Pet News: February 2008 Archives

Cape May’s outdoor cats are in serious danger. Passage of proposed Beach Management Plan on the table will mean the end to Trap-Neuter-Return. Instead, the outdoor cats will be caught and killed.

Despite much outcry, the City Council still plans to vote on the plan on March 4. This is a death sentence for outdoor cats.

The city is in a terrible predicament. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are essentially holding an unrelated program hostage until the city council approves a flawed, ineffective beach-management plan that would lead to the trapping and killing of the local stray and feral cats.

Alley Cat Allies is leading the grassroots campaign to stop this cruel program from becoming law. You can be a part of this movement:

First, sign the petition to the Cape May city council to resist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service pressure to kill cats. Your signature will show that you care about the cats of Cape May.

Next, help Alley Cat Allies expose this issue on a large scale by attending a Rally and City Council Meeting on Tuesday, March 4 in Cape May. E-mail alleycat@alleycat.org to let Alley Cat Allies know you are attending.

The Rally starts at noon Tuesday, March 4, outside Cape May's City Hall, 643 Washington St., Cape May, NJ.

The City Council meeting starts at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, in the City Hall auditorium.

This is Judy, a 7-year-old tri-color beagle that spent her entire life outside in a pen. Lucky for her, she's at the Hillside SPCA now, where she will be loved and adored until she finds an INSIDE home.

Judy needs a Guardian Angel to help with costs of surgery for a mammary tumor, likely the result of not being spayed and having puppies.

Judy needs this tumor removed; Hillside's hope is to have that surgery for her, at which time she will also be spayed, thereby ending her exposure to the heart-breaking cycle of unwanted litters and health issues resulting from remaining intact.

Judy and daughter Jolie, both at Hillside, are happy-go-lucky gals and deserve a good life.

Find out more

Juno was diagnosed with pulmonary stenosis, which means that she was born with a valve in her heart that is too small to pump blood properly. She seems fine now, running and playing, but as she grows, her heart will not be able to keep up. If untreated, two thirds of pups with this condition don't make it to their first birthday.

Surgery is expected to cost between $2,000 and $3,000 and there is 75 percent chance she will be perfectly healthy after.

Read more about Juno

From Dogs Deserve Better:

On Friday (Feb. 22), Tammy Grimes was sentenced to 300 hours community service for a "people organization." She was also ordered to pay for the cost of the trial. (Note: this is not court costs, but trial costs, two different things. Trial cost covers the jurors lunches, the sheriff's wages, and the bus driver's salary.) This was justified by the judge because she said that Grimes chose to go to trial over ARD, therefore she should have to pay for it. Isn't it every person's right to go to trial? Does that right come with a price tag? Interestingly enough, according to Grimes' attorneys, this is RARELY done. The costs were around $1,700.

She was also ordered within 10 days to take everything Doogie-related off of any site she "has control or influence over." We will be appealing most, if not all, of the sentencing ASAP.

From Dogs Deserve Better:

Tammy Grimes will be sentenced Friday, February 22 at 11a.m. in Courtroom 1 at the Blair County Courthouse, 423 Allegheny Street, Hollidaysburg, PA.

If you can come early and bring a sign to protest her conviction and the continued inadequacies of the Blair County Court system, it would be much appreciated. Any questions, please call the office at (814) 941.7447.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support during this ordeal with and for Doogie, who truly did deserve better.

Find out more about the case at www.dogsdeservebetter.com.

From Hillside SPCA:

Sixty cats, many blind -- 10 dead and more dying -- abandoned in a home and living in three inches of feces, without food or water -- this is what Hillside staff and rescuers found when they responded to a call from the landlord of a rental property in Auburn, PA, on Friday.

From information the neighbors can supply, a woman lived in the property with her deceased mother's cats, but abandoned them sometime last week leaving a note saying she couldn't care for them. The landlord had investigated when neighbors remarked they didn't see footprints to or from the house after a recent snowstorm. Upon finding the horrendous conditions, Hillside SPCA was contacted for assistance.

Becky Moyer, feline manager, believes the blindness many are suffering with is due to being kept in rooms where the windows were blocked from allowing in light. The shelter immediately supplied food and water, then started the rescue effort, removing some cats on Friday and continuing to remove and rescue more throughout the weekend.

Although it is believed the woman left the property and the cats a week or so ago, the condition of the animals shows clear evidence of extended neglect, with some being literally "skin and bones." Several of the animals were in such bad condition, they were humanely euthanized to end their suffering.

State Police have tracked the woman down and she will be facing cruelty to animal citations.

Sadly, this is not the first time -- and will not be the last time -- the Hillside has encountered animal hoarders and the wake of destruction they leave. The cost for this rescue can't have a price tag put on its head. The loss of life of these precious animals is only the tip of the iceberg. Starvation is a horrid, wretched, agonizing way to die -- and so many of these cats died that way. The abandonment by an owner causes fear and trauma that many times can't be easily, if ever, overcome.

The Hillside is already bursting at the seams with unwanted animals, now dozens more have decended on an already overcrowded facility. And not only the animals suffer physically and emotionally -- taking part in a rescue like this, seeing the pain and suffering these animals endured, and having to deal with the guilt and sadness torments rescuers. It can become overwhelming, dealing with the grief over the ones that cannot be helped. The hours are long and taxing, the conditions aren't fit for any living creature to be in, whether 2- or 4-legged, and the work feels endless.

There is initial care and triage, transportation to the shelter and veterinarians for those who need it. There is food and water, a warm bed and a hug for each and every one that comes through the door.

The budget is strained with all these extra animals needing help, the vet bills pile up quickly, and there are still the "regular" ones -- both already at the shelter and coming through the door in an endless stream -- who need attention, food, medical care, and love, too.

Please keep these animals in your prayers tonight. And if you can, won't you please send a donation -- whatever your budget will allow -- to help defray the high monetary cost of rescues like this latest in Auburn. We need you now more than ever.

Bless you, Lori -- Web Manager/List Manager

WNEP TV coverage

The Republican Herald coverage

A petition has been started on the Care2 Network to Ed Rendell, the Governor of Pennsylvania, to pardon an Altoona woman who was charged in December 2007 for trying to help a dying dog.

Tammy Grimes is the founder of Dogs Deserve Better, and she was called to help a dog that was chained up and neglected in someone's back yard. After several calls to the humane society went unanswered, she decided to take the dying dog off the property and get it much-needed veterinary care. As a result, she was charged for theft and receiving stolen property, and the owners of the dog went unpunished.

Please take a moment to sign the petition, but don't stop there. Forward it to anyone who you think would sign it.

Sign the petition

Learn more about it

By Wayne Parry, Associated Press:

CAPE MAY, N.J. — The cats vs. birds struggle in this Victorian seaside resort has come down to the carrot vs. the stick.

The carrot is a compromise that would preserve colonies of feral cats but move them away from beaches where endangered shore birds nest. The stick is the federal government’s threat to take away some of the city’s badly needed beach replenishment money if the city refuses to move the felines.

Fur and feathers may fly as the City Council could decide Tuesday night whether to approve moving the cats.

Don't miss the new Petfinder TV series at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), Saturdays on Animal Planet. Based on the success of Petfinder.com, the show will help match people with adoptable pets that suit their lifestyles.

For unseen footage, additional information on the week's show and upcoming episodes, visit the Petfinder Show site at www.petfinder.com/petfindershow.html.

From the Miami Herald:

MIAMI -- It was the stereotypical firefighters-try-to-rescue-cat story, but with a twist. Firefighters from the South Florida city of Weston spent a sopping hour in pouring rain Tuesday trying to extract a kitten squeezed in the undercarriage of a stranger's Volvo.

The crew tried jacking up the car and taking off a wheel, all for naught. The feline ducked out of reach at each attempt to grab it.

At some point, the cat escaped undetected, prompting the crew to spend another hour peering in bushes and scouring a Walgreens parking lot.

They finally gave up and headed back to the station, answering at least two more calls on their way.

Five hours after the saga began, the elusive cat reappeared: At the station, in their fire truck's rear wheel well.

This time, firefighters used chunks of meatloaf to try luring it out. It was unenticed, so the crew resorted to an ultimately successful three-pronged strategy: One firefighter poked the feline in the backside with a Slim Jim, another used a hose to force it into an open compartment so a third person could pull it out.

The feline was dirty but unharmed.

From Best Friends Animal Society:

Why rush out for those dime-a-dozen Valentine’s Day cards, when you can say what’s really in your heart?

And the best part is, your sweethearts will be tickled pink, too. That’s because your gift will make the whole world sweeter. How?

Sponsor an orphan pet from Best Friends Animal Society as a gift to dazzle your darlings this Valentine’s Day. Your $25 donation will bring new hope to once-lonely hearts here at the sanctuary.

From “Valentine, you Tug at my heartstrings” to “Your eyes sparkle like a Sapphire!” – it’s a fun and thoughtful way to say what’s in your heart this February 14th.

So put away your car keys, and meet the special pets who’ve cooked up 14-plus ways to help you say Happy Valentine’s Day.

Find out more...

Brittany Transport Team needs help getting three dogs to their new foster or forever homes.

Most of the transport is covered, but they still need drivers for the following two legs of the trip:

Saturday, Feb 16
Hagerstown, MD, to Mechanicsburg, PA (69 miles) (3 dogs) 5:00pm-6:10pm NEEDED

Mechanicsburg, PA, to Reading, PA (65 miles) (3 dogs) 6:25pm-7:30pm NEEDED

If you can help, contact:
Kathy Boje
Brittany Transport Team
Cell: (716) 949-2141
boje@buffalo.edu

See details of the transport below:

TRANS Sat&Sun Feb 16 & 17, 2008 Charlotte & Durham, NC to Holderness & North Sandwich, NH

Harper is a 35 lb, 7 year old, liver/white, UTD, neutered male brittany, who needs transport from his temp foster in NC to his NEBR-approved & screened foster home in North Sandwich, NH. Harper will be traveling with a collar, HARNESS, leash, food, bowls, and medical records & a health certificate.

Vikki, the toy poodle from York County, has taken Best of Breed at the 132nd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show today.

The event is taking place at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will culminate tonight with the awarding of Best of Show from among 2,600 dogs from across the U.S. and Canada.

Vikki is with her owner, Ron Scott of Warrington Township.

She will move on to the Toy Group competition at 7:30 tonight, which she won at last year's show. She will need to win that to compete for the ultimate prize of Best of Show.

More on the Westminster dog show:

Vikki heads to the city

Vikki comes up short

View slide show

From Tammy Grimes, Dogs Deserve Better:

On December 14, 2007, I was convicted of theft and receiving stolen property for coming to the aid of this dog, who lay chained, unable to stand, and suffering in an East Freedom, Pennsylvania backyard.

Despite overwhelming evidence of cruelty on the part of the dog's caretakers, no charges were ever brought against them by either the humane officer or the police. A private criminal complaint filed by myself and Dogs Deserve Better languishes unaddressed on the desk of DA Richard Consiglio.

From Reuters.com:

More than 160 feral cats and kittens have been rescued from the site of the London 2012 Olympics as demolition work continues at a pace.

A local animal charity has been allowed access to the site to ensure the safety of the cats that have taken refuge in the various industrial buildings that are being bulldozed.

The Olympic Delivery Authority said Friday that 168 animals had been discovered and were now in the care of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust.

The ODA, which has also re-housed newts, frogs and fish from the east London site, said demolition work was expected to be completed in March with construction on the main venues.

From "Brian" (not his real name), an undercover investigator for the Humane Society of the United States:

You probably saw the results of my most recent work. I was The HSUS investigator at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company slaughter plant in Chino, California. I was there for six awful weeks. Day after day, I witnessed -- and recorded -- the most horrifying cruelties inflicted on dairy cows.

Animals cannot talk. But they can scream. Their faces convey pain. Sadly, the only way to end this needless suffering is to make people aware that it's happening.

The slaughterhouse investigation landed with a wallop. It should have. Two days ago, the USDA shut down that slaughter plant. And from school cafeterias in more than two dozen states to the halls of Congress, reaction has been swift and calls for meaningful reform loud and clear.

The awful agonies of the animals who were mistreated at this plant were not in vain.

I was asked to write this note because investigations are one of the most powerful weapons that The Humane Society of the United States can bring to bear against the mistreatment of animals -- whether pets, wildlife, or farm animals. But it's costly work. It takes lots of time.

As I write this, I am about to undertake my next assignment. It's not easy to live a normal life with friends and family, only to disappear for weeks or months at a time when I get embedded in an investigation. But with your support and the knowledge that my work will save potentially thousands of animals from suffering, it's the most meaningful kind of quest I can imagine.

Find out more...

The Panasonic Pet Cam provides live video feed of your pet to your computer, cell phone or PDA.

Easy installation allows PetCam to be placed anywhere in your home, automatically detected by your home network and viewed on your PC without any additional software.

A camera-specific URL lets you view and operate the camera from any location on a PC or compatible cell phone from work, while on vacation or when running errands. (I think you can only get still photos of your pets on cell phones, but video on computers.)

For details, visit www.seemypetcam.com/cameras.

The cameras are available at Amazon.com, Target.com or at Target stores.

There are many dogs and puppies running out of time at the Mahoning County (Ohio) Dog Pound, which I've heard uses the heartstick method of euthanization.

View the dogs

For more on heartstick method of euthanization, see: Petfinder forums

SummitCare.org

Pryor's Planet.

Some of the info is from 2003 and 2006, so some of the issues might have been corrected by now.

Animal Rescue Foodbank of Central Pa. (ARF) is in desperate need of a 7,000-foot warehouse with a dock.

ARF supplies food, free of charge, to rescues and shelters in more than 10 states. Money saved by having food provided can be used for vetting, spaying and neutering of homeless animals.

The food bank cannot take on more rescues or shelters without a larger warehouse.

Those interested in donating a warehouse, being a corporate sponsor or offering a warehouse at a reduced monthly rent should call Carla Haynes at (717) 292-6025 for details.