Animal Legal Defense Fund Introduced a Windshield Sunshade People Can Use to Spread the Message Wherever They Park - Do Not Leave Dogs in Hot Cars

Just a few minutes in a hot vehicle can harm or kill your pet. On hot days, the temperature inside a vehicle heats up to over 160 degrees in minutes. Parked cars quickly trap the sun's heat, and "cracking the windows" doesn't do much. Pets can't cool themselves the way humans can, and this makes them especially vulnerable to heatstroke. Too often, a neglectful dog owner goes into a store "just for a minute" only to find his dog dead in the car upon his return -- and such neglect carries serious legal consequences.

In June, an eight-year-old German shepherd named Elisha died in Belmont, California after being left in a truck in a motel parking lot for seven hours. Dogs who are trapped in cars pant heavily, pawing at the glass of rolled up windows, trying desperately to avoid the heat of the sun. They may experience excessive thirst, vomiting, seizures, increased heartbeat, and elevated body temperatures of 104 degrees and higher. According to media reports, officers on the scene tried to revive the shepherd with ice and water, to no avail. Elisha's owner -- who was sleeping in the motel while the dog was in the truck with no water -- is being charged with felony animal cruelty.

When an animal dies an excruciating death from negligence, writing off the tragedy as a simple accident is insufficient -- and criminal prosecution is just. Fifteen states have specific laws against leaving animals confined in vehicles: Arizona, California, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia. Rhode Island's brand new law was signed by Governor Lincoln Chafee this summer and is one of the most comprehensive of these laws, with the strongest penalties -- up to a year in jail and up to $1000 in fines. Vermont also allows sentences of up to a year in jail, while Vermont and West Virginia allow up to $2000 in fines.

That is why this summer the Animal Legal Defense Fund introduced a windshield sunshade people can use to spread the message wherever they park. The design reminds passersby that cars can be lethal to dogs, even on mild days. The sunshades are available for purchase.

If you see a dog in a parked car on a hot day, try to locate the owner and let her know that the situation is urgent; otherwise, call 911. Even in states without specific legislation on this issue, law enforcement officers should do whatever they can to free an animal suffering in those conditions. Your action on behalf of an animal can be the difference between life and death.

Take Action
By popular demand, ALDF has created this Dogs in Hot Cars Sunshade so that you can make a strong statement about protecting animals from the dangers of hot cars where they need it most—in parking lots across America.

Order your Dogs in Hot Cars Sunshade to protect animals wherever you park. All proceeds benefit the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Help us spread the word by using the social media links below.

Download & Print

Download and print our flyer, and hang in grocery stores, cafes, laundromats, and other locations where people may leave dogs in hot cars. Many businesses will be happy to hang a flyer in their front window if you ask politely.

Learn More
Discover which state laws and city/county ordinances in your jurisdiction address leaving animals unattended in vehicles. This issue may be addressed specifically or by way of general abuse/neglect statutes (for example, from Oregon: ORS 167.325).

Help your county and your local humane agencies to make the public aware of these laws by distributing flyers, asking your local newspapers to do a story on the problem, and encouraging your Department of Motor Vehicles to educate drivers on the issue of children and animals left unattended in vehicles.

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Camp Springs, Maryland - Coolridge Animal Hospital - We Now Offer “Tiny Tails” Puppy and Kitten Wellness Plans that Combine All Veterinary Services

Puppies and kittens don’t stay little for long, so enjoy every minute and let us take care of their health needs. We now offer “Tiny Tails” puppy and kitten wellness plans that combine all veterinary services recommended during that important first year into one affordable package.

A discounted spay and neuter option is also available. It’s part of our PAL (Pet Ages and Lifestages) Plans. Call us for more information!


About
Serving PG County and the District of Columbia, providing medical care for small animals and exotic pet care.

Description
Coolridge Animal Hospital has been serving Camp Springs and the surrounding community since 1953. Our motto is, “We love pets, and it shows.”

We are dedicated to providing the highest level of quality health care. It is our utmost desire to provide friendly professional service and compassion to our patients and those who love them. Through communication and client education, we strive to strengthen the human-animal bond.

6801 Old Branch Ave
Camp Springs, Maryland 20748
Phone: (301) 449-1610
Email: coolridgeah@gmail.com
Website: http://www.coolridgeah.com

"Like" us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coolridge-Animal-Hospital/193497277370216?fref=photo

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Police Spotted a 150 Pound Giant Tortoise Strolling Down a Street in Suburban Los Angeles

Alhambra, Calif. –  At least officers didn't have to issue a speeding ticket when they spotted a giant tortoise ambling down a street suburban Los Angeles.

The Alhambra Police Department joked on its Facebook page that the 150-pound reptile was captured Saturday afternoon after a brief pursuit.

"The tortoise did try to make a run for it; but, our officers are pretty fast," the post said.

It took two officers to heft the hard-shelled creature into a patrol car. They then took the reptile to the local police station before turning it over to animal control authorities.

Giant tortoises are not indigenous to the Los Angeles area.

Police are asking anyone with a big tortoise that went missing this weekend to contact them. They aren't sure if this one escaped or was abandoned by its owner.

Police say this particular reptile has some distinctive markings. They aren't revealing them for the time being, however, to ensure that whoever claims the tortoise is its rightful owner.

Update: From Alhambra Police Department's Facebook Page:

The tortoise is actually named "Dirk." He has been reunited with his human family who actually live in Alhambra. According to 21310 of the Penal Code, it is illegal to possess a "dirk."

We enjoy keeping families together, so an exception was made in this case.

We stand corrected and have edited this post at 4:30 p.m. The tortoises' confirmed name is CLARK. Thank you Alhambra partners and FB friends! Until next time.

Meet Buck-O, the First Dog to Have Cardiac Ablation on the Ventricle On His Heart - "Like" Him on Facebook, and Follow His Journey

Bakersfield, CA - After Scott Clare's wife passed away he taught himself how to love again, but this time with a four-legged companion.

"He makes me laugh and smile every day," said Scott about his dog Buck-O. "He's just a crack-up, he's lots of fun."

He adopted the now 14-month-old dog who is named after baseball player Buck O'Neil, a direct reflection of his love for baseball.

When Scott took Buck-O to get neutered the doctors noticed something was different with the puppy. He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called tricuspid (heart) valve dysplasia and frequent ventricular arrhythmias. The irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) result in high heart rates that put Buck-O at risk for developing heart enlargement, decreased ability of the heart to contract, and possible sudden death.

"My choices were to spend a lot of money or hang on to him until he has a horrible death and I wasn't gonna do that," said Scott.

The only option was to take Buck-O to Cincinnati, Ohio where he could undergo ventricular ablation, a surgery that has never been done before at MedVet.

Scott and Buck-O made the 2,300-mile trek and made many friends along the way.

"I think they liked the story, the story of him being the first ever," said Scott, "and look at his face, he has a beautiful face."

Eight hours and more than $10,000 later, Buck-O made it through the surgery.

Buck-O is doing well so far and goes for weekly checkups to the vet to make sure his heart beat stays regular.

To read more on Buck-O's story click here: Dogs cross the U.S. for local vet

To follow Buck-O's progress you can 'Like' his Facebook page .

You can follow Buck-O's progress on his Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Heart-Buck-O/657745927628685?fref=nf, or at: Follow Buck-O

Buck-O checked into MedVet this morning at 8:00 AM. Here, he sports the latest in heart monitor fashions. This time the IV ports are in the right, hind leg.

20 Pit Bulls Allegedly Used for Dog Fighting Were Removed from a Home in Jamaica, Queens by NYPD, and the ASPCA

Jamaica, Queens - Twenty emaciated and scarred pit bulls have been rescued from a Queens home that was allegedly the site of dog fighting.

Officers of the 113th Precinct, along with the newly formed NYPD Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad and the ASPCA Investigative team, executed a warrant at a residence on 196th Street in Jamaica on Thursday.  The dogs were found inside crates and cages at the back of the home.

Methamphetamine was also found at the scene.

The dogs were taken to the ASPCA’s main office for medical care. The organization will be providing ongoing care and enrichment for the dogs.

Addison Holder, 44, and Keisha Hall, 33, were arrested at the scene and charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty, animal fighting and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

“Organized dog fighting is a brutal form of animal abuse where dogs are exploited and forced to fight as their owners profit from their torture,” said Matthew Bershaker, President and CEO of the ASPCA. “Through our partnership, the ASPCA and the NYPD are determined to protect New York City’s animals from this form of cruelty and bring their abusers to justice.”

If you are interested in adopting one of the dogs or the many other animals in need of homes, contact the ASPCA at (212) 876-7700, ext. 4120 or visit their website. http://www.aspca.org/

                                               The dogs were emaciated and scarred, according to the NYPD.

                                                   The dogs were taken to the ASPCA's main office for medical care.

                                 Holder and Hall were charged with multiple counts on animal cruelty and animal fighting.

Huff Post Pit Bulls - These Pretty Ladies Would Like To Talk To You About Pit Bulls

By Arin Greenwood, The Huffington Post

To read the article, click here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/01/pinups-for-pitbulls_n_5633761.html

Rags to Riches! Ma Kettle, a Senior Black Lab that Walked 30 Miles Home and Was Turned Away - Has Been Adopted by Wrigley Gum heiress Helen Rich Rosburg

Wichita, KS - Lady aka (Ma Kettle) has had a tough life in recent months, but a Florida heiress who loves animals is vowing to make the lab's golden years truly happy.

The grizzled black lab made national headlines when she walked 30 miles to return home to owners who had given her up and refused to take her back.

As word spread on social media, heartbroken dog fans swamped the Chautauqua County Animal Shelter telephone line as they sought to adopt the older dog.

After learning of her plight, Wrigley Gum heiress Helen Rich Rosburg flew a private jet to Kansas on Thursday to whisk the dog to her Florida sanctuary for neglected animals.

The dog tale goes back to 2012. Lady, who has also been called Ma Kettle, saw her owner die in 2012. No one wanted the dog so she wound up at the shelter in Sedan, KS.

Shelter worker Kelsey Loyd told KWCH-TV on Thursday that a family adopted Lady. She was living a good life, but was rough with the family's puppy and didn't get along well with little dogs.

So the family returned the dog to the shelter. Earlier this summer, a woman in Independence, KS, adopted Lady.

But Lady's desire to return to her previous owner was overwhelming. She escaped from her Independence home and the aged arthritic dog walked 30 miles to Sedan.

The family with the little dogs wouldn't take her back. And the Independence woman also decided she didn't want Lady back.

So back to the shelter she went with an uncertain future.

Cindy Barclay Powell posted about the dog she called Ma on Facebook, begging for someone to adopt the animal.

"The senior lab walked nearly 30 miles to come home," Powell wrote on Facebook. "Is there anyone out there who can give this girl a home? She may not have many years left. She is spayed, house broken, leash trained, mellow, having problems walking (so her travels back to Sedan amazed me)."

Powell's post was shared nearly 7,000 times across Facebook. It went viral after Examiner.com picked up the story on Wednesday.

Rosburg, the great-granddaughter of the founder of the famous gum, is a self-described animal lover. She has used a portion of her inheritance to help neglected and abandoned animals. She has built a 120-acre farm in Odessa, FL, that houses 300 animals including rabbits, pigs and goats. She even built an on-site home for a trainer to work with dogs dealing with behavioral issues. She reportedly has a staff of 15 to care for the animals, and eventually adopts out some of the animals or they are trained to be service dogs.

When Rosburg learned about Lady's plight, she stepped in. The plane was sent to Independence and a car ride was made Thursday afternoon to Sedan to pick up the tail-wagging Lady.

Rosburg has vowed to give Lady a pampered life, and she will join the cats and dogs already inside Rosburg's home.

The heiress has made headlines before for helping out dogs in need.

When a Marine was facing losing his two dogs because he couldn't fly them on commercial flights to his new base, Rosburg chartered a plane to take the dogs to him.

Lady's misfortune has also garnered a new home for a dog at the Sedan shelter. A woman who heard about Lady went to the shelter to see about adopting her. Once she got there and learned that Lady had already gotten a new forever home, the lady adopted a similar-looking lab.

              Lady (Ma Kettle) got a plane ride across the country Thursday to her new home in Odessa.

Houston Police Officer Leaves Family’s Senior Chihuahua, Mostly Blind from Cataracts Alone on Curb, Arrests Owner - Dog Gets Hit by a Car and Dies

The mayor of Houston, Texas, apologized last week to a woman whose beloved family dog died when a police officer forced her husband to leave it on the side of the road after a traffic stop. The helpless little 14-year-old chihuahua was already mostly blind from cataracts and didn’t stand a chance when the officer arrested Josie Garcia’s husband, on a charge that was quickly dropped anyway ,and refused to let him call anyone to pick up the dog.

Josie Garcia appeared at a Houston City Council meeting on July 22 to tell her story.

On July 14, she said her husband gave a friend a ride home from a family gathering when a Houston police officer pulled his truck over, saying that he made a turn without using his turn signal.

The cop then searched the car and found, according to court records, that the friend was in possession of the drug PCP. The officer then took the two men into custody. But Garcia said her husband pleaded with the officer to let someone come and pick up Guero, the lovable chihuahua who enjoyed riding in the truck and was along for the trip.

But the Houston officer refused, telling the man to leave the dog by the side of the road, but according to Garcia, the arresting cop said it wasn’t his problem, that the dog would be fine.”

What makes the story even more unbelievable is that the arrest happened close by to Houston’s Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care. But in addition to refusing to allow the man to call someone to get Guero, the officer didn’t even bother to call animal control to collect the dog.

Charges against Garcia’s husband were dropped and they put up “lost dog” posters, hoping someone had picked Gero up and they would see the dog again. Instead, they got a call from a Good Samaritan who said he saw Guero wandering up a freeway ramp near where the officer forced him to be abandoned.

The Good Samaritan said he tried to get the dog, but traffic was too heavy. Before he could reach Guero, the dog was struck and killed.

“Let me give you a public apology right now on behalf of the city of Houston,” Mayor Annise Parker said at the council meeting. “I don’t know what airhead, there’s another word in my mind but I’m not going to say it — would throw, you wouldn’t put a kid on the side of the road. You shouldn’t put someone’s pet on the side of the road.”

The report is one of many recently involving family dogs killed by police officers, seemingly for no reason.

The Houston Police Department says an investigation into what happened and why Guero was dumped on the road could take an astounding six months.