: ASPCA Young Friends Benefit
On October 8th, Brooklyn Decker, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and 22-year-old wife of tennis pro Andy Roddick, played honorary chairperson for this year's "Young Friends" annual fundraiser for the American Society For the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
Well-heeled and fashionably attired New Yorkers poured into the glamorous Frank Gehry-designed IAC Building in Manhattan to support the ASPCA, drink cocktails, eat cupcakes and bid on silent auction items ranging from a signed and framed photograph of the cast of NBC's "30 Rock" to a vintage photograph of Babe Ruth.
As flashbulbs exploded, Decker, wearing a gray mini-dress embroidered with sequins -- "It's French Connection!" she announced -- cuddled one of the adorable dogs available for adoption through the ASCPA.
"I actually wanted to be a veterinarian when I was little," she revealed to Paw Nation. "Anything I can do to get young professionals involved in helping the ASPCA, I'm happy to do." An inquiry into the whereabouts of her husband, who was not at the party, prompted Decker's publicist to interject, "No questions about Andy tonight."
Presumably, he was at home with the couple's year and a half old English Bulldog, Billie Jean. Yes, as in the tennis legend. "Billie Jean King loves the name," laughed Decker. "She's even offered to dog sit for us." Billie Jean (the dog) loves to lay on her back and snore, said Decker. We hope, after her long night, Decker joined in with her family for some Zs.
"If I could only reach that one spot!" Photo: doug88888/Flickr
Spot-on flea and tick treatments are liquid pesticides typically applied to the skin between the animal's shoulder blades or along the back. Some of those products, like Advantage, are sold only through licensed vets. Others, like Frontline and Hartz, are available in retail stores. But don't let that difference fool you. Spot-ons from vets and from pet shops can contain the same chemicals, and they're subject to exactly the same regulations by the EPA. "EPA is looking at all the spot-on products, regardless of formulation, regardless of manufacturer," said Kemery.
Spokespersons for both Bayer Animal Health (which makes Advantage and Advantix products) and Hartz said they haven't seen a rise in adverse effects from their products. They and other manufacturers of spot-on products are working closely with the EPA to get to the bottom of the story, Bob Walker, spokesman for Bayer Animal Health, told us.
The news of the EPA analysis has left many pet owners feeling confused and frightened. But is the problem as scary as it sounds? Steven Hansen, senior vice president of the Animal Health Services at the ASPCA, told us he's skeptical that adverse reactions to spot-on products have increased so dramatically. He points out that the spike in reported problems came just after the widely publicized pet-food recall of 2007. "The pet-food recall raised awareness for reporting issues with animals to a level we haven't ever been anywhere near," he said. "I really wonder if there's not just a much greater awareness and a greater reporting."
Here at Paw Nation, we do whatever we can to help you keep your pets safe and sound. That's why we've teamed up with Petside.com on the Pet 'Net Safety Event 2009. Read on to see what common household items may be dangerous for your pets, or check out Petside.com to read more safety tips for your pals.
Share
Officer Annemarie Lucas consoling a beagle and investigating a possible cruelty case. Photo: ASPCA
Name: Annemarie Lucas
Job: Supervisory Special Investigator, Humane Law Enforcement Department of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
What is the Humane Law Enforcement Department?
We are a law enforcement department within the ASPCA. We have nothing to do with the New York City or state police. We are a mini-functioning police department within a humane organization, which is kind of cool.
That is cool.
A lot of people don't realize that the ASPCA is the oldest humane organization in the country. We were the first and have been around since 1866 when the state of New York granted us the power to do law enforcement to protect animals. Our founder, Henry Bergh, realized that animals needed protection against abuse.
How do you describe what you do?
We are the animal police. We investigate crimes against animals, meaning cruelty -- whether it's neglect of an animal or physical abuse of an animal.
What types of animals do you protect?
Dogs, cats, and horses are the main animals that we see in the city, but we protect all animals against cruelty.
Do you do anything else besides investigations?
That's all we do. We don't do animal control. We're not picking up stray dogs on the street. When someone sees a dog starving in their backyard, or they know an animal is being beaten by a person, we would investigate those claims and certainly make arrests when appropriate.
What geographic area do you cover?
We handle the five boroughs of New York City [Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island], so we are very busy. We are New York state peace officers, meaning we can go statewide, but we spend 99.9% of our time in the city.
How busy is your job?
We have 20 officers and handle over 5,000 cases a year.
How long have you been an animal cop?
Thirteen years. They hadn't had a female officer in many years when I came on board, so I kind of paved the way for other female officers.
What made you want to be an animal cop?
I've always loved animals. I actually wanted to be an actress on Broadway when I was a kid. I went to college and got a Fine Arts degree and came to New York like thousands of other young girls to pursue an acting career, and it just fizzled out. I didn't really have the heart and soul for that type of work. So I gave that pursuit up and I started working at an animal shelter in Long Island, and that's where I saw my first cases of abuse.
How did you make the transition to your current job?
It just sort of hit me -- this is the job I'm supposed to be doing, I'm supposed to be helping animals. Then I learned of the ASPCA position of law enforcement officer. I sent a resume and it happened very quickly for me, so it was like it was meant to be.
Click to read more.
Advertisement
Time-Lapse Tortoise Noms Salad
