TailsInc.com

Say No to Retail Pets, 
Adopt Instead

Despite all the well-deserved bad press pet stores that sell puppies are getting these days, a surprising number of would-be pet owners still head straight for a pet store to buy a pet, or purchase one via the Internet. Many of these retail pets end up in shelters because their owners simply weren’t prepared to deal with the consequences of their decision to buy.

Some retail pets end up in shelters because of health issues – the sad result of being born into horrid conditions at puppy mills, being taken prematurely from their mothers before their immune systems have fully developed, and often, being irresponsibly bred from parents whose own health problems make them unfit for breeding. Once many buyers realize their new “family member” has health issues, they dump them at a shelter to be rid of the problem and avoid the cost of medical treatment, instead of seeking appropriate medical help for their pet.
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Stephanie Downs (right) and FiXit are researching the best ways to deliver spay/neuter messages. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Downs.

FiXit Foundation takes innovative approach to promote spay/neuter

By Brendan Quealy

Stephanie Downs’ idea of a vacation is spending a few weeks in Africa helping impoverished children and another couple weeks in India attempting to ease the feral cow problem. That may not seem like the ideal R & R for most, but Downs is passionate about making a difference locally, as well as internationally. Downs, who has endless energy, is especially chipper while talking about her pride and joy: the FiXit Foundation.

“The original idea came while I was working at a shelter in 2001,” Downs says. “I would see all of these people coming in with boxes of puppies and just dropping them off. We were already putting down 5 million animals a year in this country, so it seemed like spay/neuter was something we needed to focus on.”

Downs refers to her time volunteering at Los Angeles-area shelters as her “gateway drug” into animal welfare. With her background in marketing, Downs was interested in creating targeted campaigns that would motivate people in underserved communities to spay and neuter their pets. “There is a segment of the population that we are not meeting,” Downs says. “Twenty to 25 percent of the people in this country either do not know, or are misinformed, about spay/neuter.”
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Pet Rescue
914.834.6955
NY-PetRescue.org

Greetings! My name is Zoey, and I am the sweetest cat in the world. If I were a student in class, I would be the one always raising my hand to be called on. I love attention, rubbing against your legs, and snuggling up on the couch. I am very affectionate, and I know we’ll make a great pair!

What movie star would you want 
to portray you in a movie of your life?
Sure, she has an extra “O” in her name, but lets go with Zooey Deschanel. She is super-cute like me!

If you won the lottery, what would you do?
Live the life I have always dreamed of in a nice house with tons of space, and lots of people and animals to love. And then, I’d 
order a round of sushi for everyone!

Why should YOU go home with a family right now?
I am a great cat who will really brighten up your day and love you forever.

Who is your best friend?
I don’t have one yet, but I have a really good feeling about you!

Pet Rescue
914.834.6955
NY-PetRescue.org

Hi! My name is Cooper and I am an 8-month-old Pekingese/Poodle mix. I’m a well-behaved and social little man. I’m also very handsome and have an extremely soft coat. I am learning to walk on a leash, and follow some basic commands. I would make an excellent traveling companion. I enjoy going for rides, and usually end up falling asleep in the car. Give me some toys, another dog, even a cat­—and I’m a happy guy!

What movie star would you want to portray you in a movie of your life?
Vince Vaughn is very funny. And the ladies think he is a nice guy. I think he would do an excellent job capturing my personality!

What do you dream of at night?
Growing up in a nice house with a loving family, with some other doggie playmates to wrestle with.

Why should YOU go home with a family right now?
I am just starting my life, and I cannot wait to get it started with you. I’m a sweet boy!

Hamburger or hot dog?
I’ll have one of each, please!

Are You and Your Pets Eco-friendly?

Chances are the answer is “yes.”

First of all, if you’ve adopted your cat, dog, or other pet from a rescue or shelter, then you’ve taken an important step in reducing the number of homeless pets. By not purchasing from a pet store or irresponsible breeder, you aren’t supporting cruel puppy and kitty mills. You’ve saved a precious life—that’s certainly eco-friendly!

Is your dog or cat spayed or neutered? If your pet hasn’t been spayed or neutered … what are you waiting for? Hopefully, not for an additional litter of puppies or kittens that will have a hard time finding homes in a world that already kills millions of homeless pets each year. Because spaying and neutering offers tremendous health benefits for your pet—avoidance of some illnesses and behavioral problems—you’re doing the healthy thing for your pet. That, too, is eco-friendly!
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Rick Thompson, Ken Siegert, and their inspiration Chloe. PHOTOS: Rick Thompson/Ken Siegert

New organization helps underfunded shelters

By Brendan Quealy

The idea of selfless generosity may seem foreign to some people, but not to Rick Thompson and Ken Siegert. While they have been in the animal welfare community for years, there was one incident that really hit home.“It started with a shelter in Tucker County, West Virginia that was run by Cathy Parsons,” says Thompson. “She was really dedicated to running a no-kill shelter, but she had a very limited budget.”

Parsons ran into an extremely difficult case and needed to reach out for help. An adorable dog named Ray came to the Tucker County Animal Shelter after both of his human companions died a few months apart. Ray was lucky to land at this particular shelter, but he had two major factors working against his possible adoption—he was black and he was old.  “One of the things you read about is that when a black dog is in a shelter, they don’t show up in photos, and when people walk down the aisles of cages the dogs are not right up in front but are in the back in the shadows—so they don’t get seen,” explains Thompson. “We are trying to help the black dogs, the senior dogs and the medical needs dogs by putting them on the radar.”
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Greyhound Rescue & Rehabilitation
914.763.2221
GreyhoundRescueRehab.org

Hey there, I’m Mickey, and I have an awesome sister Minnie! We are such good friends—it is best if we are adopted together. Minnie wouldn’t be happy without me. We are perfect for a home with a nice fenced-in yard, so we can run around. We love to play chase, so a home with other small animals is not ideal. We may be a bit shy at first, but just be patient. Once we get adjusted to our new environment, we really open up and show our affection. Our personalities will shine!

What movie star would you want to portray you in a movie of your life?
Why not our namesakes? Mickey and Minnie Mouse would be perfect to play us!

If you won the lottery, what would you do?
I think I would just spend all of my time in a field with my sister chasing rabbits and squirrels and birds.

What do you dream of at night?
Finding the perfect home for my sister and me. We will bring so much joy to your family!

What is your favorite song?
“Just the Two of Us” by Grover Washington, Jr.

Greyhound Rescue & Rehabilitation
914.763.2221
GreyhoundRescueRehab.org

Hi! My name is Lulu! I am a sleek and gorgeous black beauty. I love people, cats, and love to be petted by every visitor that comes my way. I am a quick learner. Loud noises and quick moves can frighten me, so I will thrive in structured, quiet environment. I can be a little bit timid around dogs I don’t know, but usually warm up to them. Right now, I spend my days hanging out with two other Greyhounds, a Boxer, and a cat. I might follow you around the house, and I like nothing better than to snuggle up and take a nap at your feet. I am a real sweetheart and will bond closely with my new family.

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
One with deep roots. My love will wrap itself around your heart and make a home there.

What is your favorite board game?
I like most board games as long as they are quiet. I think chess would do the trick.

What do you dream of at night?
Having fun with my forever family! I want nothing more than to be your best friend and make you feel special.

Hamburger or hot dog?
Oh, I am definitely a burger gal!

Your Next Adoption Story
Each week, my fellow Mayor’s Alliance staff members and I spend a morning walking dogs at the Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) shelter on 110th Street. We began this last year when deep budget cuts by the NYC Department of Health left the City-funded AC&C shelters in dire need of assistance.

These weekly shifts offer us an opportunity to meet many of the dogs that come through the shelters’ doors—dogs who have run away or been lost, abandoned by their [guardians], surrendered because of financial hardship, eviction, or other personal crises, or turned into the shelter when their [guardian] died.

Every dog and cat who ends up at the shelter has a story to tell. Sometimes their story is written on their face—others are narrated by their physical appearance—and some tragic stories are disguised by valiant expressions of hope you can see in their eyes.

Each time I take a dog out of his cage, I begin to imagine what that story might be. Like, Anton, the 5-year-old Pit mix who was seized by the NYPD. Or June, the 3-year-old Brussels Griffon, who was brought in as a stray. Or Haley, the 8-year-old Lhasa Apso, surrendered by her owners when they lost their home.

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