Saturday, July 31, 2010

One Step Closer to August

I'm happy to say goodbye to July. Every day that goes by means it's a little closer to summer's end and I can wave adios to kitten season. I didn't post yesterday because it was another really grim day.

Kim from the shelter told me that she didn't want to do rescue any longer. The management at the shelter have told her that she now MUST participate in the killing of the cats as part of her job description, and she found it impossible to kill the cats and try to rescue them at the same time.

Gee. I wonder why she'd feel THAT way?

Every summer around this time, Kim and I are ready to give up the ship. It's not unusual. It feels good to say it out loud and try it on for size. But we never do it. We keep plugging away. The difference is, that this time she's vowed to not continue the pictures on the Petfinder site.

One of our volunteers went out and rescued EIGHT cats for me today. Four kittens for herself and four Himalayan's for another rescue. Admittedly, I was really relieved I didn't have to go. The volunteer told me that while she was waiting to go back into the cat area, a man came into the shelter with a white cat stating he was going to tell his wife she was adopted. When asked why he was giving up the cat, he casually told her "I don't want her anymore".

I haven't given up and will do whatever it takes to keep rescuing from this shelter. I just don't have anybody that'll watch my back any longer. I feel very alone even though that's not the case.

I can't turn my back on them:


I don't know how anybody else can either.

17 comments:

Kea said...

It's only people like you, Beth, and all the others who rescue and foster and do what they can to help, that keep me from despising the entire human species.

That man who brought the cat in to be pts because he didn't want her anymore? I hope one day, when he's elderly and unable to care for himself, that someone puts him away in a nursing home to slowly waste away with no one to give a damn. I hope his action comes back to him ten thousand fold and bites him in his ugly *ss, over and over again.

I'd like to think there is cosmic justice in this world, but most of the time I don't see it. But I still can hope.

Kristen said...

Heartbreaking. Because of Petfinder AND Kim AND you, Beth, you saved my beloved little guy from certain death. Because of his picture on Petfinder, he stole my heart and will never be scared or alone again. Forcing Kim into this position I'm sure makes sense in someone's mind as her "job", but her job right NOW is MUCH more valuable in what she does, even in terms of shelter traffic. Because of those pictures, cats are able to get out in much easier ways than the worst case scenerio. Rescuers like you have the hard job. The emotionally draining, never ending, financially aggressive, time consuming, hair-yanking, mascara-running, gas-guzzling, traffic-battling job. They should be glad you help make it possible to empty cages AND ensure cats are fixed AND ensure people are educated (or bitched out), and attempt to FIX a problem that causes this to be so unbearably overwhelming in resources. My heart goes out to you girls and everyone involved in this. I know it probably feels like you are hitting at a rock with a feather, but it makes a difference. Every life. I don't just mean the cats....the entire learning experience I have had with you and Kim in Cat rescue changed my own life. It angers me that Kim would be put in a position like that, there must be some way to fight that it is also in the shelter's best interests to have her do what she is doing now, and not change a thing.

House of the Discarded said...

Thank you for your kind thoughts Kristen. I'll go in and take the pictures for Petfinder. It's such an important part of rescuing from this shelter. The pictures touch too many people.

House of the Discarded said...

Kea: Ahhh...Karma. I want to believe in it. Sometimes we don't see it, but it happens.

It HAS to happen...

-B

Anonymous said...

Wow. Honestly, if I was going to be forced to participate in the euth, I'd probably redouble my efforts to rescue... But I'm sure Kim feels like she's been slapped in the face, and I sure can't blame her for that. What a huge shame.

Crystal said...

*Tears*

Nicole said...

This is the worst news I have heard in a very long time. Kim is an incredible human being and I will love her till the day I die. She (not knowingly) has enriched my life and with not only her friendship but also enabling me to make a difference in the lives that I have rescued from death in Hamilton. I can only imagine how difficult this must be for her. I hope something positive will come out of this.

Anonymous said...

Sweet Jesus, just where is this house of horrors?

I know you probably can't name them but it seems to me that they really have their priorities screwed up.
Participate more in killing than in rescue?

I'm afraid I'd be telling them to go euth themselves.

Anonymous said...

I'm speechless............

Caroline said...

What we need is an anonymous investor who would get us a storefront or warehouse where we could house the cats until they are ready for adoption, some rescues are lucky enough to get this. Does anyone have Hamilton connections? Wouldn't it be great if the Hamilton Tiger Cats would sponsor us?

Another way to go is to get protestors picketing outside the shelter, it worked for the Toronto Humane Society as well as the SPCA.

I'm saying prayers every night.

Debbie said...

Thank you for continueing to take the pictures at the shelter.
I think without them, not as many lives would be saved.
One of my cats is a happy ending from the shelter.She was our foster and my daughter paided her adoption fee and now she is a very special part of our family.
Thanks for all you do Beth!!

mamabear said...

I had tears in my eyes, thinking about that white cat being dumped so unlovingly ..I even wonder if it had a decent life prior to being left there. I have a special spot in my heart for white cats..and the last one to join our family was an adult who had been abandoned in the midst of an extremely cold winter. I simply cannot understand that mindset..but with the number of new entrants to our local humane society, I sadly know it is more prevalent than I would like to believe.

Amanda said...

Hi Beth,
We rescued one of our cats (Mo) from the shelter with the help of you and also rescued a female from a work shed and spotted Manny on the petfinder website listed as "Urgent". Just wondering, do you know much about him? Is he good with other cats, or how will it be to have him fit in with two other bonded cats? I know he's listed as urgent so we're trying to find out as much as we can to help him. Thanks!

House of the Discarded said...

Amanda: Email me, please!!! :)

Amanda said...

Me again :). I just tried emailing you but not sure if it worked. I only have hotmail so I can't access your email address. I just clicked on the little mail button beside the comments so hopefully it went through.
Thanks again!!!

House of the Discarded said...

Hey Amanda...hotmail may have blocked it. Please email me directly:

BethTurner289@gmail.com

serf2k said...

Beth (and Kim),
It is because of the Petfinder posting that we found Chandler and Romeo (a/k/a "Melon" - a name I still believe is appropriate....but I was outvoted). We woke up Valentines Day morning and thought......we had been long enough without a friendly fuzzy lovable tripping hazard in our lives. The kids were all excited when we told them, and we were just heading out the door when I thought I'd check Petfinder. Without the posting we would have made the trek to the SPCA that day and would have likely picked out "somebody", not knowing that the perfect guys (and I mean PERFECT!) were on their last day in such a sad place not far away. Through your blog I've come to realize what actually goes on there....and I couldn't imagine working there....but please PLEASE keep the Petfinder postings going!
IMHO you both deserve a medal for your efforts. You're not just saving cats lives.....you're enriching the lives of people too.