Category: Feature Stories

We’re excited to share that we recently completed our first Patriot Pets mission of 2023! Despite obstacles caused by the CDC’s new regulations regarding the importation of dogs into the United States, our team was able to bring seven very lucky dogs home to reunite with the U.S. service members who rescued and befriended them on deployment. Leo, an adorable big boy who loves belly rubs, was one of them. After months apart, he reunited with Lieutenant Lindsey in upstate New York. We couldn’t help but shed happy tears during this heartwarming reunion. 

Reunions like this one are possible thanks to generous supporters like you. Please consider donating to our Patriot Pets program to help make more reunions like this a reality. 

*We previously shared that Liberty (rescued by Sergeant Eric) would be coming home as part of this mission, but due to some health concerns, Liberty could not fly to the U.S. Fortunately, she’s all better now. Liberty will take her freedom flight in just a few days. Stay tuned for her reunion with her hero!

Over 20 million Americans struggle with substance abuse — most do not get the care they desperately need to recover. Our new Shelter Support partner, PAWsitive Recovery, is dedicated to helping animals in need while breaking down the barriers keeping individuals battling this disease from seeking treatment.

For many people struggling with addiction, getting help means checking into a long-term inpatient program at a treatment center. For those who have pets, this is nearly impossible to do. Imagine wanting to get better and having to choose between surrendering your beloved pet to a shelter so that you can go to treatment or keeping your pet and not getting the help you need. No one should have to make that choice. 

PAWsitive Recovery’s founder, Serena Saunders, knows that keeping people and their pets together is critical to long-term recovery. That is why PAWsitive Recovery focuses on helping both people and animals heal from the wounds of addiction, trauma, and abuse.

PAWsitive Recovery offers: 

• Temporary pet foster care for individuals seeking treatment and those recovering from domestic violence
• Pet visits for people in treatment centers and shelters
• Volunteer/community service opportunities at animal shelters for those in recovery or healing from domestic violence
• Animal-focused therapy in treatment centers and shelters
• Animal-focused workshops in treatment centers and shelters

PAWsitive Recovery was established just two years ago but has already tremendously impacted countless lives. Two saved by PAWsitive Recovery are Brett and his pup, Oliver. 

“The support of everybody and PAWsitive Recovery, knowing that he’s with somebody and safe and getting better, I honestly wouldn’t be in treatment right now if it wasn’t for you guys. I don’t know where he and I would be…but probably not a good place. I wouldn’t be in treatment, and I probably wouldn’t have him at all.” – Brett

Watch How PAWsitive Recovery Is Changing Lives: 

SPCA International recognizes the vital work that PAWsitive Recovery is doing for animals and people in need and is proud to support their life-saving work. To learn more about PAWsitive Recovery, please visit: https://pawsitive-recovery.com/

At SPCA International, we know that sterilization is the most humane and effective method of population control. In honor of Spay & Neuter Awareness Month, we are contributing $150,000 in grants to local and international organizations to fund spay-neuter programs for stray and companion animals. From Egypt to Mexico to Cambodia, these grants will help our partners around the globe provide these essential services to animals in need and raise awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering.

Below are some of the exciting Spay & Neuter projects we are sponsoring this month: 

To learn more about our spay and neuter efforts around the world and why you should spay/neuter your pet, click here. 

We can not believe it’s been a year since 153 dogs and 133 cats rescued by Kabul Small Animal Rescue arrived in Vancouver, Canada, to start their new lives. It seems like just yesterday that we were tracking the flight, eagerly waiting on the tarmac for the plane to land. Thinking about the moment the first dog came off the plane still brings happy tears to our eyes. We are incredibly thankful for everyone who played a role in this tremendous undertaking, from the passionate animal welfare organizations involved to the dedicated volunteers who spent day and night at the shelter to the generous supporters who helped fund this life-saving project. Thank you for making Mission Possible a reality. 

Join us in taking a look back at this incredible mission by watching the video below.

Last month, we shared Athena’s story — a puppy rescued by Army Specialist Jeremiah, who was stationed in the Middle East. Athena was skin and bones when Specialist Jeremiah found her. He knew that taking in a stray dog was not allowed by the military, but he could not turn his back on the tiny, frail puppy. Specialist Jeremiah risked everything to save her, even sleeping outside his tent to keep her company at night. When he found out the Army would not allow him to bring her back to the United States, his heart broke, but he did not give up. He reached out to us for help, and thanks to your generosity, Athena is coming home!

Athena is now in our care, safe at our boarding facility in the Middle East. She has been getting lots of love and cuddles from our team and enjoys playing with the other dogs in our care. Athena will be making her way to Michigan next month for what we are sure will be an incredible reunion.

We are so grateful to everyone who donated to her rescue and transport, shared her story, and sent her prayers and well wishes. We could not have done this without you. With your help, we were able to raise enough to bring Athena home and also to help transport other patriot pets to their soldiers. These missions are never easy. They take a lot of time and planning, costing upwards of $9,000 per animal and requiring anywhere between a few weeks to several months to complete. But despite the challenges, we remain committed to helping these heroes and their furry companions. They have given so much to us; it is only fair that we return the favor. 

Thank you for your continued support of our Patriot Pets program. 

To help fund the transport of other patriot pets, donate here.

In late 2007, we received a plea for help from a U.S. soldier desperately trying to get his dog Charlie out of Iraq. The soldier found Charlie while on patrol in a dangerous part of Baghdad. Charlie was tiny, frail, and starving. Despite military rules against it, the soldier took in Charlie and nursed him back to health. The two formed such a strong bond that the soldier promised Charlie he would bring him home to the United States and give him the life he deserved. So when the end of his deployment approached, the soldier knew he could not leave him behind. 

It took months of hard work, navigating through endless red tape, and reaching out to many animal lovers willing to help on this mission, but in February 2008, we brought Charlie to the United States. At that moment, our Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide program was born. 

Since then, our work has expanded beyond saving pups from Baghdad. We have helped over 1,200 dogs, cats, and even a donkey reunite with the heroes who rescued them. We have transported animals from the Middle East, Central Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa. That is why we have decided to rename Operation Baghdad Pups: Worldwide to Patriot Pets. Patriot Pets will continue helping to reunite U.S. service members and the animals they rescue. We look forward to expanding this program and helping more heroes and patriot pets in need.

Liberty was rescued by Sergeant Eric when she was just a puppy scrounging for food. An animal lover, the sergeant took in the small, timid dog. He made her a bed, got her food, and the two quickly became inseparable. Liberty was precisely what the sergeant needed to keep his spirits up on deployment, and he was the perfect protector to keep Liberty safe.

But when his deployment ended, Sergeant Eric was heartbroken at the possibility of Liberty having to stay behind, so he reached out to SPCA International to help transport her to the United States. Like many Operation Baghdad Pup: Worldwide missions, this one came with its set of challenges, but we knew we could not let Liberty or Sergeant Eric down. Our team worked tirelessly on the logistics of getting Liberty to the United States, but we needed help from dedicated supporters like you to cover the cost of her transportation. 

Thanks to your generosity, we are excited to share that Liberty will be coming home next month! The sergeant cannot wait to be reunited with his best friend again, and we could not be happier to know that Liberty will soon be able to start her new life with the hero who saved her. While she awaits her freedom flight, Liberty is getting tons of love and care from our team overseas.

Remember Robyn, the sweet pup that was cruelly tossed from a moving car and left to die on the side of the road? Thanks to your generous support, she got the urgent medical care she needed and has made a remarkable recovery. Our incredible partner in Azerbaijan, Good World Animal Rescue and Protection (GWARP), has been taking great care of Robyn and is working hard to get her ready for adoption. Could you be the loving family that she is looking for?

Robyn is ten months old, and despite everything she has endured, she remains friendly, loving, and gentle. Due to her injuries, one of her legs had to be amputated, but that hasn’t slowed her down. She is a playful and curious puppy ready to explore her surroundings. 

We want to help Robyn find her forever home, which is why SPCA International is committed to covering up to $2,000 of her transportation costs.* If you are interested in giving Robyn the loving home she deserves, please email [email protected] or submit an application at www.gwarp.org.

*Robyn’s adoption fee is $500 and must be paid to GWARP. SPCA International will cover up to $2,000 of her transportation costs. Should transportation costs exceed that amount, the remaining balance will be the adopter’s responsibility.

Kengue was a gentle street dog loved by all who met him. People in the community had been doing their best to feed and care for him despite having little to no money to provide for their own human families. In Venezuela, where Kengue lived, people live in extreme poverty, suffering from malnutrition, starvation, and disease. So despite wanting to help Kengue, when Kengue developed a tumor, those around him had no way of getting him the veterinary care he needed. They had no money, local clinic, or means of transportation. 

Sadly, Kengue’s tumor grew as he waited for help. When one of our Veterinary Supply Aid partners was alerted about Kengue, they rushed to help. Kengue’s tumor was removed, and he received chemotherapy. We were hopeful this would be the start of his new life, but Kengue was much sicker than the veterinary team had anticipated. He was much older than he looked. Unfortunately, the tumors returned. 

Kengue spent his last days in a foster home where, thanks to your generous support, he received hospice care and was showered with love. Even if it was for a short time, we are happy that Kengue felt at home and part of a family. 

We wish Kengue’s case were rare, but unfortunately, many animals in impoverished countries cannot receive the critical care they need because of a lack of resources. We are committed to doing everything we can to change this. 

Through our Veterinary Supply Aid and Shelter Support Fund programs we are supporting efforts around the globe to provide more low-cost and free veterinary care and ensure that local clinics have the essential medical supplies and medicines to serve their communities. With Kengue in our hearts, we will continue to fight for others like him.

This year, many animals around the globe remained at-risk as the rising cost of goods threatened economies and livelihoods. The poorest countries have been hardest hit and it is no coincidence they are also some of the countries with the worst conditions for animals. 

Thanks to you, SPCA International was able to rush aid where it was needed most. These are just a few of the things we accomplished together in 2022. 

Over 360 cats, dogs, horses, rabbits and reptiles were able to travel with their military families to new duty stations through our Operation Military Pets program. Unfortunately, the often extremely high costs of moving a pet internationally put military families in an impossible situation. This program honors military families by recognizing that pets are family too! 

After a long and complicated process, we welcomed 20 dogs adopted by military members serving overseas in July 2022. These pups had been stuck in limbo for months as the CDC enforced strict animal import guidelines. We are happy to report that the restrictions have eased thanks to continued and coordinated pressure from SPCA International and other animal welfare groups. 

With your support, over $160k was dedicated to promoting spay and neuter through targeted education and free or low-cost spay and neuter clinics. Spay and neuter continues to be the best way to keep animal populations under control, which means they are cared for by people and stay healthy. Keeping animals healthy keeps communities healthy. 

Through our innovative Veterinary Supply Aid program, hundreds of units of medicine and medical supplies were sent around the globe to treat hurt and suffering animals. Generous North American businesses donate the supplies free of charge and generous donations provide for the cost of shipping supplies where they are needed most. 

Thank you for making this important work possible. YOUR support saved lives and eased suffering in 2022. We look forward to all we will accomplish together in 2023. In fact, you can make a year-end tax-deductible donation or set up regular monthly giving to support animals in 2023 by taking action right now.