TAILS CAROLINA SUMMER 2020
TAILS CAROLINA
Publisher: Charleston Animal Society
Editor-in-Chief: Dan Krosse
Managing Editor: Joe Elmore
Advertising Manager: Keith Simmons
Advertising Sales: Ted DeLoach
Graphic Design: Heineman Design
Copy Editor: Eve Baker, Rebecca Overdorf
Writers: Dan Krosse, Joe Elmore, Lynn McBride, Dana Beach, Aldwin Roman, Sean Hawkins, Kay Hyman, Becca Boronat, Helen Ravenel Hammond, David Aylor
Photographers: Jeanne Taylor, Marie Rodriguez, Dan Krosse, Kay Hyman
For inquiries regarding advertising, distribution or suggestions in Carolina Tails call (843) 410-2577 or ksimmons@charlestonanimalsociety.org.
2455 Remount Road, North Charleston, SC 29406 (843) 747-4849 www.CarolinaTails.org
Chairwoman: Laurel Greer
Vice Chair: Dillard Stevens Salmons
Secretary: Peter Waters
Treasurer: Martin Deputy
David Maybank, Jr., Esq.
Robert Nigro
Louise Palmer
Patricia Henley
Hank Greer
Members of the Board
Linda Bakker
Luigi Bravo
Caroline Clark
Edward “Ted” Corvey, III, Esq.
Henry Darby
Jane Graham
Sarah-Hamlin Hastings
Brantley Meier
Carolyn Murray
Richard Murphy
Celeste Patrick, MD
Donald Smith
Diane Straney
George “Pat” Waters
President & CEO: Joe Elmore
Media & Marketing Consultant: Dan Krosse, dpk media solutions
How our pets are getting us through the
The Future of Animal Care after
Facial Recognition for Pets
How technology will revolutionize finding lost pets in the Lowcountry. 16 Hurricane Season 2020
Why the Pandemic is adding a layer of concern to hurricane season.
Tiger King: Trash TV Review
Environment & Animals
Hear
Welcome
DEAR FRIENDS,
It’s hard to believe that it is summer already. If you’re like me, the “year of the Pandemic” has turned time into a fog machine.
While COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives, Charleston Animal Society never stopped helping animals during the shutdown and continues to face the pandemic head-on with a strategy that always makes the welfare of our community's animals our top priority. Despite the coronavirus, our impact between March and June has continued:
•Saved the lives of 1,431 abused, abandoned and unwanted animals through medical care and sheltering
•Found homes for homeless animals by adopting 849 animals
•Prevented unwanted and unplanned litters by spay and neutering 1,136 animals
•Reunited almost 154 furry loved ones with their families
•Fostered 583 of the most at-risk animals
•Our Humane Education department turned on a dime to make their summer camp curriculum virtual for kids at home.
•In partnership with GreaterGood and others, we provided more than 15 tons of pet food and supplies for animal organizations throughout the state as part of our No Kill South Carolina project.
With you on our team, we can face any challenge.
Your continued support has never been so vital.
As we head into summer, Charleston Animal Society projects a $1 million shortfall this calendar year due to the significant loss of program revenue and the cancellation of major fundraising events involving large groups of people.
With hurricane season heating up, we are ready to respond. During six consecutive years of presidentially declared disasters and emergencies, Charleston Animal Society has deployed up and down the I-95 corridor and around our state to assist thousands of animals in shelters facing insurmountable harm.
Charleston Animal Society has been here since 1874 and protected our animals through countless crises. Now, with you by our side, we will do the same through this pandemic.
In this issue
Facial recognition for pets? The future truly is here ladies and gentlemen. We are excited to be partnering with the Petco Foundation to launch “Finding Rover” in our community. Just upload a face photo of your pet and if by chance he or she is ever lost – this amazing technology will help you reunite (page 14)!
Don’t miss our heart tugging section about pets, love and the pandemic. Uplifting stories from people on how their pets have been their saving grace through COVID-19 (page 8.)
We present another exposé from HSUS about Petland pet stores (page 22.)
Local conservation icon Dana Beach talks about what environmentalists could learn from animal advocates (page 18).
You’ll learn why this year’s hurricane season is bound to be different than any we’ve seen before (page 16), and don’t miss our Pet Star Search finalists (page 28.)
My parting shot
I want to personally thank all of the artists from around the country who have donated artwork for our Virtual Art Auction running August 1 – 7. We hope you will bid and help us raise money for our animals. You can go to CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/art-auction to browse the beautiful pieces being offered.
We know that in an uncertain world – our animals are a uniting force for all of us. Please keep our community’s homeless animals in your thoughts. And as we always say, remember that YOU are Charleston Animal Society.
Sincerely,
Laurel Greer Board of Directors Chairwoman
Laurel and Hank Greer together with Sadie and Sam, the first cats they adopted from Charleston Animal Society back in 1999!
PET POINTERS SUMMER News Tidbits
SOUTH CAROLINA SHOWS MAJOR INNOVATION!
GREENVILLE COUNTY ACHIEVES NO KILL STATUS
Greenville County joins Charleston County as the second No Kill Community in South Carolina, thanks to leadership of Greenville County Animal Care.
What does it mean? More dogs and cats are being saved through strategic animal sheltering practices and community engagement. Greenville’s efforts caught the eye of Petco Foundation who awarded them a $100,000 grant for “delivering love.”
No Kill is not about the policies and programs of an organization working alone. But instead, it’s about communitywide animal control policies involving municipal facilities and animal control agencies along with rescues and individuals.
Greenville is the largest county and has the secondhighest animal intake in the state.
“This is a triumph, not only for the shelter, but for the entire Upstate,” said Abigail Appleton, the Director of No Kill South Carolina. “Through hard work, this community has turned a dream into reality.”
With the help of No Kill South Carolina, a program of Charleston Animal Society, many other counties are following strategies that could one day turn all of South Carolina into a No Kill state.
CHINA RECLASSIFIES DOGS
Almost 30 million dogs are killed each year for meat in Asia according to the Humane Society International (HSI). This happens even though people are warned of health risks, including rabies.
But change could be coming. After the coronavirus outbreak, China announced new guidelines on which animals can be bred for eating – and dogs were reclassified from “livestock” to “pets.”
HSI hopes this change will encourage more cities to ban the practice of eating dogs. Earlier this year, the major Chinese city of Shenzhen banned dogs from consumption.
While dog meat remains a delicacy in some parts of China, it is becoming less popular.
South Carolina was well represented in the 2020 Petco Foundation Innovation Showdown. The contest encourages ideas that will change the landscape of animal welfare.
Modeled after Shark Tank, participants seeking funding to save animal lives present their best lifesaving animal welfare ideas to a panel of Innovation Investors who represent 10 leading national animal welfare organizations and foundations.
All4 Paws Vet Clinic from Pawley’s Island was the big winner, with investors awarding $230,000 for their “Vet Clinic in a Can” concept. Their idea involves using old shipping containers to house cost-effective veterinary clinics to make spay/neuter surgeries safe, affordable and accessible within their community and across the nation.
Greenville County Animal Care ($95,000) made the finals by winning the public vote. Their idea is an app to help pet adopters called "Pet Impressions."
The third finalist was Kitizen Science from Kansas ($175,000 winner). Their idea is to use a citizen science program that leverages volunteers as data collectors to conduct research on community cat populations to prove the lifesaving impact of spay/neuter programs.
HUGE SPRING PET FOOD DISTRIBUTION A SUCCESS
In just eight days, Charleston Animal Society distributed 15-tons of pet food and more than five-tons of cat litter to eight different rescues and shelters across South Carolina.
This massive effort began April 30th when the GreaterGood organization sent one of their Rescue Bank trucks filled with the pet supplies to Charleston Animal Society. It was part of the GreaterGood Food Grant-COVID -19 Response. Rescue Bank is one of the Signature Programs of GreaterGood, it provides support to shelters and rescues across the nation in times of need.
Charleston Animal Society has worked in years past with GreaterGood to act as a supply hub for our state during disasters — and once again for the COVID-19 response.
“GreaterGood has been an amazing partner through the years, providing support to our state during hurricanes” said Charleston Animal Society Chief Strategy Officer Aldwin Roman, CAWA. “Now, in the middle of a national health emergency, they are once again partnering with us to help animals across South Carolina.”
As soon as the supplies arrived, Charleston Animal Society staff was quick to start reaching out to organizations in our community and beyond to offer a helping hand.
Receiving organizations included:
• Dorchester Paws (Dorchester County)
• Berkeley County Animal Center (Berkeley County)
• St. Frances Animal Center (Georgetown County)
• Marlboro County Animal Shelter (Marlboro County)
• Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary (Charleston County)
• Feline Refuge (Huger)
• Rainbow’s Edge Animal Refuge (Jasper County)
• New Beginnings Shepherd Rescue (Orangeburg County)
A big thanks goes out to United Rentals for providing the forklift and Palmetto Craftsmen for providing the forklift operator!
R.I.P. ISABOO
Television personality and animal advocate Rachael Ray lost her beloved dog Isaboo on May 20. Isaboo died in Rachael’s and her husband John’s arms.
Rachael posted this powerful message on Instagram: “If you have room in your heart, your home, and your budget, I say from experience that bringing an animal in need into your home can help you become a better human being.”
2020 CHILI COOK-OFF CANCELED
Chili fans will be disappointed to learn that the 2020 Charleston Animal Society Chili Cook-off & Oyster Roast is being canceled due to COVID19.
Typically held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, the cook-off normally has 75 teams spread out across Riverfront Park that runs along the Cooper River on the Old Navy Base. But with attendance expected near 5,000 people, the event had to be canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
“We look forward to bringing this great Lowcountry tradition back in 2021,” said Charleston Animal Society President & CEO Joe Elmore. “Safety is always our top priority and we sincerely appreciate everyone’s understanding, as we did not make this decision lightly.”
Sponsors who still want to find ways to support the animals can contact Charleston Animal Society’s Chief Advancement Officer Sean Hawkins at shawkins@charlestonanimalsociety.org.
Pets, Love & Pandemics
How our pets are saving us from a crazy world
ByLYNN MCBRIDE
My husband and I live in France half the year, where I often foster and socialize abandoned litters of kittens. While the other kitties have always been content to stay safe in the bedroom I set up as their temporary home, there was a certain kitten that kept sneaking out to explore the rest of the house. Somehow he ended up sleeping in our bed, and…well you know the rest, if you’ve ever known a cat. Vino the Bambino weaseled his way into our hearts, and we were duly adopted.
As a result, I carted a French cat back to Charleston on an Air France flight last October. Little did I know that when I brought my “failed” rescue cat home, he would play a part in rescuing me from the Coronavirus.
Coronavirus Strikes
At the beginning of March, I took a two-day trip to Washington DC and found myself a pioneer COVID-19 victim. Immediately, I isolated in my bedroom and only saw my husband when he delivered meals to my door.
Want to know what it’s like to have “The Virus?” Trust me, if you went through what I did, you wouldn’t just be social distancing, you’d be cowering under your bed. I was as sick, miserable, and frightened as I’d ever been in my life.
It’s a bizarre illness: it comes, it goes, it comes right back again to bite you. There were days of relative calm where boredom was the biggest problem and other days when I was too sick to eat, sleep, or even to read. I could only lie there, anxiously counting the minutes until the misery passed.
But throughout it all, I had an ace up my sleeve -- my beloved cat was constantly tucked under my arm.
What to do with Vino the Bambino?
We didn't want a contaminated cat roaming the neighborhood or cuddling up to my healthy husband, so the Bambino and I went into lockdown together.
Of course, I scoured the Internet for any info on cats and the Coronavirus. Could they catch it? Could they pass it on? These were the early days of COVID-19 and no one knew for sure. I kept Vino under anxious surveillance, but his behavior never changed.
Vino, accustomed to zipping in and out of his cat door at will, was an amazingly calm roommate. When I was up to it, he provided the entertainment, dashing around the room and playing his favorite game of pillow-diving. Otherwise he slept by my side, purred to calm my anxiety when I didn’t know if I was going to live or die, and listened patiently when I moaned and complained. He was the perfect COVID companion.
TOPETS THE RESCUE
(Photo Provided)
Twice I was so ill that I packed a bag for the hospital, but I never went. On the 14th day of my illness, I woke up in my usual state: totally fatigued, unable to eat, difficulty breathing, and wallowing in the “malaise” that most COVID victims experience but which defies description. Then, very suddenly that evening, I perked up, popped out of bed, and was fine. That was that. This is the way the insane COVID-19 works.
Vino and I had survived the Coronavirus!
To be safe, I isolated from my husband for two more weeks, and Vino went back out into the world to resume his duties of dashing up trees and visiting the neighbors.
They say that cats have a sixth sense about illness and death. Perhaps that’s why my normally exuberant cat, who loves to leap and careen about, who wouldn’t dream of wasting a pretty spring day inside, was perfectly calm and content to stay cooped up in my bedroom for two weeks. He snoozed, he cuddled, he never fussed or complained. So, in the end, who rescued whom? I think both Vino and I know the answer.
You can read more of Lynn McBride’s writing at southernfriedfrench.com.
Lynn says suffering through COVID-19 was one of the scariest things of her life. She says her cat Vino the Bambino was instrumental in her recovery.
Julia and Lisa
Carolina Tails: Mrs. Collins, you have a beagle named Lisa. How has Lisa helped you during COVID-19?
Julia Collins: She helped me a whole lot because she doesn't demand too much. She likes to eat and I feed her, but, I mean, in the mornings I usually open the door and she will go out in the yard and run around. I have a big yard and she'll run around like she's crazy, and then I call her, and she would not come. So I take the leash and I walk out there and I said, "Okay, Lisa, I'm not playing." And she will come and I put the leash on her and put her back at the house.
Carolina Tails: So, she's making you get a little exercise too?
Julia Collins: Yeah, every day. Every day.
Carolina Tails: A lot of people get lonely because we don't get to go to church as much as we always have or go to the stores and do things that we typically always do. So has that been part of how Lisa has helped you at all?
Julia Collins: Oh yeah. Well, Lisa's here. I mean, you know, she is right here, and when I get up in the morning, I have to take care of her, and that’s a good thing.
Carolina Tails: Can you share your age?
Julia Collins: Yes, I'm 90 years old.
Carolina Tails:: Wow, that's fantastic. What has COVID been like for you, personally?
Julia Collins: Well, when I go out I do. I don't have anybody. I have my granddaughter and her son. He is two years old. So every night they call me on FaceTime, and he wants to know if I'm home, he said, "Is GiGi home?" And so I'll say, "Yes," and then she'll put us on FaceTime and he talks to me. He talks a lot. He's two years old, but he has a mouth like I don't know what.
Carolina Tails: That’s awesome. So as for Lisa, she’s made the COVID-19 quarantine a little better for you?
Julia Collins: Well, she has helped. At night, she will go in to her crate and she snores like a man. You could hear her in my bedroom. Because she sleeps in the hall and I'm in the bedroom. She snores very hard. And I... you should hear her!
Carolina Tails: And so she's obviously very relaxed about the whole situation. Not nervous about anything.
Julia Collins: No. She's not nervous about anything. But you know, I treat my animals like I do people.
Javier Continues to Shine
Just before the coronavirus outbreak, a dog named Harvey was brought to Charleston Animal Society with burns over half of his body.
He suffered through incredible pain, but with the expert care of Charleston Animal Society’s medical team – Harvey pulled through.
The entire staff found his story so inspiring that on the day he left the shelter for his new home, everyone lined up outside to give him a final hero’s farewell. Harvey, now Javier, walked past each staff member who stood six feet apart wearing masks. It was an unforgettable experience for all.
Javier’s incredible spirit continues to inspire through the pandemic. “Everybody loves him” says his new Dad Stephan Looney. “He’s famous in the neighborhood. Everyone asks, ‘Is that the burned dog from the news?’ He’s got a big fan club.”
It’s still a mystery how Javier was burned, but the nightmares persist. “He’ll go to sleep and suddenly his legs move like he’s running and then the whimpering begins,” Looney says. “Then he growls and ends up screaming. As fast as we can, we wake him up and he immediately jumps straight up and buries his face in my armpit and starts wagging his tail. It reminds him that he’s safe and that the horror of his previous life is over.”
Through the COVID-19 crisis, Javier has added a new dimension to the Looney family. They spend more time together because of Javier, who has them walking 67 miles a day (9 on weekends)! “Yea, he’s prevented me from getting lazy,” says Looney.
Javier has also learned to play. Looney says when Javier first got a ball, he didn’t know what to do. But watching this amazing dog discover joy again has been a wonderful thing to see during these strange times we are living through.
Julia Collins says her Beagle, Lisa, has helped her through the quarantine of COVID-19 by making her come outside each day to get her in the backyard. (Photo by Dan Krosse)
Burned over 50% of his body, it's a miracle that Javier survived. Now safe with Stephan Looney and his family, Javier's brought joy to the Looney household during the COVID-19 health crisis. (Photo by Dan Krosse)
COVID-19:: Animal Welfare
THE FUTURE
It will get worse before it gets better. How many times in our lives have we heard those words? This “storm” is unprecedented unless you were around during the 1918 Spanish Flu. By the time this publication hits mailboxes, it appears South Carolina will have well surpassed 35,000 cases of COVID-19.
As we approach the peak period of hurricane season (midAugust to mid-October), we’re faced with preparing and planning for evacuations of both people and animals while in the midst of the pandemic and, possibly, flu season.
While all of us are already aware that COVID-19 is harming countless Americans’ physical and mental wellbeing, millions more are suffering financial harm, which is also hitting the charitable sector hard. More Americans are in need of assistance, but fewer are in a financial position to be able to make it happen.
According to a mid-April Gallup poll, we are experiencing the lowest percentage of Americans donating money to charity, surpassing the prior low from the Great Recession era. And, America realized a 6% reduction in charitable giving in the 1st quarter.
No debate that this is a challenging time – pandemic, unemployment, economic trauma, social unrest, political polarization, and, of course, a more active than normal projected hurricane season! However, since Charleston Animal Society was founded as the first animal protection organization in South Carolina 146 years ago, our community and state has survived earthquakes, numerous hurricanes and floods, the Spanish Flu, several wars and more.
This message is about hope, not despair. The more informed we are, the better decisions we make, ultimately building confidence and successfully navigating these troubled waters.
COVID-19
Since the outset of the pandemic, Charleston Animal Society has been continuously operating and rescuing our community’s animals – from hamsters to horses! As one of only a handful of accredited animal hospitals in the tri-county area, Charleston Animal Society immediately put additional safety protocols in place as the pandemic threatened our state and responsibly scaled back activities but never closed.
In fact, during the three months of March, April and May, the Animal Society took in approximately 1,000 animals, adopted 600 animals, spayed/neutered 800 animals, vaccinated over 3,300 animals, reunited 150 animals with their families and helped 380 families with over 4,000 pounds of pet food. The Animal Society also provided over 20,000 virtual lessons to kids out of school and assisted a dozen animal organizations around the state with animal supplies. In fact, when the Animal Society heard about the severe shortage of medical supplies at the VA Hospital, we donated supplies to them.
The Animal Society has taken numerous measures to ensure a safe environment for its visitors and others during the pandemic and has implemented a required face mask or covering along with sanitation of hands for all individuals entering the facility. Measures such as these, virtual summer camp and staff facilitating medical appointments by going to customers’ vehicles help us keep both humans and animals safe during the pandemic.
Hurricane Season
As we approach the peak of hurricane season, keeping in mind that we’ve endured six years in a row of presidentially declared disasters, we’ve adjusted our standard guidance for emergency planning for pets and other animals. Prepare, plan and stay
informed are the keys to effective response during disasters. This year, we’ve added the additional guidance of preparing earlier and to include all of the supplies that you now have in your household for safely mitigating COVID-19. This additional information/guidance may be found on page 16 and at CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/hurricane.
An important element of effectively responding in a disaster situation, particularly this year, is to participate in Finding Rover, a free app that can be easily downloaded on your smart phone and provides facial recognition technology for both dogs and cats, should they become separated from you for any reason. This is not intended to replace collars and tags or microchips, but it is an additional tool that might be the answer to reuniting with your pet. You can learn more about Finding Rover on page 14.
Social Unrest
As we have seen our community and nation deal with divisions, pain and history over the past couple of months, many difficult conversations have begun. We hope for peaceful dialogue and constructive change however challenging it might be.
Charleston Animal Society has been a leader over the years in bringing all voices to its governing body, the Board of Directors, because diversity and inclusion starts at the top. In fact, the Animal Society included a diversity section in its bylaws in 2016, along with establishing outreach programs to ensure folks in the most vulnerable communities could acquire accessible and affordable veterinary care for their four-legged loved ones.
The Animal Society celebrated these and other accomplishments, but more importantly, recognized many injustices yet to be resolved during its 146th Annual Meeting last January, which was appropriately themed, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
We look forward to continuing building bridges and including all voices in our lifesaving work.
November Elections
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Charleston Animal Society is nonpartisan and is not allowed to endorse candidates for elective office; however, nonprofit organizations can educate their constituents and the public on issues along with asking candidates for their positions.
With elections taking place from the local to the federal level in November, the Animal Society plans to identify the most pressing issues affecting the welfare of animals in our community and ask candidates their views and positions on those issues.
Much of what threatens the welfare of animals also threatens the welfare of the environment and vice versa, which is why we have invited Dana Beach, longtime protector of our incredible environment in South Carolina, to share his views in this issue and in our special upcoming election issue this October.
Financial Challenge
With much of the Animal Society’s program and fundraising revenue, which provides for nearly 80% of its income, derailed this year, the struggle to keep above water is daunting. Our major fundraising events, both the 20th Chili Cook-Off and the Gala, have been hit hard as we had to cancel the Chili event and postpone the Gala event.
Each year, we care for upward of 20,000 animals across the Lowcountry and State but primarily in Charleston County, along with delivering 23,000 lessons in compassion to school-aged children. Much of this is threatened by a probable $1 million dollar shortfall this year due to COVID-19.
Our faith endures because of the love each of you has for animals and the lifesaving work of Charleston Animal Society. We will be relying on you more than ever this year so that we can continue to carry out the purpose you have charged us with –preventing cruelty to animals.
With confidence in each other and focus, strategy and dogged determination, we will be successful in navigating this storm.
Joe Elmore, CAWA, is Charleston Animal Society’s President & CEO.
NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR LOST PETS
Charleston Animal Society teaming up with Petco Foundation to launch facial recognition software for pets.
By DAN KROSSE
IT WASN’T A GOOD DAY FOR CHARLES SOHLGREN.
He’d forgot his phone at home in Myrtle Beach and had to wait for his wife who had a doctor’s appointment in Mt. Pleasant. Because of COVID-19, he couldn’t go inside, so he passed the time in his car with their adopted dog Madison.
She’s a lab/retriever mix and started getting antsy, so Charles thought he’d take her for a little walk. But as he opened his hatchback, out she flew – through a parking lot and across a field, with Charles chasing her in 75-degree heat.
No phone. No dog. All Charles could do is wait for his wife Carol.
Madison is Found
Charles remembers being nervous to tell his wife what happened, “I put the car between me and her,” he jokes.
They quickly got on the phone with Mt. Pleasant police and Charles says they were amazing. “One officer spent three hours searching for Madison,” Sohlgren says.
At 10:30 that night, the couple got a call at their Myrtle Beach home that Madison was found and would be taken to Charleston Animal Society. “I was at the shelter, first thing in the morning,” Sohlgren says. “Madison was a little dirty, but fine! I was so afraid she’d get hurt.”
Carol and Charles’ experience is common to anyone whose pet has gone roaming. Losing a pet is stressful and it’s a challenge for pet owners everywhere.
FACIAL RECOGNITION
Madison is back home safe and sound after jumping out of Charles' car and running five miles! Finding Rover will be a new tool to help find lost pets.
Charleston Animal Society helps reunite a lost pet an average of three times a day! Even more shocking: when it comes to cats, one out of four aren’t found by their owners, according to a study from the ASPCA.
“A lost dog or cat may be a pet owner’s worst nightmare,” said Petco Foundation President Susanne Kogut. “We saw a need to improve ways for people to find their pets and increase the number of lost pets reunited with owners. We believe Finding Rover can be the answer.”
Technology to the Rescue
FindingRover.org’s animal facial recognition technology makes it a snap to protect your dog and cat. It’s as though an episode of CSI has come to life. And it’s absolutely free.
Here’s how it works... if your dog or cat ever goes missing, Finding Rover will do an instant facial recognition search of all pets reported lost in your area.
Within seconds, you’ll see a list of found photos with the contact information of the kind person (or shelter) who has taken your pet in.
On the flip side, Finding Rover revolutionizes the process of helping found dogs and cats.
Currently, if you see a lost pet on the street, you may put them in your car, go to a vet or shelter to see if it had a chip, put up posters, etc. Finding Rover can change all that. Simply snap a photo and the website instantly shows you photos of matching pets with the owner’s contact info. Contact
the owner and you’ll be an instant hero! Finding Rover’s innovative facial recognition for pets can be used on a smartphone through the app or on the web. The software was developed in conjunction with the University of Utah’s Research & Development department.
Sign-Up Now
The challenge with Finding Rover’s new launch by the Petco Foundation is getting as many shelters and pet owners signed up as possible.
“We want this to be an amazing user experience for everyone and that means getting as many people signed up as possible,” said Kogut. “We are encouraging every shelter to become a partner and every pet owner to upload a photo to this free app.”
Kogut says that the Finding Rover technology can be used even after a pet is lost. Just upload a photo and you’re in the system!
Finding Rover integrates easily with most leading animal shelter software that is used by shelters across South Carolina and the country. No Kill South Carolina, a program of Charleston Animal Society, is already spreading the word about Finding Rover and encouraging shelters to become Finding Rover Partners.
“We are excited to have Charleston Animal Society leading the way on this effort, because we know South Carolina residents love their pets and we believe this technology will help reunite lost animals with their families,” said Kogut.
DOUBLE WHAMMY?
A HURRICANE SEASON LIKE NO OTHER
Never in our lifetime has anyone seen a hurricane season at the same time as a pandemic.
By ALDWIN ROMAN, CAWA
SOUTH CAROLINA IS FACING AN unprecedented challenge. Despite the best efforts of state and local leadership, the COVID-19 virus is surging in our state; as of June 1st, the Atlantic Hurricane season officially started. South Carolina is no stranger to hardship. We can get through this but we must be vigilant and we must be ready.
In the last five years, South Carolina has faced an onslaught of storms.
•2015: Hurricane Joaquin never made landfall, but it left our state with flooding like we have never seen.
•2016: Hurricane Matthew was weakened when it hit South Carolina but it left behind a path of destruction.
•2017: Hurricane Irma and Maria both threatened our state.
•2018: Hurricane Florence and Michael devastated the Pee Dee region with flooding.
•2019: Hurricane Dorian rode all the way along the coasts of Florida and South Carolina.
These past five years prove that we have to take hurricane season seriously – and get ready now. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an above-normal season this year: 6-10 hurricanes, with 3-6 of them becoming major hurricanes.
The Impact of the Coronavirus
Because of the unknown factors surrounding COVID-19, South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster, has announced that evacuations this year would be called sooner than in previous years. This will allow more time for people to leave and more time for officials to handle the complicated situations brought up by the virus.
With the coronavirus upon us, state and local resources will move slower and be
stretched thin. Health, safety, and social distancing guidelines will still need to be observed even during a hurricane evacuation. It’s imperative that we as citizens are prepared and safe so we do not become an additional burden on our local governments or health facilities.
Putting Yourself at Risk Puts Many Others at Risk
First and foremost, if a mandatory evacuation is ordered take your pets with you. If you decide not to evacuate, know that if things turn for the worse rescue teams may not be able to help you without risking their lives. And if they are able to rescue you, they may not be able to save your pets.
Put Your Plan Together Now
•Make sure your pet has their medical needs met
•Many veterinary clinics cannot see as many pets as normal while abiding by social distance safety guidelines. Don’t wait until the last minute to get your pet a check-up. Make an appointment now.
•Make sure you have filled prescriptions (at least a two-week supply is recommended)
•Make sure necessary vaccinations are up to date. Rabies is required by law.
New Supplies under COVID-19
In addition to the necessities for your pet, under COVID-19 there are some other supplies you should consider packing:
•Face masks
•Disposable gloves
•Hand sanitizer
•Disinfecting wipes
•Trash bags
Pet Supplies
•Dry or wet dog food for 3-7 days
•At least seven days of fresh water for both you and your pet
•Bowls, leashes, and collars
•Potty bags and/or cat litter
•Toys and blankets/bedding
•A plastic airline crate for cats or smaller dogs
•Printed or easily accessible digital veterinary records
•Several recent pictures of your pet to be used for identification in case you are separated.
Plan Your Evacuation Destination
•Don’t assume plans from previous years will work this year.
•Hotels have new guidelines under COVID-19 so call ahead. Some may have changed their policies and no longer allow pets, while others may have flipped and accept pets they previously would not allow.
•If you are evacuating to another state, make sure you are aware of the COVID-19 guidelines in that state.
•If in previous years you had stayed with a family member or friend, make sure they are still on board with your plan since so much has changed with the virus.
Make plans for all pets, not just dogs and cats
•Small household pets like hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, fish, reptiles, ferrets, etc. should not be left behind. Make appropriate plans to evacuate with them or find a caretaker.
•Horses and livestock should not be left to fend for themselves. Clemson University Livestock Poultry and Health has resources for livestock owners.
Aldwin Roman, CAWA, is Charleston Animal Society’s Chief Strategy Officer.
As Hurricane Dorian approached the east coast last year, Charleston Animal Society evacuated 332 animals out of harm's way. (Photo by Aldwin Roman)
WHY TIGER KING IS WORSE THAN YOU THINK
JUST AS COVID-19 TOOK OVER OUR daily lives, a television juggernaut hit Netflix in the form of Tiger King. Salacious and trashy, the show was a hit. A big, unfortunate hit.
As many critics have pointed out, one of the most tragic issues with Tiger King is that it glosses over the way the tigers themselves are being treated.
As Kitty Block, the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) told NBC News, “The animals are the real victims who are caught up in this human drama. The antics of Joe Exotic, Doc Antle and others featured in the series have caused untold misery for countless animals, as well as created an overpopulation crisis of big cats in this country.”
Old Story, Same Awful Situation
The Humane Society of the United States investigated and reported these characters beginning in 2011.
While Joseph Maldonado-Passage (“Joe Exotic”), Kevin “Doc” Antle and others featured in the Netflix series Tiger King are now household names, the Humane Society of the United States has been working for years to stop the horrific treatment of animals at these—and many other similarly cruel—operations.
In 2011, an HSUS investigator worked undercover at Joe Exotic's G.W. Exotics for
TRASH TV
100 days. In 2014, the HSUS investigated two other road side zoos and made an undercover visit to Antle’s facility, Myrtle Beach Safari.
Tiger King barely scratches the surface of the suffering these animals endure and the extensive networks of cruelty involved in breeding and selling by Antle and Joe Exotic to other wildlife menageries.
Now, the HSUS is publicly releasing additional undercover footage of the horrors faced by these animals. We’ve linked to them at CarolinaTails.org.
Don’t Fall for the “Conservation” Trick Block warns us all not to fall for the idea that these kinds of operations are designed to protect animals.
“Facilities like Joe Exotic’s and Doc Antle’s masquerade as rescue or conservation operations, but in fact they breed tigers and subject the cubs, who are torn from their mothers immediately after birth, to stress and abuse,” Block said. “After a few months, when the cubs are too large for close encounters with the public and the opportunity for profit is over, the cubs are caged, sold into the pet trade or die. No animal deserves this life.”
South Carolina Connection
Once big cats grow too large for cub handling, Antle dumps many at other substandard facilities and/or warehouses them at his own location in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
During a behind the scenes tour at Antle’s facility, the HSUS investigator saw dozens of adult tigers kept in cramped, reconfigured horse stalls with cement floors.
A double-wide stall contained 13 two-yearold tigers, while the rest of the stalls each contained one to four mature tigers.
He also said that he normally euthanizes white tigers who are born cross-eyed. Crossed eyes is a common hereditary defect in white tigers, who must be extensively inbred to produce white fur, blue eyes and chocolate stripes.
Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between a legitimate animal sanctuary that exists to rescue animals and a roadside attraction that exist to exploit them.
Before visiting a big cat sanctuary, make sure it is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) at sanctuaryfederation.org. GFAS supports legitimate sanctuaries like Carole Baskin's Big Cat Rescue.
Call Your Congressman
Fortunately, there is legislation before Congress to protect these animals. The Big Cat Public Safety Act, H.R 1380, and a companion bill in the Senate, S.2561, are what we all should focus on. The legislation will give big cats the protections they deserve.
“The current patchwork of state laws cannot fully address the problem perpetuated by fake ‘sanctuaries’ making money off the backs of endangered and threatened species,” said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. Please join us in asking Congress to pass the bipartisan Big Cat Public Safety Act to put the antics of Joe Exotic and Doc Antle where they belong—in the distant past.
What Environmentalists Must Learn From Animal Welfare Advocates
By DANA BEACH
LIFE ON EARTH IS IN GREAT JEOPARDY TODAY. It has suffered more severe losses over the past century than in the last 60 million years. The cause of this devastation is the crush of human population – ever greater numbers of people destroying wildlife habitat and consuming the earth’s resources at higher rates than can possibly be sustained.
The most comprehensive assessment of the status of biodiversity to date was finalized in Paris in April. Here is the first sentence of the press release of that assessment:
Nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history — and the rate of species extinctions is accelerating, with grave impacts on people around the world now likely, warns a landmark new report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
According to the report, which was compiled by scientists around the world over the past three years, more than one million species are threatened with extinction – “more than ever before in human history.” The summary further states: The average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least 20%, mostly since 1900. More than 40% of amphibian species, almost 33% of reef-forming corals and more than a third of all marine mammals are threatened. At least 680 vertebrate species have been driven to
extinction since the 16th century…Ecosystems, species, wild populations, local varieties and breeds of domesticated plants and animals are shrinking, deteriorating or vanishing…
Josef Settele, a German research scientist and one of the three cochairs of the project, had this to say:
“The essential, interconnected web of life on Earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed “This loss is a direct result of human activity and constitutes a direct threat to human well-being in all regions.”
The UN report follows a similarly alarming report released late last year by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Bird Observatory revealing a precipitous decline in bird populations since 1970. This excerpt comes from Scientific American:
…new research published Thursday in Science shows bird populations have continued to plummet in the past five decades, dropping by nearly three billion across North America—an overall decline of 29 percent from 1970.
The scale, scope, pace and severity of the crisis seem overwhelming. And indeed, despite global concern and the hard work of conservation groups around the world, the situation has gotten progressively worse year after year.
MY TURN
A new way to communicate?
I have worked on conservation for more than 30 years and have no illusions that biodiversity loss can easily be halted, even under the most optimistic circumstances. But recently, I have seen the effectiveness of our movement compromised by what I believe is a misplaced perspective that our allies in the animal welfare movement can help us correct: the belief that we may only discuss conservation challenges in objective, analytical, and quantitative terms – that emotion, imagination and love have no place in the debate about protecting life on earth – and that logic and rationality, energetically articulated, will guide us to a sustainable future. This point of view is, in my experience, demonstrably false.
The greatest conservationists of our time have understood the power and primacy of emotion. They have demonstrated that we must first arouse, inspire, and excite human passion for other species, what E.O. Wilson called “biophilia,” before we can hope to move forward with the essential work of protecting them – by crafting new programs, policies and laws that sustain biodiversity and bring human civilization into harmony with the natural world.
Jane Goodall understands this. Her speeches and writings are infused with passion and emotion for the chimpanzees she has studied, named and protected in the Gombe Stream National Park for more than half a century. This passion has paved the way for practical, durable achievements in restoring and protecting the habitat that chimps need to survive.
The greatest conservation work in the 19th and 20th centuries was first propelled by beauty, emotion and passion – inspired by
Ansel Adams’ stunning photographs of Yosemite, Peter Matthiessen’s magisterial evocations of Africa, the Amazon and Tibet, and in the Lowcountry, my friend Tom Blagden’s arresting photographs in the 1980s and 90s of the ACE Basin, Four Hole Swamp and other threatened landscapes.
Beyond conservation, the greatest minds in western and eastern civilizations have written that passion and emotion are primary to logic. Albert Einstein famously said, “Knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”
David Hume, perhaps the greatest of the Enlightenment philosophers, wrote that action can only be motivated by emotion, or what he called “moral sentiment.” Hume argued that “reason alone can never be a motive to any action of the will,” and “can never oppose passion…”
And on the other side of the planet, the 14th Dalai Lama has said, “Develop the heart. Too much energy in your country is spent developing the mind instead of the heart.”
“From what I see, the animal welfare movement makes no apology for deploying the love we feel for animals in the service of their protection.”
the conservation movement – the legacy of John Muir, Teddy Roosevelt, Rachel Carson and other passionate advocates for nature – has veered towards communication that is technical, quantitative, generic and, ultimately, forgettable. To its great detriment, the movement has become professionalized; void of the specificity engendered by personal experience and direct relationship with the natural world.
The organization I founded, the Coastal Conservation League, has not been exempt from this trend. I remember warnings from board members and others to “stick to the facts,” avoid “negative messages,” behave in a “professional” manner and eschew passion. I am not arguing for irresponsible or fact-free articulations of the challenges we face. I am advocating that we highlight and tap into the power and primacy of feelings as we press our case for reform.
From what I see, the animal welfare movement makes no apology for deploying the love we feel for animals in the service of their protection. The sometimes beautiful, sometimes heartrending photographs and stories of ani mals that have been mistreated, or that have found new lives with loving owners, underlies, I think, the power of the movement. This, coupled with an agenda that is practical, realistic, clear and implementable have produced successes in Charleston and around the world.
Clearly, much remains to be done on the animal welfare front. But the progress thus far is laudable and the path forward is clear. Whether the same will be said about environmental conservation ten and twenty years from now will depend on activating, not shying away from, the power of emotion on behalf of the natural world.
Dana Beach serves as the Founder and Director Emeritus of the South Carolina Coastal Conservation League, an organization that works with citizens and government to develop policies that promote sustainable patterns of development for people and the environment.
More heart is needed
Sadly,
POLICE ARE KEY IN FIGHTING ANIMAL CRUELTY
By ALDWIN ROMAN, CAWA
FOR EACH CASE OF ANIMAL CRUELTY
that receives airtime on news stations, there could be five more that the general public never hears about.
Animal cruelty cases are difficult to prosecute but even more difficult to investigate. The victims of these crimes have no voice. Although we can see their pain and evidence of their suffering, they cannot tell us who did it or why. This creates an overwhelming challenge when hoping to find justice and hold perpetrators accountable.
Veterinarians with forensic animal cruelty training can examine animals and collect evidence to try and piece together what may have happened but at the end of the day the burden on solving these cases falls on law enforcement.
An injured animal. A voiceless victim. Limited evidence.
This is no easy task for law enforcement officers. Fortunately, over the past several years there has been an increase in the resources law enforcement departments are willing to invest in these cases.
With the addition of seasoned detectives and full forensic units, these crimes are now being pieced back together and arrests are being made.
In May, a horrible case of animal cruelty was discovered in Berkeley County. A dog was found floating in a pond with its muzzle zip tied shut.
Following up on tips and through surveillance footage the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office was able to reconstruct the series of events that led to this horrendous crime. The Berkeley County Shelter and other animal organizations supported this investigation from the beginning.
The hard work paid off when a 38-yearold suspect was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty.
In January, a 71-year-old woman was arrested and charged with felony animal cruelty in connection with a puppy mill in Laurens County. A 46-year-old man was also arrested.
Police were tipped off by a complaint about a sick puppy that had been purchased from the two suspects. Officers initially faced obstacles in their investigation, but they did not relent.
FIGHTING CRUELTY
“There is a tremendous volume of research from academics, police, and the FBI, that shows those who prey on and abuse animals will go on to abuse people.”
Eventually Laurens County Animal Control and the Sheriff’s Office executed a warrant and found 145 dogs, 107 chickens, along with cats, ducks, and rabbits, all living in deplorable conditions on a single property. Support from animal welfare groups around the state led to the safe removal of all the animals. (See the Spring 2020 issue of Carolina Tails for details on how 50 of the dogs were brought to safety at Charleston Animal Society).
Police work is the key. These cruelty cases – and dozens of others just like them -- would have never left the ground if not for the initiative of law enforcement. No arrests would have been made if not for their diligent police work.
There is no doubt that animal cruelty laws in South Carolina need reform but before that is addressed our law enforcement needs the support from their departments and their elected officials -- to take these cases on with every available resource.
After all, pursuing animal cruelty cases is not just about the animals. There is a tremendous volume of research from academics, police, and the FBI, that shows those who prey on and abuse animals will go on to abuse people, and usually the most vulnerable: women, children and the elderly.
Preventing and addressing animal cruelty is in and of itself important, but the implications for the safety of our communities is undeniable. We must commend and support our law enforcement in the investigation of these crimes if we hope to stop this senseless violence.
Help Fight Cruelty: CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/cruelty
145 dogs were among the animals rescued at an Upstate puppy mill earlier this year. 50 were brought to Charleston Animal Society for medical care and adoption.
ASK A LAWYER
No matter how much we love our pets, there’s always the chance they will run into a legal situation – which is why Attorney David Aylor answers your legal questions involving animals each issue.
--Irene, Mt. Pleasant
NO PETS ALLOWED?
QUESTION: During a hurricane evacuation, can hotels refuse to take my pet even when I am willing to pay for him?
DAVID AYLOR: Irene, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news but according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the state of South Carolina does not have a law that requires hotels to allow pets during a disaster, such as a hurricane evacuation. My best suggestion is to have a plan prepared in case there is an evacuation, which includes knowing which hotels in the area are pet friendly, you’d be surprised how many will allow pets.
On another note, Gov. Henry McMaster said in early June that he expects to call evacuation orders earlier than normal if a storm approaches, due to issues involving COVID-19.
QUESTION: I'm in a complicated situation. My sister and I live together. I have one cat. She has three cats and four dogs and wants to add another. I am already worried we are going to be cited for too many animals and she is refusing to put any of them up for adoption. If we get a ticket, it will be in my name since I am the homeowner. Do I have any legal options to deal with this?
--Kristen, North Charleston
DAVID AYLOR: It depends on what kind of relationship you and your sister have when it comes to your home. If it is a landlord-tenant relationship, it would be wise for you to construct a leasing agreement that includes a pet agreement. The pet agreement should address your concerns and limitations. It could limit the number of pets you will allow in your home based on the property size. Your municipality’s ordinances should be included in the agreement. Bottom line is: if the home is solely in your name then, yes, the ticket would be in your name only, regardless of who the pet owners actually were within the residence.
QUESTION: I was unable to afford my dog's vet bill and agreed to sign him over to them. Now I regret it, and when I called a few days later, I was told he was already being neutered and would be placed with a rescue. Do I have any way to get him back?
--Regrets in Edisto
DAVID AYLOR: According to South Carolina Law, section 47-3-75 (A),
“An animal delivered to a veterinarian, a dog kennel, a cat kennel, an animal hospital, another animal care facility, or to a person who boards domestic animals on the person's premises for a fee may be transferred to an appropriate animal shelter ten days after the date the owner failed to pick up the animal as agreed to pursuant to a written contract or agreement. The animal may be transferred only if the written contract or agreement provides for the transfer and if an attempt is made to notify the owner by regular mail and by certified mail at the owner's last known address on the date the owner failed to pick up the animal as agreed.”
With the case at hand, you willingly signed the dog over to the vet since you could not pay the dog’s vet fees. Therefore, it is unlikely you will be able to get the dog back from the veterinarian due to your consent in giving the dog up. One possible course of action would be to contact the rescue after the dog has been neutered and see what can be done from that point as to adoption. LAW & ORDER:: Your Pets
David Aylor with his son Fletcher and English Lab, Belle.
Petland Undercover Investigation
Problems Found in the 8th Petland Store Investigated by the Humane Society of the United States.
The Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS) latest investigation reveals shocking and deceptive tactics used by a corporate-run Petland store to sell a sick puppy to a shopper working on behalf of HSUS, and to keep customers in the dark about other disease outbreaks among animals for sale at the store.
In October, an HSUS shopper bought an underweight puppy at the Florence, Kentucky, Petland store. What HSUS already knew–because they had an undercover investigator working at the store — was that the puppy, Jasper, had been sick for weeks with bloody diarrhea and had a poor appetite. But when the shopper showed an interest in buying him and asked about his health, Petland staffers told them the pup was “perfectly healthy,” and “very healthy.”
What HSUS also knew was that Jasper had never been taken to a veterinarian for his illness and had only received a 45-second intake exam by a veterinarian in the store when he first arrived a month earlier – consistent with what all other puppies entering the store received.
Still, when the HSUS buyer asked what ailed Jasper, a manager – unqualified to offer a proper veterinary medical diagnosis –tried to convince her that it was “not campylobacter,” a bacterium directly associated with animals at several Petland stores that can spread to people, and that causes diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain.
Illness Confirmed
After buying Jasper, HSUS took him to Dr. Michelle Gonzalez, an independent veterinarian in Dublin, Ohio, who found the pup was indeed positive for campylobacter and giardia, both diseases that are contagious to humans.
Dr. Gonzalez also found that underneath Jasper’s deceptively fluffy coat, he was “skin and bones.” The HSUS investigator, who worked in the store the whole time Jasper was there, says this was because Jasper had been too sick to eat much. The manager and staff at Petland, the investigator related, were aware of it, but attributed his lack of appetite and bloody diarrhea to “stress.”
BUYER BEWARE
Jasper was indeed stressed, but only because he was severely sick. Unfortunately, he was not the only sick puppy at this store. During the seven weeks the HSUS investigator worked at the store between September 11 and October 25, several puppies came down with devastating distemper and parvovirus. Some of the puppies died of these diseases, which can be fatal but are easily preventable with the right vaccines.
The Human Impact
Records HSUS obtained from the Kentucky Department for Public Health show that at least six people became ill with campylobacter this year alone after touching or buying puppies at the Florence store; at least two of the victims were hospitalized.
The most recent case was the HSUS investigator, who stopped working at the store after testing positive for the bacterium, which had been giving them gastric upset, nausea and a fever for at least a week.
But despite knowing that campylobacter had been repeatedly linked to its Florence store, the store’s managers rarely, if ever, sent abnormal stools to their veterinarian to test puppies for diseases. This included Jasper; even though he displayed bloody diarrhea right in front of the HSUS buyer, the manager told her Jasper was fine and had had a fecal test. But the store never provided documentation of that test to the HSUS buyer, and when one of our investigators called the store veterinarian’s office a week later, the office didn’t provide a record of it either.
Going Corporate
This is the eighth Petland store investigated by HSUS in less than two years, and this time they chose a store run by the corporation – instead of a franchisee – to see if their practices would be any better. Unfortunately, they weren’t. HSUS caught at least one employee on camera admitting that some of the puppies came into the store without being vaccinated by the breeder who supplied them.
The hidden camera investigation (WATCH at CarolinaTails.org) also found the store was keeping shoppers in the dark about the
An independent veterinarian found that underneath Jasper’s deceptively fluffy coat, he was “skin and bones.” The HSUS investigator, who worked in the store the whole time Jasper was there, says this was because the puppy had been too sick to eat much. Photo by the HSUS
animals’ health problems. For instance, instead of warning the public about its distemper outbreak, the store put signs on every cage stating the animals couldn’t be played with because they had just arrived and were awaiting their veterinary exams.
Many of the puppies had, in fact, been in the store much longer, and visitors who touched them could have carried the disease home to their own pets. HSUS also found Petland moved some of the puppies, who had potentially been exposed to distemper in the Kentucky store, to a new store in Carmel, Indiana, in the dark of night.
The Petland store’s failure to arrange for professional veterinary care for Jasper and other sick puppies is extremely disturbing. Florence’s animal care laws also require commercial animal establishments to “provide proper medical treatment from a veterinarian for sick or injured animals.”
What’s Next
HSUS has reported their findings to the local authorities and provided them with footage and documents obtained during the investigation. HSUS investigators are hopeful they will take action
to stop this mistreatment of puppies at the Petland store.
Some of the HSUS investigations at Petland have resulted in local authorities bringing charges or citations against store owners: for instance, a Petland store in Frisco, Texas, was cited for animal care issues after HSUS revealed problems there in September, and two managers who worked at the Petland store in Fairfax, Virginia, will be in court in January to face animal cruelty charges after an April undercover investigation revealed numerous dead animals in the freezer. That store is now closed.
Meanwhile, Jasper is doing much better. Once he began treatment for his illness, he began to recover, and his appetite came roaring back. Within days he had gained about three pounds.
Jasper is now getting the care he needs, but Petland stores around the country continue to sell puppies sourced from puppy mills even as the corporation continues to fight commonsense laws to stop the exploitation of animals by commercial breeders.
Petland’s actions come at great cost to animal lives as well as to human health, as HSUS’s eight investigations have revealed, and HSUS says it will continue to shine the light on this mistreatment for as long as it continues.
VET DIRECTORY
Charleston
Saddleback Mobile Veterinary Service (843) 718-4299
Mobile
All Creatures Veterinary Clinic (843) 579-0030
224 Calhoun St, Charleston, SC 29401
Patrick Veterinary Clinic (843) 722-4470
667 Meeting St, Charleston, SC 29403
Charleston Harbor Veterinarians (843) 410-8290
280 Rutledge Ave, Charleston, SC 29403
Olde Towne Veterinary Clinic (843) 723-1443
17 Pinckney St, Charleston, SC 29401
Lezotte Animal Chiropractic (843) 410-3420
Mobile
West Ashley
Air Harbor Veterinary Clinic (843) 556-5252
1925 Savannah Hwy, Charleston, SC 29407
Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital (843) 769-6784
3422 Shelby Ray Ct, Charleston, SC 29414
West Ashley Veterinary Clinic (843) 571-7095
840 St Andrews Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407
Animal Care Center (843) 556-9993
1662 Savannah Hwy #135, Charleston, SC 29407
Animal Medical West (843) 766-7387
704 Orleans Rd, Charleston, SC 29407
Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (843) 614-8387
3484 Shelby Ray Ct, Charleston, SC 29414
VCA Charles Towne Animal Hospital (843) 571-4291
850 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407
Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 766-7724
2076 Sam Rittenberg Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407
North Charleston
Animal Hospital of North Charleston (843) 352-8404
8389 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418
Lowcountry Pet Wellness Clinic (843) 556-7387
5900 Rivers Ave, Unit D-1, North Charleston, SC 29406
Veterinary Specialty Care (843) 793-2161
3163 West Montague Ave, North Charleston, SC 29418
Dorchester Veterinary Hospital (843) 552-0259
5617 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418
Coastal Carolina Veterinary Specialists (843) 747-1507
3163 W Montague Ave, North Charleston, SC 29418
Charleston Heights Veterinary Clinic (843) 554-4361
2124 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29405
Northwoods Veterinary Clinic (843) 553-0441
8320 Rivers Ave, North Charleston, SC 29406
The Animal Hospital of North Charleston (843) 608-8948
8389 Dorchester Rd, North Charleston, SC 29418
Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 797-4677
7620 Rivers Ave, Charleston, SC 29406
Charleston Animal Society and Carolina Tails want to always promote the best habits for animal care possible and seeing your veterinarian regularly is key to having a happy, healthy animal.
Mount Pleasant
Exotic Vet Care (843) 216-8387
814 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
East Cooper Animal Hospital (843) 884-6171
993 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Island Veterinary Care (843) 628-1941 Mobile
Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital (843) 884-4921
1213 Ben Sawyer Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Pet Vet Animal Hospital (843) 416-9304
307 Mill St, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Shuler Animal Hospital (843) 884-4494
1769 Highway 17 N, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Veterinary Specialty Care (843) 216-7554
985 Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Advanced Animal Care of Mount Pleasant (843) 884-9838
3373 S Morgans Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
Animal Eye Care of the Lowcountry (843) 881-2242
1131 Queensborough Blvd Suite 100, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Animal Medical Center of Mt. Pleasant (843) 881-5858
958 Houston Northcutt Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Cats Only Animal Hospital (843) 849-1661
1492 B North Highway 17, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Long Point Animal Hospital (843) 971-7701
757 Long Point Rd, #B, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Palmetto Veterinary Hospital (843) 881-9915
2443 Hwy 17 N, Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
Park West Veterinary Associates Park West Veterinary Associates
Simply Spay & Neuter (843) 856-9190
1054-C Johnnie Dodds Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Southeast Veterinary Dermatology & Ear Clinic (843) 849-7770
1131 Queensborough Blvd Suite 100, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Tidewater Veterinary (843) 856-7300
1964 Riviera Dr Suite G, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 971-7460
911 Houston Northcutt, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 971-7460 (843) 388-1701
676 Long Point Rd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Isle of Palms
Sandy Cove Veterinary Clinic (843) 885-6969
1521 Palm Blvd, Isle of Palms, SC 29451
James Island
Folly Road Animal Hospital (843) 762-4944
1038 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
Charleston Veterinary Care (843) 789-3222
51 Windermere Blvd, Charleston, SC 29407
Maybank Animal Hospital (843) 795-3131
1917 Maybank Hwy, Charleston, SC 29412
ANIMAL CARE
James Island
Oceanside Veterinary Clinic (843) 795-7574
1509 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
Sea Islands Veterinary Hospital (843) 795-6477
1310 Camp Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
James Island Veterinary Hospital (843)795-5295
756 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 406-8609
520 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
Pet Helpers Spay and Neuter Clinic (843) 302-0556
1447 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
Johns Island
Angel Oak Animal Hospital (843) 559-1838
3160 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
Bohicket Veterinary Clinic (843) 559-3889
3472 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
Johns Island Animal Hospital (843) 559-9697
1769 Main Rd, Johns Island, SC 29455
Riverbank Veterinary Clinic (843) 277-2250
2814 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
Southside Animal Hospital (843) 556-6969
3642 Savannah Hwy Suite 176 West Ashley Place, Johns Island, SC 29455
Sun Dog Cat Moon (843) 437-0063
2908 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
Daniel Island
Daniel Island Animal Hospital (843) 881-7228
291 Seven Farms Dr, Daniel Island, SC 29492
Clements Ferry Veterinary (843) 471-1711
2020 Wambaw Creek Road Charleston, SC 29492
Lowcountry Home Vet (843) 406-2997
Mobile
Goose Creek
Creekside Veterinary Clinic (843) 824-8044
431-G St. James Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445
Mt. Holly Veterinary Clinic (843) 405-7765
113 St. James Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445
Animal Medical Clinic of Goose Creek (843) 569-3647
102 Central Ave, Goose Creek, SC 29445
Goose Creek Veterinary Clinic (843) 553-7011
501 Redbank Rd. Goose Creek, SC 29445
Hanahan
Best Friends Animal Clinic (843) 414-7455
1000 Tanner Ford Blvd, Hanahan, SC 29410
Hanahan Veterinary Clinic (843) 744-8927
1283 Yeamans Hall Rd, Hanahan, SC 29410
Ladson
College Park Road Veterinary Clinic (843) 797-1493
186 College Park Rd, Ladson, SC 29456
Ladson Veterinary Hospital (843) 900-1600
3679 Ladson Rd, Suite 101 Ladson, SC 29456
Moncks Corner
Foxbank Veterinary Hospital (843) 405-4611
113 Foxbank Plantation Blvd. Suite A, Moncks Corner, SC 29461
Lowcountry Pet Hospice and Home Euthanasia (843) 640-9755
Mobile
Summerville
Sangaree Animal Hospital (843) 494-5121
1665-A N Main St, Summerville, SC 29486
Sangaree Animal Hospital at Cane Bay (843) 494-5121
1724 State Rd, Unit 5D, Summerville SC 29486
Banfield Pet Hospital (843) 832-0919
470 Azalea Square Blvd, Summerville, SC 29483
Flowertown Animal Hospital (843) 875-6303
1357 Bacons Bridge, Summerville, SC 29485
Westbury Veterinary Clinic (843) 873-2761
1497 W 5th North St, Summerville, SC 29483
Central Veterinary Hospital (843) 851-2112
1215 Central Ave, Summerville, SC 29483
Shambley Equine Clinic (843) 875-5133
122 Kay Ln, Summerville, SC 29483
Knightsville Veterinary Clinic (843) 851-7784
478 W Butternut Rd, Summerville, SC 29483
Nemasket Veterinary Clinic (843) 871-4560
605 Miles Rd, Summerville, SC 29485
Oakbrook Veterinary Clinic (843) 871-2900
1705 Old Trolley Rd, Summerville, SC 29485
Sweetgrass Animal Hospital (843) 225-9663
9730 Dorchester Rd, Suite 101, Summerville, SC 29485
Summerville Pet Clinic (843) 718-8980
1915 Old Trolley Rd Summerville SC 29485
Veterinary Specialty Care (843) 216-7554
319 E. 3rd North Street Summerville, SC 29485
PET STAR SEARCH
There’s nothing like a happy adoption story to lift your spirits during these uncertain times in the world – which is how Pet Star Search was born.
Last year alone 5,266 animals found new homes through Charleston Animal Society. Not all of the animals turning to the organization for help started out with happy stories. Many were lost or abandoned. Some animals were injured or abused.
We asked families who have adopted animals from Charleston Animal Society in the past to submit their “Happy Tails” to us along with a story on how adopting a pet has changed or improved their lives. We had hundreds of submissions and our staff had the tough job of selecting just 20 of the best stories to be the winners of our Pet Star Search.
By SEAN HAWKINS, CAWA AND KAY HYMAN
TAILS!HAPPY
Dudley was hit by a car and luckily found by a caring animal control officer who transported him to Charleston Animal Society. The expert veterinarians and dedicated animal care staff surgically repaired his broken bones and provided the support needed for Dudley to heal. According to foster mom, Heather Jackson, “We just couldn’t let him go! He’s helped me cope through a few panic attacks. He loves all animals and people. Most importantly, Dudley makes us laugh, all the time.”
Sweet little Maria was found alone and afraid as a baby kitten who weighed only 1.6 lbs. After receiving medical care by the expert veterinarians and caring staff at Charleston Animal Society, she was placed with foster mom, Julie Adams Lawrence, “Maria was my first foster kitten and she became my first foster failure. We love her so much and we are so thankful for everything that Charleston Animal Society does for all the love they help bring into people’s lives!”
Reese’s mom, Brenna Rich, sent us this amazing note: “Hi, my name is Reese and at first, I was super scared. I didn’t know how to trust anyone. Mom and Dad worked with the veterinarians and behavior specialists at Charleston Animal Society to help me feel safe in my new home. They even adopted a boxer named Duncan to keep me company! I wouldn’t be where I am today without all the awesome people at Charleston Animal Society who found the perfect family for me!”
Pepper arrived at Charleston Animal Society suffering from tremendous hair loss. He was diagnosed with ringworm and the veterinarians and animal care team treated him for over a month at the animal shelter. According to his new mom, Tiffany Perez, “I had never owned a cat in my life, but I knew I wanted to open my heart to a new addition. My two dogs and I love him so much! He’s so sweet and cuddly with a dash of spice --that’s why I call him Pepper! ”
Finn was found as a tiny puppy, alone and covered in fleas. At the same time, Caroline Evangelista Harbeson had recently lost her two senior dogs. When Caroline visited Charleston Animal Society, Finn chose her as his person. From the moment he was adopted in September of 2012, he has not left Caroline's side.
Maria
Reese Pepper
Finn
Dudley
“This beautiful boy is Latte. He was adopted on New Year's Eve 2010 to help heal my broken heart after our family lost our other sweet Charleston Animal Society rescue exactly a year earlier,” reports Amy Guerry Rogers. “Latte has been an awesome companion. He is so easy going and friendly and comfortable around everyone...and those blue eyes are enough to melt your heart.” We could not agree more!
Found as a stray on the streets, Winky was suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection, which scarred her eye to the point it had to be removed. Cara Lanphere, her adopting mom, took her home in December and says, “Winky is just the cutest thing and loves attention and play. Winky is also my senior dog’s best friend.”
At 12-years-old, Poppy is considered a senior dog. He was rescued from a puppy mill operator by Charleston Animal Society. One look at that sweet smile and Alexa Blackburn, Poppy’s adopting mom, knew that Poppy was the one for her. Poppy went to his second chance home in February and Alexa will tell you he's brought nothing but joy and happiness to her life, “He's a happy pup who is full of energy and being 12 does not slow him down one bit!”
In 2013, Marcy was featured on ABC News 4 as our Pet of the Week. Tom Welsh and his wife crossed their fingers as another family first looked at Marcy. Tom reports, “We were immediately greeted by the most enthusiastic wrinkled face I’ve ever met. She was so proud to show off her toy that she had been carrying around the room. She only put the toy down to jump into my lap for a hug and kisses. At that moment I knew I had to have her.”
Susie Q was left behind in an abandoned home to fend for herself by her former family. Her second chance family realized that she never knew how to play with toys and did not trust people, but now she is growing more affectionate by the day. According to her new dad, Marco Michel, “Susie is obsessed with water and sits by the sink mewing until we turn it on for her. She is also fascinated with the toilet and will flush it by herself!”
After losing her sweet lab Ruby, Kimberly Reed visited the shelter six times, looking specifically for a yellow lab. Then she met Cooper, a sweet black lab mix. Cooper was found wandering on John's Island, heartworm positive and very thin. When his eyes met Kimberly’s, it was love at first sight. Almost a decade later, Kimberly reports, “In the nine years we have had together, we have been on many adventures and he has been at my side to see me through some tough times.”
After searching for months for a lost kitty, Robin Pawlikpowski finally gave up and started looking for a new feline. She fell in love with Bill, a beautiful tuxedo kitty who had been featured on our ABC News 4 adoption spot. His inquisitive personality, and sweet disposition won her over. Robin shared with us, “Bill wraps himself around our foster cat and purrs loudly to calm her, which works. He wrestles our dog and has become my favorite friend to read books on the patio with.”
Rose was brought to the animal shelter by a good Samaritan. She was missing hair and crawling with fleas. Rose was very timid and shy. Taylor Dunlap adopted her in May of 2019 and just celebrated her “Gotcha’ Day.” Taylor reports, “It didn’t take long for her spunky, loving, crazy personality to come out. Rose loves being on the water, playing with her toys and getting belly rubs. She keeps a smile on everyone's face. I am so grateful that I found her that day!”
Latte
Winky
Poppy
Marcy
Rose Bill Cooper
Susie Q
ADOPTIONS:: Loving Homes
In March of this year Riley Peterson and her boyfriend were looking for a quarantine buddy due to COVID 19. Her boyfriend wasn’t completely on board with adopting a pet until he saw Maple. Riley tells us, “Maple is as sweet as she looks. She loves walks and playing with our kitty. She came into the shelter skinny, heartworm positive, with scars and hair loss and left with a new family and sister. Her favorite thing to do is cuddle her stuffed monkey.”
When Tiny’s Mom Amy Badeaux laid eyes on this cat, she knew right then and there she would take her home. Tiny was disfigured because she had been caught in the fan belt of a truck. Lucky for Tiny, the expert veterinarians at Charleston Animal Society were there to help and her mom was willing to give her a home. Amy says, “I am so happy that you guys took the time to help Tiny because the best thing we did is adopt her into our family.”
Moses was surrendered as a young puppy because his family couldn’t afford to give him the veterinary care he needed. He was covered in mange and suffering from skin infections. After recovering in a foster home, Moses is now “on the go,” living the trucker life with his new dad, Troy White. They truck all across the country. Troy says, “I did not realize what I was missing until Moses came into my life; I had not shared my life with a dog in over 25 years.”
Since adopting Peanut, aka, “the Nut,” Jessi discovered that she loves kids, fruit and vegetables but hates storms. Jessi wasn’t planning on adopting a dog when she accompanied a friend to the animal shelter. “We went to meet a specific dog, and this good girl was in the next kennel,” Jessi tells us. “It was love at first prance. I think she is part woodland creature. She hops and prances when her people come home or when she wants to play. She completes our little family.”
After getting married and moving into their new home, the McGuan family was ready to adopt. Within five minutes of arriving at the animal shelter, they knew that Shelby was the dog for them. Shelby was a stray who was extremely skittish and terrified at the shelter. Her new mom rode in the back seat holding her as she trembled the whole way to her new home. Within three days she was completely relaxed and now loves having a family of her own.
In golf, Mulligan is a “second chance.” And that’s exactly what Kathleen Flynn gave a puppy whose mother gave birth at Charleston Animal Society. Kathleen had graduated college and started her career in Charleston. Family and friends encouraged her to consider adopting a dog to keep her company, despite the fact she’d never had a dog growing up. On a spontaneous visit to the shelter, Kathleen met Mulligan and now she and her lab/spaniel mix are inseparable.
Kona and Bentley had the same path to the shelter but years apart. Both were owner surrenders because their families at the time could no longer care for the dogs. Shelly Goughnour adopted Kona in 2007 and as he aged she knew she wanted to rescue another animal in need. In 2019, Shelly adopted Bentley at a Charleston Animal Society pop up event downtown. Shelly says, “Both Bentley and Kona have brought unconditional love into my life and I have no doubt the saying ‘who rescues who?’ rings true.”
Sean Hawkins, CAWA, is Charleston Animal Society’s Chief Advancement Officer. Kay Hyman is Charleston Animal Society’s Director of Community Engagement.
Tiny
Moses Peanut
Maple
Shelby
Mulligan
Kona and Bently
