People who dump out animals

[Marsha Cassada]

We had a young cat under the leanto yesterday. Poor thing, it was terrified. It was a pretty, fluffy kitty and not a feral one; someone had obviously dumped it. We caught it in a trap and I took it to a farmer who likes to have them in his barn.

I really hate it when town people come out and dump their animals.

 

[amysue]

This used to happen a lot here, especially when my father in law ran the place. He is too nice about it, often it was people he knew from town or his church that abandoned the animals at the farm. When my husband and I took over, we had 28 cats that needed fixed and vetted. We got vouchers through the dept of agriculture animal population control program. Of the 28 cats, 24 were females (all pregnant of course) and the shelter coordinator told us that in total 77 unborn kittens were removed. I can not imagine the impact exponential multiplication of those cats would have had on the farm. Since I am home working on the farm full time now, the dump 'n drops have stopped for the most part since I can stop people before they do it. It makes me sad when people do this.

 

[lucky seven]

It's one thing to have strangers drop their unwanted pets off, but another when a family member thinks because you live in the country one more animal will be okay. It's not, pet food is expensive and so is vet care. As a cashier I see how much some people spend on pet food and then find out they are feeding strays or someone elses pets. In my neighborhood there was a stray cat who was middle aged when we moved in. Our neighbor fed him along with his cat, but when he was forced to move to his daughter's home upstate this cat was left behind. We called him grumpy because he was not at all friendly. I left food a few times at this man's house for the cat until it started snowing and was too deep to walk through. During the winter this cat showed up starving on our porch, ate what we gave him then left. A few days later he was back but this time he wanted in and we noticed his back leg was broken. I took him to a vet that night and he was put to sleep. I figure this cat really had to swallow his pride to come to us and beg for help.

 

[Minimor]

I just acquired another cat, she is about 5 months old and was surely dumped. she was hunkered down on my neighbors step--cold and hungry. He came and asked if I were missing a cat. I said no but I can take her. So--he brought her over. She has made herself right at home! She is a pretty little calico.

 

[MiniNHF]

people would always dump cats off at the farms on my road, and many were not fixed so became a problem so we started to make sure any cats that were ours got fixed before we turned them loose. Luckily out house cat/partial barn cat would chase any strange cats away when she was outside, almost like a guard dog.

 

[Jill]

I can't imagine being that type of person, but at least they took the kitten to someone who knew where to take him or her. All in all, that's one lucky kitten!

 

[Miniv]

Interestingly we haven't had people dump cats or dogs at our place, BUT someone dumped a BILLY GOAT in our driveway a few years back.

Yes, he was intact and stank to high heaven! We named him Isaac and let him stay for a couple of years. He had no respect for fencing, so

would pop around from paddock to paddock, field to field. We finally re-homed him to someone who wanted a pet goat that would be a weed

eater.

 

[MajorClementine]

When I was grooming out of a pet store I was often the first one to arrive in the morning. I'd find puppies, kittens, birds, lizards, snakes.... you name it and I've found it in a box outside the shop. Worst part was the animals were usually in pretty bad shape. One iguana had major burns to the tops of both thighs. He ended up going home with me

I just don't understand why people don't go to a little more trouble to find someone to take an animal. But, at least they are dropping them places they think they will be taken care of. I've found lots of dead litters of puppies and kittens in dumpsters or out in the desert. That's much worse.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

My old job was at a boarding kennel. A few times people would book in a dog/cat for say 7 nights, then call a day later to say they can't come back for it. Thats how i got my dog - he was just booked in and left.

 

[lucky seven]

Didn't realize people did that, that's like renting a storage locker and leaving it full of stuff that should go to a landfill. In the past we've had people leave their pets in them.

 

[Rocklone Miniature Horses]

thats much worse. They potentially wont get seen to there

 

[Carly Rae]

A few months ago my cousin was driving home on a quiet back road, she found a box with a starving kitten in it. Her brothers girlfriend adopted her and she is doing great now, her name is Kenzie. When my cousin found her a lady pulled up beside her and told her that not long before she found another box taped shut with a whole litter inside, some were still alive and she rescued them.

I don't understand how people can be so heartless.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Another kitten crying on the porch in the night. This one was a pretty black and white fluff. Terrified and scared. We set the trap and caught it last night, and again I took it to the neighbor who likes them in his barn.

I don't have anything against cats, but I don't happen to want any here. I'd rather have my birds and rabbits. My dog can get the mice.

If we get another soon, I guess I will take it to town to animal control, although they don't like to take animals from outside the city limit. Duh. Where do they think this animal came from in the first place??

 

[paintponylvr]

I commend all those who take on everyone else's drop offs and rejects.

THANK YOU

It's amazing that the "tighter" the laws get, the more stray animals there are. The problem is the same as so many other laws. Law abiding citizens seem to be the only ones who really get into trouble and get penalized (in our area(s)).

Had a young woman bring a box of kittens she found like above to animal control and she was the one charged with animal neglect/cruelty. I know the young woman and know the kittens were not hers or from any ferals around her apartment (well, hadn't seen any when I'd visited her)... I have provided a statement. It's not a pretty situation!! She is just about "destroyed" and has already stated that she'll never help another creature again - since she's the one penalized. I also feel guilty - I WAS THE ONE WHO RECOMMENDED she take the box to Animal Control... Her family was not in a position to take on these kittens - vet, feed, surgery, etc. At the time, neither were we.

Most of our rescues in this area of the state are FULL. They can't take on animals and are begging for FOSTERS, FEED and $$ for vet care. A VERY large no-kill shelter was recently shut down due to "in-humane" situations. I don't understand as the pics posted in many places showed animals in great shape only - based on the pics provided - the place should never have been shut down. Some 600 animals were supposed to be auctioned off - and instead - on "Auction Day" (a Saturday) they were ALL given away for FREE. Not 12 hours later, many of those same animals were in 3 different county's Animal Control centers - due to aggressive behavior and bites. Not all were dogs and according to our vet (one of the ones called in to evaluate animals) - many of those will now be euthanized - at county and state costs. I don't know ALL of the particulars of this case - just what our responding vet and the dog/cat rescuers have told me.

Our county is looking for the owner of a "stray" horse in my girlfriends' neighborhood right now. My girlfriend is keeping him for now, but can't afford to feed him for long. Unlike our horses/ponies, he's shed out (been either in a barn, blanketed and/or groomed a lot). He's a "non-descript" QH/TB type, chestnut with no shoes, some chrome, not overly thin, but certainly not fat or even with heavily covered ribs. He's advertised as "found" on CL, several local websites and our county's Animal Control website - as of yesterday - no takers and after a week and a 1/2 my girlfriend is frantic to find someone to take on this very big eating horse.

I work for a low cost, dog/cat spay/neuter clinic in one county - Spay Neuter Veterinary Clinic. Their FB. The cost of the majority of the surgery is covered by PRIVATE DONATIONS and FUND RAISING done by the Companion Animal Clinic Foundation. Their FB. We do surgery on cats & dogs from 11 surrounding counties on a regular basis, others on a not regular basis - even have family members set appointments for out of state dogs/cats for when that family visits and brings the pet. On 2 Dr days, 60 animals are scheduled for surgery. On 1 Dr days, 32 animals are scheduled. About every 3rd person who calls wants to know why we aren't open on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. When I ask them if they'll volunteer to help with laundry, check in, surgery recovery, kennel cleaning, equipment prep - the response is usually ... "not nice words" - that's YOUR JOB!!". And they wonder why we can't pay enough vets or techs to work Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays. The worst part - we have had almost constant waiting lists for female dogs and cats since last September. Have only been off the waiting lists for 2 days since January 1st (a Dr loss caused part of that - she got a better offer and "RAN". Don't blame her but sure do miss her.). Some of these folks in our county get their surgeries for FREE (they receive WIC, Food Stamps, Medicaid or Section 8 housing) - they wait on the waiting list and then get scheduled for their appointments. Then they don't call and DON"T SHOW UP for an appointment that could have gone to someone who would be there AND WOULD PAY FOR THE SERVICE!!! AND their "cotton picking" appointment was FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I work, my hubby works, my daughters work. WE DON"T QUALIFY for free surgeries. The local rescues don't qualify for free surgeries. Yes, I have come home and CRIED while doing all of my own chores.

With the current Pet Smart Feral/Outside cat promotion (we had 150 spots for the month of April paid for - male/female/rabies vax - 2 spots per household), I'm dealing with LOTS of calls from folks crying about having 10 or more cats "that just keep breeding..."... Well, duuuhhhhh,.... Those 150 spots were taken in about 4 days - before the month of April even started. Our current female cat waiting list including Ferals waiting to see if they can get in on that special, is currently over 200 cats long. Now, we are getting the frantic calls from folks that don't know how or can't catch these cats... Or that do not want to trap them - because that is "o, so cruel"... Or go into shock when they are told that they should start trapping about 4 days before their appointments (especially ones who've had some traps/catching going on - those cats "know the deal" and will starve before going into a trap)...

OMG!! Come on people! After 3 years, I can honestly say... I'm TIRED...

I commend all those who take on everyone else's drop offs and rejects.

THANK YOU, again.

I also try to do my share - I've paid for 8 feral cats (from colonies that were trapped & relocated) to be spayed and receive medical care and then brought them home to care for them and integrate them into our outdoor/barn lives in the past 1-1/2 yrs. Currently fostering a pittX female dog (she DOES need to go to a new home, not a perfect fit here and hubby not real happy, tho "Lady" sure is!). 3 of our dogs are rescues of some sort, the other 2 were paid for purebreds that were then neutered (both males), not used for breeding. I've both purchased back and taken back or helped to re-sell ponies I've bred, raised and sold.

I think I'm done with my rant. I'm going to go groom a couple of shedding ponies now....

 

[paintponylvr]

The horse above has been reunited with his owner. Good thing, too. He was a BIG horse and when the temps dipped below freezing the other night - he was cold. They dipped again last night (it was 28* at 5 am when I put 5 dogs outside for 10 minutes before going back to bed). He did get cold that night before he was put back with his owner, as my girlfriend didn't have a blanket large enough to fit him and others in our area were using all theirs...