New York City Actor Kills Himself after “Forced” Euthanasia of His Beloved Pit Bull

New York City - A down-on-his-luck soap-opera actor took his own life this week after he was forced to put his beloved dog to sleep under pressure from his Upper West Side condo and became wracked by grief, pals said.

Nick Santino euthanized his dog, Rocco, Tuesday on Santino’s 47th birthday. That night, his guilt over the gut-wrenching decision became too much to bear.

“Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend,” a despondent Santino wrote in a suicide note, said close friend Stuart Sarnoff.

“Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn’t deserve this.”

Hounded to death: After putting down his beloved pit pull Rocco amid pressure from his condo, Nick Santino took his own life.

The Brooklyn-born Santino, a struggling actor whose TV credits include “All My Children” and “Guiding Light” adopted Rocco from a shelter several years ago.

The man, raised in an orphanage and foster homes, soon began to write about his pet on Facebook, writing, “I did not rescue Rocco, Rocco rescued me.”

But in 2010, his building at 1 Lincoln Plaza announced strict new dog regulations, including a ban on pit bulls. The ban didn’t apply to pit bulls already in the building, but friends and neighbors said Santino began to be harassed.

“People were complaining about his dog,” said neighbor Kevan Cleary, 63, an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School. “It was open season on him.”

Rocco couldn’t ride in the main elevators and wasn’t allowed to be left in the apartment alone for more than nine hours.

Santino was then threatened with a $250 fine for having a barking dog, neighbors said.

“The dog was not a barker, but somebody complained that the dog would bark,” Cleary said.

“He felt like he was in this battle because he was the only guy in the building with a pit-bull mix,” Cleary added.

Another neighbor, Lia Pettigrew, who runs a pet-care company, said, “Everybody knows that he had been harassed by the building management.”

The building’s management refused to comment yesterday.

After months of increasing anguish, Santino had the healthy dog put to sleep Tuesday.

Neighbors said a tearful Santino brought dog treats to the building’s doorman and said: “Give these to the other dogs. Rocco is no more.”

Dog owner James Steven Grant said Santino left two rawhide bones on his doorstep and earlier was seen tearfully giving away Rocco’s fluffy bed.

“Rocco was the sweetest dog in the world. Rocco wouldn’t hurt a fly,” Grant said.

A veterinarian told Santino that Rocco was becoming aggressive and Santino blamed it on his own depression.

He spent Tuesday in agony over what he had done to Rocco.

“He was distraught and remorseful about putting down his best friend,” Cleary said.

The last phone call he made was to a former girlfriend at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Later that day, police found his body in his bedroom. He had overdosed on pills.

Rocco has been cremated, and friends said Santino’s remains will be, too, and they will be reunited.

“One way or another, their ashes will be together forever,” Sarnoff said.

Looking for Some Relaxation? - Apothecary Wellness Spa Open House to Benefit Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc. – Sunday, January 29

If you're looking for some relaxation stop by the Apothecary Wellness Spa on Sunday 1/29 for their Open House!!! Donations that day will benefit BARCS and Recycled Love!!!

Date: Sunday January 29, 2012
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location:
1200 Light Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(443) 540-4022

Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc (BARCS) offers many programs.
We offer a low cost vaccination clinic:
The first Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Durning the clinic you can get a $6 rabies vaccine, $10 distemper vaccine, $20 microchipping and your Baltimore City Pet License. The pet license ranges from $5-$30.

You can also purchase and Baltimore City Pet License anytime during our normal business hours (Monday-Friday 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.).
BARCS receives 50% of the proceeds for pet license sales.

In order to purchase a pet license, your pet MUST be current on its rabies vaccine, and you must bring proof of that. If your pet has been spayed or neutered, please bring proof of that as well.

To adopt an animal from BARCS, please stop by during regular business hours to view our animals. You may start the process by filling out the adoption application online or by stopping by.
If you are interested in becoming a foster, please visit our webstie for more details:  Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc.

Address:   
301 Stockholm St
Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone:  410-396-4695

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Montvale, NJ – Homeless Man and Dog Both Beaten – Man is in Hospital – Foster Home Need for Dog. Can You Help?

This pup (Spanky) be...longed to a homeless man. Some people beat them both up, the man and Spanky. The homeless man is in the hospital, Spanky has two broken legs from the beating. He is in desperate need of a foster.

They need to find a quiet foster home for Spanky. The home would have to be without children and other pets. Spanky is scared, and you know what? I would be too. Please contact Loren Brede Phone 201-445-0620 Ext. 2 if you can help. They are in Montvale, NJ.

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Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett Cordially Invites You to a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center – January 28, 2012

Montgomery County Executive, Isiah Leggett cordially invites you to a groundbreaking ceremony for the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center.

The Montgomery County Animal Shelter is a new 47,193 square-foot facility containing public adoption areas, private animal holding and treatment areas, a sally port, classroom, conference room and office space. The Shelter will be located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Muncaster Mill Road and Airpark Drive. The facility will be owned by and operated primarily by the Montgomery County Police Department Animal Services Division. The building will house Animal Services functions, such as isolation, quarantine, and holding of feral, ill or seized animals, but will also serve as a public adoption center and community education resource for animal care issues.

Date: Saturday, January 28, 2012
Time: 11:00 a.m.

Location:
7315 Muncaster Mill Road
Field at the corner of Muncaster Mill Road and Airpark Road
Derwood, MD  20855
                                          Reception with light refreshments!


*Inclement weather: Event will be cancelled if Montgomery County School weekend activities are cancelled.

Click HERE for more information and to see the model pictures.

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Watch Out for Lost Pet Scams

Losing a pet is a devastating experience. Many reports have been received about scammers who are defrauding heartbroken pet owners in order to line their own pockets and we advise pet owners who have issued an amber alert to be wary of the following pet scams:

“Scammers play on your emotions”, said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB. “Pet owners who have lost their animals are easy targets for those whose sole intent is to make a quick buck.”

The Pay-Me-First Scam: The lost pet owner receives a phone call from a person claiming that they have the lost pet in their possession. This person asks that the reward money be sent to them before they return the pet. If the pet owner refuses, they will often threaten to hurt the pet in order to pressure the pet owner into sending money. Once the scammer receives the money, they are never heard from again.

The Truck Driver Scam: Someone claiming to be a long-haul truck driver tells you that he came across your pet while on his route. He then asks you to send him money so that he can send your pet back to you, or he may ask you to wire him money to board your pet until he can send your pet back with another truck driver who’s heading your way.

The Tag Team Scam: You receive a call from someone who says that they think they have your pet. After talking to you for a while and getting information about your pet, they apologize and say that they’re sorry, but it turns out that it’s not your pet after all. They then give all the information about your pet to a partner. This is a set-up — in a short time, the scammer uses the information received about your pet only to have a second person call and claim to have found your pet who will try collect any reward money in advance..

The Airline Ticket Scam: Someone calls and claims that your pet somehow ended up in another state. They ask you to send money for a kennel and an airline ticket in order for them to ship your pet back to you. Once the pet owner sends the money, the scammer walks away with it, leaving the owner without their pet and with less money in their bank account.

BBB provides the following tips to keep from falling victim to a pet loss scam:

1. If you must place an ad, include only essential information. Refrain from providing information about unique markings or physical attributes.

2. If you get a call from someone who claims to be out-of-state, ask them for a phone number where you can call them back.

3. If a caller claims to have your pet in their possession, ask them to describe something about the pet that wouldn’t be visible in pictures which may have been posted.

4. Never wire money to anyone you don’t know.

Many pet owners have also had their pets microchipped, as this preventive measure has proven to be effective in bringing lost pets home.



For more information on lost pet scams, visit the websites below:
Pet Scam Stories
Lost Pet Scam
International internet pet scams  - Lost Pet scams

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$7,500 REWARD! - Who Killed Golden Retriever Puppy, Heidi in Frederick, Maryland

On January 5, I post a story about a 7-month-old Golden Retriever that was found shot on her owner’s property.  You can read that story here:

7-Month-Old Golden Retriever Found Shot and Killed in Maryland

Golden Retriever Rescue has set up a reward fund for information leading the arrest and prosecution of the person or persons who committed this horrible act on the owner’s private property.

Authorities in Frederick County want to know who shot and killed a golden retriever puppy named “Heidi” on Wednesday, 01/04/12 at her owners home in Middletown, Maryland, on Station Road between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Heidi was killed by multiple gunshots from close range.

Anyone with information about the shooting should call animal control at 301-600-1544.

Someone out there knows who did this…they are begging for your help!

Golden Retriever Rescue

Heidi Reward Fund
P.O. Box 522
Owings Mills, Maryland 21117
www.Goldheart.org

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The Washington Animal Rescue League – Dog Still Missing in Manassas, VA – Have You Seen this Dog?

On Tuesday, January 17, I posted a story about a lost dog in Manassas, Virginia. You can read that post here:
The Washington Animal Rescue League, Washington, DC – Needs Your Help – Missing Dog Lost in Manassas, Virginia.

As of today, this dog is still missing. Several League staff are heading down to Manassas, Virginia, this morning, to search for the missing dog,  Karlena, was last seen at Kahns Road and Raleigh Tavern Dr on Tuesday.

Karlena's former den-mate, Dottie, is assisting in the search since Karlena is afraid of most people but LOVES dogs. If you would like to help, please spread the word to friends and family in the Manassas area. Flyers are available from the Washington Animal Rescue League; contact (202) 726-2556 or warl@warl.org.

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Soldier Deployed to Afghanistan for 18 Months – Dog will be sent to Animal Shelter if not Adopted

This is Asia, her owner is being deployed to Afghanistan for at least 18 months and she will go to the animal shelter if nobody offers to take her by Friday, Jan. 20.

She is a 10-year-old Rottie Mix who loves people and other dogs and enjoys lounging on the sofa watching television with a buddy.

Her owner is a Soldier, serving our country. He does not need the added stress of knowing that his dog is in a shelter.

Someone please give this Soldier peace of mind knowing that his dog is in good hands while serving our country.

She is located in Bel Air, Maryland. If you can give Asia a loving home, Please contact Robert at (443) 968-0991. He is waiting for your call!

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Women Arrested after Over 100 Dogs Found In U-Haul Truck

A traffic stop Tuesday morning in Fayette County, Tennessee, led to the discovery of 128 dogs and one cat in a U-Haul moving truck, and has landed two women behind bars on animal cruelty charges.

Bonnie Sheehan, 55, is charged with Animal Cruelty and following too closely to another vehicle, which likely led to the traffic stop.  Pamela A. King-McCraken, 59, is also charged with Animal Cruelty.  Both are in the Fayette County Jail on a $100,000 bond with a January 24th scheduled court appearance.

The stop was done by Tennessee State Trooper Brad Simpson of the West Tennessee Drug Task Force near exit 42 on Interstate-40.  News Channel 3 was told the animals were being kept in deplorable conditions.

In many cases four or five animals were squeezed into animals carriers and makeshift animal carriers without food and water.   Other dogs were running loose in the non-ventilated truck, and urine and feces were everywhere.  One dog had died.

"They just haven't stopped crying since we've been here.  It's very hard to listen to," said Gina Thweatt of Fayette County Animal Rescue.

Thweatt was on the scene when the dogs were being unloaded at a Pilot Truck Stop just off the interstate.

"The smell is absolutely horrific.  One officer about got sick.  He couldn't handle the smell," Thweatt added.

Sheehan and McCraken are associated with an animal rescue group called Hearts for Hounds.  According to its website, Sheehan founded the Long Beach organization in 1997.   An investigator said the women were coming from California and headed to Virginia to put the animals up for adoption.

No one answered the phone when News Channel 3 contacted the organization, and the voicemail box was full.  Hearts For Hounds' Facebook page had blown up with comments on what happened, and was later taken down.

Tuesday night the animals, mostly small-breed dogs, were being held in a special ASPCA shelter in Memphis that had been set up during the May flood. They will be at the facility for an undetermined amount of time.

"We understand they have not been out of their crates since Saturday, so after we get everybody settled in we're going to give them a nice little walk and a nice little fluffy towel to sleep with tonight," said Nina Wingfield, Director of Collierville Animal Services.

"We have a vet on the scene that will look at every dog and make sure there are no health issues," Wingfield added.

At this point, only trained caregivers from Mid-South rescue organizations will care for the dogs since there is an open criminal investigation, and the dogs need to be checked out.  No volunteers were needed as of Tuesday night, however donations to the ASPCA would be accepted.

"They're scared, and scared animals bite out of fear.  So we want to keep everybody safe and the dogs safe.  If they bite someone, then we've risked their lives," Wingfield said.

         Update: Women Arrested After 100+ Dogs Found In U-Haul Truck

$1,200 Puppy Stolen from Store in Rockville, Maryland

Rockville City Police are searching for an armed man who stole a two-month-old puppy from the Just Puppies store on Veirs Mill Road in Rockville Thursday afternoon.

The pet store's surveillance cameras captured the suspect. It shows the thief entering the store and going to the back room where the puppies are kept.

The video shows him interacting with a store employee. An employee says the suspect told them he wanted to buy the Yorkie for his girlfriend. The employee then allows the man to play with the puppy. He is then seen near the cash register with the puppy and then leaving the store without paying the $1,200 price for the animal.

The video continues to show an employee going after the man.

One store employee says her colleague was threatened with a gun.

"She said she ran around the building to the side, and he got into the car and had told her, I'm guessing, to stop. He had a gun or a weapon,” says the employee.

Rockville City Police say the thief had a female accomplice waiting for him.

"He ran through the shopping center to a waiting vehicle where he had some assistance. There was a driver in that vehicle,” says Major Tim Marsh of Rockville City Police.

The car is described as a cream or tan Ford with no license plate.

Store employees think the couple must have staked out the store and its surroundings because they seemed very familiar with the area and the store's practices.

New store polices are now in place to help avert a similar theft.

The employees say they are shaken by the robbery and are very worried about the stolen puppy's welfare.

"The puppy is what we consider special care. It's under three pounds, so it's practically like taking care of a baby; so it needs to be fed every couple of hours,” says the employee.

They hope someone recognizes the thief and turns him in before the puppy possibly ends up in danger.

"We just don't want him to end up at an emergency vet," the employee says.

The puppy thief is facing a charge of felony theft and first-degree assault. His accomplice could face similar charges.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Rockville City Police at 240-314-8938.

FDA Cautions Dog Owners of Treats

The Food and Drug Administration continues to caution that certain chicken jerky products for dogs—also sold as chicken tenders, strips, or treats—are associated with illness in dogs.

According to a Nov. 18, 2011, update, the FDA has seen an increase during the past 12 months in the number of complaints from dog owners and veterinarians regarding illnesses in dogs associated with consumption of chicken jerky products from China.

The FDA issued warnings regarding chicken jerky products in September 2007 and December 2008. The number of complaints dropped off during late 2009 and most of 2010 before rising again.

The agency advises consumers who feed chicken jerky products to their dogs to watch them for any of the following signs of illness: a decrease in appetite; a decrease in activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; an increase in water consumption; or an increase in urination.

Dog owners should consult their veterinarian if their dogs have signs of illness that are severe or persist for more than 24 hours. Blood tests might indicate kidney failure, and urine tests might indicate Fanconi syndrome. Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA involved dogs that died.

The FDA and several U.S. animal health diagnostic laboratories are working to determine why these products are associated with illness in dogs. The agency continues chemical and microbial testing of the products but has not identified a contaminant.

The website at Food Complaints provides information about how to report animal illnesses associated with pet foods.

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The Washington Animal Rescue League, Washington, DC – Needs Your Help – Missing Dog Lost in Manassas, Virginia

The Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL), in Washington, DC, need your help in finding a lost dog. This is Karlena and she was adopted on Sunday. She became missing the same day. She is very sweet but shy. Do not chase her. Call the League at 202-726-2556 or the adopter, Lee, at 301-237-3866. Thanks!

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Please Consider Donating to My Birthday Wish – To Help Over 100 Dogs Rescued from a Puppy Mill in Arkansas – January 23

My birthday is January 23. For my birthday, I am asking my readers to donate to my birthday wish on facebook.  My goal is to raise $600 or more by my birthday to help with the care for these dogs.

Each year for my birthday, I use facebook’s causes to get donations for a different animal shelter/rescue. Last year my birthday donations were for Oldies But Goodies (OBG) Cocker Rescue, in Newington, Virginia. I chose Oldies But Goodies (OBG) Cocker Rescue because they had recently take in 13 dogs that had medical needs before they can be put up for adoption. I received a letter telling me that my donation was used to help pay for a much need eye surgery for one of the dogs. My Birthday Wish – 2011.

This year I chose, the Washington Animal Rescue League, in Washington, DC. I chose them because on December 21, 2011, they received over 100 dogs from a puppy mill in Arkansas.  Please read their story below:

Washington Animal Rescue League - Taking in More Than 100 Puppy Mill Dogs Seized from Happy Times Kennel in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

The Washington Animal Rescue League does not receive funds from any local government.  They also rely heavily on hundreds of volunteers and engage them in all departments, resulting in a small full-time staff.  Because so many people volunteer their time, donors can be assured that their contributions will go far towards helping them to attain the League’s goals. Please visit their website at: Washington Animal Rescue League.

No amount is too small, anything that you can give will be appreciated. If you would like to donate to my birthday cause, please click HERE.

Please take a look at my video below:

Thank you for your donation, and please share!

2 Bald Eagles Die From Lead Poisoning

Two bald eagles from Virginia have died from lead poisoning in the last two weeks, and a third is currently being treated as wildlife experts believe hunters could be to blame.


The latest eagle was found Tuesday in Prince William County near Route 234 between Manassas and Dumfries. After taken to a veterinary clinic in Burke, the bird was transported to the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro.

A blood test confirmed the eagle was showing classic symptoms of lead toxicity.

The eagle died Thursday.

On December 30, a bald eagle with lead toxicity was admitted from Fauquier County, but died on January 1.

On January 1, a bald eagle from Chesapeake was admitted to the center with high lead levels. That eagle has completed its first round of chelation therapy.

The Wildlife Center says it admitted 36 bald eagles in 2011, with six of these birds showing signs of lead toxicity, and another 15 having measurable levels of lead.

The center says routine tests show many of these eagles are exposed to the highly toxic metal by ingesting lead shotgun pellets or bullet fragments. The eagles ingest these fragments while scavenging animals that have been shot but not recovered by hunters, or by feeding on the entrails of game animals, like deer, which have been harvested and “field dressed.”

For more information on Bald Eagles and lead poisoning in birds, visit the websites below:

Lead Poisoning in Birds
Lead Toxicity
American Bald Eagle Information
General Facts About Bald Eagles

A Retail Store in Los Angeles Switches from Selling Dogs from Puppy Mills – Will now Offer Animals from Animal Shelters

In Los Angeles, one pet store is taking a stand by not selling pets that come from so-called puppy mills. It's teaming up with a national pet organization and only offers dogs and cats from animal shelters.

For the first time, many shelter dogs will be permanently displayed front and center at a local pet store window in a mall, displacing their commercially bred counterparts who typically get top billing.

This pet store will no longer sell commercially bred dogs, and people who avoid shelters because of their stigma will be able to adopt a dog or cat that otherwise might have been euthanized. It's all thanks to Pet Connections Inc., a national organization that devised the Pet Transport Program.

The pilot program went so well, the rescue dogs were so popular, that come starting March 1, a Barkworks store in the Westside Pavilion will become an official adoption center for rescues.

"I just think it gives us a great opportunity to help the county and the city of Los Angeles and surrounding areas diminish the amount of dogs that are euthanized every year," said Barkworks General Manager Darren Letterman.

"The idea is that change is in motion here," said Marlene Walsh, Pet Connections Inc. "Whether it's ordinances that cities are passing, regulations that malls are implementing, where they no longer want commercially bred puppies in their stores, or simply public pressure to stop the puppy mill, the commercially bred dog industry. Whatever the case may be, the time is ripe for us to get this program under way, and we're very proud to be able to facilitate this."

If it goes well at this Barkworks store where rescues will be adopted out for a $300 to $500 fee, owners say they will convert the rest of their stores into adoption centers.


For more information on Puppy Mills, read my blog posts below:

Do Not Buy from Puppy Mills – A Must Read!
10 Reasons Not To Buy Puppies Online

What do you think? Do you think the adoption fees are too high?

Washington Animal Rescue League – Catapalooza 2012 – A Valentine’s Day Adoption Open House and Celebration – Sunday, February 12

You are invited to the Washington Animal Rescue League’s Catapalooza 2012: A Valentine’s Day Adoption Open House and Celebration of All Things Feline.

There will more than 50 cats available for adoption.  All cats are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, examined by a veterinarian and a behavior specialist, and tested for feline leukemia and FIV.

This day only the adoption fee for all cats is a “just the two of us” $2. Free mimosas, cake and cookies, cat-themed grab bags, children’s Valentine card making.  Admission is free.  For information call 202-726-2556 or write warl@warl.org.

Date: Sunday, February 12, 2012
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location:
Washington Animal Rescue League
71 Oglethorpe Street, NW
Washington, DC  20011

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Dog Has Successful Surgery To Remove Spoon From Stomach

An Annapolis, Maryland woman may be out a lot of money, but she still has her beloved Labrador Retriever, Vincent.

Last Wednesday, when Laurie Neomany noticed Vincent wasn't eating his food, she took him to the vet for testing and that is when technicians discovered a seven-inch spoon lodged in his stomach.

Neomany said the surgery was successful and Vincent was back home the next day, minus the $2,500 medical bill.

Hip Dysplasia – Found Mostly in Large Breed Dogs

Large breeds are most likely to get hip dysplasia, though there are some large dogs such as Borzoi that have a low risk of hip dysplasia, and there are some medium sized dog breeds that have an increased risk. Breeds that are at a high risk of hip dysplasia include German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Great Danes, Rottweilers and Cocker Spaniels.

Hip dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a genetic polygenic trait that is affected by environmental factors. It can be found in many animals and occasionally in humans, but is most commonly associated with dogs, and is common in many dog breeds, particularly the larger breeds.

Hip dysplasia is one of the most studied veterinary conditions in dogs, and the most common single cause of arthritis of the hips.

Hip dysplasia is a genetically transmitted disease that has been seen in over 82 recognized breeds of dogs. Since first diagnosed in 1935, it has had the highest incidence in the larger breed animals.

Hip dysplasia is an inherited, developmental disease with a polygenic mode of inheritance. This means that there are multiple genes which must be present for this disease to express itself. Surprisingly, the hip joints of dogs which develop dysplasia are normal at birth. In most cases, dysplasia will occur in both legs bilaterally http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bilaterally. However, in approximately 7% of the cases only one hip will be affected.

Treatment
Once the patient usually an adult dog has radiographic evidence of degenerative arthritis, it is no longer a candidate for a triple pelvic osteotomy. Over time, many of these dogs will become less responsive to analgesic medications and surgical therapy should be considered. There are two procedures available.
.
Removal of the femoral head and neck and total hip replacement.

Mitt Romney's Dog Incident Comes Back To Haunt Him

When Mitt Romney strapped his Irish Setter to the roof of his car in 1983 and drove all the way to Canada as the dog defecated in fear, he couldn't have guessed his decision would follow him for decades, enraging animal lovers and raising questions about his character and management style.

Sure enough the dog incident has gotten a lot of press (Gail Collins has mentioned it 19 times in her columns) and is sure to be a favorite topic among Romney detractors during his 2012 campaign for president.

On Thursday, a Romney protestor in South Carolina strapped a stuffed dog to his roof, as seen below in the photo by ABC's Emily Friedman. See a photo of the late Romney dog, Seamus, HERE.

Yes, Pit Bulls Suddenly Snap

I did not write this post, it is a  “Reprinted from StubbyDog.org” .

About: StubbyDog
StubbyDog is a non-profit, 501(c)(3), focused on changing public perceptions of pit bulls. Our vision is a world where every pit bull has the right to a good life. Our mission is to help people rediscover pit bulls as lifelong friends.

Pit bulls “suddenly snap.” It’s true. One minute they are lying upside down on the couch snoring, and the next minute they hear the word “walk,” or “rawhide,” or “ball,” and they suddenly snap. From 0 to Mach 90, they are doing zoomies down the hall, tongue flapping, tail tucked for turning aerodynamics. Jump in front of this joyful train, and you could indeed accidentally get knocked down! (photo by Donna J. Griffin)

Pit bulls’ jaws are unlike any other dog. Again, it’s true. Bullies have a singular type of jaw that enables smiling unlike any other! The lips curl up and wrinkle, and you can’t help but laugh at that happy pink tongue bobbing with each big breath, those shiny white teeth and those big twinkling eyes. (photo by Ronny A. Roberts)

Pit bulls are tenacious fighters. Ever try and fight a pack of pit bulls for the couch? The bed? A soft, cozy blanket? It’s true, they love a comfortable place to sleep and would rather lie right on top of you or each other than be alone on the cold, hard floor. (photo by Janet Podczerwinski)

Children beware. If your child has a phobia for canine kisses, then he or she definitely better stay clear of pit bulls. Pit bulls have a special radar just for children. Smell one, and they start to lick their lips. They can’t wait to find that little kid and cover them in kisses. (photo by Colleen S Moore)

Pit bulls are the ultimate guard dogs. Maybe all robbers need is a little love? If this is the case, then yes, pit bulls make excellent guard dogs. Most will be happy to greet robbers with their wiggly butts. They may even show them where the couch (and TV) is, where the coziest bedroom (and jewelry) is, and invite them to stay and cuddle awhile. (photo by Cristina Falcon Seymour)

Those of us who really know pit bulls, know that they’re just dogs (OK, maybe they’re especially cuddly and goofy dogs). Now let the world know the truth about pit bulls! For a more serious look at pit bull myths and facts, click HERE and visit the Stubbydog website.

You can also visit them on Facebook at: Stubbydog

StubbyDog Ambassador Club

Washington Humane Society Promotes Shelter Pet Adoption through Flurry of Furries in January and February

Washington, DC – The Washington Humane Society (WHS) will celebrate Flurry of Furries January 1 through February 29, 2012, to promote the adoption of shelter animals during the cold winter season. WHS is encouraging the public to “warm up their winter” by adopting a new pet. Stephanie Shain, WHS Chief Operating Officer, highlights the advantages adopting a shelter animal offers to potential pet parents:

Shelters are temporary homes to hundreds of healthy, family-friendly animals. Most pets end up homeless through no fault of their own —"moving" and "landlord issues" are among the top reasons people offer for relinquishing their pets. WHS has a variety of animals of different breeds, sizes and exercise preferences to fit the needs of individual families.

Shelter pets are a bargain—often even more than pets who are “free”; once you add the cost of everything WHS provides to pet families, the savings adds up. All WHS pets go home spayed/neutered; are current on vaccines, de-wormer, flea/tick treatment, heartworm preventative for dogs; and microchipped—a value of up to several hundred dollars.

WHS conducts thorough behavioral assessments of each pet to help match them with the best suited adopter. Plus, WHS behavior and training experts can provide advice on how to make solid, lifelong human-animal relationships.

Every adoption saves a life. When you adopt from a shelter, you give a pet a second chance at happiness, without adding to the significant homeless pet population in the DC area.

In addition to the benefits listed above, all WHS adopters receive a free starter bag of Hill’s Science Diet Food; a goodie bag from Home Buddies DC; a free post-adoption exam at a participating veterinarian; and 30 free days of health insurance from Shelter Care. Dog adoptions cost $170; cat adoptions: $85; and small animal adoptions: $10 and up.

And for those who already own a pet? “Many pets enjoy the companionship, exercise, social interaction and mental stimulation another animal can provide. Plus, all cat adoptions are always two for the price of one at WHS,” said Shain.
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So You’re Thinking About Giving Up Your Pet?

This is a copy of a post that I read. I am not the original author.  This was written by a Shelter Director. This Director is not at any of the shelters that I have visited. This may be what is going on at his shelter, but I have been behind the scenes in the shelters that I post adoption events on, and they are not like this.

So You’re Thinking About Giving Up Your Pet? You Might Want to Reconsider. You can’t keep your pet? Really?
~By a Shelter Director

Our society needs a huge “Wake-up” call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all…a “view from the inside” – if you will.

First off, any of you whom have surrendered a pet to a shelter or humane society should be made to work in the “back” of an animal shelter – for just ONE DAY.

Maybe if you saw the life drain from those sad, lost, confused eyes, you’d stop flagging the ads on here and help these animals find homes. That puppy you just dropped off will most-likely end up in my shelter when it’s no longer a cute little puppy anymore. Just so you know, there’s a 90% chance that your dog will never walk out back out, once entered in to the shelter system…Purebred or not! About 25% of all of the dogs that are “owner surrenders” or “strays” that come into a shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses: “We’re moving and can’t take our dog (or cat).” Really? Where are you moving to that doesn’t allow pets?
Or they say “The dog got bigger than we thought it would”. How big did you think a German Shepherd would get?

“We don’t have time for her”. Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs!

“She’s tearing up our yard”. How about making her a part of your family?

“We just don’t want to have to stress about finding a place for her & we know she’ll get adopted, she’s a good dog”.  Odds are, your pet won’t get adopted  & how stressful do you think it is for your pet?

Did you know…

Your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off? Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn’t full  and your dog/cat manages to stay completely healthy.
If it sniffles, it is euthanized.

Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room
with other barking & crying animals.

It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps.
It will be depressed and will cry constantly for you.
If your pet is lucky, there will be enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk.
If not, your pet won’t get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of it’s pen with a high-powered hose.
If your dog is big, black or any of the “Bully” breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door.
If your cat is scared and doesn’t act friendly enough, or if it catches a cold (which most of them ‘do’), it will be put to sleep.

Those dogs & cats just don’t get adopted. In most cases, it doesn’t matter how ‘sweet’ or ‘well behaved’ they are. If your pet doesn’t get adopted within it’s 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn’t full and your pet is good enough,
and of a desirable enough breed it may get a stay of execution,
but not for long.

Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are
destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment.

If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because the shelter gets paid a fee to euthanize each animal and making money is better than spending money to take this animal to the vet.

Here’s a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being “put-down”.

First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk…happy, wagging their tails…until they get to “The Room”, every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when they get to the door.
It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there. It’s strange, but it happens with every one of them.

Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 shelter workers, depending on the size and how freaked out they are.
Then a shelter worker who we call a “euthanasia tech (not a vet)”
finds a vein in the front leg and injects a lethal dose of the “pink stuff”.

Hopefully your pet doesn’t panic from being restrained and jerks.
I’ve seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood…the yelps and screams are deafening.

They all don’t just “go to sleep”, sometimes they spasm for a while,
gasp for air and defecate on themselves.

You see, shelters are trying to make money to pay employee pay checks and then, there’s the board of directors…who need to be paid too!

Consequently, corners are cut, & we don’t spend our funds to
tranquilize the animal before injecting them with the lethal drug,
we just put the burning lethal drug in their vein and let them suffer until dead.

If it were not a business for profit, we’d do it humanely and hire a
licensed vet do this procedure. That way, the animal would be sedated or tranquilized and THEN euthanized.

But to do this procedure correctly would only cost more money…
so we don’t necessarily do what is right for the animal, we do what’s expedient so we can continue to make a buck!

Shelters do not have to have a vet perform their euthanasia procedures. Oftentimes, they are untrained personnel administering lethal injections. So… that employee may take 50 pokes with a needle and 3 hours to get inside the vein.

In the end, your pet’s corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer, usually in the back of the building with all of the other animals that were killed. There they will sit until being picked up like garbage.

What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? Or used for schools to dissect and experiment on?

You’ll never know and it probably won’t even cross your mind. After all, it was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?!

I hope that those of you who still have a beating heart and have read this are bawling your eyes out and can’t get the pictures out of your head. I deal with this everyday. I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make changes and start educating yourselves, your children, the public.
Do the research, do your homework, and know exactly what you are getting into before getting a pet. These shelters and humane societies exist because people just do not care about animals anymore. And PLEASE stop breeding!

Animals were not intended to be disposable but somehow that is what they’ve become.

Humane Society Sparks Outrage by Euthanizing Man's Kitten over Money

Phoenix, Arizona animal lovers threatened to pull donations to an animal rescue group and the public flooded the agency with scathing comments and calls after a man's cat was euthanized when he couldn't afford its medical care, prompting the Arizona Humane Society to go into damage-control mode.

The group has hired a publicist, removed dozens of comments on its Facebook page and directed a team of five volunteers to respond to the overwhelming calls and emails it has received since The Arizona Republic published a weekend story about Daniel Dockery and his 9-month-old cat, Scruffy.

Dockery, a 49-year-old recovering heroin addict, told the Phoenix newspaper that he took Scruffy to a Humane Society center on Dec. 8 because she had a cut from a barbed-wire fence, an injury that he described as non-life-threatening. The agency said it would cost $400 to treat Scruffy, money he didn't have.

The Humane Society cited policy when it declined to accept a credit card over the phone from Dockery's mother in Michigan or to wait for her to wire the money. The staff said if he signed papers surrendering the cat, Scruffy would be treated and put in foster care, he said.

Instead, Scruffy was euthanized several hours later.

Dockery told the Republic that he was devastated.

"Now I've got to think about how I failed that beautiful animal," Dockery said. "I failed her. ... That's so wrong. There was no reason for her not to be treated."

He described the cat as helping him stay off drugs for more than a year, the longest he had ever been clean. He hand-fed the feline before she opened her eyes at 4 days old, giving her fresh tuna and letting her sleep on his pillow.

Stacy Pearson, who was hired by the agency specifically to deal with media questions about the cat, said Dockery's case has led to two changes. The Arizona Humane Society has set up an account, funded through donations, that would cover the costs of emergency treatment of animals whose owners need a day or two to come up with money for payments. And the group is now accepting credit card payments by phone, Pearson said.

Dozens of scathing comments have since inundated the group's Facebook page, with animal lovers demanding to know why the cat was put down. Pearson said angry comments were removed because of their content: One called for the staff to be euthanized, while another said what happened to Scruffy was murder.

Pearson said Scruffy was put down over a number of reasons, including Dockery's lack of immediate funds, a lack of veterinarians to treat her and what Pearson described as a very serious cut on Scruffy from her abdomen to her knee that went to the muscle.

She said the Arizona Humane Society at the time didn't accept credit card payments over the phone because of possible fraud and can't treat pets with only a promise from owners that they can pay the next day. She said staff had every intention of getting Scruffy the help she needed but the number of animals requiring help at the group's second-chance clinic was too much for the resources available.

If Dockery had been able to pay, Scruffy would have been treated at the facility where he brought her, Pearson said.

"There was no malicious intent to take Scruffy away from her father," Pearson said. "Pulling funding is only going to make a problem like this worse."

On Facebook, where only the agency's executive director is allowed to post comments now, Guy Collison wrote that "Scruffy's story is heartbreaking, and underscores the worst-case-scenario of need eclipsing resources available." He said that his agency has always done what's best for animals.

In less than an hour after his statement was posted, more than 100 people responded, with most slamming the agency and some defending it as doing the best it can with available resources.

Pearson said the group told Dockery that when he's ready for another pet, he could come in and pick one out, but he declined, telling them: "No thanks."