Does this dog deserve the name “Hater”? Not a chance. This past January, February, and March, PETA fieldworkers made a true difference in the lives of this lover as well as hundreds of other animals in need in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. And this vital work is thanks in part to support from compassionate folks like you.
Hater—whose name doesn’t match his sweet personality—cozies up to a PETA fieldworker who couldn’t help but give this loving dude a little extra TLC.
Keep scrolling to read more about those animals PETA’s Community Animal Project (CAP) helped this quarter and to discover how easy and essential it is to support our work to end animal homelessness.
Saving Lives Through Prevention and Giving Guardians Like Diamond’s Something to Smile About
During this quarter, the veterinary staff of our mobile spay/neuter clinics sterilized 2,920 animals, including Brandon (above) and Diamond (below), who were among 176 animals PETA fieldworkers transported for free to and from their no-cost spay/neuter appointments. Diamond nuzzles her thankful guardian. This quarter, we also spayed Goldie, whose guardians called PETA for help when she developed pyometra, an often-fatal uterine infection. Our mobile clinic veterinary staff performed a lifesaving emergency surgery—which would have cost more than $1,500 at a private veterinary clinic—totally free of charge. PETA staff stand in front of one of our three mobile clinics—each of which is capable of spaying or neutering up to 28 animals per day.
PETA’s Mobile Clinics Division has spayed or neutered 203,123 animals since 2001!
More Than 160 Animals, Including Gandalf, Have Been Given a Chance at a Better Life—Now That’s What We’re Tolkien About!
It’s been a long road for Gandalf, seen here tethered to what was once his inadequate backyard shelter. Once condemned to a life of isolation at the end of a tether, Gandalf used to jump for joy at the sight of visiting PETA fieldworkers … … who brought him necessities like a sturdy doghouse and straw bedding for insulation as well as rightful comforts like treats and toys. Taking a page from Gandalf’s book, PETA fieldworkers worked their own magic—eventually succeeding in rescuing the little wizard. After he was examined by PETA veterinary staff and doted on by all at our shelter, our placement partners at the Chesapeake Humane Society in Virginia took him in and he was quickly adopted by a lovely couple who are guardians to another adorable rescued dog.
Gandalf was among the 450 animals PETA’s shelter took in this quarter.
Also among them were Charlie and Diamond, whom PETA fieldworkers found huddled together, shivering and scared, confined to a wire crate outdoors when the temperature was only 21 degrees. Their owner refused to allow them indoors but agreed to let us rescue them when we explained that it’s illegal to leave dogs outside in the cold. Charlie and Diamond warmed up at the Sam Simon Center—PETA’s Norfolk, Virginia, headquarters—before we transferred them to the Norfolk SPCA, where they were soon adopted. Several media outlets covered their story, bringing attention to the plight of dogs kept outside.
PETA often subsidizes the cost of veterinary care when we transfer animals to our partner shelters.
From PETA’s Shelter to Loving, Permanent Homes
When a compassionate person noticed a stray cat with a festering facial wound, she called PETA for help. Fieldworkers scooped up the cat—whom they named Binx—and our veterinary staff treated his injury before we placed him in a foster home.] Once he’d fully recovered, Binx was adopted by a loving family that includes another rescued cat. Blue was relinquished by his previous owners when they had a baby, which caused the sensitive cat a tremendous amount of stress. PETA found this shy yet affectionate animal a new home with a senior couple who instantly fell for him.] A kind woman took in these ducks from someone who was neglecting them, but she soon realized that she wasn’t in a position to keep them. PETA fieldworkers picked them up and quickly found them a home with a loving family who have plenty of space and experience caring for domestic ducks.
For Humans Who Needed Help Keeping and Caring for Their Animal Companions, PETA Was There, Too
This quarter, we spent $691,745 on local services.
One of the 461 requests for assistance that we received this quarter was for a dog named Prince, whose guardian called to request help trimming his nails. We noticed that he was suffering from an itchy, painful skin condition, so we pointed it out to his guardian, who agreed to have it treated by PETA’s veterinary staff as well as to have him neutered—all free of charge. His family is among the 300 we helped keep their animal companions. We continued to help animals like Ivy by ensuring that they had access to food, water, and shelter with insulating straw bedding to help protect against the frigid temperatures. This sweet girl got the warmest hug from the PETA fieldworker who visited her, too. We also gave away dog and cat food, administered treatment for parasites, trimmed nails (including for Ruby, above), provided water buckets, and replaced short, heavy chains with 15-foot lightweight tie-outs. In North Carolina, our fieldworkers coordinated with Cinnamon’s guardian, who had fallen on hard times, to give the little dog free transport to and from a much-needed grooming session.
This quarter, we gave custom-built, insulated doghouses to 49 dogs kept chained or penned outdoors 24/7.
Smokey was kept outside without food, water, or shelter in a wire crate barely big enough for him to turn around in … … but then we set him up with a sturdy wooden doghouse, a 15-foot lightweight tether, a water bucket, a food bowl, and toys.
Helping All Members of the Community
Through our Barks & Books program, we continued to distribute children’s books with animal-friendly themes to kids we met in the field and at our spay/neuter clinics. This young lady received Patrick George’s Animal Rescue, thanks to our Barks & Books program. We held several straw giveaway events to help residents in our field-service areas protect “outdoor dogs” from frigid winter weather with insulating straw bedding. During PETA staff’s presentation for elementary school students, the children were captivated by topics like empathy for animals and how to care for a dog properly.
June Bug’s guardian brought the elderly cat, who had been diagnosed with renal failure, to PETA’s shelter for free end-of-life services. She was one of 107 animals we euthanized at no cost to those who couldn’t afford this vital service. June Bug’s guardian filled out postcards asking her state legislators to safeguard our ability to offer end-of-life relief. This quarter, 488 of our constituent families sent postcards to their elected officials in support of our services, including compassionate euthanasia.
This quarter, PETA euthanized 100 feral cats who were suffering from conditions that included advanced upper respiratory infections, difficulty breathing, immobility, traumatic injuries, infected wounds, internal bleeding, and apparent sepsis caused by complications of pregnancy.
We found Bella chained outside, bloated, underweight, immobile, and barely responsive, suffering from suspected end-stage heart failure—a common fatal illness among dogs kept outdoors without adequate care.
Help PETA Help Animals
No one belongs on a chain. This should not be legal.
Unable to donate? There are many ways to help vulnerable animals in need! Check out Breaking the Chain—watch it for free on Prime Video—to learn more about the ways PETA fieldworkers make the world a more compassionate place for animal companions, and then share the love with your family, friends, and social media followers:
Now, there’s a good chance that after you’ve read the CAP synopsis for this quarter and watched Breaking the Chain, you’ll want to be a part of our field team. If that’s the case, please consider applying! We’re looking for diligent, hardworking, kind, professional, physically able individuals who care about animals—and who don’t mind getting their cargo pants a little (or a lot!) dirty.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch pose with beagle friend Bella while celebrating the signing into law of new protections for animals bred and sold for experiments.
PETA thanks the 140 members of the Virginia General Assembly, whose unanimous, bipartisan support led to the passage of five bills to protect thousands of beagles warehoused at laboratory-supplying beagle-breeding factory farm Envigo in Cumberland, Virginia, where both PETA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture exposed terrible neglect and systemic suffering.
Click below to keep the momentum going—urge authorities to remove suffering dogs from Envigo immediately and to suspend its license to operate:
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