Do we look like garbage to you? With the help of a network of caring people, Nacho and Rusty are now safe and awaiting adoption. (Photo by Cats in the Cradle Rescue)
Debi Romano of SaveKitty Foundation received a call on Tuesday, March 12, from a school in Richmond Hill, Queens. When putting out the trash, the school’s custodian noticed that a black plastic bag — which was tied shut — was moving! He looked inside and was surprised to find two orange tabby kittens. He notified the office personnel, but since it was against school policy to bring animals inside the building, he left them outside in the bag near where they were discovered. Because the staff were unable to determine the age and condition of the kittens, time was of the essence. The NYC Feral Cat Initiative (NYCFCI) of the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and its cooperative network of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) caretakers jumped into action.
Debi called Evon Handras of the NYCFCI to see if she could find someone to respond, as Debi could not get there until much later in the day after the staff would be gone. To make matters worse, it had started to rain steadily. The Alliance’s Jenny Coffey overheard the conversation in the Alliance office and immediately reached out to one of her contacts at a nearby real estate office, who was willing to keep the kittens safe and warm until rescue arrived. A school employee, Faith, agreed to deliver the kittens to the real estate office while we tried to find someone to carry them on the next leg of their journey.
In the meanwhile, Evon reached out to NYCFCI colleague, Valerie Sicignano, and she found a volunteer who was willing to pick up the kitties at the real estate office. Evon also called Ashot Karamian of All About Spay Neuter, who via his well-connected network, within minutes arranged for nearby rescuer, Susan St. John from Cats in the Cradle Rescue, to meet Faith at the real estate office for the kitty handover.
Brave little Rusty posed with the Easter Bunny and met potential adopters at Petco on March 23. (Photo by Cats in the Cradle Rescue)
From there it was off to the vet for exams, tests, and vaccinations, and the following day, the kittens were neutered at the ASPCA’s spay/neuter facility in Glendale, Queens. The veterinary staff reported that the 5- or 6-month-old brothers were friendly, purring, and kneading. Even better, they were healthy and tested negative for FeLV and FIV!
With a clean bill of health and a top-notch behavioral assessment, the brothers — now named Rusty and Nacho in honor of their fabulous colors — were moved to a Cats in the Cradle Rescue foster home to await adoption. What a happy new beginning for these two gorgeous and lucky orange tabbies!
Word has it that the kittens are even more friendly, loving, and affectionate than they were when they first arrived. They will make awesome additions to some lucky family!
Rusty and his brother Nacho were found in a sealed trash bag by an eagle-eyed school custodian. (Photo by Cats in the Cradle Rescue)
Please Investigate Moving Trash Bags!
These beautiful little babies were found dumped inside of a black garbage bag by a school janitor. He was cleaning things up when he saw the bag move. Inside were these babies.
They are friendly. They were obviously the last kittens that someone’s cat had and they couldn’t find a home for them, so they condemned them to either a slow death by suffocation, or an equally horrific death being crushed in the maw of a garbage truck.
I wish this horrific act was beyond imagination, but all too often people fail to take responsibility for their pets or their own actions and act in the most selfish and heartless manner.
If you see a garbage bag moving and it doesn’t have any holes ripped in it, there may just be a kitten or puppy inside. Please don’t just walk by. Take a moment to investigate and possibly save a life.
The other day I received a call from a couple who was completely stressed out about adopting a dog. Waiting until they felt ready, they’d researched, consulted with breeders, and considered several rescues. But the more they looked, the more daunting it seemed. How to make a good choice or to know what was important about that choice? Should the dog be big or small? Would he bark and disturb their neighbors? Would she fit their lifestyle? What about if they decided to have a child in the future? As they barraged me with questions, I could feel their mounting anxiety.
But the truth is, their call made my day. While their perplexity isn’t all that unusual for new adopters, their willingness to educate themselves before bringing a new dog home is a rarity. They presented an absolutely wonderful opportunity. Here are people who want to make a commitment to a relationship that could last 15+ years and they really cared about making the best, most informed choice they could. Bringing home a good match is not only good for them, it gives the new adoptee the best possible chance at being happy in this new home, for life. I’m absolutely delighted to help them relax and figure out what types of dogs they should focus on finding.
I’m a teacher, dog trainer, and animal behaviorist. I teach people how to train their cats and dogs. My goal is to encourage people and show how obtainable it is to build a strong foundation, one that provides well-mannered, happy dogs and cats, harmonious homes, and the lifelong relationships that come from love and mutual respect. The techniques I use are straightforward and simple, and I strive to educate, motivate, and communicate, while sharing as much useful information as possible.
When it comes to initially educating themselves about their animals, what I often find is that people actually feel embarrassed. They think they should somehow already know how to train a dog. They think they should automatically be able to communicate, be understood, and get the response they want. They don’t realize that training is a learning process for both human and animal!
Trainer Sharon Mear shows people how to build lifelong relationships with their dogs and cats. (Photo by Sharon Mear)
While it’s true that a few people do well on their own, much more often than not, most don’t. Invariably, the result is a very frustrated caretaker and a stressed, unhappy dog. Our shelters are overflowing with dogs who were once adorable — for a few months, then they grew up without real training and “became too much to handle.”
So, when faced with a dog guardian who is dubious about learning techniques and structures that will give their dog his or her basic training, I quickly try to allay their apprehension. Sometimes, I put things into a perspective that’s easier for some to relate to: would you have the same hesitation about educating yourself if that process involved proven, surefire, successful techniques in bringing up your children? We all want happy, well-adjusted kids who are confident in their self-expression yet who behave appropriately. Well, that’s what I want for your animal!
And I know it’s obtainable. With a good teacher and the basis of patience, practice, and praise, pretty much anyone with the will can master dog training. In exchange for your investment in the process, by the way, you’ll find enormous amounts of fun, the reclaimed enjoyment of real “play,” and more than a few instances of unadulterated joy. And, your happy, well-adjusted, well-behaved, and loving animal will be the lifelong proof of your effort.
About the Author
Revered by a long list of four-legged clients and their appreciative caretakers, Sharon Mear is recommended by leading veterinarians, animal care professionals, and organizations throughout New York City. A certified Canine Behaviorist and Trainer, her Manhattan-based practice, Training Cats and Dogs, has been in operation since 2001.
David Glicksman has helped hundreds of animals find homes and receive the care they need through his tireless volunteer efforts with the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and other organizations. (Photo by Devon Santoro)
by Thea Feldman
A self-proclaimed lifelong animal fan, David Glicksman says he had no idea how much his life was going to change when he decided to attend a meeting for new volunteers for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals in 2010. He was so impressed with the organization and its Coordinator of Events and Training, Barbra Tolan, that he couldn’t wait to start volunteering.
Glicksman remembers his first event, a pet cancer awareness walk that took participants and their dogs across the Brooklyn Bridge on what turned out to be a gray, rainy spring day. Glicksman snapped photos for the Alliance and recalls chatting with people whose enthusiasm could not be dampened by the weather. He says he was so inspired by the spirit and camaraderie of the day that he quickly signed on for more Alliance events.
Today Glicksman is a friendly fixture on the companion animal volunteer scene. He participates in the Alliance/AC&C/ASPCA lost-and-found program that helps reunite families with missing pets. He also routinely helps out at microchipping events and spay/neuter and vaccination clinics across the five boroughs. In addition, he regularly participates in adoption events, including Adoptapalooza and Broadway Barks. Glicksman may help set up booths, man tables and speak with the public, or lay down sod for a doggy agility course at an event. “David’s enthusiasm and willingness to jump in and fill whatever need is there is part of what makes him such a valued volunteer,” says Tolan. “And he’s also an all-around nice guy!”
David helped the lovely Lil find her forever home by introducing her to visitors at an ASPCA adoption event. (Photo by Elisabeth Manwiller)
So, look closely. That just may be Glicksman at the other end of the leash at an adoption event. He works as a dog’s handler, helping many a hound catch the eye of a potential new pet parent. At one recent ASPCA-sponsored event, David spent the day walking Lil, a little black poodle from AC&C. He was taking her for one last stroll when they encountered two women who were so enchanted with Lil that they adopted her.
David especially enjoys his role as a cat handler for both the AC&C and ASPCA shelters. He loves socializing the cats at the shelters, and calls it “playtime.” The extra time a volunteer spends socializing cats, talking to them, petting them, and playing with them, helps the cats relax in what can often be a stressful setting. And, it has been demonstrated that more relaxed cats are more adoptable cats.
David is proud of his status as a Level 2 cat handler at both shelters. This means, among other things, that he is qualified to coax more reluctant felines into participating in adoption events. That includes two older Siamese cats who only Glicksman could persuade to leave their cages at AC&C and take a ride on a mobile adoption van. Both cats were adopted that day.
Backstage at the "Weekend Today in New York" show, David preps an adoptable kitty for her close-up. (Photo by WNBC)
Glicksman’s love of cats and his desire to help them led him to Rikers Island, where he participated in a trap-neuter-return project spearheaded by the NYC Feral Cat Initiative of the Mayor’s Alliance for the island’s community cat population. He even traveled to Jacksonville, Florida, as part of a volunteer effort to help the ASPCA assist local authorities in treating 700 cats rescued from a sanctuary that was not properly caring for them.
“I want to do more,” David continually says when speaking about his volunteerism. In addition to his numerous other contributions, on behalf of AC&C, he is a regular on NBC’s Saturday morning Weekend Today in New York program, showing dogs and cats that are up for adoption. This requires him to drive in from his Long Island home at 4:30 a.m. and pick up the pets at the shelter by 5:30 a.m. in order to arrive at NBC’s studios in time for the live broadcast. After that, he returns the pets to the shelter and drives home. He arrives back home to his wife and their two cats around 8:30 a.m., well before many people have had their first cup of coffee on a weekend morning.
It’s easy to see how in 2012 David racked up 134 volunteer hours with AC&C and 375 with the ASPCA. “We affectionately call him a ‘triple threat’,” says the Alliance’s Melissa Donaldson, “because he volunteers for the Alliance, and also helps the ASPCA and AC&C.” In fact, David is even planning a “triple threat day” — on one single Saturday he intends to volunteer for all three organizations. He’ll begin with the NBC spot on behalf of AC&C. Then he’ll help out at an ASPCA free mobile vaccination clinic event, before ending his day lending a hand at an Alliance adoption event.
Everyone appreciates David Glicksman's volunteer efforts on behalf of companion animals. (Photo by Devon Santoro)
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, David’s tireless volunteer work included pitching in at the ASPCA pet assistance food distribution center as well as at the ASPCA temporary boarding facility in Brooklyn that housed pets whose owners were temporarily displaced by the storm.
It might seem as if Glicksman, who is also on the advisory board of Rational Animal, another Alliance participating organization, is a full-time volunteer but, he is currently employed as the Chief Financial Officer for a global investigative services firm. When asked how he manages to wear so many hats, David jokingly says, “I’m not getting much sleep, but it’s very rewarding.” He quickly adds, “I’m always learning so much. This is such rewarding work.”
Glicksman truly does consider his companion animal work a “second career,” and thinks that when he does finally retire from his current job, he will indeed turn to volunteering full time.
His advice for people who think they’d like to volunteer to help companion animals? “If you think you’re interested, just go and do it. It’s much easier to find the time than you think,” he says. If anyone knows that for sure, it would be David Glicksman.
David Glicksman appeared on Weekend Today in New York with Animal Care & Control of NYC on March 2, 2013, to promote the adoption of beautiful black kitty, Ninja.
About the Author Thea Feldman is a lifelong animal lover, who is also a writer and editor. She has written many articles about animals and more than 100 books for children. She lives in New York with her favorite companion animal, Zoe Louise.
Roscoe, one of Hailey Parker's dogs, shows the breed's effortless appeal. (Photo by Hailey Parker)
by Thea Feldman
The Coton de Tulear is a small, long-lived dog that, on average, stands about 10 inches high and weighs between 9 to 15 pounds. Its coat is on the long side and is most commonly white, black and white, or white with tan markings. Native to Madagascar, the dog is relatively rare, despite having what long-time breeder Hailey Parker describes as a wonderful temperament and personality. “They are funny and keep you laughing,” she says, pointing out their high-energy antics and overall expressiveness. She is quick to add, however, “Cotons are not for everyone. If you work full-time, you shouldn’t have one. They don’t like to be left home alone. And, since they are long-haired, the dogs’ grooming needs should be taken into consideration as well.” But, if a Coton is right for your lifestyle, says, Parker, “once you’ve had one you’ve been ‘cotonized.’”
The loveable little breed now finds itself at the center of a lawsuit that Parker and another long-time Coton owner and former breeder, Jeri McLees — both of whom belong to the non-profit American Coton Club (ACC) — have launched as individuals against the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the United States of America Coton de Tulear Club (USACTC). ACC and USACTC are two of the four Coton de Tulear clubs that have formed in the United States. ACC and one other club, the Coton de Tulear Club of America (CTCA) maintain their own registries to check the lineage of each dog in order to ensure that it is a purebred Coton. This is important, Parker maintains, not just to guarantee the pedigree of an individual dog for a prospective buyer, but also to help maintain the health of individual dogs and the breed as a whole. Right now, ACC and CTCA also have mandatory health checks for their registered dogs.
Chiefly for these reasons, ACC, CTCA, the majority of Coton breeders and individual companion Coton owners, as well as United Coton de Tulear Association for Rescue and Education (UCARE), the national rescue organization for Cotons, have decided to stay away from the AKC. The AKC has a reputation for being associated with puppy mills and other large-size commercial breeding operations, both of which are often cited for practices not good for the health of either fully grown dogs or the pups they are continually birthing. In addition, according to Parker, once a breed is part of the AKC it becomes hard to control the lineage of the population. There is both an increased chance of inbreeding as well as a risk that the purity of the breed will be diluted. “You simply may not be getting a purebred dog or a healthy dog if you get an AKC dog,” says Parker. She also believes that breeds that become part of the AKC begin to be bred so that their physical look is altered to maximize their appearance for the show ring, which can also lead to health problems.
Those opposed to AKC status are not opposed to showing Cotons. They just don't want to alter the dog's natural look. This "looker" is Salty Dawg of TARA, owned by Carol Hughes. (Photo by Carol Hughes)
Long-time animal welfare advocate Wendy Diamond is now a Coton owner and is concerned that the purity of the breed be preserved. “After adopting my Coton, Baby Hope,” she said, “I realized that this is simply the best bred dog I have ever encountered. It brought to light the importance of responsible breeding. Puppy mills and irresponsible breeders must be stopped.”
Jane Arrington, co-founder of UCARE, believes that AKC recognition will exponentially increase the number of Cotons in puppy mills. “I have assisted in the staging areas after several puppy mill busts orchestrated by HSUS and ARC in the last eight years and have NEVER had to see a Coton in any of them,” she said. “The dogs I have seen raised in unspeakable conditions in those puppy mills — mostly small breeds such as Shih Tzus, Yorkshire Terriers, etc. numbering 250 to 1,000 in each facility — have physical and mental disabilities from which some never recover.”
So, why does the AKC associate with puppy mills? Melanie Kahn, Senior Director of the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) explained. “The AKC is financially beholden to the puppy mill industry since much of their revenue comes from registrations from commercial breeders,” she said. “To make matters worse, the AKC has consistently opposed legislation that would have improved conditions for dogs living in large-scale breeding facilities. It is disheartening that an organization that claims to be ‘the dogs’ champion’ consistently takes positions contrary to that mantra.”
Despite all this, in 2009, the USACTC conducted a vote with its membership requesting permission to apply for “parent club” status with the AKC. A parent club is a club that acts as the “ambassador” club for the breed or the liaison for other clubs of its breed with the AKC. The members, which included Parker and McLees at the time, believed that was all they were voting on and were assured by the USACTC board that any further decisions, including whether or not to apply for breed status within AKC would require another vote of the membership.
But, according to Parker, this is not what happened. In 2011, without going back to its members, USACTC apparently applied for and received AKC recognition to be in the AKC’s Miscellaneous Class, which is the first step on the path to becoming a fully recognized breed of the AKC. As a member of the AKC Miscellaneous Class, USACTC was required to submit its registry records to the AKC. This too was allegedly done without the permission of its members. As part of the pending lawsuit, Parker and McLees want the records of their dogs expunged from the AKC registry. They contend that the AKC knowingly accepted this information that was not theirs to have.
The majority of Coton breeders and companion owners are rallying public support to keep the Coton de Tulear out of the AKC.
While there is one joint lawsuit against the AKC and the USACTC, the two organizations have decided not to defend themselves together, so there are two separate, upcoming court dates in mid-March. The charges against USACTC include failure to disclose records, unfair business practices, misappropriation, fraudulent concealment, and intentional and negligent misrepresentation. The charges against the AKC are for unfair business practices and misappropriation.
The majority of Coton breeders and companion owners have long maintained that they do not want an association with the AKC. They have banded together and formed Advocates for the Coton de Tulear (ACT) to try to stop the USACTC from proceeding with AKC status. McLees, an active member of ACT, believes “there are no benefits for any breed to join AKC, only negatives. The humans might benefit from the glory of showing at Westminster, the largest AKC dog show, but after all, it’s just a beauty contest — fun but nothing more! There have been too many breeds that have been ruined by the accolades and popularity of a Westminster winner. It would break my heart,” she said, “if that happened to our Cotons.”
Parker admits to feeling like “David against Goliath” with the suits but is firm in her convictions that this is the best way to “protect and preserve the Coton and prevent health issues that come out of ‘mass production’ of dogs. Right now you rarely see a purebred Coton in a rescue group or in a shelter,” she says. “We want to stop the problems before they erupt.”
(Photo by Michelle Riley, HSUS)
The AKC and the Connection to Puppy Mills
Several months ago, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) issued a report revealing that the AKC opposed 80 state and local bills in the last five years to establish some minimum humane breeding standards for the care of dogs in large-scale breeding operations. Since a large portion of AKC’s revenue comes from commercial breeder registrations, the organization is obliged to cater to this constituency — one that places profits above the welfare of dogs.
HSUS raids of illegal puppy mill operations have repeatedly found substandard operations with ties to the AKC. A recent raid of a Montana Malamute breeder, Mike Chilinski, who was convicted of 91 counts of animal cruelty, was a breeder who not only registered his dogs with the AKC, but was also inspected by the AKC. Chilinski actually told the court during his trial that AKC inspectors had been to his property and said everything was fine.
Sadly, the AKC’s recent list of the top 10 most popular breeds in America mirrors many of breeds that HSUS most commonly finds in puppy mills. Like the American Coton Club and the Advocates for the Coton de Tulear, the HSUS is not against showing or breeding dogs, but it needs to be done responsibly. Man’s best friend deserves no less.
About the Author Thea Feldman is a lifelong animal lover, who is also a writer and editor. She has written many articles about animals and more than 100 books for children. She lives in New York with her favorite companion animal, Zoe Louise.
The multi-floor house, which has been a sanctuary for homeless cats since the late Patricia H. Ladew, an ardent cat lover, bought the property in 1975, was especially redesigned with its feline occupants in mind. The shelter is a cage-free environment with plenty of spaces for the cats to roam and things for them to explore. For instance, there is a “catwalk” (reachable via a cat-sized staircase) that extends throughout the house, thanks to cutouts in the walls.
Cats who want some fresh air have the choice to take their daily stroll outdoors in one of the sanctuary’s brand new “catios.” These fenced-in outdoor runs can be reached through cat flaps installed in the sanctuary’s windows. “Cats have unrestricted access to the catios during the day, but, just as a safety precaution, they are brought in at night and the flaps are closed,” says Dr. Susan Whittred, the facility’s director and Director of Veterinary Medicine.
A cat who wants a break from climbing, walking, and running might opt to spend time watching cat movies, which play frequently on a custom-built television on the main floor. The television, built at cat height, shows videos of high-interest material for the feline film fan, including footage of squirrels, birds, and fish. The screen is even equipped with a protective Plexiglas cover in case the viewing audience cannot resist the urge to try to touch the films’ stars.
There is an additional cat TV in the house, as well as a wide assortment of toys. And there are plenty of cozy places to curl up in for a nap, including cat nooks placed at various heights on the walls.
A paw print-studded sidewalk outside the main house leads to the sanctuary’s clinic. In addition to providing veterinary care for the shelter’s cats, Whittred performs low-cost spay/neuter and other services for local shelters, rescue groups, and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) organizations working with feral cats. “I’d like to help other rescue groups even more,” says Whittred. One way she hopes to do that is by obtaining an x-ray machine for the clinic, which will allow her to increase the services she can offer.
One of the adoption rooms, complete with overhead catwalk, redesigned to reflect the founder's dream of providing a home-like atmosphere for homeless cats. (Photo by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals)
Who are the cats that have found their way to the Patricia H. Ladew Foundation Cat Sanctuary? The organization does not accept cats from the public (unless arrangements have been made for Surviving Pet Care, a fee-based program that allows the shelter to take in and provide for cats you can no longer care for). The majority of its residents, says Whittred, come from Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) shelters, where they would be at risk of euthanasia due to health issues or overcrowding. The Ladew facility pulls up to 15 cats at a time from AC&C. The cats then go into a month-long quarantine, which is essential given the free-roaming nature of the sanctuary. After the month is over, some cats join the population of shelter cats up for adoption, while others, due to on-going health or socialization issues, become “Pat’s Cats,” cats who will most likely live out their lives at the sanctuary. Whittred affectionately calls these cats the “quirky” ones and hastens to add that some of them do indeed get adopted. She sited as an example a young couple who fell in love with and adopted an older cat that will need daily medication for the rest of her life.
The shelter currently has about 70 cats in residence and is open to interested adopters by appointment only. Potential new cat parents can first meet the cats on the sanctuary’s blog and then can either fill out a form online or call the sanctuary. Whittred actually likes when people call. “I can get a good sense of people from a chat and get a sense of which cats they should visit with, if and when they decide to come out to the sanctuary for a scheduled visit,” she says.
Any Patricia H. Ladew cat has a home for life. According to Whittred, if an adoption doesn’t work out or a person’s circumstances prevent them from keeping their pet, the shelter will welcome the cat back.
For those who want to help the Ladew cats but cannot adopt, there is a sponsorship option. For as little as $25, you can sponsor a cat for a year and receive a “personalized” letter and photo from the sponsored cat. Gift sponsorships are also available.
Hurricane Sandy struck one week after the sanctuary’s grand reopening. The shelter’s manager, Lynn Manno, moved all the cats up to her apartment on the top floor, where they stayed for the duration of the storm. While the shelter did lose power for a few days, the property suffered no damages, even though part of a tree did fall down. And, as the photo below indicates, the cats apparently took the storm in stride. It seems they sense that, while a forever home might be best, in the understated words of Whittred, “If they don’t get adopted, this is a nice place to live.”
At the sanctuary's ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 21, 2012, (L to R) director Dr. Susan Whittred; Tatum Christiansen of Insperity; Doug and Lisa Herman; Jack Hausman of Hug; and contractor, Roland Gerwald. Tatum's company, Doug, Lisa, and Jack provided funds for the outdoor cat runs. (Photo by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals)
One of the adoption rooms, complete with overhead catwalk, redesigned to reflect the founder's dream of providing a home-like atmosphere for homeless cats. (Photo by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals)
A view from the house of one of the outdoor "catios" that allow cats to have safe, fun runs in the sun. (Photo by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals)
Cats have a choice of cozy wall nooks for napping — or for contemplating a nap. (Photo by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals)
Murray is just one of the shelter's cats whose individual needs are met. He prefers to be away from other cats, and spends a lot of time high up in his box in Susan Whittred's office. (Photo by Susan Whittred)
The smiling cat face on the sanctuary's logo says it all: this place caters to cats. (Photo by Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals)
The shelter's cats calmly crunched kibble around a hurricane lantern while Hurricane Sandy raged outside. (Photo by Lynn Manno)
About the Author Thea Feldman is a lifelong animal lover, who is also a writer and editor. She has written many articles about animals and more than 100 books for children. She lives in New York with her favorite companion animal, Zoe Louise.
