TGIF

I am taking a vacation day - not that its a vacation for me - its hard labor actually, just minus a paying 8 hour day at a computer.  I still got up at 3:45 am. (actually was awake most of the night listening to poor Calvin in the bathroom downstairs wailing away, probably hungry for food, which I had to remove due to his surgery this morning) and went out to feed cats at 5 am., for over an hour.  Most were there, hungry, waiting, doing the twirling dance when they hear my car and see me get out.  Its a balmy 30 degrees, so its much easier on these cats.  I saw Tuffy, as usual, and he got so close to me this time that I could notice he has an eye situation.  You will recall last year he couldn't walk on a very swollen leg.  Now his eye doesn't open all the way, and its very watery.  Its so hard to see the beauties in the dark, and my flashlight is the pits.

Calvin will be neutered, and the end of this tail clipped off when I bring him to the clinic this morning.  I am going to ask if there is a chance its healed since they saw him Wednesday, so fingers crossed.

Then next week the latest rescue (yesterday) Lenny will be neutered, given his shots, etc., and will be good to go for adoption.  See pictures on yesterday's post. 

All in all it was a good week.  I got three sweet cats off the street in one week!  Amazing.  I don't know how I do it, or actually I do know how I could do it, thanks to Sheryl and Donna for offering to foster them.

I need more help, and I ask you to share this, in hopes that someone sees our sweet Lenny, Fraser, Calvin, Teddy and Larry and wants to give them a forever home.

Have a great day!!!

Calvin & NOW LENNY!!

WEDNESDAY P.M. 
CALVIN - the red fluffy brother of the other kitty I rescued last Sunday (FRASER) is negative for feline leukemia!  Yeah! GREAT news.    I found out the odor he had was from the infections, and also that part of his tail will have to be amputated its so bad.  He is coming home with a collar to stop him from getting at it.  The infection is down to his bone.  Terrible smell.  Poor boy.  Next will be his neutering.  This is crazy business what I do.  I swear.  He has turned into the most sweetest lovingest cat ever.  He head butts you while sitting on your lap getting scratches.  He really is a mess, but once cleaned up will be a most gorgeous, attention loving kitty.  Today's visit cost me $130.  Friday, he gets neutered, and has about two inches from his tip of tail amputated.  That will cost another $100+.  This has been an expensive month for me.

""Hey!  C'mon!  That flash in my eyes is a killer!"

THURSDAY A.M.
LENNY:  Oh Lord, I did it again.  I rescued another kitty from Central.  Here is Lenny, the black and white kitty that is unneutered, smells like the underside of a car, but is a lover boy through and through.  He has been living outdoors this entire winter.  He runs to me every single morning, and cries.  He was a good boy the second I took him out oft he carrier when I got home, until I packed him up before leaving for work for his journey to friend Donna's house - actually her shed, which is filled with straw and comfy stuff for him.  A better place than where he has been, for sure.  So this means another vet appointment.

For those that don't know exactly what I do, I leave my house at 5 am. every single day and drive about five minutes into the hood.  It takes me over an hour, I make 15 stops normally.  I get out of  my car, I walk a bit, I change a wet or snow covered towel, and replace a new one, I pour food and water down, I pet a cat here and there, and move on to the next one.  They are streets from each other, and sometimes just blocks from each other.  You can't really just move cats to another location.  they are very territorial, and its very upsetting to them.  They are stressed enough.  At the 6th street shelter I had to move from the garage to the back of a house just behind, I still haven't seen most of the cats that used to take shelter in the warm wooden huts I had provided for them.  It was a very upsetting move for some of them.  I was overjoyed to see one come out though this morning.  I knew he was warm inside.  The others?  Who knows...  It makes me angry when a homeowner makes me move my things, or trashes them.  Its barbaric to do to an animal in this kind of weather especially.  Any way, I use close to 18 pounds of dry food a day, and a case of wet food.  Thats twenty five of the normal sized cans.  Its a very expensive passion - to try to save these animals, one at a time, but every day, try to make their lives a little better, with regular feedings, and shelter.  I hope I can do this forever.  But I know my body won't allow that.  Our bodies last only so long. I hope by that time though that I will have rescued as many as I can, and that the over population of these homeless cats will be much less by then.  So, keep me in your prayers, and spread the word about these cats, and how much homes are needed for each of them.

Remember, we now have Calvin and Fraser, Larry and Teddy (Sargent), and Lenny.  They need homes desperately.  Spread the word!!!

"If you do a good deed for other people, you end up healing yourself too.  Because a dose of love is the best spiritual cure."

Brotherly Bond

UPDATE ON GORDIE from his potential adopters:   

"Gordie has the run of the house, now, but still hides.  Last night he was in the carrier, sleepy, but he let me pet him and he started to purr.  So cute.  He is a nice cat, looking forward to the time when he is more social.  I am sure that will happen soon. 

Our cats are aware he is in the house, and there have been some hissing and anger.  Nothing physical.  Rosebud seems intimidated, and Etta seems curious.

One odd thing that Gordie does is meow and meow at night -- even now that he is "free".  I hope that quiets down.

More later . . . thanks, Janine."

Anyone have some advice?  We all know this will quiet down in time, but WHY do cats do that initially?

Wednesday:

Well, I did it again.  Sunday Sheryl agreed that if I were to get Fraser's brother in the morning, she would take him, for fostering, to keep his brother company.  Well, I did it.  Here is the stinky, sickly boy I rescued this morning.  He was pretty upset in this box I placed him in, so he has a bloody nose, he has a very distended belly, and a wound on his tail, and behind his ear, but all in all, he is a good kitty. Lets me pet him, started to purr.  But he needs to be seen by a vet, so I think he might stay with me until then.  Then he needs to be neutered if he tests negative for leukemia.  Oh boy.  What do I get myself into.

Tuesday (p.m.):

GREAT NEWS!!  Fraser, the orange kitty that was very sickly looking on Baldwin, that was rescued last Sunday, and is being fostered by Sunday Sheryl, was vetted today, tested negative for leukemia, and had a generally clean bill of health!  Now we just have to get him cleaned up and ready to show!  Isn't he PRETTY!!!  he is missing a lot of his fur due to him going in and out of a very small opening to a shelter.  But it will grow back.  He is such a lover, and ready for adoption!

LOOK AT DAT FACE........

If you will recall, I feed on Seventh Street, and right next door to this empty lot is a fenced in yard that has held several dogs over the years.  The Spanish person that owns these dogs never lets them in.  Its hard for me to see what kind of shelter is back there, as the fence is wood, and high.  These dogs barked from the minute they heard me walking to the back of this lot, until I finally finished pouring food and water for the four or so cats that live here.  It was irritating, but also sad knowing they were left out side in any kind of weather.  During our first really cold snap this month, my friend Kristin wound up writing to PAWS - the organization that builds shelters for dogs, and tries to educate owners of dogs on properly sheltering their animals without having to turn these people in for animal neglect, or cruelty.  She found them on Facebook, gave them the address, and hoped they would do something.  Shortly thereafter, that same week, I never heard the dogs again.  I knew they were there, but after a first bark - if you want to call the muffled sound I heard a bark, there was no more barking.  I thought to myself, what, did these people slit the dogs throats and remove their vocal cords?  I know that was a far stretch, but I didn't know what was possible to hinder a dog's bark before until I read below.  I didn't know something this barbaric was actually real.  I don't know what these people did to quiet their dogs, and just this morning, I could see the dog watching me, not making a sound, so I walked over to the fence and saw the biggest pit bull I've ever seen, and looked at me like he wanted to gobble me up.  He then started to bark.  But what made them quiet?  I am not sure, but I do share this with you today, just to make you aware.

FYI - these huge dogs in the back yard on 7th are not barking anymore.  Its very odd.  Here is the article:  Tell me what you think.

We've been forewarned by lawmakers that the NYS devocalization bill will NOT become law without amendments pushed by powerful special-interests that profit from dog/cat devocalization (“bark softening”).

�

These loopholes are subtle, ever-evolving--and would hurt animals.

�

Your calls to the legislature at this juncture could result in a loopholed law that puts more animals at risk for this cruel surgery.

�

Here are 3 loopholes. For animals' sake,

click on the link and read others too!

http://stopdevocalizing.weebly.com/legislative-loopholes.html

�

1. Why Would "Allowable for Medical Necessity" Make the Law Unenforceable?
"Medically necessary" or "medically beneficial" enables vets, who profit from devocalization, to perform vocal cord surgery without any restriction. To protect animals from having their vocal cords cut for barking or meowing, "medical necessity" MUST be defined as this: "to treat a PHYSICAL illness, injury or birth defect causing medical harm that cannot be remedied by other veterinary care." Otherwise, it is a loophole.

2. Why Would "Allowable as a Last Resort/Final Alternative" Hurt More Animals Than Having No Law?
This proposal hurts animals in two ways.

►It keeps devocalization/bark softening legal because the law can never be enforced. NO vet can know, some won't ask, if voice-altering surgery is a last or first resort. Even receipts for training don’t mean the the advice was followed correctly, consistently or at all. Cutting vocal cords is easier for lazy people, profitable for their vets.

Further, NO vet can know if a client provides responsible care. Animals who don’t receive the companionship, exercise and mental stimulation they need express their frustration vocally. Those who have not been spayed or neutered will vocalize their hormonally triggered excitement and aggression.

►Worse, this loophole codifies an act of cruelty as an acceptable practice. That can only result in more dogs and cats subjected to risky, painful vocal cord surgery just for barking or meowing.

Reality Check: NO vet is forced to cut healthy vocal cords OR kill a healthy animal for barking or meowing. Shelter executives say surrender is kinder...and, further, that devocalized animals are given up like any other. They just suffer more.

�

3. Why Not Allow "Bark Softening" and Just Ban Devocalization?
Because they're the same thing! Lobbyists claim "bark softening" is a benign, "non-invasive" procedure. That is patently false. The soft tissue of the vocal apparatus MUST be cut in order to alter the voice.

Regardless of the surgical route, through the oral cavity or an incision in the neck, it indeed is invasive, painful--and dangerous, causing animals lifelong misery or a terrible death.

Learn about the Bark Softening Lie:

http://stopdevocalizing.weebly.com/the-bark-softening-lie.html

LIKE us on Facebook, SHARE our posts:
Don't be silent about devocalization of dogs & cats!
www.facebook.com/UnitedAgainstDevocalization

What Can I Say?

Puddles

Puddles in Bowl

I have a good friend, a high school friend, we still keep in touch after all these years.  She adopted a kitten I rescued and named Puddles, because he loved to sit in the sink and play with the water, a year or so ago, and she renamed him Montego.  She is the girl I wrote about who's cat went missing for over two weeks after they had moved out to the country.  He eventually was found, but she learned not to let her cats out anymore after that near CATastrophe. :)  Anyways, Donna offered to take in one of my most neediest, which I felt was the black and white cat on Central I've named Lenny.  She has a nice barn/shed that she keeps another semi feral kitty (?) named Kaze in - it has plenty of straw and boxes and lots of nooks and crannies for a cat to keep warm in.   Lenny is desperate and runs to me each morning when I pull up.  Well, I was all ready to get him, carrier in hand, but Lenny wasn't there.  I am praying this girl Sherelle let him in for the night, but I highly doubt it.  Knowing that earlier I saw the red kitty again on Hayward, and actually held him, and told him his brother Fraser was rescued from the Baldwin location, just around the bend, and that he was being neutered today, I went back for him, Fraser's brother as I didn't want this to be a wasted morning not rescuing a cat.  But he wasn't there either.  Very disappointing.

Keep in mind, it definitely was at least 10 to 15 degrees BELOW zero out there, I am not exaggerating.  With the wind chill.  And the wind was blowing.  I don't normally let this get to me, but it did this morning.  Those animals are suffering, but I can only pray they are using the shelters I've provided, which will keep them warm.  I know a few are because I see them run out when I arrive.  That makes me feel better. 

But it was a tough morning out there.  Its taking me longer and longer in this weather, trying to unfreeze the ice in the bowls, pour new stuff, shake snow covered towels, trudge through the snow.  I didn't get home until 6:30, and now have no time to really edit this post I am writing.  What you see is what you get.  I know some people have a hard time reading this sadness, but remember, I am doing good out there, they are relieved to see me each morning because they know there is food and water there for them.  Spring will be here soon, and so many more kitties will be off the street thanks to the good people who have taken them in.  But keep spreading the word, I need more help with fosters! 

Have a great day!

As Good as it Gets

SUNDAY:

Daisy & Mary Jane

It was a tough morning out today.  Not only for the kitties, but for me, and a few others.  My good friend, whom I've known for 30+ years passed to his next life at 5 am.  I knew I felt something as I was going out the door, not only dread, but I could just feel something was not right.  He joins him mama, who just passed two weeks ago.  She never knew Frank had been fighting prostate cancer for the past 14 years, he just never thought she would live past him, and he wanted to spare her the pain.  I will miss him a great deal, as will many others whose lives were touched by him.  Life is short, be good to each other.

The temperatures have not gotten much past 10 degrees for a few weeks now, and its brutal on these animals.  I do what I can, and its not much.  Its bringing them warm water, and pouring dry food, and a little scoop of wet before it freezes.  I held two kitties in my arms this morning, telling them that it would soon be OK.  I must get these two precious animals in homes.  They deserve to be warm, and loved.  Please spread the word. I will share pictures soon.

Gordie - Gordie is at someone's home today on a trial basis.  The man has allergies, but they are giving Gordie a shot.  They have two other females that don't bother him, and they are going to give it a day or two to see how it goes for Gordie.  Fingers crossed!

I also went to Sheryl's who is fostering Fraser, to see how that little guy is doing.  So shy, so timid, but I yanked him and sat him on my lap, and just as she shared in the comment from Friday, he is a LOVER!  He is missing all his fur on each of his sides, most likely from coming in and out of a small opening shelter that was on Baldwin, where he lived for so long under a bench, but I am sure it will grow back.  He is a purr ball, and soon to be again FUR ball.  He is going to the clinic on Tuesday morning to be tested for leukemia, and given his shots and neuter.  Prayers for Fraser that his leukemia test comes out clean. 

Buster, Scooter, Daisy (MaryJane hiding under blanket in middle)

MONDAY:

I wrote the above on Sunday.  This morning was another matter.  I think I experienced every weather system we could get within the hour and half it took me this morning, minus thunder, lightning and rain.  The winds at times were ferocious, and at least two inches of snow were dumped within an hour.  At least.  You couldn't see 20 feet in front of you.  Needless to say, the shelters I've provided - they may still be warm and cozy, but outside of them, where the food and towels are, are snow covered.  At my Hayward location, lo and behold, there was Fraser's twin brother waiting for food under the board.  He looks exactly like Fraser, but isn't missing as much fur.  He allowed me to pet him, which means I can get him, but I need a place for him to stay for a while.  I did not see Candy there, the sweet calico I was able to hold yesterday.  I held Lenny this morning, who I just now named, from Central, who greets me crying every single morning.  He is the black and white kitty who I think lives under a porch there, not using the shelter I've provided.

Smokey (aka Fang)

Scooter

The winds are supposed to pick up this afternoon, and the temperature will drop to the single digits.  Its going to be another nightmare for me tomorrow, I am not looking forward to it.  Say a prayer for the little ones.  And please spread the word, these kitties need a home, please open yours, and your heart for them. 

Have a nice day.

"Look for something positive today.  Even if you have to look a little harder than usual, it still exists."

Hot Blooded!

Check it and see, gotta fever of 103...  Foreigner - Lou Gramm - Rochester's very own...  Love that song.  I am not going to lie to you.  Its terrible out there.  My heart sinks for every single cat that came out to me today, and the ones lurking in the shadows, standing there in the snow, waiting for me to leave.  I sometimes lose readers here because of how sad this is, who needs to be reminded of this, right?  But you know what, its ME that's going out there and relieving some of their suffering, and aren't you glad to know that?  There is always good with the bad.  Remember this. 

Its Friday, thank God (the only thing I get a break from is my job for two days).  There are so many I want to rescue, but I can't with the surplus I have on hand right now.  I was thinking this morning, adopting a cat is like adopting a child.  Children are adopted at all ages.  The older ones have issues, no doubt.  And the angels that adopt these older children DEAL with their issues, they take the time, they have the patience to work it through with these desperate children.  They need to feel trusted and loved and that takes time.  Trust is earned.  Its the same for an adult cat.  People are too quick to give up.  Its not fair.  Each of my cats have their own issues, but I am not giving up on them.  Including the ones that I have just rescued off the street.  They are in completely new environments, with completely new humans and furry siblings.  Its all new.  So please, if you adopt a cat from me, please be patient.  It will work out, I promise you.  You just have to get through it.

Updates on most recent rescues:

Fraser, the little red kitty I rescued Sunday morning, who is being fostered by Sunday Sheryl, is coming out of his shell slowly.  Its been determined that a) its an unneutered boy, and b) the patches of fur missing are most likely due to him going in and out of the tiny opening of one of the bin shelters he'd been using on Baldwin.  Here is what Sheryl has to say:

"He didn't hide this morning, just timid. After eating he came to my feet under the computer desk.  :) Really adorable cat."

"He's getting easier to coax out for petting. Gave him tuna tonight. He'd never seen it before. Didn't eat it, just sat next to the bowl. I started petting him and he turned around and started eating like crazy while I pet him. So cute! And he plays! Last night I heard a toy being played with. He followed the laser beam tonight and batted and grabbed stuffed feather mouse when I dangled it."

Teddy (Sargent), the kitty I rescued a couple of weeks ago on Parsells with the rodent ucler, his foster Mom reports:  "He's doing great.  He's had the run of the house most of the day today.  No cat food today ... all chicken.  He's starting to pretty up ... his lip looks better and his fur is getting healthier and silkier looking.  He's getting the fish oil every day.  I bought him a scratching thing today.  Did you notice that one of his front fangs was broken in half?  

You can see his new tag in one of the pictures.  It has my information and on the back it says "I am an indoor cat, Call Gail", but like I said before, he doesn't seem to have any interest in going outside.

Tell your niece I'm sorry, but I have been calling him Teddy.  Sargent just seemed too tough for him, he's more of a teddy bear.  But for consistency, you might want to continue to call him Sargent on your blog.  I'm sure if someone adopted him, they would change his name again anyway."

Larry, the kitty that Wally was not taking very good care of, who has been being fostered by my niece with three young children:  "Larry aka Bubby is doibng very good he's used to my crutches has been sleeping regularly he's taken turns on everyone's pillows and every couch cushion.  He for sure is a bed hog.  But we all love it!"

Abby, who was just spayed - her Mom says:  

"This morning was a first….all 3 cats were in the kitchen @ breakfast time.  Sam continues to be unphased by Miss Abby’s presence.  (I love that old boy.)  As for Andy, he is still sorting through control issues.  He continues to hiss at Abby each time he sees her.  I have to laugh…Abby just looks him straight in the eyes as if to say, ‘get over yourself, big boy.  You can be the boss, I don’t care.  I just want something to eat.’   I would have never guessed we’d have such a good adjustment."

"Before the day gets away from me here are a few cute stories about Abby…I told you that she was getting braver and braver each day, well she went exploring in the crevices of my basement (at least I HOPE that’s where it was).  I saw her in the hallway and her face was covered in cobwebs.  She was trying her best to swat them off.  If you could have seen her expression….

Best one yet…..Scotchie (dog) was outside and Abby wandered down the hall to the back door.  I watch all my cats like a hawk around doors because as we all know, the outside is not a friendly place for cats.  Anyway, she goes to the back door and stands up with her paws on the glass and starts looking around.  All of a sudden Scotchie appears….Abby ducked so fast and was hiding behind the aluminum bottom of the door. The arch on her back was so high you could almost see it through the glass.  I almost wet my pants laughing so hard.  (Progress update…she now walks by him when he is sleeping.)"

"Captain Nasty, as Mike has named Andy, still hisses at her when he sees her.  She just shrinks and walks away – not confrontational at all.  It’s not the all-out “I’m going to kill you hiss,” more like a “just understand I’m the boss hiss.”  Sam doesn’t seem to mind one way or another.  Nobody is BFF just yet, but they are learning to play well in the litter box.  She is a love!"  

Gordie - well, Gordie is with me until his forever home, and he is the cutest little guy in the world.  Grey cats are just wonderful.  Although Gordie is on the younger side, and driving all my seniors crazy with his 'I wanna play!' catitude!  :)

Its just so wonderful to know these precious animals that should never have been on the streeets to begin with are safe and sound.

I reach out to my other most recent adopters - Charlie Sr. (now named Harley), Winky (now named Zoey), Monet, Cricket, Luigi,  Rupert, Molly, Cheddar, Penny Lane and Sgt. Pepper, Bobby and Charlie Jr., Pumpkin and Magic, Harold, etc. for updates.

Have a great weekend! 

Days Gone By

My Friends, Jim (left) and Frank in the old days.. Frank is in hospice right now.

In keeping with the theme the past day or two, and to show you my determination to help end animal abuse, I wanted to share something that I did several years ago, and the follow up post.  For some of you , this is a repeat. I would hope you would consider fighting for something in your life, especially when it comes to children, the elderly, and animals.  Although Ms. Jackson got nothing more than a slap on the hand, at least I tried.

The original abuse charge on Love Davis, the evil woman who left her dog chained in the garage during a very cold February in 2010 with no food or water, is archived in the Democrat and Chronicle, including the little blurb in the paper about her 'sentencing', which I could not open today
(and I don't know why I can't, I pay each month for my Sunday and holiday papers!), but following this letter is the post I wrote after the trial:  I probably wouldn't have been as determined as I was if this location where the dog died was right on my route that I travel each day.

Here is a letter I wrote to the Judge prior to her sentencing:

Honorable John R. Schwartz

Rochester City Court

99 Exchange Boulevard

Rochester, NY 14614

Dear Judge Schwartz,

I would like to re-introduce myself to you as I was one of the spectators involved in a recent animal cruelty case that you presided over, both in the April pre-trial process and the trial on July 27, 2010, the Love Jackson dog starvation case. You made a great impression on me seeing your sincere interest toward the people involved in bringing charges.  Those who took the time to unmask this kind of cruelty, and actively did something about this kind of tragedy. I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with you that July day and sincerely appreciated your advice that you would read and consider any additional information that came after that trial date. As you explained, you could not read my letter attached to the petition until after that trial procedure.

This letter further elaborates my deep concern for animals that are abused. My love of animals stems from an early age when my grandparents and parents taught me how to love, treat and respect animals. My grandfather, Bill McCann, was very much involved in Rochester's political scene in the 1960s, one position was a personal assistant to     Rochester's Police Commissioner.  He ran for Sheriff taking on Sheriff Skinner. Unfortunately, he did not win the election. He, personally had many pets, even taking in orphaned cats. He was my mentor.

Over these past years I have assumed the task of seeking our feral cats, feeding them, giving them the necessary medical care and finding good homes as much as my position allows. My work has evolved into setting up a blog site.-  http://thebean10.blogspot.com -to make this plight known to a large population.

As any large city, Rochester has a major problem with homeless and abused animals, and people with an indifference to what animal's rights should be. With this Jackson case, I saw our judicial system work and it energized me to continue with my goals to bring animal cruelty to the forefront.

With this letter, it is my sincerest request that you give the person who brutally abused God's creatures in such an inhumane and unjust manner, Ms. Jackson the fullest sentence to the extent the law allows.  In addition to her jail sentence, we should set a precedence to assign parole-like work to continue after her time served, to work in an animal shelter under strict guidance where hopefully she would find remorse and compassion for the animals in her care. 

I am most grateful for the time you took to read this letter and I hope you will give my requests serious consideration prior to Ms. Jackson’s sentencing on August 27^th.  At present the law considers this degree of abuse a misdemeanor. Life, be it animal or human, deserves respect, kindness, compassion and love.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,

Janine Wagner 


JUDGMENT DAY

Well, I went to court this morning.  Ms. Jackson doesn't have purple hair anymore. Besides that, when I arrived I saw Kate from The Barking Lot and three of her friends, one from the D & C named Renee, she was not a reporter, but has her connections there! My friend Mary also came, for which I was very grateful. The Judge called Ms. Jackson up and before sentencing asked her what she would like to say, she mumbled something about being sick back then, when she couldn't feed her dog for I don't know how many weeks it takes to starve a dog to death, and that she was sorry. The Prosecuter did speak on behalf of the good guys, and mentioned that when Officer Muller arrived on the scene, it was a 5, 5 being the worst scenario for an animal in trauma. This stuff just sickened me to hear. Not only that, but Officer Muller had shared with us the last time that this dog had chewed his feet off he was so hungry - which was not shared with the public. Hows that? And she was sick. The Judge then spoke and said that in all his 25 years on the bench, he has never had such a showing of compassion for an animal, and he has never received as many letters on behalf of the dog. He told Ms. Jackson that this group wanted her to received the maximum possible. He then told her he would not sentence her to the year in jail, it would be a waste of taxpayer's money. He told her he was sentencing her to 100 hours of community service - to be served at an animal shelter, and a fine, and she could never own an animal again. I was in tears, but composed myself. I get so emotional about this stuff! I am not happy by this, as who is going to monitor that she never owns an animal. And she will take the easy road and show up at the Verona Street shelter where they don't have time to monitor what she is doing as they are inundated themselves with animals. This is in comparison to Lollypop, where there are more people who would make sure she spends the time necessary to give her the dose of reality she needs. She most likely doesn't have a car, which make the Verona Street Shelter an easier place to serve out her sentence. The newspaper report just came out, I attach the link below. All in all, a small drop of justice was served. I do hope they make her work in the worst possible area - not sure what that is, but she needs to be shocked back to humanity.

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100831/NEWS01/100831008/City-woman-accused-of-starving-dog-sentenced


If you want to read more about this, and what happened between me and MS JACKSON before her hearing, this can all be found if you do a search on Love Jackson in the search bar above.  I could have smacked her.

Please do your part to save an animal!  and have a nice day!

 

"Raise your words, not voice.  It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder."

 

4 BELOW

That was the temperature this morning when I left the house to do my feedings at 15 different locations.  Thanks for your comments from yesterday everyone.  Actually, the two kitties on Central frantically running around yesterday morning are kitties I've been feeding pretty regularly there for months now.  I did not see them this morning, but still went there and left fresh water and food on the porch on top of a fleece blanket there.

OK, so I called Metalico from work yesterday and found out that it was actually whoever owns the house at 330 Central Park that hired contractors to get the dumpster FROM Metalico to clean out the house.  So, unless I know who owns the house, be it a bank or otherwise, I will never be able to express my displeasure with them removing these professionally built cat shelters from that property, even after being told that someone comes there every morning to feed the cats, therefore would be there the next morning and would see that she needs to remove them from the property, hence they needn't TRASH them into the dumpster.  JERKS.  I hope I able to someday talk to someone about this.  I saw this recently:

I may have seen something similar to it previously regarding children, but boy is this the truth for me.  You can do or say anything you want to me, but if you mess with the welfare of the animals that are under my watch, and under my care, or with any other defenseless animal, ANY other, you will feel my wrath.  I don't care who you are.  Trust me.  If I can't reason with you, trust me.

On another note, yesterday, someone who doesn't understand my sensitivity posted something horrible on my Facebook page.  It was a video of a girl over the age of 16 with a bucket by the side of a river.  In that bucket were six baby kittens.  They were alive, you could see them moving.  One by one, she threw them into this river like she were throwing a baseball to a batter.  I've never seen anything so disturbing in my entire life, and I don't think I will ever get over it.  And I have seen some very disturbing things regarding human deaths.  But this topped that.  I guess my point is..................  there is such evil in this world, so much evil that its hard to comprehend.

Did you know that often, sadistic acts of animal abuse are a stepping stone to abusing humans?

Here are some facts:

Did you know that in a shocking number of cases, individuals who commit terrible acts of violence against people, such as serial killers, child abusers, spousal abusers and rapists, have a history of animal abuse? For example, as a youth, Albert DeSalvo (the Boston strangler) trapped cats and dogs in crates and abused them.
Did you know that a 1997 study discovered that 40% of animal abusers had committed acts of violence against people?
Did you know that it is estimated that nearly 1 million animals a year are abused or killed in connection with domestic violence?
Did you know that 46 states and the District of Columbia currently have laws that make intentional cruelty against an animal a felony charge? Before 1986, only four states had felony animal cruelty laws.
Did you know that dog-fighting and cock-fighting are illegal in all 50 states?
Did you know that pit bulls, in particular, constitute an increasing percentage of victimized animals?
Did you know that neglect and abandonment are the most common forms of companion animal abuse
Did you know that dogs are the most common victims of animal cruelty? Of the 1,880 cruelty cases reported in the media in 2007, 64.5 percent (1,212) involved dogs.
Did you know that eighteen red foxes are killed to make one fox-fur coat, and 55 minks are killed to make one mink coat?
Did you know that wildlife officials estimate that over 100 million wild animals are illegally poached each year in the United States?
Did you know that it has been documented that raccoon dogs, a wild species within the dog family that is often made into fur trim, have been skinned alive for their fur?
Did you know that despite a ban on commercial hunting, a small number of countries still kill thousands of whales every year?
Did you know that many of the dolphins you see in dolphin shows or in swim-with-the-dolphin programs have been violently captured from the wild? These intelligent, self-aware animals are not suited to life in captivity.
Did you know that every year tens of millions of sharks are caught and have their fins hacked off? Shark fins are considered a delicacy among some populations and in some countries. These helpless sharks are then thrown back into the ocean, only to drown or bleed to death.
Did you know that it is illegal to sell polar bear skins in the United States but there are no such restrictions in Europe and Japan?
Did you know that it is illegal to import and sell ivory in the United States but that the United States is the second largest ivory market in the world after China?

Interesting facts.  Sad facts.  True facts.  We need to end this, and each of us can do our part in reporting what we see, not driving past something, but stopping to investigate.  The more people that take an interest, the more these voiceless victims will be helped.   Please do your part.

On a happier note, the cat I rescued Sunday morning, in captivity at Sheryl's house, is getting braver! Sheryl took this picture!!!  Hurray!

Have a great day.

Metalico

Its a very cold morning out there.  The high today will be around 6 degrees, which is where its at now.  They are calling for wind chills today/tonight that will make it around 10 to 15 degrees BELOW zero.  At most of my locations, the kitties heard me pull up, and they ran to me.  Then they ran away from me because so many of them are skittish.  Except the ones on Stout and Central.  They run right up to me and wait for me to put the food down, while I pet them.  The others watch from a short distance, or a far distance, waiting for me to leave.  Some I see coming out of the shelters I've placed around town, some I have to wonder how they are still alive, because it doesn't look like they are using the shelters I've provided for them, one being Lucille on Chamberlain (formerly from Garson).  I shine my flashlight inside them to see if the straw looks like it has been nested in, but it doesn't on some. 

I pulled up to my location on Central and Third, across from where the big dumpster was and where I used to feed until they trashed my stuff this past weekend, and I saw two cats over there running around.  I made the usual cat calls, but they didn't seem to know where to go.  I saw them running around there frantically it seemed.  I went on to the next spot down the street with a heavy heart, and praying they would know enough to come across the medianed road.  After I finished up the Central spot, I drove back and pulled in the driveway, got out with a soft fleece blanket and some bowls, and placed it down for the crying calico.  As I pulled away I saw another white with black spots go to feed.  These poor angels don't know enough yet to go across to where there is food and shelter.  I pray they find their way.

In the meantime, due to it being Martin Luther King day, I thought this company that carelessly trashed my shelters wasn't open, therefore not getting the messages left for them to call me.  I had left my cell phone at home by mistake, but when I got home, there were no messages, and there was no dumpster in the driveway this morning.  I am furious, and will be calling today - at some point from work, to give them a piece of my mind.  To not even call me?  How rude that is.  I believe they are a publicly held stock company too.  What if I were a shareholder?  What then?

The cat I rescued yesterday is still in hiding.  Sheryl was kind enough to take him, but I wish I had done things differently, although I couldn't due to the two others I have being fostered and hoping for  a home, and Gordie in my house still, waiting to be adopted.  I would have taken this red and sick kitty and placed him in my bathroom, just like I've done with every one of them, and gained its trust a lot quicker, because they are not able to hide.  He must be seen by a vet and soon.  I am not sure how long it will take for him to start to trust Sheryl in the spare room she has that has a few hiding spots that he has wedged himself in.

There is not much more to say.  I will continue to believe that spring is just around the corner to give these cats some relief.   Think spring!~

We Did It!

So many things happening this weekend!  I didn't know what to title this post as, could have done so many, but I supposed 'we did it' is sufficient enough.

Second Street

Many thanks to Walt, Karen and Sheryl for going to Central on Saturday and dumpster diving for me.  We got the two beautiful wooden huts Kristin and Darrin had built a few years ago, and a few pieces of wood, and transported them to a location across the way.  I have a feeling the Metalico company will be calling me after receiving many calls from folks who tried to help me out after my plea on Saturday's post.  Thank you Thank you Thank you for making the calls!  At least I will be able to let them know that when their workers come across sturdily built cat shelters, that they should think twice about throwing them away.  I spoke to the neighbor on Saturday who actually spoke to the workers telling them that I go there every morning to feed cats.  They could have cared less.  So, at least I will speak my mind to this company.  Grrrr.

Fraser in Sheryl's House Sunday

Pre-Capture - he has a brother out there somewhere that I have not seen in a while

On another GREAT note, Sunday Sheryl was kind enough to take in the red sick kitty on Baldwin - all I had to do was gain his growing trust that morning, coax him with a little food, and voila, I grabbed him and placed him carefully in a carrier that was waiting for him.  I am SO grateful to her for taking him and giving him warmth and love for now.  I will get him to a vet soon, so we can figure out what is going on with him.  When I picked him up, he couldn't have weighed any more than six pounds.  Matted too.  She is working on him.  He is still scared to death.  He hasn't been in a home in a very long time, if ever.  Poor baby.  She has named him Fraser.

I also want to thank Kristin for coming over on Sunday, even though she wasn't feeling up to par, and helping me re-secure some of my shelters.  We also made a pit stop at Brenda and Sherelle's place on the corner of Fifth and Central.  Sherelle had requested cat litter when Kristin went by last week to just see the shelter she built there, after checking on the Stout Street shelter, and they were in the doorway requesting this.  They also told her they had kittens inside.  So we went inside this sad house full of kids, and asked to see the kittens.  After some hesitation, they brought out a very lethargic black and white kitten, that I held, and I am not sure what the other was, but we had to implore this woman to get the mother cat spayed.  All Sherelle would say is I do not want my cats fixed.  Between a lot of conversation I asked if she was selling the kittens, and at first she said yes, then no, and I pointed out not only the over population of cats around the area, and that I was feeding so many, and so many kittens were dying after being birthed outside, but I pointed out that the people that may be buying kittens from her may be using them for dog fights, which she claimed she didn't know anything about.  It just made me sick, the ignorance.  I need to find something written and simple to leave with her to explain WHY you get a cat neutered/spayed.  Anyone?

On Friday, I went to meet the guy on Parsells, Bob, again, but he still wasn't there working on the house of the porch that he has allowed me to feed cats on. I just want to meet him and look at his property. He seems like a nice man, I will have to try to leave him a note or call him. 

But when I went to turn around and return to work, I saw a cat, near the house that Lisa - if you recall from last summer, we tried to get her committed due to her torturing and killing cats (you can do a search on my blog for LISA and you can read about it), and got out to place food down (of course, don't I always?), and the guy that lives in the front of the house came out to tell me that she is 'doing it again and she is getting worse.'  He went on for ten minutes about some of the things she was doing with the kittens, and with pregnant cats, and I finally got back in the car and called my police friend, who reported back a day or two later that she had people working on it and would let me know.  She needs to be committed.  Sick and twisted Lisa.

TEDDY!

On another GREAT note, I went to visit Sargent who is being fostered by Gail, who has not renamed him Teddy - and here is what he looks like.  His lip is nearly healed (rodent ulcer), and his luxurious coat is phenomenal.  He needs his forever home, and very soon!  Gail is anxious to get him adopted, as I am also!  Please consider him, and spread the word!

Off to work, have a great day!

"You are successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal."