Search Results for: spca

As many of our supporters now know, SPCA International was honored to testify at the Congress of Deputies in Spain about Greyhound abuse issues in Spain on March 12th 2014. It was totally unexpected that we would have the opportunity to speak at this groundbreaking meeting, but we were delighted to get the chance to be a loud voice for Greyhounds of Spain and the rescue groups in Spain working diligently to stop the tradition of abuse and killing. We made brief spoken statements and also delivered an official letter that was submitted along with letters from six other organizations. The six letters introduced a multitude of complementary policy changes and ours focused on 1) that hunting with Greyhounds should be outlawed outright, and 2) new humane education programs should be implemented in the national curriculum.

Hunting with hounds in Spain is one of those controversial topics that proponents and critics cross reproaches and mutual accusations to steady your posture. The galgueros called defending their love for dogs as the main argument and always come to the “we are not all equal.” Meanwhile the animal protection associations and greyhounds especially refer to abuse suffered by this race, always associated with the instrumentation that make them hunters. A large number of them have developed a series of proposals by the Parliamentary Association in Defense of the Rights of Animals (APDDA) lead the Congress with a long- term ban hunting with hounds .

We have some very exciting news coming out of Dallas, Texas! Our friends at Lily Lane Home expect their next photo shoot to go to the dogs… literally. On April 5th, they will be holding a “Pup-arazzi” photo shoot in the Central Dog Park in Dallas, TX from 11 am – 4 pm. You can register your dog for one of 3 different looks (we love the “Prepster Pup”!) and after the shoot, supporters will vote for their favorite. The cost to enter is $20 and all donations will benefit SPCA International’s Operation Baghdad Pups program, bringing soldiers’ animals home from war-zones.

I wanted to share this difficult, but happy story with you that was shared with us by our one of amazing partners, SPAY Panama.

When one envisions images of Indonesia, it’s usually of beautiful white sand, warm turquoise water and lush tropical jungles in the sun. Sadly there is a darker side to this paradise when it comes to the monsoon seasons and animal welfare. There are literally no laws governing unwanted and abused animals there and just a couple of tiny shelters. Stray animals run rampant in the streets and suffer from wide spread starvation and a myriad of sicknesses they spread amongst themselves.

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 away with her and bring her to safety.

When our team first met Melody in a rural field in central Spain, she was locked in an enclosure with 2 other adult Greyhounds. There was no sign of other humans and barely any shade from the hot Spanish sun. As we approached the gate, we could tell that she was unsure of herself and if we meant any harm. We quickly offered her and her cage mates some food and water to relieve their hunger and thirst. One of the volunteers from SOS Galgos who lives in the area travels to their enclosure at twilight almost every evening to avoid being noticed and feeds them and many others kibble and treats.

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 this law. The goal is to increase penalties and prison terms for animal offenders, primarily for those who make a living from the horrendously cruel Dog Meat Trade.

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.

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.