Thank You for Making Happy Tails Like These Possible!

As we gather around with our loved ones this Thanksgiving, we’d be remiss if we didn’t take a moment to say, “Thank you!”

With the unwavering support we’ve received from friends and animal lovers like you, we were able to meet our Thanksgiving goal of 100,000 meals for hungry animals. This goal was more than just a number; it means real animals getting the real help they need. This year alone we saw 156 emaciation cases and with the support of our community, we've been able to give so many of them happy endings. Here are some true stories of formerly hungry, homeless animals who got the second chances they deserved thanks to people like you!

Seal

Seal was found by the NYPD in January 2025, tied up with multiple serious injuries. She was underweight with visible vertebral and pelvic bones and had multiple wounds across her body consistent with dog bite injuries.

Our dedicated staff tended to all of Seal’s wounds, and to help her regain weight safely, she was put on a refeeding plan. After two months in our care, she was ready to find a home of her own. Seal, now renamed Silia, is living a very happy life with her new family, including multiple human and canine siblings!

Peppermint

In 2024, just days before Christmas, a Good Samaritan found Peppermint on the side of the road. He was severely emaciated, had broken bones, lacerations, burn wounds, frostbite and was in shock.

Our team sprang into action, getting Peppermint’s body temperature back to a normal range, tending to his deep wounds and putting him on a refeeding plan. Despite the immense amount of pain he was in, Peppermint remained sweet and snuggly through all his care.

After about three months, Peppermint gained 50 percent of his weight and was ready to find a home. He now goes by Rudy (named after Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) and spends his days running around the countryside in upstate New York with his two doting adopters.

Gustavo

When we met Gustavo, he was living with two other dogs in inappropriate and unsanitary conditions. He was noted to have several fractured teeth, a wound on his chin and a fractured pelvis. He was also ravenously hungry and weighing only three and a half pounds — half the weight of a healthy kitten his size.

Gustavo was placed on a refeeding plan to carefully put weight back on and was put on cage rest so his pelvis could heal. His sweet, gregarious personality quickly made him a staff favorite, receiving lots of visits during this time.

After his fracture healed and he attained a healthy weight, Gustavo was ready to find a home to call his own! His photogenic face quickly caught the eye of two healthcare workers who adopted him the same day they met him. 

Cabrera

Cabrera, a Great Dane/Mastiff-mix, was found by the NYPD tied to a post in Brooklyn. She was extremely emaciated and suffering from painful medical conditions like skin infections, ear infections and pressure sores on her feet, wrists and hips.

Our staff treated all of Cabrera’s conditions, including gastrointestinal parasites and anemia, which are common with emaciation. She was also placed on a refeeding plan, where she gained 15 pounds.

After making a full recovery, Cabrera was adopted by a pair of newlyweds! Now named Marla Hooch after a character from the iconic ‘90s film “A League of Their Own,” she is somewhat of a celebrity in her high-foot traffic neighborhood!

Burke

Last April, Nicky Walters, founder and president of West Virginia Horse Network (WVHN), received a heartbreaking call from a local humane officer who had discovered a starving horse in a barn with two deceased cows. The horse, roughly 19 years old, was later named Burke and transferred to WVHN. It was clear he had been severely neglected.

Receiving proper care at WVHN, Burke gained weight exceptionally well, getting as much hay and water as he needed along with 3 to 4 pounds of senior feed twice a day. Once healthy enough, Burke began exercises to begin building up muscle.

The attention-loving equine is now in foster care and looking for a home to start his next chapter in. Inspired to adopt? Check out his profile!

Polka

Polka was discovered by the NYPD caged in a too-small crate with another dog inside a Brooklyn apartment without access to food or water. She was underweight, had severe fecal and urine scalding on her hind legs and inflammation along her underside, hind end and all four paws from prolonged exposure to urine and feces.

Being housed in a clean shelter environment helped Polka resolve her inflammation. She also received oral antibiotics, weekly medicated baths, plenty of water and a well-balanced diet. In addition to her medical conditions, Polka was shy when she first arrived, so she received desensitization and counter conditioning treatments to help make her less fearful of the world around her.

Polka has since gone on to find a safe, kind and comfortable home with a retired social worker and former director of an office for adult protective services. The two love snuggling up to watch TV together.

Dancer

Seven-year-old Dancer was found by the NYPD tied to a pole and in desperate need of medical attention. He was severely underweight, suffering from open wounds and was unable to walk. Our veterinarians treated Dancer’s wounds and, to help him safely regain weight, placed him on a strict refeeding plan. After a few months, his condition greatly improved, and he was ready to find a loving home.

His handsome face captivated couple Ugo and Max, and his clumsy gait, heavy breathing and the way he cuddled on Ugo’s feet sealed the deal. Dancer gets along well with his new feline sibling, and he has become a star pup in the neighborhood, especially when he rides along in his trolley for longer walks. 

From all of us at the ASPCA, two- and four-legged alike, thank you for making stories like these possible! Happy holidays!