P. O. Box A • East Smithfield, PA, 18817 • (570) 596-2200 • www.animalcaresanctuary.org
WINTER 2010 NEWSLETTER
Puppy Mills: The Ugly Truth
4
million
puppies are born in
puppy mills each
year
Walk by any pet store in America and
you’ll see pleading puppy eyes just begging for you to take them home, often
with a hefty price tag. But what is the
real cost to their lives?
Most puppies in pet stores have come
from a puppy mill. A puppy mill is a
commercial breeding facility that produces puppies in mass quantity. From
the outside, a puppy mill may look like
any other farm building: rolling hills,
white-washed barns, high corn fields
tended by a horse-driven plow. But inside are the real horrors, including:
Unsanitary facilities. Dog cages are
rarely, if ever, cleaned of feces and
» IN THIS ISSUE
Puppy Mills / 1
Meet Joan Hilstolsky / 3
Update on Animals in Need / 3
Facilities Improvements / 4
Ear Mites / 4
New Ways to Donate / 5
Wish List / 5
ACS Hosts Adoption Day / 6
Meet Chuck Rumsey / 6
Estate Planning / 7
ACS Rescues Sled Dogs / 8
urine. Puppies are born into piles of
maggot ridden feces.
Overcrowded cages. Often 5 or more
females are in a small wire cage with one
stud male. There is not enough room for
each dog to get out of its own waste.
Poor quality food. Dogs are fed just
enough of the cheapest food to keep
them alive. Mother dogs often have
few or no teeth due to pregnancy-related
malnutrition.
Overbreeding and inbreeding. Dogs
are bred as often as possible without regard for their health. If a dog can no
longer be bred they are killed, usually
by drowning, electrocution, or a bullet. In some cases the dead bodies are
ground and used as fertilizer.
Puppy mills contribute to millions of
unwanted dogs who are euthanized each year in the United
States.
35-40% of dogs
in shelters are purebred,
many originating from puppy mills. In
addition, mill puppies are more likely
to have severe health problems, genetic
defects and behavioral problems as a result of the inbreeding and overbreeding
of their parents. Exposure at a young
age to unsanitary conditions predisposes
the puppies to a lifetime of respiratory
illnesses.
The unseen victims of the puppy mill
trade are the breeding adults. Many
shelters work diligently to rescue these
forgotten dogs before their sad demise.
Puppy mill owners will say
they are “just breeding
stock” and that the adult
(continued on page 2)
6
The National Geographic Channel’s Rescue Ink, pictured with Animal Care’s
Michelle Stymacks, is also working to raise awareness of puppy mills.
Puppy Mills (continued from p. 1)
dogs won’t know how to be pets. But there are countless stories of how former
breeding puppy mill dogs have become wonderful companions, even therapy dogs.
Animal Care Sanctuary is dedicated to helping the victims of puppy mills in any
way we can. Last September, ACS attended Puppy Mill Awareness Day in Lancaster, Pennsylvania – the heart of puppy mill territory. More than 1,500 animal
supporters gathered to voice their opposition to the horrors of puppy mills. The March Against Puppy Mills was an impressive sight. Forming a line over a
mile long, supporters marched in front of these abusive facilities. In the crowd were
hundreds of dogs that had been rescued from puppy mills – dogs missing legs or
teeth, some carried or pushed in strollers because they are unable to walk. Seeing
these dogs happy in the arms of their rescuers gives us all the reason we need to
work towards ending puppy mills.
Renowned dog trainer Victoria Stillwell, host of the television show It’s Me or
the Dog on Animal Planet, delivered a moving speech. She concluded by saying,
“Regardless of religion, one cannot call himself a God-fearing person and knowingly abuse or neglect animals.”
Also in attendance was Rescue Ink, a New York City-based rescue group that now
has its own show on the National Geographic Channel called Rescue Ink Unleashed.
They are a rescue group unlike any you’ve seen before: a bunch of tattooed, motorcycle-riding tough guys who have joined together to fight animal cruelty, educate
abusers and help resolve situations. They attend Puppy Mill Awareness Day every
year, empowering other rescues like ACS to continue to our important work.
ACS will be attending Puppy Mill Awareness day again on September 18, 2010.
Learn more about the event at www.awarenessday.org. ■
inches is the
legally allowable
cage space for dogs
in puppy mills
Update on Animals in Need
Many of you may recall a number of special animals from our
last newsletter who needed special medical treatment. We are
thrilled to report that we received
donations for all of the required
surgeries!
Kate is a gorgeous Labrador mix
who we took in just hours before
she was to be euthanized at another animal impoundment facility. Shortly after her arrival at
ACS, Kate was diagnosed with
osteosarcoma, the most common
form of cancerous bone tumors
in dogs. The most effective
treatment for osteosarcoma is
amputation of the affected limb.
Kate has now had her surgery
and has fully recovered. She
is 100% cancer-free! It was really amazing picking her up at
the vet’s office after the surgery.
She was running and bouncing
like she still had all four legs.
Kate has so much more energy
now than she did before the surgery. It’s even more apparent to
us now that she was in significant pain before the amputation.
Thanks to your generous donations, the $1,000 cost of the surgery was completely covered.
Kate has been cleared for adoption and is looking forward to
finding a loving home soon.
Lady is an older cat with a leg
injury that has become so severe
it needs to be amputated. Her
surgery is coming up very shortly. Fortunately, dogs and cats
adapt very quickly to live with
three legs, and Lady’s outlook is
very positive.
Echo is a young cat with a tumor
in her ear that requires surgery to
remove. Her appointment with
the vet is also coming up soon,
and the doctor says her prognosis looks great once the tumor
comes out. ■
Kate has so much energy now after her surgery!
Meet Joan Hilstolsky
Meet Joan Hilstolsky, our Assistant Manager
of Cat Caregivers. Joan lives in Athens,
Pennsylvania with her son Zack. She has
worked for ACS for two years and currently
spends most of her time in the cat intake area.
This is where incoming young cats and kittens
live until they are either adopted or are fully
vaccinated and sterilized before transitioning
to the main cat area. Joan also looks after cats
that are ill and need some special care. “I
really enjoy working with the cats, making
sure they are healthy and happy,” she says.
Joan has a sunny disposition and likes to pick on the directors. She has confidence
in what she does and is willing to learn new things and take on new tasks, making
her invaluable to ACS. Despite all the time she spends with the cats, Joan also has
a soft spot for certain dogs she loves to play with. Just don’t tell the cats!
Joan is pictured with Sadiga, one of her favorite felines who was surrendered by
her owner. Just seven months old, Sadiga is very affectionate and loving. She was
brought here with her mother just a week after mom had given birth to a new litter
of kittens. Sadiga, her mom, and her new brothers and sisters are doing great. ■
Outside view of the Cattery at
Animal Care Sanctuary.
Facilities
Improvements
We are happy to report that our new welcome area and adoption center renovation
has been completed! The Ethel Perkins Adoption Center, named for the generous
donor whose estate funded the project, provides two rooms where adoptive owners
can spend one-on-one time with dogs they are considering taking home. Getting
to know the animal before adoption is critical for ensuring that the animal and new
family are good matches for each other. Adoptive families are encouraged to bring
their current pets to visit their potential new brother or sister as well. Nobody benefits when newly adopted animals are brought back to the sanctuary because of a
conflict at home that could have been avoided.
Our Communal Cat Room is also finished and is happily inhabited by twenty friendly felines. The room features ramps, cubbies, play toys, and indoor tree, and, of
course, catwalks. Volunteer Dave Stymacks generously volunteered his time and
handyman skills to complete the space, which also provides a room for adoptive
families to interact and play with a potential new feline.
Finally, we are midway through the renovation of another existing space to create a
veterinary examining room. With hundreds of animals to care for, ACS has formed
relationships with local vets to make “house calls,” saving valuable time. This space
will give doctor and patient a clean, private space for providing optimum care. ■
Ear Mites – Driving Pets “Buggy”
Ear mites are the cause of more than half
of all feline ear infections. However, the
good news is that they are both treatable
and preventable. What exactly is an ear
mite, how can you prevent them at home,
and how can you help ACS prevent the
spread of ear mites?
The ear mite is a parasite that lives on
the surface of all normal, healthy pets.
However, when conditions are right,
that parasite enters the ear canal and
multiplies. This results in an abnormally
high number of parasites, resulting in an
ear mite infestation.
Can you imagine thousands of little
mites crawling around inside your ear
canal? How uncomfortable that must
be! All those mites crawling around
cause animals excessive itching, pain,
and discomfort. A thick, black, crusty
residue also develops in the ear – yuck!
Ear mites are highly contagious. They
spread rapidly through a cat population,
whether it be in a home or shelter. If a
pet is showing any symptoms, a vet will
look into the pet’s ears and take a sample.
The vet will then look at the sample
under a microscope to see if mites,
bacteria, yeast, or some other problem is
causing the discomfort. Often the build
up of ear mite waste, wax, and serum
in the ear causes secondary bacterial
infection in pets.
There are various treatments for ear
mites, but the most effective for a large
population of pets such as ACS has is
Revolution Topical Liquid.
Not only does Revolution
treat and prevent ear mites,
it is effective against fleas,
heartworm, and some intestinal
parasites as well.
Providing enough Revolution
to treat the ACS family can be
expensive. If you would like to
donate toward the treatment and
prevention of ear mites in ACS,
please note “Ear Mites” on your
donation. ■
Winter view of the beautiful Pennsylvania
hills at Animal Care Sanctuary.
Dudley, a beagle mix who
was rescued from an abusive
owner who poured acid on
his back, has recovered and
was caught playing fetch in
the Adoption Center!
New Ways to Donate
ACS now makes it easier than ever to donate with our new partners.
Capital One Credit Cards
You can now sign up for a credit card from Capital One specifically linked to Animal
Care Sanctuary so that 1% of every purchase you make is automatically donated to
ACS. Just by using your Capital One card, you can make significant contributions
to the care of our animals – without spending a dime of your own money!
To apply, visit www.cardlabconnect.com/AnimalCareSanctuary today.
Our full wish list of items we need is now available online with Amazon.com. This
means you can purchase items from Amazon and they will be shipped directly to
ACS. To find the ACS wish list, just go to Amazon.com and click on “Gifts & Wish
Lists” at the top. Then enter “Animal Care Sanctuary” after “Find Wish Lists and
Registries” and hit enter. It’s that simple!
Search the Web using Goodsearch.com
Whenever you need to look something up online, use www.goodsearch.com and
Goodsearch will donate one cent to ACS for every search performed, without costing you a thing. That may not sound like a lot, but this adds up to typically about
$30-50 per month. Visit www.goodsearch.com and enter “Animal Care Sanctuary”
under “Who do you Goodsearch for?” then search as you normally would.
Wish List
Amazon.com Wish List
» Baby Food Meat Varieties
(without onion powder)
» Low Sodium Chicken Broth
» Dry Kitten Food
» Blankets
» Dog and Cat Treats
» Dog Shampoo
» And more...
Visit
Donate by Credit Card on the ACS Web Site
www.amazon.com
Now you can donate to ACS using your credit card on our own Web site:
www.animalcaresanctuary.org. Just click on Donate near the bottom of the page.
for the full list
Animal Care Hosts Adoption Day
Animal Care recently hosted an Adoption Day event at a local Tractor
Supply store to find homes for some of
our animals and raise awareness of our
mission. We featured ten animals – four
cats and six dogs. All but one of the
dogs were adopted that same day, and
many other people stopped by to admire
and play with the animals. Our favorite
beagle Dudley was there, and charmed
many visitors with his big brown eyes
and waggy tail.
Luke, one of our adorable dogs featured
at Adoption Day, went home with a new
family the same day!
Throughout the day we answered questions about what Animal Care Sanctuary
does and how many animals we care for.
People were amazed and impressed by
the scope of our work, and promised to
tell friends about us.
In addition to this Adoption Day event,
Animal Care has hosted several open
houses in recent months. Dozens of
people from the community have shown
up, along with local newspaper reporters. We’ve provided tours, information,
and of course the opportunity to meet
our hundreds of lovable dogs and cats.
We will continue to reach out to the
community to raise awareness of the
importance of rescuing abused and
abandoned animals.■
Meet Chuck Rumsey
Chuck Rumsey is our Assistant Dog Kennel Supervisor. He’s been with ACS for six
months, but Chuck also worked here previously for two years. Chuck is an avid dog
lover and feels lucky to be able to spend most of his time surrounded by four-legged
friends. As Assistant Manager, Chuck cares for, walks, and interacts with the dogs
on a daily basis. He is also responsible for making sure all the dogs are fed and their
kennels are properly cleaned.
We often take in dogs who are scared and nervous as a result of being abused, and
Chuck is particularly good with them. He’s able to calm these dogs and help them
regain their trust in people. “One thing great about my job is that my customers, the
dogs, are always really happy to see me,” he says.
Chuck has two young children and a girlfriend named Emily. He is pictured giving
a little extra attention to Zoe, one of his most affectionate charges. ■
Estate Planning for the Rest of Us
By Jason Moyer, CFP, Hudock Moyer Wealth Management
When famous people announce that
they’re giving large sums of money
to charitable causes, it usually makes
headlines. But it’s important to remember
that the massive donations you read
about aren’t the only way to help out.
While you may not have billions
to give to an esteemed foundation,
your donations can still make a huge
difference to those in need. In addition,
donations will help reduce your taxes.
Here are several methods of giving to
consider when reviewing your estate
with your financial planner.
Direct gifts of
appreciated securities
You can give stocks and other securities
that have grown in value. This method
conserves your cash while helping to
avoid capital gains tax on the sale of the
securities. You may deduct the market
value of the securities (determined at
the time of the gift) on your current-year
tax return.
Direct Gifts of Life Insurance
Charitable remainder trust
This technique lets you contribute assets
(property or securities) to a trust that
is bequeathed to a charity upon your
death. These assets may be sold from
within the trust without incurring capital
gains taxes. You may receive an income
stream from the trust during your lifetime
and also receive a current income tax
deduction based on the present value of
the future benefit to the charity.
Charitable lead trust
This type of trust is the opposite of
a charitable remainder trust. Upon
establishment of the trust, an income
stream is provided to the charity, while
you transfer the remaining interest to
your family. A charitable lead trust does
not generally entitle the donor to an
income tax deduction in the year the trust
is established. However, any income
generated by the donated assets will be
reported by the trust, not the donor. The
trust is then entitled to a charitable
deduction for any income it pays
If you have a life insurance policy
you no longer need, you can transfer
it to the charity of your choice. If the
policy has a cash value, the charity
may be able to borrow funds from
the policy and you may be entitled
to an income tax deduction in the
amount of the policy’s value.
out to the charity. Unlike a charitable
remainder trust, a charitable lead trust
does not help you avoid capital gains
tax. The benefit of the trust lies in the
ability to give the assets to your heirs at
a substantially discounted value.
Charitable gift annuities
In this arrangement, the charity promises
to pay the donor a constant income
stream — an annuity — in exchange for
a charitable gift. A portion of the value
of the gifted assets is tax deductible to
the donor. ■
ACS Rescues Canadian Sled Dogs
Animal Care Sanctuary partnered with
Humane Society International (HSI)
and the SPCA of Laurentides-Labelle,
Quebec
to
rescue approximately
100 neglected
sled
dogs
in the
Upper Laurentians of Quebec. The
owner was unable to care properly for
his dogs and released them to the care of
the SPCA LL.
Working in conjunction with the SPCA
and HSI, Animal Care Sanctuary took
in five of the neglected dogs. The
dogs joined approximately 150 others
at Animal Care’s extensive kennel
facilities where they received immediate
food and veterinary care. “These dogs
were frightened and malnourished but
essentially healthy,” noted Animal
Care’s Michelle Stymacks. “It will take
time for them to trust people again, but
the important thing is they are out of the
freezing cold.”
According to Corinne Gonzalez,
executive director, SPCA LL, “This
rescue will prevent the situation from
getting worse: among the dogs we
took in, approximately 30 females are
pregnant. Without our intervention, the
owner could easily have found himself
with 150 more puppies when winter is
right around the corner.”
Having arrived in November, we are
happy to report that four of the five dogs
have been adopted into loving homes.
Tragically, this situation is not unique,
with cases of neglect of sled dogs
regularly reported in Canada. HSI
and the SPCA LL are calling upon the
provincial and federal government to
pass stronger animal protection laws to
ensure the protection of all dogs. For
sled dogs, sterilization and planning for
the care of the dogs during the eightmonth low season should be a priority.
For a video of the Human Society rescue,
visit video.hsus.org and click on Canada
Dog Rescue. ■
P.O. Box A
East Smithfield, PA 18817
PRSRT
NON-PROFIT
PERMIT 1
EAST SMITH