We’ve fallen in love with Tiny the donkey and think you will too! SPCAI wasn’t involved in this rescue, but you’ll see why Tiny warms our hearts. Please remember that Tiny is truly unusually tiny– most donkeys are several times his size and would not make good house pets.
Author: SPCAI Staff
Keeping Military Families Together
When Sergeant Foster’s wife, Dana, called him eight years ago to ask if she could bring home a dog that another U.S. Air Force family had to leave behind, he said no. He was newly stationed in Guam and the family was still getting settled, but Dana brought Boomer the dog home anyway. To this he says, “Well you know, that’s what being married is like.”
Now, eight years later, Sergeant Foster says Boomer is part of the family. He has been through military assignments in Guam, England, and now North Dakota. Sergeant Foster tells us, “Who knew this free rescue dog would be worth over $5,000 from moving around the world? We love him so much and he brings us such joy that it's worth the extra stress and planning. He's our forever pet.” SPCA International was honored to help keep this family together through their most recent military reassignment in March from the United Kingdom to North Dakota.
Even though the U.S. Air Force moves military families and their possessions (except the family pets), reestablishing in a new place is surprisingly expensive. The Fosters had to buy all new appliances to fit U.S. outlets, as well as a new car built for driving on the right-hand side of the road! By providing for Boomer’s travel expenses, SPCA International was able to make this military family’s move just a little easier with the help of an Operation Military Pets grant. This family received a $500 grant to cover a portion of the cost to move Boomer to North Dakota. Without financial aid from Operation Military Pets many families (like Boomer’s family before the Foster’s) would be forced to leave their pet behind.
Sergeant Foster says there aren’t many organizations that support military members directly like Operation Military Pets does, so he will definitely tell others and support SPCA International in the future. Here at SPCA International, we would like to thank Sergeant Foster and his family for their service.
Boomer enjoying the snow in North Dakota! It snowed 15 inches, just days after the Foster family arrived.
Boomer is loving North Dakota Summers too!
VIDEO: Chernobyl TNVR Clinic a Success!
Thanks to SPCAI donors and volunteers, hundreds of animals in Chernobyl, Ukraine, received life-saving medical care during the trap, neuter, vaccinate and release clinic in the nuclear exclusion zone. Over 1,000 stray animals live in and around the Chernobyl power plant. Until now, they were left to fend for themselves and multiply at an alarming rate. Along with our partners and volunteers, we spayed and neutered over 840 animals in 2017 and 2018. These dogs and cats will have a higher quality of life thanks to the medical attention they received. SPCAI looks forward to continued work in this region in 2018 and beyond.
Why We Added SPCAI to the Lemonade Giveback
By Team Lemonade
As a company with a mission to transform insurance into a social good, we regularly ask our Lemonade community which causes they’re passionate about, and would like to support.
Sounds like a bizarre question coming from an insurance company, we know, but it’s part of how we’re built.
Back to our community. They spoke, and we listened. Our Lemonaders expressed their passion for animal rights, which sparked a search high and wide for an animal rescue organization.
We were looking for an organization that measured its impact: data-driven, knew how to communicate proven results, and most of all, was committed to transparency, one of our core values.
When we found SPCA International, we knew we found the right fit for our Giveback program (more on that soon).
Partnering with SPCAI is part of our journey to fix the broken insurance system. A system that, for centuries, wanted to protect you when things went wrong, but often breeded a feeling of distrust, and put you through hurdles that left you stranded.
So beyond bringing insurance into the 21st century through technology (we use algorithms instead of paperwork, bots instead of brokers!), we transformed the very fundamental business model to remove any conflicts of interests, and include giving back.
Instead of making money from denying claims, which is the norm within the industry, we treat your premiums as if it’s your money, take a flat fee for our services, and return what’s left to a cause you care about. We call this the ‘Giveback.’
Rest assured, this isn’t marketing fluff. Lemonade is a B-Corp, which means we’re committed to a double bottom line. In fact, Giveback is an integral part of our business model, and since we’re driven by a community-focused and do-good culture, Giveback is just one way we’re committed to the public good.
This is why we’re so excited to announce the Lemonade <> SPCA International partnership. We’re thrilled to welcome such a devoted and impactful organization such as SPCAI, who have helped thousands of animals around the world. And we’re humbled this wonderful cause is welcoming us to their community, with open arms.
So, how does the Lemonade Giveback work?
When you get a Lemonade renters or homeowners insurance policy, we ask you to choose your ‘Giveback’ cause. People choosing the same cause form a ‘virtual group;' behind the scenes, we use their premiums to pay their claims, and Giveback any leftover money to their common cause (in this case, the SPCAI).
We think of Giveback as a social contract among our community, where the size and allocation of our donation is determined not by our big profits or big hearts, but by the good fortune and good behavior of our members.
For us, Team Lemonade, this is deeply gratifying. At the end of the day, ‘it’s not our money.' It’s money our community has entrusted to us, first and foremost to help our members recover from unfortunate events in their lives, and secondly to help the less fortunate in our broader community. We feel privileged to do both – and are grateful to our community for the trust and support.
Stay safe, and thank you for supporting SPCAI!
Sign up for Lemonade Renters Insurance and support SPCA international today!
You Helped Stop the Poisoning! Thank you!
Last month we reached out to you with a plea for help. Dogs were being poisoned in and around Chernobyl, suddenly disappearing, then being found dead in the streets. We told you about Foxy, a local dog who was about to be adopted, and the sad truth is she hasn’t been found – she is likely dead.
Even though it was too late for Foxy, it was not too late to protect hundreds more! We are very thankful to tell you that the poisoning has stopped and we are actively working to ensure it never happens again. This would not be possible without your generous donations! Thank you to all who contributed.
This June, up to 400 animals will be spayed and neutered with the help of our partner Clean Futures Fund, Helping Paws Across Borders, and over 100 volunteers who are paying their own way to help these abandoned animals.
Stray animals will be de-wormed, vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and fitted with an ear-tag to measure their radiation levels. If their ear-tags show low levels of radiation, they will become available for adoption in the future. 13 lucky puppies are already cleared for adoption and we are searching for their forever families!
Featured above is, Polly, one of the 13 pups waiting to be adopted. She is a playful girl who will make a great addition to a family. (Below you can see the whole group of 13 darling pups.) All of the puppies available for adoption have been well socialized with children, dogs, cats, and farm animals. If you are interested in adopting one, please fill out the adoption application.
Program Spotlight: Helping Paws Across Borders
When Angela Cherry, a veterinary technician by training, visited the Yucatan Peninsula, she was appalled by the horrific state of the animals she saw. Angela couldn't ignore their plight, so she founded Helping Paws Across Borders to provide much needed medical attention, including spay and neuter services, for animals in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The model is simple but impactful. US-based veterinarians and vet techs collect supplies and volunteer their time to provide quality medical care to animals in impoverished areas at no cost. By providing routine care, major surgeries, spay and neuter services, and education, Helping Paws Across Borders is making life less painful for suffering animals, reducing animal overpopulation, and helping people learn how to provide a healthy life for their pets. Their ultimate goal: stop animal neglect and abuse.
Helping Paws Across Borders has held events in Mexico, the Bahamas, Belize, Honduras, and New Mexico. This year, they are partnering with over 20 other organizations on a Spayathon for Puerto Rico. The goal is to spay and neuter 20,000 animals by 2019.
*In addition to all this amazing work, Helping Paws Across Borders is also partnering with SPCAI and CFF this month on the Dogs of Chernobyl project in Ukraine.
Risky Africa Rescues
When U.S. soldiers stationed in Africa contact us for help bringing their adopted pets home, things can get tricky. Many countries have no local animal welfare organization, and animals are often at risk of being killed if they are left behind.
This is certainly the case for Somalia and Cameroon – they are dangerous places for soldiers and dangerous places for dogs. Two service members are working with us right now to get their puppy battle buddies home to the U.S. It won't be easy, but our Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide partners in Uganda and Nigeria should be able to get these dogs out of Africa. They'll cross several international borders, multiple checkpoints, and endure days of travel, but will be happily reunited in the end.
One of the soldiers tells us that she can't imagine life without her dog, Annie. She knows in her heart that they were brought together for a reason- to live a happy and healthy life together. The soldier may have saved Annie's life, but Annie has made the soldier's life richer in so many ways. The soldier has been saving up leave from her deployments and is planning to take six months off work to rebuild her bond with Annie when they are back in the US.
The soldier tells us, from the day Annie crawled out from under her truck, hot, thirsty and hungry, they have hardly been apart. Annie rises with the sun, loves hardboiled eggs for breakfast, shadows the team throughout the day, takes rides in the truck whenever she can, cuddles everyone in the unit, and snuggles down for bed in a bunker every night.
SPCA International is honored to help this pair stay together.
Adopting a Disabled Dog Doesn’t Need to Be Scary!
By Lisa Murray, PR Director of Walkin’ Pets
Adopting a disabled dog can be a deeply fulfilling experience, so don’t be scared off by a dog’s special needs! While disabled dogs may need a little extra care, there are many resources available these days that make it relatively easy to attend to their needs. Advances in mobility aids, such as dog wheelchairs, enable many disabled dogs to live a high-quality life.
Consider the following five questions to help discern if adopting a special needs dog is right for you:
1. Am I in the financial position to pay for medically related expenses?
Not every disabled dog needs extra medical attention, but many benefit from interventions such as canine rehabilitation, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, or massage. Make sure you know what a prospective adoptee might need so you can assess if you are able to provide the type of care she needs to thrive.
2. Do I have enough time to adequately care for a disabled dog?
Any pet deserves your time and attention, but a disabled dog may need a little more. Helping a dog in and out of a dog wheelchair, or potentially diapering an incontinent pet, are important considerations.
“It wound up to be no harder than caring for any other dog,” says the owner of Lucy, a disabled rescue from Mexico. “You just put your efforts into slightly different areas. Caring for a disabled dog isn’t out of anyone’s reach – you just have to go into it feeling like you can do it!”
3. Is my whole family on board, including other pets?
Make sure everyone in your family is as eager to adopt a disabled dog as you are! If there are other humans in your household who might resent the dog, or if you have other pets who may not want to share your affection or attention, those are red flags too large to ignore.
4. Am I truly ready to make a lifelong commitment?
Unwanted disabled dogs are often bounced around between different homes and animal shelters when pet owners “change their mind.” Spare an animal that fate by vowing to make a lifelong commitment!
5. Can I deal with differences?
Your dog’s disability may draw attention, both positive and negative. You need to be prepared for that and able to comfortably deal with it. Do some soul searching to make sure you are willing to wholeheartedly welcome a pet into your home and heart who others may view as “imperfect.”
The rewards of adopting a disabled dog can be enormous, from the love and appreciation the dog will give you, to the hope he can inspire in others. The owner of Omid, a disabled rescue dog brought to the U.S. from Iran, says, “I’ve learned a lot from him. His spunk and love can’t be measured.”
Volunteers to Help Hundreds of Animals in Chernobyl
The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster forced 120,000 people to evacuate their homes. They were only allowed to bring what they could carry, and many families had no choice but to leave behind beloved family pets. Once these pets were considered contaminated, people were prohibited from removing them from the Exclusion Zone.
Today, the Exclusion Zone still exists. Access is highly restricted, and no one lives there except wild animals and an estimated 1,000 dogs and cats (including 250 stray dogs living at the plant) who are descendants of family pets left behind during the evacuation. Over 3,000 people still work at this active power plant and try to provide shelter and food for the animals during harsh winters.
The fear of radiation from contaminated animals led the Ukrainian government to send soldiers to shoot these animals in an attempt to control their population. This inhumane policy was ineffective at curbing animal population growth.
SPCA International and Clean Futures Fund are working with the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant and the Ukrainian government on a widescale spay and neuter campaign. The first clinic was held in August 2017, when over 340 animals were spayed or neutered, vaccinated, de-wormed, and given dosimeter ear tags to measure their radiation levels.
This June, our goal is to reach the remaining animals in the Exclusion Zone. We have planned a month-long campaign with Clean Futures Fund and over 100 volunteers to make this a reality. Though all of our volunteers are paying for their own costs, you can help provide veterinary supplies and vaccines.
Official: “Dogs of Chernobyl Safe for Adoption”
In the Chernobyl Nuclear Exclusion Zone, it is almost unheard of to see a dog over four years old. The 1,000 animals here live a precarious life amid the bears and wolves of the forest. If they are lucky, a compassionate power plant worker will shelter and feed them through the worst months of the winter.
That's right, despite what many people think, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is still up and running with over 3,000 employees. These workers do what they can for the dogs (250 dogs live right at the plant), but until now, they have been prohibited from removing any animals from the area.
Thanks to SPCA International's partner organization Clean Futures Fund (CFF), some of these dogs now have hope for a life with a loving family. Through radiation tracking ear tags, CFF has determined that the dogs have extremely low levels of radiation and are safe for adoption. With your help, we are sponsoring the first 15 puppy adoptions out of the Exclusion Zone.
Each of these 15 cuddly puppies will have safe radiation levels, be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and de-wormed. They will be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days before they go home to a loving family in the Ukraine or elsewhere. If you are interested in adopting one of these dogs, please email [email protected].