Category: Feature Stories

Remember Elena? Last December this sweet momma dog was found starving and badly burned by the fire that killed her pups. Today, thanks to immense support from the SPCA International community, Elena has been restored in body and soul. Her hair has grown back, but perhaps the most impactful thing is the look of life in her eyes. Gone is the scared, heartbroken and hurting girl whose pups were burned to death. Now, Elena has been happily welcomed into a forever family in the U.S.

Elena’s road to recovery wasn’t easy. The shelter that saved her in Azerbaijan spent months treating her injuries and helping her body recover. Then she went to a rescue group and foster home in Chicago. At first, she was afraid of everything, mirrors, the TV and radio, any loud sound. Her foster family worked diligently to show her love and teach her to trust. 

Now, Elena is safe with a loving forever family where she’ll be cared for and protected for the rest of her life. Thank you to everyone who supported Elena’s journey to health and healing.

Sergeant Ryan adopted Lebbie when she was just eight weeks old. Their bond was immediate, and Lebbie spent the remaining months of the Sergeant’s deployment under his feet and by his side. So, when it was time for Sergeant Ryan’s time in Lebanon to end, he was heartbroken to find out that new CDC restrictions put Lebbie at risk of being left behind.

Undeterred, he worked through all the paperwork and was granted a 30-day window to bring Lebbie into the U.S. SPCA International worked with Ryan to make sure everything was in order for Lebbie’s travel. With the tight travel window, we had to get it right. 

With the support of many generous individuals, Lebbie was given the best care possible while all of her veterinary clearances and paperwork were compiled. Finally, with lots of careful planning, Lebbie recently reunited with Sergeant Ryan. We hope you enjoy this heartwarming video of their reunion.  Thank you to everyone who made this moment possible. 

SPCA International proudly sponsored a November Pet Rescue Pilots flight to relocate 22 dogs from California to Victoria, BC. This innovative organization moves animals from areas with many shelter dogs to areas where there are many families waiting to adopt. It might sound simple, but the logistics of moving 22 dogs over international borders are complicated! A truly beautiful partnership, three incredible organizations worked together to make this mission a success.

Marley’s Mutts saved each of these animals from euthanasia in California and worked tirelessly to teach them trust and manners. Pet Rescue Pilots coordinated and carried out the flight from California to British Columbia. Then, Raincoast Dog Rescue expertly received the 22 pups and placed them into waiting foster homes where the dogs will spend a short time before being welcomed into loving forever homes. We are thrilled to know that these 22 dogs will be loved and cared for by their new families.

Plant-based diets are gaining traction as people learn more about the benefits of eating less meat. Check out this catchy video that makes a great case for veganism. The stats may surprise you, but the benefits are real for animals, for our health and for the planet.

Learn more about leading a plant-based lifestyle.

Each year, we ask our SPCA International staff team for their favorite pet products of the year and they never cease to amaze with their incredible picks. We hope this list makes your holiday shopping just a bit easier for all the pets and pet people in your life. Enjoy!

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer. Having more than one dog especially can make nighttime walking a precarious activity. They may be little in size but not in shine; these lights provide extra safety for our evening strolls and make great conversation pieces too! 

Cats can be moody, but once they get their own window perch, they’ll be the happiest kitty around. Quick to set up and easy to clean, cats will love looking out the window and watching the birds and wildlife all the time. Even better? It comes with a one-year guarantee!

When traveling with a big fur-baby, this backseat dog hammock will keep pups comfortable while protecting car upholstery. Non-slip, durable, waterproof and padded, this product from Active Pets is also versatile. When not being used as a hammock, it can be folded down on the back seat and seatbelts can be threaded through. It can also be used as a cargo cover!

What could be better than The Dogist, a book by Elias Weiss filled with hundreds of dog portraits and short, fun descriptions about their personalities? The Dogist Puppies, of course! Both books are absolutely adorable and will bring plenty of smiles to anyone who flips through them!

Pet fur can frustrate even the most loving of pet parents, but the Chom Chom Roller can ease their stress. With no sticky sheets and a reusable design, this pet fur product will keep furniture and clothing pet fur-free. Great for multi-pet households and anyone with a furry friend. 

A great gift for pet parents who love to cook, this dog treat maker comes with dog-friendly recipes and makes eight bones at a time. Plus, dog treat chefs can control the ingredients, ensuring their pups get only the healthiest foods. Making homemade dog treats for holiday baskets and gifts could be a great family activity! 

Not just any dog treat, Bucket’s Biscuits were designed for a picky eater rescued through SPCA International’s Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide program. Healthy and tasty, a portion of proceeds from Bucket’s Biscuits sales are donated to support SPCA International’s work rescuing pets for military members stationed overseas. 

These coats from L.L. Bean are trendy and practical for all the best winter adventures! Not only are they reversible for pooches with style, but the hassle-free design also eliminates the need to put paws through small openings. Two velcro straps and a harness/leash opening at the back of the neck make this coat easy on and easy off. It can also be machine washed and dried!

At-home pet grooming is simple and quick with this home grooming set. A couple of important features include a quiet motor so pets don’t get spooked and a rechargeable battery so getting tangled in a cord is never a worry. For the do-it-yourselfer, this set can help save hundreds of dollars a year in pet grooming costs.

Do you remember Cathulhu and Sergeant Arielle? They bonded after tiny Cathulhu found her way into the barracks on a U.S. military base in Lithuania. Sergeant Arielle’s heart broke for the weak, emaciated and sick kitten, but she saved Cathulhu’s life and nursed her back to health. When it came time for Sergeant Arielle to return to the U.S. she reached out to SPCA International for help. On her own, it was impossible to get Cathulhu to her home in Florida.

Cathulhu traveled from Lithuania to Poland where her travel paperwork and veterinary requirements have been processed. She has been in good company with several other cats waiting to be reunited with the U.S. military members who saved them. We are thrilled to share that the thoughtful cats in this video are all scheduled to arrive in the U.S. during Thanksgiving week! Sergeant Arielle will be waiting at the airport in Florida to welcome Cathulhu to her forever home.

World Rabies Day brings special attention to the importance of vaccinating animals for their own health and the good of communities. Though rabies is uncommon in much of the developed world, outbreaks still affect developing countries like Tanzania.

SPCA International is proud to support TAPO (Tanzania Animal Protection Organization) and their annual World Rabies Day vaccination clinic. We are thrilled to announce that after seven years of reducing rabies cases thanks to the vaccination events, there were no recorded rabies cases in 2020 in the town of Kahama.

Despite this incredible milestone, TAPO knows their work isn’t over. They continue to offer free rabies vaccinations and deworming in addition to educational sessions about pet care and disease prevention. This year, TAPO’s World Rabies Day event reached 200 pet parents along with their 843 dogs and 70 cats.

Year after year, the event continues to encourage responsibility for pets in the local community, reducing the risk of rabies and other diseases, reducing instances of dog culling and improving the health and welfare for animals and their people.

This group is changing the way animals are treated and cared for, one animal, one person and one community at a time.

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SPCA International is immensely proud of our Operation Military Pets program, which helps alleviate the cost incurred by military families bringing their furry family members to new duty stations. With bills often reaching into the thousands, Operation Military Pets helps ease this financial burden on the families that bravely serve our country.

Clyde is just one of many animals who made it to their family’s next duty station with the help of Operation Military Pets. This is what his soldier has to say about the program.

“SPCA International does wonderful things for pets worldwide, and for us, they helped ensure our furry family member would be able to make the journey with us to the UK. […] the gesture of support at a time when we feel we are going it alone despite being required to move, has been an absolute blessing. We are grateful for their fabulous communication, their offers of kindness and support, and their willingness to help military members in an already stressful move process to make it just a bit easier.”

It cost Clyde’s family over $4,500 to get him to the U.K. In case you are wondering, these are the expenses that added up:

• cargo bill $1,688
• sky kennel $255
• domestic rental car and hotel costs to get to the pet departure airport $800
• UK pet broker $713
• UK customs fees $571
• veterinary bills $253.
• hotel pet fees in the U.S. and during quarantine in the U.K. $250

Thank you to everyone who has donated to SPCA International’s programs in support of soldiers and their pets. Through Operation Military Pets, SPCA International will continue to lessen the burden on military families who already sacrifice so much for our country. You can learn more about Operation Military Pets here.

Sergeant Arielle didn’t know if the tiny, starving kitten she found would make it. Today, that kitten is the beloved Cathulhu. These two now have an unbreakable bond, and thanks to many generous SPCA International supporters, they’ll be reunited soon in the U.S.

The Sergeant’s hands were tied by military regulations that don’t allow pets on official military transport. So, as her deployment came to a close, she reached out for help getting Cathulhu to her home in the U.S.

Thankfully, Cathulhu is now safe in our care. She is receiving her vaccinations and her travel paperwork is being processed. Cathulhu should be cleared for travel by early November; then, she will reunite with Sergeant Arielle.

We expect that Cathulhu will live a long and happy life with Sergeant Arielle. These two will be forever grateful to everyone who helped provide for Cathulhu’s rescue and travel to the U.S.

Julian Javor, founder of Pet Rescue Pilots has been “Rescuing by Relocation” since 2017. Based in California, where tens of thousands of pets are euthanized in shelters each year, Julian and his team fly animals in danger of euthanasia to shelters that have forever families waiting to adopt.

A true labor of love, Pet Rescue Pilots rarely turns down the chance to help animals in need. They have stepped in to fly lost pets to their homes several states away, helping families reunite with animals they thought were lost forever. They have also been an incredible partner to SPCA International, assisting with domestic and international rescue missions and relocations.

Pet Rescue Pilots has become a valuable partner for many other animal welfare organizations in our network. They recently transported 30 dogs from an overcrowded shelter in California to one of our partners in Canada. There, shelter staff quickly began coordinating the placement of these pets into their new forever homes.

SPCA International is excited to announce that we will be sponsoring an upcoming Pet Rescue Pilots flight, saving pets from euthanasia and ensuring they are placed in safe and loving forever homes.