Sitting beside their son during one of his weeks-long hospital stays over the Christmas holidays a few years ago, David and Kirsty Hill had plenty of time to worry and think. As 12-year-old George lay in an isolation room, receiving antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection related to his cystic fibrosis, a progressive genetic disease […]
Researchers develop a simplified method to modify disease signaling with light
Most diseases are caused by aberrant cell signaling processes, and basic research in cell signaling is needed to identify targets for future therapeutic approaches, especially in cases where no cures or effective treatments are currently available. Cellular optogenetics uses light to precisely control cell signaling in space and over time, making it an invaluable technique […]
A Second Chance for Soba
Second chances happen every day at the ASPCA—cruelty victims become beloved family pets, homeless animals settle into new digs, and so many are finally given the love they deserve. Rescue dogs are so much more than their pasts or their breed, and we are so fortunate to be able to make so many happy endings […]
Need a Meownager and an Assistant (to the) Regional Meownager of Your Home Office? Meet Michael and Dwight!
Michael and Dwight have decided the corporate office life isn’t for them and are looking to cozy up in a new home office! This pair of kitties are bonded brothers and best friends, so this dynamic duo wants to be adopted together in the Los Angeles area. These guys are friendly with almost everyone they […]
A Blessing for Benji—and the Residents of Liberty City.
It was a hot June day when Virginia W. noticed that her 10-year-old Shepherd-mix, Benji, was listless and coughing. “He wasn’t feeling good,” Virginia recalls. “He didn’t look like himself. I knew there was something going on.” A resident of Liberty City in Miami, Virginia had visited the new ASPCA Community Veterinary Center (CVC) last […]
Animal Welfare Organizations Hampered by the Pandemic Get a Boost from ASPCA Funds
Organizations nationwide have been assisted by the our COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Initiative, a multi-million dollar effort benefitting pets and animal welfare groups affected by the pandemic. Our response is a lifeline in emergencies like this, and thanks to our ASPCA Guardians, we can reach animals and communities who desperately need us. As part of the […]
Is Fostering a Mistake? Get the REAL Scoop on Foster Dogs
During the month of October, we’re taking time to celebrate our rescued canine counterparts and encourage our friends nationwide to open their hearts and their homes to a dog in need—even if just temporarily as a foster caregiver. An important step in the journeys of countless shelter animals is time in foster homes, and sadly, […]
This Woman Touched One of the Hairy, Venomous Caterpillars Found in Virginia—And the Pain Felt Like a 'Scorching-Hot Knife'
As if 2020 hasn’t already put us through enough, there have been multiple sightings of a certain hairy-looking caterpillar in Virginia that can cause some serious damage and discomfort—and officials are warning residents to stay far, far away from them. In a Facebook post shared on October 6 by the Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF), […]
Here’s what to do if your boyfriend is a bad kisser
If it hasn’t happened, you’re lucky. For the rest of us, it’s nothing new: He’s handsome, he’s charming, he’s the perfect date and now he’s leaning in for that highly-anticipated first kiss. Your heart’s racing. Your heart drops. The kiss… was not good. Or just okay. Or just atrocious. You tell yourself you’ll give it […]
Finding Help and Hope After a Hurricane
A day before Hurricane Laura slammed into Louisiana on August 27, Henry “Andy” Roach made one of the hardest decisions of his life. He only had room in his pickup truck for the four adults he needed to evacuate, including his 88-year-old mother, and had no choice but to leave behind his two beloved dogs, […]