DECEMBER - 2025

WAGGIN TAILS          DECEMBER 2025

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY CHANUKAH

HAPPY KWANZAA

Dear Friends and Members:

          A Holiday story.  I will tell you a story about how far Save Our Strays will go to save animals, one at a time.

          Once upon a time, approximately 14 years ago, a litter of kittens was born – 5 to be exact – under the Boardwalk in Coney Island.  To their good fortune, a Rescuer named Suzanne found them.  They were feral, and she had no place to board them or to foster them.  What she did do, was to create a safe space for them.  She took them to a veterinarian, and made sure that they had the essentials of life.  She had them spayed/neutered, and they were fed every day.  As the years passed, she was able, through Save Our Strays, to get two of the sisters who lived under the Boardwalk to a sanctuary in South Carolina.  You must remember the story.  You can find it on our website in the newsletter.  Well, that rescue wasn’t easy.  The sisters had to be trapped, and vetted.  Carol, our Director of Animal Welfare, flew from her home state of Florida ti New York, and then she and Suzanne, who lives in New York and  had been caring for these sisters for 12 years at the time, flew with the kittens to South Carolina to our sister organization, Little Feet Haven, who opened their sanctuary to these two little girls.  From the litter of 5, there were 3 girls and 2 boys.  One boy, unfortunately, went out on his own.  The other boy was a man of the world, after he was neutered.  He joined several colonies in Coney Island, and is doing well.  The third girl was a very small cat, who stayed by herself, until the “rats” in Coney Island started attacking vulnerable cats.  Suzanne felt it was time to take this, now 14 year old cat, off the street.  She reached out to Save Our Strays again, to see if we could get her into the sanctuary in South Carolina to join her two sisters who were there.  Fortunately, Little Feet Home had an opening and graciously accepted her.  In order for this elder cat to fly to her forever home, Carol, our Director of Animal Welfare, had to fly all in one day, from Florida to New York, pick up little Momma.  Carol, and the cat then flew to South Carolina to meet the Director of Little Feet Haven, whose name is also Carol, and myself to take little Momma to the sanctuary.

          Our Director of Animal Welfare, Carol then had to take a plane from North Carolina to Florida.  The day for her began with plane 1 at 10 a.m., plane 2 at 4 p.m., plane 3 at 8:30 p.m. and finally arriving at her home at 10 p.m.  A 12 hour day, and thousands of miles along with Coordination of many, but we did what we were supposed to do – save animals one at a time.

          This is what we do, and why we need your help to continue to help stray animals any way we can.  This is just one story.  Over our 57 years, we have many stories.  Please support us with donations, if you can, so that we can continue to care for and protect as best we can, the helpless animals that have been blessed by your support over the years.

Have a wonderful, and Happy Holiday

and life

from the strays, and us.

 LEGISLATION                                                                                                                 [REPRINTED]

The Endangered Species Act is under threat. Here’s how you can help.

For more than 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has protected wildlife in the United States from extinction. Now, as never before, it’s under siege. Bills introduced in Congress, executive orders from the president, and agency heads hostile toward conservation are all trying to weaken the law in the name of encouraging oil and gas production, protecting ranchers, and allowing states to manage wildlife through trophy hunting. The species that uphold ecosystems in the United States, define its landscape and delight the majority of its citizens are at risk.

Many of the 1,700 species listed as endangered and threatened could be lost in the coming generation—an evolutionary blink of the eye. They include songbirds called Rufa red knots who for 10,000 years have migrated from the Arctic to South America and feed on the eggs of horseshoe crabs, a species that emerged 445 million years ago; gray wolves, who moved into North America 400,000 years ago; grizzly bears, who traveled into the lower 48 states 13,000 years ago when the last of the glacial ice sheets melted; and hundreds of others. “Endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful,” in the words of Darwin.

Current threats to the Endangered Species Act 

The most dangerous attacks are coming from Congress, say Humane World for Animals advocates. Three bills introduced this year, if passed, would gut the Endangered Species Act, taking away protections for gray wolves and grizzlies and other animals.  “[ESA opponents] recognize these species can’t be delisted through a normal process, and they have to end run around science,” says Nicholas Arrivo, a Humane World attorney who has successfully argued that gray wolves and grizzlies need continued protection.

The ESA Amendments Act of 2025 (H.R. 1897) would make it easier to delist and harder to list species, and erase protections for habitat on which species depend.

The Grizzly Bear State Management Act (H.R. 281, S. 316) would delist grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The Pet and Livestock Protection Act (H.R. 845, S.1306) would delist gray wolves nationwide. Both would block courts from undoing these changes.

For decades, advocates from Humane World for Animals and other environmental and welfare groups have sued to preserve ESA protections—winning again and again in the courts with arguments based on research by wildlife biologists. The bills in Congress would decide the fate of species based on politics, say Humane World advocates.

Meanwhile, President Trump has declared an energy emergency and proposed allowing oil and gas drilling in habitat critical to the survival of animals listed under the ESA. The new secretary of the Department of Interior, Doug Burgum, and the new director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Brian Nesvik, have both pledged to support Trump’s push to develop fossil fuels, even if that means rolling back ESA protections.

In August, a federal judge appointed by Trump delisted the lesser prairie chicken, removing ESA protections that had kept oil companies from drilling, after the state of Texas and the Permian Basin Petroleum Association sued.

How to protect the Endangered Species Act

“This is the scariest time for the Endangered Species Act we have ever seen,” says Gillian Lyons, director of regulatory affairs at the Humane World Action Fund. “My hope is really the American people who care about wildlife. They have the power to let lawmakers know just how important this issue is to them—and the potential to change the narrative to something positive.”

The majority of Americans—a consistent 84% during the past three decades—support the ESA. Conservation has historically been a bipartisan issue, championed by both Democrats and Republicans. In fact, it was President Richard Nixon who signed the ESA into law in 1973.

To save the ESA and the species it protects, Americans can call their members of Congress, submit comments when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposes rule changes to implement the law, and work to elect ESA supporters to Congress in 2026.

“If species such as wolves lose their ESA protection at the federal level, the struggle to save them must shift to the state level,” says Jill Fritz, Humane World senior managing director of wildlife protection.

“If they’re delisted, that’s not the end of things. It then becomes incumbent on the people in the wolf states to stand up and fight for wolves.”

FYI                                                                                                                                                         [REPRINTED]

PETA

WHY ALL CATS SHOULD BE INDOOR CATS

When the stray cat first appeared on the porch, he had long silky fur. I started feeding him and earning his trust. But as the months passed, he got bitten by other cats. He developed enormous abscesses that refused to heal. His coat grew dull.  Finally, I gained his confidence enough to lure him into a carrier with food and whisk him off to a vet. Sadly, the big, once-handsome cat tested positive for FIV, the feline equivalent of AIDS. Already, the disease had ravaged his teeth and gums. Most of his teeth had fallen out. His gums were flaming red. Eating must have been agony. The disease also damaged his heart. An infection had also spread from his gums, causing irreparable harm.

It was all over. The injection was painless—but not for me. Now I know better.

The Not-So-Great Outdoors

Feline AIDS is a highly contagious, incurable disease for which there is no vaccine. It can only be prevented by keeping cats indoors. It is one of several deadly diseases that cats who roam outdoors can catch. Unattended cats also face dangers posed by dogs, wildlife, and the scariest predator of all, humans.  Thieves, or “bunchers,” cruise neighborhoods for friendly dogs and cats who can easily be picked up and sold to dealers, who in turn sell them to laboratories. Cats are often poisoned, shot, set on fire, or trapped and drowned by intolerant neighbors or bored juveniles. They are hit by cars, accidentally poisoned by spilled antifreeze, or maimed by fan blades when they crawl into warm engines on winter days.  But he wants to go outside.” “We live on a very quiet street.” “It’s cruel to keep her in.” These are things said by people who would never dream of opening the door and sending toddlers to wander down the street on their own.  The way we learn not to let the cat out unaccompanied is usually the hard way. In Pompano, Florida, lost dogs and cats were found in a large storage warehouse used by dogfight “trainers.” In South Dakota, a fur trader was caught selling cat skins. In Washington, D.C., a cat let out for her daily stroll returned covered in burns from hot cooking grease. In California, a woman searching for her cats found that both had been shot with arrows.  Today’s concrete jungles are far too dangerous for vulnerable, trusting little animals. But how do we prevent Tabby from getting bored in the great indoors? Here’s how!

Six Steps to Having a Happy Housecat

1. Bring joy with toys.

From paper bags and rolled up balls of paper to motorized “mice” and laser pointers, toys perk up even the laziest feline. All-time favorites are Cat Dancer and Cat Charmer.

2. Scratch that itch.

Cats love to scratch. Doing so enables them to remove broken claws, stretch muscles, and mark “territory.” The best way to save your furniture is to provide lots of “approved” places to scratch. Cat “trees” and posts, cardboard scratching boxes, and those ingenious “cat tracks” (a ball in a circular, partially open plastic tunnel surrounding a cardboard scratching pad) are big hits. Sprinkle catnip on them weekly to keep cats interested, and be sure to replace cardboard inserts when they get worn out.

3. Provide a room with a view.

Windows are cat “TV”—a birdbath or feeder placed near a window can provide hours of entertainment. If window sills aren’t wide enough, build or buy a cushioned perch (which are available from pet supply stores and catalogs) to attach to the sill. (For safe window-sill perching, make sure that double-hung windows are propped open to prevent them from falling down on cats, and tuck the cords of blinds up and out of the way so that legs and other body parts don’t get entangled in them.)

4. Porches bring purrs.

A screened-in porch or an enclosure accessible through a window is a great way for your cat to safely commune with nature. If your yard is fenced, one option is Cat Fence-In, a netting kit that attaches to the top of the fence. No existing fence is necessary to install another escape-proof system called Purrfect Fence, although it is advisable to supplement it with sturdy fencing of some kind to keep dogs and other predators out.

5. Take your cat out for cat walkies.

Cats can be taught to walk on a leash—just be sure to use an ultra-lightweight, retractable leash that’s attached to a harness, not a collar. Let your cat get used to the harness for short periods indoors, and then pick a safe outdoor area to explore.

6. Plant a garden—of catnip.

Cats will nibble on it and roll in it. Other healthy snacks are wheat grass, alfalfa, and oat grass. (You can buy seed starter kits at companion animal supply stores.) You can also find catnip toys at the PETA Store.

 LINDA’S LINE

          Hi.

          December is here, and the Holiday Season is in full swing.  I can’t believe how quickly the years fly by.  I would like to start off this month, by wishing all of our friends and members, and their families a HAPPY CHANUKAH, a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY KWANZAA.  I hope that everyone has their shelters set up with food, and water for the strays.  Please remember to use dry food in the winter months, as moist food tends to freeze in the cold weather.  We don’t know what kind of weather we will have this year, but the cooler weather will soon be upon us, so let’s be ready.  Please remember to keep the people in the Ukraine, and in Israel in your prayers this Holiday Season, as well as all the people in the world that are caught in harmful situations.

Please remember to protect your pets from the cold with a sweater or coat, when taking them out for a walk at this time of year.  Remember that they feel the cold the same way that we do, and their fur is not enough to keep them warm.

Also, please remember to keep plants such as Poinsettias, Holly and mistletoe away from your pets during the holiday season.  Although they look pretty when displayed in  your home this time of year, they are toxic to animals, and can be deadly if ingested by them.  If you must have any of these plants in your home for the holidays, to be on the safe side, try to get artificial plants.  If you would like to know more about plants that are good, and bad for pets, you can contact the ASPCA and ask about a wonderful book that they have, which gives you a complete list of good and bad plants.  Also, if you have kittens or puppies, please be careful to keep them away from electrical wires (extension cords, etc.) that you may use to connect Holiday decorations, as these things can be very dangerous to them.  Remember that young pets are no different than human toddlers – they can be just as mischievous.  Also, we all like to make special tasty dishes for our friends, and family during this holiday season, but let’s not forget our pets.  You can give them healthy treats, such as Ideal Balance Chicken and Apple treats for Dogs or even treats put out by Plato, such as chicken, flavor and Turkey with cranberry flavor.  They are very healthy, and my dog loves these, and the ingredients are good for them.  Ideal Balance, Wellness and Plato put out a number of healthy treats for dogs.  If your pet has health issues, always check with your veterinarian first to make sure that these items are suitable for them.  WE DO NOT ENDORSE ANY PRODUCT.

If you are thinking of giving someone the gift of a pet this Holiday Season, make sure that they go with you to pick out the appropriate pet that they can love.  Also, consider adopting a dog or cat from a shelter rather than buying one.  There are many wonderful animals at shelters like ASPCA, and Animal Care and Control, as well as other shelters, that are waiting for a good, loving home.  Rescue groups also have many wonderful animals.  Ask your phone for local rescue groups in your area.  You can also go to Pet Smart or Petco, they have rescue animals on display for adoption.  Both of these stores can put you in touch with local rescuers.

          HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all!

Till next time.

CLOSING THOUGHT

          We would like to wish our Rescuers a Happy, Healthy Holiday.  They work very hard all year, caring for the strays.  They are the heroes.  These women, and men go out in all kinds of weather to care for their flock.  They are special people that G-d has put on this Earth.

            To Those of you who read our newsletter, the funds that you send in enable these wonderful people to do their work, we say to you – you are heroes also.

            Our last good thought for this newsletter is:

This is the season to open our hearts to those less fortunate than we are.  We must help the homeless, who go out of their way to adopt stray animals, and give them love and caring.  For anyone, animals complete a family.  Please don’t pass them by.  Show them kindness, if you can, i.e.: coins, food, clothing.  It will make you feel so very good.  As the old saying goes, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”  This will make a better world.

If you are part of our Adam, Eve and Sponsor-A-Stray programs, you receive a newsletter every month updating you as to what we are doing.  The application for membership in Adam, Eve and Sponsor-A-Stray is enclosed in this newsletter.  Please give it to a friend.  These three programs are the backbone of our organization.  We are able to budget, and project what we can and cannot do by the pledges that are made.  So please ask your friends to join. It is so important.  We are continuing to work very hard to help the strays.  Funds that are needed, are for food, traps, carriers and Administrative, and as I have said to keep our phones open, and to keep you informed.

Please Remember Our Troops

“We salute you for all you have done.

Your courage has kept us safe.

Your sacrifice has kept us free.

All of America owes you more than we can repay.

Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you.

We are behind you all the way –

From the battlefield. . .to recovery!”

          We need more Adam, Eve and Sponsor-A-Stray members.

P.S.:  Remember, we have a website, and we try to keep it updated.  Please pass this

          newsletter around.  On our website, we have a button for a PayPal donation, and

          a Go Fund Me page – please visit saveourstraysbrooklyn.com.

                                                          Till next time -

Waggin’ Off