P. O. Box A • East Smithfield, PA, 18817 • (570) 596-2200 • www.animalcaresanctuary.org WINTER 2010 NEWSLETTER
Puppy Mills: The Ugly Truth
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million
puppies are born in puppy mills each year Walk by any pet store in America and you’ll see pleading puppy eyes just begging for you to take them home, often with a hefty price tag. But what is the real cost to their lives? Most puppies in pet stores have come from a puppy mill. A puppy mill is a commercial breeding facility that produces puppies in mass quantity. From the outside, a puppy mill may look like any other farm building: rolling hills, white-washed barns, high corn fields tended by a horse-driven plow. But inside are the real horrors, including: Unsanitary facilities. Dog cages are rarely, if ever, cleaned of feces and
» IN THIS ISSUE
Puppy Mills / 1 Meet Joan Hilstolsky / 3 Update on Animals in Need / 3 Facilities Improvements / 4 Ear Mites / 4 New Ways to Donate / 5 Wish List / 5 ACS Hosts Adoption Day / 6 Meet Chuck Rumsey / 6 Estate Planning / 7 ACS Rescues Sled Dogs / 8
urine. Puppies are born into piles of maggot ridden feces. Overcrowded cages. Often 5 or more females are in a small wire cage with one stud male. There is not enough room for each dog to get out of its own waste. Poor quality food. Dogs are fed just enough of the cheapest food to keep them alive. Mother dogs often have few or no teeth due to pregnancy-related malnutrition. Overbreeding and inbreeding. Dogs are bred as often as possible without regard for their health. If a dog can no longer be bred they are killed, usually by drowning, electrocution, or a bullet. In some cases the dead bodies are ground and used as fertilizer. Puppy mills contribute to millions of unwanted dogs who are euthanized each year in the United States. 35-40% of dogs in shelters are purebred,
many originating from puppy mills. In addition, mill puppies are more likely to have severe health problems, genetic defects and behavioral problems as a result of the inbreeding and overbreeding of their parents. Exposure at a young age to unsanitary conditions predisposes the puppies to a lifetime of respiratory illnesses. The unseen victims of the puppy mill trade are the breeding adults. Many shelters work diligently to rescue these forgotten dogs before their sad demise. Puppy mill owners will say they are “just breeding stock” and that the adult (continued on page 2)
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The National Geographic Channel’s Rescue Ink, pictured with Animal Care’s Michelle Stymacks, is also working to raise awareness of puppy mills.
Puppy Mills (continued from p. 1) dogs won’t know how to be pets. But there are countless stories of how former breeding puppy mill dogs have become wonderful companions, even therapy dogs. Animal Care Sanctuary is dedicated to helping the victims of puppy mills in any way we can. Last September, ACS attended Puppy Mill Awareness Day in Lancaster, Pennsylvania – the heart of puppy mill territory. More than 1,500 animal supporters gathered to voice their opposition to the horrors of puppy mills. The March Against Puppy Mills was an impressive sight. Forming a line over a mile long, supporters marched in front of these abusive facilities. In the crowd were hundreds of dogs that had been rescued from puppy mills – dogs missing legs or teeth, some carried or pushed in strollers because they are unable to walk. Seeing these dogs happy in the arms of their rescuers gives us all the reason we need to work towards ending puppy mills. Renowned dog trainer Victoria Stillwell, host of the television show It’s Me or the Dog on Animal Planet, delivered a moving speech. She concluded by saying, “Regardless of religion, one cannot call himself a God-fearing person and knowingly abuse or neglect animals.” Also in attendance was Rescue Ink, a New York City-based rescue group that now has its own show on the National Geographic Channel called Rescue Ink Unleashed. They are a rescue group unlike any you’ve seen before: a bunch of tattooed, motorcycle-riding tough guys who have joined together to fight animal cruelty, educate abusers and help resolve situations. They attend Puppy Mill Awareness Day every year, empowering other rescues like ACS to continue to our important work. ACS will be attending Puppy Mill Awareness day again on September 18, 2010. Learn more about the event at www.awarenessday.org. ■
inches is the legally allowable cage space for dogs in puppy mills
Update on Animals in Need
Many of you may recall a number of special animals from our last newsletter who needed special medical treatment. We are thrilled to report that we received donations for all of the required surgeries! Kate is a gorgeous Labrador mix who we took in just hours before she was to be euthanized at another animal impoundment facility. Shortly after her arrival at ACS, Kate was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, the most common form of cancerous bone tumors in dogs. The most effective treatment for osteosarcoma is amputation of the affected limb. Kate has now had her surgery and has fully recovered. She is 100% cancer-free! It was really amazing picking her up at the vet’s office after the surgery. She was running and bouncing like she still had all four legs. Kate has so much more energy now than she did before the surgery. It’s even more apparent to us now that she was in significant pain before the amputation. Thanks to your generous donations, the $1,000 cost of the surgery was completely covered. Kate has been cleared for adoption and is looking forward to finding a loving home soon. Lady is an older cat with a leg injury that has become so severe it needs to be amputated. Her surgery is coming up very shortly. Fortunately, dogs and cats adapt very quickly to live with three legs, and Lady’s outlook is very positive. Echo is a young cat with a tumor in her ear that requires surgery to remove. Her appointment with the vet is also coming up soon, and the doctor says her prognosis looks great once the tumor comes out. ■
Kate has so much energy now after her surgery!
Meet Joan Hilstolsky Meet Joan Hilstolsky, our Assistant Manager of Cat Caregivers. Joan lives in Athens, Pennsylvania with her son Zack. She has worked for ACS for two years and currently spends most of her time in the cat intake area. This is where incoming young cats and kittens live until they are either adopted or are fully vaccinated and sterilized before transitioning to the main cat area. Joan also looks after cats that are ill and need some special care. “I really enjoy working with the cats, making sure they are healthy and happy,” she says. Joan has a sunny disposition and likes to pick on the directors. She has confidence in what she does and is willing to learn new things and take on new tasks, making her invaluable to ACS. Despite all the time she spends with the cats, Joan also has a soft spot for certain dogs she loves to play with. Just don’t tell the cats! Joan is pictured with Sadiga, one of her favorite felines who was surrendered by her owner. Just seven months old, Sadiga is very affectionate and loving. She was brought here with her mother just a week after mom had given birth to a new litter of kittens. Sadiga, her mom, and her new brothers and sisters are doing great. ■
Outside view of the Cattery at Animal Care Sanctuary.
Facilities Improvements
We are happy to report that our new welcome area and adoption center renovation has been completed! The Ethel Perkins Adoption Center, named for the generous donor whose estate funded the project, provides two rooms where adoptive owners can spend one-on-one time with dogs they are considering taking home. Getting to know the animal before adoption is critical for ensuring that the animal and new family are good matches for each other. Adoptive families are encouraged to bring their current pets to visit their potential new brother or sister as well. Nobody benefits when newly adopted animals are brought back to the sanctuary because of a conflict at home that could have been avoided. Our Communal Cat Room is also finished and is happily inhabited by twenty friendly felines. The room features ramps, cubbies, play toys, and indoor tree, and, of course, catwalks. Volunteer Dave Stymacks generously volunteered his time and handyman skills to complete the space, which also provides a room for adoptive families to interact and play with a potential new feline. Finally, we are midway through the renovation of another existing space to create a veterinary examining room. With hundreds of animals to care for, ACS has formed relationships with local vets to make “house calls,” saving valuable time. This space will give doctor and patient a clean, private space for providing optimum care. ■
Ear Mites – Driving Pets “Buggy” Ear mites are the cause of more than half of all feline ear infections. However, the good news is that they are both treatable and preventable. What exactly is an ear mite, how can you prevent them at home, and how can you help ACS prevent the spread of ear mites? The ear mite is a parasite that lives on the surface of all normal, healthy pets. However, when conditions are right, that parasite enters the ear canal and multiplies. This results in an abnormally high number of parasites, resulting in an ear mite infestation. Can you imagine thousands of little mites crawling around inside your ear canal? How uncomfortable that must be! All those mites crawling around cause animals excessive itching, pain, and discomfort. A thick, black, crusty residue also develops in the ear – yuck! Ear mites are highly contagious. They spread rapidly through a cat population, whether it be in a home or shelter. If a pet is showing any symptoms, a vet will
look into the pet’s ears and take a sample. The vet will then look at the sample under a microscope to see if mites, bacteria, yeast, or some other problem is causing the discomfort. Often the build up of ear mite waste, wax, and serum in the ear causes secondary bacterial infection in pets. There are various treatments for ear mites, but the most effective for a large population of pets such as ACS has is Revolution Topical Liquid. Not only does Revolution treat and prevent ear mites, it is effective against fleas, heartworm, and some intestinal parasites as well. Providing enough Revolution to treat the ACS family can be expensive. If you would like to donate toward the treatment and prevention of ear mites in ACS, please note “Ear Mites” on your donation. ■
Winter view of the beautiful Pennsylvania hills at Animal Care Sanctuary.
Dudley, a beagle mix who was rescued from an abusive owner who poured acid on his back, has recovered and was caught playing fetch in the Adoption Center!
New Ways to Donate ACS now makes it easier than ever to donate with our new partners. Capital One Credit Cards You can now sign up for a credit card from Capital One specifically linked to Animal Care Sanctuary so that 1% of every purchase you make is automatically donated to ACS. Just by using your Capital One card, you can make significant contributions to the care of our animals – without spending a dime of your own money! To apply, visit www.cardlabconnect.com/AnimalCareSanctuary today. Our full wish list of items we need is now available online with Amazon.com. This means you can purchase items from Amazon and they will be shipped directly to ACS. To find the ACS wish list, just go to Amazon.com and click on “Gifts & Wish Lists” at the top. Then enter “Animal Care Sanctuary” after “Find Wish Lists and Registries” and hit enter. It’s that simple! Search the Web using Goodsearch.com Whenever you need to look something up online, use www.goodsearch.com and Goodsearch will donate one cent to ACS for every search performed, without costing you a thing. That may not sound like a lot, but this adds up to typically about $30-50 per month. Visit www.goodsearch.com and enter “Animal Care Sanctuary” under “Who do you Goodsearch for?” then search as you normally would.
Wish List
Amazon.com Wish List
» Baby Food Meat Varieties (without onion powder) » Low Sodium Chicken Broth » Dry Kitten Food » Blankets » Dog and Cat Treats » Dog Shampoo » And more... Visit
Donate by Credit Card on the ACS Web Site
www.amazon.com
Now you can donate to ACS using your credit card on our own Web site: www.animalcaresanctuary.org. Just click on Donate near the bottom of the page.
for the full list
Animal Care Hosts Adoption Day Animal Care recently hosted an Adoption Day event at a local Tractor Supply store to find homes for some of our animals and raise awareness of our mission. We featured ten animals – four cats and six dogs. All but one of the dogs were adopted that same day, and many other people stopped by to admire and play with the animals. Our favorite beagle Dudley was there, and charmed many visitors with his big brown eyes and waggy tail.
Luke, one of our adorable dogs featured at Adoption Day, went home with a new family the same day!
Throughout the day we answered questions about what Animal Care Sanctuary does and how many animals we care for. People were amazed and impressed by the scope of our work, and promised to tell friends about us. In addition to this Adoption Day event, Animal Care has hosted several open houses in recent months. Dozens of people from the community have shown up, along with local newspaper reporters. We’ve provided tours, information, and of course the opportunity to meet our hundreds of lovable dogs and cats. We will continue to reach out to the community to raise awareness of the importance of rescuing abused and abandoned animals.■
Meet Chuck Rumsey Chuck Rumsey is our Assistant Dog Kennel Supervisor. He’s been with ACS for six months, but Chuck also worked here previously for two years. Chuck is an avid dog lover and feels lucky to be able to spend most of his time surrounded by four-legged friends. As Assistant Manager, Chuck cares for, walks, and interacts with the dogs on a daily basis. He is also responsible for making sure all the dogs are fed and their kennels are properly cleaned. We often take in dogs who are scared and nervous as a result of being abused, and Chuck is particularly good with them. He’s able to calm these dogs and help them regain their trust in people. “One thing great about my job is that my customers, the dogs, are always really happy to see me,” he says. Chuck has two young children and a girlfriend named Emily. He is pictured giving a little extra attention to Zoe, one of his most affectionate charges. ■
Estate Planning for the Rest of Us By Jason Moyer, CFP, Hudock Moyer Wealth Management When famous people announce that they’re giving large sums of money to charitable causes, it usually makes headlines. But it’s important to remember that the massive donations you read about aren’t the only way to help out. While you may not have billions to give to an esteemed foundation, your donations can still make a huge difference to those in need. In addition, donations will help reduce your taxes. Here are several methods of giving to consider when reviewing your estate with your financial planner. Direct gifts of appreciated securities You can give stocks and other securities that have grown in value. This method conserves your cash while helping to avoid capital gains tax on the sale of the securities. You may deduct the market value of the securities (determined at the time of the gift) on your current-year tax return. Direct Gifts of Life Insurance
Charitable remainder trust This technique lets you contribute assets (property or securities) to a trust that is bequeathed to a charity upon your death. These assets may be sold from within the trust without incurring capital gains taxes. You may receive an income stream from the trust during your lifetime and also receive a current income tax deduction based on the present value of the future benefit to the charity. Charitable lead trust This type of trust is the opposite of a charitable remainder trust. Upon establishment of the trust, an income stream is provided to the charity, while you transfer the remaining interest to your family. A charitable lead trust does not generally entitle the donor to an income tax deduction in the year the trust is established. However, any income generated by the donated assets will be reported by the trust, not the donor. The trust is then entitled to a charitable deduction for any income it pays
If you have a life insurance policy you no longer need, you can transfer it to the charity of your choice. If the policy has a cash value, the charity may be able to borrow funds from the policy and you may be entitled to an income tax deduction in the amount of the policy’s value.
out to the charity. Unlike a charitable remainder trust, a charitable lead trust does not help you avoid capital gains tax. The benefit of the trust lies in the ability to give the assets to your heirs at a substantially discounted value. Charitable gift annuities In this arrangement, the charity promises to pay the donor a constant income stream — an annuity — in exchange for a charitable gift. A portion of the value of the gifted assets is tax deductible to the donor. ■
ACS Rescues Canadian Sled Dogs Animal Care Sanctuary partnered with Humane Society International (HSI) and the SPCA of Laurentides-Labelle, Quebec to rescue approximately 100 neglected sled dogs in the Upper Laurentians of Quebec. The owner was unable to care properly for his dogs and released them to the care of the SPCA LL.
Working in conjunction with the SPCA and HSI, Animal Care Sanctuary took in five of the neglected dogs. The dogs joined approximately 150 others at Animal Care’s extensive kennel facilities where they received immediate food and veterinary care. “These dogs were frightened and malnourished but essentially healthy,” noted Animal Care’s Michelle Stymacks. “It will take time for them to trust people again, but the important thing is they are out of the freezing cold.” According to Corinne Gonzalez, executive director, SPCA LL, “This
rescue will prevent the situation from getting worse: among the dogs we took in, approximately 30 females are pregnant. Without our intervention, the owner could easily have found himself with 150 more puppies when winter is right around the corner.” Having arrived in November, we are happy to report that four of the five dogs have been adopted into loving homes.
Tragically, this situation is not unique, with cases of neglect of sled dogs regularly reported in Canada. HSI and the SPCA LL are calling upon the provincial and federal government to pass stronger animal protection laws to ensure the protection of all dogs. For sled dogs, sterilization and planning for the care of the dogs during the eightmonth low season should be a priority. For a video of the Human Society rescue, visit video.hsus.org and click on Canada Dog Rescue. ■
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