Category: Animal Rescue

Posted on

New Jersey Politicians Kill Another Good Animal Shelter – and Lots of Animals

MOST ANIMAL SHELTERS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE PART OF A BROKEN SYSTEM, ONE THAT HURTS INNOCENT, HOMELESS ANIMALS MOST OF ALL. BUT IT ALSO HARMS HEROIC STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.

NEW JERSEY IS ONE OF THE WORST OFFENDERS.

Last year, the genius politicians of JerseyCity suddenly ended the contract with @LibertyHumaneSociety, and its team that many other shelters and rescues have very happily worked with for years. Still, the hiring of a new director, staff, and new procedures designed for the animals’ benefit heralded the possibility that things would actually work out. It wasn’t to be. When a dog attacked and seriously injured the new boss, bureaucrats who know nothing about a shelter or animal welfare, and even less about leadership and common decency emerged, once again throwing a promising start into turmoil.

https://jcitytimes.com/animal-shelter-morale-sinks-after-manager-is-bitten-hospitalized-fired/

Posted on

The Truth about PIT BULLS. NOT What You May Think!

PIT BULL AWARENESS DAY!! 🐾 ❤️
Three days ago, we celebrated these loving, loyal, kind, and compassionate dogs. There is so much misinformation about them out there, and they are so unfairly and cruelly maligned. They and their humans have their lives upended by unfairly discriminative breed-specific legislation and refusal of insurance companies to write policies for the humans, even when their breed isn’t actually known.
It’s important to know that Pit Bulls are NOT a breed; they are a type of dog with certain physical characteristics: muscular, stocky builds with deep chests and large, square heads. “Pit Bulls” in today’s society and media actually encompass a number of breeds or combination of breeds, including:
– American Staffordshire Terrier
– American Pit Bull Terrier
– American Bully
– Staffordshire Bull Terrier
– American Bulldog
BUT–The American Pit Bull Terrier is the only breed with the words “pit” and “bull” actually in its name, and the only breed that is most commonly, correctly, and historically called a “Pit Bull”.
So many absurd and outright false characteristics have been attributed to “Pit Bulls” such as locking jaws, that they’re inherently aggressive, or it’s not safe to get a “Pittie” from a shelter. It’s mostly pure nonsense. Pit Bull breeds have been extensively temperament tested, and they score on average in the top 23% of all dogs. Not only do they have an excellent temperament, they are also successful as service dogs, therapy dogs, K9 police dogs, and as family pets; in other words, good canine citizens! They are notably affectionate to humans and most other animals if properly socialized.
At the top of this post is my sweet boy Popeye, whom I rescued in 2020 right before lockdown. You can see what a “vicious beast” he is. He died last February of Megaesophagus, but he gave me three years of unconditional love and loyalty, constantly by my side. 💔 🐾 🌈
Posted on

Help Get Justice for Starved Doggy!

Sweet Elmer, Starved to Death in Tennessee

In February of this year, a Selmer City, TN woman brought a horribly emaciated dog to a rescue group, claiming that the dog had been abandoned at her house. The rescue immediately rushed the dog, which they renamed Elmer, to an emergency veterinary clinic.  Sadly, despite all their efforts, this poor, sweet Great Dane died.

The Guardians of Rescue sent Elmer’s remains to a pathology lab to determine an exact cause of death. The results of Elmer’s necropsy were shocking and heartbreaking. While Elmer suffered from intestinal parasites and heartworm disease, the official cause of death was starvation–a painful, excruciating way to die. It was later determined that Elmer had, in fact, been living with this terribly cruel and heartless woman since 2020.

The Guardians of Rescue’s investigation showed that this lady was the owner of Elmer, and responsible for his gruesome death; in response, the Selmer City Police Department charged her with one count of animal cruelty and ordered her to rehome any animals in her custody.  Based on her history of breeding Great Danes, the presence of a heavy intestinal parasite load, heartworm disease and the intestinal obstruction that caused Elmer to die a slow, agonizing death by starvation, we believe she should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No matter where you live or whether or not you own a pet, we ask and encourage you to SIGN THE PETITION TO GET JUSTICE FOR ELMER – PLEASE!  The only deterrent we have to these horrible, cruel crimes is to hold the criminals accountable!

(The Guardians of Rescue is a registered 501(c)3, not for profit organization whose members work tirelessly to work to protect the wellbeing of all animals and come to the aid of those in distress. We are all about People Helping Animals and Animals Helping People.)

Posted on

Sweet Boy Carmine Deserves a Forever Home! Meet Him at Sammy’s Hope

Bellissimo Carmine! Smart and sensitive, with a playful side, best describes Carmine. He loves car rides and going on adventures, and he walks nicely on leash. Carmine’s discerning taste in people is evidenced by the top-notch Sammy’s Hope volunteers he spends time with, and he has quite the fan club! He’s a volunteer favorite, but nothing would make his fans happier than to see him find his loving, forever home! He’s such a wonderful boy!
To meet Carmine please complete an interest form?  www.sammyshope.org/adoptdogs
An adoption counselor will contact you to schedule an appointment. We (and Carmine, of course) would love to see you at our shelter in Sayreville, New Jersey to meet sweet Carmine. He might just be your newest family member!
Posted on

Tell Your Congressperson and Senators to Pass “Goldie’s Act” and Stop Cruel Puppy Mills

A Puppy Mill

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a number of responsibilities and authorities, among them the oversight of dog breeders, often referred to as “puppy mills.” Certainly, there are humane and reputable breeders, who care for the animals they breed as well as their offspring, and do their best to ensure the puppies they sell are healthy for when they go off to their new owners.

But in far too many cases, these puppy mills are true mills–factories–where animals are cruelly abused and neglected, getting little or no health care, underfed, sick, in pain, confined in cages too small to even stand or turn, with pups being sent off to their new families with terrible, even fatal illnesses.

Named after a Golden Retriever (“Goldie”) who suffered extreme neglect and died at a “USDA-licensed” puppy mill in Iowa where she was known only as No. 142, the Goldie’s Act law will require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, issue penalties for violations, and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect.  

I’ve generally opposed breeders, even good ones, because I know that there are millions of homeless dogs in shelters, thousands of whom are killed each day because the shelters ostensibly “run out of space.”  And that’s because humans, far too often, selfishly insist on owning purebred dogs (who may not in fact be) or specific breeds, and simply ignore of the plight of so many beautiful angels suffering in shelters.
But until now, even I didn’t know how corrupt the USDA is, not just in ignoring its job to regulate and oversee breeders, but even corruptly covering up horrific crimes of animal cruelty: “Yet, days after the DOJ negotiated surrender of the [4000] beagles [from a USDA-licensed business, Envigo, where the USDA documented horrific cruelty during “routine inspections” over several months, including dead dogs, starving dogs, dogs in dangerous conditions, and dogs in need of veterinary care], the USDA renewed the company’s license for another year, and a shocking new report from Reuters revealed that senior USDA leaders went to great lengths to cover up both Envigo’s [cruel and horrific] treatment of the dogs, and the agency’s own refusal to protect the animals.”
TELL YOUR LAWMAKERS: Pass “Goldie’s Act,” protect the puppies, mommies, and daddies, and HOLD THE USDA ACCOUNTABLE!
To contact your US Representative and Senators:
See the full article from the Animal Legal Defense Fund here.
Posted on

Sammy’s Hope Shelter in Sayreville, New Jersey Needs Volunteers!

Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center is a Sayreville, New Jersey non-profit, all-volunteer organization whose mission is to care for homeless animals, socialize them, and provide for their medical needs while finding them loving, forever homes. This private shelter, whose only source of funding is donations and adoption fees, has been operating since February of 2015 in a facility co-located with the Sayrebrook Animal Hospital.

Sammy’s Hope has been able to stay afloat during the Covid pandemic by operating as appointment-only for visiting the animals and for approved adoptions. But it’s back on a mostly regular schedule, open to the public, and once again needs volunteers (who love animals!) to join their volunteer team!

Volunteer requirements are:

  • Minimum 18 years of age
  • Have health insurance coverage
  • Can commit to a 2-3 hour shift on the same day and time each week
  • To work with dogs: able to handle and walk dogs weighing 35+ pounds, and work in a kennel environment
  • To work with cats: comfortavble with cats and kittens, and can work a midday “socialization” and play shift

If you’re interested, and they hope you are, please visit https://www.sammyshope.org/volunteer

THANK YOU!

Posted on

ASPCA: Marketing Juggernaut or Animal Welfare Organization?

I try to assume the best about all animal welfare organizations…until I don’t. I have found over the last 10 years that most of them do some good, and many do a lot of good. And others, such as the now-defunct NJSPCA–an absurd group of mostly obese wanna-be cops who couldn’t make the grade in real life, do no good, except for themselves.

But I never counted the ASPCA, the American Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in that disgraceful group.  And I still don’t. It definitely does some real good. And yet I am chagrined to see the just-released results of a CBS News investigation that shines a light on the “A’s” (as many call it) spending, specifically the percentage of donations that goes to actually help animals, and where the rest goes. According to CBS, “The ASPCA says the vast majority of donor dollars go directly toward its mission, but a CBS News investigation found there are questions about whether the money is going where donors expect.”

How is that? Well, the investigation continues, “Since 2008, the ASPCA has raised more than $2 billion for animal welfare. In that time, it has spent $146 million, or about 7% of the total money raised, in grants to local animal welfare groups. But during that same time period it spent nearly three times that, at least $421 million, on fundraising. Over $150 million of that went to Eagle-Com Inc, a Canadian media production company, to produce and place ASPCA’s ads.  I can only wonder how many tens of thousands of animals could have been saved, treated, loved and adopted out with $421 million dollars.

Certainly, you’ve seen the ads, unless you literally never watch television. They are heartbreaking, showing covering, shivering, and terrified animals, while a mournful Sarah McLaughlin tune, “In the Arms of an Angel,” plays in the background. Heartbreaking to me, and very effective tugs on the heartstrings of all but the coldest humans imaginable.

Now, obviously, any group funded by donations has to fundraise, and it’s not cheap or easy. But as someone who’s donated a couple times to the A, I became increasingly annoyed that once they had my address, they bombed my mailbox frequently with unwanted and unnecessary “gifts”–calendars I would never use, return address labels I didn’t want, “membership cards” with nowhere to present them, or just slick and glossy appeals for more money, which I would have happily given, except for the fact that I was mad as hell that they were using my original donations on such nonsense.

Moreover, the investigation points out, they give very little of those millions to the local SPCA organizations that do much of the heavy lifting, rescuing animals from abusive and hoarding situations, as well as providing veterinary care and adoption services. Unfortunately for those local organizations, much of the public wrongfully assumes that they’re local chapters of the larger ASPCA. Wrong. They have no affiliation whatsoever, and as the investigation points out, “CBS News spoke to more than two dozen local SPCA’s across the country. A few had received grants worth a few thousand dollars from the ASPCA, which they had applied for. Most, like in Nassau County and Houston, had gotten nothing.”

Finally, and I’m going to pick on him because it’s deserved, the CEO of the ASPCA earned more than $840,000 last year. I choked on that. Granted, it’s just one and the top exec, but for a non-profit organization that ostensibly exists to help homeless and abused animals, that kind of money is far beyond reasonable or remotely justifiable.

So…you can donate to the ASPCA, and again, they do some good works. But better yet, look for a local SPCA, or find a deserving rescue group or shelter, and put your money where it will do the most good.  And you can start with my shelter, Sammy’s Hope in Sayreville, NJ, or Island Animal Alliance, which rescues homeless dogs (“Satos”) from Puerto Rico.

You can find the CBS News clip here.

 

Posted on

What IS the Canine Condition?

“The Canine Condition” is a DOGumentary series and Podcast addressing what is being done to end the neglect, abuse and abandonment of dogs in the United States today, hosted and produced by actor and animal rescue advocate Jacqueline Piñol, and her husband, singer and actor Jonny Blu.

The DOGumentary is the product of several years work by Jacquie and Jonny, whose travels across the United States took them to Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey and New York. This series focuses on who is taking action around the country to improve the canine condition and how to prevent further overpopulation and neglect of man’s best friend.  Go here to see the beautiful dogs that were rescued, and see the movie trailer here!

The Podcast comes weekly every Monday, bringing awareness about all the issues associated with dog adoption, and providing all dog lovers and pet owners with information and resources on how to raise a healthy and well-balanced dog. If you’re thinking about getting your first dog, or just want to know where and how you can help a dog in need, this is also a place for you! Each podcast features a special guest, interviewed by Jacquie.

If you care about homeless animals, and want to learn more and how you can help alleviate this terrible problem, THE CANINE CONDITION is for you!

Posted on

Do You Love Dogs? The Canine Condition Podcast is for YOU!

If you love and care about dogs, come–sit–stay (and listen)!

Here are The Canine Condition podcast series, hosted by animal advocate and actress Jacqueline Piñol, who is also the producer and director, along with her husband Jonny Blu, of The Canine Condition “Dogumentary” about the state of homeless and shelter animals across the United State, and what’s being done about it.

The podcasts feature lots of shelter dog talk, and in my case the story of pitbull “Sammy,” our wonderful Sammy’s Hope Animal Welfare & Adoption Center in Sayreville, NJ  and its loving volunteers, the need for spay and neuter, the prejudice against bull-type dogs, and much more! Jacqueline and I also discuss the great work of wonderful animal advocate Niki Holloway Dawson and The Island Animal Alliance, which rescues dogs from hurricane- and poverty-ravaged Puerto Rico and transports them from Miami to rescues and adoptive families in New York and New Jersey.

Posted on

Help Bring SPAYATHON Back to Puerto Rico!

I apologize; this is a month old but it is OUTRAGEOUS. I apologize for the length, but please read it all and respond if you can. Hundreds of thousands MORE homeless animals will be born, suffer, and die if this is not fixed.  Thank you.

SPAYATHON FOR PUERTO RICO ENDED – WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!

We were left blindsided by the news that late Thursday evening, a Puerto Rico court declared the Governor’s executive orders on Spayathon null and void, stating that the government does not have the authority to allow veterinarians not licensed in Puerto Rico to practice on the island. This ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by three Puerto Rico veterinarians who have been against this groundbreaking initiative since the beginning and decided to challenge the government in the courts. Those veterinarians are:

Dra. Monica Pagan Mutt
Dra. Victor Oppenheimer Soto
Dra. Maria Cueto Ruiz

Their case:
• The Puerto Rico DVMs argued that they were negatively affected by the Executive Orders because DVMs not licensed in Puerto Rico could practice veterinary medicine in the commonwealth.
• They argue that the government was allowing DVMs not licensed in P.R. to practice veterinary medicine in Spayathon clinics.
• They argue that the mechanism used to allow outside veterinarians to practice in the commonwealth is not allowed by the law.

Arguments from the government:

• Government argued that, during an emergency period, the governor can authorize DVM temporary licensing
• The government argued that P.R. DVMs did not prove they were negatively affected by the Executive Order
• The government also argued that this was a matter of public policy as it was intended to address the animal welfare crisis.

The Court concluded:

• Government cannot issue an Executive Order that is against an existing law. Current law does not allow temporary licensing and changing that is up to the Legislative Assembly.
• Declares Executive Orders 2020-15 & 2020-18 null and void.

This ruling effectively puts an end to Spayathon for Puerto Rico, unless the government appeals the decision in a higher court. This amazing project has been 3 years of extremely hard work and as a member of the Spayathon coalition together we have successfully s/n/v over 53,000 animals, making this the largest and most successful HQHVSN initiative in the world.

Spayathon for Puerto Rico has been the shining beacon of hope not only for The Sato Project but also for the millions of Puerto Ricans who so desperately need help with their animals. A large scale mass spay, neuter and vaccination program is the ONLY way we are ever going to address Puerto Rico’s massive animal population and the spread of infectious disease. Spayathon for Puerto Rico was providing a humane solution to decrease euthanasia and combat the massive suffering that street dogs endure.

This program is desperately needed. Every single person that we have had the pleasure of meeting through Spayathon has been so incredibly appreciative and thankful for this initiative. They line up at midnight to ensure they get seen. And no one complains. Since we began Spayathon for Puerto Rico has completed 52,524 surgeries and vaccinated the same amount of animals.

That prevents the birth of over 316,680 animals. That is over three hundred thousand that will not suffer.
We had four (4) more rounds of Spayathon to complete.
Our last clinic in May was canceled due to Covid 19.
We are now in what experts are predicting to be one of the worst hurricane seasons for decades. And on top of this, the earthquakes still continue daily.

This island, the people of Puerto Rico, the estimated 500,000 stray dogs and estimated 1,000,000 feral cats have suffered enough. The Sato Project stands firmly behind the continuance of the Spayathon program. It would facilitate the treatment of over 100,000 animals. It would stand forever as the change that Puerto Rico needs to end the perception of being the island of abandonment and suffering for animals. We have a unique opportunity to make history. And we for one want to be a part of it.

How you can help:

Email or call:
The Governor of Puerto Rico
Email gobernadora@fortaleza.pr.gov
Email asistencia@fortaleza.pr.gov
Tel: 787-721-7000

The Colegio de Medicos Veterinarios de Puerto Rico
Email: cmvpr@cmvpr.org
Tel: 787-249-5304/787-370-8548

Please be respectful in your communication.
These are just some of the facts of Spayathon to date:

52,524 Total number of dogs and cats altered to date.
316,680 births prevented (first year post surgery)
63.90% of animals had never seen a veterinarian
70.72% of animals 5 months and older have never been vaccinated for rabies.
41.83% of females over 11 months had already had at least one litter.

#SPAYATHON4PR #SATOSTRONG #SPAYANDNEUTER