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Politics
Bill To Ban Declawing Cats Gains Steam in NY Bill To Ban Declawing Cats Gains Steam in NY
Bill To Ban Declawing Cats Gains Steam in NY New York is taking measures to become the first state to ban the declawing of cats. The state Senate passed several bills this week, including one bill that is popular among animal welfare advocates that would ban inhumane declawing of felines. Denver and several cities in California have already passed similar measures. The bill will now have to pass through a second committee before it moves forward to the Assembly. Advocates have argued that declawing cats is inhumane because it involves the amputation of the animal’s toes back to the first knuckle. However, some veterinary associations…

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester Store Must Pay Civil Penalty For Deceptive Advertising, State AG Says Westchester Store Must Pay Civil Penalty For Deceptive Advertising, State AG Says
Westchester Store Must Pay Civil Penalty For Deceptive Advertising, State AG Says A retail store in Westchester will have to pay a civil penalty for lying to its customers, New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced. The state reached the settlement with the Hartsdale pet store after it falsely advertised and claimed that it specialized in the sale of high quality, responsibly-bred animals, when, in reality, the store sold animals that were bred at large-scale commercial mills, James said on Friday, May 3. Deborah Koehler, owner of Westchester Puppies & Kittens, is also prohibited from making false representations about the quality of the breeders a…

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by Joe Lombardi
Neighbors
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week The SPCA of Westchester is hoping to unite a local resident with a new furry best friend as they highlight their "pets of the week." SPCA officials have chosen some of their finest pets, who are available for adoption and looking for a good home and new family to love. Among the animals spotlighted this week by the SPCA - in their words - include: Dogs It’s the Pokey little puppy! Or a little puppy named Pokey! This super cute boy is approximately 6-months-old and he’s a total love. An easygoing, gentle soul of a guy, he gets along with most other dogs and would make a fun friend for kids…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
A Good Dog Rescue's Lisa Smith Is A Dog's Best Friend A Good Dog Rescue's Lisa Smith Is A Dog's Best Friend
A Good Dog Rescue's Lisa Smith Is A Dog's Best Friend Lisa Smith knows dogs. The Ossining resident has fostered dogs for the past eight years, working with eight major rescue organizations in the area. She is co-owner of Canine Kindergarten, a doggie daycare started over 15 years ago in Verplanck and now with two additional locations in Mount Kisco and Yorktown. And, as of October of last year, Smith is the founder of A Good Dog Rescue. Since she started, Smith has adopted out over 1,000 dogs in the tri-state area, doing about 10 adoptions a week (with an adoption costing new owners about $200 to $450). Smith finds most of her foster dogs from…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Lifestyle
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week The SPCA of Westchester is hoping to unite a local resident with a new furry best friend as they highlight their "pets of the week." SPCA officials have chosen some of their finest pets, who are available for adoption and looking for a good home and new family to love. Among the animals spotlighted this week include: Brutus, which is such a tough guy name for such a small, gentle dog. This senior Maltese mix was turned in with a few others after their owner died. He is such a lovely little guy-very sweet and good with everyone. Sadly, he and his furry friends were neglected and came in to …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week The SPCA of Westchester is hoping to unite a local resident with a new furry best friend as they highlight their "pets of the week." SPCA officials have chosen some of their finest pets, who are available for adoption and looking for a good home and new family to love. Among the animals spotlighted this week include: Although Becky is a year and half years old and a medium sized dog, she still thinks she is a puppy as well as a lap dog! She loves to snuggle and rest, stretched calmly across her human’s lap. In addition to her sweet disposition, she is a star in doggy playgroup! B…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Four Cats Missing , Woman Displaced After Three-Alarm Fire Breaks Out In Somers Four Cats Missing , Woman Displaced After Three-Alarm Fire Breaks Out In Somers
Four Cats Missing , Woman Displaced After Three-Alarm Fire Breaks Out In Somers A three-alarm fire left four cats "unaccounted" for and a Somers woman homeless. More than 75 firefighters battled the blaze that started around 9:44 p.m. Tuesday in the basement of a home on Anita Road, said the Somers Fire Department. The fire, which spread to the first and second floor, left the homeowner, Nancy Haggerty, a lifetime Somers resident, without any belongings and missing her four cats. Haggerty is known as a supporter of the town and a lover of animals. To help, friends have started a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $6,000 to date.  According to the fire…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Fowl Play: Crowing Roosters, Injured Owl Incidents Reported In Westchester Fowl Play: Crowing Roosters, Injured Owl Incidents Reported In Westchester
Fowl Play: Crowing Roosters, Injured Owl Incidents Reported In Westchester A North Castle resident has to get rid of his roosters after a neighbor complained about them crowing all morning and  night, keeping him awake. The North Castle Police Department received a complaint from a North Overlook Road resident on Monday, Sept. 17, who said that a nearby neighbor had roosters that continue to make noise each morning and evening from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., waking him up in the morning and keeping him up at night. Officers attempted to reach out the roosters’ owner, but were unable to initially. The following day, police received a second complaint from the same neighbor …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
SPCA Of Westchester To Host 'Clear The Shelter' Adoption Event SPCA Of Westchester To Host 'Clear The Shelter' Adoption Event
SPCA Of Westchester To Host 'Clear The Shelter' Adoption Event The SPCA of Westchester is teaming with NBC to help find “forever homes” for some animals in need of a good owner. The annual Clear the Shelter Adoption Event has been scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18, where there will be adoption fees waived or reduced during the special one-day event. It’s being hosted at the SPCA of Westchester’s care campus, located at 590 North State Road in Briarcliff Manor. The animals that may be available for adoption can be found here. Officials said that “walk-ins are welcome that day, but submitting your application for pre-approval will jum…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Westchester Native Meghan McDonnell Dies At 31 Westchester Native Meghan McDonnell Dies At 31
Westchester Native Meghan McDonnell Dies At 31 Westchester native Meghan McDonnell of Carmel died on Tuesday, July 24, with loved ones by her side. She was 31. Born on May 23, 1987 in Yonkers, she is survived by her parents, Janet and John Budnick, as well as her younger siblings, John III and Leanne. Meghan shared an abundance of love with her tightly knit extended family and boyfriend, Charles Douglas.  Meghan expressed a tremendous amount of love and adoration for all animals especially her own fur babies, Spike and Savannah (Savvy the savage kitty) Meghan will always be remembered for her spontaneous, loving, kindhearted and thoug…

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by Daily Voice
News
Woman Convicted In Bench Trial After Deaths Of Nine Horses At Area Farm Woman Convicted In Bench Trial After Deaths Of Nine Horses At Area Farm
Woman Convicted In Bench Trial After Deaths Of Nine Horses At Area Farm A 52-year-old woman was found guilty Tuesday of 10 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals in connection with the deaths of nine horses on a farm in the area. Jeanne Ryan of Goshen was also found guilty of the mistreatment of another horse, which survived, as well as for overdriving, torturing, injuring, and underfeeding the horses.  She was remanded to the Orange County Jail until her sentencing on Sept. 6, said the Orange County District Attorney's Office. Ryan was arrested on July 29, 2017, when investigators from the Hudson Valley Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals…

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by Kathy Reakes
Lifestyle
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week
Need A New Best Friend? Westchester SPCA Highlights Pets Of Week The SPCA of Westchester is hoping to unite a local resident with a new furry best friend as they highlight their "pets of the week." SPCA officials have chosen some of their finest pets, who are available for adoption and looking for a good home and new family to love. Among the animals spotlighted this week include: "If you're looking for fun, you're looking for Baby Girl! This lab/border collie mix is a smart, energetic, playful, friendly girl. She's definitely not a couch potato and would like a home where she can get outside and have lots of fun! A yard where she can rom…

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by Zak Failla