Tag: family

Life in the Sci-Fi Movie

Thanks for clicking on this, our 6th issue of the TASP e-newsletter. We’re a little late getting this out to you for myriad reasons all relating to juggling volunteer activities amid jobs, families, aging pets and “The Invisible Enemy.” At this writing, Rich and I are in pseudo-isolation here on the farm, observing social distancing as much as is practical. The business I work for is considered essential so it’s off to work I go each weekday, with my mask dangling from my rearview mirror, ready to be donned at the least sign of an approaching human.

I count my blessings daily about my own health and the location of our home that is 20 minutes from civilization in any direction. Being farmers for so many years, we became accustomed long ago to stockpiling two weeks’ worth of groceries meds and staples in our basement; that’s what country people do. And having the privilege of just being able to let the dogs out into a safe, secure yard where we don’t have to worry about sharing a 6-foot radius with a stranger while leash walking is something we can’t possibly take for granted. Our hearts go out to all the folks with pets in the cities who have to share elevators and sidewalks to exercise their best friends. We know this piles stress upon stress right now.

Speaking of stress-upon-stress, I’ve been observing animals (my own and those of local owners in need) as they go to the vet clinics and hospitals these days and I recognize this is not an ideal situation for anyone concerned: pet/vet/guardian. For those of you who haven’t yet had to avail yourselves of a visit to the vet since February, here’s how social distancing at the vet’s office goes: you drive up to the building, text or call the vet front desk to announce your arrival, and then a gloved, gowned, masked vet tech comes out to take your pet from you. They carry or leash-walk the pet inside while you sit in your car and await a call from the vet who discusses diagnosis and treatment with you. Then you wait some more while that work is done, and then another call from the front desk to collect the fee via credit card over the phone. At last, the vet tech brings your freaked out pet back to your car and you drive them home, hoping that the pet will forgive you for what you just put them through.

It’s all necessary. But so many things can go sour throughout a process like this, it’s hard to list them all here. There’s the possibility of the pet falling or getting loose from its leash/collar during the walk to and from the vet’s building. There’s the possibility that the gowned, masked, gloved vet will misread the pet’s symptoms because that pet hadn’t previously ever seen a human dressed like this (usually they’re already under anesthesia by the time the prepped surgeon shows up) and is reacting with such stress that temperature, pulse and respiration, the benchmarks of all vet visits, aren’t even close to what they are back home. Even blood levels change in the presence of severe stress. And then there’s the possibility that the pet may be so stressed by this kind of management that they don’t trust you anymore when you offer the opportunity to go for a ride. Don’t think these things can happen? They are ALL things that have already happened to me and to pets I brought to various vets since the COVID-19 sci-fi movie started. Not every time, but enough that I think it’s important to mention it and suggest a way to make things a little easier on everyone.

So for starters, I suggest that as pet owners, we should all be working to desensitize our pets to the approach of a masked person. Hand the pet a treat, pull out the mask and let them smell it. Hand them another treat. Put the mask on and treat. Take the mask off and treat. Repeat, repeat, repeat. If you have different kinds of masks, do this with all of them. Then do it in different places…in the bedroom, in the car, outdoors, and so on. Keep associating your pet’s favorite things with the mask, gradually working up to the point where you can wear the mask in their presence without them emptying their bladder/colon and without them fleeing when you reach out to pick them up.

Social distancing mandates have impacted the way TASP does things, too. Our RPI volunteers have all had to leave the school indefinitely so we miss those young, enthusiastic faces and strong backs more than I can say. We had to shut down our monthly photo clinics that we always looked forward to as much as our supporters did. After about 10 years of these clinics, I personally had lost touch with the concept of being at home on a weekend instead of sitting at the computer at Benson’s or Pet Supplies Plus. In the tradition of improvisation, which is one of the things TASP prides ourselves in, we moved those clinics to the internet and are now emailing and mailing out photos to folks, instead of creating our art on the scene. So far so good with this approach, although it’s going to take some time to ramp up business. We are still hoping that once COVID-19 has become better understood, there will be a way for us to return with our computers, lights and cameras to the real world where people can see each other in person instead of on Zoom. Until then, take a look at the online photo clinics posted on our website and please consider sending us your orders and your comments and suggestions on how we can make the experience even better: http://www.theanimalsupportproject.com/tasp-fantasy-photos-the-fun-continues-online/

TASP also had to implement a new plan for meeting the needs of animals in our community. We used to visit homes as standard procedure for delivering supplies, investigating pet-owner’s needs and doing things like grooming, nail trims and first aid. Now, to protect our volunteers and the pet owners who need our help, we can’t go into homes, at least for now. We’re meeting up with people in parking lots and at the curb to drop off pet food and flea collars, shipping products via mail and UPS, and scoping out situations over our smartphone cameras. This approach is not what we like to do; being with animals and the people who love them is why we do what we do. But if anyone understands the value of safety, it’s The Animal Support Project. For now, this is the best way we can think of to keep supporting animals and their owners, especially through THIS tough time.

One of the most difficult things for me to say to all of you is, in 2020, thanks to COVID-19, TASP will probably not be able to meet or exceed the number of animals served last year. While we have the funds available, we are still helping qualified low-income folks with vet expenses. But with so many of our local fund raisers (photo clinics, tag sales, adoption clinics…..) being postponed or outright cancelled, TASP won’t see the same level of donations this year. Our first quarter financial review illustrated that very clearly and painfully to us. So we’re doing our best to stretch every dollar spent while still delivering the highest possible level of service to the local animals in our community. We’re making every effort to seek grants wherever we can find them to help fund the programs we already have established but alas, there are more grants available for shelters and rescues with paid staff than for all-volunteer outfits like ours who are keeping pets OUT of the shelters.

One program that we feel very strongly about is the Paws2Protect program. Through Paws2Protect, we provide free Seresto flea & tick collars to low income pet owners. We’re convinced this approach is the cheapest way for TASP to help animals and their owners avoid the costly consequences of flea and tick issues. Don’t get me wrong, these collars aren’t cheap by any means. But the cost of a Seresto collar is a whole lot less than the cost of a vet visit and treatment for things like Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, tapeworm or flea dermatitis. So with each collar we distribute, TASP saves approximately $150-$600, depending on the size and number of pets in the home. TASP just placed our order for 90 more of these collars for cats and dogs; so if you know someone in the Capital Region who earns under $30,000 annually and who needs a Seresto collar, please feel welcome to put them in touch with us. And if you know someone who wants to help sponsor this important work, please send them our way.

Personally, I’m looking forward to a time when COVID-19 is not turning everyone’s world inside-out. I’m fortunate to have a job and a home that is isolated by definition. But not everyone in my family can say this and I miss them as much as I’m sure y’all miss your friends and families. I thank God we have our pets to help us keep things in perspective, to remind us to live for the moment and to not let our worries get the best of us. Everyone at TASP is committed to keeping pets and people together in every way possible, using every tool we have available, even if a virus changes the way we do it. And if it takes setting up a kennel in a parking lot to hand out Seresto collars at a low income apartment complex and groom dogs outdoors then that’s what we’ll do. I just hope the animals aren’t too freaked out by my mask.

May 26, 2020 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 6 Comments Off on Life in the Sci-Fi Movie

Life With a Big Cat – What a Gas!

I have permission from my close friend and staunch TASP supporter to tell y’all this story. As they used to say on Dragnet, “The names are changed to protect the innocent.”

Like so many others these days, my friend (we’ll call her, “Lucy,”) has been enthusiastically researching her genealogy through one of those DNA sampling kits that are so popular. Through her work, she’s discovered new branches in her family tree that she hadn’t previously known about. She’s made contact with some and developed new relationships, filling in gaps in the family history and discovering some remarkable similarities between these folks across the country and her immediate family: her son’s unusually curly hair is shared by her second cousin’s son. And her father’s remarkable smile is now being displayed on the face of another of these long-lost relatives. It’s been a fascinating journey for her, to say the least.

Recently, one of these new-to-Lucy cousins came from out of town to spend a day sharing family photos with her and to generally nurture the family bond. Lucy wanted everything to be perfect for this occasion. So for the week ahead, she planned the day’s menu and agenda like a true event organizer. Like any of us, she wanted her cousin to feel as comfortable and at-home with her and her family as possible on this inaugural visit.

To fully digest this story, you need to know that Lucy has a soft heart for animals. Her home is host to a wildchild scruffy-faced something-poo-mix puppy and two ancient small-breed dogs who are still thriving thanks to her investment in a steady supply of heart meds, bronchodilators and arthritis easers. And did I mention, there are also 10 or so cats living at Lucy’s home at any given time, of a range of ages from young adult to dottering senior; this one blind, that one unfriendly toward people; yet another so affectionate she can slide under a door like a hamster to join her humans when she wants to. Rumor has it, Lucy is a candidate for her own parking spot at her local vet’s office; she visits there a lot.  

Anyway, in preparation for the much-anticipated visit from her distant cousin, Lucy determined that Simba, the giant blond male cat who is so antisocial/lazy, he spends most of his time lounging under the comforter on Lucy’s bed, needed special consideration. In addition to the endearing features already described, Simba’s distaste for humans (other than Lucy) causes him to defecate immediately any time a stranger enters his field of view. And because he is a mammoth cat, the gift he leaves any stranger is likewise mammoth and of a scent that can burn one’s eyelashes off. The cat has a reputation. Knowing this, Lucy powwowed with her family and came up with the perfect solution: Simba was securely ensconced in his favorite bedroom with his food, water AND litterbox for the duration of Cousin’s visit. Doors closed, Simba, tucked away in his little kingdom, could be spared the hubbub of the family reunion that was about to ensue downstairs. Yes, this was a perfect plan……..

Doorbell rings, Cousin arrives and is ushered into the formal parlor which is the hosting spot for Lucy’s most treasured guests. Snacks circulated, introductions exchanged, and out come the family photos that are appreciated by the family that had grown by one that afternoon. But only a small percentage into the family albums, EGAD! The security alarms are going off! Sirens shrieking, Lucy’s husband and son run to investigate while Lucy, not missing a beat in spite of the din, continues guiding Cousin through the pages of the photo albums, describing this relative and that one and sharing family memories. She has to raise her voice a bit to be heard above the alarm, but this is the only acknowledgement she will give to this disturbance in her perfectly planned day.

Turns out, according to Husband, it was the gas sensor that tripped off the sirens, but no indication that anything was malfunctioning in the HVAC system. Must have just been a fluke. Sirens are turned off and the home becomes normal again. The walk down memory lane continues in the formal parlor and more snacks are passed around now that everyone can hear each other again. But then…….

Youngest daughter walks to the back door with young wildchild dog, giving her the fresh-air break she needs. But if only that could have been all! Now, Daughter lets out a scream as she’s nearly run over by a line of firemen in full firefighting attire coming at her at speed from the home’s parking area, straight into the hallway and into the kitchen. Lights flashing, sirens wailing in the driveway, the young men are there in response to the alarm that apparently had not been cancelled at the security company’s central dispatch. “Gas leak! Everyone out,” shouts the Captain as he runs into the house.

While Lusy and Cousin continue this now VERY MEMORABLE trip down memory lane, Husband and Son explain to the firemen that all systems show no real gas incident. Firemen examine the system with them and agree this was not a gas leak incident……or was it?

Later, after all the firemen had gone home and somewhat-shaken Cousin had departed back to his, Lucy and Husband climbed the stairs to let Simba out of his exile, where they discovered: AHA! Not a gas leak, but certainly a gas incident!

Moral of this story: When situating your GI-challenged giant cat’s litter box for an impromptu lockdown, be sure not to place it too near the security system’s gas leak sensor.

April 12, 2020 By Melinda Plasse In TASP Blog Comments Off on Life With a Big Cat – What a Gas!

COVID-19 and The Animal Support Project

Right now, many folks are reading this message while still in isolation or quarantine or curfew. You may be wondering how The Animal Support Project will be dealing with the changes in all of our lives brought about by the arrival of the Novel Corona Virus and the Random Acts of Crime occurring here in the Capital region and throughout the state. Like everyone else, TASP faces some challenges ahead. We face a loss of revenue from having to temporarily call off our popular Fantasy Pet Photo fund raisers and our tag sales. Add to this an already-evidenced reduction in donations due to the financial stresses many of our supporters are facing after the State imposed mandatory shutdown of so many businesses in NY and then “vampires” decided to destroy what was left of local businesses. These are realities we can’t get around.

That being said, TASP is morphing to adapt as well as we can to continue offering the most support we can muster with available resources. For now, all personal visits to homes have been postponed. We’ve also had to curtail our activities in the local cities after dark due to curfew and the potential risk to our volunteers.  That means no adoption home visits, no visits inside the homes of ailing pets. This is the way it has to be in order to reduce risk of infection or injury to our volunteers and our community. By coincidence, our list of adoptable pets is very small right now and their continued care at their foster homes is perfectly alright until the situation eases. And just because we can’t enter a pet’s home doesn’t mean we can’t help pets who need us. As long as our budget allows, we will utilize all available technologies like video, photos, messaging and facetime to confirm financial need and explore the situations of individual pets so they can be directed to whatever proper professional care we can afford. We can also use video and photos to demonstrate and instruct on preventive care practices to help our community’s pet guardians do the best they can for their best friends.

Our ability to pay for professional veterinary procedures at this time is very much in flux with funds temporarily dried up, but TASP is actively seeking grants for worthy purposes like veterinary care and continuation of our Paws2Protect program that provides free Seresto flea & tick collars to financially needy dogs and cats. We also have expanded our pet food pantry stocking program to serve TEN food pantries across Albany, Rensselaer, Washington and Bennington counties. The Paws2Protect and Hoss Fund programs continue to serve as long as resources remain available and if one of our already-submitted grants is awarded to TASP, we will introduce yet another great program to our toolkit, The Vintage Club: offering vital veterinary services specifically for senior pets.

We’ve even found a way we can still run our Fantasy Photo EASTER CLINICS completely online, with an option for a mailed hard copy photo. So if you’d like an Easter/Spring theme photo of your best friend, just scroll down and click for the lowdown on how to make it happen. We’ve posted details of this new fund raising scheme with sample backgrounds right here on the TASP website, taking orders online and accepting payment through Paypal or by check. Depending on how the reopening of NY State proceeds, we may be holiding our photo clinics online for a few more months so stay tuned!

COVID-19 is an unprecedented pandemic situation that virtually every American jurisdiction knew would occur someday. Even so, it would have been financial and logistical folly for any nation to stockpile the number of devices and supplies needed for this scale of a disaster for the 102 years since the last great epidemic, the Spanish Influenza of 1918. The incident command system shared by local, state and federal agencies as well as 1st responders, businesses, nonprofits and institutions across our nation is the modular, scalable method for efficiently and accountably answering the challenges ahead that COVID presents. TASP will do our best to add our compassion, skills, experience and elbow grease to this response to prevent the suffering of our community’s animals. It’s what TASP is trained to do and we’re up to the task.

We wish all of you reading this a safe and healthy path forward. Please be kind, be brave, be objective and be smart. We WILL get through this and we will bring our animal companions with us to a wiser, kinder world.

March 24, 2020 By Melinda Plasse In TASP Blog Comments Off on COVID-19 and The Animal Support Project

Grrrrrrreat Reads – Not Just For 1st Time Adopters

 

It is exciting to find so many good books about pet adoption on the market. Those of us who live with adopted pets know how much they mean to a family.

 

If you have ever opened your heart to an older pet, here’s a book you’ll want to check out:

 According to William Hageman, Reporter for the Chicago Tribune,  “If you read My Old Dog: Rescued Pets With Remarkable Second Acts (New World Library) and don’t want to run out to a shelter and rescue a senior pet, you have a heart of flint.”  The book, written by Laura T. Coffey and photographed by Lori Fusaro, champions a sometimes-forgotten segment of the animal shelter population.  It contains some truly beautiful photographs of senior dogs and a very nice resource section for folks who make older dogs a part of their life. http://www.myolddogbook.com/

 

 

Perhaps the writer of My Old Dog will follow up with an equally well-built version about senior cats? Let’s hope so. In the meantime, we have an excellent book available now, offering the latest information on Senior Cat Care. Written by Susan Easterly, Your Older Cat – A Complete Guide to Nutrition, Natural Remedies and Veterinary Care is a veritable Bible of good information for anyone whose cat is reaching its sunset years. With easy to follow tables, resource lists and helpful hints, this book will help any reader get a grip on old-cat topics like the aging process, preventive care, natural healing options, chronic diseases and senior cat nutrition. The suggested reading list is most helpful and the photos are just beautiful.

 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, there’s an excellent book on how to raise a great puppy written by Dr. Sophia Yin. Dr. Yin died a few years back, but she left behind her a tremendous wealth of writings about positive methods in pet training based on the latest research. Being a veterinarian, Dr. Yin also tempers her writings with the physical drivers behind behavior. Illustrated profusely with photos and drawings that are easy to interpret, Perfect Puppy in 7 Days – How to Start Your Puppy Off Right not only can help someone raising a puppy to do it right. It also can help the owner of a young dog understand the reasons behind behaviors they may be seeing in their pet, and how they can best modify those behaviors without ruining the dog.

 

Since we like to be even handed in our reviews, we owe it to the felines and their families to mention an equally interesting and well-designed how-to book about cats by Pam Johnson-Bennett: Think Like A Cat – How To Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat – Not a Sour Puss  From how to choose a new cat or kitten to how to kitten-proof a home to how to help your vet diagnose your cat’s ailments, this book is the one cat owners will turn to again and again over the lifetime of their cat. There’s some exceptional material in here about how to not only train a cat, but how to modify and even eliminate undesirable behaviors your cat may have developed. Personally we might have liked to have seen a few more illustrations in this book to break up the text a bit and help the more visual learners in our midst to get the message; but with so much valuable information in this book, we can forgive the lack of images and appreciate the treasure between its covers.

December 27, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5, Uncategorized Comments Off on Grrrrrrreat Reads – Not Just For 1st Time Adopters

Legislative Corner – What is Animal Cruelty?

TASP gets our share of calls from folks concerned about this or that animal’s welfare in their neighborhood. Whether it’s a neighbor’s dog tied out in weather extremes, or dairy heifers with hip bones protruding in springtime, it’s commendable that people care enough about animals to seek help on their behalf. Sometimes what they’re seeing is actually not cruelty, according to NY State law, and sometimes it is. In the previous TASP newsletter, we talked about how to make change happen at the federal level. I thought it might be a good idea to take it back a notch and talk about state level matters, especially concerning animal cruelty.

When the topic of animal cruelty comes up, sometimes I lose a friend when I explain what TASP can and can’t do, legally. After all, TASP is not the official Animal Control officer for any jurisdiction. We’re educated in Animal Law so we can recognize it when we see it and share information on the topic with concerned members of the public. We’re glad to communicate what we’ve learned to enlighten others, but we don’t have the authority to remove animals from premises without the permission of the animal’s owner or of law enforcement officials responsible for the location where the suspected cruelty is taking place. We also don’t have the legal authority to demand that law enforcement remove an animal from its owner, even when cruelty is suspected. And we can’t legally represent you to law enforcement and make a formal complaint on your behalf about something you’ve witnessed and we haven’t.  All we can do is what YOU can do if you suspect animal cruelty:

Look carefully at the big and small picture and compare what you see to Article 26 of the NY State Agriculture and Markets Law. Remember, not everything that looks like cruelty is legally cruel under our existing laws. In this state, animals are still considered the property of their owners, just like a car or a ladder. Companion animals have a bit more protection under Article 26, but even at that, the protections are in some cases vaguely worded and up to the interpretation of officers, attorneys and judges.

Not all cruelty or neglect is intentional and not all cases of neglect are considered by law enforcement to be prudent to prosecute, from a resource-availability perspective. An elderly pet owner who isn’t able to trim their pet’s nails or whose dog/cat’s fur is matted isn’t necessarily intending to hurt their pet. On the contrary, they may be distressed, embarrassed and/or ashamed that they aren’t able financially or physically to keep up with the animal’s care. It may be their only companion and so they may be reluctant to let it go. There may be no relatives or neighbors nearby who can/will help them with the tasks, or they may not understand the physical discomfort that long nails or matted fur can cause an animal.  The owner’s arthritis, poor eyesight, lack of resources or the onset of their or their loved one’s illness may also be legitimate reasons for a lapse in a pet’s care. Swooping in to judge/accuse/publicly shame the owner in such cases without knowing the backstory adds to the tragedy instead of helping overcome the issue for the long term. Those are the cases where TASP might be able to help by paying for grooming or vetting for that pet. Or, if the situation is a sinking ship, TASP may even offer to help the owner place the pet in a more secure home so the owner can move on to assisted living. But before you set us on that pet owner, why not drop by with a cup of coffee, a little tray of cookies or some animal-related trinket that shows you care, so you can get acquainted and learn more about why your neighbor’s animal looks the way it does and how we outsiders might be trusted as worthy to help?

I actually had a very nice lady call me once with great concern about abused dairy cattle on a farm near where she lived. It was spring and she said she was seeing the female cattle standing outside with hip bones protruding. She said they looked starved and were all muddy and she was sure they were being horribly neglected. She didn’t stop in to talk with the farmer and she didn’t research on the internet to learn more about how to judge a cow’s body condition score. She just drove past the farm day after day on her way to and from work and with each pass, she got herself more and more worried about these poor cows. When she called me to talk about it, I assured her I would take a look, but that these cows were probably fine, given it was calving season. I gave her a brief rundown in what makes cows look the way they do so she could understand why what she was seeing might be expected at this time of year. And when I drove over to take a peek, my hunch was confirmed; there was no shortage of food available to those cows and they were happily chewing cud when I got there. This lady was a very well meaning person unfamiliar with dairy farming. She was judging the appearance of these cattle against the condition of her pet dog and saw a disturbing contrast. But those familiar with dairy farming will tell you the cow’s physical structure is far different from any dog’s (let’s start with just the number of stomachs for an example) and a heifer’s body condition fluctuates with the time of year and her calving/lactating cycle. As it turns out, these cows were in fine condition; they had just been calving and that takes alot out of the system so the Moms all naturally looked a little droopy around the hip bones at that time.  There was no law broken here.

So here’s a test for you…. a couple of photos of a suffering dog. Is it a case of animal cruelty/criminal neglect?

 

 

 

 

Answer: Not. This dog had a loving owner who spent thousands of dollars in her attempt to overcome her dog’s allergies. She trusted her veterinarian to diagnose and treat this dog, but unfortunately, this particular vet was having difficulty getting a grip on the case. The stack of invoices and reports in this little guy’s vet history attested to a year’s worth of repeated trips to the vet, each time with a new proposed treatment that was supposed to stop the tormenting itch. By this time, the dog had ulcers from too many steroids, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection from too may antibiotics and he was half his normal weight. At the recommendation of her vet, his owner was about to euthanize the 2 year old West Highland Terrier when she reached out to her coworker who reached out to TASP.  We had the dog properly diagnosed and treated by another vet with more experience in helping animals with severe allergies. The dog’s Mom gratefully surrendered him to TASP because she didn’t feel equipped to deal with the care he would need going forward. He’ll always need allergy shots and carefully controlled diet and environment, but here’s a recent photo of Spencer …..he actually needs regular haircuts now!

If we pass judgement just by what we see without digging deeper to obtain more context, we can deceive  ourselves. But let’s say you did your homework. You’ve made unsuccessful attempts to clarify/rectify the situation. Perhaps, in spite of your asking your neighbor to clean up their yard, the smell of feces and/or garbage coming from the person’s back yard where their dog is tied is enough to gag a maggot; so you know Article 26 Section 353b.3.b has been violated. Or worse yet, you’ve witnessed the animal being beaten or otherwise abused (Article 26 Section 353 and/or 353a). In other words, you are convinced that you have a case of unjustifiable cruelty. Here’s what you need to do next:

First, do NOT change the condition of any of the animals on that property. Don’t groom the matted one, don’t trim the nails or make any improvements to the suffering animals. Sound cruel? Wellllll, if you change the condition of any of the suffering animals before they can be witnessed and professionally documented by a vet/officer, you’ve changed the evidence of the crime. Instead, start documenting the cruelty you suspect. In a perfect world, this would entail taking photos or video of the situation. But the important thing you need to know is, you aren’t legally allowed to step onto the property of others of whom you suspect cruelty without their inviting you to do so. This reality may be the factor that determines you aren’t able to gather images of the animal you think is suffering. If that’s the case, write down the dates and times when you witness cruelty occurring and write detailed descriptions of the incident: what kind and how many animals and how are they being abused? What evidence are you seeing? Be specific. Try to match up what you’re seeing with the actual section and subsection of Article 26 that applies. List any other witnesses present and try to be objective in your description. These notes may be reviewed by law enforcement and may eventually be considered evidence in a trial if the case gets that far.

With your evidence in hand, call 911 or visit the local police department and report the suspected cruelty. You need to file an official complaint with the local police, and you may need to insist that they take your complaint, depending on how animal-friendly the officer on duty is. After that, the case will be reviewed and an officer may visit the suspect’s home, or they may send the dog control officer (if it’s a dog that you are concerned about) to see if they see any evidence of a cruelty issue.

Don’t be surprised if the officer/DCO points out to the suspect that they are in violation of one or more sections of Article 26, and offers the suspect an opportunity to correct the situation. This is akin to an officer offering you a warning instead of a citation for speeding in your car…..and based on what the officer learns when visiting the suspect, he or she may feel it makes good sense to give the suspect a chance to get things back under control over a given period of time instead of immediately drawing them into the criminal justice system. Now, some people may say, “How can you equate suspected animal cruelty with my innocent speeding violation?” The answer is, your vehicle weighs ALOT, and when it’s going faster than recommended, the chance of your imposing cruelty on an innocent animal/human who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time is actually quite high. That’s one reason why we have speeding laws. But if an officer looks you in the eye, communicates with you, looks around your vehicle, checks your past record and feels you would change your behavior after a warning, then they’re entitled to make that judgement and give you the opportunity to self-correct. This saves valuable police and court resources for the really heinous cases that absolutely require immediate prosecution: the person who lights the stray cat on fire, the person who beats a pet to death with a shovel, the person who slashes their neighbor’s pet horse in its stall, or the person who blatantly refuses or is unable to heed the warning of an officer who has already given them official warning of their violation.

The New York State Humane Association wrote the  book on investigating animal cruelty. Literally. CLICK HERE to read their indepth procedural layout for animal cruelty investigators. This is the book by which many police departments learn how to investigate Animal Cruelty, so in becoming familiar with this manual, you can help your officers do the best job of bringing an animal abuser to justice with a case that isn’t likely to be thrown out of court.

We’re a nation of laws. They’re certainly not all perfect but they’re part of a system that attempts to provide at least a bare minimum of protection for the vulnerable. The tricky part of all this from the perspective of law enforcement is protecting the rights of animals without violating the rights of humans. As animal lovers, it’s easy for us to confuse our own standards of care for our pets with what is legally required. This is one of the root causes of misunderstandings and polarization among the community. By becoming more educated ourselves about the legal side of animal welfare, we can help law enforcement do a better job and we can also offer our law makers concrete suggestions for new bills that can update and improve laws. And that’s how we can make our community a better place for all species.

 

December 26, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Legislative Corner – What is Animal Cruelty?

Keepin’ It Together – Teaming Up To Save Harley

Each time the TASP hotline rings, and each time another email arrives at our inbox, there’s a new challenge to our creativity waiting to be met, to keep one or more animals out of trouble. Case in point: Harley, a sweet 5 year old Pit Bull and her loving family.

A man left a message in my voicemail that his dog had been vomiting, refusing to eat, and suffering with diarrhea since Wednesday. Now all of us who are blessed with good health, a vehicle that runs, and enough money to budget for vet bills would have had the tools needed to solve this dilemma in less than three days. But Harley’s challenge was a perfect storm of unfortunate coincidences. Her Dad was suffering from cancer that had put him on disability. To make matters worse, Dad’s truck had broken down and because he now had limited income, he hadn’t had enough money to get it repaired yet. Dad’s fiancé would have helped, but two weeks earlier she had broken her ankle and was still hobbling, still out of work.

In the midst of all this, the family had run out of dog food and was feeding Harley whatever they could muster from the freezer and the table: chicken and rice, beef ribs, whatever they could gather that would satisfy Harley until they could get back on their feet, get the truck back on the road and get some grocery shopping done. And then Harley’s vomiting and diarrhea began. After the first 36 hours of her illness, Harley’s family grew more concerned for her wellbeing. They knew that she would become dehydrated if she didn’t get some fluids into her system, but each time she drank some water, she’d just throw it back up.

The mountain lake where Harley and her family live is absolute heaven from June till Labor Day, inhabited by vacationers looking for a retreat from the hubbub of life; but from Labor Day till Memorial Day it’s remote and virtually uninhabited except for Harley’s family, a seventy-five year old neighbor with a car less reliable than Harley’s Dad’s truck, and an assortment of bears, squirrels, Canada geese, and other wildlife.

Harley hadn’t seen a vet in awhile, since Dad came down with his illness. Co-pays and gas to get to and from doctors appointments, CT scans, treatments and blood tests ate up what little Dad’s disability check could provide. But it wasn’t like Harley wasn’t loved or that she didn’t love her family. She lived a relatively idyllic life on the lake with them and her presence in the little house brought joy to their otherwise stressful world of medical uncertainly. She was the bright spot in their lives and they adored her.

When I found Dad’s call in my voicemail during my Friday lunch break, I called back right away. Learning the litany of misfortunes that had hit this little family over such a short period of time was kind of like listening to an old Hank Williams song. Yet Dad didn’t make excuses or demands. He only politely asked if there was anything we could do to help him get his dog looked at by a vet who would accept payments over time. He’d already called every vet he could think of, tried applying for Care Credit and other veterinary credit companies and been rejected by all. He told me how he and his fiancé had been feeding ice cubes to Harley in an effort to keep her hydrated and I could hear the worry in his voice as he described her present demeanor. Lethargic. Didn’t want to go out or do anything. No appetite. Wouldn’t even lift her head….certainly not the bubbly, bouncy Pit Bull he’d adopted from the shelter back before cancer changed this family’s world forever. In my head I was considering the possible veterinary conditions we might be dealing with: pancreatitis…….punctured or blocked GI tract………kidney failure…….or euthanasia?

You know, at the time we were on that first phone call, I didn’t have much hope. An hour’s drive west of Albany, this dog was nearly an hour and a half west of where I work.  I was still at my job and couldn’t just pick up and leave. By the time I got out of work, every vet’s office short of the Emergency Hospital would be closed…..and the cost to walk into that facility is currently $130 before work on the animal even begins. I started going down the list of TASP volunteers and where they were located at that point in time. Nobody available on such short notice on a Friday afternoon.  I had already committed to helping three homes in Troy after work on that Friday, each with its own sad, time-sensitive animal situation that needed tending. The following day I was scheduled to haul home-deserving foster dogs to Bark & Brew in Grafton. I found myself calculating in my head how much TASP might be able to spend on Harley at the Emergency Hospital on Saturday night, that is, IF she would survive that long.

Then I think an angel reached down and tapped me on the head because it suddenly occurred to me to contact Mohawk Hudson Humane Society. I personally knew how much they care about all needy animals and I knew they had a good number of volunteers in Albany County. We had nothing to lose by asking if MHHS might have a volunteer available who could drive this failing dog and her owner to a local vet to try and save her. TASP would pay the vet bill. We just needed a transporter, and soon.

I texted. I got a text back in short time. It was KC at Mohawk Humane. The text said, “Hi, Melinda, it’s KC – will try 2 find a volunteer 2 transport the dog for Mr. ……..” And this was where the music should turn from Wagner’s Requiem to Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, if you know what I mean. That little text message gave me HOPE! KC found a wonderful man named, “Todd,” who volunteered to transport Harley and her Dad to The Village Animal Clinic in Voohreesville. Danielle at the Clinic said Dr. Cheever agreed to see Harley Saturday morning in spite of their normal policy of only accepting established clients on Saturdays. Todd left for the lake Saturday morning not knowing if Harley could be saved, but he was eager to do what he could to give her and her family a chance.

Flash forward to Saturday morning. Harley and her Dad are helped into The Village Animal Clinic for the eval. The Doc’s examination indicates a case of severe gastroenteritis (possibly from the diverse collection of things Harley had been eating when her dog food ran out?). Harley is treated and sent home same day.  TASP pays the bill over the phone and Todd transports Harley and her VERY relieved and grateful Dad back to the lake. TASP then orders a couple of large bags of dog food to be delivered to Harley’s house by Chewey.com, to keep her eating a dog’s menu instead of a human’s. The update call from Dad the following day was very encouraging. Meds appeared to be working, vomiting had stopped, diarrhea clearing and Harley was starting to become more interested in life again. The joy in Dad’s voice would make anyone think this guy’s on top of the world. Some things in his life may be absolutely awful right now, but he’s not alone in this struggle. He has friends he didn’t even know a few days ago and they helped him save his dog. Life is beautiful!

I spoke with Dad this week and he’s scheduled for surgery in January. Meantime, Harley is healthy and keeping him smiling again. She’ll be receiving a TASP care package in the mail this week with some donated treats and flea preventives to help take that burden off the family’s wallet, and we’re also contributing to the repair of Dad’s truck so he and Harley have reliable transportation during this challenging winter. We’re sending our prayers for a successful surgery for Harley’s Dad and hope you all will as well. After all, he may need his dog, but she needs him, too.

 

 

A few things worth noting about this project:

  • The Mohawk Hudson Humane Society is more than just a shelter now. If you haven’t visited there lately, you should; just so you can see what a state of the art Humane Center looks like. Sheltering is only a part of what MHHS does for their community, as witnessed in this true story. They have a healthier building, better kennels, and first class veterinary equipment. But even more noteworthy, they have programs that help the community do a better job of owning pets. Educational programs for kids. Low cost spay-neuter services. A Pet Food Pantry. Training classes for pet owners and their animals……so many resources offered to help animals and people live in harmony! And speaking of people, I have to say that the people at MHHS are inspirational. With just one text message, TASP found the caring partners we needed to bring a much-loved pet out of a crisis that would have devastated her owners. We could not have brought this happy ending to this family without the help of Mohawk Hudson Humane Society’s people.
  • We got lucky when we chose The Village Animal Clinic for Harley’s emergency visit. Dr. Cheever graciously set her clinic’s policy aside to accept Harley on a Saturday; she didn’t have to do that. My recommendation to all is to find a veterinarian you can trust and afford, and then make it your mission to bring your animal(s) to that vet once each year. Having an established relationship with a veterinary clinic or hospital can get you an appointment ahead of others who do not have a relationship with that vet. It’s just like going to a doctor, eh? If you’re already a patient, you get seen this week. If not, you get an appointment in 3 months. Visiting a vet even when your pet is well isn’t a waste of money. It gets your pet a chance to be checked by a professional for signs of illnesses that could be caught early enough to fix for far less than if left alone to fester. Checking eyes, ears, oral, anal, and general palpation of skeleton and body gives you a good picture of where your pet stands health-wise and it also gives you an opportunity to learn by asking questions of professionals who have a lot of education and experience about animals. Harley’s case was an exception, and we understand there are other folks who also find it impossible to make an annual vet visit due to their own or a family member’s needs taking priority. But while you’re in good health, if you can budget even a tiny bit each month to be set aside for your pet’s preventive care, you might just save its life.
  • Dogs may be omnivores, and they may enjoy table-food as it’s going down the gullet. But the havoc it can render on a dog’s digestive system can be life-threatening and costly. Harley and her family were lucky that the cooked rib bones offered to her hadn’t broken off irregularly and blocked or perforated her intestines. To be sure, this family’s financial situation had caused them to try some creative solutions to feeding Harley that they probably wouldn’t normally have approached. At the same time, the genius they exhibited in offering ice cubes to Harley to get fluids into her dehydrated body was probably the key action that kept her alive. Dehydration is an extremely dangerous condition that can cause organ failure and even death if allowed to go on for too long. An animal can live without food for days but not without water. It’s something to bear in mind anytime your pet has an extended bout of vomiting and/or diarrhea, or any time you pass your pet’s empty water bowl.
  • If you have a decent job, and you know someone in your neighborhood who is struggling financially…..with a health situation or some other challenge that could endanger their pets, why not drop by and ask if they need anything now and then? Just say you’re paying it forward for the good things that have happened in your own life when you really needed help. It takes so little to reach out and offer a hand to those who truly need it and the reward of knowing you changed lives is something you just can’t buy anywhere. TASP does our best to help whenever and wherever we can, but we can’t be everywhere and we’re always operating on a shoestring, financially. You don’t have to work in animal welfare to offer welfare to an animal and its owner.
December 26, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Keepin’ It Together – Teaming Up To Save Harley

In Their Words……More Testimonials From Our Consumers and Friends

I just wanted to thank you so much for all you did to help us save Rocky from NYCACC and help him recover from kennel cough without infecting our other dogs. He is a dream and we would not have been able to do it without your knowledge and help! You are an amazing resource for our community! – Lisa

 

Thank you for a wonderful time and your special treatment of our little old man – Barbara

 

You guys are the BEST! Thank You. – Johanna

 

Jack Passed away on July 31st very unexpectedly…….I cannot begin to tell you how precious all of the photos we have had taken are to me now. – Sarah

 

Thank you so much I just called them she has an appointment for tomorrow at 3:15. – Amie

 

I just want to say thank you so much God bless you for helping baby and I just wanted to update you with her how she’s doing and she is now walking again thank God…….I wasn’t able to have children do to my disease and they are my children…….and they are my world I mean that – Chrissy

 

….sometimes he regresses but I’m practicing and practicing and he’s getting better and better thank you again! – Ada

 

After paying rent and utilities I struggle with the other monthly expenses. Thank you so much! – Kathleen

 

December 26, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on In Their Words……More Testimonials From Our Consumers and Friends

Full Speed Ahead for Pet Retention Assistance

Well, here we are releasing the 5th edition of our “Out of the Box” e-newsletter and I still haven’t run out of things to tell all of you! In fact, each day brings more voicemails, emails and text messages presenting TASP with more requests for help of every sort. I have to admit, 2018 has been one heck of a challenging year for our little organization, with the loss of Mitch and the exponential growth in the number of requests we’re receiving. But we’re a sturdy, stubborn bunch and we keep our noses pointed into the  wind, moving one foot ahead of the other, one project after another.

These days at the Plasse ranch, when I’m not working at my paying job or tending to TASP matters, I’m caring for a number of my own and TASP’s hospice dogs and cats. Dear old Otis, our 24-year-old hospice cat, finally passed over to the other side less than a month ago. Meantime, Guidry, the Catahoula puppy I brought home from Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina is now pushing fourteen and losing control of his back end. I thank God every morning that he’s able to get up with assistance and walk just a bit on the farm he so conscientiously patrolled all these years. And I thank God I have a job that allows me the privilege of being able to care for his needs at this stage of his life, and a husband who is kind enough to hand-feed Guidry when I’m not home and to help me rearrange our home’s entire basement level to accommodate this beloved old dog’s condition. I know there are people who love their animals as much as we do, but who aren’t as fortunate as we are. My heart goes out to these people because I know what it feels like when an animal leans its head up against me asking for help. How would I feel if I couldn’t afford to respond?

Believe it or not, I still occasionally encounter people who give that “deer in the headlights” look when I tell them what TASP does. And I can understand why some folks might not readily relate to the concept of helping animals and their owners through tough times. If you were fortunate enough to be born into a secure home and have not experienced the loss of your security up till now, it might be hard for you to wrap your head around all the changes a person is subjected to when their life is interrupted by a health issue, a divorce, the death of a spouse or loss of a job.  Those changes can be more readily comprehended and rationalized by a human, but what about their pet? A conversation I had recently with a nice lady on the phone illustrates this perfectly, I think. The tearful call came one night while I was working through the day’s voicemails and emails while simultaneously choking down a bowl of soup for my dinner.

This woman from a county about an hour and a half from my house was sobbing that she’d been sent to us by her local shelter.  She had contacted them looking for help for “Hennessey,” a female pit bull she’d rescued from a neglectful home two years ago. The dog was very weak, not eating for the past couple of days. When she originally took the dog in, she had her spayed and vaccinated by a local vet hospital and Hennessey had been healthy right up until this problem occurred. But between then and now, this lady had endured four surgeries; and what had been a financially secure home turned into a place where there was barely enough to go around even when things were all running smoothly. With Hennessey suddenly becoming ill, there was no emergency fund left to treat her at a vet. I listened as Hennessey’s Mom told me her story, and then my heart sank when she said, “And then the guy at the shelter told me, ‘People who can’t afford to care for an animal shouldn’t have one.’ You know, when I rescued Hennessey, I COULD afford a dog! I never planned on getting hurt and I never dreamed I’d be begging for someone to help me get her vetted now!”

These are the situations that deserve “out of the box” consideration. It’s an adult pit bull that is loved and that has an owner who wants to keep her. Should we send that dog into the shelter system and hope she finds another home where her owner won’t someday get sick and have trouble paying a vet bill? Or should we just help this pet owner through the current crisis and let the family resume life together, not overburdening the shelter with another pit bull? After all, Hennessey’s Mom was able to afford the day to day care of this dog and would probably even be able to afford vetting if this need hadn’t just occurred at the same time she was healing from her last surgery.

More and more of these crises are being brought to our attention now because we’ve been making happy endings for at-risk pets for over ten years….and good news is contagious. We’ve done our best to offer whatever help we can remotely over the phone and internet to these distant counties. Proof of financial need can be texted to us; payment of a vet bill can be made over the phone in most cases. We’ve mailed pet store gift cards to people needing supplies where we can’t reach them and we’ve had supplies shipped directly to needy animals from places like chewy.com. We’ve shipped first aid supplies to the cat whose rearend was ripped up by the new family dog and we’ve helped explain in layman’s terms things like abcess care, second intention healing, tapeworm, flea prevention, kidney failure and amputation to worried pet owners facing big and small decisions. We’ll keep on fielding the requests from wherever animals are at risk in the Capital region and do our best to respond with enduring solutions. If we can’t be there personally, then we’ll work with those who are there……like the man in Amsterdam who requested help for an injured cat belonging to his neighbor who speaks Ukranian fluently but has trouble with English. I have strong faith that TASP will find ways to grow support in the areas farthest from our reach through partnering with other individuals and groups, so if you know someone who might want to team up with TASP in places like Fulton, Montgomery and western Schenectady counties, please have them contact TASP through our website, or call me at 518-727-8591. After all, TASP can’t be everywhere all the time, but with so many caring animal lovers in our region, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t work together to prevent an animal’s suffering when their owner hits on hard times.

Thanks from the heart from all of us at The Animal Support Project for caring enough to open and read our messages, and for supporting our mission. We wish all of you and your families: two-legged, four-legged, furry, hairless, scaled and feathered, warm-blooded, cold-blooded, old and young, a very beautiful holiday season and a new year that fills you with joy, prosperity and gratitude. Will be back in touch in the spring with more good news for y’all.

December 26, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on Full Speed Ahead for Pet Retention Assistance

High Fives – Thanks to Our Growling List of Business Partners

High Fives…….

…..to the wonderful businesses in the Capital Region who prove they care by partnering with TASP:

Adirondack Veterinary Clinic

Animal House Dog Grooming

Animal Wellness Veterinary Services

Aquaduct Veterinary Hospital

Benson’s Pet Centers

Berkshire Humane Society

Bloomingrove Veterinary Hospital

Borador Animal Hospital

Bought Veterinary Clinic

Brunswick Agway

Brunswick Animal Hospital

Campbell Supply

Cambridge Valley Vet

Canoe Associates Insurance Agency

Catskill Animal Hospital

Cobleskill Vet Hospital

Conceptual Images

Crawmer’s Animal Training

CourierTronics

Duncan & Cahill Contractors & Engineers, Inc.

Fane Construction

Fenimore Asset Management

Fuzzybutts Grooming

General Electric

Hallam ICS

Healthy Pet Center

Higher Ground Farms

Honey Badger Farms

Hoof n’ Paw Vet Services

Hoosic Veterinary Hospital

Infinity Pet Services

In The Comfort of Home

Karen L. Marbot, Attorney at Law

Kat’s Bed n’ Biskit

LaFave, Wein and Frament, PLLC

Lifetree Pilates

Latham Animal Hospital

Lowes Home Improvement Center, Latham, NY

Lydall Corporation

Mud Hollow Farm

Oakwood Veterinary Clinic

Out of the Basement

Pet Supplies Plus

Quest Plumbing

Regeneron

Riverside Vet Hospital

Ross Valve

Schoharie Vet Hospital

Schopf Law

Stewarts

The Animal Hospital

The Village Animal Clinic

Tub 64 Pet Grooming

Uncharted Wild

Union Street Veterinary Hospital

Upstate Veterinary Specialties

VCA Brown Animal Hospital

West Mountain Animal Hospital

Whalen Tent

Wiley Brothers Hardware & Building Supply

WLR Embroidery

Please consider giving them your business in return for their commitment to TASP’s mission.

December 26, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on High Fives – Thanks to Our Growling List of Business Partners

We Make It Happen – Meet Kristina and Jason

You never know when or where TASP will pick up the next awesome volunteer. Case in point, a couple of years ago, our volunteers were presenting for adoption a small handful of dogs at the Times Union Center in Albany, at the annual Home Show. A young couple, Kristina and Jason, came along and struck up a conversation with us about the dogs, and this evolved into a conversation about their dogs, their involvement in animal welfare through Kristina’s Mom’s association with Bright Star German Shepherd Rescue, and then that evolved into a brazen effort on our part to recruit these smart, motivated, animal-loving people into the TASP family.

We get our share of empty offers at events, just like most rescues probably do. But in this case, Kristina and Jason actually followed through and sent us their TASP Volunteer and Foster applications. Not one, but TWO very capable young local folks who have worked through the joys and sacrifices of keeping their own dogs healthy and happy while working their full time jobs. And what’s more, BOTH of these volunteers are helping TASP achieve our goals in all four of the areas TASP organizes by: Finance, Logistics, Operations and Planning!

Kristina Spring, Project Coordinator for a corporate internet service provider by day, moonlights as a Customer Service Associate at one of our local big box home improvement centers by night. And by the way, in between, Kristina is taking courses at Hudson Valley Community College to achieve her dream of becoming a Physical Therapist! Amid all this, Kristina still has time to write grant proposals for TASP and has even joined our Board as Director of Development, so she can contribute to the decisions that keep TASP growing to meet the incredible demand for our services.

Jason Young, Kristina’s fiance, works as a Controls Engineer for a local engineering company and also travels around the country to provide Field Technical Support to their customers. He keeps his company’s process control, HVAC and material handling systems operating smoothly and his experience & education, his infectious sense of humor and positive, can-do attitude are SO helpful to TASP when we’re planning and executing a project!

This power-couple owns a young Bull Mastiff named, “Tucker,” and a senior Boxer mix named, “Bentley.” It’s always a cause to laugh out loud, pulling up to their house in the driveway to be greeted at the picture window by the drooling faces of those big guys and whichever TASP foster dog happens to be living there at the time. Jason and Kristina open their home to the foster dogs TASP presents them with, whether it’s a dog owned by someone undergoing hospitalization, a dog just rescued from an abandoned home, or one with medical/emotional issues accepted into our Bright Futures program from another rescue. Their patience, vigilance, insight and just plain love of animals ensure us that each foster dog will receive all the medical/emotional/training attention it needs in order to leave their home in better shape than when it arrived.

Always cheerful, always ethical and professional, always communicating new ideas and ready to pitch in on any project that comes along, Kristina and Jason have quickly earned the love and respect of the rest of our group. Our little army of pet problem solvers continues to grow and with volunteers like this, we continue to become more effective, more efficient and more respected in our community. No wonder so many agencies, humane societies, pet stores and veterinarians all over the Capital Region are referring people needing help for their animals to TASP!

December 24, 2018 By Melinda Plasse In Newsletter 5 Comments Off on We Make It Happen – Meet Kristina and Jason