Sunday, September 20, 2009

Be Back in Seven Days!

As I type this blog post, it's hard to believe that I have a flight out of Toronto tonight for Paris, France. David surprised me a few weeks ago with promises of romance and shopping! (I love that man!) It's 10:30 a.m. now and I'm still in my robe and the suitcases are empty. I gave my sons the usual caveats of "No parties", and two pages full of directives on taking care of the cats and dog.

God, will there ever be a day where I can leave for a week without worrying?

It's not just the usual family worries, but I worry about the cats at the shelter. There are several sweet faces that I had been working on getting out of there, and I wonder whether they will still be alive upon my return.

I feel like I'm abandoning them.

I'm posting a few of my favourite "faces" with hope that while I'm away somebody will see it in their heart to come forward to help them.
"Lisa" has been moved to a dog kennel, because she's a big girl. She's been spayed and declawed. Lisa is a big, sweet love muffin. She was looking really depressed when I saw her last.

"Dexter" has been on the euthanasia list twice, but has been taken off because the staff really want to help him. I'm afraid he won't make it, and he's a sweet orange fluffy-tailed guy.

These 3 little sweethearts (Listed as "kittens{a}) were brought into the shelter the day I was doing another rescue. The "finder" brought them in an empty Pepsi case. I wanted to take them so badly. They're really sweet little angels. Yes, these guys will be euthanized - the shelter is very overcrowded.

"Noah" came into the shelter after being found tied to a tree with a rope around his neck. He's neutered and declawed. Stupid, stupid, people.

"Cara" and "Cora" love each other very much. I know it's a lot to ask, but they're only about 5-6 months old - they need to be rescued together. They'll either die together or be rescued together. I hope somebody comes forward.

"Armin" really hates the shelter cage. He claws at the bars and bangs his face against them until he bleeds. The last time I saw Armin, there was blood all over his cage. He needs to get out there. Somebody loved Armin. He's already been neutered.

Of course, I could post pictures all day. You can tell yourself, "I'm not going to look at the website with all the cats that will die because it makes me sad/upset/crazy/hateful - but the situation exists for these cats. Putting your head in the sand won't make it go away.

There are several rescues that for whatever-the-fuck-stupid-reason stopped rescuing cats from this shelter. Instead, they cherry-pick kittens from the public and call themselves a rescue. You can say, "I'm not going to look at that website because it upsets me", but it'll still be there. It's not going away.

I'll be in Paris checking their website to see the little faces disappearing off the shelter website as each euthanasia day passes. There's not much I can do. Life goes on for some of us.

8 comments:

K said...

Omg...Armin broke my heart. Ugh. :( She's right. Please let some happy stories come out of these faces...

Mouchois said...

I honestly have to say, I love your blog, and feel that you deserve your trip more than anyone.
I hope you have a wonderful time.
Bless you for speaking the truth for once.
I try, but hell, no one likes to hear the sad side of things.

RHz said...

I hope someone rescues them ALL.
Beth - ENJOY your trip. You deserve it!!

Everycat said...

I hope someone with a big heart can help Lisa, she needs it so badly. Poor girl.

Shannon said...

Beth,
I feel the need to defend my type, as a person who can't look at the shelter website. I know there is a problem out there and I feel for the cats but I don't look because I can't do anything. My own house is full with three cats, all of whom are rescues, in fact failed fosters, from TCR. At least one, whose history I know well to say this, was pulled from the shelter with a broken pelvis and little chance of getting through many more euth days. And he only got a second chance because I was able to step up as a foster parent.
Yes, I absolutely wish I could do something to help these guys. But for now my hands are tied. And I don't see how anyone is going to benefit if I'm a mushy pile of tears due to me staring at the page of cats that aren't going to make it.
I have so much respect for you Beth because I know I'm not a strong enough person to do what you do. I love your blog for its glimpse inside the stressful world of cat rescue.

Anonymous said...

According to Kim at the shelter Noah found a home. Yay!

House of the Discarded said...

Shannon: I understand, and I wasn't really talking about the folks that are already helping and doing what they can. I was talking about the people that don't do anything and say that they can't look at the site because it "hurts too much".

Maybe I spoke too quickly on this topic. :)

Everycat said...

I guess poor Lisa didn't make it then :(