Wednesday, January 16, 2013

More Unwanted

I'm leaving tomorrow for 5 days -  Heading to Seattle to visit my parents.  I wish it wasn't such a hassle to get out of town - I'd travel more often.  Fortunately, my youngest son is babysitting cats and our senior dog.    David is coming with me.  It'll be nice to see my parents and just as nice to see "Buddy", their overly spoiled Rat Terrier. 

I had a disgusting moment today when I heard that there is a woman who is currently searching the online classified for kittens to use for her birds of prey - for food.  I wonder how many people she's fooled into giving her sweet defenseless kittens only to be used to train  her red tailed hawks.   We've all heard the rumours about people collecting kittens to use for snake food.  But kittens to be used  to train hawks??  That's a new one for me.  Those of you in the Greater Toronto Area - please  spread the word about this  woman. 

We rescued a Mom cat and two kittens today.  They came from the public - something I so rarely do.  When I arrived at their "home", it was a nice young man that (for a variety of reasons) could  no longer care for this little family.  It was the Mom cat's 7th litter.  SEVENTH litter  and she is only 2 years old.  Disgusting.  I kissed her little calico face and whispered to her "You'll never have to do this again." When I picked her up, it's very  apparent that she's  pregnant again.  *sigh*  I hope I'm wrong -  a vet will be able to tell  me.  But it sure looks that way to me. 

I'm feeling a bit melancholy tonight.  I think going into other people's homes and seeing firsthand their lack of care for their animals saddens me.  What would this guy have done if I hadn't bailed him out?  He had the Mom cat since she was a kitten  and didn't seem remotely sad that she was leaving his home.  I just don't understand that. 

While I'm away, our volunteers will be back to the shelter to rescue.  I like to hear who they end up with and to  hear their enthusiasm.  It's contagious!  


9 comments:

Lory and Co. said...

Disgusting.

There are no bounds to human cruelty and stupidity. I hope karma rewards them in kind.

Anonymous said...

Hope you posted a warning on kijiji, I will see if iwantapounddog will post.
Sandra

Sparkle said...

I am so disgusted with humans sometimes! If they aren't out-and-out cruel, they are stupid. I am glad there are a handful of good ones out there, like you and your volunteers, working hard to make up for the rest.

Donna said...

I just don't understand people.

Caroline said...

Have a great time in Seattle! I'll miss you. I'm glad u took the mom and kids from the guy, the Mom really needed someone to rescue her and you were there. He never would have changed and that Mom deserves a second chance, kudos to the foster parent too!

Connie - Tails from the Foster Kittens said...

safe travels.

Anonymous said...

Did this horrible woman with the hawks actually post an ad we can warn people about? Kijiji or Craiglist?

I once posted an ad on Kijiji telling people not to give their pets away for free because of stuff like this, and I got an angry email from a snake owner and then Kijiji took my ad down.

MoB said...

i wish there are harsher laws on animal abuse

Elizabeth said...

That lady using kittens to train hawks is sick and twisted and the story actually sounds plausible. However kittens as snake food is just an urban legend.

As a large snake owner, a cat lover, and someone who worked as a facility manager of a large snake breeding facility, I can tell you that I don't want anything with teeth and claws like that near my snake. The cat would cause too much damage before my snake could even eat the cat. A dead cat would be more useless as snakes who eat dead (frozen/thawed as we call them) feeders go by the scent of the rat or mouse and wold have no interest in a kitten.

In the reptile community some joke about using stray cats but it is truly just an urban legend and nothing more.