My rescue partner and I received a "call to action" for a very kind sounding farm family who have had quite a few cats dropped off at their property. Honestly, we get a lot of calls like this - desperate sounding people who just want it handled. They usually don't offer any help or donation.
These people seemed different and we decided to help them. We only had room for in the rescue kittens and this family had promised they would look after the adults and get them fixed. They were very credible, kind and we really had no doubts about it. I really felt that we could make a huge difference for them and help them PERMANENTLY resolve their problem.
I won't take kittens unless provisions are made for the adults to be fixed. Period.
It took us an hour to drive out to the country. It was a beautiful drive - an area of Ontario I hadn't been to before, but I knew right away what house it was when we drove up. Cats in the front yard. Cats in the side yard and Cats running through the bushes in the back.
We started feverishly gathering up kittens. Bless their little hearts - grubby little farm kittens. ;) The resident 10 year old little girl started crying - devastated that the kittens were leaving. For two hours we trudged through bushes, assessed kittens and loaded up the carriers into our car. We were so stressed. I stood there, sweat pouring from faces, the daughter still crying, kittens meowing in the car, and adult cats in the yard wondering what was happening....
....suddenly it occurred to me...
There would be no thank you. No Donation. No fixing of the adults. Don't ask me how I knew it - maybe it comes fro years of dealing with people. But I was right. Once again - I believed the public and they lied. I just provided these people with a band-aid solution which was never my intent. Why didn't I offer to help get the other cats fixed? Because they said they could do it. They could afford it. They would provide for the skittish little Mom cats left. In the winter, more kittens will come.
They'd better not call me again. I don't like being used.
We drove 2 hours round trip with 20 kittens in the car, stopped at the high kill shelter and rescued 7 more kittens, plus 2 "high risk" adults. It was a big day and we were exhausted. As pissed off as I was, I'm happy that 20+ cats and kittens were rescued in a day. Those faces that needed us out in the farm won't become victims to a busy road, raccoons or a life unloved. I need to spend more time focusing on that part - not the users.
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8 comments:
It's like that everywhere. You wouldn't believe how many kittens have come from barns in our area and into rescues. The farmers just want to get rid of them but they never help the problem and they never offer a cent to cover any costs. But your right, you have to focus on the 20 little kittens that you took from harms way although I'm sure they didn't think that way as you were gathering them up. I wish them all a happy, healthy life. Deb
we have the same problem here.... you want to help and yet they won't do their part. I will never understand....
UGH...I really freaking hate people sometimes. Those that do this will NEVER see the light and NEVER change. It dawned on me about this when I was reading a post by someone in a private jewelry FB group a few months ago. This girl was pregnant, has a cat that is not spayed b/c "I just don't have time to take her to the vet to get spayed..."..."She is whining to go out and driving me crazy and I just didn't want to deal with it so I kicked her outside".
Ok, so she is whining b/c she is not spayed and then you kicked her out???!! Dumbass people. Of course, now the cat is pregnant and she needs to find homes for the kittens. Still no word on getting her spayed. Will not happen I can guarantee it. These kind of people just do not realize OR care that this is a huge problem. I am so angry with her and people like her.
You are probably right, but I so very much hope you are wrong and they do step up and take care of those kitties
Maybe if you remind them, by letter, or send them a fake bill, for all the kitten expenses "since they didn't hold up their side of the contract". I don't know. I spent a couple years getting 200 plus cats fixed at a grass warehouse complex here in Oregon. Nice farmer, never donated anything however, but did in the end, understand the need and why spay neuter is important. I know you will find great homes for all those rescued kittens because you do an awesome job!
Far be it for me to tell you how to run the rescue, Beth, but it would not hurt to require that before kittens are accepted into FHCR, these people provide evidence that their adult cats have been spayed/neutered OR require that a donation of $x be made in advance per kitten.
Rescues are not for profit, but somehow end up with everyone's avoidable expenses. Throw it back to these sorry excuses for humans. Make them pay for the mess they create.
I like Strayer's suggestion, and Lory's.
There is a worldwide need for animal welfare to be on every single school curriculum from day one to the age of 16. Without early education, the ignorant users just proliferate and keep on spreading their ignorance with a side of apathy.
This week someone tied up two 9 week old black kittens and left them in a sealed sack in the middle of a busy road in the early hours of the morning as a way of dealing with the remains of an unwanted litter. Spaying would have avoided this. Luckily they were found and our vets neutered both (for free)and will rehome them
Not every unwanted kitten in the UK is as lucky.
Glad you rescued from the high kill shelter too. As per the farm kittens I would insist that I wouldn't take the kittens unless I take the adults and get them spayed too and charge them the spay accordingly. For every 2 kittens you take they must provide 1 adult cat that you can take to spay and they must have them trapped ahead of time (maybe I'm asking too much...)
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