5. Celebrity Rachel Ray gave the ASPCA half a million dollars less than 2 months ago to board pets displaced by Hurricane Sandy at its Emergency Boarding Facility in Brooklyn. At the time, ASPCA president Ed Sayres promised, “The need is daunting, but the animals will not be forgotten.” After caring for just 280 animals for such a short period of time, there must be tons of cash leftover. The ASPCA should spend it fulfilling Ed Sayres’ promise.
4. Even without Rachel Ray’s generous donation, the ASPCA already has plenty of money to care for the displaced Sandy pets for as long as necessary. The Sarah McLachlan ad alone raised $30 million dollars in its first year and a half running on TV. The NY Times described it as “a landmark in nonprofit fund-raising, where such amounts are virtually unimaginable for a single commercial.” It’s been airing ever since. Nathan Winograd says, “Last year, the ASPCA had total revenues which were just shy of $150 million dollars.”
3. So much pet food was donated to feed pets impacted by Sandy, there were literally tons of excess which had to be given away in order to free up warehouse space. Again, there are plentiful resources to care for the 136 pets still at the Brooklyn ASPCA shelter for as long as necessary.
2. In any cases where the owner of the pet is known and the owner indicates an intention to take the pet back as soon as circumstances allow, the ASPCA should continue to provide temporary shelter, either at the facility or in a foster home, until the owner can reclaim the pet. That shouldn’t even be a question.
1. Killing healthy/treatable pets, such as the ones displaced by Sandy, is wrong. Dropping them off at the pound to potentially get sick or be killed is also wrong. Neither of these horrifying options should be on the table for the ASPCA. Why are they?
(Thank you Marge and Tip for sending me 2 of the links included in this post.)