Frederick Tanne - Attorney at Kirkland & Ellis

Every year, approximately 3.2 million cats and dogs living in shelters are adopted by people in the United States. When individuals or families choose to welcome a cat or a dog into their home, they are not only giving the animal a second chance at a happy life, but are also providing another animal with the opportunity to take its place at the shelter. For individuals who are thinking about making the life-changing decision to adopt a pet from a shelter this year, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) recommends the following tips to make the transition to pet ownership as smooth as possible:

1. Determine your readiness for a pet

Before taking any major steps to bring a new cat or dog into their home, all potential pet owners must seriously consider whether or not they are capable of making the commitment that owning a pet requires. Pet adoption is meant to be for the duration of an animal’s life, with a dog’s life span lasting an average of 10 to 15 years, while cats can live as many as 20 years. Those who cannot make a promise to love and care for an animal for the rest of its life in the face of a multitude of life changes should not adopt.

Additional factors to consider include the amount of time that a potential pet owner has available to spend with a cat or dog every day. People who travel frequently for work or who are often called out most days and evenings should consider waiting to adopt until they have more time to dedicate to pet ownership. Owning a cat or dog also requires that an individual possess the financial means to support a pet beyond the initial adoption fee. Potential pet owners should factor in the expense of regular necessities such as food and veterinary care into their budgets and determine whether or not they have the ability to provide a pet with all the things that it needs. Committing to pet adoption can help prevent animals from joining the ranks of the 6.5 million companion animals who are annually dropped off at shelters.

2. Consider your lifestyle

While both cats and dogs can provide affection and companionship to their owners, some people are better suited to pet ownership than others. Factors such as personality, lifestyle, work schedule, and the amount of living space that one has available should be taken into consideration before choosing which type of pet one should adopt.

Dogs are an excellent choice as pets for people who enjoy the outdoors, who are often at home, and who have plenty of energy to invest in playing with their pets. Responsible canine ownership means committing to regular walks and quality time spent playing and interacting with the dog. Additionally, owning a dog is likely to be more expensive than owning a cat, and it also requires more living space, especially when it comes to larger breeds. The ASPCA also recommends that families with young children consider adopting dogs that are at least medium in size and over the age of 5 months rather than a young puppy.

Cats are considered to be more independent than dogs, but are still playful, affectionate, and sensitive. They require less supervision than dogs and are capable of bathing and entertaining themselves at a level that dogs are not. While cats still require the care and attention of their owners, they are better suited to people with laidback lifestyles who prefer spending time relaxing indoors. They are also more comfortable in smaller spaces such as apartments, provided that they receive regular playtime with their owners and have access to a clean litterbox.

3. Prepare your home

Once an individual has decided which type of household pet best suits his or her lifestyle, the ASPCA suggests certain preparations before the dog or cat is brought home. For example, a comfortable place to sleep should be created for a new pet in every room to prevent them from climbing onto the furniture. New owners also must ensure that any plants present in the home are not poisonous to pets and that choking and strangulation hazards such as drapery, decorative tassels, and cords are removed.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was founded in 1866 with the mission of preventing animal cruelty in the United States. Today, the organization focuses on animal rescue, placement, and protection, with the most recent figures from 2015 showing that the ASPCA facilitated over 12,000 animal rescues, 4,600 adoptions, and more than 54,000 spay and neuter surgeries that year.

In addition to promoting animal health, adoption, and general welfare, the ASPCA is also on a mission to end animal cruelty in the United States. Following are three types of animal cruelty that the ASPCA dedicates itself to stopping with the help of its donors, volunteers, and employees.

Image Source: ASPCA

1. Dog fighting

Dog fighting is a highly organized underground blood sport in which dogs are forced to fight each other until one is killed or physically injured to the point of not being able to continue. Despite the fact that recent legislation has made involvement in dog fighting a felony in all 50 states, estimates suggest that tens of thousands of people in the United States continue to participate in this crime against canines every year.

The most commonly used breeds of dogs in these fights are the American pit bull terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, and the American bulldog. Dogs procured for involvement in the fights are raised in isolation and away from other dogs on short, heavy chains. They are often plied with steroids and exhaustively exercised in controlled environments in order to build muscle mass. The dogs are abused both physically and mentally in order to encourage them to develop a violent and aggressive nature.

In order to help end dog fighting, the ASPCA provides professionals in law enforcement, veterinary sciences, animal control, and law with support, information, and training to help them identify potential signs of dog fighting. Humane groups such as the ASPCA also encourage members of the general public to report potential dog fighting activity to law enforcement.

2. Animal hoarding

Unlike dog fighting, which results from cruelty and a desire for profits, animal hoarding is often the result of mental illness. Mental health experts suggest that hoarding may be linked to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While many pet hoarders may start out with good intentions, the effects of hoarding are a cruel, often lethal reality for the animals involved in these situations. Unfortunately, within the last four years the number of cases of animal hoarding in the United States has doubled, leading to 250,000 reported animal victims every year.

Animal hoarding can be identified by several criteria. A pet hoarder accrues a large number of animals, more than he or she can feasibly care for properly. In many cases, animal hoarders lose track of the number of animals in their possession. Another criterion is that the pet owner is incapable of providing the minimum amount of basic care for every pet, including proper nutrition, a sanitary environment, adequate shelter, and veterinary care. Moreover, a pet hoarder is a person who is in denial about his or her ability to care for the animals and refuses to acknowledge the severity of the situation and its impact on both human and animal occupants of the home.

The effects of animal hoarding on animals include starvation, sickness, a lack of socialization, and even death. Animals in the home may develop and spread parasites and illnesses to one another, suffer from starvation as a result of inadequate food rations, and develop behavioral issues due to a lack of socialization and space. Many animals rescued from these situations experience long-term consequences from these types of environments and cannot be rehabilitated.

The ASPCA fights animal hoarding by providing community education and resources through special programs designed to help hoarders.

3. Puppy mills

A puppy mill is defined as a commercial dog breeding facility where owners provide very poor care to dogs in the interest of maximizing profits. Puppy mills usually house large numbers of dogs in small, unsanitary spaces where they do not receive the socialization, nutrition, or veterinary care necessary to lead healthy lives. The number of puppy mills in the United States is estimated at 10,000, with over 2 million puppies from these facilities sold to pet owners every year via private brokers and pet stores.

The focus on revenue generation puts the health of all animals living or raised in puppy mills at risk. Female breeding dogs are bred as soon as possible after a litter is born, with no time to recover physically from their pregnancies, which is damaging to their health. When they are no longer capable of bearing a litter, the dogs may be killed. The puppies born of these litters are commonly held within small wire-mesh cages that damage their paws, and many litters are born with congenital and hereditary diseases. The poor living conditions can cause these puppies to contract parasites and illnesses, and separation from their mothers at a young age may cause those animals born in puppy mills to have behavioral problems that prevent them from finding good homes.

A JD graduate of the Emory University School of Law, Frederick “Fred” Tanne has amassed over 25 years of experience in the practice of corporate law. Formerly a senior partner with Kirkland & Ellis LLP in New York, Frederick Tanne is now an of counsel with the firm. Actively involved in the nonprofit sector, he currently serves as the chairman of the board for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

Image Source: aspca.org

An of counsel at Kirkland & Ellis LLP with over 25 years of experience in corporate law, Frederick (“Fred”) Tanne also serves on the Board of Directors of Nikola Labs LLC and as a senior adviser to Ikove Capital Partners. Despite his numerous affiliations, Frederick Tanne finds time to develop his culinary skills.

Mistakes in the kitchen are common for amateur cooks, but learning from these errors improves their culinary practice. Here are some common mistakes from which amateur cooks can learn:

Frederick Tanne serves as an of-counsel attorney for the New York, New York, office of Kirkland & Ellis and possesses over 20 years of experience in legal counsel and handling complex business transactions. A life-long advocate for animal welfare, Frederick “Fred” Tanne accepted a position as the chairman of the board of directors for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) on June 15, 2016. He expressed his appreciation for the opportunity and voiced his position on his commitment to assess new directions in animal welfare.