Embarrassing as it is to admit, I have added more stops, in addition to the 11 that I already have. Two to be exact. And that’s not to mention the frequent stops I make when I see a stray on the side of the road as I am driving in these neighborhoods. That means I am getting in and out of my car 26 times (13 out, 13 in!) for that hour I am doing it. That’s a lot on these old bones! This morning I saw three cats sitting in front of a house that a year or so ago I rescued three to four little feral kittens. These were new cats. I got out and placed what little dry food, mixed with one can of wet, and a dish of water under a tree in front of the house. With the very wet August we’ve had, with heavy downpours nearly daily, I have to be creative enough to find a spot that the food will stay dry due to the weather, so you look for heavy trees, near a house with an overhanging roof, etc. These three began to gobble the food as soon as I hopped back into my car.
I want to share a letter to the editor that hopefully will make the paper today - its about people dumping their pets at the shelter (which is better than dumping outside - but still, and under rare circumstances is it OK, not OK.) Here it is, would love to hear any comments:
We're Moving!
Many of the animals being dropped off at shelters, are there because their *guardians* are moving.
That excuse is used over and over, and *sometimes*, I suppose, it is impossible to take your cat or dog along, when changing addresses.
However, I think that's the easy way out.
About 12 years ago, my neighbors retired and decided to move to Mexico. They had 2 cats and didn't give them up because they were moving. They traveled for a week in their truck to Ajijic, Mexico, where their cats enjoyed the rest of their lives.
This past week, the family across the street moved; this time to Switzerland. They also had 2 cats. Once again, they weren't left behind because *they were moving.* The family needed all sorts of credentials that had to be certified, additional vet visits, special carriers for under the seats, etc, etc. The cats arrived safely, to finish out their lives in a new place.
How easy it would have been, for these two families to abandon their pets, because they were moving. Instead, they did what's right, and I admire and respect them.
I. Hart
Pittsford, NY
It is NOT ok to dump a cat on a shelter.And it is also illegal - it's called abandonment. If traced back to you, you could be jailed and fined. If a cat is dumped at a county shelter it will be put down because they already are overcrowded. If dumped at a private shelter they have to vet the cat before they can take it in or find foster care. This stresses most shelters already limited budgets.
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