News

Rosie’s Road to Recovery: Helping a Family’s Best Friend

Great news — Rosie is on the mend! This sweet 4-year-old beagle-hound mix is the heart of her family’s home, bringing joy to her two little human best friends and the many animals she shares her small farm with. When Rosie needed emergency surgery, her family was faced with a difficult financial burden. But thanks to the kindness and generosity of our incredible supporters, Guardian HEALS was able to step in and help cover the costs of her procedure and post-op care.

Now, Rosie is receiving the treatment she needs to heal, and soon she’ll be back to running around the farm, playing with her family, and enjoying the happy life she deserves. Her family, especially her young companions, can’t wait to have their best buddy home again. We are so grateful to everyone who made this possible—because of you, Rosie gets a second chance at a bright and healthy future!

Lola’s Second Chance: A Soldier’s Love & a Community’s Support

When Andrew, a dedicated Army service-member, discovered that his beloved family cat, Lola, was battling a severe kidney infection, he refused to give up on her. Faced with an overwhelming emergency vet bill, he reached out for help — and thanks to the incredible support of our donors, Guardian HEALS was able to step in.

With the funding needed for life-saving treatment, Lola is now on the path to recovery, receiving the round-the-clock care she needs. Andrew’s unbreakable bond with Lola remains strong, and we’re so grateful to be part of her healing journey. Thank you for giving Lola the chance to keep making memories with her family! ????????

“I Would Do Without Before She Does Without” – Lillian & Sadie – Another Life Saved

“I would do without before she does without.” That’s one of the first things that Lillian told us when we spoke to her yesterday about her Sadie. Unfortunately though, Lillian does not have a lot to spare these days. She lives in senior home and has limited savings to draw from after Sadie got very sick in 2021. Since then, Sadie has been on numerous medications and those costs have added up.

Sadie helped Lillian through the death of her partner, and now continues to spread joy to other residents at the Senior living home. Lillian was ready to do whatever it took to keep Sadie going—even accepting that she may go hungry at times as long as Sadie got to eat and got her medicine.

Thankfully, that didn’t have to happen. Lillian got in contact with HEALS. We were able to help Lillian get lower costs on Sadie’s monthly medications, and we’re going to pay for Sadie’s next round of bloodwork. Sadie is a “wonderful and happy dog – almost a therapy dog for some people at the home.” We are so happy to assist Lillian in this time of need and get her on a better financial trajectory.

Love is the driving force behind HEALS. We love our pets, and we would do anything for them. So would the people we are fortunate enough to help

SKY UPDATE: Surgery was a Success!

Sky had her surgery this past Tuesday, and it was a success! She is now on her way towards recovery. We spoke with Sky’s mom, Rhiannon, today. She informed us that, “the surgery couldn’t have gone better. Sky is eating food, taking her medicine, and going to the bathroom on her own.” This is such wonderful news. None of it would be possible without all of your donations. Thank you all so much. We will keep you updated ask Sky continues to heal ❤

View the video here

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Gift Your Pet Some Love – But Not Chocolate on Valentine’s Day!

By Joan Eve Quinn, Program Director

Valentine’s Day delivers a joyfully warm respite from the cold winter chill. It’s also a good excuse to binge on sweet treats–chocolate being among our favorites.

From tiny tasty truffles to tall table-top sculptures, who doesn’t wish they had some chocolate right now? But it has a dark side for our pets: Chocolate and many other candies can cause stomach discomfort at the very least and serious illness–and even death–at the very worst. Even some familiar flowers pose a risk.

To help keep pets safe this Valentine’s Day, HEALS issues this all-four-paws alert for some common products that may be harmful:

Chocolate: Yes, it’s delicious, but the problem is your pets may think so too. You’ve seen how persistent pets can be when they’re trying to raid the yummy stuff: Sneaking into closed rooms, knocking packages off counters, and ripping wrappings open. The amount and type of chocolate–in relation to your pet’s weight and general health condition–will determine if chocolate toxicity will develop. Chocolate can cause gastrointestinal upset as well as life-threatening heart arrhythmias.
Xylitol: A naturally occurring sugar alcohol, xylitol is found in many popular candies. For pets, ingestion of this ingredient can lead to life-threatening hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and in the worst cases, liver failure. Dr. Jason Berg, board-certified veterinary neurologist/internist and HEALS Chairman of the Board, warns “Xylitol is a deadly product found in candy and common snacks that are often given to pets, such as peanut butter. Make sure you read all ingredients in snacks and food before you give it to your pets.”
Calorie-laden dinner: Fatty and rich foods are simply not good for pets. Fatty foods can cause pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas that can lead to vomiting and diarrhea and, in some cases, very severe illness.
Flowers: Many types of flowers and other greenery are highly toxic to pets if ingested. Some of the most toxic examples include:
Lilies can cause kidney failure
Amaryllis can cause vomiting and depression
Tulip and narcissus bulbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation
Oleander can cause heart arrhythmias
Cyclamen can cause vomiting and death
Autumn crocus can cause multi-organ damage and death
Foreign bodies: You never know what’s going to look like a tempting toy or treat to your pet. Even Valentine’s Day detritus left lying around, like wrapping paper and ribbon, can potentially cause a problem. Foreign material can sometimes lodge in the gastrointestinal tract, causing life-threatening obstructions or perforations.

HEALS urges you to seek immediate veterinary attention if you suspect that your pet has eaten something that may be harmful. Know where your nearest 24/7 emergency veterinary hospital is located. Keep the phone number handy and call ahead.

Valentine’s Day should be like a walk in the dog park. So take this to heart: Keep the sugary treats well out of your pet’s reach. Let there be lots of head butts, tail wagging, kisses, love, and pet-safe goodies instead!

For more information, you can call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 and research a comprehensive list of toxic plants at www.aspca.org.

HEALS is one of the best animal charities to donate to. Your donation provides financial help for pets in need of life-saving veterinary care–when their owners truly can’t afford it–right here in your own community. If you need help paying for dog or cat veterinary care, contact us at 914-996-0001 or email info@healspets.org.

Collaboration is Key for Saving Lives

We have had the honor or working with many dedicated animal lovers and their pets, but this case in particular was very special. Timothy and Cooper first came to our good friends at HEAL-Humanity Empathy Animal Love – Foundation with a very serious situation. Cooper was dealing with a burst tumor on his leg, and Timothy, a dedicated and loving dog dad, was running out of options.

HEAL agreed to help Timothy financially, but they were having trouble finding an animal hospital that would see Cooper soon enough. Time was running out, and Cooper’s condition was deteriorating. Our friends at HEAL decided to reach out to us to see if we could help them find a hospital to perform the surgery and cover the remaining costs. Luckily, we were able to find a great hospital with a surgeon willing to act quickly, and we chipped in what was needed to get Cooper the treatment to save his life

The stars aligned, and Cooper’s surgery was a success. He’s bouncing back much quicker than anticipated, and he is expected to make a full recovery. We’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Timothy quite a bit since the surgery and his positivity and gratitude are infectious. We are so happy for the the two of them. We actually just received word today that Cooper is headed home and has the last of his sutchers out! He’s even been “running around the backyard,” according to Timothy.

We are also feeling very encouraged having worked on this case together with HEAL. We have found that collaboration is not so common between non-profits like ourselves and HEAL, but that is a trend that we are happy to go against. With the rising cost of veterinary care, sometimes the only option to save a pet’s life may be to work together. After all, we all have the same goal at the end of the day: Keep families together.

We urge you to please donate to us today. Cases keep coming in, and it’s getting tougher and tougher to find hospitals that can take in the cases that we are trying to help. We are only able to save lives because of donations from people like you. Thank you.

Keep Your Pet Safe and Happy this Labor Day!

We hope you’re as excited as us for Labor Day weekend! Labor Day is a fantastic long weekend to spend time outside with your friends, family, and of course — pets! As we are all off to our destinations today, let’s not forget to take the necessary precautions to make sure that our pets are safe and comfortable during all Labor Day festivities.

The number one thing to be concerned with for any summer holiday and your pets is the heat.

When you’re outside with your pets, make sure that they ALWAYS have access to shade and fresh water. Never leave your pets unattended for long periods of time in the heat, and be sure to keep the air conditioning on throughout those extra hot days. Also, always watch out for signs of heat stroke. They include but are not limited to vomiting, tremors, or inability to walk. If you notice any of these symptoms, do not wait. Contact an emergency vet immediately.

We urge you to never leave your animal loose in your car.

Many of us will be getting into our cars for a road trip this morning. We urge you to never leave your animal loose in your car. The safest way to travel with your pet is with a kennel that is securely fastened with a seatbelt or seat saver. Also, Never leave your pet alone in a hot care — even if you are parked in the shade or have your windows open. Your car creates an oven-like effect that will make it hotter than the outside environment.

If you are attending a cookout, be weary of what you furry friend may get into.

Many of our favorites can be extremely harmful for our pets. Alcohol, grapes, chocolate, onions, certain nuts or even dairy items can be extremely toxic to our pets (just to name a few). Also, watch out for corn on the cob or cooked bones of any kind! Dogs are known to choke on large pieces of corn cob, and cooked bones can do severe damage to a pet that may ingest them.

Be ready for fireworks.

If you are ending your night with a display of fireworks, do your best to secure your pets somewhere quiet and safe. It is best to be with them until the loud noises are over. Fireworks are known to cause pets to take off and run away — even if your animal may never otherwise do so.

Have fun this weekend, and keep these tips in mind! Our pets are members of our family, and it is very important to always consider their needs and best practices for these kinds of scenarios.

Would you like to donate to help save animals? HEALS is one of the best, most effective animal charities to donate to. Your gift provides financial help for pets in need of life-saving veterinary care–when their owners truly can’t afford it–right here in your own community. If you need help paying for dog or cat veterinary care, contact us at 914-996-0001 or email us at info@healspets.org.

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Watch our video to meet many of the beautiful pets whose lives have been touched by HEALS. We kept these dedicated families together and gave their deserving companion animals more time to enjoy with them.

Thank You To Our Generous Sponsors

We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of our wonderful sponsors. They have donated generously, enabling HEALS to save more pets’ lives and giving them more time to spend with their devoted families.

Leader of the Pack

Geoffrey & Bonnie Horn, In Memory of Minnie Horn
The Sethi Gauba Family

Best in Group

In Honor of Ariana Golt
Christina & Lee Hataway

Best Furry Friend

Dr. Rick & Nuda Joseph
Michael & Gina Cappelli
Joan & Beverly Sansone
The Friends of Mount Vernon Animal Shelter

A personal message from Dr. Jason Berg

Stay Safe on St. Patrick’s Day: Keep Alcohol Away from Animals!

By Joan Eve Quinn
HEALS Program Director

Four-leaf clovers, luck, and leprechauns lurk on the horizon as we march towards St. Patrick’s Day. A bright kelly-green break from the winter doldrums, parades, and parties are heading our way. For many, the cheerful celebrations historically include the alcoholic beverage of your choice. Party in style and with good sense!

While you’re looking for that pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow, be sure to keep your pets away from all alcoholic beverages. They can become seriously intoxicated and get very sick very fast from drinking even a small amount! This is called alcohol toxicity.

Alcohol toxicity can result from consuming many substances, including:

Ethanol (found in alcoholic beverages)
Cough syrup
Raw bread dough
Isopropanol (found in rubbing alcohol)
Methanol (found in windshield wiper fluid)

These alcohols are quickly absorbed in the pet’s body within 20-30 minutes. Such ingredients can even be absorbed through the skin of small pets when alcohol-based sprays are used.

Signs of illness caused by alcohol intoxication generally occur within just 30-60 minutes of intake and include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Ataxia (manifesting as a “drunken” gait)
Disorientation
Dull mental status
Difficulty breathing

In severe cases, the following serious conditions can occur:

Coma
Hypothermia
Seizures
Heart arrhythmias
Hypoglycemia
Death

Veterinary care must be sought immediately as a medical treatment for decontamination is usually only effective in the first 20-40 minutes after the alcohol is consumed. The good news is that prognosis can be very good with aggressive treatment, depending on the amount swallowed.

If you believe your pet has ingested alcohol, please seek veterinary emergency help right away. Know where your nearest 24/7 veterinary emergency clinic is located and keep the phone number handy. You may also call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Hotline at 1-888-426-4435.

This St. Patrick’s Day, kissing the Blarney Stone may not be practical for everyone. But kissing your pet is! HEALS wishes you a safe and happy celebration and may the luck of the Irish rise up to meet you.