It happens more often than you might think: ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement (HLE) Agents receive a call about a New York City resident who, like thousands of hoarders nationwide, is housing more animals than he can care for adequately. The Agents arrive at the scene to find that, while the situation doesn’t violate the law, it has clear potential to become a cruelty case. They also know that in many cases, criminal charges fail to stop hoarding behavior in the long term.
So what can the ASPCA do in noncriminal cases? How can we help the animals involved? Enter our Cruelty Intervention Advocacy (CIA) program, created to assist HLE Agents with animal hoarding cases and to protect New York City companion animals in danger of abuse or neglect.
“Our goal is to resolve animal hoarding cases in a noncriminal matter where appropriate and address other issues that jeopardize the well-being of the animals,” says Fiona Knight, director of the CIA program. “Taking away [hoarders’] animals is not always an effective solution, and our program fills in the gap by closely monitoring each incident to stop it from spiraling out of control.”
The CIA team works with HLE Agents, social workers and local animal welfare agencies to stem hoarding cases that could become public health concerns. The program provides hoarders with education, financial aid that includes Partners in Caring grants for urgent medical care, and (mandatory) spay/neuter services—and to date it’s helped more than 20 hoarders and nearly 200 animals.
Animals surrendered to the CIA program are often transferred to the ASPCA Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital for treatment and re-homed through our Adoption Center and various shelter partners.
To learn more about this complex issue, please visit the Animal Hoarding page at ASPCA.org.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Enter the 2011 Spay Day Pet Photo Contest
To support Spay Day, The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International host the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest, presented by Zazzle—a great opportunity to celebrate our pets, raise funds for spaying and neutering, and win great prizes!
Entering the contest is easy and free—simply upload a digital photo of your pet and tell us a little about him or her. You can also enter as a memorial tribute to a pet who is no longer with us.
To apply, click here.
--From The Human Society website
Entering the contest is easy and free—simply upload a digital photo of your pet and tell us a little about him or her. You can also enter as a memorial tribute to a pet who is no longer with us.
To apply, click here.
--From The Human Society website
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Mississippi Lawmakers Consider Bill Making Animal Cruelty a Felony
From ASPCA website on January 12, 2011:
Animal welfare advocates were in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday, January 11, to express their support for a bill that would make certain instances of animal cruelty a felony in the Magnolia State.
Mississippi is one of the four states where it is not a felony to commit certain acts of animal cruelty, such as maiming a dog or torturing a cat, according to the Hattiesburg American.
Last year, a similar piece of legislation passed through the state Senate but it died in a state House committee.
Marlo Kirkpatrick, of Mississippi Fighting Animal Cruelty Together, told WLBT, an NBC affiliate, that he believes that this year the bill will get through the state legislature.
"The difference we think we have this year, we have worked all year to educate the public on the need for the bill, so we have even stronger public support than we had last year; we had very strong public support last year but that's just grown over [the] last year," he said.
The American reports that much of the opposition to last year's bill came from the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, which reportedly has strong political influence in the state.
Mississippi is one of the four states where it is not a felony to commit certain acts of animal cruelty, such as maiming a dog or torturing a cat, according to the Hattiesburg American.
Last year, a similar piece of legislation passed through the state Senate but it died in a state House committee.
Marlo Kirkpatrick, of Mississippi Fighting Animal Cruelty Together, told WLBT, an NBC affiliate, that he believes that this year the bill will get through the state legislature.
"The difference we think we have this year, we have worked all year to educate the public on the need for the bill, so we have even stronger public support than we had last year; we had very strong public support last year but that's just grown over [the] last year," he said.
The American reports that much of the opposition to last year's bill came from the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, which reportedly has strong political influence in the state.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
PAWS Offers Free Veterinary Care to Low-Income Pet Owners
From the PAWS website:
Thanks to our supporters who voted for us online, PAWS was recently awarded a $20,000 prize from Tom’s of Maine to provide free spay/neuter surgery and basic veterinary care to pets belonging to low-income Philadelphians. PAWS’ Spay/Neuter and Wellness Clinic already offers basic services to the public at low
cost, but with 25% of Philadelphians living below the poverty line, there are many who cannot afford even our reduced fees. To help, we are providing free care to pet owners to enable them to keep their pets healthy and part of the family for a lifetime. In doing so, we’re preventing the birth of thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens and reducing the number of pets surrendered to shelters.
cost, but with 25% of Philadelphians living below the poverty line, there are many who cannot afford even our reduced fees. To help, we are providing free care to pet owners to enable them to keep their pets healthy and part of the family for a lifetime. In doing so, we’re preventing the birth of thousands of unwanted puppies and kittens and reducing the number of pets surrendered to shelters.Click here to read about one pet owner who was able to keep his beloved cat thanks to this fund!
We have already helped more than 100 dogs and cats who would not have otherwise received veterinary care. To spread the word about the available services, we deploy volunteers to low-income neighborhoods to teach the importance of spay/neuter and veterinary care and help pet owners make appointments at our clinic.
We have already helped more than 100 dogs and cats who would not have otherwise received veterinary care. To spread the word about the available services, we deploy volunteers to low-income neighborhoods to teach the importance of spay/neuter and veterinary care and help pet owners make appointments at our clinic.
Who qualifies for free services?
Pet owners need to provide proof that they receive some kind of public assistance, such as Medicaid, an ACCESS card, or public housing. Those who do not qualify for free care can still access our services at our normal low-cost rates.
Pet owners need to provide proof that they receive some kind of public assistance, such as Medicaid, an ACCESS card, or public housing. Those who do not qualify for free care can still access our services at our normal low-cost rates.
What services are provided?
We offer spay/neuter surgery, wellness exams, vaccinations, and treatments for common illnesses.
We offer spay/neuter surgery, wellness exams, vaccinations, and treatments for common illnesses.
Services are provided by appointment seven days a week. We also offer walk-in vaccination clinics (no appointment necessary) on Fridays and Sundays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (for vaccinations only; no other services are provided without an appointment).
How can pet owners make an appointment?
Call 215-298-9680 or email clinic@phillypaws.org.
Call 215-298-9680 or email clinic@phillypaws.org.
How long will PAWS offer free services?
We will provide services for as long as the funding lasts, and we expect to serve 300-500 pets over a period of around six months. We are hopeful that additional supporters for the fund will come forward, enabling us to keeping serving pets after the Tom’s of Maine funding runs out.
About the fund: In September 2010, PAWS was voted one of five winners in Tom’s of Maine’s “50 States for Good” contest after a public online selection period, out of nearly 600 entrants. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to provide even more services to the neediest pets! Thanks to all of our supporters who voted for us, we are helping pets to remain as cherished family members, reducing the number of animals surrendered to and killed in city shelters, and bringing Philadelphia one step closer to becoming a no-kill city.
It costs an average of $50-100 to provide clinical care to one animal. Please donate to give a pet the care it deserves!
We will provide services for as long as the funding lasts, and we expect to serve 300-500 pets over a period of around six months. We are hopeful that additional supporters for the fund will come forward, enabling us to keeping serving pets after the Tom’s of Maine funding runs out.
About the fund: In September 2010, PAWS was voted one of five winners in Tom’s of Maine’s “50 States for Good” contest after a public online selection period, out of nearly 600 entrants. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to provide even more services to the neediest pets! Thanks to all of our supporters who voted for us, we are helping pets to remain as cherished family members, reducing the number of animals surrendered to and killed in city shelters, and bringing Philadelphia one step closer to becoming a no-kill city.
It costs an average of $50-100 to provide clinical care to one animal. Please donate to give a pet the care it deserves!
Photo courtesy of South Philly Review.
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