#HappyHOWLidays to all animals! Visit to my local ASPCA Shelter in NYC

Have you every seen those sad commercials from the ASPCAthat show mistreated cats and dogs?  Whenever I see this commercial it pulls at my heartstrings and brings a tear to my eye.  I have always been an animal lover and could never understand how anyone could mistreat and animal especially a cat or dog.  For the most part people treat dogs and cats well but there are a few bad apples out there that just get me so angry.  I am also a big fan of shelter dogs and cats.  These are usually the best pets you can get.  I would never purchase a dog or cat from a pet store.  You just never know where they are getting their pets.  With all of these stories and rumors circulating about puppy mills and over breeding it makes you seriously wonder about the health and happiness of these animals.   You are always better off going to your local animal shelter and adopting a car or dog. 

            Couple of weeks ago I was invited to my local ASPCAshelter for an open-house breakfast and tour.  They are trying to spread the word about pet adoption and animal cruelty. Not only I have been a proud ASPCA supporter, but I had heard so many great things about this organization from friends and family.  So I was very eager to meet the people there and take a look at what they do first hand. 

            The following week my daughter and I took the train ride into Manhattan and arrived at the ASPCA at 424 East 92nd Street around 10:30 am.  We were early but that was quite all right.  The extra time gave us the chance to meet with some of the staff and walk around a bit.  I have to say there are some real special people working there at the ASPCA.  They all care deeply about animals of all kinds and it shows in everything they do at the shelter. 

            After a while of waiting they treated all of the invitees to a very nice breakfast.  There were pastries; donuts, breads, muffins, jellies and a whole bunch more.  It was great.  

We all sat around in the cafeteria and chatted and enjoyed the meal.  My daughter was really having a grand old time.  She found these miniature muffins that were just her size.  I’m not sure how many she gobbled down but she was smiling from dimple to dimple. They also provided my daughter with ASPCA Coloring book and crayons.  During the breakfast I had a great conversation with one of the workers at the shelter – Olivia Melikhov.  She sat down with a bunch of us and was telling us about everything that goes on at the ASPCA.  She told us how the organization isn’t just about fighting animal cruelty they are very big in promoting pet adoption.  She said that one of the biggest mistakes people can do is to purchase a new pet from a pet store.  That most pet stores do not get their pets from reputable breeders and most get them from puppy mills. 

            Before that day I had never really heard about puppy mills.  She went on to tell us about the deplorable conditions found in many of these puppymills.  That the dogs and cats there are produced in factory like settings.  They are basically large scale breeding operations that put profit before the well being of the animals.  Olivia went on to say that the cute puppies found in your local mall are probably bred from dogs that are held under horrendous conditions.  They are often kept in wire cages that hurt their paws.  The cages are usually stacked one on top of the other and feces and urine often falls on the animals at the bottom of the stack.  The animals are rarely groomed and often are sick and covered with sores.  Most of the puppies born at these mills are sick and then sold to the unsuspecting customer who has no idea about their well-being.  After hearing this I was really beginning to get angry.  I had never purchased a dog from a pet store and never would.  But I had no idea that things were this bad. 

            After hearing these stories I really needed something to cheer me up.  “Okay is everyone ready to see our cats and dogs?” asked one of the workers at the shelter.  That was just what I needed to hear.  We all headed over to where the cats and dogs were kept. 

My daughter was practically jumping up and down as we walked.  She was so looking forward to seeing some of the puppies and kittens and of course dogs and cats.  Or Mamas and Papas as she calls them.  When we entered the pet shelter area I was very pleased to see that all of the pets were being kept in very clean cubicles as well as the cubicles for big.  They were definitely not wire cages.  They looked like they were made of Formica furniture material and had clear ventilated plexi-glass doors.

  Inside each of the cubicles was some type of soft bedding for the animals or carpeting.  And of-course there was food and water bowls for them as well.  One thing I noticed immediately was that all of the animals looked well taken care of.  This must be attributed to the caring and dedicated staff of the ASPCA, many of whom are volunteers.  After hanging out with the dogs and cats for a while and seeing my daughter enjoying herself so much I really had an urge to adopt one of the pets.  A couple of times I seriously contemplated the thought.  However at this time I think we are not just quite ready for a pet.  This will not stop me from promoting and supporting animal shelters like the ASPCA who do such wonderful things for animals. 

            I encourage anyone out there who is thinking of getting a new cat or dog to visit one of his or her local animal shelters first.  There are so many animals in need of a loving and caring home out there.  And the best part they are often available at little or no cost of a small adoption fee.  When you ready to take the big step and choose ASPCA shelters to get your new furry family member be sure to use this special discount HappyHOWLidays to receive 10% off the adoption fee. Their low adoption fee which is $25, $50 or $100 (depending on the pet) includes all immunization the pet needs and the follow-up visits. Please be sure to share this with your friends and loved ones. You will also be doing a tremendous service to these animals and the organizations that help them.  By choosing not to buy from a pet store you are not supporting puppy mills and the inhumane practices that they are involved in.  Be a friend to the animals and adopt instead of buying a pet. 
“I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the ASPCA. I attended an informational breakfast and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”