Help for Lannie and Riley

We have a situation with Lannie and Riley and we need help (if you're not familiar with their stories, read below). The girls are not doing well at the SPCA in Orlando. Lannie has become reticent and was put into foster care to get her out of the shelter environment – but while she was there, she attacked a Chihuahua at the foster’s house (the dog is okay) so they had to bring Lannie back to the shelter. And Riley is apparently being aggressive to the shelter staff. In hindsight, it was probably not a good idea to put them into a shelter in the first place but I guess we thought they would have been adopted long ago based on their stories of survival. So, bottom line is that they both need to leave there. Christine and I spoke with the shelter director and she said we could pick them up any time. And I think they are on the verge of making the decision of whether to keep them up for adoption or not. Actually, they are not even up for adoption but are in the holding area until they get their behavioral issues solved. Is there anything you can do? I have Thor plus 4 fosters right now and there is no way I can take even one more dog. And Christine already has two of her own and isn’t even supposed to have them based on her lease. Is there anyone who could take them in either permanently or temporarily? They are only going to get worse at the shelter and if either one bites an employee, they will probably be euthanized. If you or anyone you can contact could help with this situation, please contact me asap. We need to get them out of there by this weekend.

Lannie and Riley had both been at Dead Dog Beach for at least 4 years prior to their rescues last month. They endured the horrible conditions there and escaped the constant threat of poisonings, beatings, and other horrific deaths. Lannie is missing an eye and was present when some evil teenagers took her litter of puppies and drove their ATV's over them, killing them all. They were both caught last February and taken in for spay. Riley tested positive for heartworm. But both of these girls were larger, older, battle-worn dogs and small dogs and puppies kept turning up and the beach and the smaller dogs were continually chosen over Lannie and Riley because the big girls would be much more difficult to adopt out. These girls are true survivors. They were rescued about 6 weeks ago and were sent to the Orlando SPCA in Florida where, as you read above, they are in trouble.

More dogs for adoption in Florida

Nineteen rescued dogs arrived yesterday morning, bright and early into Miami. The van arrived at the Treasure Coast Humane Society around 11:00 a.m. and the shelter staff came out to pick a peck of pups! They took 15, leaving me to have to take only 4 of them back to my house. Most of the dogs taken to the shelter came from the recent Punta Santiago TNR event organized by Keishya.

Shakira, the pretty white girl pictured below, was adopted within hours of being at my home and Giovanna and Jocelyn, are pending adoption. Genesis, the beautiful black girl with the white sock, also has someone interested in her. Hopefully all 4 of these little darlings will be in their forever homes by the end of the weekend!

The dogs were picked up by a wonderful volunteer, Kevin, who drove all the way from Orlando, and the trip was funded by Karolyn Corrigan. I can't thank either of these wonderful people enough for their invaluable help!



















































As a note, Lucia and Ellie, my two rescued Puerto Rico girls, don't really like this dog "thing" that I've been doing. They sat atop the rugs rolled in the corner and glared at the dogs - and me - for a while.

Pretty Kasey and her super cute puppies

Kasey is looking really beautiful these days. She and her pups have been staying with Susan Palou and have been doing very well, as you can see. Kasey originally had 5 puppies but unfortunately 2 didn't make it, they were just too weak and small. But the other 3, Shanty, Robbie, and Kaylee (named after Kasey's sister who was poisoned) are doing very well. The pups are weaned now and Kasey will be traveling up to Florida on Wednesday to stay with me until she gets adopted.

We lost Miss Fanny

Well sad new this holiday weekend. Fanny, the blind Chihuahua who was recently rescued from the beach, had to be euthanized yesterday. Fanny was rescued from the beach about 2 weeks ago. She went through her vet check-up and got started on her vaccinations and then went to Liz' home in San Juan to recover from mange. But shortly after she was rescued, she started having a lot of pain and was not able to eat, eventually getting too weak to even stand. Liz took her in a couple of days after the first symptoms showed and Dr. Ramos gave the bad news that it was distemper. Distemper is a viral infection that is fatal if not treated. The sad thing is that Fanny was apparently doing fine before she was rescued - it is probably the vaccinations that were given to her that actually brought the distemper into full-blown status. Fanny didn't make it very long once she was rescued but we have to all feel that she was still better off living her last few weeks in safety with a soft place to sleep, a full belly, and lots of kisses rather than the horrid conditions in which she was living at the beach. Fanny was a sweet girl and we will all miss her. Thank you Liz, the D.M., and Dr. Ramos for taking such good care of her. (The pictures below are of Fanny curled up on the doormat at Dr. Ramos' office, snuggled in a soft bed at Liz' house, and at the beach.)

Sabrina the teenage hussy

Well, Miss Sabrina turned up at my house last week with a couple other dogs and it turns out she's pregnant! You should've seen me running around like a crazy person trying to find somewhere to take her in! I don't know nuthin' 'bout birthin' no puppies!!! The Tri-County Humane Society in Boca Raton pulled through in flying colors. They have 3 maternity rooms and happened to have one available. Sabrina has a large enclosed room, complete with a television, where she can give birth and take care of her puppies. Once the puppies are weaned, Sabrina will go up for adoption and the puppies will go up once they are ready. I can't thank Donna and Tri-County enough. They are a wonderful no-kill shelter with special set-ups for special animals. For instance, they have Ricky and Chari, two 10-year-old siblings with heart conditions that were found in an abandoned car in San Juan. They are up for adoption but if they don't get adopted, they can live out their lives at the shelter. Thanks so much Tri-County!

Message about Punta Santiago Spay/Neuter Event

Dear Friends of the Animals November 21, 2007

So much has been happening since we last updated you on the Punta Santiago Spay, Neuter, Catch and Release Event of November 3, 2007. Before we share current news of the animals, we would like to introduce the people behind the scenes. These dedicated individuals made the Punta Santiago Event possible. We were able to spay, neuter and vaccinate over 50 dogs and cats, a combination of street, feral and community animals. This type of event is the first of its kind in Punta Santiago. We plan to continue with this work in the future.

First and foremost, our endless gratitude to Dr. Michael Alverio, DVM who made it all possible and to the surgical and recovery room teams of Dr. Yan F. Velez, Ian Alverio, Angelina Ruiz, Maria 'Cookie' Rodriguez, Nahiri Rivera Barreto, Giselle Caraballo, Bianca Giura, Lauren Brent, Doreen Hess, and Maria Rakhovskaya. Also, thank you to our animal welfare activist friends Yolanda Torres of Puppyland and www.redprotectoresdeanimales.org, Ginny Cornett of www.manosporpatas.org, and Mary Eldergill of Salinas for their support in the planning and ongoing efforts of the Punta Santiago Spay and Neuter Three-Level Program.

And thank you! It is only with your help and support that we are able to do such important work for the animals on this type of a scale. We want to thank you all for your generous donations to this ongoing effort.

Marie Abatiello
Brodie & Lynn Covington
Jennifer Danzy
Elizabeth Deaver
Darcy Hannibel
Cathi Hanaeur
Judith Heath
David Hoffman
Lynne Hoffman
Amy Moore
Twig Mowatt
David Salko
Meyer & Sue Salko

Santos, pictured below the day of the clinic, has already been adopted! He was neutered and fully vaccinated during the clinic. He was a fortunate street dog who had no health problems and was ready for adoption immediately. He traveled to the Orlando SPCA last week with the help of animal welfare activist Mary Eldergill, who said, “He was shampooed and looking spiffy. Santos was adopted almost immediately upon arrival to Florida!” Ginny Cornett picked up Santos at the airport in Orlando for delivery to the SPCA and said, “He is such a cutie!”

Our next happy tail is the story of Fred the Girl. Pictured below is Fred the Girl just after waking up at the clinic post surgery… We called her Fred the Girl (affectionately!). Fred was spayed and fully vaccinated the day of the clinic and then went to foster care with Mary in Salinas. Mary changed Fred’s name to Frida. She was another fortunate street sato with no health issues and is currently in Upstate New York at the Adirondacks Shelter awaiting her future forever home. Mary said she will not be waiting long! We will update you on her adoption status soon.

This week, we are preparing six others for their trips to the States for adoption. They are Flufferton, Izzie, Maja, Darla the Country Dog, Callie and Scarlett. Some will be going to the Treasure Coast Shelter and others to the Orlando SPCA just after Thanksgiving. Mary and Ginny are helping coordinate their travel and shelter arrangements. However, if you are interested in adopting one of the Punta Santiago satos, please let us know!

The long-term care cases

We have a few animals that were released back into the wild after recovering from sterilization, but one has nuzzled his way back into our lives.

Bo came from the streets, and we took him into the clinic for neuter and release. The only problem is that Bo wouldn’t leave. He has such appealing charm and potential that we feel he is one for the keeping! Bo currently is in foster care with Christy until December 17^th. He is receiving treatment for mange and ehrlichia. After the 17^th, he will be in foster care with Keishya. We hope he will be adopted sometime before the New Year! If you are interested in sponsoring Bo or, even better, in adopting him, please contact us.

Barby is a beautiful female sato from the streets. Like Bo, Barby suffers from a bad case of mange. Her condition is being treated with weekly dips, antibiotics and benadryl She is in foster care with Maria and is improving steadily. Maria will be leaving Dec 28^th, at which time Barby will go to Mary Eldergill in Salinas as she awaits her turn for adoption. If you would like to sponsor or adopt Barby, please let us know!

Meet Jack. He is in foster care with Mary receiving treatment for heartworm. When his treatment is completed, he will be up for adoption. He is a short-legged guy with a lot of get-up-and-go! If you would like to sponsor or adopt Jack, please contact us.

Stay Tuned for More News Soon!

The Four Paws at a Time efforts are ongoing as the deplorable conditions for the animals here in Puerto Rico require constant action. Thank you for your ongoing support of our efforts with this work. We appreciate knowing that you are with us in this international movement for animal welfare in Puerto Rico.

For the animals!

Keishya Salko and Christy Hoffman
Four Paws at a Time
A member organization of RED Protectores de Animales
www.redprotectoresdeanimales.org

Article in Daily Utah Chronicle (University of Utah)

Animal abuse still needs attention

By: Anastasia Niedrich

Bodies were hurled from bridges as high as five stories and crushed upon impact as they fell on top of other rotting bodies in mass graves. Live beings were tied up in sacks and drowned, burned, driven over or beaten to death. Some were told their sick loved ones would receive euthanasia and die peacefully. In actuality, some died slow, torturous deaths, buried alive.

With what I've described thus far, you're probably thinking that I must be referring to the Holocaust of the WWII era. Unfortunately, I'm not.

I'm referring to a more recent event -- the Puerto Rican pet holocaust.

I don't believe I've ever been as appalled as I was when I read descriptions of what some animals in Puerto Rico were put through before they painfully met their ends. I honestly became physically ill just reading and thinking about it. I became even sicker when I imagined that any of those pets could have been my own.

As horrific as these slaughters are, they're regrettably the rule rather than the exception in Puerto Rico, a U.S. Commonwealth -- a pseudo-state with some of the same rights but fewer rights overall. Puerto Rico is not renowned for its care or kindness for animals. Exemplifying this are Puerto Rico's legal cockfights, its lack of comprehensive spay/neuter programs and what is known as "Dead Dog Beach," where local teens usually torture and kill animals for "fun" before dumping their carcasses there.

Some claim that Animal Control Solutions, a taxpayer-financed government contractor that Puerto Rico hired to handle the disposal of sick and dead pets, is the entity to blame for this holocaust, as it has purportedly brutally killed as many as 1,000 pets daily and "discarded their corpses wherever it was convenient" via methods I previously described, according to The Associated Press. Animal Control Solutions is now under investigation and is being sued for $22.5 million dollars.

Although tragic, reprehensible, abhorrent, horrendous and grand in scale, animal atrocities of this magnitude are rare. What are all too common, though, are animal abuse, neglect, torture and suffering that surround us every day -- yes, even here in the good ol' USA, including the Beehive State. In fact, the Animal Legal Defense Fund recently named Utah as the nation's worst state for protecting animals from events similar to the Puerto Rican pet holocaust.

Although some members of the Utah Legislature and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. courageously tried to right this wrong with the attempted passage of the bill known as Henry's law (which would have made animal torture punishable as a felony under some circumstances), the bill failed to become law last session and special session. Utah is one of only seven states that does not allow felony punishment of animal abusers.

Puerto Rico is not a U.S. state and is therefore subject to different laws than a state like Utah is. But even in Puerto Rico, animal abuse is punishable as a felony under their animal cruelty law 439. I find it ridiculous that a U.S. state essentially condones animal abuse by not punishing it as a felony while Puerto Rico, one of the animal abuse and torture centers of the world, does. Situations like this make me wish the government believed in the eye for an eye principle as a supplementing force along with felony protections and legislation. If animal abusers want to drive over puppies until they're dead, they should be prepared to be driven over themselves.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Right now, our furry friends are being done a grave injustice in Utah as well as Puerto Rico. I can only hope that those who perpetrated these egregious, inhumane and immoral acts against pets in Puerto Rico are brought to justice by Puerto Rico's courts and legal system -- while those who would seek to do the same in Utah are held accountable as well.

Events like this happen everywhere, every day. Such events serve as examples of some of the many reasons that Utah should provide for felony prosecution and punishment for people who choose to harm Utah's most vulnerable residents -- pets. The next time Henry's law comes up for passage, I hope we all have a more supportive perspective.

Article on Barceloneta petition of Nadia Donato

Care2 Member Mobilizes Thousands to Protect Animal Rights

It was Friday, October 12, 2007 when animal control workers seized dozens of pets from housing projects in the town of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. They told pet owners their dogs and cats were to be taken to a shelter. But instead, they hurled them from a bridge to their deaths. Upon reading the news about the horrific pet massacre, Nadia Donato decided to create an online petition.

"We are lucky to have a venue like Care2 where we can raise awareness, discuss and plan action steps to fight animal cruelty cases." -- Nadia Donato.

Nadia, a Care2 member from New York, told us this was the most horrific story she had come across in a long time. “The taking of over 80 innocent pets’ lives in such a barbaric manner and the violation of civil rights against the poor-- breaking into their homes as if it were a drug raid; and, especially that this atrocity was government sanctioned makes this case beyond outrageous!”

“I thought of how those poor innocent pets felt when they were viciously taken away from their families, rounded up and tossed over a bridge. How scared they must’ve felt as they fell to their deaths. Thinking about it still drives me to tears. I can’t begin to imagine how their human companions felt. How traumatic it must have been for them, especially the children,” she added.

Nadia was so outraged by the events occurred in Puerto Rico that not only did she create the petition, but began to promote it by reaching out to her Care2 friends and posting the petition in different Care2 groups and other websites. Then she contacted local animal advocacy groups in Puerto Rico and worked her way to the major organizations.

Her petition had a signature goal of 1,000, but to her surprise it reached 6,000 signatures in less than a week. The petition generated so much attention that the Associated Press (AP) took notice and a reporter contacted Nadia for an interview. After the AP story was published, more news media picked up on it and covered the petition. Most of them included the link to the petition, which lead to more signatures.

On Sunday October 21, hundreds joined a march in San Juan to protest the pet massacre and, according to media reports, Puerto Rican authorities have started an investigation into the mass killing of dogs and cats. So far, more than 16,000 people have signed Nadia’s petition.

Watch Nadia's petition on ABC News »

But this is not enough. Not yet. Nadia is inviting more people to sign the petition because a crime of such barbarity should not go unpunished. “We need to make sure that our outrage is heard from around the world. The government officials of Puerto Rico should know that we are watching this closely and not to take this case lightly. Everyone involved should be brought to justice. Laws against animal cruelty should be enforced; new legislation should be enacted for the welfare of all animals on the island to ensure that this does not happen again."

Nadia’s initiative is an inspiration and speaks to the power of citizens taking action. That is why Nadia has a message for those who think online petitions do not work: "I’m only glad to prove them wrong and add my petition to the list of many that have made a difference. Regardless of what the outcome of Puerto Rico’s pet massacre case may be, the petition started a movement for animal rights and welfare on the island, which has long been overdue."

It was in the Care2 community that Nadia found out about the pet massacre in Puerto Rico and was able to get support for her petition: "We are lucky to have a venue like Care2 where we can raise awareness, discuss and plan action steps to fight animal cruelty cases such as this. I thank Care2 for giving me the opportunity to meet such wonderful and compassionate people whom I’m honored to call friends.”

Thank you Nadia for your passion for animal welfare, thanks to those Care2 members who signed the petition and to all Care2 members for making a difference.

Sincerely,

The Care2 Petition Site Team.

Take Action:
Support Nadia's efforts by signing her petition and tell your friends and family to do the same »

Media coverage of Nadia’s petition:
- ABC News
- International Herald Tribune

Safe and sound in Florida

Ishtar, Sabrina and Kurt all arrived Thursday evening along with one of our frequent fliers, Anita, who is kind enough to let us check a few kennels on with her when she travels. All are doing great. Ishtar (who has been renamed "Isabella") and Sabrina are at my house waiting for their perfect forever home. Kurt is being fostered at a friend's home and is doing just terrific with her other two dogs.

Brad and puppies safe at the vet

Brad and three new puppies Diana, Isis, and Venus were taken to Dr. Alverio last Thursday. Everyone is doing well except that Brad unfortunately has heartworms. These four are being sponsored by Katie at Island Dog. You can visit her website to donate for Brad's heartworm care.

Fanny in foster care

Little Miss Fanny is doing very well in foster care with Liz. She's taken a snap or two at Liz' cats but we all know it's due to her nearly total blindness. Fanny will stay with Liz for a week or two while she's healing her skin condition. Anyone interested in adopting a 2-3 year old nearly blind Chihuahua, please contact us.

We all said Barceloneta was no "isolated incident"

Workers: Companies Brutally Killed Pets

By YAISHA VARGAS and ANDREW O. SELSKY, AP

Posted: 2007-11-14 14:19:05

TRUJILLO ALTO, Puerto Rico (AP) - Back roads, gorges and garbage dumps on this tropical island are littered with the decaying carcasses of dogs and cats. An Associated Press investigation reveals why: possibly thousands of unwanted animals have been tossed off bridges, buried alive and otherwise inhumanely disposed of by taxpayer-financed animal control programs.

Witnesses who spoke with the AP said that, despite pledges to deliver adoptable strays to shelters and humanely euthanize the rest, the island's leading private animal control companies generally did neither.

News that live animals had been thrown to their deaths from a bridge reached the public last month when Animal Control Solutions, a government contractor, was accused of inhumanely killing some 80 dogs and cats seized from three housing projects in the town of Barceloneta. A half dozen survived the fall of at least 50 feet.

The AP probe, which included visits to two sites where animals were slaughtered, found the inhumane killings were far more extensive than that one incident. The AP saw and was told about a scale and brutality far beyond even what animal welfare activists suspected, stretching over the last eight years.

A $22.5 million lawsuit against Animal Control Solutions and city officials - including those who helped round up the animals - was filed on behalf of 16 Barceloneta families whose dogs or cats were seized under rules prohibiting pets at the city projects. The animals' deaths show "a cold and depraved heart and has stirred public outrage around the whole world," the lawsuit says.

Julio Diaz, owner of Animal Control Solutions and a co-founder of another company, Pet Delivery, declined AP requests for an interview but told reporters there is no proof his company was responsible for the Barceloneta pet massacre. "We have never thrown animals off any place," he said.

A police investigation into the Barceloneta killings has not led to charges, but police Sgt. Wilbert Miranda, who heads the probe, said the information gathered so far indicates Animal Control Solutions was responsible. He declined to give details.

Maria Kortright, a lawyer involved in the suit, said it's clear the pets Animal Control Solutions removed from Barceloneta were the same ones hurled off the bridge because the survivors have been identified by their owners.

"Last Tuesday, I saw one of the survivors back at its home," Kortright said.

Animal welfare activists have complained to government agencies for years about allegations of improper disposal of animals, but say officials didn't act. Preventive action also is almost nonexistent: Puerto Rico has at least 100,000 stray dogs and cats - and no island-wide spaying or neutering programs.

Activist Alfredo Figueroa said the animal disposal companies acted with impunity because government agencies ignored allegations of cruelty, rather than investigate the companies or address the overpopulation of strays.

"There is apathy," Figueroa said. "No one wants to take responsibility."

A former employee of one of Diaz's companies told the AP that the firms rounded up thousands of animals over the years, brutally killed many of them and discarded the corpses wherever it was convenient. One of the former employees led the AP to two different killing fields and he and another former employee described a third.

"Not a single animal was turned over to a shelter," a former dogcatcher for Animal Control Solutions told the AP. Both he and an ex-employee of Pet Delivery, who was interviewed separately, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Both said they left the animal disposal jobs voluntarily.

The AP contacted all eight animal shelters and sanctuaries across Puerto Rico, and they confirmed that none had received animals for potential adoption from Diaz's companies.

Diaz co-founded Pet Delivery in 1999 and created Animal Control Solutions in 2002. Pet Delivery appears to be defunct, having reported no earnings since 2004. Facing little competition, the companies had 85 contracts with municipalities and other clients worth $1.1 million in the past eight years, according to the Puerto Rican comptroller's office.

The AP could find no sign that any of the municipalities checked to make sure the companies dealt with the strays humanely.

"It wasn't our responsibility," said Edwin Arroyo, special assistant to the mayor of Barceloneta, which paid Animal Control Solutions up to $20,000 per year and in October hired the company to remove banned pets from housing projects - allegedly the ones that wound up at the bottom of the bridge.

The pet disposal scandal adds to Puerto Rico's poor reputation for treatment of animals. Cockfighting is legal, with matches shown on television. One of the island's beaches is known as Dead Dog Beach - a place where teenagers drive over live puppies sealed in bags or cruelly kill them with machetes and arrows, according to animal welfare groups that photographed the atrocities.

Figueroa says he met Diaz in 1999 and introduced him to city officials in Fajardo. The city then awarded Pet Delivery a contract to remove strays. But Figueroa said he later learned that Diaz's company also was removing pets with collars and ID tags, and dumping their bodies in a field.

"Crying children, old people, a sick woman were all calling us, thinking we were involved," Figueroa said.

A former Animal Control Solutions employee told the AP that he witnessed another worker in 2005 dragging 12 to 15 small dogs out of a van along a road outside San Juan. Normally, workers injected animals with a euthanasia drug but on this day there was none. The animals were instead given an overdose of a sedative and flung 50 feet into a trash-filled gully. Some of the dogs were alive as they crashed on top of junked beds, bottles and other garbage.

"I could hear some of the dogs whimpering as they hit the tree branches and then the ground," the former employee said as he stood with AP journalists in the muck at the site, which still holds the stench of death.

Not all the dogs died, however. A dog that was not a stray, but a sickly pet whose owner wanted it euthanized, managed to limp home. The angry owner telephoned the company and demanded it retrieve the dog and do the job right, the former employee recalled.

The former employee also showed AP reporters a highway rest stop near a gorge outside the town of Cayey where, he said, workers would inject dogs. At the edge of the gorge lay the skeletal remains of more than a dozen dogs amid matted fur and two dog collars with no tags.

Asked if the number of dogs and cats killed by Animal Control Solutions was in the hundreds, the former employee shook his head.

"It is in the thousands," he said. "On a good month, we would pick up 900."

One dog, stuffed in a sack, was found recently at the Cayey site among other bagged carcasses. It apparently survived the fall and managed to poke its head out of the bag before dying, said Carmen Cintron, who runs an animal shelter.

"I am having nightmares when I think about what that poor dog went through before it died," Cintron said.

Until 2003, Pet Delivery ran a shelter where workers injected strays, often not knowing what the drugs were or their proper doses, the former employee of that company told the AP.

Some animals were adopted from the shelter, but others - including puppies and kittens - were euthanized, the ex-employee said. Euthanizing animals that cannot be adopted is standard practice in pet shelters, but the former employee said animals at Pet Delivery's shelter were inhumanely killed.

"Any available employee at that moment would use the drug that was available and they were thrown half dead into a hole, and that's why there were some live dogs among them," he said. "What he (Diaz) had us do was to throw dirt on top of the live dogs along with the dead ones, so they all would die."

Associated Press writers Danica Coto and Kaila Diaz contributed to this story.

More animal murder in Puerto Rico

In continuing with the CULTURE OF CRUELTY in Puerto Rico, the update on the story below is that the dog's body was found dead yesterday in the abandoned vehicle along a busy road in Carolina.

THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: November 11th, 2007 01:00 AM

A prized chocolate Labrador retriever who was supposed to participate in the San Juan International Dog Expo went missing early Saturday when thieves stole a car with the dog in it.

Named Al Pacino, the show dog belongs to a Brazilian man who left his rented car running outside a hotel in San Juan, expo spokeswoman Marisela Diaz said.

“The owner cannot even talk. The dog is like his baby,” she said. “This makes us look really bad because it’s the first time the international competition comes to Puerto Rico.”

Al Pacino is considered one of the top show dogs from Brazil, according to the American Kennel Club. Diaz declined to say how much he is worth.

The Associated Press

Article in Best Friends Network

Puerto Rico Animals Awaiting Justice: Investigations, Mounting Lawsuits & Candle Light Vigil

November 9, 2007 : 5:27 PM

Investigation is moving slow, though animal welfare is now a hot topic.

By Jennifer Hayes, Best Friends Network

It has now been over three weeks since a contractor hired by the government of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico is accused of seizing pets from residents of three low-incoming housing developments and hurling them off the side of a 50-foot bridge. This case has garnered worldwide attention to the severe stray animal issue on the island. Although the case is still being investigated, thus far no charges have been filed.

To assist in the investigation, the ASPCA has offered to donate the services of Dr. Melinda Merck, a forensic veterinarian, at no charge. Any additional costs for pathology, toxicology, transport of the bodies, and temporary licenses were to be paid for by local animal rescue organizations. The Puerto Rican government would have been responsible for the exhumation of the bodies and to maintain the chain of custody; however, despite multiple meetings throughout the week, a delay in obtaining the necessary permit to unearth the bodies caused a postponement of the necropsies. Dr. Merck will not be able to travel to Puerto Rico until after Thanksgiving and there is fear of further deterioration of the evidence. Says Leisha Swayne Cruelty Investigations Consultant for the RED de Protectores de Animales (The Animal Protectors Network), “You can’t imagine how anxious I was all week. It was very disappointing.”

Despite no criminal charges yet, a civil lawsuit was filed by some of the Puerto Rican pet guardians for $22.5 million. The claim is being made by 45 of the residents, who are requesting $500,000 each. Alma Febus, volunteer Investigator for Animal Cruelty, has voiced concerns and says “People are taking advantage of this crisis to make money or for politics.” She states that multiple lawyers are violating “ambulance chaser” laws and are attempting to exploit the residents. On the flip side, she believes residents that did not have any pets seized are now claiming that animals were taken from them, so they may join in the lawsuit. Her main fear is that politicians are utilizing this event to further their own party aspirations. “Animals shouldn’t be a political matter” says Febus, when discussing a protest march that was cancelled because of becoming overly politicized.


The The Pegasus Foundation, an organization that strives to improve the lives of animals and prevent their suffering in the United States and worldwide, has taken a lead in utilizing this catastrophe to bring animal welfare issues to the forefront. Anne Ostberg, Senior Program Officer says, “I think this already has been a catalyst for change.” While prior discussions with governmental officials in Puerto Rico have highlighted local animal welfare groups and their issues and challenges, since this event, she believes face-to-face meetings can be used to “direct organizations and the government to available resources.” She hopes the government’s new concern about animal issues will lead to long-term changes.

Animal welfare organizations, such as Manos por Patas continue to help. In addition to education on animal care and spay/neuter, they also transport dogs to the United States. President, Ginny Cornett, recently flew to Puerto Rico to help airlift dogs for transport to the SPCA of Central Florida. With help, about 34 dogs are now available for adoption that previously had little hope for a happy life. Working as a volunteer from the United States, she sometimes feels like an outsider. “It’s a balance. You need to be respectful of other cultural traditions, but also offer suggestions.” She knows there is a need to be proactive and is pleased at a recent low cost spay/neuter clinic at Yabucoa. Each small step is progress toward the day when there will no longer be a need to transport animals to the mainland United States for homes. Cornett states “There’s a momentum now and we’re trying really had not to lose it.”

For more information:
• Tragedy in Puerto Rico Spurs Action for Animals
• The Pegasus Foundation: Caribbean Animal Welfare
• The Pegasus Foundation: Caribbean Animal Tourism Support (CATS)
• Manos por Patas
• Puerto Rico Forum for Animal Rights Yahoo Group

How you can help:
• If you are in Puerto Rico, please participate in a candle light vigil in memory of the Barcelonetas pets. The event is sponsored by the Department of Animal Service, Bambie Rottweiler Service, and Kinta Residence and is to be held on Saturday, November 10 at 6:00 p.m. at Barcelonetas Plaza. For additional information, or if you are interested in attending, you may contact Alma at 787-816-7688 or e-mail nikkovonrottie@aol.com.
• Keep in mind that Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Please make your voice heard to Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá let him know that events such as this are not acceptable and encourage change on behalf of animals on a governmental level.
Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá
La Fortaleza
P.O. Box 9020082
San Juan, PR 00902
Phone: 787-721-7000
Fax: 787-724-6942
Contact the Governor through his website
• With over 15,000 signatures, the Puerto Rico Pet Massacre Petition has already far exceeded its original goal, but additional support is still needed. Please sign the petition to the Governor Aníbal Acevedo-Vilá to demand justice for those animals killed and action on behalf of the many stray and abandoned animals.
• You may boycott traveling to Puerto Rico until something is done to protect the animals and let the government tourism agency know of your intention.
Terestella Gonzalez Denton
Executive Director
Compañía de Turismo de Puerto Rico
PO Box 4435
San Juan, PR 00902-4435
Phone: 787-721-2400
Fax: 787-722-6238
• Support Puerto Rican animal welfare organizations (scroll down to Puerto Rico) and help them continue their life saving work. You do not need to be in Puerto Rico to help. In addition to making monetary donations, you can volunteer remotely for many of these agencies.
• If you are interested in helping long term, consider attending the 2008 Caribbean Animal Welfare Conference will be held April 21-24, 2008 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Photo credit: All photos are from the second protest march in Puerto Rico, provided and reprinted with permission by Leisha Swayne.

http://network.bestfriends.org/utah/news/20433.html

Update on recent rescues

-All of the dogs that were sent to the Orlando SPCA (including Bart, Brittany, Nicky, Marina, Charlie, and Pelusa) have been adopted!!!
-Lannie, who is at the Orlando SPCA, had an operation on her eye last week and it is healing well. She will never regain sight in that eye but they did the surgery to clean up the wound so she won't continue to get infections.
-Riley is still at the Orlando SPCA undergoing heartworm treatment and is doing very well.
-The kitten Belly (who I renamed "Ellie") is doing very well at my house with her new sister and 2 big brothers. She's pictured below catnapping (I call it "recharging"), and with her sister, Lucia, who is a Dead Dog Beach rescue.
-Kasey and her puppies are doing well in foster care. Unfortunately, Tiny, the runt of the litter, didn't make it but the other 4 are doing great. And Kasey, who has never been around humans, has started wagging her tail and coming to her foster mom for pets!
-Ishtar, Dane, Kurt, and Sabrina are in foster care and will be coming to Florida on Thursday. Sabrina will be put up for adoption at the Treasure Coast Humane Society and the other 3 will stay with me for about a week just to make sure they are all healthy and to evaluate their personalities.
-Joe, Fanny, and Shakira are still at the vet but will be going to foster care on Tuesday and will be sent to the states within a couple of weeks.
-Thor is still at my house waiting to be adopted. He had the pins removed from his leg 2 weeks ago so he's ready to go!

Arrivals in Orlando

Nine dogs plus a kitten arrived safely in Miami yesterday morning and were transported to the Orlando SPCA. All of the dogs are up for adoption!

3 more dogs off the beach

These 3, Joe, Shakira and Fanny, were taken from the beach on Tuesday!

New article in Orlando Sentinel

Central Florida groups help find new homes for Puerto Rico stray dogs

Jeannette Rivera-lyles | Sentinel Staff Writer

October 19, 2007

News that more than 50 cats and dogs were thrown to their deaths from a bridge in Puerto Rico last week circled the globe and horrified many. Christine Driscoll's reaction was no different. She felt sick to her stomach, angry, frustrated and helpless.

But not surprised.

When Driscoll moved to Puerto Rico 13 years ago, she planned to teach English at a private school. But she was overwhelmed by the thousands of stray cats and dogs on the island and by the authorities' failure to enforce animal-cruelty laws. In response, Driscoll, now a resident of Baldwin Park in Orlando, founded Amigos de los Animales (Friends of the Animals).

The organization, which she runs from her home office, rescues and rehabilitates stray cats and dogs in Puerto Rico and finds them homes in Florida and other states.

On Thursday, Driscoll joined forces with the SPCA of Central Florida to find homes for dogs through its shelters. Initially, an official with the agency said, it will take 30 to 50 dogs from the island.

"In the future we might be able to take more," said Jake White, senior vice president of the SPCA of Central Florida.

Driscoll has adopted two dogs of her own from the island -- Paloma and Ally -- and recently placed a dog with an Orlando couple.

Initiatives such as this one are the only chance many of the island's strays have, she said.

"There are just a handful of shelters in Puerto Rico and they are overwhelmed," said Driscoll, 40. "So we don't have another choice. It's either adoption here or euthanasia."

The U.S. commonwealth is at the center of an international controversy over how it deals with an estimated 300,000 stray cats and dogs as well as animal-cruelty incidents. The issue was brought to the fore last week when a private animal-control company seized dozens of cats and dogs from a public housing project and hurled them off a bridge. "Pet Massacre in Puerto Rico," read the headlines from Australia to Latin America.

Animal-rescue groups across the country as well as those on the island quickly denounced the killings, while pointing out that it was not an isolated incident. Animal abuse, they say, is rampant in Puerto Rico, and one animal-rights group is calling for a tourism boycott.

"We don't want to bring anybody down," said Ginny Cornett, founder of Hands for Paws, the Palm Beach-based group calling for the boycott. "But if this is what it will take for the Puerto Rican government to pay attention to the problem, so be it."

The negative publicity has caught the attention of some government officials. On Tuesday, Puerto Rico tourism secretary Terestella Gonzalez-Denton called for a meeting with Driscoll and representatives from animal-protection groups to discuss possible solutions.

Hands for Paws and Amigos work together, rescuing dogs from an isolated beach in Yabucoa, a coastal town in eastern Puerto Rico that is a frequent dumping ground for unwanted pets. Among the locals, the stretch of sand is known as "dead dog beach" because the strays are frequently tortured, mutilated, beaten to death and even shot, Driscoll said.

Dr. Rafael Ramos, a veterinarian who treats many of Amigos' rescued animals in his San Juan office, says he frequently sees gruesome cases of abuse.

"There's a sector of our society that has lost respect for life," Ramos said. "Animals are not seen as living beings. Strays are seen as pests."

Most of the dogs that Amigos rescues are flown to U.S. shelters once they are nursed back to health, sterilized and vaccinated. Last year, the organization brought more than 800 dogs to the mainland. Many went to the Humane Society of Broward County in South Florida.

"We get a lot of puppies from Puerto Rico, and those are adopted quickly," said Cherie Wachter, a spokeswoman for that organization. "And that fills a need because if people don't find what they want in a shelter, they'll go to a pet store."

Wachter said her shelter takes puppies only when they have available space and said no animals are euthanized there. The SPCA of Central Florida has a similar policy. Amigos' animals also go to shelters in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Driscoll is hopeful that things will take a turn for the better on the island.

"We finally have the attention of people that ignored us for the longest time," Driscoll said. "Something good has to come out of this."


Jeannette Rivera-Lyles can be reached at jrivera@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5471.

Results from Punta Santiago spay/neuter event

News from Keishya is that they sterilized and vaccinated over 49 animals. About half of those were rescues or street dogs from the barrio; the others were from residents in the barrio. Operations ran as smoothly as could have been dreamed of and 2 vets, 2 vet techs, and 6 other volunteers were involved.

Report from ABC News

This is a video report from ABC News on the Barceloneta incident.

Rico needs some Rehab

Rico is a special boy. He was adopted by American tourists vacationing in Puerto Rico last February - they couldn't stand the stray animal situation there and took a dog home with them - Rico. Things were going well for a long time but apparently Rico has been having behavior problems lately. He is not aggressive with humans at all, actually rather loving. He has been submissive with other dogs that he has come across. It is seeing a cat outside that puts him into a frenzy. It is then that the screens have been torn and the baseboards chewed up . He has a large fenced back yard and another dog to play with but something just isn't fitting for him. His parents have tried everything and don't have the stamina to continue. Rico is not a bad dog, he just needs some understanding and training. His parents will pay his way to get to a good, loving home. He is fully vetted, about 2 years old, neutered, heartworm negative, and very deserving of a forever home. He is living in Maine right now but contact me and I will get your information to his parents.

Crabby blind Chihuahua needs a sponsor

Fanny has been at the beach for about 2 months now. She is almost completely blind and that makes her a bit on the snippy side. Sandra is working on socializing her enough so that she can pick her up. Once Fanny is in a safe environment, she will most likely get less grumpy.

Two new dogs need sponsors

Charlie and Shakira are sweethearts and need sponsors to be rescued.

Four more off the beach

We found sponsors for four more sweeties at the beach. Kurt, Sabrina, Ishtar, and Dane are all safe at Dr. Alverio's and will be sent to the states in 3 weeks.

Spay/Neuter event announcement

Keishya Salko from 4 Paws At A Time is sponsoring a catch and release of street and feral animals along with a low cost/no cost spay and neuter and vaccination event in the Barrio of Punta Santiago this weekend. She is asking for donations to help defray costs of the services. Donations are being taken through Hands for Paws since we are non-profit. If you would like to volunteer to help with the event, please email Keishya at tshg@coqui.net. Please read the announcement below:

Dear Friends, 4 Paws at a Time is holding a catch and release spay/neuter event for street and feral animals along with vaccinations in the area of Punta Santiago. This event will be the first of its kind and as such we hope it will become a working model for future events in Punta Santiago and throughout the entire island of Puerto Rico. Three Focal Points for Punta Santiago Event:

LEVEL ONE- To catch as many of the feral animals in the nearby beach and woodlands as possible for Spay and Neuter. Vaccinate the same against the threat of rabies (carrying and spreading rabies.). In addition, to catch as many of the street animals in the barrio as possible for Spay/Neuter and vaccinations.

LEVEL TWO- To evaluate for foster and adoption services the animals caught and to provide foster situations as they await adoption. To release back out the animals that are not candidates for foster or adoption once stabilized post-sterilization.

LEVEL THREE- To offer low or no cost subsidized sterilization and vaccination services to the animals belonging to residents of Punta Santiago whom are living at low/below low income level and cannot afford veterinary services normally. Additionally animal care education and animal rights support will be provided to the residents of the barrio.

If you are interested in volunteering for this event or in adopting an animal from this event please let us know. Thank you for any contribution you are able to give.

4 Four Paws At A Time

Keishya Salko

4 Four Paws At A Time is a not for profit effort under the direction of Keishya Salko since its inception in 1998. The focus of 4 Four Paws At A Time has historically been to assist street dogs (‘throwaways’) and feral island dogs by rescue, veterinary attention, foster and eventual adoption placement services. 4 Four Paws At A Time w