It Takes A Village!

An update to yesterday's feral kitten drama, and many thanks to the few that commented after asking for advice. I was hoping to get a spot at a clinic today, but instead have one for tomorrow.  So this poor little girl, or boy, is stuck in a trap until then. I will have to return this baby to the street after that, something I am totally against, but I have no other choice. I transferred it to a larger trap from the kitten trap it was in yesterday.  It has plenty of food, water, comfort.  Its just scared to death.  There is no better feeling though, like sticking your finger inside and rubbing its tiny little bottom.  I did not see its sister, little calico kitten, this morning on Second Street, nor its mom.  I did provide food, although someone has been removing the bowls there, I suspect the landlord of the young Spanish couple that lives there with their baby.

After the craziness of yesterday, and trying to figure out what to do with this kitten, I realized something, and am sharing my thoughts:

People that have compassion for animals are the kindest people on earth.  We may not always show it outright, I believe we all have a fear of rejection, fear of being hurt by others, etc., so we hide our emotions, but we really do come together to help each other in times of need.  I have seen such displays of kindness in the years since I've been doing this blog.  Prior to that, at least five years, no one knew me, and I knew no one who helped animals.  I had no clue these people existed.

I need to thank rescue groups such as Habitat for Cats, Julie Lafferty, founder of Another Chance Pet Rescue, Four Legged Friends, Wendy from Another Chance Pet Rescue current, Kitten Korner, Pet Pride of NY, Pet Adoption Network, Susie Q Dog Rescue, Blue Moon Meadows, Rescued Treasures, all have helped me in the past with either cats or dogs that I have rescued over the years. Whether it be taking them and bringing them into their rescue, supplying medicines, food or just providing advice.  As far as individuals, I could never begin to list everyone that has touched my life in this way.  I have adopted out hundreds of cats that I've rescued over the past 12-15 years, there have been so many kitties, so many people, it blows my mind.  So many groups and individuals who have stepped up to the plate for animals.

We try hard to forget the sad stories, but we need to remember the good stories.  And there are so many.

Rochester is such a big city, yet has so few resources to help people like me, like you.  We have only a handful of low cost clinics for spay/neuter, and we bust our butts sitting there waiting for a cat go into a trap in the early morning hours, then calming them, then transporting them to a clinic, then forking over lots of money for the fees, then picking them up, and finally returning them to the street.  There should be a task force that the city employs to do this.  If we had one, we rescuers would have a little more time on our hands, a little more money in our pockets, and there would be fewer cats on the streets.

I have seen such displays of affection between rescue groups, all rallying together to help these helpless animals.  My heart swoons!

This world would be such a wonderful place to live, if we were all on the same path of compassion.

"You better live every day like it's your last because one day you're going to be right."