(Picture Left: "Rudy" -- a happy little Pekingese now. This, after being dumped in the pound just prior to Christmas with no exlanation given or apparently even required.)
Yesterday was a kind of banner day for us.
For one matter, two of our cats were adopted (together) to a fabulous home and this enables us to rescue a new cat.
If some wonder why we can't rescue two cats to replace the two adopted, its because the foster person normally fosters only one cat at a time (Elizabeth already has an adopted cat of her own). She had been particularly gracious over the past six months to foster an extra cat because Princess and Lucy had been rescued together and already had a close, established bond.
Despite the fact these two cats were totally wonderful in every way, (in terms of health and socialization towards both people and other cats) it nevertheless took six months for Princess and Lucy to find a new home. And that's considering that we did not even require that they be adopted together! Still, its very nice they were finally placed together into a cat-loving home that already has one cat.
Sometimes you get lucky in this work.
Unfortunately though, not as often as we need to.
The other good news yesterday, was that I was lucky to find a reliable and caring foster person for Rudy, the Pekingese dumped just before Christmas by people who didn't even bother to give a explanation for why they were abandoning their pet of six years. Rudy's kennel card only says the people "owned him for six years." -- As if length of time one owns a pet is sufficient reason for dumping. "We've had the dog (or cat) 6 years and now we're done....time to move on!"
Rudy was rejected by other rescue groups because he has a grade 3 heart murmur and according to vets, represents a risk for neutering.
I hope that's not going to represent an impediment to Rudy finding an adoptive home. He is a beautiful and extremely affectionate little dog who can only bring joy to a potential adopter.
Rudy even allowed me to cut off the long hair and stuck on feces from his rear end without so much as a snap or protest. He is truly a lovely little dog who one wonders how anyone could have given up.
If I felt good yesterday about the two cat adoptions and one dog foster, there was nothing uplifting to be found in the shelter. Every cage in every ward was filled and as I left the shelter last night, the lobby was packed with more people dropping off more animals.
One woman held what seemed like a very friendly Pitbull who appeared as if she had given birth to at least ten puppies in the last few days.
It's the same old movie being seen over and over again. One wonders what ever happened to the spay/neuter message in this country?
At least 85% of dogs arriving at New York City pounds are unneutered Pitbulls or Pit mixes.
But, still the people continue to breed and dump.......
Considering the crowded state of the shelter, as well as the influx of new animals coming in yesterday, it was no surprise earlier today to see 37 dogs on the Euth list and almost as many cats.
So yes, we "feel good" about a new dog and new cat we are able to rescue -- and horrible about all the hundreds we can't.
There are very few truly happy days in animal rescue.
And there never will be until the day ever arrives when there is no "Euthanasia List" to view on our computers and no line of dumpers in a shelter lobby. -- PCA
**********
For one matter, two of our cats were adopted (together) to a fabulous home and this enables us to rescue a new cat.
If some wonder why we can't rescue two cats to replace the two adopted, its because the foster person normally fosters only one cat at a time (Elizabeth already has an adopted cat of her own). She had been particularly gracious over the past six months to foster an extra cat because Princess and Lucy had been rescued together and already had a close, established bond.
Despite the fact these two cats were totally wonderful in every way, (in terms of health and socialization towards both people and other cats) it nevertheless took six months for Princess and Lucy to find a new home. And that's considering that we did not even require that they be adopted together! Still, its very nice they were finally placed together into a cat-loving home that already has one cat.
Sometimes you get lucky in this work.
Unfortunately though, not as often as we need to.
The other good news yesterday, was that I was lucky to find a reliable and caring foster person for Rudy, the Pekingese dumped just before Christmas by people who didn't even bother to give a explanation for why they were abandoning their pet of six years. Rudy's kennel card only says the people "owned him for six years." -- As if length of time one owns a pet is sufficient reason for dumping. "We've had the dog (or cat) 6 years and now we're done....time to move on!"
Rudy was rejected by other rescue groups because he has a grade 3 heart murmur and according to vets, represents a risk for neutering.
I hope that's not going to represent an impediment to Rudy finding an adoptive home. He is a beautiful and extremely affectionate little dog who can only bring joy to a potential adopter.
Rudy even allowed me to cut off the long hair and stuck on feces from his rear end without so much as a snap or protest. He is truly a lovely little dog who one wonders how anyone could have given up.
If I felt good yesterday about the two cat adoptions and one dog foster, there was nothing uplifting to be found in the shelter. Every cage in every ward was filled and as I left the shelter last night, the lobby was packed with more people dropping off more animals.
One woman held what seemed like a very friendly Pitbull who appeared as if she had given birth to at least ten puppies in the last few days.
It's the same old movie being seen over and over again. One wonders what ever happened to the spay/neuter message in this country?
At least 85% of dogs arriving at New York City pounds are unneutered Pitbulls or Pit mixes.
But, still the people continue to breed and dump.......
Considering the crowded state of the shelter, as well as the influx of new animals coming in yesterday, it was no surprise earlier today to see 37 dogs on the Euth list and almost as many cats.
So yes, we "feel good" about a new dog and new cat we are able to rescue -- and horrible about all the hundreds we can't.
There are very few truly happy days in animal rescue.
And there never will be until the day ever arrives when there is no "Euthanasia List" to view on our computers and no line of dumpers in a shelter lobby. -- PCA
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