THE|DT AMERICAN|NNP SOCIETY|NNP FOR|IN THE|DT PREVENTION|NNP OF|IN CRUELTY|NNP TO|TO ANIMALS|NNP 

424|CD East|NNP 92nd|CD StreetLarry|NNP M.|NN HawkNew|NNP York|NNP ,|, NY|NNP 10128|CD President|NNP /|NN CEO|NNP 
www.aspca.org|NN 




His|PRP$ belly|NN was|VBD empty|JJ .|. 
So|RB empty|JJ it|PRP hurt|VBD .|. 

At|IN least|JJS Astro|NNP could|MD drink|VB water|NN from|IN a|DT puddle|NN 
near|IN the|DT stake|NN he|PRP was|VBD chained|JJ to|TO .|. 
But|CC then|RB 
the|DT puddle|NN dried|VBD up|RB .|. 
Astro|NNP had|VBD only|RB a|DT few|JJ days|NNS to|TO live|VB .|. 



Dear|RB Friend|NNP :|: 


As|IN you|PRP read|VBP my|PRP$ letter|NN ,|, somewhere|RB --|: perhaps|RB not|RB far|RB from|IN you|PRP --|: someone|NN is|VBZ inflicting|VBG pain|NN on|IN an|DT innocent|JJ animal|NN ...|... an|DT animal|NN like|IN Astro|NNP .|. 


You|PRP may|MD not|RB be|VB able|JJ to|TO rescue|VB that|IN particular|JJ animal|NN .|. 
But|CC you|PRP CAN|NNP join|VB the|DT crusade|NN to|TO stop|VB animal|NN abuse|NN and|CC neglect|NN ,|, by|IN making|VBG a|DT generous|JJ contribution|NN to|TO the|DT ASPCA|NNP today|NN .|. 


I|PRP have|VBP sent|VBN you|PRP the|DT enclosed|VBN complimentary|JJ name-and-address|JJ labels|NNS to|TO call|VB your|PRP$ attention|NN to|TO the|DT work|NN of|IN the|DT ASPCA|NNP .|. 
Please|VB USE|NNP them|PRP on|IN your|PRP$ correspondence|NN to|TO help|VB get|VB our|PRP$ name|NN in|IN front|NN of|IN as|IN many|JJ people|NNS as|IN possible|JJ .|. 
Because|IN the|DT ASPCA|NNP --|: and|CC the|DT thousands|NNS of|IN animals|NNS we|PRP help|VBP every|DT year|NN --|: need|VBP all|PDT the|DT friends|NNS we|PRP can|MD get|VB !|. 


As|IN a|DT person|NN who|WP cares|VBZ about|IN animals|NNS ,|, you|PRP ’re|VBP probably|RB anxious|JJ to|TO know|VB what|WP happened|VBD to|TO Astro|NNP .|. 
A|DT neighbor|NN reported|VBD Astro|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ plight|NN to|TO the|DT ASPCA|NNP and|CC our|PRP$ Humane|NNP Law|NNP Enforcement|NNP officers|NNS went|VBD to|TO investigate|VB .|. 


When|WRB our|PRP$ officers|NNS arrived|VBD ,|, Astro|NNP was|VBD too|RB weak|JJ to|TO even|RB stand|VB up|RP .|. 
The|DT officers|NNS knelt|NN down|RB slowly|RB ,|, speaking|VBG gently|RB to|TO the|DT emaciated|JJ dog|NN .|. 


Then|RB they|PRP saw|VBD it|PRP .|. 
Astro|NNP was|VBD wagging|VBG his|PRP$ tail|NN .|. 
He|PRP was|VBD barely|RB moving|VBG .|. 
but|CC yes|UH --|: the|DT poor|JJ ,|, sick|JJ dog|NN was|VBD saying|VBG .|. 
“|NN Welcome|VB ,|, friends|NNS !|. ”|NN 


The|DT officers|NNS brought|VBD Astro|NNP to|TO the|DT ASPCA|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ Bergh|NNP Memorial|NNP Animal|NNP Hospital|NNP .|. 
The|DT dog|NN weighted|JJ only|RB 45|CD pounds|NNS --|: less|JJR than|IN half|NN of|IN what|WP a|DT dog|NN his|PRP$ size|NN should|MD weigh|VB --|: and|CC he|PRP had|VBD several|JJ infections|NNS .|. 
But|CC with|IN first-rate|JJ medical|JJ attention|NN and|CC tender|NN care|NN from|IN ASPCA|NNP staff|NN ,|, he|PRP slowly|RB got|VBD well|RB again|RB .|. 


Stories|NNP like|IN Astro|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ are|VBP all|DT too|RB common|JJ .|. 
Every|DT day|NN ,|, the|DT ASPCA|NNP gets|VBZ reports|NNS of|IN animal|NN cruelty|NN ,|, abuse|NN ,|, and|CC neglect|NN .|. 
Every|DT day|NN ,|, our|PRP$ officers|NNS rescue|NN animals|NNS like|IN Sammy|NNP ,|, a|DT 10-month-old|JJ kitten|NN who|WP was|VBD deliberately|RB thrown|VBN from|IN a|DT high-rise|JJ window|NN by|IN teenagers|NNS .|. 


In|IN a|DT world|NN where|WRB cruelty|NN is|VBZ common|JJ ,|, animals|NNS like|IN Sammy|NNP and|CC Astro|NNP desperately|RB need|VBP friends|NNS like|IN you|PRP .|. 
That|DT is|VBZ why|WRB I|PRP have|VBP written|VBN to|TO you|PRP --|: to|TO ask|VB you|PRP to|TO support|VB the|DT ASPCA|NNP today|NN .|. 


Our|PRP$ vital|JJ anti-cruelty|JJ efforts|NNS are|VBP just|RB part|NN of|IN the|DT ASPCA|NNP mission|NN .|. We|PRP also|RB find|VBP loving|JJ adoptive|JJ homes|NNS for|IN rescued|VBD animals|NNS ...|... provide|VB first-rate|JJ veterinary|JJ care|NN through|IN our|PRP$ Bergh|NNP Memorial|NNP Animal|NNP Hospital|NNP ...|... offer|NN low-cost|JJ spay|NN and|CC neuter|NN programs|NNS for|IN cats|NNS and|CC dogs|NNS ...|... reach|VB out|IN to|TO children|NNS ,|, teachers|NNS ,|, and|CC parents|NNS through|IN our|PRP$ Education|NNP Programs|NNP .|. 


And|CC we|PRP don|VB ’|NN t|NN stop|NN there|RB .|. 
The|DT ASPCA|NNP pushes|VBZ for|IN the|DT passage|NN and|CC strengthening|NN of|IN anti-cruelty|JJ laws|NNS ,|, so|IN that|IN crimes|NNS against|IN animals|NNS will|MD be|VB treated|VBN with|IN the|DT seriousness|NN they|PRP deserve|VBP .|. 


Since|IN the|DT ASPCA|NNP was|VBD founded|VBN in|IN 1866|CD as|IN America|NNP ’|NN s|VBZ first|JJ humane|NN society|NN ,|, ending|VBG cruelty|NN has|VBZ been|VBN our|PRP$ primary|JJ goal|NN .|. 
Today|NN ,|, over|IN 130|CD years|NNS later|RB ,|, the|DT scope|NN of|IN the|DT problem|NN is|VBZ greater|JJR than|IN ever|RB .|. 


The|DT ASPCA|NNP urgently|RB needs|VBZ your|PRP$ help|NN to|TO push|VB back|RB the|DT tide|NN of|IN violence|NN against|IN animals|NNS .|. 
The|DT task|NN is|VBZ too|RB large|JJ for|IN the|DT ASPCA|NNP to|TO handle|VB without|IN emergency|NN assistance|NN from|IN dedicated|VBN friends|NNS .|. 
That|DT is|VBZ why|WRB I|PRP ’m|VBP asking|VBG you|PRP to|TO join|VB the|DT ASPCA|NNP today|NN with|IN your|PRP$ gift|NN of|IN $20|NN or|CC more|JJR if|IN at|IN all|DT possible|JJ .|. 


Your|PRP$ contribution|NN will|MD help|VB us|PRP rescue|NN more|RBR animals|NNS like|IN Astro|NNP ...|... make|VB sure|JJ the|DT perpetrators|NNS of|IN cruelty|NN are|VBP brought|VBN to|TO justice|NN ...|... nurse|NN abused|VBD animals|NNS back|RB to|TO health|NN and|CC find|VB them|PRP loving|JJ adoptive|JJ homes|NNS .|. 
Please|VB help|VB the|DT ASPCA|NNP with|IN your|PRP$ most|RBS generous|JJ gift|NN today|NN --|: the|DT animals|NNS are|VBP counting|VBG on|IN you|PRP .|. 


Sincerely|NNP ,|, 



Hawk|NNP ,|, DVM|NNP 
and|CC CEO|NNP 



P.S.|NN We|PRP found|VBD Astro|NNP a|DT wonderful|JJ adoptive|JJ home|NN .|. 
He|PRP is|VBZ the|DT pride|NN and|CC joy|NN of|IN this|DT loving|JJ family|NN !|. 
But|CC thousands|NNS more|JJR animals|NNS are|VBP in|IN peril|NN of|IN losing|VBG their|PRP$ lives|NNS --|: you|PRP can|MD help|VB the|DT ASPCA|NNP reach|NN out|IN to|TO them|PRP by|IN returning|VBG the|DT enclosed|JJ reply|NN form|NN with|IN your|PRP$ gift|NN today|NN .|. 
Please|VB accept|VB the|DT enclosed|JJ name|NN stickers|NNS as|IN our|PRP$ gift|NN to|TO you|PRP and|CC use|VB them|PRP to|TO spread|VB the|DT word|NN about|IN the|DT ASPCA|NNP and|CC the|DT animals|NNS we|PRP help|VBP --|: thank|VB you|PRP .|. 



A|DT financial|JJ report|NN is|VBZ available|JJ from|IN the|DT Office|NNP of|IN the|DT Attorney|NNP General|NNP by|IN writing|VBG the|DT Charities|NNS Bureau|NNP ,|, 120|CD Broadway|NNP New|NNP York|NNP ,|, NY|NNP 10271|CD .|. 



2/00|CD 

