Help the shelter feed their animals

A plea from the Dutchess County SPCA:

"You shouldn't be forced to choose between feeding your pet or giving up your best friend. The DCSPCA urges all animal lovers to make a donation of dog or cat food that will go directly to those in need in Dutchess County. If you can help, please make a pet food donation at either the shelter at 636 Violet Avenue (Rte 9G) in Hyde Park or at the Beacon Barkery, Main Street in Beacon or at Embassy Travel, Rte 82 Hopewell Jct. Thank you!"

And watch this video the shelter made:

Cat shelter in Beacon needs funds

Photo by Karl Rabe/Poughkeepsie Journal

Check out the front page of the Mid-Hudson section in today's paper for a story on Mid Hudson Animal Aid in Beacon.

The online version is here.

The shelter has been around for 30 years, but, as we are all aware, these are hard times and donations are way down.

They could have to stop taking in cats until conditions improve.

Tax-deductible donations can be sent to Mid Hudson Animal Aid, Inc., 54 Simmons Ln., Beacon, NY 12508. Donations can also be made on line at www.midhudsonanimalaid.org. Call 845-831-4321.

Sweetie needs your help

I interviewed a Pleasant Valley family the other day whose dog, Sweetie, a 12-year-old terrier mix, has leukemia.

The prognosis isn't good; without treatment, Sweetie could die in a month.

Ron Lipton, Sweetie's owner, is going through extremely tough financial times and can't afford the $200 combination blood tests and medicine that could give the dog up to another 2 years.

A local rescue and fostering organization contributed the first $200, but Ron's asking for other people to open their hearts and wallets and help him give Sweetie a fighting chance.

Here's the complete story on PoughkeepsieJournal.com.

I spent some time with Sweetie and the Lipton family on Wednesday. You could never tell the pooch is sick. To say she enthusiastically greets visitors to their home would be an understatement. She is a real sweetheart.

Sweetie means more than the world to the Liptons. Taking her from them would be devastating.

Donations to Sweetie's medical care should go directly to Pleasant Valley Animal Hospital, c/o Mary Lictro,18 Gretna Road, Pleasant Valley, NY 12569. Call 845-635-2110.

DCSPCA needs donations

Elmo (top) and Able are just two of almost 80 cats recently taken in by the Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals since March.

In March, DCSPCA humane law officers investigated cats living in horrible conditions in Hyde Park. More than 30 cats, many of whom were pregnant, were living in an 8x10-foot room.

They were seized and taken to the shelter, where the pregnant animals have given birth and all are being nursed back to health.

Then in June, the DCSPCA responded to a call about cats living in a garage in Dutchess County.
Officers found 49 cats living in an area so filthy and pungent it burned the eyes of the rescuers, according to Executive Director Joyce Garrity.

The cats were covered in excrement and were filthy and matted. Many had genetic deformities. DCSPCA vets are working to bring them back to health.

Garrity said, in a press release issued today, that rehabilitation, veterinary expenses and food will place a heavy burden on the organization.

So the DCSPCA is requesting support from the community in the form of monetary donations, as well as the contribution of wet cat food and kitty litter.

The DCSPCA is located at 636 Violet Avenue in Hyde Park.

For information, call 845-452-SPCA (7722).