Friday, July 03, 2009

Feast or Famine

I felt like it was my birthday today. Unexpectedly, I had TWO awesome volunteers come forward and drive out to the shelter today, pick up cats and take them to their foster home and to the vets for me. Oh. My. Gosh!! It was so weird to leave the shelter with only a litter of kittens that the foster Mom would pick up at my house an hour later! Thank you Stacy and Thank you David & Sheilah!

We rescued 14 cats and kittens today in total. (Including a couple that adopted "Herman" before I showed up today - I wish I could've met them.) The shelter wasn't as full as it usually is and I don't want to jinx it by saying much else. There's VERY little illness in the shelter other than some minor sniffles. Ahhh...it almost feels like Christmas!

Which reminds me....I heard there was a local cat rescue that is actually "rescuing" cats from Craigslist. They're doing it because they don't want to spend money on vet bills because cats get sick coming out of the shelter. Well *DUH*. Shelter cats DO get sick sometimes. If you can't afford vet bills - STOP RESCUING. Getting kittens from irresponsible people who don't get their cats spayed or neutered off Craigslist ISN'T rescue!!! It's bailing people out so that they continue the cycle of making more kittens. You may disagree with me, but kittens are being euthanized at the shelter because no rescue steps forward for them. Hearing a so-called "rescue" cherry picking cats off Craigslist really pisses me off.

**Stepping off the Soapbox**

As of 4:00 pm today, I have hot water!! I haven't had hot water in my home since Sunday and things were getting ugly around here. My hairy legs and sink full of dirty dishes were really starting to get to me. When the technicians FINALLY showed up and installed the hot water heater, I did a happy dance and have been turning on the hot water periodically for the past 30 minutes - just the feeeeel of it!

I'm looking forward to the weekend and will be following up with people who haven't gotten back to me about fostering or adopting. I've promised myself that I'll spend an hour each day doing something to get ready for the move in 3 weeks.

Tonight...I'm feeling very grateful for the care and support of my friends in rescue. (and for the hot water too!) It's going to be a fabulous weekend. I can feel it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I definitely agree with you. Rescue is rescue - you know the kind you help every and any animal you can no matter what medical issue may arrise, I guess only REAL rescue people can understand that. Rescue is a never ending, money losing 'business', it will always be this way until everyone spays and neuters their pets. I hope that we live to see this day. Like you said, the cycle of getting a cat and not having to deal with the responsibility of it will continue if this "rescue" continues these practices. Shame, shame!

Anonymous said...

14 more cats rescued today -thats AWESOME!

Anonymous said...

It is absolutely insane for a group to call themselves a rescue group if they are sourcing their foster cats/kittens by taking them from Craigslist!! It's like stealing the kittens and leaving the mums behind to have litter after litter after litter. I only pray that they at a minimum are making sure the mum cats are spayed before they take those cute little kittens, but somehow I doubt it. We have way too many unwanted pets and as you said there are so many cute little kittens being euthanized at local shelters because of irresponsible owners that do not spay/neuter their pets. Anyone with rescue experience knows how to treat and self medicate cats coming out of shelters which substantially reduces the cost. How could it possibly be rewarding to be contributing to the pet overpopulation by taking kittens and not ensuring the mums are spayed. They ought to be ashamed of themselves!!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm....if a so called rescue isn't rescuing from a shelter etc...and only from Craig's list, it seems as though they are operating for profit. I understand the need to be careful with costs etc, but don't call yourself a rescue if the only thing you are doing is bailing people out of unwanted litters.

Anonymous said...

In Hamilton/Wentworth area please keep an eye out for a black cat my friend lost. Senior, DSH, slightly overweight, solid black with green/goldish eyes. Spayed, not declawed. Responds to "Naomii". I will check this site and also the listings on Petfinder. Please post if found!! He is also checking. Thanks!!!