Empty Cages Collective wants to thank our friends at St. Saviour High School - especially teacher Anthony Tricarico and the young women in the school’s Roots “N” Shoots chapter for their recent holiday needs drive for our animal rescue efforts!

ECC depends on the support of people like you! Without it, we can't continue to rescue animals like Jaimey - who would have been unnecessarily killed without our intervention.

Thanks to the folks at St. Saviour – we received much needed cleaning supplies, animal carriers, cat toys, and food for our rescued animals! As an all-volunteer, non-funded animal advocacy and protection organization, ECC always appreciates the donation of needed supplies! Thanks again St. Saviour!

Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it - Henry David Thoreau

According to the Associated Press, Australian scientists have discovered a species of octopus in Indonesia that collects coconut shells for shelter – a sophisticated type of behavior that scientists long ago thought unique to human beings.

From the Associated Press article: “The scientists filmed the veined octopus, Amphioctopus marginatus, selecting halved coconut shells from the sea floor, emptying them out, carrying them under their bodies up to 65 feet (20 meters), and assembling two shells together to make a spherical hiding spot.”

Octopuses are intelligent, invertebrate, sentient beings who seem to make plans for the future to protect themselves from harm. If we can live healthfully without harming (eating) octopus and other animals – from the sea or otherwise – shouldn’t we do so?

Rocco digs his new digs

Rocco was brought to Empty Cages Collective (ECC) by volunteer Christopher Bollman – a tireless advocate for stray and feral cats and a big help to ECC. ECC has worked with Christopher to sterilize the free-roaming felines who call his block home. Many of these cats are feral – having no interest in being roommates with humans. Rocco, however, was different.

Rocco was already socialized – most likely lost or abandoned by his caretakers – when Christopher first met him on his street. More then just being friendly, Rocco wasn’t interested in living the stray cat life and was actively trying to convince someone to take him in off the street. ECC decided to offer a helping hand.

ECC got Rocco neutered, vaccinated, treated for parasites, and tested for feline leukemia and FIV – and accepted him into our adoption program. Rocco then waited (not-so-patiently!) for a chance to find a permanent home.

Fast forward a few months, and ECC’s friend Tim Soter decided it was time to adopt another feline friend. Rocco was finally chosen! No more cold nights on the street and no more kitty incarceration in a cage. Rocco would finally have a home to call his own.

Tim recently wrote to us about his buddy Rocco: “He is great mix of teenage exuberance and calm sweetness. He’s really a great cat and it’s great to get him out of a cage and into a bigger space for him to run around and play with toys.”

Rescued Budgies Prepare For Their Ride To Sanctuary

Working in conjunction with the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and the Avian Welfare Coalition, Empty Cages Collective (ECC) assisted with a rescue situation involving 16 budgies who had been denied proper veterinary care. had been bred and were now unwanted by their “caretaker.”

ECC helped coordinate and organize the actual rescue of the budgies, as well as provided temporary foster care until the beautiful birds could be transported to a sanctuary where they would no longer be denied proper care, bred, or otherwise harmed. In fact, in their new home they will have a huge aviary where they will be able to fly freely – something all birds want and deserve.

Empty Cages Collective believes all naturally wild birds – from budgies to macaws to lorikeets – deserve to live freely in their native habitats and not be imprisoned in cages as “pets”. Until such a day arrives, ECC will continue to do what we can to assist, place and advocate for the avian refugees of the exotic pet trade.