Why Did ASPCA Sic Its Attorneys on The Scoop New York?
The massive org fiercely guards its own trademarks while making bank on ASPCA vs. SPCA confusion.
The Scoop New York is a newsletter dedicated to companion animals and the New Yorkers who care for them, from Buffalo to Brooklyn. NYC ACC KILLS, published by TSNY, enumerates and memorializes adoptable cats and dogs who were nonetheless exterminated by Animal Care Centers of New York City.
Headlines from Buffalo to Brooklyn
It’s May 16, 2025. This is The Weekly Poop.
Back in February I got an email from Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net* (*not the actual name), a small internet hosting company and domain registrar I have used for years.
Attached to the email was a cease and desist letter from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, commonly known as ASPCA.
A few weeks prior I had registered and "parked” two domain names — aspcaint.com and aspcaint.org — with CGHMN. In the letter, ASPCA legal director Rebecca Jodidio claimed those domains were “a clear violation of the ASPCA's trademarks [sic] rights.” Jodidio went on to not-so-subtly imply that CGHMN could jeopardize its accreditation as a registrar if the domains in question were not deleted toot suite.
I had no definite plans for the domains, so there was no objection on my part. More than anything, I was bemused. What alerted ASPCA to a couple of domains pointing to nowhere, five weeks after they were registered? And why five weeks rather than five days, or five months?
Just as curious: How were Jodidio et al. so certain that “aspcaint” had anything to do with ASPCA — as opposed to, say, the American Society of Professional Collection Agents, and their new outpost In the Northern Territories? So certain that, without knowing who registered the domains, ASPCA chose a cease and desist demand as its opening communique?
“In 2021, the ASPCA earned $390 million in revenue and spent $302 million. It gave $5.5 million to local pet shelters in 29 states plus the District of Columbia … [equaling] under two percent of its total budget.”
I emailed Jodidio to ask how many attorneys and other staff ASPCA keeps on payroll to proactively hunt down supposed trademark infringements, and how many times in an average year the org issues threats like the one directed at CGHMN (and, by extension, The Scoop New York).
I pointed out that many people, including myself at one time, think all SPCAs are funded by ASPCA, and accordingly donate to ASPCA, rather than their local animal shelter. I asked Jodidio if ASPCA knows how much in donations it mistakenly receives due to this variety of branding confusion, and what measures, if any, ASPCA takes to ensure the public does not conflate ASPCA with local SPCAs, particularly when making donations.
ASPCA’s gross receipts came to nearly a half-billion dollars in 2023. Yet a recent study by the Center for the Environment & Welfare, as detailed in this Connecticut Inside Investigator analysis, found that animal shelters in almost half of U.S. states receive no financial assistance from ASPCA.
“In 2021,” CII reports, “the ASPCA earned $390 million in revenue and spent $302 million. It gave $5.5 million to local pet shelters in 29 states plus the District of Columbia … [equaling] under two percent of its total budget.”
ASPCA donations to New York animal shelters totaled less than $1.5 million in 2021, according to CEW. Meanwhile, Connecticut Inside Investigator reports, “ASPCA’s two biggest budget expenditures in 2021 were $312 million in investments and $135 million in advertising.”
“The report,” says CII, “cites national polling conducted in 2023 that found 81 percent of respondents believes the ASPCA is an umbrella group that represents local animal cruelty societies across the country.”
Jodidio did not respond to The Scoop New York’s questions regarding ASPCA branding, or how the massive non-profit benefits from ASPCA vs. SPCA confusion, even as it fires off threats over purported trademark violations.
So who’s gonna make sure donations meant for SPCAs don’t end up in ASPCA’s pockets? Dunno who will, but we can guess who ain’t.
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Here’s the latest New York companion animal news:
At least 18 animals, including raccoons and “feral” cats, have tested positive for rabies in Suffolk and Norfolk counties this year, marking a significant increase in total cases compared to previous years.
New York Focus has a rundown of what’s what in the weeks-late state budget, as legislators continue to grumble about Governor Hochul larding the spending plan with unrelated legislation. (Sample quote: “If she wants to be a legislator, she can run to be in the Legislature.”)
Assembly Member Jen Lunsford, of Rochester, has intro’d a pair of bills to toughen animal cruelty penalties and “track” offenders.
Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly says cashless bail laws are putting companion animals at risk.
“Renters in New York spend the most on housing nationwide,” which generally speaking is not great news for pets.
NYC comptroller candidate Justin Brannan is promising to bring “real accountability and transparency” to the job, as opposed to the fake varieties he prefers as a City Council member.
A Queens man was charged with 48 counts of aggravated animal cruelty after authorities found dozens of dogs crammed into an apartment.
Putnam County SPCA has launched an app that facilitates citizen reporting of suspected animal cruelty.
After six years in operation, AMA Animal Rescue in Gravesend, Brooklyn is running out of space and “turning to the community for help.”
Buck up before reading this terrifying account of a pet parent’s worst nightmare, which prompted a multi-million dollar suit against a Lower Manhattan veterinarian’s office.
“Tennessee State Veterinarian Issues Alert for New World Screwworm.”
And finally: The NYPD Harbor Unit officer who saved little Hudson from the East River in March has adopted her.
Adoptables
NYC ACC will host two adoption events this weekend, both in Queens.
Oakley (8) and Dale (4) are bonded siblings in Evans Mills, Jefferson County, who are about to lose their home because their people are moving abroad. Unfortunately it seems their guardians are willing to break them up. Click to save them from losing everyone they know.
Pewter is a gorgeous 11-year-old domestic shorthair, available now at Finger Lakes SPCA.
Find New York adoptables near you on Dogs in Danger and Adopt a Pet.
The Scoop New York attempts to confirm that animals are still available before we feature them in The Weekly Poop. If an animal you see here has already found a home, consider asking about other available adoptables.
Food recalls
The FDA announced no new pet food recalls this week,
Check here for info on earlier recalls.