Shelter cats and the website I torture myself with

http://www.co.lane.or.us/Animals/impound.htm#cats

If you want to become sad, here is the website for our county animal shelter's impounded cats. It shows the cats that have been taken in during the past month. It breaks my heart to visit this site each week, but I just can't forget about these homeless cats, so I'm drawn to look. There are pictures of each cat with a tiny bit of info about them, like how much they weigh, where they were picked up, and other stuff. My heart just breaks for them, seeing them sitting in their cages, wondering when or if life will ever get better. And then I see the ones who have been there the longest eventually drop from the list, I hope that they were taken by one of a couple "second chance" shelters who operate on shoestring budgets rather than being euthanized just for being unwanted.

Like this older guy... #4071... who's going to want to adopt him when there are so many kittens and younger cats to choose from? Someone, I hope.

 

I know exactly how you feel. I always torture myself visiting my local humane society website. I know I can't have anymore cats, but it breaks my heart to see their pictures. Especially the older ones who have been there for so long. :cry:

 

It is so sad to see these poor kitties. The last time I visited our local humane society I was brought to tears. A lot ot them were adult and some of the reasons they were given up were depressing.

Poor kitties once had a warm home and now have none. Too sad.

I want to save them all, but I know I can't.

 

I wish I had a magic wand to wave over all of mankind. Just to make people responsible for their animals. Could you imagine that?

 

actually, thank you for posting that link. I always tell people that if they are wanting to get a pet or pets.....to go to kill shelters and get one.......save a life.....!!!!! i get upset when i see people buy pets in pet stores....cuz on kitty or doggy death row.......there are lives that can be saved.......my pets are all rescues. Sheppy is the latest.......he was one day away from being put down at the pound/shelter. Then one lucky day....... We spotted him ( a doggy)......and brought him home five years ago. I can't believe they were going to kill all that beauty, all that love.......still blows me away.

 

felt like crying with every picture......

 

Great comments, everyone. Thanks for letting me share this site with you.

I completely agree. I think that when more people start viewing their furry companions as family members, and not just as temporary playthings or possessions, it will be a step in the right direction. It's hard to abandon a family member, but it's easy to abandon a possession.

#4071 is gone from the site now, and his picture I linked to in my first post is gone. I hope that a local rescue group called SARA (Shelter Animal Resource Alliance), who I regularly donate to, rescued him. That's what they do, they provide a halfway house for animals whose time is up in the county shelter and try to find them homes themselves. They even have a thrift shop where they have like 10 cats living there that people can adopt. Obviously, they only have the resources to save a fraction of the cats that need saving. Then there's the SPCA, who also takes some of the cats from death row, but only the ones that they think they can find homes for.

I hope that #4071 is at one of those places. Like halaroo said, I really wish that I could adopt another cat, but it's just impossible right now.

People like Mary_NH are my heroes. They open up their homes to these cats in need and act as foster parents until a permanent home is found. I hope that I can be in the position to do that someday.

 

I just got a newsletter from the local SPCA, and it included some shocking statistics. For the period of July 1, 2005 - Sept. 30, 2005, they took in 730 cats, and found homes for 433 of them.

I'm really surprised by those numbers. I would have estimated that they took in maybe a tenth of that number. I also just read a statistic that in our county, there are estimated to be 40,000 stray animals. So the 730 cats that they took in were likely just the tip of the iceberg.

 

It's so sad. Here are the statistics from my local humane society in 2004:

Total cats admitted - 6,834
Total stray cats admitted - 4,095
Total cats surrendered by owner - 1,595
Total feral cats - 176
Other* - 968 (cats born in the shelter, transferred to the shelter, or confiscated from their owners)

I just makes me really angry to see the numbers so high. This year was "Year of the Cat" in Ottawa, which tried to raise awareness on spaying/neutering, harness training, supported mocrochip clinics, etc. I hope everything was successful for them!

 

i know what you mean, i would take them all home!