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 January 29, 2010 Dear Readers, She was a seven-month-old pit bull mix, chocolate brown with a white stripe running down her face. In June of last year, she was lying on the New York City pavement with broken legs and ribs because the man who owned her had just thrown her off the roof of his apartment building, six stories up. She did not die that day. A surprising number of neighbors and bystanders called the police and she was taken in by the ASPCA. The ASPCA named her "Oreo," and they performed orthopedic surgery to repair her broken bones and also treated her other serious injuries. She was called"the miracle dog" by the media and for a while it looked like that's what she was. Orio spent about five months in the ASPCA hospital and shelter undergoing further treatment and rehabilitation. Then in November, the ASPCA decided that she was reacting aggressively to people and other dogs and that she should be killed. At least one organization, Pets Alive animal sanctuary in Middletown, N.Y., offered to take her in. They hoped that once she was out of the shelter environment, Oreo's behavior would change. This was not an unreasonable hope. Dogs can become "kennel crazy" which is a reaction to the confinement, the lack of exercise and the stress of a shelter or hospital. Oreo's physical condition might have been a factor as well. As anyone who's ever had orthopedic surgery understands, the process hurts, and it hurts for months. What did she really know, at that point, except her early life with her abuser and what must have felt a lot like torture ever since? When the ASPCA didn't respond to its offer, Pets Alive went to the media, hoping public pressure would get the shelter which is dependent on donations to relent. It didn't. Oreo was killed on Nov. 13. Since then, Pets Alive has been demanding that ASPCA director Ed Sayres resign. Needless to say, despite a massive and questionable advertising campaign, many people have stopped donating to the ASPCA. Most importantly, New York State Sen. Thomas Duane and Assembly Member Micah Kellner have introduced "Oreo's Law," a statewide bill to prevent shelters from killing dogs and cats if a qualified 501(c)3 animal rescue group is willing to take them. "As a dog owner and a foster parent for an animal rescue group, I was heartbroken to learn that Oreo was killed. When humane organizations volunteer their expertise in difficult cases, shelters should work with them to the fullest extent possible. This legislation will give tragically abused animals like Oreo another chance at life." said Micah Kellner. The bill, modeled on an existing law in California, is named Oreo's Law in memory of the poor dog who suffered through so much and was needlessly slaughtered. By the way, there have been similar occurrences right here on Long Island so let's all get involved in getting this bill passed. Contact your local Assembly Member and Senator and urge them to co-sponsor or vote "YES" on Oreo's Law. You should also contact Micah Kellner and Tom Duane and tell them you support Oreo's Law. The Honorable Micah Kellner New York State Assembly 315 East 65th Street New York, NY 10065 www.micahkellner.net The Honorable Tom Duane New York State Senator 322 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1700 New York, NY 10001 www.tomduane.com Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best friend Is Waiting... January 21, 2010 Dear Readers, Linda, the president of Last Hope Animal Rescue, asked me to tell you about two very extraordinary cats. Calliope is more than an adorable cat with large green eyes and a cute little brown spot on her nose. Although she was traumatized when she was stuffed into a tiny carrier with another cat and left to die in a parking lot, she is bravely overcoming her fears. She is quite "vocal". Perhaps she is trying to make someone understand about her terrible ordeal and how her little heart was broken. I'm hoping one of our Readers will be the person who will help mend that broken little heart.  Becky is the other Last Hope cat. Poor Becky cannot stand to be in a cage and unfortunately that's where she spends most of her time until she finds a loving home. In a way, it's kind of nightmare for her. Sometimes though, for a little while, it's possible for Becky to get out of her cage and sit by the window. She'll sit contentedly looking out, softly purring and waiting, dreaming that someone will notice her and fall in love.  Becky would so much love to have a home and a family of her own. At night when Becky sleeps, she dreams of a person of her very own to love, and in the daytime, she stares out of her cage, imagining she is sitting by the window in her cozy home. It's her favorite daydream. Please consider opening your heart and home to one of these super special cats. To meet Calliope or Becky call 631-425-1184 or email inquiry@lasthopeanimalrescue.org Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... January 14, 2010 Dear Readers, Consider this an Angel Alert! Your help is desperately needed to assist in saving the lives of the three dogs I'm going to tell you about. Once again, Forgotten Friends Of Long Island has come forward in the eleventh hour and rescued these pups from certain death. Here's what happened as told to me by the president of Forgotten Friends... "We received calls from the Brooklyn Animal Care And Control this week asking for our help with three very sick dogs. They said that if Forgotten Friends cannot rescue them, they will have to be killed due to their medical conditions. "Boomer is a Chihuahua that was found at Tompson Square Park in Brooklyn. He was emaciated, had scars and scabs all over his body, and appeared to have neurological damage. Forgotten Friends transported him to a Long Island veterinary hospital where he is receiving necessary care and getting stronger every day. We are hopeful for a full recovery.  "Ace is a 5 month old puppy found as a stray and who is very sick. He was rescued with a high fever, very weak, emaciated, dehydrated, and having difficulty breathing. He is in critical condition at a hospital and we are praying for his recovery.  "Today, we got a call that a dog was hit by a bus and if Forgotten Friends could not take him he would need to be killed within the hour due to his injuries. We rescued Champ and took him to a local veterinary hospital. He will require surgery to repair his fractured pelvis (broken in three places) as well as an eye wound, an open wound in the hip area, and many abrasions and contusions. Champ is in shock and receiving fluids in preparation for surgery."  Readers, Forgotten Friends is an all volunteer rescue organization that depends solely on donations to continue their wonderful work. The veterinary fees for these three dogs alone will be astronomical so how about it? From one dollar to one thousand dollars, every penny is greatly appreciated and very much needed. Each of these dogs will be up for adoption after they have recovered. To make a donation or an adoption inquiry, visit forgottenfriendsoflongisland.org or call 631-226-8464. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... January 7, 2010 Dear Readers, I was thrilled when I found out that the town of Southampton animal shelter had been privatized. This means that the killing of healthy adoptable animals has stopped. I spoke with Southampton Animal Shelter Director Don Bambrick who filled me in on some details. Mr. Bambrick told me that no animal will be killed unless it is determined to be irredeemably vicious or so ill that there is no quality of life. You may be wondering how it is possible that a municipal town shelter can transition to no kill virtually overnight just because it has been privatized and is no longer run by the town. After all, haven't we been told by shelter directors and bureaucrats for years that "there are too many pets and not enough homes" and so the shelters run out of room and animals must be killed. To be fair, town governments have enough on their plates without being expected to be experts on running animal shelters. When a shelter is privatized and working in partnership with the town, it's a win/win situation for everyone. Certainly it's a major win for the Southampton taxpayer. They'll save one million dollars! The previous Southampton shelter budget was 1.2 million dollars. Imagine if each town were able to have a no kill shelter that is more accessible to the public and save tax money as well. When you consider that the animal shelter budget for the town of Hempstead is about six million dollars, just think of the enormous savings for the Hempstead taxpayer! Some other improvements at the Southampton Shelter include a larger staff, volunteers, a fully operational veterinary clinic so that all animals will be evaluated and treatment given if necessary, increased hours of operation including being open on most holidays (Please note that town run shelters are closed on holidays and are even closed for two presidents days!). So, as I've told you before Readers, No Kill is possible and it's only a matter of time before all shelters transition to No Kill. For far too long we have been led to believe there is no other way. But we know differently, don't we Readers? And as I've said before, it's your town shelter and it's your tax dollars, and now more than ever, it's your voice which must be heard. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... December 30, 2009 Dear Readers, In this first column of the New Year, I'd like to set the record straight on two issues. Recently, an article appeared in this paper about The North Shore Animal League. Please note that I did not write that article. It was actually a "press release" and as you probably know from previous columns, I do not support the North Shore Animal League. If you have any questions about this, feel free to contact me at sharonadoptpet@aol.com. Now for the second issue. The other evening while watching TV, I saw a very touching commercial for the ASPCA. On the screen were the saddest most compelling images of cats and dogs. As these pictures were shown, a soft voice urged people to "sponsor an animal for $18.00 a month". I must tell you that the ASPCA is another organization that I am not particularly fond of. In fact, I consider them to be a bureaucratic wasteful mess. In any case, I called the ASPCA and asked them how many adoptable dogs were available at their shelter. The answer that I received by the woman answering the phone was "Eight or nine". My jaw dropped. How many are available at your shelters across the U.S.", I asked. She replied, "We only have one shelter in New York, but we do have some cats for adoption." Readers, I believe this falls under the category of chutzpah. The ASPCA is asking everyone to donate $18.00 a month when they only have a handful of animals! The moral of this story? Lets keep the money here on Long Island. We have wonderful rescue organizations like Little Shelter, Save A Pet, Amaryillis Equine Rescue, Forgotten Friends, Last Hope to name just a few. Each of these Rescues is in desperate need of donations to continue their wonderful life saving work. And just in case you have any doubt about where to direct your donations, please don't forget Oreo. Oreo was the miracle pup thrown from a six story roof in New York, nursed back to health by the ASPCA amid much fanfare and publicity and then euthanized (by the ASPCA!) last month after media attention died down.The ASPCA "determined" that she was too unpredictably aggressive to be adopted to the public or placed with rescue. The national attention and public displeasure over the ASPCA's decision to kill Oreo has led to pending legislation demanding that an animal must be turned over to a willing rescue organization and not killed (Rescue groups did try to save Oreo). For more information about organizations like the ASPCA, a must read is Redemption by Nathan Winograd. I hope this column hasn't burst any remaining New Year's champagne bubbles, but you need to know the truth, and this is where you read it. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... December 17, 2009 Dear Readers, There will be no paper next week, so this is a combination Holiday/New Years column and I can't think of a more wonderful holiday gift or a better way to begin the New Year than to share with you the joyous news I just received today. I'm sure you remember Letty, the Last Hope volunteer who wrote (read the full story on my website avoiceforanimals.org): Dear Sharon, I need to tell you a little story, Last night I was in my living room watching a dog named Christmas and as my tears rolled down my face, I could not stop thinking of Petie ,one of the Last Hope dogs. He has been with us for 7 months and we have had no luck finding him a home. Each night he lays in his cage and cries himself to sleep. If we can find him a home for Christmas it would be a wonderful thing. It would be a great Christmas present for all our volunteers at Last Hope. -- Letty You must have guessed by now that our Readers came through again and Petie has found his forever home. He'll spend the holidays cuddled and loved with the wonderful couple that adopted him. Merry Christmas Letty and all the wonderful Last Hope volunteers! I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank you Readers for reading this column and for coming through time and again, whether it was with emails filled with kind words, suggestions or encouragement, your donations to the rescue organizations, opening your hearts and adopting a pet, or just taking a moment out of your day to be touched by something you've read here. I know that I promised to get all the Long Island Animal Shelter statistics to you and I do plan to keep that promise in the New Year. I can only tell you that some towns are more forthcoming than others with the requested information. I'd like to close this last column of the year with a wonderful quote by Albert Schweitzer... " At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us". So with gratitude, I wish you all a Wonderful Holiday and a Happy and Healthy New Year! Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... November 25, 2009 Dear Readers, Did you know that there is a wonderful local not for profit organization dedicated to horse rescue right here on Long Island? The mission of Amaryllis Equine Rescue is "to save slaughter bound horses, ponies and mules, rehabilitate them as necessary and give them a second chance at life and love. We look for forever homes and offer sanctuary for as long as needed by each individual horse. We stand and speak for the horses, especially the equine work force. The racehorses, show horses, police and carriage horses, lesson horses and therapeutic horses no longer able to perform. We are often their last hope." I was thrilled when Roseanna, who is one of our readers, contacted me and asked if I would tell you about their upcoming benefit event. This is going to be a magical evening for a wonderful cause. Here are the details: Amaryllis Farm Equine Rescue announces the first in a series of lectures to benefit Horse Rescue. This event will take place on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. The Park is located at 1395 Planting Fields Road; Oyster Bay, NY 11771 Lecture and opportunity for discussion will run from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Green House Classroom. The required minimum donation is $25.00 Guest speakers are: Monica Randall, Best-Selling Author and Lecturer Melissa Gillespie, Attorney at Law Lecture Details: Monica Randall, Best-Selling Author and Lecturer Ms. Randall will present a slide show entitled "GATSBY'S LONG ISLAND" which is based on her 1987 Best-Selling Mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast. Ms. Randall will be sharing her rare photos of the sprawling castles and mansions that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald to write The Great Gatsby. Ms. Randall has also authored Phantoms of the Hudson Valley and Winfield-Living in the Shadow of the Woolworths. Melissa Gillespie, Attorney at Law Ms. Gillespie will be speaking on Estate Planning for your Pets. This is a must-attend lecture for those who have pets. The informational discussion concerns the provisions to be included in your Will, Trust and Power of Attorney to adequately provide for your pets when you no longer can. Note seating is limited. Reservations required . Call 631 424-4941. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... November 19, 2009 Dear Readers, I can't resist sharing the following email with you and inviting your comments. Please read it and take a moment to let me know what you think. "Dear Sharon, I applaud the work you are doing for the dogs and cats who need advocates. I am a mostly retired veterinarian writing because I feel it is unreasonable to expect veterinarians to match online drug prices. Consider the differences - the online outfits are set up in a low-cost low-tax state, with employees who do nothing but read prescriptions, pull medications off the shelf and mail them. The local veterinarian, or his assistant, has to explain why the medication is necessary, how it will work, what the side effects will be, how long it must be taken, often administer a dose in the office, etc., and obviously the online pharmacy doesn't have to do ano of this. It is possible to spend a lot of time discussing pros and cons of different medications that can be used to treat the same condition. In the same time the online employee might be able to fill and send off 5 or 10 prescriptions. Many of the questions owners ask are covered in the instructions given with the medication, but I doubt they would like to be told to "just go home and read the instructions," and I would agree with them since even after reading the instructions they might have legitimate questions. I suppose the veterinarian could raise the price of the exam, but it seems unfair to people who just need a "wellness exam," for example, to make them subsidize people needing medication and discussions about medication. So I do not feel that a veterinarian can make a profit dispensing medication at the same price as an online pharmacy, and while I and many veterinarians I know believe in volunteering for animals, I do not believe in losing money on dispensing medication. Veterinarians have bills to pay like everyone else - and many start out with very large debt." Okay Readers, what's your response to "Dr X" ? Is there something you'd like to say? Here's your chance! We'll publish the best responses. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... November 12, 2009 Dear Readers, In last week's column, I shared an email from a reader who wrote, "at one time, I had asked my dog's vet if I could get a written prescription so I could use drugs I would purchase online. I was told that they could give me the prescription but then I would have to have my dog tested again after the period that I used the online drugs as the vet's office didn't trust the quality of the drugs that I would receive. I wouldn't need to test again if I bought the drugs directly from the office." (See avoiceforanimals.org to read the entire column). Both Valerie and I thought the vet's office was "trying to make a sale". However, to be entirely fair, there may be some legitimate issues concerning some online pharmacies. It should also be noted that there is a difference between an "online pharmacy" and a pharmacy program that has an "online order" option as well ordering by telephone. In the past, I have interviewed Greg Benson, the president of Health Matters International, (HMI) and we have discussed such issues as quality and FDA approval. Mr. Benson states that " HMI provides the option of ordering online as well as by telephone and HMI has international manufacturing sources and all of them have FDA approval as well as equivalent certifications from other countries. HMI is unique in providing not only the highest quality but also the most competitive pricing. Health Matters International is an international health solutions provider and as such has access to the top FDA approved manufacturing sources in the world. This provides a wide variety of cost effective choices for the consumer rather than just national sources. All prescriptions are dispensed by licensed pharmacies using only FDA approved manufacturing sources. An underlying issue in this case may be the financial concern of the veterinarian about the competitiveness of the lower costs provided by outside options." Readers, It has always been a concern of mine that the cost of drugs or veterinary supplies vary so much from one veterinarian's office to another. Were you aware that there is no government agency or regulations governing how much a veterinarian may charge? It is entirely up to the discretion of the veterinarian and they may even charge a "dispensing fee". Health Matters International is a provider of human and pet medications. If you would like to contact HMI call 1-866-205-8855. You may access a direct link to the HMI website at avoiceforanimals.org Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... November 5, 2009 Dear Readers, Today I received a really great email from one of our Readers. I thought the fact that Valerie commented on two past columns was terrific. Here is her email: Hi Sharon, I want to thank you for writing your column in the South Bay Neighbor paper. You had asked a question in a column a little while ago as to why people take their elderly pets to the animal shelter or pound when they need to finally be euthanized. I believe that they are doing this because the vets offices' charge is $200.00 unless the dog has already been seen at the office. Many people have fallen on hard times and are not able to have a personal vet that has taken care of the dog. This happened to me. I called several vet offices and was quoted basically this same price by each. This included several offices that were supposed to be discount or low cost offices. I paid the $200.00 because I couldn't stand the thought of leaving my precious girl alone to face the end. I am sure that most people would rather not have to go to the pound but they just can't come up with the money. I have another comment on your advice to buy pet meds through the pet med distributors. At one time, I had asked my dog's vet if I could get a written prescription so I could use Petmeds. I was told that they could give me the prescription but then I would have to have my dog tested again after the period that I used the Petmed drugs as the vet's office didn't trust the quality of the drugs that I would receive. I wouldn't need to test again if I bought the drugs directly from the office. I felt that they were trying to keep the sale in office. I thought this was unethical. Keep up the good work- Valerie Valerie, first I'd like to offer my condolences on the loss of your pet. I'm sure you take a great deal of comfort in the fact that even though it was a hardship for you at the time, you managed to pay the $200.00 vet fee so your beloved companion could find comfort in your arms instead of facing death alone and afraid. I would love to hear from some veterinarians who would consider adjusting their fees during this difficult economic time. Readers, as you know, ethically I do not believe that our town shelters should be euthanizing people's pets nor do I feel that attending a class or two qualifies shelter employees to perform this task. There are too many things that can go wrong causing the pet to suffer a painful death. As for the veterinary practice that insisted on retesting your dog if you bought medications online, I agree with you, I think it is highly unethical. If they were so concerned, they could have met the online price as some vets are now willing to do. I have reached out to the President of Health Matters International, a company that supplies medications for both people and their pets at great savings. I'm looking forward to sharing his response in this column. Readers, on Saturday, November 21st, I will be at the Pet information and Education fair taking place at the Half Hollow Hills Community Library. I'm looking forward to meeting many of our Readers, answering questions and discussing pet related topics. The address is: Half Hollow Hills Community Library 55 Vanderbilt Parkway Dix Hills, NY 11746 631-421-4530 http://www.hhhlibrary.org/ (It's free!) Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... October 29, 2009 Dear Readers, November is "Adopt a senior pet month". My three dogs are all seniors now and although they were adorable puppies, I would not trade their gentle dignity for all the old cute puppy ways. Our good friend, Jodi at Little Shelter sent the following email marked "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE". Although I receive lots of press releases, not many are as lovely or heartfelt as this one November is here, and with it the season of thanks. As another year winds down and we grow a little older, we are reminded and delighted to celebrate and give thanks that November is also ‘Adopt a Senior Pet’ month. At Little Shelter, we see first hand the countless number of senior animals that come through our gates in need of new homes. These "golden oldies" are in the prime of their life and have so much to offer as faithful companions. Having time on their side, and knowing the secret of life, senior dogs and cats teach us that age truly is just a number. Senior pets are usually house-trained, well-behaved and have had time to perfect that special snuggle, tail wag, or lick. Senior pets have so much love left to give. Little Shelter has many senior pets waiting for loving homes. Come and meet Justin Bobby - a nine year old Chihuahua, Walker – a handsome 7-year-old who survived the ravages of Hurricane Katrina, China – an 8-year-old French Bulldog that was over-bred and under-appreciated, and Cleetis – a southern gentleman that was discarded when his hunting days were over. If its cats you prefer, then we have plenty! With more than 350 in our care, we have many senior citizens dreaming of a loving home but all too often overlooked for younger cats and kittens. Senior kitties like Angel – an 11-year-old sweetie, and Frost – an 8-year-old girl . 
Little Shelter Animal Rescue and Adoption Center 33 Warner Rd, Huntington N.Y. 11743 www.littleshelter.com Readers, I think that in some ways, senior pets are even more eager to please and are more gentle, better able to know our moods, and seem to have an almost magical ability to lift our spirits. The virtues of unquestioning loyalty, trust, dignity, and love have come to fruition. Perhaps they're not able to frolic like the puppies or kittens they once were, but they find new and surprising ways to delight us, make us smile, and fill us with warmth and love. I hope you will consider adopting a senior pet. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... October 22, 2009 Dear Readers, We need a wonderful heartwarming miracle for Max. We also need a home for him that's full of love. If there was ever a dog who deserved to be surrounded with the love of a family, it's Max. When I read this email it broke my heart... Dear Sharon. One Saturday I went to the shelter where I used to volunteer. I saw that a new dog had come in. He was lying there on his steel grate staring up at me, both eyes swollen shut with infection. His left front paw was swollen and he had scars and open wounds all over his body. The shelter manager told me a woman had brought him in. She said she stole him from her boyfriend who was going to kill him because he would not fight. Apparently, he had been thrown in a fight ring and refused to defend himself, probably more than once, judging from the wounds in various stages of healing across his body. His face was gentle but I knew the shelter wasn’t about to spend any money on medical care for him so I took him home to foster, with a stop at my veterinarian’s office beforehand. His eyes were badly infected and I needed to put drops in them three times per day. Some of his wounds were infected as well and I was instructed to bathe him with a prescription shampoo every day. Max was appreciative of the care he received and trusted me intrinsically. He cooperated with me fully. Max extended only friendship to my other dogs even though it was other dogs who had nearly torn him to pieces. He greets everyone he meets with a wagging tail and a friendly, enthusiastic hello. Max loves children and is gentle with cats. I just can't understand why no one has adopted him. Maybe there are just so many dogs in need of homes he has been overlooked. Max should have a home of his own with people who have plenty of time to play with him and might even let him sleep in their bed. He deserves that now.  Max is probably a Cane Corso/Shar-pei mix and is about 2 to 4years old. He is neutered, micro-chipped and up to date on shots. Max is sweet and friendly to everyone he meets. Please help Max find a wonderful home. Steve So how about it Readers? Is that special family out there somewhere? The family that Max has been longing for with every fiber of his being? There is a great reward for whomever comes forward... A lifetime of love and loyalty. Please contact Steve if you would like to meet Max, 201-360-3817 or SteveSach32@aol.com Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... October 15, 2009 Dear Readers, About a week ago I received a forwarded email from an animal shelter volunteer in Newnan Georgia. The email subject read: "URGENT: These puppies will be killed on Thursday Please Help!" I opened the email and looked at each little face and for a moment allowed myself to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the problem. Thankfully the moment passed quickly and I got to work. I read the email over again and saw that transportation would be arranged. One problem solved. But I knew that the rescue organizations are overburdened and that donations are down due to the economy. Six puppies would need veterinary care and foster homes until a forever family was found for each one. I sent out a call for help across the tri-state area and one group immediately responded and said they would take all six pups. It was the smallest and newest rescue organization that I contacted. The organization is dedicated to helping the sick and injured, aged, and passed over animals at the shelters. Although they are burdened with a ten thousand dollar veterinary bill and every foster home at their disposal is being utilized, Forgotten Friends is taking all six puppies.  Forgotten Friends of Long Island PO Box 710 Plainview, NY 11803 www.forgottenfriendsoflongisland.org Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember Your Best Friend Is Waiting... October 8, 2009 Dear Readers, I heard from Dr. Mary Harrison who is the part time veterinarian at the Islip Shelter. After reading my column, Dr. Harrison was concerned that people may have gotten the impression that she was neglecting the shelter animals in her care. I have known Dr. Harrison for a few years and I do not think that she would knowingly neglect any animal that needed her help. I do hope that anything I have written did not mistakenly give that impression. Meanwhile readers continue to write, and here's an email I'd like to share with you: Good morning Sharon: I just finished reading your article in Neighbor's regarding the Islip Shelter. I was appalled at what was described there. I am a rescuer. I am a board member of Long Island Golden Retriever Rescue, a certified dog trainer, former Adoption Center Manager of Bide-A-Wee, Westhampton, former pet columnist for PennySaver/Town Crier and currently hold a management positon at AC&C of NYC. My goal is to improve the quality of life of animals that have been dealt a lousy hand in life. You mentioned in your article that the chow mix that has heartworm was not being treated. All animlals in any shelter in NYS are required to be treated. It's the law. This means the shelter has to pay for the medicine and she most likely will have to stay at the shelter for a longer duration of time. Successful treatment and full recovery is possible if caught in time. We get many heartworm dogs in LIGRR. We take responsibility for their care once they are surrendered to us. We have had some very severe cases that have been successfully treated and gone on to live normal lives with their forever homes If I can help in any way,please feel free to contact me. --Lois Readers, all over Long Island people are coming forward in their own way to bring about change at their town animal shelters. I'd like to share the the following letter I received from Ginger, in response to the Islip article: Hello, I read your article in Sept. 30, 2009 -Neighbor Newspaper. My heart just sank, I am over whelmed by the indifference of the workers at the shelter, but I also realize they cannot get attached. Those 2 puppies with Mange is so bad. I will pray that they get help, medicine what ever they need I knew it can be cured today. I have 3 dogs so there is nothing I can do for them to get help. Please let me know if they were helped. I will write to Mr. Nolan and thank him for trying to help. Let me know if there is some thing else I could do, thank you for the heart to help all animals. By the way -- Wonderful News! The Brookhaven Animal Shelter is setting up a foster program!. This means that people can volunteer to take a puppy or kitten, sick or recuperating cat or dog into their home on a temporary basis until it is strong enough to be adopted. The shelter will pay all expenses. It's another way for you to get involved in helping the shelter animals. Call 631-286-4940 for information Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend is Waiting... October 1, 2009 Dear Readers, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to send me an email about last week's column. I want to share the following email to share with you: Good Morning Sharon, It broke my heart to read this article but I am glad you have written about this situation in hopes of bringing awareness. I have actually written to Assemblyman Marc Alessi along with Smithtown Supervisor and Animal Shelter in hopes of starting a no more homeless pet campaign which could possibly help families as well. Even though Assemblyman Marc Alessi is from the town of Brookhaven, the reason I wrote him is due to his bill # A09001. The letter was also mailed to Senator Flanagan and will be mailed to Congressman Tim Bishop, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Senator Charles Schumer and many animal welfare organizations. Please feel free to contact me regarding my letter and I hope the article you wrote will in turn help the animals at the Islip Animal Shelter. Sincerely, Adriana Thank you Adriana. I would love to learn more about the letter you've written and I'm sure our Readers would too. Here's another letter and a photo you should see: Dear Sharon: When I read that story of that little beagle I got so upset. That dog never had a chance. I adopted my dog "Hope" from the Last Hope who was hit by a car and was in horrible condition. They recommended she be put down from her injuries. Thank God the vet that saw looked into her eyes and couldn't do it. Last Hope was notified and they paid for my "Hope" to be operated on for spinal injuries. She is the love of me and my husband. She has a close to normal life that any other dog has. I don't even think she knows she has a disability. It took some time but Todd from LI Vet in Farmingdale got Hope fixed up with some great braces. Her leg used to drag also before she got these braces and her body is in perfect alignment. Now she runs and I mean run just as fast as any other dog and climbs stairs and everything else. If only this other beagle could have been as lucky as my Hope he or she could have made a difference to some other family. I think about these poor innocent animals that never had a chance. I am enclosing a picture of Hope with her diaper and braces. PS I also adopted another beagle named Heather who had her ear cut by someone. No one knows the story but she is Hope's pal. Sincerely Connie Pryor Thank you Hope for sharing Connie's story, and kudos to Last Hope and Todd.  As much as the letter above gives me hope, the one which follows makes me feel its writer's frustrations: Hello Sharon, My name is Debbie Dozier and Susan Palermo is my mother. I believe you are expecting this as my mother recently emailed you by accident. My husband and I recently decided to adopt a puppy to add to the 2 cats we have in our house. We are very stable financially and after the loss of my husband's parents thought it would be a good time to make the addition. So on Sept 12, 2009 we went to the Islip Town Animal shelter and looked around. We saw a 4 month old Swiss Mountain dog in pen #65 tag number 3343 and just fell in love. He was was so cute and we were excited that we found such a pet. We asked to see him and a volunteer brought him into a room so we could interact with him. He was loving and playful and then we were told that with puppy's they take several applications for adoption and then the manager "decides" which family gets to adopt him. If we wanted an adult dog we could have left with the dog that day. We could see that the puppy had only come up for adoption that day so we put an application in. We went to my mother's house to pick up our children (ages 4 +7) and decided to go back to the shelter to see the puppy interact with the children as that is very important to us. Again the puppy was great and playful and we were sure this would be a great dog for us. The shelter was closed on Sunday but we decided to go see the puppy on Monday Sept. 14, 2009. His tail started to wag once we entered the door. I was excited to see that he seemed to remember us. We noticed that we was getting a cough. One of the volunteers explained that all dogs get the kennel cough and are given a vaccine but it takes 7 days to work. We were told that the manager had not made a decision yet. We didn't go on Tuesday but my husband and daughter went on Wednesday Sept 16,, 2009. He was very concerned about the cough and how the dog was getting sicker. He was laboring to breathe and was skipping breathes. I was getting upset as this dog has now been in a shelter 5 days longer then it needed to be as we were able, capable and willing to adopt the puppy on Saturday. Again the manager told my husband she had not made a decision again. On Thursday Sept 17,2009 we decided to go see the puppy again. The dogs were in their outside pens and we looked and looked and couldn't find him. Dread set in as we thought something had happed to him. When we asked a volunteer about him we were told the dog is no longer here. She believed it was adopted out. She went into the office and out came the manager with a very big attitude. She said Is there a problem with one of the animals . We explained that we were concerned because the puppy had been getting worse day by day and she told me I take care of all the animals. I told her I am sure you do but perhaps the puppy took a turn for the worst she told me no that the dog was adopted out. That everyone always wants to know why they weren't chosen or what they could have done, but it is just the way it is. I just do not understand why they take several applications for a puppy and wait to adopt it out. Then they only call the Person they have chosen and not the ones who did not get the dog so like me you go in to find the puppy gone. I was so upset as were my children. It is not like I can not afford to go buy a puppy if I wanted to but with so many animals in the shelters, rescuing one just felt like the thing to do. The manager told us we could try again but why would I go back to a place with a policy like that. I also wonder how the manager made up her mind by looking at a bunch of words on a page and not by looking at the people and seeing that we were coming almost daily to see the puppy and build a bond with him.It makes you feel like you are in school and someone else is picking teams for dodge ball and you are hoping to be called. Thank you Debbie Dozier So what's the truth at the Islip Shelter? Our next writer wants to know: Dear Sharon-- I'd really like to know what is going on at the Islip Animal Shelter. Last week I visited the shelter and saw a dog (pit bull) named Gracie. I particularly remember her because she appeared so friendly, and I thought she was a beautiful dog with eyes that looked like she was wearing eye makeup! The card on her cage indicated that she was pregnant. When I asked one of the workers about her, I was told that she WAS NOT pregnant and that her two puppies were in another cage. I looked at the puppies (they bore a resemblance), and I asked why the puppies were not in the cage with her. I was told that the puppies were too old to be in the same cage as their mother. (It just seemed to me that the puppies should have been with their mother--but, perhaps not.) HERE'S WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND: Yesterday (9-24-09) I saw Gracie's picture in the Suffolk County News in the "Good Pets" column. Next to her picture it read: "Gracie, tag No. 2028, is a 3- to 4-year-old female pit bull that is expecting a litter of puppies and should only be adoped by an experienced dog owner. No children." Is this dog pregnant or not?? Were those two puppies that I was shown her dogs or not?? Why would a shelter worker tell me that Gracie was not pregnant if, in fact, she really was?? Oakley Wood Readers, this is exactly what I've been talking about. If you want change you've got to let government know how you feel. There are so many things that You can do to help the animals at the town shelters. You can write a letter, send an email, start a petition, speak up at a town meeting, make a phone call. If we all work together, we will change the current shelter system for the better. Why is life for animals at some town shelters so much better than others? For example, at the Smithtown Shelter the dogs have beds to sleep on (not cold cement floors) and the cats can watch videos. The Southold Shelter gives the dogs Kong toys stuffed with peanut butter to help wile away the long lonely nights and the town of North Hempstead has their wonderful nature trail and obedience training programs to exercise the dogs while they await adoption. But at many of our shelters the dogs and cats remain in cages 24 hours a day seven days a week, and eventually go "cage crazy". Why such a difference from one town to another? It's your town shelter and it's your tax dollars. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... September 24, 2009 Dear Readers, The following are excerpts from an email sent to me by a Reader. It is one email I wish I had never received and it concerns the Town Of Islip Animal Shelter; Dear Sharon, When I went to the Islip Animal Shelter today (on Saxon Avenue), I saw three dogs that really need help. The first two appeared to be young siblings. They were white with a couple of brown spots on them and were Jack Russell-type dogs. They were covered with what the attendant told me was mange (dermalogic--or something like that--mange). She said they needed to be dipped. I made the assumption that they were going to do that at the shelter, but now I think she didn't mean that they were going to do it. The dogs were covered with a red crusty-like rash. It was everywhere; their faces were covered with it too. The third poor dog was a beagle (or beagle mix). He was dragging around his back legs, and I noticed that they sometimes got crossed. He was so pathetic. He needs help so badly. His back legs appeared to be paralyzed and one of them stuck straight out. If you could find someone who could bail these poor dogs out and help them--or put me in touch with someone who could--I'd really appreciate it. Those poor dogs looked like they were not likely to get much attention or help at the shelter. After receiving this email, I checked the Islip town website and was surprised to read the following: "Islip, NY - Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan recently announced a new direction for the Islip Town Animal Shelter that he says will promote pet adoptions and more humane animal control. Key to the shelter’s new direction, says Nolan, is the new director, veterinarian Dr. Mary Harrison, who is the first licensed veterinarian to head up a shelter in the state of New York." I was surprised because I knew Dr. Harrison was no longer at the shelter on a full time basis and that the shelter was "headed up" by Joanne Daly. In addition, it didn't seem very "humane" that a veterinarian would not treat these animals. I decided to investigate, (incognito of course) and try to find out what was going on. Sadly, when I got to the shelter, the little beagle had already been killed. As for the other two dogs, they were still alive but in what appeared to be terrible shape (although I was told that they were receiving treatment). There was yet another dog that concerned me -- a sweet little reddish chow mix and her puppies. She has heartworm (which always results in death when untreated) and the shelter employee informed me that this dog was not receiving treatment. Readers, if any of you are touched by the plight of these poor animals, please consider visting the Islip Shelter ASAP. (I would welcome any statement or comments that Supervisor Nolan, DEC Commissioner Chris Andrade, or Joanne Daly would care to make and will certainly pass them on to my readers). It's your town shelter and it's your tax dollars. Elections are coming up. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... September 23, 2009 Dear Readers, The following is an excerpt from Nathan Winograd's No Kill Advocate Newsletter If you would like to meet other people who share an interest in improving their town animal shelters, feel free to email sharonadoptpet@aol.com Here is the aforementioned excerpt: A No Kill Nation Is Within Our Reach
Issue #4 2009 Forcing Transparency Using State Public Records and Freedom of Information Laws to Get Records & Statistics from Animal Shelters Getting records and statistics from public entities is supposed to be easy – we are a nation that prides itself on open government. We are a democracy, and – in theory at least – the people are the government, and have a right of access to all public records. In practice, it’s a little different. Many public agencies have a reluctance to release records to the public or they make it unduly difficult, as if they have something to hide. This is antithetical to good government. Thankfully, it is also against the law. Every state in the nation has some version of a Public Records Act,or Freedom of Information Act. These laws are designed to insure public access to all data and documents held by a public entity, with limited and narrow exceptions. If you are trying to get information from your local animal shelter, such as statistics, policies, or information on particular animals (such as the circumstances surrounding an animal who was killed, why the animal was killed, who made the decision to kill the animal, and who actually killed the animal), most of that should be available to you without argument. Nathan Winograd's guide will provide the basic information on how to go about getting the documents you want. To view this guide in its entirety, please click here. Readers, did you know about the “Hayden Law,” California’s landmark 1998 Animal Shelter reform legislation, the nation’s first law making it illegal for shelters to kill animals if rescue groups are willing to save them? As hard as it is to believe, there are shelter directors who will bar certain rescue organizations from saving animals if the shelter director has a personal dislike for one or more of the group's members. The Hayden Law makes that illegal in the state of California. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... September 9, 2009 Dear Readers, Ashley Robertson sent me a story that her father wrote. I'm sure Dale wrote the story because his heart was so full (I know that feeling). Before I share it with you, and for those Readers with very tender hearts, let me assure you that it has a happy ending. My New Found Friend By: Dale Robertson I had an experience yesterday that has profoundly changed me and my less then sympathetic attitude towards people and their affection for their pets, mainly dogs. So much so that what I have to write would have caused me to roll my eyes just a day ago if someone else wrote it. But...I do get it and apologize to all those who have that deep attachment. I went into work at 3:30 A.M. to get a jump on setting up my construction site prior to my guys getting in and as I was driving through the site which is a huge parking garage in Brooklyn I noticed what I thought was a plastic bag stuck to some=2 0material we had put down the day before. As I got out of the truck I realized that it was a dog. It sat up from behind the construction fencing and just looked at me with the saddest face. I had to get a bunch of things ready and thought that I would get back to check it out in a while so off I went to another part of the facility. As I was wheeling some rolling scaffold down a ramp, I looked over into the garage and there was the dog. I whistled to it and it walked back and forth like "help me out here, I can't get to you." I jumped in our little John Deere tractor and drove down to that level of the garage and this little black and white Cocker Spaniel stepped up and climbed in. The poor thing was in bad shape and looked like she'd been on the streets for a long time. She was dehydrated and weak but looked very happy like...How bout you and me and lets get out of here. I got her hydrated and ran out for a bowl, food and some treats after my guys showed up. I called my wife Rachel and animal control and explained what happened. I spent the next four hours with my new buddy at my side trying to work and keep and eye on her till help arrived. I sent a picture of this poor thing to Ashley and part of me was wondering how I was going to get this very filthy dog home. Animal control showed up and I had so much going on that I couldn't spend much time dealing with it but as they walked away the dog started howling like...snoopy. I could hear her howling all the way out of the garage. A few hours went by and Ashley texted me "keep her"! Right then I knew what my gut was feeling was the right thing and Rachel and Ashley started working the phones to find this dog. Towards the end of the day Ashley located a dog by that description in a Brooklyn pound and found out that we could adopt her if it was her. I raced home and we all jumped in the car and drove back into the city to this pound. I can't tell you how excited we were on our way to rescue my buddy and get her home. We finally got there and due to some stupid rule, only I could go into the back and look through the endless rooms filled with strays. It was the last room that we walked into and...there she was! We were told at the desk that she was about eight years old, had a very bad ear infection and was going blind. Yeah yeah yeah....great, whatever, she's coming home with us, wrap her up! I met with the family back out in the waiting area with a big thumbs up and ready to do the adoption thing. At that point the kid at the desk said, "wait...computer says she's sick." So I said 'I know, ear infection, eye problems whatever, lets go." After quizzing this guy, I asked to speak with someone who could explain in an intelligent manner what the definition of sick was. A few minutes went by and a young woman vet opened the door and started explaining to the guy at the desk what the problem was so I got up and jumped in the conversation. I told her "look..I don't care about dealing with the ears and eyes, she deserves a good home after what she's been through. The vet said that besides the eyes and ears, she has a large tumor and due to her age was inoperative and wouldn't survive the surgery. Therefore the city could not allow an adoption and she has to be put down. I can't tell you how sad, how completely sad I feel that this poor neglected gentle animal can't come home for some much needed affection. I had to fight back tears as we drove home in silence. As my wife often does, she pointed out the positive and that she won't have to die on the street somewhere like a piece of discarded trash but instead with some kind of dignity. What an amazing gift that few hours were with my little buddy. Reading Dale Robertson's heartfelt words, with all the honesty, sadness and loss they conveyed, mobilized me into action. Please look for the conclusion of this story next week (Sorry for the suspense but there's just not enough room there for the whole story -- Remember though, it has a very happy surprise ending!). Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... September 9, 2009 Part 2 Dear Readers, As I left off in the last column, Dale Robertson and the Robertson family were heartbroken that they could not adopt the little Cocker Spaniel from the Brooklyn Shelter and take her home with them. But reading Dale Robertson's heartfelt words, with all the honesty, sadness and loss they conveyed, mobilized me into action. I pulled every string and called every contact to stop the shelter from killing that dog and somehow reunite her with Dale. After managing to track the little dog down, I made contact with a wonderful rescue organization called Abandoned Angels. Abandoned Angels took the little Cocker Spaniel from the shelter and straight to the veterinarian, where she was found to have severely infected ears as well as a tumor on her chest. Although Abandoned Angels operates solely on donations, they are paying off the medical bill of over two thousand dollars, and Cinderella (as she is now called) is doing very well. And where is Cinderella now? As you can see from the picture the Robertsons were kind enough to send, she's recuperating in the loving arms of Dale and the rest of the Robertson family!  There are so many stories like this one, where just some extra effort makes such a great deal of difference. My new best friends, Abandoned Angels is a 501c not for profit organization. They are dedicated to the rescue and re-homing of cocker spaniels and other dogs in need of loving forever homes. They will not reject any dog due to age or health and accept many dogs who have some temperament and/or medical issues. If you would like to make a donation to Abandoned Angels and help with Cinderella's medical bill, please send a check to Abandoned Angels P.O Box 545426, Flushing N.Y. 11354. For information about volunteering and to learn more visit http://www.nyabandonedangels.com/ Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember,Your Best Friend Is Waiting... August 27, 2009 Dear Readers, Every time I open a newspaper or turn on the news, there's something about healthcare. But what about the rising cost of veterinary care and the cost of prescription medication for pets? I have been doing some research and I've found there's a great deal of money you can save by ordering your pet's medications online. Your veterinarian will gladly give you a prescription for the medication your pet needs. All you need to do is ask. I think you'll be amazed at the amount of money you can save. For example, one product I needed recently cost $35 dollars at the veterinarian's office, but the online price was just $5.99 ! In researching the various companies, my favorite turned out to be Health Matters International. This company had the best prices and a knowledgeable, helpful courteous staff. I spoke with Gregg Benson, CEO of HMI and asked him the following questions: What makes your company stand out from the other Pet Med companies? "Health Matters International, HMI,is an international health solutions provider and as such has access to the top, FDA approved manufacturing sources in the world. This provides a wide variety of cost effective choices for the consumer rather than just a national source." Why should people trust your company? "We are a team of experienced service industry representatives with a proven track record and thousands of satisfied customers. The Health Matters International personnel have extensive knowledge in the prescription medication industry and give every attention to service." How long does it take to get the medications? "All orders will be shipped within 72 business hours from receiving them. You should receive your order at your home address within approximately 10-15 business days. Non-prescription pet medications will often be shipped more quickly and several pharmacies offer Free Shipping." Do you have an "over night" feature? "Yes, this is available for an extra charge." Are they the exact same medications that veterinarians dispense? "Yes. All prescriptions are dispensed by licensed pharmacies using FDA approved manufacturing sources." Why are they so much less expensive than purchasing the same medications at the veterinarians office? "One reason is price control. Canada and some other countries' governments control how much pharmaceutical companies can charge for brand name products. n the USA and some other countries the pharmaceutical companies can charge what the market will bear. Veterinarians do not have access to the same volume discounts and global sourcing that is available to HMI Patent laws are different depending on the country so generic prices come into effect with countries not having brand name patent laws. On average, you will save 30-80% ordering your medications from Health Matters International." What should people do if their pet needs to start medications right away? "Veterinarians can supply the initial product that can be utilized until the mail-order supply is received." Many people are skeptical about purchasing medications through the mail, what would you say to them? "As long as the mail-order pharmacy program is licensed and accredited, such as HMI, this avenue can provide substantial savings to the consumer. Mail-order pharmacies do not have the costs of advertising, marketing, large sales forces, etc, and can pass along more savings to their customers." Please click on the HMI banner on our home page, so you can see for yourself the great values that Health Matters International offers and how much money you can save. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... August 20, 2009 Dear Readers, With times being so tough for so many people now, what's an already strapped pet owner to do when their pet becomes ill and they've lost their job? Do they watch their pet slowly sicken and die, or abandon their beloved friend to a municipal shelter? For many people, this is more than a hypothetical question, it's a very harsh reality. But now thanks to Garo Alexanian of The Companion Animal Network TV there's another choice...and hope. Garo has spearheaded a program to provide low cost veterinary care at New York City's first mobile veterinary unit dedicated to helping people keep their best friends instead of having to lose them because of financial problems. Garo says he "expects the program will prevent approximately 5,000 shelter surrenders over the course of a year." The van is 21 feet and equipped with a diagnostics lab and x-ray machine. It is staffed by veterinarians who provide affordable care. The medical van will be parked outside the Manhattan Animal Care and Control shelter (East 110th street) on Saturdays and at the Brooklyn Animal care and Control (2336 Linden Blvd.) on Wednesdays from noon to 6PM. Garo hopes to expand the program but that will depend on both private and corporate donations. To send a donation please email Garo at info@companionanimalnetworktv.org I would love to see Nassau and Suffolk Counties follow suit with this idea. Suffolk County especially has a "head start" because the SPCA already has a fully equipped mobile veterinary unit. Perhaps Mr. Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk County SPCA might consider putting that beautiful SPCA Mobile Unit on the road for such a worthy endeavor. How about it Mr. Gross? I'd be happy to help and lend my support and/or to put you in touch with Garo Alexanian. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... August 12, 2009 Dear Readers, I want to thank everyone for their response to last week's column. In that column, I addressed the fact that some people were leaving their pets at town shelters to be euthanized instead of bringing them to a veterinarian. I know it was a difficult column to read but as I said last week, it was a very hard one for me to write as well. One email in particular was very touching. It was sent by Jodi Record who works at The Little Shelter in Huntington. Jodi is the lovely lady who does such a great job sending Little Shelter's adoptable pet pictures to me each week. As you read Jodi's email please know that I, along with many of our readers, echo Jodi's sentiments. Dear Sharon, Usually I am writing to you with pictures of dogs and cats for adoption, but this time I am writing to tell you that your column this week brought me to tears. On August 18, it will be exactly one year since I put my Charlie Brown to sleep. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make, but I knew it was the best thing for my little boy. When it was time, I held Charlie and told him how much I loved him. He was put to sleep by the vet who had treated him for the 8 years that he was in my life, Dr. Kaplan. At the end, he knew only kind words and love. Though it wasn't an easy thing to do, I would not have had it any other way. It was the least I could do for the little dog that had given me so much. When people call me at Little Shelter and ask for suggestions on what to do, or say that they are taking their pet to the town shelter to be euthanized, I always say to them 'Please, take them to a vet, hold them and be there for them. Don't let them die scared and wondering what is happening to them in a shelter. The last person they need to see is you, not a stranger'. As hard as it was for me to read, thank you for writing this column. Jodi Record Thank you Jodi for taking time out of your busy schedule at Little Shelter helping to save the lives of dogs and cats to write this very touching email. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... July 30, 2009 Dear Readers, I've been putting off writing this column for a few months now but I feel that the subject is so important that it's time now for me to address it head on. The topic is the growing trend of dropping off a beloved family pet at the town shelter for euthanasia. While it may not be intentional, I believe that this is an act of cruelty. Yes, I know this is a very strong statement but I feel that it must be said. Allow me to share the reasons why I feel this way. When you drop your pet off at the shelter to be destroyed, it is led away from you by strangers. Can you imagine the terror your pet feels being put into a cage and abandoned by the family he loves? Perhaps he's old and sick which only makes it so much worse. How long does he remain in this horrible cage? I really don't know - Do you? Is it an hour, three hours or even as long as overnight? Shelters can get very busy. Shifts change and there are emergencies. Did he slip through the cracks? Was your pet given food and water, or was he forgotten about or worse, did someone decide not to bother since he's going to be killed anyway? And who is it that ends your pet's life? It is not a licensed veterinarian as you may have believed. At many town shelters, a shelter worker performs the euthanasia. That shelter worker has taken a class or two on how to perform the final human act your pet will ever know. The shelter worker come away from a class with a certificate, but I do not believe that this qualifies him or her to perform euthanasia. I strongly believe that no one should be permitted to euthanize a pet other than a licensed veterinarian. There are too many things that could go wrong. The things that could go wrong are terrifying and painful (I will not go into detail). It is an extremely difficult, heartbreaking, and unselfish choice to be present when your beloved pet is "put to sleep". But your pet will at least inhale your comforting scent if you stay with him and feel at peace because he is safe in your arms. I believe it is the last debt we owe our beloved friends -- to be with them and ease their stress during their last moments. No matter how hard I personally find it, it is reassuring afterwards to know I gave as much comfort as possible to a pet that gave me so much love, devotion and joy during his lifetime. Besides, is there any doubt in your mind that he would be there for you if given the chance? Should we, as humans, do less? Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... July 23, 2009 Dear Readers, The following email is representative of the flood of emails I've been receiving over the past few weeks. People have obviously made a decision to get involved in changing the animal shelters and they want to know how to go about it. Dear Sharon, Each week when my local paper is delivered, I eagerly open to your column. I'm a big fan and thought I should finally write and say hi. I've been very inspired lately by your articles on the No-Kill movement. I bought Nathan Winograd's book "Redemption" over a year ago and have read it three times. Each time I read it, I feel both invigorated and helpless. I feel excited with the knowledge that there is a step-by-step proven solution to the awful problem of beautiful animals being discarded every day. But at the same time, while I would like to be part of a solution, I feel I don't have an opportunity to make a difference. I don't work in the animal rescue field, I'm not knowledgeable about what goes on in our own shelters here on Long Island and I don't know how to be part of the solution. Is there an active, local no-kill movement here on Long Island? What can we do to change our Nassau and Suffolk county shelter practices? Thanks for everything you do, Sharon. - Debbie Henriksen Dear Debbie, Thank you for taking the time to write and for caring enough to get involved. Here are some things that you can do: 1. Write a letter or email to your town supervisor telling him/her you want a No Kill Shelter. (State that you want the programs and services implemented that make no kill possible. 2. Go a step further and read that letter at a town council meeting. 3. VOTE according to how responsive your town supervisor was to your letter! 4. Start a petition, even if you only have time to round up a couple of names (I bet you get more -- just imagine if a hundred people do the same). Send your email/petition to your town superviser with a copy to me, make sure to include the town you live in, I'll collect and deliver them. We might even deliver them together in a group. Remember that you have a right to demand that standards are set and that the shelters be held accountable for meeting those standards. I believe that a branch of Nathan Winograd's no kill movement may be forming on Long Island. You can be sure I'll keep you informed. How about it Readers, can you think of some more ways to get involved in changing our animal shelters? Contact me so I can share your ideas. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... July 16, 2009 Dear Readers, It's happening across Long Island. People are standing up and telling their elected officials they want changes at their town animal shelters. Just last week at the town of Hempstead and the town of Brookhaven, two presentations were made at town board meetings. The women who came forward gave the message loud and clear: The people of Long Island want their shelters transitioned to No Kill. The following is an excerpt from one of the speeches. Please visit my website avoiceforanimals.org and click on Animal Shelters at the top of the page to read the transcript in it's entirety. Presentation to Town of Hempstead Town Council Town Hall meeting Tuesday, July 7, 2009 Hempstead, NY "My name is Cathy. I’ve lived in the Town of Hempstead for 16 years in Bellmore. I am here to today to talk about the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter and the goal of NO KILL. An estimated 5-10 million dogs and cats EACH YEAR in this country get killed in our shelters. I use the word “killed” not “euthanized” because euthanasia means “good death,” an act of mercy reserved for humanely putting to death irreparably sick and suffering animals, or animals so beyond rehabilitation that they are deemed too aggressive and unsafe for adoption. This is NOT the case at the Town of Hempstead Shelter. Animals not in this category are killed every day or close to it. Our municipal shelter can easily access the knowledge to be NO KILL if it wanted to, the information is available and I outline it here. It certainly already has the resources; we have more than our share with a shelter budget of $4-6 million dollars Approximately 70% of those millions goes toward salaries and benefits, and 25% toward administrative cost (not to the animals.) Approximately 1% goes to food and supplies for the animals. That is an outrage. It is the town who should and can have the leadership; at least as a start it should have the attitude shift of doing everything proactively in its power to go NO KILL … known and proven successful practices of NO KILL which I will outline. This is an important issue. It is an issue about the animals, We are animal advocates and productive members of the community thousands strong in Hempstead who vote and care. This is also an economic issue and a political one but, moreover, it is an ethical and moral issue as well It is my sincere and fervent hope that our town shelter will truly one day have one of the highest adoption rates in the country. I am a volunteer with the League of Humane Voters, a national organization dedicated to watching and supporting political candidates based on their positions on animal-related issues and on standing up for the voiceless animals and those who advocate for them. I am helping the national organization organize a Long Island chapter and you should know we will be watching." Readers, the above is just bits and pieces from a very powerful and informative presentation. Go to avoiceforanimals.org and read Cathy's entire speech. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... July 9, 2009 Dear Readers, Nathan Winograd heads up the No Kill Shelter Movement across the country. He is also the author of Redemption: The Myth Of Pet Overpopulation & the No Kill Revolution In America. I strongly urge anyone who's ever loved an animal to read this important book. Last week I received the following email from Nathan and I'd like to share it with you. "Dear Friends and Colleagues: Too many shelter directors hide behind the myth of "too many animals, not enough homes" for policies that allow them to continue killing. The numbers, however, do not add up that way: 1. How many dogs and cats enter shelters annually? 8 million. (Some put it as low as 6 million, but I am going to use a "worst case" scenario.) 2.Of those how many are savable? 90% or just over 7 million. 3.Of those how many will be saved? 4 million. 4. How many of the savable animals are killed? 3 million. 5. How many need to find new homes? If shelters are doing their jobs comprehensively, just over 2 million (3 million on the high end). The remainder should be claimed lost pets or in the case of feral cats trapped and released. 6. How many people in the U.S. are looking to bring a new dog or cat into their home next year but have not decided where they will get the animal and can be influenced to adopt from a shelter? 17 million. So, 17 million people for 2-3 million dogs and cats. 7. Has this happened anywhere? Yes, there are many communities which have hit the 90th percentile in saving shelter animals. 8. How long did it take them? They did it virtually overnight when new leadership committed to the No Kill philosophy and passionate about saving lives replaced long standing bureaucrats mired in defeatism and excuse making." "There are over 100 million of us animal lovers, "Nathan says, "and only a few thousand of them (regressive, kill-oriented shelter directors) They will have to change; or they will be swept aside. It's a numbers game. And the numbers are clearly on our side. As they are in terms of how many animals are entering shelters; and how many people are looking to adopt. And to capitalize on those numbers, all it takes is leadership." Readers, I'm happy to tell you that across Long Island citizens are attending Town Council Meetings and standing up to speak out about the changes they want to see in their town shelters. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... July 2, 2009 Dear Readers, First and foremost I want to thank you for your unprecedented response to last week's column and let you know that six of those eight puppies are in foster care and out of the hospital. Two puppies and the Mom are still at the vet being treated. Forgotten Friends tells me the donations and expressions of concern and prayers came flooding in. One donation that especially touched me came from someone who had lost their job. It was a very generous donation but beyond that, it was an affirmation of how selfless and compassionate we humans can be (For those of you who missed last week's column, you'll find it on my website, avoiceforanimals.org). There appears to be a new trend in animal rescue and I think it's an absolutely super idea. Both The Little Shelter and Save A Pet have opened retail stores in an innovative way to reach the public! I believe that it's efforts like this that allow these donation dependent shelters to continuously rescue cats and dogs from town run shelters. I certainly hope that the town run shelters will make similar efforts to get their dogs and cats adopted. Little Shelter at the Broadway Mall As you take a stroll through the mall you may notice a brightly decorated store with an array of cats, dogs, puppies and kittens looking longingly through the windows as if to say "come on in and pet me please." Little Shelter's store is located between Macy's and Target, You'll be able to spend time with some of the adorable pets who are looking for homes, speak to staff and volunteers about the wonderful work they do, and learn about volunteer opportunities, The Little Shelter mascot will be making special appearances throughout the day to entertain the kids, and there's lots of informative literature and goodies being given a way. Little Shelter will be at the mall every weekend. Store hours are: Saturdays & Sundays: 11am - 5pm The Broadway Mall Route 106/107 Hicksville, N.Y. 11801 Save A Pet In Port Jefferson Save-A-Pet Animal Rescue and Adoption Center has a pet retail store, Castaways, located at 25 Chandler Square in the village of Port Jefferson. This unique pet store specializes in retail items for pets as well as T-shirts and magnets for owners. Animals will also be available for adoption. All sales proceeds go to benefit Save-A-Pet in helping the animals at its no-kill shelter. "This is a new wave in retail pet stores in which customers can shop and adopt," said Dori Scofield, President of Save-A-Pet. "By making a purchase at Castaways, you will directly be helping an orphaned animal". Castaways offers customers valuable information on pet rescue and adoptions. "We are offering information on spay/neuter, responsible pet ownership, and we'll happily assist adopters in choosing the best pet for their family," Ms. Scofield said. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... June 25, 2009 Dear Readers, Nathan Winograd is a central figure in the No Kill Movement and a friend. He's written a terrific book entitled Redemption -The Myth Of Pet Overpopulation And The No Kill Revolution. "Pet overpopulation" says Nathan, is an excuse for laziness, organizational incompetence, a failure to recruit and work with volunteers, a failure to connect with the community, a lack of leadership, a lack of vision, job protectionism, greed and more. In moving toward a No Kill Nation, Nathan Winograd's model includes shelter accountability, which means mapping successes and failures, engagement with the community, and leadership with a commitment to succeed in adoptions -- Not killing! It's going to take heroes to accomplish transitioning our present shelter system to No Kill Shelters. The heroes in the animal protection community are those who take a stand against the senseless slaughter of innocent animals. The heroes are those who refuse to kill based on breed, not deed. The heroes can be found standing up and standing tall against not just local political forces, but the forces within the "animal protection" movement that use pet overpopulation as the means to kill and profit from that killing. The heroes are the every day pet lovers who care, the foster families, the legions of shelter volunteers and directors, the dog and cat clubs and breed rescuers that pledge their emotional and financial support to the millions of voiceless cats and dogs. The heroes are those who have the courage to take on the establishment, who strip the masks off villains, and whose ethics are not managed or compromised by power, fame or money. Nathan J. Winograd is a hero in my book. So are the volunteers working to make our town shelter statistics public. I think that heroes will always win the day. "Redemption" is a must read for all now and future heroes. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... June 17, 2009 Dear Readers, I've been sitting at my computer staring at the words "Dear Readers" for about fifteen minutes now. I'm feeling a mixture of emotions: gratitude and relief that once again Forgotten Friends Of Long Island has stepped in to rescue the dogs you're going to read about and anger that the town run, taxpayer funded shelter allowed the mother dog and puppies to languish for weeks and possibly lose their lives without providing the medical care they needed. This shelter has a budget of nearly 6 million taxpayer dollars! Why does it take a private rescue organization to intervene and get these animals the lifesaving veterinary care they require? As you read this, are you feeling angry and betrayed? Are you asking yourself how this money is being spent if not to save the lives of a mother and her puppies? Who's running this shelter and making the decisions? These questions and many more will be answered on my website avoiceforanimals.org. Please be patient. I am working with The Coalition For Animal Shelter Accountability (a private group of citizens). There is a vast amount of information to be gathered and processed from town governments across Long Island. Rest assured I am determined to get the information to the public. Please keep checking the website. Before you read the Forgotten Friends Newsletter, I'm going to appeal to you to help this wonderful all volunteer rescue organization. They have rescued twelve dogs in one day, all requiring extensive and expensive veterinary care. They are in desperate need of money to pay the vet and boarding bills. Take a good look at the pictures. Forgotten Friends couldn't turn their backs and walk away. Can you? Please send whatever you can to:
Forgotten Friends of Long Island PO Box 710 Plainview, NY 11803 www.forgottenfriendsoflongisland.org Or call: 516-938-6990 Also needed are temporary foster homes. All food and veterinary expenses paid by Forgotten Friends Newsletter
"Sunday, June 14, 2009, Forgotten Friends Animal Rescue, the rescue group dedicated to helping the most neglected animals on Long Island, saved the lives of TWELVE dogs and puppies who were truly at death's doorstep at a local shelter. Among them was a starving dog named Marie and her 8 tiny puppies. Marie could no longer nurse her malnourished children as she had no more milk to give.  There were also 3 elderly poodles who had spent their entire lives cramped in a small crate. Their teeth were black; their skin was red; their eyes were oozing with pus. One poodle could not walk. The other two were limping. 
We named the dog with the worst skin condition Laverne. 
We named the gray muzzled dog with the horrible eye condition Shirley. 
We named the almost hairless and sickest dog of all Angel. These twelve are now all part of Forgotten Friends, receiving the medical care they so desperately need and deserve. We are making a public appeal for your help. We cannot do it alone. ANY donation you can spare will go directly to helping these desperately sick animals, some of whom are now in intensive care. Any amount will be appreciated." Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... June 11, 2009 Dear Readers, Timmy is a very special dog. And you would never guess from his loving heart and gentle, sweet disposition of the horrors he has lived through. If ever a dog deserved the grace and blessing of a loving home, that dog is Timmy.  It seems that Timmy was a "bait dog". A bait dog is used to train other dogs to fight. The bait dog is too gentle to fight so other dogs are encouraged to attack him in a simulated fight. The more savagely the bait dog is bitten and ripped the greater the reward for the attacker. There are many cruel methods used to keep the bait dog from defending himself, so the prize fighting dog does not get hurt accidentally. But there's no need to go into that here. By the time Timmy was rescued his front leg had been so badly mangled that it had to be amputated up to the shoulder. His adorable face has some scarring (evidence of the bites and scratches he endured). Timmy is recovering from his surgery at the Islip Shelter and he's able to get around very well on his three legs. I am told by the shelter volunteers that his "sweet personality" has made him a shelter favorite. He's very happy because of all the kind attention he's getting. He loves to put his head in your hands, closing his eyes with a gentle sigh. Perhaps he's imagining a home of his own. If you're a special person who could welcome a wonderful dog like Timmy into their home, then please visit Timmy at the Islip Shelter (631- 224-5660). Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... June 4, 2009 Dear Readers, The following excerpts are from The No Kill Advocacy Newsletter, www.nokilladvocacycenter.org "A Reason for Hope. In the last decade, several progressive shelters have put into place a bold series of lifesaving programs and services which have dramatically reduced the death rate in their communities. The resulting success proves that there is a formula for lifesaving, and that if we are to achieve a No Kill nation, it is incumbent upon shelters nationwide to embrace the programs and services which have been proven to save lives. We have a choice. We can fully, completely and without reservation embrace No Kill as our future. Or we can continue to legitimize the two- prong strategy of failure: adopt a few and kill the rest. Whether you are an attorney, an animal control director, a veterinarian, a rescue group, a volunteer, an activist, or simply someone who loves animals, you are part of a larger army of compassion that is sweeping across the U.S. in the battle for the heart and soul of our nation's shelters. A battle we are winning-and will win. No more compromises. No more killing Even while virtually all other sectors of the economy plummet, purchases for our companion animals increase every year and increased again in 2008 to $47 billion. Giving to animal related charities is the fastest growing segment in American philanthropy. People miss work when their animals get sick. And they cut back on their own needs to meet the needs of their animal companions . Attention Politicians: During the 2008 election, for example, Massachusetts voters ended greyhound racing. In 2007, Oregon voters followed Florida's 2002 lead and banned gestation crates for pigs. In 2006, Arizona voters passed a farm animal protection statute banning veal crates, while Michigan voters defeated a measure to increase hunting in the State. And in November 2008,Californians voted overwhelmingly to end battery cages for chickens. The conclusion politicians should draw from these votes but fail to reach is that Americans don't just care about dogs and cats; they even care about animals with which they do not havepersonal relationships. So we need to put to bed, once and for all, the idea that dogs and cats-animals most Americans now consider cherished members of their family-need to diein U.S. shelters because people are irresponsible and don't care enough about them. People love animals. To end the killing, we need to harness that compassion. By implementing the programs and services of the No Kill Equation. And that is how we achieve a No Killnation. Politicians should draw lessons from the fact that people support animal-relatedlegislation, even at the expense of their own economic interests It is the public which has made the difference in successful communities because the public cares." Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... May 28, 2009 Dear Readers, It's really a privilege to receive so much correspondence from the people who read this column. I would like to thank all of you who share your joys and your sorrows with me. With that in mind, I would like to dedicate this column to Emily. If only all dogs could be as loved and cherished as she was. Since this column is a dedication, I thought it would be fitting to include an email from a Reader detailing a shelter rescue with a very happy ending: 
"Dear Sharon,
I really enjoyed your heart warming story about little Oscar Mayer Weiner. Keep up the good work with your Pet’s Place section. Last May I adopted a 6 year old Cairn Terrier. He spent all of his life in a puppy mill as a stud dog in West Virginia. When they raided the puppy mill they farmed out all the dogs to shelters. He ended up in East Hampton where a family adopted him. They didn't treat him kindly. They let him run around the neighborhood and the landlord got upset with them. As they were ready to give him back to the shelter, my neighbor told me about him. I already had 2 dogs, but my heart broke when I thought this family
were just going to bring him back and he would be put in a cage again. He had enough of that in his life being at the puppy mill. I told my neighbor to bring him over and it was love at first sight. He was really scraggly and dirty. I had him groomed and he looked like a different dog. The groomer said ‘now he looks like he belongs to someone.’ and I went out and got him a royal blue new harness That was the beginning of Dexter’s life with ME…he had a hard first part of his life, but I promised him I'd make the second part better for him. It’s almost a year and Dexter is such a wonderful loving dog. Every day he shows how grateful he is to be living in a loving and caring home. I would recommend to everyone to get a shelter dog.
Susan Sessa" Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend is Waiting... May 21, 2009 Dear Readers, Within the next couple of weeks, avoiceforanimals.org will begin to post town by town animal shelter statistics. This means you will be able to go to the website and see information such as shelter budgets and how the money (your tax dollars) is spent. You'll be able to see the number of dogs and cats adopted, returned to owners, and how many have been killed as well as which shelters have volunteer programs and which do not, plus much more valuable and interesting information. Please keep checking the website and this column for updates as to when this information will be available. Readers, I have always thought pet therapy was very interesting and I wanted to write about it. Recent studies have shown that pet therapy is valuable in reaching out to and helping the elderly, the ill and abused children. Pets help Alzheimer's patients by bringing them back to the present. Therapy pets can help with depression. A visit from a therapy pet alters the daily routine in a health care facility and stimulates interest. I contacted Glenn Miller whose company, Unity Services Of New York, has been providing musical entertainment and pet therapy programs to health and senior facilities for over twenty years. Mr. Miller has wonderful pet therapy teams including Mary and her wonder dog Luigi (pictured here.) Luigi was rescued by Mary from a New York City Shelter hours before he was scheduled to be killed. Luigi's fur was all matted, his teeth were rotten, and his gums were swollen and infected. But when Mary looked into his gentle brown eyes, it was love at first sight. So Mary took Luigi to the vet who took care of all his health issues. Mary soon discovered that the four and a half pound Maltese mix had a way with people - as a matter of fact, he was downright irresistable. Mary calls Luigi a "social butterfly who loves meeting people, even people who don't like dogs. He just wins them over." And the wonder dog part? Everywhere Luigi goes he brings cuddles and smiles, warmth and joy. What could be more wonderful than that? (To schedule a pet therapy visit with Luigi -- or another wonder dog - you can contact Glenn Miller at 631-676-7198 or 718-921-0471). Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... May 14, 2009 Dear Readers, The email you're about to read made me so happy. As I read, it became clear to me that this is not only about educating our children, but about two wonderful ladies utilizing their special talents and gifts within their everyday world to make a difference on so many levels. First, they used their writing skills to win a grant and then used the grant and their position as teachers to introduce the concept of kindness to animals. They involved the children, parents, other teachers and administration, in raising awareness and money to make life better for shelter animals. And then think of it... what if all the people they reached extend an act of kindness, adopt an animal, make a donation, volunteer, or make a phone call to demand better municipal animal shelters? This is how we change the world! Hi Sharon, I love reading your column each week in the South Bay paper! I am an animal lover and the pet parent of many rescued pets. I am also a Kindergarten teacher in Lindenhurst. Three years ago, my friend and colleague, Erica Bohrer and I wrote and won a mini-grant on Humane Education through our district's teacher center. We used the money we won to purchase books, materials, and resources to teach our Kindergarten and first grade students about kindness and compassion toward animals and proper pet care. As part of teaching Character Education, we are well aware that kindness and respect for animals translates into kindness and respect for all living things. Since many of our young students have pets at home and enjoy talking and learning about animals, this was a subject of great interest for them. Every spring, we GO ORANGE for ANIMALS along with the ASPCA and collect monetary donations along with pet supplies from students, parents and teachers. We designate a special day in April to GO ORANGE and have the students wear orange clothing, bring in orange snacks and we spend the day reading pet-related books and working at pet-related centers that teach Humane Education lessons. In the past, we have donated money and we donate pet food, treats, food bowls, shampoo, kitten milk , blankets and bedding, pet toys, collars and leashes, etc. P.S. We always donate to the animals and causes you recommend in your column and this fall we attended the Rescue Ink Benefit at Chateau Le Mer and donated several hundred dollars of our own money to their organization. Best Regards, Carol Grasso and Erica Bohrer E.W. Bower School and Daniel St. School Lindenhurst Thank you so much Carol and Erica. You are an inspiration! Readers, I'm hoping you're thinking about something you could do. Perhaps if you own a restaurant, you could host a party to raise money for animal rescue. Maybe you make jewelry or knit or bake cookies or run a local theater company. The Rescue Organizations always need prizes to raffle or sell. If reading about Carol and Erica inspired you, then they've had an impact on more people than they could have imagined. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... May 7, 2009 Dear Readers, Calling All Angels! I'm joining my good friends at The Little Shelter in their search for a very special family to adopt Darius, one of the sweetest dogs to ever wag his tail. Darius grew up at Little Shelter. He was just a tiny four week old pup when Little Shelter rescued him from a very bad start in life. Darius had been a victum of abuse and had suffered a fractured skull, broken jaw, and fluid on the brain. As a result of these injuries, sweet Darius sustained some very slight brain damage.
To meet Darius, please call Little Shelter at (631) 368-8770
And congratulations to Little Shelter. They are celebrating 82 years of saving lives!
Their mission is to serve as a refuge for abandoned and homeless animals, by providing food, quality medical care and shelter until loving, permanent homes can be found - in essence, to 'Rescue, Nurture & Adopt'.
Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... May 4, 2009 Dear Readers, Recently I met a cute little Dachsund in Dr. John Lu's office. He was resting on his owner's lap. Oscar was all wide eyes, sweet expression and wagging tail. His mistress and I couldn't help but smile at each other in shared appreciation of the adorable pup. She suddenly lifted him in the air and set him down on the floor so he could walk around. She told me that only a short time ago Oscar wasn't able to walk. "It's a miracle" she said softly, almost as if she were afraid or embarrassed to use the word. I was so touched and intriqued by Oscar's story I asked Marie Bond if she'd be kind enough to send it to me in an email. Here's what she wrote: Dear Sharon, I wanted to share this story about my dachshund Oscar Mayer Weiner. On March 19th I woke to find my 5 year old dachshund Oscar unable to use his back legs. He had been having slight problems walking for 2 weeks prior and we knew he had something brewing in his back. He had been to his vet twice and nothing was showing on his x-rays. They said it could be the start of a problem but no need to worry at this time and to just keep an eye on him. He was totally paralyzed in his hind legs, dragging them behind him. I contacted Dr. Lu from the Setauket animal hospital. He came highly recommended from a friend that brought their dachshund there for the same reason. I was told that he performs acupuncture and treats the dogs with herbal medicine. I knew the only other option was very invasive back surgery, which had a long recuperation and was not guaranteed to work. Oscar had his first treatment that day and Dr. Lu was very optimistic that after a few treatments he would regain use of his legs. He mixed up some herbal capsules for him and made him start on them right away. After his 4th treatment we started to see an improvement. After the 5th treatment I went to go into the refrigerator and he was standing next to me on all 4 legs. I was so excited I started to cry! He just went for his 6th treatment and he is getting stronger every day. He is walking, still a little wobbly, but on his own. Before this all happened I would walk Oscar about a mile a day. Today we actually took a very short walk around our cul de sac just to start getting him a little stronger. He loves to be outside and see all the neighbors as they love to see him too! He is a very friendly doxie with a fantastic personality. I am attaching a pic of Oscar getting his acupuncture treatment . I would highly recommend Dr. Lu. He is up front, caring, and knows his stuff. I never thought I would go the holistic route but this totally changed my mind. Thanks Dr. Lu! Marie Bond Thank you Marie, and please visit my website avoiceforanimals.org and take the vet survey. Remember Readers that all vet survey results remain anonymous and you can take the survey more than once as long as you are rating different veterinarians. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... April 23, 2009 Dear Readers, Within the next couple of weeks, my website, avoiceforanimals.org will be adding a new page of information. This news would hardly warrant a special announcement except that this page will contain information that has never been readily available to the public before! I'm very sure it's an eye opener and in some instances, a mind blower. I'll keep you updated. The Voice For Animals Vet Survey is growing and encompassing more towns. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to answer the survey questions. By the way, if you have any questions or concerns about the survey content or any of the website's content, I'd love to hear from you. As the warm weather approaches, many of our wonderful rescue organizations will be hosting fabulous, fun fundraising events. I thought it might be fun to list a few upcoming galas and happenings. Saturdays & Sundays at the Broadway Mall Join Little Shelter every Saturday and Sunday at the Broadway Mall, route 106/107 in Hicksville from11am to 5pm. Visit their store located near Target, where you will be able to snuggle with some of their adoptable dogs and cats, and chat with their staff and volunteers about the wonderful work they do! Little Shelter, Huntington L.I. 631-368-8770 www.littleshelter.com Forgotten Friends of Long Island 1st ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Saturday, May 16, 2009 at JT'S ON THE BAY Blue Point, Long Island 1PM - 5PM Special guests Rescue Ink! Raw Bar - Cocktail Hour - Complete Buffet Dinner Raffles and Prizes $ 45.00 per person 516-232-5127 fogottenfriendsoflongisland.org Hounds on the Sound Dog Walk Sunday, June 7th o 10 am - 3 pm 10th annual Hounds on the Sound 3K dog walk and Adoption Event fundraiser on the Sound in scenic Port Jefferson. The day will be filled with live music, food, vendors, contests, raffles, and prizes. Come meet the animals for adoption from Save-A-Pet. Save-A -Pet, Port Jefferson Station, L.I. 631-473-6333 www.saveapetli.net Last Hope Animal Rescue Wine Tasting Event Friday, June 19th Call or visit the website (lasthopeanimalrescue.org) for details. Last Hope Animal Rescue Huntington,L.I 631-425-1884 By the way, Kudos to Linda Sturmann, president of Last Hope for stating in their newsletter that thanks to our caring Long Island public, our Long Island shelters are making humane progress because we are demanding more of them. Go to the Last Hope website to read Ms Stuurman's editorial. I hope you plan on attending one or more of these events. It's a great way to show your support of our rescue organizations and the wonderful work they do. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting April 9, 2009 Dear Readers, I am currently updating my website, avoiceforanimals.org. I'm redoing the veterinarian survey so please visit the website and take the survey. Many Readers have emailed me with stories (both good and bad) about their veterinarians. Others have contacted me inquiring about a good veterinarian in their area. Please help me to help you! You can take the survey more than once and I promise you will remain anonymous. In case you didn't know, the wonderful folks at The Little Shelter have a food program to help families and their pets at this time of economic crises. If you are in need of assistance to feed your pet, contact The Little Shelter at 631-368-8770. If you would like to help, The Little Shelter needs donations of dog and cat food to keep the program going. Rescue organizations like The Little Shelter, Forgotten Friends Of Long Island 516-945-4235 and Save A Pet 631-473-6333 are in desperate need of foster homes. Fostering a pet gives them a chance to find a happy, permanent home when they otherwise might not have that chance. Pets that are sick, too young, stressed out, or unsocialized aren't the best candidates for adoption. Fostering these pets allows them to recover or grow physically or mentally and makes them much more attractive pets to families wishing to adopt. All of the foster pet's expenses are paid for by the rescue organization. To volunteer or find out more about fostering, please contact one of the aforementioned organizations. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting ... March 26, 2009 Dear Readers, Busto's Karate and Fitness at 490 Old Bethpage Rd in Plainview, NY has joined the ranks of community minded businesses who believe in supporting no kill animal shelters and giving back to the community. Both Busto's and Superior Karate of Smithtown are donating a portion of new tuitions to Little Shelter of Huntington to help homeless companion animals. If you have a business that is donating to homeless pets, drop me an email. If you want to support a no kill organization but don't know how, just contact me and I'll be glad to help. Meanwhile, the No Kill Advocacy Center is introducing new legislation. To achieve a No Kill nation, we must move beyond a system in which the lives of animals are subject to the discretion and whims of shelter leaders or health department bureaucrats. In a shelter reliant on killing, directors can come and go, the shelter continues killing, local government ignores the ongoing failure, and the public is led to believe that “there is no other way.” The fact of the matter is that No Kill is succeeding in communities where individual shelter leaders are committed to it by establishing the programs and services that make it possible. Unfortunately, such leaders are few and far between. When that leader leaves the organization, the vision can quickly be doomed. For No Kill success to be widespread and long lasting, we must move past the personalities and make sure that the rights and protections afforded shelter animals by law are enforced. Every successful social movement results in legal protections that codify expected policies and provide consequences for future conduct that violates normal values. We need to regulate shelters in the same way we regulate hospitals and other agencies which hold the power over life and death. The answer lies in passing and enforcing shelter reform legislation that mandates how all shelters must operate. The No Kill Advocacy Center is offering free copies of Redemption, the most acclaimed book on animal shelters ever written, to any elected official, staff reporter, or animal control director. We need to change the way shelters operate and our director is willing to pay for it! He has generously donated "as many copies as it takes" of his award-winning book to get City Council Members, Board of Supervisors, Mayors, Assemblymen, Senators, County Commissioners, even staff reporters and animal control directors to read it. All they have to do is ask for it. If we receive a letter on official stationary from them asking for a copy, we'll send it, free, no strings attached. Why do they have to ask for it? We want to make sure we don't waste money and resources sending a book no one will read. If they take the time to seek the information, we'll make the investment. How long is this offer valid? The offer is valid from now until May 1, 2009. What can I do to make this happen? Let officials in your community know about this offer. Where can they mail the letter? No Kill Advocacy Center, 6114 La Salle Ave. #837, Oakland CA 94611. No substitutions, exceptions, or freelance writers. Limit one per person." Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend is Waiting... March 12, 2009 Dear Readers, The following email came from Jenet Bruni in response to last week's column. I have her permission to share it with you. "I've just finished reading your column about how people don't understand how important a dog in your life can be. My dog is 15 years old, and I know I won't have her much longer. We've been through a lot of rough times together, and when there was a time when I felt I could no longer go on, I knew I had to for her sake--I felt no one would love her as much as I do. I have family and friends, but no one like my dog. Yesterday was a very bad day for me, because her eyes are getting worse and I know I will be losing her shortly. I own a shop in the village of Amityville, and a customer came in and I explained why I was so unhappy. He spoke to me at length and said when she died, she would be with my mother and father. I felt he was sent into my store yesterday for a reason--to help me accept the fact that she wouldn't be with me much longer. People should not be embarrassed to show their feelings about their pets, the majority of people will understand. And those that don't, I feel sorry for them for they'll never understand the great feeling of unconditional love. Thank you for your great column. It's always inspiring." Thanks for sharing that lovely story with us Jenet. Readers, here is some information from California I think is important to pass on to you: The No Kill Advocacy Center has become increasingly aware that some officials who oversee shelters are threatening volunteers and rescuers that if they speak publicly about conditions at the shelter, they will be banned from volunteering or rescuing animals. But in actually banning or threatening to ban volunteers and rescuers, these officials nationwide are not only holding the animals hostage by threatening to kill them as punishment, they are also violating the civil rights of volunteers. In 2008, Los Angeles rescuers teamed up with the No Kill Advocacy Center to file a lawsuit which alleged that the civil rights of volunteers and rescuers were being violated as retaliation for going public with their observations of inhumane conditions and neglectful treatment at the shelter. The court agreed. In applying a federal civil rights statute to this area, the court gave animal activists a powerful weapon to reform the nation's broken animal shelter system. Volunteers and rescuers no longer have to choose between remaining silent about abuses or risk losing their ability to help some animals by volunteering or rescuing them from death row. I'm sure everyone would agree that there would be little hope of progress in improving the conditions at municipal animal shelters if rescuers and volunteers, the people who are most knowledgeable about these conditions could be intimidated into remaining silent by the threat of retaliation. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting...
March 5, 2009
Dear Readers, I have a very special dog who needs avery special home to tell you about, but first, to get us "in the mood" I'd like to pose these questions: Has anyone ever said to you "that's a lot of money for just a dog" and did you feel a familiar twinge of guilt? Or how about "what are you crying for, It's just a dog, you can get another" Well, here's my answer to those people who cannot fathom the time spent, distance traveled, or love shared with "just a dog" Some of my happiest moments were shared with "just a dog" and some of my loneliest too. When life was darkest, "just a dog" provided a reason to brave the day. Sometimes "just a dog" was the best, most comforting friend I had. So for the people like me and you, who share this knowledge of what "just a dog" can mean we know that including "just a dog" in our lives helps us to be more compassionate, patient and caring human beings.And the next time you hear "just a dog" you can smile, because they "just don't understand." Now here is Iris's story. As you can see from her picture Iris is an absolutely beautiful purebred Husky. Her foster mom Liz says "she amazes me everyday with how smart she is" "Iris is truly a sweetheart".  Iris loves Kong toys and plays like a puppy, throwing her toys in the air. Iris loves to give kisses, is great with children, and as gentle as a lamb. Playing fetch and going for a walk are two of Iris's favorite things to do. But one of the most amazing things that Iris can do (and she does it all by herself) is to go up and down the stairs, because Iris is blind. Like most dogs, blind or not, Iris sees with her heart. Iris has a world of love and joy to give anyone who will offer her the love and home that she deserves. Please call my friend Liz at Siberian Husky Club Of Greater New York 631-921-8738 and meet Iris. She might just be "the one" for you. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... February 25, 2009 Dear Readers, By the time you read this my website avoiceforanimals.org should be totally updated. I promise you exciting information and exposes that you will not find anywhere else. Please keep checking the site as I am in the process of gathering data. If you are interested in advertising on the site, please know that all revenues will be used to support Rescue. All local advertisers must be approved by me personally. Also please know that you can take the vet survey more than once if you wish to rate DIFFERENT veterinarians. The subject of today's column is a wonderful dog with a loving, playful and quirky personality. Sonny had a very rough start in life. He was probably chained outside from the time he was a puppy until he was found starving, wandering the streets by one of our Readers and turned over to a local shelter. He had a metal collar deeply embedded in his neck which had to be surgically removed. Needless to say he was in a lot of pain both before and after the surgery. Due to the agony Sonny had to endure, he did not allow the shelter employees to approach him and the shelter pronounced him unadoptabe. That means he was scheduled to be killed. Luckily the Reader followed up and when she found out that Sonny was not being put up for adoption, she contacted me. I contacted Forgotten Friends Of Long Island who offered to help, but the shelter would not allow them to adopt Sonny. So I called Rescue Ink who were in the middle of a personal appearance at a county fair. After I explained the life or death nature of the situation, two members of Rescue ink sped away on their Harley's and went straight to the shelter. `After "reasoning with" shelter employees in their own special way Sonny was turned over to Recue Ink. Rescue Ink gave Sonny into the loving care of Forgotten Friends and Sonny has been living at a Forotten Friends foster home for several months. His infected neck has been treated and healed and he is no longer emaciated. More importantly, thanks to the love and care of his foster Mom and Dad, his broken spirit has mended and Sonny is ready for his very own forever home. Sonny is accustomed to living inside a home now, he knows how to go up and down the stairs and play with toys. Sonny loves attention and would like to learn more about playing. If you sit on the floor with him, he dashes around and then flips over onto his back next to you. He gets along well with other dogs. To meet Sonny, please call Loretta of Forgotten Friends of Long Island at (516) 232-5127, and remeber to visit Forgotten Friends website. Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting... February 19, 2009 Dear Readers,
I once boarded my beloved dog Gareth at a boarding facility in Freeport. They advertised it as "The Malibu Pet Hotel".
February 12, 2009
 Little Shelter Animal Adoption Center, one of Long Island's oldest no-kill shelters, is dedicated to saving all companion animals whose lives are in jeopardy. Over the years I have worked with Little Shelter when our rescue efforts have overlapped and I have the highest respect for this organization. When Hopy first arrived at Little Shelter, he wouldn't run and play and he showed little interest in anything or anyone. But little by little with patience and kindness, the good folks at Little Shelter are helping Hopy to enjoy life again. Now he likes to go for a walk and has started to run and play on Little Shelter's back acre. Hopy is learning a very difficult lesson, one that we humans are acquainted with all too well; No matter the saddness and the heartbreak that must be endured, life goes on. It's become apparant that Hopy has a sweet and affectionate nature, he gets along with other dogs, likes cats, and we know that his favorite treats are hot dogs. What we need now is the perfect home for Hopy. I would love it if that special person is reading right now and has already decided to meet Hopy at Little Shelter. If you've looked at his face, read Hopy's sad story, and felt a tug at your heart, please hurry over to Little Shelter. Hopy needs to be in a home with his own family again. And oh yes, maybe you could bring a piece of hot dog. To meet Hopy visit him at: Little Shelter Animal Adoption Center 33 Warner Road, Huntington, NY 11743 631-368-8770 Please visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is Waiting...
January 29, 2009 January 15, 2009 Dear Readers, January 7, 2009 Dear Readers, Please visit my website avoiceforanimals.org and take the veterinary survey. I've had so many emails from readers asking me for advice about how to find a good veterinarian. I knew I had to find a way to help. Now, I need your help so that we can help each other! Whether you think your vet is the best, the worst or somewhere in between, now's your chance to voice your opinion! I've known Dori Schofield, the president of Save A Pet Rescue in Port Jefferson for at least ten years. She's a wonderful and heroic lady. Recently, a drunken man broke into Save A Pet terrorizing and injuring the most defenseless of rescued orphans, the cats and kittens. Cages were thrown and smashed with the cats and kittens still inside. The injuries and damages were of the most malevolent kind, against animals who had no way to defend themselves.  Maya, the sweet, beautiful cat pictured here was trapped under a smashed cage because she is missing a front leg. She was pinned down in such a way that she could not drag herself free (she is up for adoption, by the way). Dori is determined not only to replace what was damaged, but to be better than ever and replace the cages with "Kitty Condos." Dori has wanted the condos for a very long time but because they are so expensive, the Kitty Condos have remained an impossible dream. However, as we all know, sometimes life throws you a curve ball and what seems like a tragedy turns out to be a blessing in disguise. So Dori came up with the following idea; "The new condos will cost us about $720 each. It's a lot of money, but they're worth it. The cats will have more room and less spread of viruses and germs. For a donation of $100, we will place a brass plate with the person's name on it. Each cage could have several names . If someone wants to donate the whole amount, a brass plate would be placed just for them (or any name they choose)." Well, Readers, I know the economy is bad, we're all hurting. But by working together, we've been moving mountains (the shelters are improving, and rescue groups have been able to provide medical care, food and shelter for the most needy) all from our pooled nickles, dimes and dollars. So how about it, shall we thwart the evil intentions of this bad guy and make a holiday miracle for Dori and the animals? Please send what you can, a dollar, five dollars or seven hundred dollars to: Save A Pet 608 Route 112 Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 631-473-6333. www.saveapetLI.net Visit a shelter and adopt. Remember, Your Best Friend Is waiting... December 16, 2008 |
