Friday, December 10, 2010

Christmas Roulette

I'm happy to report that I rescued the little Dilute Tortie today, along with "Evie" a darling little Tortie kitten!  Many hugs and thank you's to Forever Home Cat Rescue's newest foster parents.  We're now up to ELEVEN new foster homes!

Like many of us, I listen to holiday music and sometimes it feels comforting - filled with childhood memories -  and other times it leaves me feeling angry for the little ones in the shelter who will have no Christmas this year other than a plop of canned Friskies in a tin bowl in a steel cage.  When I went into the shelter this morning to rescue the two cats, I was hurt and angry by the empty cages from this morning's Euthanasia Day.  

One of my blog readers sent me a powerful poem yesterday that she wrote in tribute to this blog.  I hope that you cut and paste it and pass it along.  It speaks volumes for ALL the animals at shelters everywhere:


Christmas Roulette


By:  Kristen J.

Red and green stringed beads,
Deafen ears once alert
For the true souls in need.

Wide eyed and sweet,
Once just a kitten at play,
Has worn out his welcome
and can no longer stay.

Family time is coming;
Turkey, stockings and snow.
Too many guests in the house,
He will be the one to go.

Kids have lost interest,
A new dog is in store!
The reasons are endless,
He matters not anymore.

The entity of convenience;
A commitment on sale.
To Kijiji a loved one,
Once they become stale.

In the crate he goes,
A tearful goodbye even made.
The memories are many,
But too quickly do they fade.

“Don't worry” promises mom
“He'll get a good home soon”.
But he is left at the shelter,
Heat is low, darkness looms.

The family is in bliss,
“A good home” they had said.
And still he sits at the shelter,
crouched on a newspaper bed.

In fear and terror he sits,
The cage so cold and black,
He watches the door intently,
Sure his family will come back.

Green eyes once so bright
have dulled with passing days.
With confusion setting in,
Ever vigilant, he still waits.

With empty promises of lies
the family has eased the load.
But no happy home awaits,
No fork at this end of the road.

He bears no ill-thoughts
No anger or blind rage.
He just wants to understand
The events leading to this cage.

With but one simple thought,
A loved companion so easily goes,
Blind illusions ease the guilt,
And dim the lights on death row.

A new kitten for Christmas
marks where this tale started.
But home for Christmas turned
him to the House of the Discarded.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

:( What a wonderful poem to hit home to all those out there who don't realize. I will surely be passing this along.

Kim said...

That poem is very powerful (I'm sobbing now). I will link to this post on my blog. Poor little feline souls....

Caroline said...

Thanks to Beth and everyone who fostered today's rescues.

Anonymous said...

I couldn't read it all,(I skimmed it) it is too heart wrenching. :(
Beautiful though - **sobs**
How can people do that? Pets are not some bauble you give away on Kijiji!