PS--Two more to thank: Dick Parrott for the beautiful portrait of Annie from Christmas 2008, and PawPrints Magazine for including Annie in the magazine on 8 different occasions, and again to honor her life with this memorial entry. THANKS to all!
PETA would've killed Annie without a second thought, I'm sure. She was in almost terminally-bad condition: heartworm positive, emaciated, dehydrated and pregnant with 13 puppies. Then it became clear she had separation anxiety and an extreme fear of being kenneled. She was quirky with a capital Q! Still, Annie was the very much loved and devoted dog to a retired couple with lots of time and love to give. Was her life worth the lots and lots of time and trouble spent by many, many rescue groups, dog training organizations and the 'whole village?' YOU BET she was worth it!
PS--Two more to thank: Dick Parrott for the beautiful portrait of Annie from Christmas 2008, and PawPrints Magazine for including Annie in the magazine on 8 different occasions, and again to honor her life with this memorial entry. THANKS to all!
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As I found after requesting information from the www.peta.com website, the site's staff are quick to answer inquiries. And, I will guess they'd like to appear friendly, since they address me by my first name. The answers they give to site visitors may be (as in my case) completely unbelievable, and we may prefer they address us more formally, but let's give them credit where it is due.
Here is my original question: Subject line: Cannot find the answer to my question in your FAQ's.... Why does PETA kill animals, particularly cats and dogs, in large numbers? I cannot find this question in your FAQ's and can only think you have overlooked answering it. Thank you, Donna B. And, their answer: Dear Donna, Thank you for contacting PETA. We appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. PETA is on the front lines in the battle to help unwanted dogs and cats. Our caseworkers work tirelessly to rescue homeless animals from environmental dangers and situations of cruelty and neglect (http://www.PETA.org/about/learn-about-peta/community-animal-project.aspx). Our staff members crawl through sewers, poke around junkyards, climb trees, and dodge traffic in order to reach animals in danger. During floods and storms, we are out saving animals’ lives at all hours. Some of the animals who are rescued by PETA are lost companions; we are always happy to return such animals to their homes. PETA does not operate a traditional animal shelter, but we do foster many healthy homeless animals (often in our own homes) or take them to community animal shelters to await adoption. The reality is that thousands of adoptable animals are euthanized every day in animal shelters and veterinary offices across America because of a lack of good homes. Because most people take healthy, adoptable animals directly to local animal shelters, the majority of animals who come to PETA are extremely sick or seriously injured. For these animals, euthanasia is, without a doubt, the most humane option. On another occasion, when an explosion from a power-line transformer burned a flock of starlings, PETA was the only agency to come to the birds’ aid. If our trained technicians had not been ready to end these starlings’ misery, the injured birds would have suffered for days before finally succumbing to a painful death. In addition, PETA provides free euthanasia services for people who have very sick, critically injured, or geriatric companions but can’t afford to take them to a veterinarian. One family—lacking money for vet care and transportation—turned to us for help for their cat, who had barely crawled back home after being mauled by a pack of dogs. We were able to give the cat a peaceful end to her intense pain. PETA also began offering our services to pounds in North Carolina in 2000 after we were contacted by a police officer who was distressed by conditions at a county pound. When PETA steps in to properly euthanize animals—at no cost to participating animal shelters—our involvement prevents animals from being shot to death with a .22 caliber firearm, gassed to death in a rusty metal box, or injected with a paralyzing agent that causes slow suffocation without loss of consciousness. Compassionate euthanasia prevents animals from suffering for weeks on end because of disease, illness, or worse. We know from bitter experience that for homeless animals—even those in some animal shelters—there is such a thing as a fate worse than death. Some well-intentioned people might argue that the solution to the overflow of unwanted animals is to open sanctuaries. But the sad reality is that the math just doesn’t add up. There is not enough money available to us or to anyone to build enough sanctuaries or organize enough animal-adoption programs to keep up with the number of unwanted animals—particularly those animals deemed “undesirable” because of their infirmities, age, or behavior. Abandoning domesticated animals to fend for themselves would be irresponsible, of course, but keeping them in cages or pens for a lifetime is no more humane for homeless dogs and cats than it is for animals in laboratories or circuses. To learn more about “no-kill” sanctuaries, please see http://www.PETA.org/about/why-peta/no-kill-shelters.aspx and http://features.PETA.org/AllCreaturesGreatAndSmall/. Putting all our resources into kenneling unwanted animals would also do nothing to stop the flow of more and more homeless dogs and cats. Preventing the source of the problem—the birth of unwanted animals—is where money and efforts need to go. PETA runs two mobile spay-and-neuter clinics in Virginia and North Carolina at least six days a week. The clinics conduct much of their work in disadvantaged neighborhoods, where we offer no-cost to low-cost sterilization surgeries and other services such as flea and tick treatments, vaccinations, and deworming. We sterilize thousands of dogs and cats each year, including feral animals. Since starting our first mobile clinic in 2001, we have sterilized almost 63,000 animals, including 8,677 in 2009 alone. We hope you understand that it is heart-wrenching for those of us at PETA and at animal shelters across the country who care deeply for animals to have to hold these animals in our arms and take their lives because there is nowhere for them to go. Those who truly seek to make a difference for animals understand that it is necessary to do the right thing—even when it’s unpleasant—rather than supporting false “solutions” simply because they make us feel less uncomfortable.PETA has always spoken openly about euthanasia on our website and in our publications, and—although we understand that it is upsetting to think about—euthanasia will continue to be necessary in this imperfect world until people take action though spaying and neutering to prevent dogs and cats from bringing new litters into the world. For more thoughts on PETA and euthanasia, please go to http://www.PETA.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2009/03/30/why-we-euthanize.aspx and http://www.PETA.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2009/05/14/why-must-we-euthanize-part-ii.aspx. We hope that this message has shed some light on our work. To read more about what PETA is doing for companion animals and how you can help, please visit http://www.PETA.org/issues/companion-animals/default.aspx. Thanks again for writing and for sharing your compassion for animals. Sincerely, The PETA Staff http://www.PETA.org P.S. A lot of the misleading and outright false rumors that are spread concerning our efforts are the work of the deceitfully named Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), a front group for Philip Morris, Outback Steakhouse, KFC, cattle ranchers, and other animal exploiters who kill millions of animals every year—not out of compassion but out of greed. To learn more about CCF—whose website USA Today said should be renamed “FatforProfit.com”—please see the following websites: · http://www.ConsumerDeception.com · http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/19131 · http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=8984 And, my response to this form letter: Let's see....the animals were ill, injured or just 'surplus' and PETA folk were saving them from a 'fate worse than death' by killing them. Why? Because it is the right thing, the ethical thing, the necessary thing to do. Ummmm....nope! There are many, many of us in animal rescue that do not and will not tolerate this attitude. We know the moment of happiness when an animal is brought back from the brink by devoted rescuers, and again when that animal is re-homed. If our friends at PETA could also have this experience, it might change their minds. Whether or not this change of attitude can take place, and whether or not PETA can be saved by a new leader remains to be seen. In either case, the no-kill mentality is building, and we will prevail in good time. I can't believe I haven't mentioned my favorite frugal website yet....It's freecycle.com. Most medium to large metro areas have a local site. Freecycle aims to keep items out of the landfill by finding new homes for them. At the website, you'll find the rules posted for newcomers. Take time to learn them, and it will make your freecycle experience much happier.
Here in Wilmington, NC a fellow animal advocate is the site owner. No animal posts are allowed, but animal care items are welcome. Back when I was setting up the 'clubhouse' for Miss Annie the wonder dog in my garage, I got a twin mattress, small rug, TV and a radio tuner/CD player with nice speakers from my Freecycle friends. It's a shame that Annie wanted so badly to be a house dog, as her 'clubhouse' was just a super hangout. There are similar areas at Craigslist, but I still prefer Freecycle. I use it at least monthly to declutter and rehome unwanted household and pet items. I request items less often. Give it a try when you need something that could be 'pre-owned!' Think of all the helpful things a foster parent could request: towels, pillows, dog bowls, leashes, collars....the list goes on and on! Being an animal rescuer or foster parent means never having enough bedding. EVER! I started out using bath and hand towels, depending on the size of the kennel. Through normal wear-and-tear, towels became very precious in my house! So, I started looking for another source of bedding, and I have found it right in my neighborhood: the local laundromat where I do 'cat laundry' at least weekly. My laundromat has a bin of 'reject' laundry free for the taking, and about half of what is thrown into the basket is t-shirts. I've found t-shirts to be a comfortable, absorbent material for kennel bedding when folded to fit. Older or ill animals appreciate a cushion made of several t-shirts folded together, covered with another (you guessed it!) t-shirt!
In a non-frugal moment I usually throw away the shirts used by transport animals or feral cats. I am just too cautious about the germs that might be shared through reusing them. Still, they are at least mostly biodegradeable, I tell myself. I hope you already know about the Open Paw program, which works to optimize the mental health of sheltered animals. They propose the following list of materials and interactions needed for cat mental health....and these are the minimum standards. You could likely think of many more environmental enhancements for the animals.
For Cats • A warm, clean environment with a comfortable hiding place • A separate litter box area • Litter box should be cleaned regularly (feces removed immediately when noticed) • A convenient scratching post with suspended toys • Interaction with at least 20 people daily, including at least 5 unfamiliar people • Daily handling, gentling, and grooming by at least 3 people, including 1 unfamiliar person • Feline companionship for social cats (group housing) • Kittens less than 4 months old should be housed together in a self-training, long-term confinement area, with constant access to a scratching surface with suspended toys and a separate litter box area. Kittens require daily handling, gentling, and grooming by at least 5 unfamiliar people. Standards for dogs are at the Open Paw website, along with background on the group's activities and goals. Would your rescue group's facility like to be an Open Paw shelter? Volunteering at Pet Supermarket with the 'rescue kitties' that make the store their home, I find myself giving advice to people wanting to pick up and hold the kitties. What I would LIKE to say is 'Would you want to hug someone you had never seen before?' What I actually say is 'Let's take a minute to get to know this kitty first!' Here are some steps in meeting a new kitty and getting to know him or her:
1. Look into the kitty's kennel and BLINK with both eyes slowly a few times. See if he will blink back at you. This shows the kitty you are not a threat, since cats stare intently at other cats when they are aggressive or afraid. 2. Toss or drop a toy near the kitty. If there are no toys in the kennel with the kitty, make a loose ball of a piece of paper or a post-it note and place or toss it near the cat or kitten. This lets them know that you are interested in giving them gifts and playing with them. 3. Offer your hand to be sniffed. You can make sniffing noises also, to add to the cat's greeting. This shows the cat you are willing to be investigated, as another cat would in the same situation. 4. Stroke the top of the cat's head, and along her back, stopping at mid-back. Some cats are sensitive about having their flanks petted. This pleasant exchange lets the cat know in another way that you are a friendly visitor. By this point you should have discovered whether the cat is accepting of you. If all goes well, you can brush or comb the cat, give him treats, and even pick him or her up. Investing a few minutes in relationship-building with a cat will help you choose the right companion and begin a relationship that will last for years! For those of you who avoid litterbox scooping chores because the lumps of clumping litter break into tiny fragments when you scoop them, let me suggest a simple change to your scooping technique. TIP the box. Just lift one end of the box so that the mostly-clean litter all slides down to the low end of the box. This will reveal the exact location of the litter clumps. Use a litter scoop to push and pry from the edge of each clump, and they should 'pop' off the floor of the litterbox. If needed, you can use a little spray cleaner and a paper towel to clean, then dry, the bottom of the litterbox before repeating the process with the box's other end. This is so simple, but makes a big difference in my willingness to scoop each box twice a day!
Here is Lisa Pierson's website with a video of a similar technique, with one difference: Dr. Pierson reminds us that if litter is deep enough the clumps should not stick to the bottom of the litterbox. http://www.catinfo.org/?link=litterbox Am I losing my grip? Please let me know if I have gone over the edge of frugal into 'freaky' with this one.....
I use a lot of puppy pads. No puppies here, but several cats that for one reason or another may miss the litter box on a given day. I find that puppy pads are just the ticket to keep the floor around the litter box clean and dry. But, they are price-y! So one day when Bob-the-cat had chosen the perfect spot right in the middle of a puppy pad to 'use,' I started thinking about all the perfectly good absorbent material I was throwing away. Then I said, 'Heck, no!' and got an old pair of dollar store scissors out. I cut across the middle of the pad, detouring around the wet spot----and throwing that part away. I was left with two smaller pads that got a lot more use. Another way to make puppy pads go farther is to layer newspaper on top of them. Change the paper frequently and you won't have to replace the puppy pads as often! I learn so much from visiting with other pet owners and rescue friends! My friend Sharon has a great room designed and built for her group of former-feral kitties. On a recent petsitting visit, I was introduced to her unique way of storing and using plastic grocery bags. Sharon uses a small (3-gallon) plastic wastebasket, and lines it with plastic bags, layering 10 or so in the trash can. They fit neatly, and the handles hold them in place. Her litter scooper stands ready inside the top bag. This setup is easy to carry from place to place, and the wastebasket keeps the plastic bags open and easy to scoop into. When finished scooping, the waste 'lumps & clumps' can be single or double-bagged and tossed in the trash. I am definitely going to 'borrow' this idea at home!
Thanks, Sharon! PS--When looking for a photo to illustrate this, I found a website that shared the same tip.....and other things to do with the ever-present plastic bag: http://reuseitcrafts.com/ReUsePlasticBags.aspx Enjoy! Necessity is a MOTHER! I was deep into petsitting over Thanksgiving, and found myself in need of a new tool. Specifically a tiny shovel to lift out the used, nonclumping cat litter from a litter box. Frugally speaking, nonclumping litter is excellent, and it may also be safer for kittens and cats than the clumping kind. In the past I might have dumped the whole box and replaced all the litter, but this kitty 'uses' only one end of the box. Brainstorming as quickly as I was able considering the turkey I had eaten, I looked around and found a small, flat, circular metal 'scoop' with a tiny ring for a handle. Yep, a lid from a 6-ounce cat food can! It worked wonderfully to lift out the wet litter from one end of the litterbox. It even got into the rounded corners of the box perfectly. Serendipity, for sure! Hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving, too!
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