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Puppy Rescue, Thanks To Two Kind Boys

Jumping into action on a cold night

Thank you to the two boys who called the Animal Rescue League and Boston Animal Care (BAC) for help with a puppy rescue on a very cold night earlier this week.

puppy rescue in Boston

Two boys found the small puppy trapped between a fence and a wall in a local park.

After hearing whimpering noises coming from somewhere, the boys went outside to look around and try to find what was making them. They followed a trail of tiny footprints in the park across the street from their home and found the poor pup trapped between a metal fence and retaining wall!

Realizing the little dog was stuck and would not survive a night out in the freezing cold, the two rushed to get help.  The ARL and BAC arrived on the scene and worked together to pull the shivering and frightened puppy out from behind the fence.

Watch the short video of the gentle rescue below.

We’re happy to report the little guy is sweet as can be and recovering very well from his ordeal thanks to the two kind young men who helped an animal in need!

 

 

Exploring the Issue of Animal Cruelty with Phil Arkow

Focusing on the link between animal abuse and human violence

Making animal cruelty prevention a priority for the entire community is a major part of the community outreach work the ARL has done in 2014.  Our “See Something, Say Something – Report Animal Cruelty” campaign, for example, is all about getting the public’s help in reporting suspicions of abuse to local authorities.

We also recently hosted a lecture event for our President’s Council donor group and other special guests featuring guest presenter Phil Arkow, a noted speaker with the animal welfare field on the connection between animal abuse and human violence.  Arkow co-founded The National Link Coalition in an effort to bring attention to what many believe is a critical public safety issue.

Phil Arkow discussed the connection between cruelty to animals and other forms of human violence.

Phil Arkow discussed the connection between cruelty to animals and human violence.

“We can prevent animal abuse and other forms of family violence by paying more attention to animal abuse as a potential indicator and predictor of crime,” Arkow said in the opening minutes of his presentation.  “What we do to prevent, prosecute, and punish animal cruelty are just as beneficial to Man – and Woman – as they are to Man’s best friend.”

To download the slides or see more pictures of the event, visit:  arlboston.org/pc-14-lecture

Inspired by the many decades of research and examples of domestic violence awareness campaigns that include pets in the message, Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, vice president of animal welfare  at the ARL, conclude the event suggesting to the audience, “we all need to think about how to share the message that helping animals is really helping people and helping improve society.”

Thank you to the Susannah A. Knight Law Enforcement Fund for sponsoring the ARL’s Fall Lecture event.  Your generous support made an evening of meaningful and important discussion possible.

And of course, thank you to all of our President’s Council members who attended this event.

Website Susannah Thanks

Wally Says Look at Meow!

Home for the Holidays Happy Tail

Then: Wally needed over $3,000 in emergency surgery to repair wounds to his face, legs, and tail.

Then: Wally needed over $3,000 in emergency surgery to repair wounds to his face, legs, and tail.

Earlier this Fall, we shared the story of Wally.  The small grey and white cat had seriously injured himself after somehow scaling the 30-40 foot wall at Bridgewater State Prison and getting stuck in the razor wire.

Read Wally’s story

Soon after returning to the ARL’s Boston shelter to complete his recovery following surgery to repair his wounds, Wally found a wonderful new home.

Today, Wally is now known as Silvio (aka Mr. Sil).

His family reports that he continues to be a spunky little guy! He and his big sister Cleo, a Siamese mix and ARL Dedham alum (’09) became fast friends and are really enjoying having a kindred playful spirit around.

During the day, Silvio and Cleo love looking out windows together to watch the birds and squirrels. And at night, both cats snuggle up with their human companions after a long day of play.

Say Silvio’s parents, “We are so happy to have Silvio in our lives. Such a wonderful, resilient and loving animal!”

Stories like Silvio’s are truly like a holiday wish come true.  Thank you to our supporters who donated over $7,000 for medical assistance for Wally and other animals like him.

 

Piper the Kitten Getting Special Care at the ARL

“She’s like our very own Tiny Tim”

kitten being examined by ARL vetThe Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) newest addition, little Piper the kitten, is recovering from delicate surgery performed on Monday to repair her broken back leg.

Just as the cold weather hit, kind Samaritans discovered the 6-8 week-old brown tabby all alone and struggling to walk near an ice cream shop in Orleans, MA. After police brought her to the ARL’s Brewster shelter, ARL veterinarian Dr. Kyle Quigley recommended bringing Piper up to Boston to explore all the options for repairing her leg.

“Piper was anemic, dehydrated, and clearly in some discomfort because of her broken leg,” Dr. Quigley explained. “Because she was so little, we wanted to make sure we helped her heal with minimal pain.”

An x-ray of Piper's leg with the pins and steel plate post surgery.

An x-ray of Piper’s leg with the pins and steel plate post surgery.

The ARL funded Piper’s surgery at Tufts Veterinary Emergency Treatment and Specialties in Walpole, MA, where veterinary surgeons inserted a steel plate and pins to repair the serious fracture in her thigh. The organization will continue to help Piper rehabilitate over the next 6-8 weeks and begin the process of finding her a permanent home.

“She’s like our very own Tiny Tim,” said Marianne Gasbarro, the ARL’s Boston shelter manager. “She got the treatment she needed just in time and will have a much better life in the new year ahead.”

The ARL expects Piper’s medical costs will top $2,000 with surgery and after care. The organization does not receive any government funding and relies solely on the generosity of supporters to help stray animals like Piper recover.

Make a donation to help Piper and other animals just like her.

small tabby kitten

 

4 Years Lost and a Long Way from Home

Billy is Home for the Holidays After 4 Years Thanks to the ARL & His Microchip!

11-20-14 BillyPicWhen Billy first arrived at our Boston shelter from an animal control facility in Western Massachusetts, we could tell he was special. This handsome Bull Terrier was very friendly and seemed like he had an interesting story to tell.

After doing a quick scan, we discovered that he had a microchip… that traced back to Australia! Our intake liaison called several microchip companies, but none of them had a record for him. With only one more company on her list, were hopeful that this would be Billy’s chance for reconnecting with his family, and it was. The Canadian microchip company confirmed that Billy had been microchipped in Australia.

When Alana called his family they couldn’t believe that their Billy had been found and that he was all the way in Boston. He had been stolen from them fours years ago and they had searched for him far and near. His owner drove over from Western Massachusetts to our Boston shelter the following day and the connection was undeniable.

Billy was thrilled to see his dad! That day we learned a few things about Billy. He had been a show-dog since he was a puppy and now has 8 show-stopping grand kids who were waiting for him at home.

Watch the video of his happy reunion with his owner, below.

52% of dogs who enter a shelter with a microchip are successfully returned to their owners and Billy’s story serves as an important reminder to microchip your pets.

We’re so thrilled that Billy will be home for the holidays after all these years!

Your support makes stories like Billy’s possible.

Please help more animals find a home for the holidays this season by making your year-end donation today! Donate online.

Thank You Thursday: After 6 Years at ARL, CSD Moves to Tufts

A New Direction for the Center for Shelter Dogs

After six years with the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the Center for Shelter Dogs (CSD) has transitioned to the Shelter Medicine Program and Center for Animals and Public Policy at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

If you’re not familiar with the Center for Shelter Dogs, it started with a simple mission: to improve the welfare and successful placement of homeless dogs. By providing resources, training, and scientifically-validated behavior assessment and modification tools, CSD worked to ensure adoptable dogs found homes that matched the personalities and needs of both dog and owner.

10-16-14 CSD Thank You_Pic 2Thanks to generous funding from the Stanton Foundation, CSD built an impressive body of work, including:

    • An information-rich website viewed by over 49,000 visitors
    • Educational seminars and institutes reaching over 3,500 animal welfare practitioners
    • Behavioral assessments of over 15,000 dogs
    • Ground-breaking research on problem behavior, stress and enrichment, and canine personality

So, why the transition?

We recognized that to grow and sustain the program over the long term, it would require greater organizational capacity and reach. This new home for the Center will enrich both CSD and Cummings School programs by building on past research collaborations, and providing new educational platforms for addressing the welfare and adoptability of shelter dogs. It will also allow CSD to have greater impact across the country.

10-16-14 CSD Thank You_Pic 1Here at the Animal Rescue League we feel truly honored to have served as the incubating organization for such a tremendous asset to the field of animal welfare. Thank you to the Center for Shelter Dogs for 6 years of incredible work that has helped more homeless dogs get a chance at a better life. This work will not only continue, but will also have an even greater impact on the well-being of dogs in the future.

 

Remembering Puppy Doe

Momentum growing in efforts to prevent animal cruelty

One year ago today, the Animal Rescue League (ARL) of Boston, Quincy Police Department, and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey issued a public appeal for help identifying the person responsible for abusing Puppy Doe, a young adult dog found tortured, starved, and left for dead near a park in Quincy.

10-16 Puppy Doe Update Photo rest in peace

Moved by her story, people created a temporary memorial for Puppy Doe near the park where she was found in Quincy.

Her case captured the attention of animal welfare advocates and concerned citizens around the world as investigators diligently worked through the hundreds of leads brought forward to police.

Within a few weeks, the police arrested a suspect and the district attorney formally charged him with 11 counts of animal cruelty.  The prosecution of the case continues as we speak.

Puppy Doe and the extreme level of abuse she suffered also inspired new conversation on the topic of animal cruelty and how to prevent it.

Massachusetts lawmakers began to consider ways to update and evaluate existing laws relating to the protection of animals in the state.

One year later, S2345 – a bill passed by both the Massachusetts House and Senate at the end of the 2014 session – will become law within a few weeks.

The bill increases penalties for animal cruelty substantially, requires veterinarians to report abuse, and creates a task force to comprehensively review all animal-related laws in Massachusetts.

The ARL is especially pleased about the impact S2345 makes on the issue of animal cruelty:

  • Massachusetts has gone from a state with one of the most lenient fines for animal cruelty to one more in line with – and in many cases stricter – than other states.
  •  The law establishes a legal obligation for veterinarians to bring suspicions of abuse to authorities for further investigation.
    Consider this: If the veterinarian who initially treated Puppy Doe had not taken the initiative to report concerns to the ARL, the world might never have known about her case.
  • The formation of a task force of experts in law enforcement, animal protection, veterinary medicine, and the legal profession holds promise for more progress on the issue.

Outside the state on a national level, the National Sherriffs’ Association (NSA) and the Animal Legal Defense Fund launched the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse in August.  The Center provides resources to the law enforcement community to assist with animal cruelty prevention and investigation strategies.

Inspired by Puppy Doe's case, the ARL has issued a public call-to-action to report concerns about animal cruelty to local authorities.

Inspired by Puppy Doe’s case, the ARL has issued a public call-to-action to report concerns about animal cruelty to local authorities.

And as of earlier this week, the FBI will begin tracking animal cruelty cases as a separate category of crimes.  Law enforcement for the first time will have a way to track the number of reported incidents of animal cruelty cases each year to better channel resources and violence prevention programs.

Perhaps most importantly, public awareness of the role we can all play in preventing horrific cases like Puppy Doe’s is growing.

The fact remains that 4 out 5 cases of animal cruelty remain undiscovered by authorities, so public awareness and action will play a critical role in making our community a safer, more humane place for animals and people.

One year on, Puppy Doe’s case continues to inspire conversation and activity.   At the ARL, we look forward to pushing for progress and change.

We remain ever-grateful to our supporters and animal-lovers everywhere who are speaking up and out about the importance of preventing cruelty to animals!

Visit arlboston.org/take-action to learn more about how you can prevent animal cruelty.

 

Dangers of Leaving Your Dog in a Parked Car PSA [VIDEO]

ARL and Boston Fire Department team up for public service video

A few weeks ago, the ARL teamed up with our private veterinary clinic Boston Veterinary Care and the Boston Fire Department to create a public service video to warn pet owners of the dangers of leaving a dog in a parked car during the summer.

With temperatures approaching 90 degrees around Greater Boston, today seemed like the perfect day to re-share the video.

Watch it now:

Remember: dogs don’t sweat the way people do.

Even when it’s only 80 degrees outside, the inside of a car can heat up to more than 120 degrees in just minutes – even with the windows cracked.   When the temperature rises,  leave your dog at home.

Special thanks to the Boston Fire Department!

 

Thanks to You, S2345 Passes in Massachusetts

S.2345 Passed Both Chambers! On its way to the Governor’s Desk!

Thanks to you, S.2345 passed the State House and Senate! The bill takes effect in 90 days once it’s signed into law by Governor Patrick.

08-14-14 Cute Dog PicS. 2345 (formerly called H.4328/ H.4244) increases maximum penalties for animal abuse from 5 years to 7 years in prison and $2,500 to $5,000 in fines.

In addition, the bill requires veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse. Also included in the new law is the creation of a task force comprised of experts in law enforcement, animal protection, veterinary medicine and the law to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the state’s cruelty statutes to ensure continued progress.

“Today is a historic day for this legislative body, for the citizens of Massachusetts and—most especially—for animals,” said State Representative Lou Kafka, who was key in moving the bill through the House.

Phone calls to legislators from animal lovers across the state made the critical difference in creating a sense of urgency to getting the bill through.

“Thanks to the hard work of legislators and animal welfare supporters throughout Massachusetts, we will now have a law in place that strengthens our ability to prevent cruelty and will dramatically improve the welfare of animals in Massachusetts,” praised ARL president, Mary Nee.

Thank you to everyone who took action and gave a voice to the victims of animal cruelty!

Visit arlboston.org/take-action for more on S.2345 and what you can do to prevent animal cruelty.

S2345 Passes in Massachusetts

Animal Welfare Advocates Commend Lawmakers for New Measures, Stiffened Penalties for Animal Cruelty

BOSTON, MA – Animal protection groups including the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) and MSPCA-Angell today lauded the passage of Senate Bill 2345 (formerly known as H4328/H4244) that establishes harsher punishments and financial penalties for animal cruelty and aims to prevent abuse from happening in Massachusetts.

The measures take effect in 90 days once S2345 is signed into law by Governor Patrick.

07-28 S2345-thumb

The ARL credits citizen animal advocates who called legislators in the final weeks of the 2014 session to urge passage of S2345 (formerly known as H4328/H4244).

The bill raises maximum penalties for animal cruelty convictions from five to seven years and increases the maximum fine from $2,500 to $5,000. S2345 also allows a penalty of up to 10 years and/or a fine of $10,000 for repeat convictions. In addition, the bill requires veterinarians to report suspected animal abuse. Also included in the new law is the creation of a task force comprised of experts in law enforcement, animal protection, veterinary medicine and the law to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the state’s cruelty statutes to ensure continued progress.

“Today is a historic day for this legislative body, for the citizens of Massachusetts and—most especially—for animals,” said State Representative Lou Kafka, who was key in moving the bill through the House. “This law is an urgently needed update to outdated penalties and ensures that legislators continually receive the best advice on how to combat animal cruelty in our Commonwealth, directly from the experts who deal with it most frequently.”

“Thanks to the hard work of legislators and animal welfare supporters throughout Massachusetts, we will now have a law in place that strengthens our ability to prevent cruelty and will dramatically improve the welfare of animals in Massachusetts,” praised Mary Nee, president of the ARL.

Prior to the passage of S2345, Massachusetts maintained some of the most lenient fines in the nation for animal abuse, with a maximum of $2,500. Many other states have higher prison sentences as well.  The new law marks the first update of these penalties in nearly ten years and reflects broad public consensus that animal cruelty must never be tolerated.

Representative Bruce Ayers stated, “The passage of the bill is evidence that lawmakers are listening to their constituents, who—especially in the wake of the horrific Puppy Doe animal abuse case in Quincy, my district, last year —are demanding stricter penalties for those who abuse or kill animals. As the sponsor of this animal welfare bill, I am pleased with this outcome.”

Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the MSPCA-Angell states, “We’re very pleased that this crucial legislation has passed, and we extend our thanks to all of the bill’s sponsors and supporters who championed these reforms. We also thank every caring citizen who contacted state legislators to urge for stronger laws to both punish animal abusers and, importantly, work to prevent cruelty from happening the first place. Animal lovers around the state can today celebrate these efforts and hopefully can find some peace knowing that from such tragic incidents, like Puppy Doe and others, awareness has been generated that will now prevent harm to other helpless animals.”

“Abusive acts toward animals are unacceptable, and all too often can lead to violence toward people. Our laws need to strongly and clearly penalize those who commit the kinds of brutal acts we’ve seen in the Puppy Doe case and others, and this legislation makes major progress in achieving that goal,” said Senator Bruce Tarr. “It couldn’t have been accomplished without organizations like the MSPCA and ARL the thousands of individuals who have driven this effort from the drafting of the bill to its arrival on the Governor’s desk.”

About the Animal Rescue League of Boston
Founded in 1899, the ARL is dedicated to rescuing domesticated animals and wildlife from suffering, cruelty, abandonment, and neglect. In 2013, the ARL served over 14,000 individual animals through our shelters in Boston, Brewster, and Dedham, and our law enforcement, rescue, and veterinary services. The ARL receives no government funding and relies solely on the generosity of supporters to help animals in need. Visit arlboston.org for more information.

About the MSPCA-Angell
The MSPCA-Angell is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement, and world-class veterinary care. The MSPCA-Angell is a private, non-profit organization. It does not receive any government funding nor is it funded or operated by any national humane organization.