Very few rescues are helping right now and the majority of the cats are dying a sad and lonely death.
Fortunately, I was able to meet two very nice families to adopt two cats. One of the cats was a sweet little girl named "Omelette". As soon as you picked her up, she started purring. It was love at first sight. I received an email from this family as soon as I got home:
"Hey Beth I just wanted to thank you so much for meeting us today in Hamilton and helping us pick out the perfect addition to our family. We decided to name the once "Omlette" now "Hope". Figured it was a very suitable name for her. You must no what you are doing b/c she has adjusted amazingly. Currently she has found her bed and is sleeping in my queen size bed peacefully. She has quite the personality and has made herself extremely at home. She is playful beyond words and mysteriously can get up on everything and anything she wants :) Anyways I just wanted to drop you a line and thank you so much.thanks again."
Ahhh....that brightened my day!
The other family that I met adopted a very cute guy named "Toby":
Like many redheads, he was Mr. Congeniality and already neutered. Bonus!There were so many cats there today that were already spayed and neutered. I wanted to ask, but didn't "How many died today?" There was nothing I could do anyway. At least I saved two.
I got home to another email from the family that adopted Toby:
"Hello Beth,
So sorry it took so long today to get situated with our decisions we were trying to make. Travis and i both stopped by my house before i took him home and "toby" remained in the cage while my oldest cat Sada met him, absolutely no trouble at all. Then my dog Max (husky/sheppard)met him in the same fashion, still no trouble at all.
"Toby" is now safe at Travis's apartment, he has since ate some cat food and drank some water with no trouble. One remarkable cat he is.. I will keep in touch you. . By the way during the car ride home he remained laying on the back seat."
I feel like I've been trying to pump myself up all afternoon. "Two Lives Saved, Beth!" If two little lives saved are better than none - why do I feel so crummy?
6 comments:
OMG, 70 sweet cats euthanized in 1 day!!!! My brain can hardly process that figure. I hate people for abandoning these animals and not spaying/neutering. Thanks for the rescues you do and I hope and pray for more adoptions!
I was at the shelter Saturday morning and was shocked when I heard how many they'd euthanized on Friday - especially that they had to do more in the afternoon. Apparently they'd also tried calling THS to see if they could help by taking some, but THS was already doing an emergency adoption blitz because they were over crowded. I guess it's a bad time of year for rescue and adoptions.
At least I was at the shelter to rescue a couple of cats who really beat the odds. One is a senior black cat (who went to a foster home that may adopt her), and the other is a very vocal adult brown tabby that screamed at me so much the previous time I'd been at the shelter that I had to go back for her. Kim told me that she'd given her a crappy name because she didn't think she'd be rescued.
I know it hurts to leave with only one or two cats, but before you know it I'm sure you'll be able to start doing some larger rescues again.
Wow, I had no idea that many cats got put down in any circumstance. Sad, but not your fault Beth....the fault of irresponsible owners of pets. You get what you give in this life, and those people will no doubt feel terrified and alone one day as well. You give a lot, think of the feeling Omelette and Toby got walking into a house and away from a shelter. They knew right away everything was going to be okay. Don't feel crummy, girl!!! XOXOX
Beth,
I don't think that you should feel crummy for rescuing two cats. It reminds me of the starfish story which I think all of those of us who are involved in rescue should remember when the going gets tough. I'm sure that you and some of your readers have heard it but for those of you haven't.
There was an old man walking along the beach, picking up starfish as he came across them and throwing them back into the ocean. A younger man came along and said to the old man "what are you doing", the older man replied, "Saving the starfish". The young man looked up and down the beach, where he could see neither end and said "You think you're going to be able to make a difference?" The older man bent over, picked another starfish up and threw it back into the ocean. "I made a differnce to that one didn't I?"
Beside that, the rescue you currently work with, are, with your help and the help of hundreds of other volunteers, in the process of saving over 600 cats and thats a pretty spectacular accomplishment.
That's how it is in rescue work - you could always be doing more *if* ... (fill in the blank). People in recue are often willing to overextend themselves, but there is always a point at which you need something more than just the resources on hand - more money for vet bills, more room in your house, more foster homes available, more time, whatever.
And that's when we feel crappy. We do what we can, but I don't believe in platitudes because the sad truth is that it is never enough. The problem still isn't solved and more cats are still dying.
But no matter how crappy we feel, we just have to keep going. As long as there are still animals to save, as long as I'm still physically able, I just have to keep going. That really is all you can do.
But it still sucks.
That's two cats who would have died if you had not pulled them from the shelter and got them into good homes. You are doing all you can and what you do is wonderful.
WW.
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