Welcome to ASPCA News Alert, a weekly e-mail newsletter from The
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.


ME-WOW! JUNE IS ADOPT-A-SHELTER-CAT MONTH

Looking for a great way to lower your blood pressure and ease anxiety?
Take it from the original Catwoman--adopt a cat! "Bringing a feline
friend into your home and heart will help reduce stress and improve
the overall quality of your life forever," says actress/singer/living
legend Eartha Kitt, who joins the ASPCA and Petfinder.com
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=o9BdWBEUWB0XSXLRAGHJvQ.. this June as
spokesperson for Adopt-A-Shelter-Cat Month.

During this annual celebration--planned to coincide with kitten
season, the time of year when shelters are overflowing with companion
felines of all ages--we'll be stepping up efforts to educate the
public about the joys of the incomparable cat and responsible pet
ownership. Potential cat caretakers, if you're looking for a mellow
older fellow or a pair of team-wrestling tabbies (or any feline in
between!), please visit ASPCA online
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=T2FZIquputIXSXLRAGHJvQ.. for information on cat
care and behavior, and adoption advice.


URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT: LETTERS NEEDED BY JUNE 10!

The United States Department of Agriculture and Markets recently
issued proposed regulations that, if adopted, would require
researchers, animal exhibitors, and breeders of dogs to maintain
medical records for the animals under their care. Although the law
currently requires these facilities to maintain a "program of adequate
veterinary care," it is difficult to ascertain whether it is being
followed. By requiring that medical records be kept for these animals,
we can better determine whether they are receiving necessary medical
treatment; it would also allow USDA inspectors to cite those
facilities that are not in compliance with the law.

ASPCA News Alert readers, your help is needed to ensure that dogs at
puppy mills and animals used in exhibition and research receive proper
medical care. The USDA's deadline for public comments on the proposed
requirements is June 10, and we understand there will be strong
opposition by breeders, animal exhibitors and researchers--so please
visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=IH7jvguCkS0XSXLRAGHJvQ.. today and send a letter
of support for the regulations.


PETFINDER HAPPY TAIL OF THE WEEK: CIAO, BELLA!

Malinda Reynolds was going through a tough semester at school and
didn't really want a pet. But when the Kansas resident saw a former
stray cat named Princess on Petfinder.com
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=8vIvnUVWDt8XSXLRAGHJvQ.., the ASPCA's online
partner and searchable database of homeless pets, she changed her mind.

When Malinda contacted the Cat Association of Topeka (CAT)
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=5kpr2vz1Rv4XSXLRAGHJvQ.., the group responsible
for Princess' rescue, she was told upfront that the kitty in question had
special needs. "She and her siblings had been found running rampant
all over the streets of Topeka," says Malinda. "They were not the best
behaved cats and very unsocialized. I was assured that she was very
sweet--just very, very shy."

In addition to giving the feline a new home, Malinda decided to give
her a new name--Bella, a.k.a. Princess Bella. "I can't say it was
mutual love, as I had hoped," she says. "Although I was trying my
darnedest to show Bella what a good life was, she wasn't buying it."

So the shy kitty proceeded to hide under the bed for about a month.
And Malinda spent a lot of time lying on the floor, half under the
bed, trying to gain Bella's trust. At night, she'd hear her running
around the room. Then one day, when Malinda was working on the
computer, Bella came out and wove between her legs. They were on their
way! "Since then, she has come far," says Malinda. "A little girl who
once refused to let me touch her now sleeps with me. A frightened
kitty who was a stray with little to eat is now a little piglet. And
finally, a broken soul who once didn't have a permanent home now is my
best friend. I thank God for CAT and Petfinder--and especially for
Bella."


GOOD NEWS FOR GREYHOUNDS IN CONNECTICUT

Another victory for animals! The Connecticut legislature's Finance,
Revenue and Bonding Committee has not released legislation that would
allow high-stakes bingo and keno at the Plainfield and Bridgeport
racing tracks. In the absence of casino gambling, attendance at these
Connecticut tracks will no doubt continue to decline--hopefully
marking the beginning of the end of greyhound racing there.
Connecticut animal lovers, to find out how you can get involved in
current efforts to pass humane legislation in your state, please visit
the ASPCA Advocacy Center online
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=YlgD-_L7sbkXSXLRAGHJvQ...


ANIMAL CARE COMPASSION FATIGUE SPECIALIST TRAINING, JUNE 25-26

Working to save animals, be it as a shelter worker or humane advocacy
professional, is one of the toughest jobs out there. At times the
stress can be so overwhelming that the workers themselves experience
feelings of fear, pain and suffering, including nightmares and loss of
energy. This condition--known as compassion fatigue--is especially
apparent among individuals who must participate in euthanasia. As one
animal welfare worker put it, "You can only hold so many animals in
your arms and feel the life go out of them without it starting to suck
the life out of you."

To teach workers how to help their peers and supervisees suffering
from compassion fatigue and burnout, Humane Society University (HSU)
is offering a two-day Animal Care Compassion Fatigue Specialist
Training on June 25-26 at the Doubletree Hotel in Somerset, NJ. Thanks
to a grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the cost for the
16-hour course is just $100--and as an added incentive, HSU is
offering free tuition to the first 20 registrants. For more
information, visit HSU online
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=ck-X_E1QcsoXSXLRAGHJvQ..  or contact Traci
Ojanguren at (301) 258-3004 or tojanguren{at}hsus.org mailto:tojanguren{at}hsus.org.


FROM OUR E-MAIL BAG

In the May 22 issue of ASPCA News Alert, we ran an item on the
potential dangers of certain members of the lily family, which can
cause kidney failure in cats. The article received a great
response--and prompted a few questions from concerned feline
caretakers, including Janet G. "When I have the lawn professionally
treated for weeds, is it harmful for my cats to eat the grass?" she
asks. "They aren't outside cats, but I sometimes pull a few blades for
them as they love it."

Janet, we checked in with Mindy Bough, veterinary technician for the
ASPCA Pet Nutrition and Science Advisory Service, for the answer to
your query. "There are some herbicides that can be more harmful than
others," explains Bough, "so it is important to check with the company
treating your lawn to find out how long to keep pets off the grass
after it is treated. There are a number of liquid products used that
would not be harmful to pets once they've been allowed to dry. If the
company spreads a granular product on the lawn and it has been
thoroughly watered and allowed to dry, then it is usually safe to
allow pets on the lawn."

You can satisfy your kitties' craving for fresh green plants by
providing safe "cat grass" for them to nibble on. "Pet supply stores
carry growing kits, which generally contain oat grass seed," says
Bough. "Kits are also available for purchase through the Internet."

For more poison prevention for companion animals, visit the ASPCA
Animal Poison Control Center
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=rdQGjTYGj3wXSXLRAGHJvQ.. online.


GOOD DEED OF THE DAY--PLEASE FORWARD THIS NEWSLETTER ON TO ONE PERSON!

Know someone who cares about animals as much as you do? Please forward
this issue of ASPCA News Alert to them. Anyone with an e-mail address
can register directly http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=U9lVPGXxO6UXSXLRAGHJvQ.. at
our website. And please tell teachers, humane educators and the
children in your life about Animaland
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=_U2EkkYtytQXSXLRAGHJvQ.., the ASPCA's website for
kids.

If you'd like to help us even more, you can find out how to become a
member http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=smNw8ANfJGAXSXLRAGHJvQ.. of the ASPCA or
contribute to our special funds
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=hJkaihPT37wXSXLRAGHJvQ... To help pass humane
legislation in your state, visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=eemv-VEzrDUXSXLRAGHJvQ...


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