I was sitting in the parking lot at Animal Control talking with a friend on the cell, when I see a man in a new mini-van park next to me. I know the drill - if they open the back door, they have a cat. If they just get out of the car, it's a dog licensing gig.
Sure enough - he opened the back door.
I hung up on my friend to approach him in the parking lot. (I'm not really supposed to talk to people surrendering their animals in the lobby) He's a clean cut 30-something guy with a very sweet looking (albeit overweight) cat in a carrier. I asked him why. I'm moving. God, how I've learned to HATE that excuse. He was moving across town, and no matter what I said I couldn't convince him to take his poor cat. She's been spayed and she was darling.
By the time I made my rounds at the shelter, "Chase" (I later learned her name) was in a cage:
If this guy could only see her sitting in her litterbox, would he care? Is she going to sit there for days and look for him? I picked her up and held her closely, kissed her and apologized for humanity.
Looking at the cage card, they are TWENTY years old. What kind of human dumps little old cats at the shelter who have lost probably the ONLY person they've ever known? Kim said that they always lay on top of each other. They obviously are very bonded and love each other very much. She gave them a little bed with hope to minimize the guilt of being a human being. These cats don't need a foster home - they need a retirement home. A place where they can be loved for whatever time they have left.
I tried to contact Sandy who adopts senior cats, but her email was returned to me. There's very little hope.
So there you have it. I'm fine going into the shelter, but physically meeting the people who abandoned perfectly wonderful animals there for lame excuses along with senior cats who are discarded like garbage...well....it drives me insane.
I'm angry. I rescued a really sweet cat today for my own home and I'm rescuing several tomorrow for other foster parents and I can't even be happy about it.
18 comments:
One thing I do not miss is working on the phones taking the excuses why people want to give up their animals.
It always makes me want to hit them, but then I also think that perhaps (coming from a no kill shelter and not animal control here) they are much better off without their 'owners' who would dump them so easily.
I clearly remember a pair of 3 y/o declaws Kim pointed out to me once, given up for moving, if I had the space they would have been in my house and not the rescue
what is WRONG with people?So what if you're moving? Your pets move with you!! When I was kid, we moved with our 3 cats and 2 dogs (one mutt and one samoyed) to FOUR different COUNTRIES .... there was no question we would leave them!
My own "original" cats (now gone, but lived, respectively, to 21 and 22 years of age) moved at least 10 times with me through three different provinces.
They get used to it! they love US.
My heart is breaking for those seniors. Do you think you can find someone to take them??
Selkie: I'm going to try - you know that. I don't know how I can go into the shelter tomorrow and look at them. This just breaks my heart.
I wish I could take them; but I have 4 cats already, 4 dogs (including my latest, a foster from the THS which was destined for the needle and he and my male GSD HATE each other) PLUS a guinea pig. Apart from anything else, the chaos in my house might freak them.
I feel sick thinkng of how scared they must be.
I felt sick when I saw those two seniors all cuddled up together wondering what is going on. I felt sicker when I read that Sandy has disappeared because I thought of her right away. I am not losing hope for these two yet, though. Or for Chase.
Tomorrow Beth you must go to the shelter and be proud of who you will save and all of the lives you have saved in the past and will in the future! Never forget that!
It makes me sick when people dump their pets! which in fact were never pets at all to them because you dont do that to pets!!! UGH
I am a student, who has been living on my own since I was 18 and have had 2 cats, (now 3) the entire way. All the moves, all the jobs to pay for rent, tuition and their vet stuff (no parent support except for cat sitting:) which is worth more than money!) and not once does it ever EVER cross my mind to move without them or to not get my cat fixed, or their annual shots- Hec my one cat has seen more specialists than I have ever, as he had some issues/seizures after a bad anesthesia for his teeth cleaning. I think I moved 8 times in the past 3 years not one accident with their litter boxes since day 1. People are lazy and dont care and it really pisses me off, everyone feels my pain on this blog. But I thought I would share my story as most students 'cant afford' or 'im moving' or 'my roommate is allergic'...dont get a pet if you arent committed its really quite simple and quite a simple concept, isnt it?
I really just don't get it. This applies to many things in life. People do stupid crap all the time, but it is absolutely unacceptable when it involves lives of any species. Be dumb on your own time and with no one but yourself and I don't care:)
Beth you are amazing!! My really good friend forever and ever thanks you for Leeroy (formerly Fraggle!) and I hope my sister helps alleviate some of the 'stupid people' hate of the day!
Julie,
Agreed! It is a simple concept. A cat will live for about 20 years. Can you commit to it it, financially, emotionally, practically for that ENTIRE time? If you're not willing to absorb vet costs, inconveinces of finding pet friendly rentals, behavioral issues that may come up etc., think harder because this is a living breathing creature and it doesn't come with a money back gurantee.
Unfortunately, you're right. We're preaching to the choir here because people that would abandon their cats aren't the type that would read this blog.
I'm not being patronizing saying this but remember what Beth says, "Nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something...". You do you're part through responsible pet ownership, advocating for people to spay/neuter and adopt instead of buy, volunteering whatever. We're all doing our part and anger won't get us any further. It's a waste of energy to get outraged because these cats need us to come up with a solution and it's easier to do so if we keep clear heads.
Julie: Awww!! My little "Fraggle" :) :)
Shannon: Yep...I know I'm preachin' to the choir...but it sure feels good to vent, eh? :)
I honestly don't know how you do it but I'm sure glad that you and others who care do it. I am in tears for those seniors - infact, I'm in tears every time I read your blog.
I'll be thinking of those seniors and hope that someone like me comes forward. Deb
Here's hoping the seniors get rescued as well as all the other deserving cats.
At my shelter, the workers always say "Better they give it to us than keep them with people like that." Which is true - but it doesn't stop me from wanting to punch people. And that's in a shelter that has a high adoption rate. I can't imagine how you do this job at that shelter, Beth, but I'll tell you it's very inspiring to everyone who reads about it. There are hundreds of cats out there living happy lives, being loved every day, who will be loved for the next 15 years because of you! When you're faced with awful people like that, just think of all those cats out there currently getting a scratch behind the ears and a kiss because of YOU - and I hope that helps :)
And I hope those poor heartbreaking seniors get out of there!!
I wanted to work at a shelter, but can't deal with the thought of euthanasia or senseless people yet. Kudos to you for putting up with the dirty work.
Beth, how long do you think the seniors have at the shelter? Will you let us know before they are scheduled to be euth'd?
kb: They were marked for euthanasia today, (because they are "owner surrenders"), but Kim wants to give them a few more days.
They'll be euthanized this Friday.
Aghhh! I so wish I was there to take the seniors in. Gods, that burns my butt!
Please let us know how they all fare.
i wud love to have the seniors...but am in Australia :-(... im not allowed to have pets where Im living... But I wouldnt care if im saving 2 beautiful friends from leaving this world.
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