Latest news with #HumaneAnimalRescueofPittsburgh
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Woman charged with animal cruelty, neglect after dog has leg amputated
There's a new beginning for a dog brought to the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (HARP) last month. He was adopted after Pittsburgh police said he was a victim of neglect, and the woman responsible for caring for him is now facing charges. Juanieka Farrar faces several charges, including aggravated cruelty to animals and neglect. Last month, police were dispatched to a house on Woodland Avenue in Marshall Shadeland. The caller told dispatchers a tan Pitbull, attached to a short tether on a fence pole, was left outside in the rain and crying. A criminal complaint said that due to the lack of a proper shelter, the dog appeared to be soaking wet, somewhat thin and limping. Police officers observed that its back right leg had a severe injury. Police also noticed his ribs and spine protruding and were concerned for the dog's overall health and wellness. Farrar told police the dog belonged to her 16-year-old son and said that it had been staying there since last July. She ensured that the dog was fed and well taken care of. When asked about its leg, Farrar told police the dog slipped on the kitchen floor two days earlier but did not take it to the vet. Police took the dog to Blue Pearl Vet Hospital, where he had to have his right hind leg amputated. After a few weeks at HARP, the dog was adopted. HARP officials said the dog is happily adjusting to his new life, with his adoptive family hoping to put all this behind them. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
15-04-2025
- CBS News
Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh warns of scam targeting owners of lost pets
The Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh is warning people about a scam targeting the owners of missing pets. In a Facebook post on Monday, the shelter said it learned about "a troubling scam" that hits pet owners searching for their lost animals. In the scam, someone spoofs HARP's number and claims to be with the rescue. They tell owners that their pet has been found, then they demand immediate payment and even threaten euthanasia. "This is NOT us. We would never demand payment over the phone or threaten harm to any animal," HARP said. Pittsburgh Public Safety warned of a similar scheme in October, saying they believed a scammer was using websites and community pages like Facebook and Nextdoor to find victims. A woman told KDKA-TV that while she was looking for her missing kitten Gary, she was targeted by someone pretending to be with Pittsburgh animal control. The scammer told her Gary had been injured and needed money for surgery. Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh said to be cautious of anyone pressuring you to pay immediately. If something feels off, trust your instincts. If you get one of these calls reportedly from Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh and you're unsure, the rescue says to call their lost pets line directly at 412-345-7300.
CBS News
30-01-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Pittsburgh veterinarians say to take precautions to protect pets from bird flu
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Veterinarians are warning pet owners to take precautions as a highly contagious strand of bird flu is spreading across the country. The virus was detected on a chicken farm in Lehigh County this week. In the last several weeks, its also been found in wild snow geese in eastern Pennsylvania. Even though we call it the bird flu, other animals can catch it. "The one that we're most concerned about is the one that's called H5N1. This virus particularly is considered to be a highly pathogenic avian strain. And it can spill over into mammals," said Dr. Becky Morrow, medical director at Frankie's Friends cat rescue. Can my dog or cat catch the bird flu? Dr. Morrow studies infectious diseases, and she said she's not so much worried about dogs when it comes to avian influenza, but cats seem to be at a greater risk of getting the virus. "The cats seem to be quite affected by this now, what we understand is the highest risk to cats is the ingestion of wild birds' contaminated meat, so these raw diets and raw biggest thing right now is to avoid any raw diets, raw milk because even our indoor kitties will be at risk for that," Dr. Morrow said. More than a dozen cats nationwide have been sickened or killed by bird flu. There have been no reports of felines infected with it in Pennsylvania. Dr. Marit Bakken, wildlife and clinical medicine veterinarian at Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh said there are some concerning signs with felines getting sick with the virus. "A lot of cats are getting this disease, and they also are getting very sick from it, and dying, to be completely honest, is very worrying. Obviously, I think that in order to be completely safe and to really kind of mitigate the risk, I would definitely recommend keeping all cats inside, if possible," Dr. Bakken said. What can I do if my pet comes in contact with an infected bird? They said even though the chances that cats in our area will come across a bird that's infected if they're not on a dairy farm or not near a poultry farm are probably low, it's still wise to keep your cats inside as much as you can. Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl continue to migrate through Pennsylvania. And cats are curious and could get avian flu from eating or coming into contact with sick birds. "You never really know, and the risk is more in waterfowl and domestic animals like chicken," said Dr. Bakken. Dr. Bakken said they know that dogs can get the virus, but they're typically less impacted in terms of clinical signs. She said both dogs and cats should still stay away from waterfowl. "Especially hunting dogs, dogs that are outside a lot may be exposed to a lot of wild waterfowl would be higher risk," Dr. Bakken said. "It's just always kind of Better to stay on the side of safe rather than sorry when dealing with these kinds of new emerging viruses," she added. "We don't have a treatment for this. So, it's at least 50% fatal, if not more. So that's why I'm really concerned about it being that we run a cat rescue and that we're dealing with a lot of kitties that are community cats," she added. According to the CDC, it is rare for humans to contract bird flu as they would have to be in direct contact with an infected animal. Experts said the virus can attach to people's clothes, which is one-way cats and dairy cattle could contract the virus. If you find your pet with a bird in their mouth that may be sick or dead -- remove it, then contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission and a veterinarian for guidance, to be safe. You'll also want to monitor your pet for respiratory and neurological symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, being lethargic, wobbling, or not eating as much as usual.
