Well, what is going on this Monday? Not much. I am watching the new kitten, Jax, whose name may be changed to Samson -- not sure yet. I am reading a book called "Loving Frank," about Frank Lloyd Wright, which is bringing up all sorts of feelings about marriage and children. We saw "Hamlet" at GMU Saturday, which was terrific, but I really don't like the trend of most of the theatrical productions I've seen lately to do Shakespeare in modern dress. Anyway, what an asset GMU is to our community. One could go there every week an see something wonderful, ranging from theatre, student productions, classical music, rock bands, you name it.
Otherwise, not much going on here. Did you know that you have to bathe Persian cats once a month or so. Weird.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Dogs Discarded in the Country
Several years ago I lived in the country in Missouri, and we had the experience of many stray dogs and cats showing up at our house all the time. For some reason, people everywhere think that it is okay to discard their unwanted pets out in the countryside. They mistakenly believe that they are bestowing upon these animals some sort of grand bucoloic happy free life. They are wrong. Instead, what they are gifting their animals with is a life of starvation, confusion, terror, desperation and misery.
In Missouri, and probably in other rural farming communities where there are no resources for animal control or shelter, animals who roam are routinely shot by farmers who need to protect their livestock, or they are picked up by the police and dropped off at vets who contract to kill them, usually after a day to a week. There is no resource where I lived for finding the animals, either, if your pet is lost. I found this out because I always tried to either reunite lost dogs with thier owners (which I did do several times) or place abandoned dogs and cats with loving families. The sole local animal shelter would not take drop offs and was hard pressed to provide for the animals it did have. Luckily, Missouri has an outstanding facility, Wayside Waifs, which my kids and I visited and supported frequently when we lived there. I wish every community had a great place like Wayside Waifs, but without that, there are people like my cousin Heather, and this woman, Carol, who put in countless of volunteer hours making sure that abandoned dogs have a place.
Please read the two attachments to find out about Carol. This is a 65 year old woman whose house was burned to the ground by arsonists. The local community is not supportive of her -- in fact, they seem downright hostile -- and she is currently living in the remains of her burned up home. Currently her dogs are better housed than she is, but they all need help. People need to know what it's like for dogs and cats when they are dumped off. People need to spay and neuter their pets. And if you have some room and a heart for animals, everyone's life is blessed a lot by the adoption of a dog.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherbphotos/sets/72157607560908374/
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/rainsville-al/TMPTGF9087Q3EBR62
In Missouri, and probably in other rural farming communities where there are no resources for animal control or shelter, animals who roam are routinely shot by farmers who need to protect their livestock, or they are picked up by the police and dropped off at vets who contract to kill them, usually after a day to a week. There is no resource where I lived for finding the animals, either, if your pet is lost. I found this out because I always tried to either reunite lost dogs with thier owners (which I did do several times) or place abandoned dogs and cats with loving families. The sole local animal shelter would not take drop offs and was hard pressed to provide for the animals it did have. Luckily, Missouri has an outstanding facility, Wayside Waifs, which my kids and I visited and supported frequently when we lived there. I wish every community had a great place like Wayside Waifs, but without that, there are people like my cousin Heather, and this woman, Carol, who put in countless of volunteer hours making sure that abandoned dogs have a place.
Please read the two attachments to find out about Carol. This is a 65 year old woman whose house was burned to the ground by arsonists. The local community is not supportive of her -- in fact, they seem downright hostile -- and she is currently living in the remains of her burned up home. Currently her dogs are better housed than she is, but they all need help. People need to know what it's like for dogs and cats when they are dumped off. People need to spay and neuter their pets. And if you have some room and a heart for animals, everyone's life is blessed a lot by the adoption of a dog.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherbphotos/sets/72157607560908374/
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/rainsville-al/TMPTGF9087Q3EBR62
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