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