MORE good news from Tallahassee
A bill is progressing through Tallahassee which is one I like - requiring animal shelters to post their "numbers" and what happens to pets who end up there.
Someone up there, for once, seems to have a bit of sense and caring for more than the rich - and the funny thing is if I'm reading between the lines properly, it's likely to pass.
I'd like to see some public-service messages coming out too, to the effect of "cats and dogs who are fixed lead happier and far longer lives, and loosing their ability to have offspring doesn't bother them in the least". Maybe it'd help cut down on the drop-off problem. (The people around here project themselves onto their pets... and from reactions I've seen (and overheard), suggesting getting a pet fixed is to them suggesting that THEY get "fixed".
http://www.theledger.com/article/20130321/NEWS/130329853/1003/news00?Title=Bill-Requires-Shelters-to-List-Animals-Fate
I know it's just a bill, but in this "regulate local communities while stopping revenue streams and cutting taxes for the richest 2%" state, the fact that it's regulating what organizations do (besides churches) is going to be popular with most of the Tea Party "representatives".
Maybe our local SPCA will finally give equal time and treatment to kitties. They've got a reputation for killing cats very quickly, but doing everything in their power to find homes for dogs. I've heard that from three ex-volunteers from the SPCA, and have seen a very different reaction to dogs than to cats. We took a dog in that we couldn't keep - she was vicious and a snapper, and tried HARD to kill any animal that came within her area. She'd menaced and snarled at me a couple of times*. She was treated with extreme kindness and the person was baby-talking her while bringing her around to the dogs area. On the same day, we also took three drop-off kittens to the SPCA and their treatment was barely out of the "abusive" stage. I still feel bad about those kitties**... because I didn't know how quickly cats were killed at the time, and they were special - two out of the three showed clear signs of having prehensile tails - would wrap them around your wrist or arm if you held them. Their momma was killed (probably poison) shortly after taking them to the SPCA (she was too scared of people to be caught), and now I regret doing so - I'd have loved to have a cat who used their tail like that (some people think that kitties are going to evolve prehensile tails).
Maybe I should be worried... two common-sense laws coming out of Tallahassee, and getting two bits of good news in a week! (GRIN!!!) No, actually three bits of good news... class for today was canceled, so I can maybe catch up on classwork!
*- Her brother, on the other hand, was a nice dog and the cats' best friend... dumb as dirt but very friendly and loved to sleep with kitties and play with them. He also died suddenly - we went outside to go into town, and found him dead in his "area" (he was on a chain when we weren't watching or playing with him). He might have developed a sudden case of heartworms... I don't know. It was rather sudden - playing and roughhousing with the kitties two hours before, and then dead (no sign of foul play) when we went outside a second time. He was maybe 7 when he died. The neighbors also loved him - he'd break his chain every once in a while, and would go around "visiting" and playing with their dogs.
**- I did inform the shelter about it and demonstrated that they'd do that to the volunteer at the desk... and wrote on the paperwork that they showed the signs of having prehensile tails. I hope that kept them from "the needle" or the gas chamber!
Someone up there, for once, seems to have a bit of sense and caring for more than the rich - and the funny thing is if I'm reading between the lines properly, it's likely to pass.
I'd like to see some public-service messages coming out too, to the effect of "cats and dogs who are fixed lead happier and far longer lives, and loosing their ability to have offspring doesn't bother them in the least". Maybe it'd help cut down on the drop-off problem. (The people around here project themselves onto their pets... and from reactions I've seen (and overheard), suggesting getting a pet fixed is to them suggesting that THEY get "fixed".
http://www.theledger.com/article/20130321/NEWS/130329853/1003/news00?Title=Bill-Requires-Shelters-to-List-Animals-Fate
I know it's just a bill, but in this "regulate local communities while stopping revenue streams and cutting taxes for the richest 2%" state, the fact that it's regulating what organizations do (besides churches) is going to be popular with most of the Tea Party "representatives".
Maybe our local SPCA will finally give equal time and treatment to kitties. They've got a reputation for killing cats very quickly, but doing everything in their power to find homes for dogs. I've heard that from three ex-volunteers from the SPCA, and have seen a very different reaction to dogs than to cats. We took a dog in that we couldn't keep - she was vicious and a snapper, and tried HARD to kill any animal that came within her area. She'd menaced and snarled at me a couple of times*. She was treated with extreme kindness and the person was baby-talking her while bringing her around to the dogs area. On the same day, we also took three drop-off kittens to the SPCA and their treatment was barely out of the "abusive" stage. I still feel bad about those kitties**... because I didn't know how quickly cats were killed at the time, and they were special - two out of the three showed clear signs of having prehensile tails - would wrap them around your wrist or arm if you held them. Their momma was killed (probably poison) shortly after taking them to the SPCA (she was too scared of people to be caught), and now I regret doing so - I'd have loved to have a cat who used their tail like that (some people think that kitties are going to evolve prehensile tails).
Maybe I should be worried... two common-sense laws coming out of Tallahassee, and getting two bits of good news in a week! (GRIN!!!) No, actually three bits of good news... class for today was canceled, so I can maybe catch up on classwork!
*- Her brother, on the other hand, was a nice dog and the cats' best friend... dumb as dirt but very friendly and loved to sleep with kitties and play with them. He also died suddenly - we went outside to go into town, and found him dead in his "area" (he was on a chain when we weren't watching or playing with him). He might have developed a sudden case of heartworms... I don't know. It was rather sudden - playing and roughhousing with the kitties two hours before, and then dead (no sign of foul play) when we went outside a second time. He was maybe 7 when he died. The neighbors also loved him - he'd break his chain every once in a while, and would go around "visiting" and playing with their dogs.
**- I did inform the shelter about it and demonstrated that they'd do that to the volunteer at the desk... and wrote on the paperwork that they showed the signs of having prehensile tails. I hope that kept them from "the needle" or the gas chamber!