1,000th Operation Military Pets Grant Given

by Emma Koeniger, Content and Digital Media Coordinator 


In 2013 the Operation Military Pets program was created to help military families stay together when ordered to a new duty station. Permanent Change of Station (or PCS) orders require a family to move from one base to another and can incurr significant expenses related to that move – including transporting the family pet. When international relocation is required, bringing your family pet can easily cost $1,500 or more. SPCA International recognized that this burden was causing increased rates of pet surrender at shelters near military bases. Operation Military Pets program gives families another option by covering a portion of pet transportation costs.  

August 2017 marked the 1,000th grant awarded by this program to a military family. That pet-loving family, the Acostas, know the struggle of moving their two pets all too well. Calvin and Cody are like their kids. The Shiba Inu mix and Terrier mix are always close by, ready to chase a ball or go wag their tails when their parents come home. The Acosta family could not imagine leaving Cody and Calvin behind when they received PCS orders relocating them to Japan, but when the cost of pet transportation alone rose over $3,000 they were stunned and financially unprepared.

That’s when they heard about SPCA International’s Operation Military Pets program, and the Acosta family quickly applied for assistance. We could tell from the way they lovingly talked about their two dog-kids that we could not let this tight-knit family fall apart. After completing all of the grant application steps, the Acosta family was approved for a grant. And now, we are happy to report that Calvin and Cody are with their mom and dad in Okinawa!

We received this heartwarming sentiment from the Acosta family; “This is an awesome and honest organization. My PCS from Cali to Okinawa with my (2) boys hurt us financially. There was no way I was leaving my boys! SPCA International helped us as promised. The wife and I are forever grateful and really happy: Thank You for your caring about people and the love for their pets!!!”

Saving Lives in Panama

by Emma Koeniger, SPCAI Staff

Our team arrived at the Spay Panama clinic in Panama City, Panama on a humid, overcast Saturday morning. Down a little side street and between two houses, we walked into a small covered patio with roughly 20 chairs all occupied by locals waiting for their pets to go into surgery or waiting for them to come out. We went inside the clinic and met up with Spay Panama founder and director, Pat Chan, who showed us around their amazing operation.

There are two front rooms and kitchen, all with pull out sofas that visiting vet students and volunteers (and Harry the dog) can sleep on. You walk through a glass sliding door and you are in the middle of the Spay Panama medical rooms. Cats and dogs who were already sedated were being shaved down and prepped for surgery, once ready they were moved into the operating room where the 4-6 surgeons would perform an innovative veterinary technique called “the quick spay.” After that the animals were brought back out to the prep room, given a long lasting antibiotic, pain, and vitamin injection. It was truly a sight to behold. By the afternoon the crowd outside had dissipated because they do spay/neuter in the morning and save the afternoons for special exams and surgeries. We talked with the vet students visiting from Guelph and other parts of Canada, and met some wonderful patients and volunteers!

We were up bright and early Sunday morning, as our team joined the Spay Panama veterinarians, technicians and volunteers on the Spay Panama bus to travel to the spay and neuter pop-up clinic in Burunga. When we pulled up to the location at 7:30am there were scores of people on either side of the road, many had been waiting since 6:00 am, all with puppies, dogs, cats and kittens. Some of the dogs had harnesses and collars, a large amount had collars and leashes made out of chain or rope. After a quick set up the first patients started being seen.

From start to finish this is how an animal went through the entire process:
1) Check in. Pet is tagged and weighed.
2) Sedation and brought over to the surgical prep station.
3) Shaved for surgery, given a pain and antibiotic injection.
4) Surgery (spay or neuter as well as any emergency needs)
5) Recovery, ears cleaned, nails trimmed, and vaccinations given
6) Animal wakes up, the owner is called, they come pick-up their animal
7) They receive a collar and leash from an SPCA International

While this seems like a lot of steps it only took about 45min total and routine surgeries only take 5-6 minutes of that time!

It was clear to see how grateful the locals were to have Spay Panama there and to be receiving a free collar and leash for their pet. By 7:00pm 562 cats and dogs had been spayed or neutered, all of this was accomplished with only 9 veterinarians and 35 volunteers.

Burunga is an impoverished area. The locals earn roughly $15 a day, which makes it hard to support their families let alone their beloved pets. Yet, they know the importance of the work Spay Panama does, and will make sure they are in line to have their pet taken care of when the Spay Panama bus pulls up. Pat Chan does not turn anyone away when they cannot pay, but she does put them to work, cleaning surgical instruments or moving animals from station to station. Their work is important and the health of the pets is important, and Pat wants them to value both.

It is truly a sight to behold when the Spay Panama pop-up clinic is in full swing – if you blink you might miss something. Thanks to our amazing supporters we are able to provide Spay Panama with grants through our Shelter Support Fund program to sponsor these events and through our Veterinary Supply Aid program we are able to send medical supplies for these events and their clinic. SPCA International and Spay Panama have been partners in this work for over 7 years and we are always blown away by their incredible operation and all they are able to accomplish for the animals and people of Panama.

20 Recent Dog Rescues

Each of dogs are now safely in the United States with the families of the U.S. service members or veterans who befriended them on deployment in Syria, Iraq, Kuwait and Turkey. SPCA International is honored to help our U.S. service members and so grateful to all our supporters who make these rescues possible. We currently have 80 more dogs and cats beloved by our troops waiting on our rescue wait list. 

Recipe: Quick Vegan Peanut Butter Flaxseed Dog Treats

We are proud to announce the winner of the July Dog Treat Recipe contest: Tamara Bragg and her Quick Vegan Peanut Butter Flaxseed Cookies! Tamara says, “Every dog I have ever given these to wants more and more and more! They are a great vegan nutritious snack for all dogs.”

Quick Vegan Peanut Butter Flaxseed Cookies

Fill deep microwave safe dish with:
Maple flavored oatmeal
1 small jar of peanut butter
1/2 cup of ground flax seed
4 imitation eggs (vegan)
2 tablespoons of olive oil spread or coconut spread (vegan butter)
A sprinkling of coconut flakes
(If it is too dry, you can add a vegan milk alternative.)

Stir, smooth top, put in microwave for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes, check center. If still soft in the center, cut out the harder outer portions and lay them cooling rack. Place the soft center back in microwave till done. Slice them into strips. Cool completely. Serve to your dogs.

Summer Pet Safety Tips

By Emma Koeniger, SPCA International Staff

Summer is always a fun time of the year – the beaches are open, the sun is out, there are so many outdoor activates that you and your animal companions can do! When planning a day trip or vacation it is always important to keep your pet’s safety in mind. Check out these summer activities and how to make sure your pet has fun too!

Running Around

My dog, Kuma, loves to go hiking. It’s a great way for him to burn off excess energy. The dog park is another great way for your dog to get in some play-time, but keep an eye on your dog while at the dog-park as scuffles can break out. When going on summer hikes make sure you bring a bottle of water and a bowl and take short breaks to let your pet rest. Make sure your dog always has proper identification in case they get away from you.

Water Fun

There are plenty of dog beaches along the East and West Coasts, allowing your canine friend to run and swim without disrupting sunbathers. There are lots of water toys that your dog will likely love to chase after! If you don’t live close to the beach you can fill up a kiddie pool for your dog to play in. If you’re thinking about taking your dog out on a boat, make sure to buy them an appropriately sized life jacket. Remember, even though your dog is wet it doesn’t mean they are adequately hydrated. Make sure to have a bottle of water and bowl with you for your thirsty pup.

Backyard Parties

There are so many opportunities to get together with friends and family during the summer. If party-goers are inclined to feed your pets, have a bowl of dog treats available so that they aren’t fed potentially toxic table scraps. Keep alcoholic beverages and human food up high and away from table edges, to deter counter-surfers and tall dogs. If fireworks are going to set off make sure your pet is kept in a quiet and secure area inside.

There are endless ways for you and your pets to have fun this summer. No matter what the activity is always make sure to watch out for signs of heat stroke; heavy panting, increased heart rate, weakness, pale gums, and contact your veterinarian immediately. Our pets have a normally higher body temperate than we do, so if it’s too hot for us to stay out for a long time it’s definitely too hot for your pets to be outside for extended amounts of time.

Hopefully with the above tips this one will be the best summers yet! 

Rescuing Rooster

By Mark Du Lac, U.S. Air Force TSgt Ret. & Lockheed Martin Aircraft Weapons Maintenance Instructor in Iraq

I want to share my story of Rooster, the Iraqi dog with you.

I went to Iraq for a one-year contract for work; away from my family and knowing no one. We have always had dogs as a part of our family, and at that time we had four in Florida. I went to work one day, and someone said there were puppies next door in the vehicle maintenance hangar ran by the Turkish mechanics. Me being the dog guy that I am, went over immediately to find that these guys had found and taken in three puppies from the same litter and made them their own.

From that time till I left, I helped take care of them, feed them, bathe and play with all three. Of course, I was most drawn to the runt of the group who was and is my Rooster. He was afraid and unsure of people period, seeing how he was a wild dog living on a military base with an expectancy to survive not much past a year in the conditions he was born into.

The men who took them in gave them the best care they could with what they had available. There were no Home Depots or PetSmarts. They built doghouses, a fenced in area and eventually a good size gated pen. Good thing they did because with word spreading amongst the other contractors on base, the dogs became more popular and had many visitors. The three original dogs turned into 16 in one pen and we took care of them with what we had. Lots of folks pitched in – whether it was buying toys and bringing them back from their R&R or feeding them leftovers from their meals. Some simply came just to be and play with them, filling that void…missing their pets at home.

We would bring them food for breakfast and it was a great way to start our mornings feeding them. They knew we were coming every morning and reacted to the white takeout trays filled with breakfast for them. Of course, the whole scenario took place again for lunch. We were even fortunate enough to get a few bags of dog food for them, which was hard to get!

Making friends with the deployed contractor veterinarian was an essential part of this story. She not only told me about the SPCA International sending animals home for military and contractors deployed to these locations for free, but she also gave up some of her personal time to look at the pups and help us keep them as healthy as possible. To me, this was the most amazing thing I could possibly learn and so the process began by asking permission from the men who found them if I could take Rooster home to the U.S.

They were hesitant at first, but they agreed, and they knew he would have a much better life with me. My decision led to others wanting to do the same. With unbelievable efforts by the SPCA International and their worldwide team, all 16 puppies were taken to a better facility north of us where they would do their in-country quarantine, receive vaccinations and be properly taken care of until it was time to make that trip to the US. Mind you, all provided by the SPCA International at no cost to the person wanting the dog.

Without the amazing services and selfless efforts provided by the SPCAI, none of this would have ever happened. The program is financed by donations from countless generous individuals who all believe in the same thing; that every animal deserves a chance to live a good life. SPCAI is an incredible organization saving animals all over the world. Just in Iraq alone they have saved over 700 dogs and cats, that are now with their new forever families throughout the U.S.

I am so grateful to everyone involved in Rooster’s rescue and to the people who I have never met who worked so hard to get my puppy home safely and healthy! I cannot stress enough that none of this would happen without generous donations to SPCA. Big or small – it all counts and puts big hearted animal loving people with the pets they found, adopted and wanted to have as their own in a better place.

Rooster is now in Florida with his new K-9 family and humans – five dogs now total. I would not have it any other way, this dog made all the difference in my life the last three months in a not-so-friendly and unforgiving place.

Thank you with all my heart to each and every one who was part of Rooster’s amazing journey – mostly to the SPCA International organization. Keep doing that great stuff you do, one animal at a time!

Forever grateful:
Mr. D. “Roosters Dad”

Shelter Spotlight: PAWS-Patas

by Emma Koeniger, SPCAI Staff

Located in the province of Almeria, Spain, PAWS-Patas was the first animal shelter established in their area of Southern Spain. They have been actively caring for and reducing the number of stray and abandoned animals for 26 years. Founded by a small group of volunteers in 1989, the PAWS-Patas volunteer base has grown to 60 people, all working to provide care to needy local animals and raise public awareness for animal welfare issues. 

PAWS-Patas helps roughly 300 animals each year without any government funding. No animal is ever turned away based on medical or behavioral issues. Every animal taken in receives medical care and individual attention so that they can find the best home possible. Recently PAWS-Patas has found forever homes for their animals in Spain, Holland, Germany, Belgium and the UK. From 2014 -2016 the PAWS-Patas team was able to rehome 628 dogs and 242 cats!

SPCA International is proud to support PAWS-Patas with a Shelter Support Fund grant. 

Victory: Tanzania Donkey Slaughterhouses Closing

By Lori Kalef, Program Manager

For over six years, SPCAI has had a strong and innovative partner in the Tanzania Animal Welfare Society (TAWESO). Our most recent collaborative efforts have focused on the welfare of working donkeys across Tanzania and education initiatives to improve their treatment. Recently, we learned about a growing inhumane industry in Tanzania: the donkey skin and meat trade.

Tanzanian donkeys are being slaughtered at an alarming rate due to soaring demand for their meat and skin in China. In China, they manufacture a gelatin from donkey hide fabled to have anti-ageing and libido-enhancing properties.

Our partners at TAWESO quickly began fighting this horrible commerce by lobbying and educating local government officials. During meetings with government councils, mayors, and chairpersons in districts where donkey slaughterhouses are opening, TAWESO presents evidence of the cruel habits of this burgeoning industry.

Through TAWESO’s non-stop advocacy for donkeys, two large commercial slaughterhouses will close next month! WOW!

SPCAI’s financial support and veterinary supply aid donations are critical to ensuring TAWESO has the resources to continue their work. After this incredible victory, TAWESO will carry on treating the sick, wounded and overworked donkeys of Tanzania and educating their owners. We are so proud to call TAWESO a partner. 

Saying Goodbye to a Brave Four-Legged Soldier

By Lori Kalef, Program Manager

It is with tremendous sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you that little Laurel, an adorable OBP: Worldwide puppy that was rescued last month from Iraq with a terrible eye injury, passed away. Our Iraqi team of veterinarian professionals and rescue experts did everything in their power to save Laurel and surrounded him with love as he left this world.

In April, Laurel was urgently picked up by our team in Iraq from a U.S. Naval Base. Many of you may recall Laurel’s story. He was rescued by an ex-infantryman named Nick Cooper was working at Camp Swift. Cooper found Laurel with a terrible and painful eye wound from a being caught in a fight between two adult dogs. Laurel was suffering from a complete retinal detachment when Nick found him, but that never stopped Laurel from wagging his tail and showing his gratitude. Nick took him in, fed him and gave him as much care as he possibly could in this remote area of the world. In order to get Laurel all the care he needed, the SPCAI team picked him up and transported him to Erbil, Iraq, to see a veterinarian and prepare for travel to the U.S. Along the way, little Laurel exemplified courage, determination, trust and puppy love.

Sadly, after receiving required vaccinations and much needed care for retinal detachment, Laurel began demonstrating symptoms of distemper[1], a serious disease that runs rampant amongst street dogs in this area of the world. Laurel was given round the clock supportive care and treatments, something that is not so readily available in Iraq, but his little body’s immune system shut down and Laurel crossed over the rainbow bridge.

Our entire team is devastated over Laurel’s untimely passing, but we take comfort knowing that he had the best treatment we could give him. Right up to the end he knew kindness from humans and experienced unconditional love and devotion thanks to Nick’s good heart.  

Laurel left this world with dignity and grace and I know that he will continue to inspire us, and you, to do our very best to prevent suffering and give more animals a chance to live a good life in this often cruel and challenging world.



[1] Canine distemper is a contagious disease brought on by a virus that attacks the nervous, gastrointestinal, and respiratory systems. Infection can occur through airborne exposure, shared food or water, or transplacental transmission. Puppies under four months of age and unvaccinated dogs are at risk for this disease. The vaccine series increases the probability of puppies building immunity while the immune system continues to mature. There is no cure for distemper and it is often fatal. Treatment consists of support care, and prevention of secondary infection. Learn more from the American Veterinary Medical Association.