When Simba was found by SOS Galgos volunteers in Toledo, Spain, earlier this month she was hiding between trees and had an olive branch embedded in her mouth, keeping her jaw from closing properly. This cruel trick is an all too common punishment used by hunters for Greyhounds that are not performing properly. Hunters that were near, denied any association to Simba thus avoiding any possible altercation. A “useless” Greyhound was not worth the fight, and the volunteers managed to quietly walk…

Here's a book I look forward to checking out at the library soon: The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide. Already a best-seller in France, this reviewer says of The Guest Cat, "The best novels are ones that...over time, they stay with us — like small miracles." Between this review and the book's title - it's made it's way to my "2014 Must Read" list. http://www.npr.org/2014/01/21/261073342/here-kitty-kitty-even-dog-lovers-should-read-the-guest-cat

How often have you scrolled through the posts on your Facebook page and found an entry about animal suffering? I see these types of posts frequently because of my extensive network of animal friends – linked together by Facebook. My initial response is still to skip over these posts, yet I force myself to stop – once again to be confronted by another despicable display of animal mistreatment. A story that screams, “You owe it to the animals to pay attention!” Even glimpses of the often-gruesome…

By Lori Kalef The recent cold snap brought in record breaking below average temperatures prompting many severe cold weather warnings across the country. The extreme weather brought on many flight cancelations, school closures and forced businesses to close down. Many scrambled to find heat and comfort from the outside, while others suffered frostbite, hypothermia and even fatality. Sadly, many companion and wild animals suffered the same exposure and were found frozen to death or with…

Recently, we had the privilege of speaking to an incredibly inspiring woman who runs a shelter for victims of domestic violence in Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Maya Gupta. The shelter is called, Ahimsa House, meaning non-violence in Sanskrit and was founded in 2004 by Emilie Christie, a woman who fell victim to domestic violence and suffered more pain due to the abuse, and sadly the death, of her beloved pet. Emily’s vision of building the Ahimsa House became a reality because she saw a great need for…

You may remember PAWS (Philippine Animal Welfare Society) as one of the organizations SPCA International has worked with on several occasions for disaster relief. Did you know that PAWS was also the first animal welfare organization to successfully lobby for an anti-cruelty law in the Philippines? The Animal Welfare Act of 1998 was passed into law to protect animals regulate humane treatment. After this huge victory 14 years ago, they are once again at the forefront of lobbying for amendments to…

How many times have you walked down the street, passing one person after another, without saying a word to one of them? Plenty I’m sure. It’s often a different situation though when the person approaching you on the street has a dog with them. Then you usually stop and say something - at least to the dog.

For close to two years, SPCA International has been involved in the welfare of the animals at a remote Buddhist Temple in Thailand about 45 minutes outside Bangkok’s city center.

Three years ago I was just another burned out cog in the advertising world. In my decade of working long hours at the computer producing ads for giant corporations with questionable practices, I did my best to balance the harm I was causing my body and the world by exercising, volunteering and fundraising for various charities, but I was starting to feel like Sisyphus in an unwinnable battle with the boulder of stress and dissatisfaction I was facing.

How does one begin to thank two heroes who, by their generosity of spirit and tireless efforts, have forever enriched the lives of many strangers? Publicly acknowledging their important, selfless work is a start.