When PETA staffers first saw Killian—originally named “Killer”— he was just an 8-week-old puppy. He lived in a trailer park that our Community Animal Project (CAP) cruelty caseworkers visit often. They noticed right away that Killian’s ear was mangled, bloody, and infected, and they pleaded with his owner to let them get veterinary care for him. Finally, Killian’s owner agreed but only on the condition that we return him.

In addition to treating his injured ear, our medical staff treated Killian for worms, fleas, and ticks. As he recuperated, he lived with another PETA staffer, Heather Carlson. PETA tried to convince Killian’s owner to let the dog live with Heather permanently. But even though it was clear that he didn’t care about Killian, the man refused.

Returning Killian was one of the toughest things that Heather has ever had to do. She kept in touch with Killian’s owner but didn’t have much hope for the dog.

Then, a few months later, CAP supervisor Emily Allen was in the neighborhood when Killian’s owner motioned her over. “You still want this dog?” he asked. When she said “yes,” the man literally tossed Killian at her and turned away without looking back. When Emily got Killian back to PETA headquarters, she realized that he was covered with thousands of ticks; he had to be sedated and shaved in order to remove them all. Now, Killian lives with Heather—for good this time —and he is happy, healthy, and safe at last.

Every year, PETA receives nearly 14,000 calls and e-mails from all over North America about abused and neglected animals like Killian. Whenever PETA’s caseworkers (who are on call 24 hours a day) determine that there is sufficient evidence, we push local law enforcement to charge abusers and confiscate their animals.

We also do everything possible to ensure that the abusers are prohibited from having contact with animals in the future.

Since 1998, PETA has built and delivered nearly 4,200 doghouses to needy animals. When we are unable to gain custody of the dogs or persuade their owners to take them inside, we replace heavy chains with light-weight cables and provide properly fitting collars. If the owners will allow it, we build or repair fences so that dogs who have been chained will have room to run. The majority of these dogs are not nearly as lucky as Killian because despite our best efforts, their owners refuse to relinquish them. But we give the animals food, clean water, parasite-prevention treatments, toys, treats, and some desperately needed love and attention in addition to a sturdy doghouse that will shelter them from extreme weather.

PETA has also opened two state-of-the-art mobile veterinary clinics: our SNIP (Spay and Neuter Immediately, Please!) clinic and the ABC (Animal Birth Control) DogDoc clinic. Our mobile clinics go into low-income neighborhoods—where the animal overpopulation crisis is often worst—and perform free or low-cost sterilizations for dogs and cats.

PETA’s clinics have already spayed or neutered more than 48,000 animals, including more than 7,485 surgeries in 2008. PETA’s mobile clinics also vaccinate dogs and cats, and our DogDoc mobile clinic treats injuries and provides antibiotics and other medications.

Each dog we spay prevents up to 67,000 dogs from being born in just six years. And every cat spayed prevents as many as 420,000 cats from being born in seven years. These are all cats and dogs who won’t end up struggling to survive on the streets or abandoned at already overburdened animal shelters. And it brings us that much closer to the day when every dog and cat—like Killian—has a loving home.