This week, you have a rare window of opportunity to hold your elected state legislators accountable to animals, and stop the sale of puppy mill dogs in Connecticut.
Rep. Brenda Kupchick has been working very hard this session to make this dream come true. And she can succeed IF enough caring Connecticut residents contact their State House Representatives between now and this Tuesday!
HB 5027 as amended by Rep. Kupchick, would prohibit CT pet shops from selling commercially bred dogs and cats and instead require that only dogs and cats who are humanely-sourced from animal control facilities and non-profit rescue organizations be sold or adopted out in pet shops.
This measure would help put an end to the suffering of dogs in puppy mills and would reduce pet overpopulation in shelters and the resulting high euthanasia rates.
How You Can Help
If you’re a resident of CT, here’s what you need to do:
Calls are best (you will always speak with an aide), but emails are fine, too. You only need to ask them to “support Rep. Kupchick’s amendment to H.B. 5027 to require the sale or adoption of humanely-sourced dogs and cats in pet shops.”
Be sure to provide your address so they know you are a constituent.
Be sure to thank them.
Please spread the word about this important, landmark legislation that would help end one of the worst forms of cruelty to animals in our country.
Amazing things have been happening at Tipton County Animal Control. Tomorrow, Sunday April 28th, is the last day of the Animal Rescue Site Challenge. If you support the changes being made at Tipton County Animal Shelter and would like to see them win a $100,000 prize and feel the support of the entire county, please go to this link and vote for “Tipton County Animal Shelter” in Brighton, TN. Thank you for your support!
It has been eight months since Anita Shea and Heather Twisdale created this PAWS and Claws Facebook page. The goal of the page was to feature professional photographs of each of the animals at Tipton County Animal Shelter and share them with a national audience to move Tipton towards a “no kill” status. In a mere eight months, this massive effort has:
Directly led to over 1,000 dogs and cats being rescued or adopted through rescue outreach, community involvement, and a strong social media presence
Forged a relationship with Spay Memphis that has helped alter local animals from low income families to decrease the numbers of pets being bred into overpopulated conditions
Created a “catch, spay, and release” program for feral cats. Previously all feral cats who came into Tipton were euthanized and now all of them are being spayed/neutered and released
Organized a dog-walking program with local volunteers to ensure that all dogs at Tipton are able to get out of their kennels at least once a day
Instated a new intake vaccine program that has dramatically decreased the incidence of communicable disease at the shelter and fatalities among puppies and kittens
Changed the mindset of a community who once believed that “there is no way to stop the euthanasia”
This dramatic change takes courage, unwavering leadership, strong collaborations, and lots of money. Please take a few moments to vote for Tipton County Animal Shelter and be a part of this incredible transformation.
After hearing about Truth and Argus, two deaf and blind dogs that PAWS recently found homes for, Jess Wrobel contacted us to tell us about her two deaf and blind dogs, Ruth and Maisie…
Deaf/Blind dogs are referred to as everything from Special Needs, to Double Merles in a nod to the genetic markers, to the less kindly Lethal Whites referring to the high rate puppies born this way are destroyed. But their lives need not be sad or pitied.
This is our story of a very full life with two amazing such dogs.
PAWS New England received an emergency call for help from a local veterinarian this week. A family came to her clinic with a 6 month old Shiba Inu, Hachi, who had been trampled by a horse and sustained a serious leg fracture. Sadly, the family could not afford to pay for surgery and said they could not nurse him through a recovery even with donated funds, so they asked the vet to euthanize him.
As Hachi looked up at her with pitiful eyes, the vet quickly realized she could not euthanize this vibrant, sweet puppy with a completely curable injury. She contacted PAWS for help and we immediately set about getting him the care he needed after the family gratefully signed Hachi over to PAWS New England.
Hachi has been transferred to our friends at Randolph Animal Hospital and is in surgery this morning to determine if his leg can be saved or if it needs to be amputated. PAWS has been bombarded with a large number of special needs cases over the last few months and we are taking a leap of faith that our fans will help us fund Hachi’s care. He has been so brave through this ordeal and licks the hands of the veterinary staff with gratitude even though he is in severe pain.
Please consider making a small donation towards his vet bill. We look forward to seeing Hachi through his recovery and eventually adopting him out to a very special PAWS family! Many thanks for your support!
Current Pets: 3 dogs: Great Dane, Aussie mix, Border Collie mix.
3 cats
How were you introduced to PAWS? My dear friend Emma who has volunteered and also adopted from PAWS. I was moved to foster (and then adopt) my senior 3 legged Aussie mix Mitsu.
What do you do as a volunteer? Foster mom
Favorite PAWS volunteer moment? I was taking Dean, my very shy lab foster to his first event and right before we entered the building, he slipped his collar. I was terrified he would bolt on a very busy street because I hadn’t had him long and he was so scared of everything. I quickly dropped to my knees and called him in a happy, excited voice and he came to me. I picked him up and carried him in. I bought a harness before we left the building. It was my proudest (and scariest) moment. I knew I was making a difference in his world and he trusted me. When a shy dog begins to trust you is the most wonderful feeling.
A tremendous thank you to PAWS volunteer Janel Smith and the rest of the planning committee for organizing this event! PAWS is so lucky to have volunteers so giving of their time and talent!
When we first saw this photo of Punky from a month ago, our hearts broke. Punky was the small puppy at Tipton who was so terrified she fell to the ground convulsing during her photo shoot… She had been found as a stray dog and would wet herself in fear every time someone approached her. The sounds of the shelter were too much for her and poor Punky would spend her days facing the wall…
When PAWS volunteer Michelle Naifeh saw Punky’s photo- she did not hesitate. Her only question was, “What time can I pick her up?” Michelle got Punky home and immediately realized that this puppy had tremendous potential. She seemed particularly comfortable with Michelle’s small children. While she was painfully shy, it was evident that this puppy desperately desired to be comfortable around people. She would follow the lead of the other dogs in the house and slowly start to approach different family members “asking” for attention.
Soon it was time for Punky to make her big trip North to PAWS Cofounder Kelly Parker’s house. Kelly was amazed when Punky arrived- she had already made so much progress with Michelle that she was ready to be adopted! Over the next few weeks, different applicants were screen who would be a good fit for Punky. She needed a home that would be patient with her while she continued to regain her confidence- but also be ready to love and appreciate her puppy ways.
When Rachel Rudy emailed about Punky, it was “love at first email.” Rachel and her beautiful family lived on nearly 200 acres of land, had two small boys desperate to adopt a dog, and the family had previously owned an under-socialized, shy dog. Rachel and her husband Nat came to meet Punky and the rest was history.
Punky is thriving in her new home! Her new Mom tells us “She loves her walks and running around the paths around the house and is playing with her toys. She now has her spot in the living room where she likes to sit – keeping an eye on the front hall and can see down the stairs. All her toys slowly make there way to the spot.” She goes on to say, “She is so loving – she doesn’t want anyone else upset. Daniel had hurt his eye yesterday and by the end of the day was tired, in pain and melting down in successive waves. Winnie was glued to somebody at all times and just wanted to lick Daniel all over. When he wanted her to stop, she just switched to licking me. Such a sweetie!”
We could not be more thrilled for precious Punky! She finally has the home she has always deserved!
This year, instead of chocolates or flowers, consider giving a special pup the chance to walk again. Elvis is a beagle who was hit by a car and suffered a fractured pelvis. We hope our supporters will read his inspiring story below. In honor of Elvis, fellow PAWS pups will be hard at work making Valentine’s Day Cards (see example to left). These cards will be mailed to PAWS supporters to help raise funds for their buddy Elvis!
You can order personalized Valentine’s Day Cards by making a $25, $50, $75, or $100 donation to PAWS New England. All donations collected during this campaign will go to the “Fix Elvis’ Pelvis!” campaign. Please place all orders by Monday, Feb 11th at 8am! 2/11Note: We are now only taking orders to send Valentines to Elvis as he doesn’t mind if the cards arrive a few days late ;)
Send cards to any dog-loving friend, family member, or your Valentine! Don’t have a Valentine? Don’t fret- send a card to Elvis! We know he would LOVE to hear from you!
Last week, PAWS was notified of a beagle at Tipton County Animal Control who was in pain and could not walk. We hesitated to take him in as vet bills from other trauma cases have been piling up. However after 48 hours, when no other rescue group came forward, PAWS stepped in. The thought of precious Elvis spending another night at a pound with no access to medical care, was too much.
Elvis was pulled from the pound yesterday and is currently being evaluated at Shelby Center Hospital for Animals in Memphis, TN. Initial xrays indicate two severe breaks on either side of his pelvis requiring $3,500 of orthopedic surgery. The vets believe he has the potential to walk again and make a near full recovery because he has retained neurologic function in both legs. Elvis was most likely hit by a car by someone who never even bothered to stop and help :( The volunteers at PAWS will ensure that humanity never lets him down like that again. We will ensure that he has outstanding medical care and receives a never ending supply of TLC.
To do this, we need your help! Please consider making a donation of any size by clicking the donate button below. There is no need to specify what the donation is for as all donations collected over the next two weeks will go directly towards Elvis’ care.
Every single person who meets Elvis comments on what a gentle, stoic, and amazing dog he is. We hope you will continue to follow Elvis’ story by following with us on facebook. Please “like” the PAWS New England Facebook page to receive frequent Elvis updates!
PAWS New England is thrilled to announce that we ended 2012 with remarkable success- not one dog was euthanized at Tipton County Animals Control in December! PAWS proudly partnered with many other rescues to accomplish this amazing feat and assisted the effort by pulling 45 dogs in just 31 days. Julie Adams rescued an additional 22 dogs, making the grand total for December 2012 67 dogs rescued!
During 2012:
508 dogs found their loving forever home through our organization (a 7% increase from 2011!)
655 lives were saved from high kill shelters (also a 7% increase from 2011!)
PAWS spayed/neutered 556 dogs. SpayUSA estimates that this has prevented 18,626,000 unwanted animals from being born over the next six years.
There are great changes taking place at Tipton County Animal Control (TCAS). A new spay program was implemented as well as a new vaccine program. Since the creation of the Paws and Claws Facebook page, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of dogs euthanized in the shelter. When PAWS first began almost seven years ago, we would never have dreamed that it was possible for an entire month to go by without a single dog being euthanized. The partnership between Paws and Claws founders Heather Twisdale and Anita Shea, the TCAS staff, and the many rescues now involved seems to be making the impossible, possible… In 2013, we believe the sky in the limit. Please “like” the PAWS and Claws Facebook page and witness this remarkable achievement.
Wishing you and your loved ones the best for 2013,
The Pups and Volunteers at PAWS New England
Amazing things have been happening at Tipton County Animal Control. Tomorrow, Sunday April 28th, is the last day of the Animal Rescue Site Challenge. If you support the changes being made at Tipton County Animal Shelter and would like to see them win a $100,000 prize and feel the support of the entire county, 
