No-Kill Nation

Can someone explain this to me?  I see shelters killing animals simply because there are not people knocking down their doors to get pets, and they do not have the time, the space or the money to care for them.  We do not kill animals because we want to (as a whole, yes there are exceptions to that but lets pretend those don't exist for this discussion) we put them down because to allow them to remain alive is... well inhumane.. when there isn't space, time or money to care for them.

If we simply chose not to kill them, where would they go?  There are people who will not be convinced to get an animal from a shelter no matter what.  There are people who are not ready for an animal now for what ever reason.  I can easily say I want another pet because I so totally do.. does that mean I add to the "demand" column even though I am in no position to take on another pet??

I want a no-kill nation badly.  I so want to believe.  I live in an area where our open admission shelter (aka a kill shelter) is using the no-kill model and is doing a fabulous and amazing job getting pets into homes.  Even with all the wonderful work they do, many pets don't get to stay in their homes and are returned to the shelter.  I also constantly see pets outside of this shelter looking for homes and not being able to find them.

So I metaphorically stand at the threshold of an open admission shelter and wonder where these people are.  Nathan Winograd says thousand of people want pets.. why then do we have to convince them to come get a shelter pet?  If what he says is true, why do we not hear the communal outcry for the need for more adoptable animals?  Why do pets on community bulletin boards sit and never find a home and end up a the shelter?  Why do pet store puppies and kittens outgrow their adorable youth stages and go on sale or go to a rescue? Why do free to good home kittens and pups not find homes?  Why is it the cat or dog on the local news that survived some tragic situation have thousands of people wanting to adopt it while every other animal in the shelter just sits there and wonders why when that one pet is adopted they don't get to go home too.

Nathan says all of these people are looking for pets.. but are they looking for pets like smokers are looking to quit or the couch potato would like to exercise?

Sometimes 1+1 does equal three.. (for very large values of one) but on the whole, that is not how the world is working.  Should we strive to change it? ABSOLUTELY!! but to imply that everyone can do it RIGHT NOW! seems to me to be cruel.  To imply that shelters are killing pets that could easily find a home just hurts.  Too many pets can not find homes. There are *thousands* right now in the US waiting for one, and a thousand more being added all the time..

I am totally open to being wrong.  If you think you can explain the dichotomy to me with serious discussion, I am so open to that..

Eli

Yup, we've got nothing.. so you get to look at Eli taking a nap.

Have yet to hear back about Fluffy.  I emailed to ask.. I figured I'd have her back so I didn't plan anything else for the blog.

Fleurp Cam

I can takes pics?

So another rousing day of Fleurp Cam.  Not sure anyone is interested in the whole spiel of photos but it was fun to me to see her sleep on the couch for a while and go and use the litter box ;)

One down side of having a cat who follows you everywhere with a camera is that she follows you everywhere with a camera.. like this

Needless to say her next few photos looked like this

Sleeping on the couch

another trip to the shelter

Lucy is doing very well.  I was able to peek in her mouth and her jaw is healing up very nicely.  She let me pat her and love on her, but she clearly gave me the message that I am NOT her people and she's busy waiting for them so thank you for stopping by.. (it was actually kind of cute)  She is currently up for adoption - and is one of only a dozen cats available so I'm sure she will be going home soon. I can't believe they are so empty.  Hurts when I see shelters putting down litters of kittens and I'm sitting up here with a room just waiting for kittens.

Fluffy is still in limbo.  She ate a little for a staff member who gave her some attention.  She ate a little for me when I was giving her attention.  But she has lost some more weight, down to 6lbs 12 oz.  :(   One of the woman is going to check on what is going on with her tomorrow and let me know.  If she needs to be there for one reason or another, I'm fine with that, but if she doesn't need to be there, I'd rather her be at my house while things get figured out.

Fluffy update

I went to the shelter last night to check on Fluffy.  She was laying in her bed.  The blanket should have been on the bed, but she had kicked it off and so I "tucked her in"  She just laid there and didn't really move, which is mostly understandable as there wasn't a whole heck of a lot of room to move.  She was vocal with me and asked for some pats which I gave her.  She still isn't eating much and there was note that her stool is still soft.  Hopefully she will be seeing the vet at some point today.  I feel so bad for her.