One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind

Well, not exactly, but we're getting there!  Little by little.

Squirt

Riley

Sydney and Joanie

Kittens above need adoption!  Getting them spayed and neutered very soon!

Moose from Melville, a boy, and Puma from Parsells, a girl, my two TNRs from yesterday morning spent the night on my porch and were released back to their hellhole 'homes' on the streets this morning.  Little Puma was under a year.  At least she won't have any babies, and Moose won't be able to produce them.

The meeting at City Hall yesterday went better than I expected.  They have formally informally agreed to allow me to feed on the vacant lots – and I need to provide a list of those to them.  I agreed to place a sign on each of my locations that states what I am doing, and my contact information.  The meeting was supposed to have involved someone from the Health Department, and when we questioned as the meeting began, they apologized and said they would reschedule the meeting, but they wanted to continue with the meeting to wrap a few things up in the vacant lot regard, as the Director, Bureau of Operations was at the meeting also.
   

She was very nice.  She was a great replacement for her boss, Norman Jones - Commissioner, Department of Environmental Services.  Not that he is bad!  She listened to us, and was able to view the situation with a softer understanding for the plight of these animals.

Another takeaway from this meeting was marketing and advertising.  I mentioned to the Director of Animal Services that I saw an ad for dogs recently on television, and it would be nice to see something like that for cats.  Something that would click with people.  Maybe show a clipped ear and why they have it.  Explain why its important to co-exist with this overpopulation of homeless, throw away cats, give a suggestion on how an individual can help, give information as to where a homeowner could call if they wanted to help out an animal, such as a pregnant cat, or kittens.  The Director mentioned that he had a small budget and that the dog ad used up most of it, to which I looked at the Communications Director and asked why and how can he beef up the budget for this.  He answered with a bunch of reasons but did suggest certain marketing materials, like adding fliers inside of water bills, RG&E bills, etc.  They could do something like that.  We also suggested having fliers to place on people’s doors in the community explaining what we are doing, the need for what we are doing, to try to make this situation a little better for them, and the cats.

I don’t think I am explaining the conversation very well - I am a little off today - but that’s kind of the outline of the meeting.   I was also offered some free spay/neuter services by the Rochester Animal Services so I will need to call them and find out how I can get these vouchers.  The outline I brought to them had that suggestion, that this should be an ongoing offer to help me.  If I had more money and slots to spay/neuter, I would do more than two a week.  We need more action out there, and I can’t do it alone.  Would LOVE some help!

All in all, it was a good day, and I was able to get up this morning, go out to the hundred cats or so that I feed, and know that some of them would be safe where they are.  Now I need to work on the other half that are not safe.  The ones I feed on vacant house porches. 

UPDATE:  Saturday Sheryl just sent me the following:  Interesting.

State of New York Department of Agriculture and Markets
Albany, NY 12235 

ARTICLE 26 

of the Agriculture and Markets Law relating to CRUELTY TO ANIMALS

§ 377-a. Spaying and neutering of dogs and cats. 1. The legislature finds that the uncontrolled breeding of dogs and cats in the state results in an overabundance of puppies and kittens. More puppies and kittens are produced than responsible homes for them can be provided. This leads to many of such animals becoming stray and suffering privation and death, being impounded and destroyed at great expense to the community and constituting a public nuisance and health hazard.

It is therefore declared to be the public policy of New York state that every feasible humane means of reducing the production of unwanted puppies and kittens be encouraged. 

So what does this mean???

Have a good day.

It is lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion toward others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearts and minds to others.”