TNR Tuesday

We could see one tooth that looked like this, otherwise, Buttons was in too much pain to have us look at the rest.  :(

Thank you to those that took notice of Buttons and his needed dental care from my post yesterday.  Hopefully he will be seen tomorrow, and have his teeth extracted on Friday, at a lower cost veterinary service that charges per tooth.  I pray he only needs a few extracted.  He can then eat normally, and await adoption.  I thank anyone that is considering donating for this painful procedure.  And to those that have already donated, thank you so much.

Today was TNR day - the day I've dreaded since early March this year.  Every single Tuesday, I have had two spots at the clinic for Trap Neuter Return.  I have filled every single one except maybe once.  There were many times where I got three by mistake, but the clinic took them.  Add that up, and that is close to 70? cats that will not reproduce.  There were at LEAST 20 pregnant cats out of those, and one resulted in death, if you will recall Ruthie, on Central and Third, who's baby was so big inside her that she never would have survived giving birth.  They tried to resuscitate the baby, but they couldn't.  (See April 29th for that story).  That was one instance where they tried to help the unborn kitten, rather than end its life.

I hate TNR Tuesday because I hate to return cats to the street.  Its heartbreaking for me.  But I did it for at least half of those TNR's.  I trapped a few sweethearts and found homes for some of those.  All in all, I think, to this date, I've rescued nearly 80 cats since this past January.  WOW.  I am proud, and happy for this accomplishment.

Today, I set a trap at Melville, knowing that there was one more kitten there that had not been neutered or spayed.  I returned the last two.  Out of the five, two were rescued (thanks to SueAnn, and thanks to Susan).  Both kittens are playful and sweet, but will most likely always be somewhat fearful of others.

I left to do some spots, came back before heading to my 'back nine' and bingo!  I got the last red kitten! Hurray!  Although again, heartbreaking knowing I have to return.  Meet Marmalade.

MARMALADE

Next, I headed to the back nine, and on Webster and Ferndale, who did I see?  It was MaryLeigh!  She had her back pack on and was headed down the street towards Goodman.  I didn't say anything as I pulled up to my spot there on the corner, where she has harassed me for years now and removed any food I've left for the kitties, most of which I've rescued from this hellhole.  She continued to walk, as I watched her from the car.  I got out to feed and as I walked over to where I had to place the food and water, I saw her go into a vacant lot down the street, where I've caught her hiding.  I thought this odd, but continued to do what I was doing and then got back in car, drove to lot, shined my flashlight and out she came from the back.  No one said a word, until I thought to myself, is she burying kittens or cats back there, at which point, I told her that very thought, and she didn't say a word.  I told her I would be checking it out if she were.  She is a sick woman and God knows what she is capable of doing.  I continued to Seventh Street, where I knew there was one more kitten left.  There were five born this past spring.  Two were recently deceased, one two weeks ago by the dog, and one I found inside the shelter last week.  We buried her little body right there near the shelter this past weekend.  I set the trap, drove off and did more spots, came back and voila!  Got the last of the remaining kittens.  So beautiful and sweet.  But feral.  Meet Skye.

SKYE

Updates from the weekend.  The Puerto Rican man on Seventh Street, the one that had the dogs that killed the baby kitten last week has died.  He was drunk and fell off his steps.  When I pulled up here on Sunday, I saw candles and balloons in front of his house.  The kind man across the street, who over the summer asked me to report the bunnies in the guy's shed was standing there, and he told me what happened, and muttered 'God doesn't make mistakes.' - He is an animal lover and had to live across the street from this man who was cruel to the animals.  According to the neighbor, the deceased man's wife gave away the pit bull that was over bred for years and years, the Rottweiler may have a home, and the bunnies in the shed will go too.  He will be buried in Puerto Rico.  God rest his wicked soul.

Have a nice day.

"Behind you are the challenges you've met.  Before you lies new possibilities.  Today you choose the direction of your life."