New Hope for Fear and Anxiety in Abused Dogs
Story at-a-glance
- Recently the ASPCA opened the Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Madison, NJ, a first-of-its-kind facility dedicated exclusively to helping rehabilitate dogs that have been victims of animal cruelty.
- The center’s patients will come from shelters across the country as well as from ASPCA-involved seizures, and will primarily be victims of puppy mills and hoarding situations.
- Dogs with extreme fear disorders are in danger of being euthanized unless they can be rehabilitated – a job that typically falls to shelter workers and rescue groups. The ASPCA’s new center, which is launching a two-year research project, has committed to share its findings with shelters and rescue organizations across the U.S.
- The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center has over two dozen kennels, treatment rooms, “real life” rooms, and common areas. There are 10 staff members, including two behavior experts, plus volunteers and daily caretakers. The ASPCA invested over a half a million dollars in the center, and will pay for all patient expenses, including vet care.
- For many animals, being rescued from a lifetime of neglect and abuse is just the beginning of a long journey to recovery. The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center’s goal is to provide rescued dogs with customized behavior therapy and more time to recover, which will increase their chances of being adopted
By Dr. Becker
Recently the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) opened the Behavioral Rehabilitation Center at St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in Madison, NJ, as part of a two-year research project.
Per an ASPCA press release, the center is “the first-ever facility dedicated strictly to providing behavioral rehabilitation to canine victims of cruelty, such as those confiscated from puppy mills and hoarding cases.” According to center director Kristen Collins, the center will also treat a certain number of dogs that have been confined for long periods because they are “evidence” in court cases.
The Behavior Rehabilitation Center’s canine patients will come from shelters across the U.S. as well as from ASPCA-involved seizures from puppy mills and hoarders. According to Collins, the center is the first facility of its kind in that it will be focused exclusively on providing rehabilitation for dogs that are victims of animal cruelty.
The Center’s findings as part of the two-year research project will be shared with shelters and rescue organizations throughout the U.S.
Dogs with Extreme Fear Disorders Are Euthanasia Candidates
Dogs suffering from extreme fear are prone to symptoms such as shaking, cowering, loss of bladder control, growling and biting. In some cases, the fear is always present and causes the animal a great deal of pain. These cases are very hard to treat.
This level of fear is commonly seen in dogs that have survived life in puppy mills or hoarding situations. Once free, fear consumes them because their previous miserable, often abusive existence is all they’ve ever known. Typically these animals are turned over to shelters and rescue groups who try to work with the dogs to help them overcome their fears. The alternative for many of these dogs is, sadly, euthanasia.
Dogs cowering in the back of their shelter kennels certainly have no quality of life, and prospective owners seldom choose them. If they do get adopted, without treatment they are ill-prepared to blend into a family environment, and many new owners are disappointed or at a loss to know what to do to help their new four-legged family member.
One of the things the ASPCA’s research project will do is provide some statistics to work with. Presently, no one really knows how many dogs with fear disorders are placed in adoptive homes, or how they do once they go to their new families. The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center staff will follow up on placed animals to document how well they are doing in their new environment.
Most Dogs Will Stay at the Center for Six to Eight Weeks
The ASPCA’s new center has over two dozen kennels, treatment rooms, “real life” rooms, common areas, and an office. There are 10 people on staff at the center, including two behavior experts from St. Hubert’s. There are also volunteers and caretakers who feed the dogs and clean their kennels.
Center behaviorists will provide customized behavior modification therapy to reduce fear and anxiety in abused dogs. From a recent press release:
Treatment plans will incorporate the use of scientifically sound techniques designed to reduce the dogs’ fear of people and other dogs, acquainting them to unfamiliar objects, sounds, living areas, and real-life situations that can induce trauma and severe stress among this population.
The ASPCA spent over half a million dollars on the center, and will foot the bill for all patient expenses, including veterinary care.
Most dogs will stay at the facility for six to eight weeks, with some requiring a more lengthy or shorter stay, depending on their individual situation. “Graduates” of the center will return to a shelter for placement, and ongoing therapy will be provided as needed.
"For some animals, the reality is that after a lifetime of neglect and abuse, the rescue is just the beginning of their journey to recovery," said Dr. Pamela Reid, vice president of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Behavior Team. The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center’s goal is to provide rescued dogs individualized behavior therapy and more time to recover from past abuse. This will increase the likelihood of successful adoption.
Rescued Alaskan Malamutes Some of Center’s First Residents
Some of the first patients at the new center were a few Alaskan malamutes taken from a Montana breeder who was convicted in December 2012 of over 90 counts of animal cruelty. A total of 213 malamutes were rescued from starvation and filthy living conditions in that case. The dogs were transferred to other kennels and kept as evidence for 16 months during trial preparation.
Eighteen of the dogs were pregnant, one of which weighed just 48 pounds (the average weight of an Alaskan malamute is 75 pounds). She delivered a litter of eight puppies. Only one survived.
Once the dogs were no longer “evidence,” they were sent to a humane society in Helena where they were spayed and neutered. Another animal welfare group helped begin placing the dogs. Some of the malamutes have found new homes; some are living in rescues awaiting adoption.
One of the dogs was adopted by the president of the Alaska Malamute Assistance League in Anchorage. The dog, a 6 year-old female named Cinder, is missing the tip of one ear, has broken teeth and a broken toe – all caused by food fights among the starving dogs while they lived at the breeding facility in Montana. According to Cinder’s owner, many of the malamutes are missing their tongues for the same reason.
Cinder’s owner, Bob Sutherland, says she has come a long way:
"We took a shy dog, and she’s all grins and giggles now. If you work with these dogs, they rise and shine. That’s why this ASPCA facility is so valuable to us. We were super excited to get these dogs in there to go through a training regimen. It saves us a lot of heartbreak about what we do with these dogs.”
Hope for the Future of Mistreated Animals
Sadly, there will be dogs that cannot overcome their fear, no matter how extensive the rehabilitation. But the center’s behaviorists are committed to do everything possible to help dogs recover. Euthanasia will be a last resort for dogs with an extremely poor quality of life, or those who pose a significant threat to people or other animals.
The Behavioral Rehabilitation Center will only be able to handle about 400 animals during the two-year project, so it won’t take much burden off shelters in the immediate future. The hope is that researchers will develop new ways to treat fear, anxiety and shyness in dogs that have been abused, and those techniques can be shared on a broad scale with other facilities and groups doing similar work.
According to Collins, success with this project could expand future projects to include fighting dogs, and even cats.
Related:
Humane Society of the U.S. finally changes its policy on fighting dogs
Great Update About Dogs Removed From Michael Vick’s Compound
Canine Logo Equals Rape! Hello?
The University of Connecticut has replaced their old logo …
… with something a bit leaner.
(Click on any picture to see the largest version.)
HellInAHandBasket.net: Okay, so some university in the New England states is trying to rebrand. So what?
It would seem that a female student claims that the new logo will “intimidate women and empower rape culture“!
I have no idea what the bitter feminist who made these claims is talking about. The new logo depicts a dog that is better groomed and showing less tongue. Wouldn’t that mean he was more of a gentleman?
Not that we are sure as to the sex of the mascot. Whenever I see a canine, the only sure way to tell the gender is to peer down between the back legs to see of there are any danglies. How can the “intimidated” student tell if the only thing drawn is the face of the beast? Maybe she completed the drawing in her mind!
My leg was once humped by a Cocker Spaniel, which means an actual, real life, flesh-and-blood dog tried to have its way with me.
This seems to me to be a great deal more traumatic than having a cartoon drawing of a fictional dog peer out from a poster or T-shirt. And yet, no one is concerned about my feelings of powerlessness and violation!
This is probably because I never felt powerless or violated. When little Snookums started the Hump, Hump, Hurrah! I simply showed my teeth while growling deep and low. The dog had obviously never encountered an Alpha male before, as it ran to huddle, shaking, against the legs of its owner. When said owner reached down to give the over stimulated pet a reassuring pat on the head, the dog peed all over her shoes.
It should be even easier to get a cartoon dog head off your leg, I would think.
Before anyone stumbling across this essay should decide to climb on their high horse and accuse me of belittling rape, please keep in mind that I have worked for two decades with victims of violent sexual abuse. It seems to me to be a no-brainer that shrill, idiotic tripe such as the claim that a drawing of a dog’s head will encourage people to engage in violent criminal assault is demeaning and unfair to those who have had to put their lives back together after being subjected to rape in the real world. But something tells me that such thoughts will never enter the heads of anyone who would make claims of that type.
Stacy McCain goes a long way towards analyzing why anyone would be so stupid as to make this assertion in the first place. The answer is that the person who penned the letter is working towards a diploma for being a self-righteous feminist jerk.
Inner Peace
A Look At Life !
Inner Peace: This is so true
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
Then You Are Probably:
The Family Dog!
h/t to Andrea Martinez
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A Dog’s Purpose – Out of the Mouth of Babes
Are Our Pets Spiritual Assignments
Until One Has Loved an Animal, Part of Their Soul Remains Unawakened
If I Should Die Before My Dog…
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Peacock in full flight
Have you ever seen a Peacock in full flight?
This is a rare opportunity for this. We never imagined that it could be so
Magnificent – like a phoenix in a fairy tale! It is not every day we can see such beauty!!!
h/t to Sovereignty in Colorado
Kitten Message Therapy
Video: Kitten Massage Therapy
It’s stressful being a kitten! So, after a long day of eating, napping, and terrorizing unattended clothing, it’s important to unwind.
Save a Life…Adopt Just One More…Pet!
Everyday we read or hear another story about pets and other animals being abandoned in record numbers while at the same time we regularly hear about crazy new rules and laws being passed limiting the amount of pets that people may have, even down to one or two… or worse yet, none.
Nobody is promoting hoarding pets or animals, but at a time when there are more pets and animals of all types being abandoned or being taken to shelters already bursting at the seams, there is nothing crazier than legislating away the ability of willing adoptive families to take in just one more pet!!
Our goal is to raise awareness and help find homes for all pets and animals that need one by helping to match them with loving families and positive situations. Our goal is also to help fight the trend of unfavorable legislation and rules in an attempt to stop unnecessary Euthenization!!
“All over the world, major universities are researching the therapeutic value of pets in our society and the number of hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and mental institutions which are employing full-time pet therapists and animals is increasing daily.” ~ Betty White, American Actress, Animal Activist, and Author of Pet Love
Photos By: Marion Algier – The UCLA Shutterbug
There is always room for Just One More Pet. So if you have room in your home and room in your heart… Adopt Just One More! If you live in an area that promotes unreasonable limitations on pets… fight the good fight and help change the rules and legislation…
Save the Life of Just One More…Animal!
Recent and Seasonal Shots
Photos by the UCLA Shutterbug are protected by copyright, Please email at JustOneMorePet@gmail.com or find us on twitter @JustOneMorePet for permission to duplicate for commerical purposes or to purchase photos.
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If you can adopt or foster just one more pet, you could be saving a life, while adding joy to your own! Our shelters are over-flowing… Please join the fight to make them all ‘NO-Kill’ facilities.
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- Incredible: The Moment a Woman’s Dog Emerges from Rubble During TV Interview Right After She Describes Losing Him May 22, 2013(Photo: CBS News) Amid the tragedy in Oklahoma, one woman who lost everything says God answered both of her prayers. CBS News spoke with Barbara Garcia in the wake of the devastating tornado Monday, the woman’s suburban neighborhood now nothing more than flattened homes and rubble. Badly shaken but resilient, explains how she is okay […]justonemorepet
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- Help Your Dog Overcome These 3 Common Allergies… May 17, 2013Story at-a-glance Three very common allergies in dogs include flea allergy dermatitis, food allergies and environmental allergies. Treating your dog’s symptoms is only a temporary fix. It’s extremely important to find the root cause of an allergic reaction. Tips to relieve the suffering of your allergic dog. By Dr. Becker If your dog seems to […]justonemorepet
- Texas teenager caught this record 14-foot-3-inch, 800 pound alligator May 17, 2013Technorati Tags: Texas,alligator,wild animals,animal photos,JOMP,Just One More Petjustonemorepet
- Who’s a good dog? May 15, 2013This is for all the dog lovers. The human who got the animals to stay put should get some credit. Have a great day! – h/t to Gary Patterson Technorati Tags: dogs,pets,dog photos,JOMP,Just One More Petjustonemorepet
- Pet Week: 82.5 million U.S. households have pets May 13, 2013ATLANTA, May 10 (UPI/OddNews) — U.S. cable new outlet CNN marked National Pet Week by saying, among other pet-related statistics, an estimated $55.5 billion will be spent on U.S. pets in 2013. CNN said 82.5 million U.S. households had pets in 2012 and $55.53 billion is expected to be spent on pets by U.S. residents […]justonemorepet
- Animal Moms – Happy Mother’s Day 2013 May 12, 2013h/t to Liana Smith Technorati Tags: animal moms,doggie moms,Happy Mother’s Day,for the love a pet,JOMP,Just One More Pet,love,We are all God’s creatures,holidays,animal photosjustonemorepet
- New Hope for Fear and Anxiety in Abused Dogs May 10, 2013Story at-a-glance Recently the ASPCA opened the Behavioral Rehabilitation Center in Madison, NJ, a first-of-its-kind facility dedicated exclusively to helping rehabilitate dogs that have been victims of animal cruelty. The center’s patients will come from shelters across the country as well as from ASPCA-involved seizures, and will primarily be victims of pu […]justonemorepet
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- Outlaw For-Profit "High-Kill" Animal Shelters – Sign Better Fed Than Dead Petition May 22, 2013
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Great Book for Children and Pet Lovers… And a Perfect Holiday Gift
One More PetEmily loves animals so much that she can’t resist bringing them home. When a local farmer feels under the weather, she is only too eager to “feed the lambs, milk the cows and brush the rams.” The farmer is so grateful for Emily’s help that he gives her a giant egg... Can you guess what happens after that? The rhythmic verse begs to be read aloud, and the lively pictures will delight children as they watch Emily’s collection of pets get bigger and bigger.
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