Imagine my surprise to find 6 messages on my rescue phone line for people interested in cats at the shelter! (The phone number on the Petfinder shelter site is mine rescue line that rings in my home office) It wasn't until I listened to all the messages that I realized they were all for the Himalayan and Siamese who are currently there. Don't get me wrong - they ALL need help. But it was a bit of a let down since these cats usually don't have a hard time getting out of the shelter this time of year.
There was one call from a woman who is interested in a declawed male cat. I was thrilled. She sounded very nice and lives alone. Her boyfriend comes in from Buffalo a few times per month with his own 13 year old cat. I must've spent 2 hours with her today on the phone talking about the cats, the shelter, etc. She called me back a few minutes ago and left a message: "My boyfriend is worried that a shelter cat would be bringing in a disease that might harm his cat."
WHATEVER! She wanted to rescue somebody from THAT shelter. Now her part-time boyfriend is calling the shots. I hope she comes to her senses soon.
I get periodic emails from foster homes (from the former rescue I was with) that tell me about their sick foster cats, etc. Some of it sounds pretty nasty and the vet bills sound high. Without knowing of my resignation, they email me and have asked for cats to go to the vets or be moved to another foster home.
I sit at my desk and think, "Holy crap. Am I ready to get back into this with my own rescue?"
When you have your own rescue, you become an island. You have some support, but mostly the buck stops with the one in charge. It's a frightening prospect - one that I've done before, and it's not an easy path to take.
I'm going to keep moving forward, but might need some slippers to keep these cold feet of mine warm.
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6 comments:
Actually, I always find it a bit odd that people want a certain type of cat. All of mine have chosen me, not the other way around, and that's the way it always will be, if I'm ever able to adopt again.
I recommend wool socks and some nice moccasin-type slippers. :-P
I'm glad you stood up for yourself, Beth, and are starting to look at ways you can keep helping cats that is much healthier for you, too. I'm sure it will be tough, but I am also certain that you're the best kind of person to organize a rescue that really does have the interests of the cats at its core, and I imagine you have plenty of friends and other contacts who'd be more than happy to support and help you out where you need it. Even using this blog to reach out and slowly build connections or lines of help could prove beneficial. Perhaps people know others who can help with fundraising, with volunteering or even with things like admin and marketing. It could be a unique opportunity for those who care and may otherwise be unable to adopt/foster at the moment to do something good for the kitties in a different way. But then I've never started my own business, so I'm not really one to advise! Having said that, many, many people start their own businesses in Canada, so there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to either, especially for such a great cause. Lord knows you were working your butt off anyway!
You can do it Beth! Take it one day at a time....and to the woman who is now letting her PT BF call the shots, maybe he should stay back a few weeks longer until her rescue cat clears a quaratine period ;)
It is tough but at least you are calling the shots and not stuck dealing with someone else's decision when you don't agree with it.
Meh to the potential adopter of the declawed male. Why wouldn't she just whisk him to a vet and have him checked out to make sure he's URI free, and have a simple viral panel done? (If it's due to the money factor, she's probably not a great adoption match anyway.) Booourns.
at least if the Himmies and Siamese get out, it makes room for the others to stay a few more days.
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