TailsInc.com

From the press release:

Legislation is now pending in the NYS Assembly (A3431B) and Senate (S6167A) to ban devocalization of dogs and cats–the cruel practice of cutting vocal cords just to stifle the animal’s voice.

Massachusetts banned devocalization in 2010, and it has long been outlawed throughout most of Europe. It’s time for NYS to step up.

But with just six weeks to pass or die, this proposed humane legislation is in trouble. The veterinary lobby, with members who profit from devocalization, has mobilized to defeat it. It can kill the bills by stalling them in committee…or amending them into a sham law that allows, legitimizes and will encourage this cruelty.

It’s time for animal advocates to mobilize too, while the legislation still has a chance to become an enforceable law.

Don’t let those who promote devocalization win or animals will lose their voices, their well-being and their lives.

Read the rest of this entry →

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.
Read the rest of this entry →

Hi, I’m Mooka! 

The people at the Anjellicle Cats Rescue call me a wonderful, engaging cat. In fact I was a staff favorite at Animal Care & Control. I was on the euthanasia list four times but they couldn’t bear to put me down. That makes me a very lucky guy. What makes me even luckier is having met the people at Anjellicle Cats Rescue. They are now taking wonderful care of me. What would make me the luckiest dude on the planet would be to find a forever home. I promise I would show you my gratitude every day for the rest of my life! I am only 5 years old so we should have a lot of years together of me worshipping you.

TAILS asked me to answer a few questions to give you a better sense of why I am such a favorite.

Where would you love to go on vacation?
To a house with people who would love me and decide that the vacation never had to end and that I could stay forever.

If you could nap anywhere, where would it be?
On a couch right next to a person who loves me.  I would want some part of me to be touching them while I slept so I would know they were still there.

If you could invite anyone to lunch, who would it be and why?
I would invite the people at the city shelter in New York who worked very hard to make sure I got out of there safely.  I am told I was a favorite cat there.

If you could have opposable thumbs for a day, what would you do?
I would see how they could help me hug people better.

Why should you go home with someone today?
Like I already said, I consider myself a very lucky guy but I did recently go home with a family but their resident cat didn’t want to have a brother. So, they had to bring me back, and to be honest, I’ve been pretty sad since. I have so much love and life to give to the right family, all you have to do is meet me and I know we’ll become fast friends!

If you want to meet me, and I hope you do, please contact Anjellicle Cats Rescue.

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.”
Read the rest of this entry →

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!

Rover.com is excited to announce their launch in New York City! Check out the offer below brought to you by our partners at Rover.com

No one wants to leave their dog in a sterile, impersonal, and possibly overcrowded kennel when they’re away. And thanks to Rover.com, it’s no longer necessary.

Making your “best friend” feel right at home.

Rover.com enables dog parents to leave their pets in a home environment with other pet lovers – including fellow dog parents and neighbors. So instead of being behind bars in a kennel, your dog can receive the affection, attention, activity, and other creature comforts that help him thrive.

No more feeling guilty when you’re traveling. No more begging friends and relatives to help out. With Rover.com, you can know that your pet is being cared for by people who will love him almost as much as you do.

To welcome you to Rover.com, they are offering a ‘Launch Party Promotion’. Get a free night of dog sitting when you book a stay that starts between now and May 31st!!

It’s easy.  Register or sign in to Rover.com and click on ‘Your Profile’ in the top navigation bar. You will see a box below to enter the promo code.  Enter Promo code NY_LAUNCH to get one free night on your first booking when you book two nights or more (up to $30 value).

Don’t live or work in New York? No problem!  Rover.com has great sitters from Boston to Sacramento! To find a terrific dog sitter near you, join our community of dog lovers, or just to get more information, visit Rover.com now. It’s one of the nicest things you’ll ever do for your favorite pooch.

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!
Read the rest of this entry →

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.”
Read the rest of this entry →