Newsletter from Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling, MA

November 2007

BOYCOTT
PUERTO RICO!

A Letter from the Director

Though most pet lovers and decent human beings aren’t privy (nor would you wish to be) to the sadder side of animal rescue and welfare, we would like to share something with you.

We are sometimes asked why our Shelter rescues dogs from Puerto Rico. It dawned on me that a lot of people don’t know what is happening. If you have ever been to the islands—any of them outside of the resort areas—and in the neighborhoods of low income housing projects (not many have), then you will see hundreds of stray dogs, cats, and even horses, scavenging for morsels of food. They are often even more hungry for a kind word, pat and scratch on the head, belly or ears. This is an all to common occurrence on any of the islands. Believe it or not, in the Southern and Midwestern states as well!

Having traveled to Puerto Rico (and a half dozen other islands on several rescue missions and spay/neuter trips) on several occasions, I have sadly witnessed the cruel suffering of animals on the island. For almost NINE YEARS our Shelter has been a LIFE line for these animals that are treated like trash. We all know that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure!!!

If you haven’t heard by now, the media has finally exposed the tragic situation for the life of a Sato (say - toe), which is a Spanish slang term for mixed breed dog, when the following story was brought to the attention of the entire world.

Pet massacre blamed on animal control firm, Puerto Rico investigating why dogs and cats were tossed from a highway bridge. Please read more at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21386121/. Dozens of dead and wounded dogs and cats were found last week beneath the bridge. This happened a day after a mass round up of pets and strays at housing complexes, prompting international outrage. Pet owners say they were told their dogs and cats were to be taken by the company, which has animal control contracts throughout Puerto Rico, to a shelter. Edwin Arroyo, a special assistant to the mayor of Barceloneta, also said the Animal Control Services was supposed to deliver them to shelters.
In an interview with reporters earlier this week, Diaz said the animals were taken to his offices in the San Juan area, killed, and placed in refrigerators. He did not explain why the animals were euthanized so quickly.
Imagine now that these dogs are rescued from "Dead Dog Beach," so named because of the homeless dogs that roam the coast and are sometimes found dead of disease, starvation, or gunshots. At Yabucoa (Dead Dog) Beach, scores of dogs roam an abandoned marina, surviving on garbage scraps and drinking from salty puddles, but attracting little public sympathy or attention from Puerto Rico’s government.
I would encourage you all, whether you have adopted or known a Sato, to read more about the Save A Sato organization (www.saveasato.org) by clicking on the links below.

1. The Satos 5. The Shelter

2. Their Lives 6. Journey to the States

3. Their Suffering 7. Arrival Stateside

4. THE RESCUES 8. The People of S.A.S.

Here are just a couple of wonderful stories of beautiful Satos that have been lucky to find homes through our Shelter.

Before: Sato Clarita AFTER: Clarita came to the Sterling Animal Shelter and now lives in Oxford, MA. She is training to be a Therapy Dog. We wonder if Clarita is part bunny rabbit (check out those ears)!

Before: Sato Rayo AFTER: This cutie is now living the good life with his family in Massachusetts.

Of all the dogs that I encountered in Puerto Rico, this one affected me the most. He lived in a shopping center parking lot in Bayamon with about 20 other dogs. His mange was so severe that he literally had no hair remaining. His eyes were sunken in his head and he was extremely weak. I sobbed after taking this photograph. I wondered how long it took him to get this way and how many people saw him suffering yet chose to ignore him. These are the faces that keep us going and encourage us to do everything in our power to help those that can’t help themselves.

In November 1999, when I drove past a stray dog standing next to the side of the road, my thoughts were not of pity for the mangy, starving animal that I witnessed, but focused more on how this could possibly happen in this day and age. I had seen this dog several times before and dismissed the event with the common rationalization of "we can’t save the world." This day was different. I could tell intuitively by the way the dog’s head hung and it’s sawhorse stance, that it was merely waiting for its time to die, which was very close.

I went back to the house and returned to the side of the road with some food and water. I found it sad that the dog was so afraid, but finally it ventured over to me. What I experienced next solidified my beliefs forever. While the dog was too weak to eat, what she hungered for even more than a morsel of food, was merely the touch of a human hand and a kind word. As I stroked it’s crusty head with no fur and open sores, I saw her pitiful, hairless tail begin to wag and her head lift to meet my hand.

The poor dog I just described has since gone to "Heaven," Heaven on earth that is.

Given a fresh start in the new Millennium, "Millie" is a fully integrated member of a loving family. She has a place in their home and has never fussed over having to wear a dog collar. The twinkle has returned to her eyes and the bounce is back in her step. She has her full coat of fur and looks like an everyday dog. I’m sure that for all her days, she will react instinctively to some things because of her time on the street, but fortunately I think that nature has spared her the vivid memories.

Many of our Satos have been adopted and are now therapy dogs, Canine Good Citizens, assistance dogs through the NEADS program. Just last week, one of the Satos was admitted to their newest program to be trained as an assistance dog for the disabled veterans who are returning from IRAQ!!!! We’ve been fortunate enough to see several of our Satos graduate to become hearing and sight dogs for disable kids and adults. Their hearty frames and desire to learn makes them an ideal candidate for assisting others! To imagine they would have been doomed to certain torture and death had they not gotten a second chance brings tears to my eyes.

I would encourage you all to help stop this terrible cruelty, by:

Sign the petition.
Email HUD.
Email Puerto Rico Tourism - boycott!

PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. Puerto Rico has the worst animal problem on the planet. It is overrun with starving dogs covered in mange. The hotels poison the starving dogs so the tourists won’t see them. The horrors are endless. Torture happens on a daily basis.

Please support www.SaveASato.org, they have been helping these animals for over a decade! They have taken on the government repeatedly and won many victories. What more can you do to help?

If you can send a donation, it will go along way.
PLEASE WRITE to Mr. Sullivan of HUD and ask to prosecute the people who commit these atrocities.
Express your outrage that HUD housing prohibits pets, and suggest that this policy should be changed.
Contact Brian_E._ Sullivan@hud.gov.
Write to the Puerto Rican Tourist Board advising them of a boycott. The site is http://www.gotopuertorico.com/. Again, please POST WIDELY.

30% of the proceeds
goes to helping the
stray dogs of Puerto Rico
and Mexico

Spread the Word to Help Stray Dogs in Puerto Rico
Help stray dogs in Puerto Rico and Mexico when you buy "Street Dogs"

Help stray dogs in Puerto Rico and Mexico when you buy Street Dogs This holiday season, you can make an impact for stray dogs in Puerto Rico and Mexico when you purchase Street Dogs, a new book by fine art photographer Traer Scott. The book uses stunning black and white photographs and narrative to tell the eye-opening and inspirational stories of stray dogs in Puerto Rico and Mexico and the people who are working to save them.

Thirty percent of the proceeds from each book sold through WSPA will go directly to support WSPA and our member societies’ work for stray dogs in Puerto Rico and Mexico. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves dogs and is also a great holiday gift!

» Buy Street Dogs today and make a difference for strays!

Support efforts to
help the dogs of
Puerto Rico

Help Stop Animal Cruelty in Puerto Rico

In response to the story that came out late Friday about the animal cruelty situation in Puerto Rico, there has been a barrage of international news coverage. For more details, go to http://news.google.com/ and type Puerto Rico dogs in the search box.

Almost 3,000 people have already signed the petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/puerto-rico-pet-massacre.

I am told that the governor of Puerto Rico has stated that he will pursue the case. For those of you who wish to send a letter to the governor of Puerto Rico, please use this form on the Web at, http://www.fortaleza.gobierno.pr/anibal04.htm. The Puerto Rico Tourism Company has issued a strong statement condemning acts of animal cruelty. For more information, go to http://www.sys-con.com/read/443157.htm.

Animal welfare groups in Puerto Rico and the United States are in communication about next steps.

We invite you to participate and help our Shelter reach the success that many other charitable organizations have accomplished in the past.

Join in the Evening of Giving

EXCLUSIVE SHOPPING for the lucky ones who have tickets!

On Sunday, November 19, the Solomon Pond Mall will be closed to the general public and reserved exclusively for shoppers who have purchased a $10 ticket to Simon Evening of Giving from our Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling, MA. This is a special holiday event that allows ticket holders entrance to private after-hours shopping, special sales at participating stores, holiday festivities and a chance to win numerous door prizes.

Animal Shelter Inc. keeps $7 of every ticket sold and the remaining $3 of each ticket sale goes to the Simon Youth Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that fosters educational and career development for at-risk youth.

Tickets make great incentives, bonuses, gifts and surprises for friends, family and staff AND benefit our Shelter.

We only have 100 tickets available and they go quickly!

Personal Check Payable to Animal Shelter Inc.	Send a self-addressed stamped envelope and your personal check to: Animal Shelter Inc. 17 Laurelwood Rd Sterling MA 01564 Attention: Evening of Gift

Credit Card	Visa, MasterCard, or Discover Call 978 422 8585, extension 114 and ask for Melissa (Add 3% service fee for using the machine, 1 ticket is $10.30 + postage) Send an emailing message to melissa@sterlingshelter.org include: - Your name - Address, City, State and Zip Code - Credit card number with expiration date

Simply CLICK
to help the
Shelter win an
Extreme
Makeover!

Zootoo Update...Help!

We have slipped to 8th place! This contest runs through April 1, 2008, so we need your continued support.

We want to thank all of our Shelter supporters for your help in our quest for a Million Dollar Makeover! If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so now by clicking going to www.zootoo.com/register/referrer/leigh.
If you have already signed up, we can get an ADDITIONAL 100 points PER registered user if you go to http://www.zootoo.com/volunteer/, scroll to the bottom, and click on ANY of the SKILLS listed in the categories list. The SHELTER WILL GET AN ADDITIONAL 100 POINTS PER USER!
You can also click on the Invite Friends (located in the banner) and add up to three of your friends email addresses and receive 100 points for each additional friend who signs up!

We want to thank all our shelter supporters, alumni, and friends for helping us attempt a dream! Currently we are in THIRD place out of the 3,000+ shelters that have received the packages and hope you will all continue to add up points!

Want to help the Shelter? Have you considered our Recurring Giving system. This convenient system allows you to automatically make a donation to the Sterling Shelter every month via credit card or checking account. This is an extremely powerful fundraising method that can allow the Shelter to save thousands of additional animals every year with a donation as small as $2.00 per month from you. Thank you for your support!