EB Picks Up a Stray (Again)

[EeyoresButterfly]

Our Human Society is technically not a no-kill shelter, but they will hang onto them as long as the yhae room (they've been known to keep animals for over a year). Unfortunately, because he bit me they have to destroy him. They will quarantine him for 10 days and then even if he is not sick, they will destroy him. Apparently under state law, if a stray bites somebody they cannot be adopted out. I told them that he didn't bite hard and I was pretty sure he was playing. I've been crying for about the last half hour. :(

[Amphigorey]

Our Human Society is technically not a no-kill shelter, but they will hang onto them as long as the yhae room (they've been known to keep animals for over a year). Unfortunately, because he bit me they have to destroy him. They will quarantine him for 10 days and then even if he is not sick, they will destroy him. Apparently under state law, if a stray bites somebody they cannot be adopted out. I told them that he didn't bite hard and I was pretty sure he was playing. I've been crying for about the last half hour. :(

Oh no, I'm so sorry. That is a cruel thing to do to him; the law is too absolute. It sounds like he was just biting for comfort or play, and that he's really well-socialized.

I'm sorry. It's awful.

[Syndrome]

What a bummer about the biting. :( I'm not surprised at the policy tho', as there was one shelter in Chicago that was technically "no-kill" for all adoptable animals, but their definition of "adoptable" was very, very strict. For example, any kind of sickness, no matter how minor, made an animal not suitable for adoption. I know they had to do it or be overwhelmed by sheer numbers of animals, but it still depressed me. You may want to see if there is another no-kill in your area and don't tell them about the biting (as long as you are sure it was not aggressive).

It's so hard when kitties or other strays find a kind hearted person, and then that person is the one who has to suffer with the tough decisions rather than the one who SHOULD...i.e. the one who tossed out the animal in the first place. {HUGS} to you for taking this on.

[felinefan]

EB, are there any cat rescues in your area that could take him? If you're in MI, there should be quite a few cat rescues in your area. Check at http://www.petfinder.com, and gimme a minute, let me get my list of animal sites out...http://www.amrt.net , http://www.catchannel.com might have some resources, http://www.langefoundation.com (though that one may be CA only), http://www.OnlyforPetlovers.com , http://www.save-a-life.org , http://www.iluvcats.com , and the rest are places that financially assist people whose pets need vet care but they have trouble affording it. Try Googling cat rescues inMI, see if that helps. If you lived in CA I could help you more. Hope this helps.

But the rectal bleeding could mean he has something serious. I love cats too, but what if his symptoms turned out to be something that, if he were put in a shelter, would spread to other cats, possibly killing them? I'm not a vet, but you need to realize that you could be saving him only to have him suffer. I hope I'm wrong, but rectal bleeding in any species isn't a good sign. Talk with your vet. Maybe he can guide you.

[EeyoresButterfly]

It's too late. There is only one shelter in my area (rural area). I took him in, explained about the rectal bleeding, and that I was concerned he was sick. I also mentioned the bite in passing, asking them to call me if they noticed anything, and that was when they flipped out. By that time it was too late for me to do anything. Apparently under state law if a stray bites a person they have to be destroyed, even after the 10 day period they are not showing signs of illness. I literally started crying when she told me. I tried to tell her that I was pretty sure he was just playing and that he is such a sweet and loving cat, but her hands were tied. She probably thinks I'm a nut job. I do kind of wish that whatever was making him bleed was serious enough they would have to put him down anyway, because then it wouldn't be my fault. :( They appeared to be really overcrowded at the moment. Stray cats are a huge issue here, and I have never seen so many cats at the shelter as I saw today.

What breaks my heart is that if animal control had come when I called them, he would not have bitten me (that didn't happen til day 2) and he might have been able to be adopted out. :(

[felinefan]

I'm so sorry, EB. The housing crisis has resulted in a lot of pet-owning homeowners who fell for the refinancing mess to lose their homes, and it's hard to find pet-friendly apartments or houses now. Alot of animals are being brought into shelters, and as a result they're crowded. But the worst is people who just abandon their pets just because the landlord won't allow them, and the family needs shelter. Check out my blog--addy's in my siggy.

No, I don't think the person at the shelter thought you were nuts--they probably see that often. Who knows, maybe she has to run to the bathroom in the middle of her shift and have a good cry over pets that are being killed because of the lack of space, and other things that aren't the pet's fault. Maybe when she gets off work she probably sits in her car crying and wishing she could do more for these guys, or cries herself to sleep every night, wishing things were different.

[Big Wallaby]

Anybody here doesn't think great minds work alike, here's proof. We have also had cats named Dodger and Oliver! Ollie is still with us, and will be 18 next month.

Of course, their full names were Dodger Blue and Oliver Cromwell, and BW probably gave them different surnames, but still!

Nope, not Cromwell, nor Blue, but as you said, still!

When I read "Oliver" and "Dodger", I presumed is was Oliver Twist and Artful Dodger... (And thus also the Disney-connected names from "Oliver and Company", too)

-Rob

Actually, they are named both for the play and the Disney characters. Being a house full of Disney Cast Members, that was great for us... then the fact that one member of the household has played the lead in Oliver... Made them some good names for our house.

No, I don't think the person at the shelter thought you were nuts--they probably see that often. Who knows, maybe she has to run to the bathroom in the middle of her shift and have a good cry over pets that are being killed because of the lack of space, and other things that aren't the pet's fault. Maybe when she gets off work she probably sits in her car crying and wishing she could do more for these guys, or cries herself to sleep every night, wishing things were different.

I, for one, could not work in a Humane Society center, for that very reason.


Next time you rescue a cat, there is an organization, CARE, that has a whole system that they put the cats through, where they neuter or spay, do general check-ups, FIV testing, and more. Then, they clip an ear (one side for males, other for females) and tag them. If for some reason one of these cats makes it into the Humane Society, they will not be put down. I can't find the link for the Orlando area, but it's out there. Of course, I wasn't looking too hard right now... But I do want to volunteer with them. That's how we got Oliver and Dodger, through this program.

EB, I'm sorry you have had to go through this.

[Notatourist]

One...You did the right thing in taking the cat in.

Second..You gave that Cat love and caring when you knew you couldn't keep him. That's more than he was getting out in the world with no one.

Third-Rectal Bleeding is NEVER good. There could be loads more going on with this cat than you know. You did good, EB. Don't ever think you didn't.

Biting is also not good. They have to do what they have to do. What if the cat was sick, adopted out and bit someone causing illness. How would you feel then? You know they aren't going to make him suffer. They don't do that. It sucks that they have to stick to the rules, but, you know they have to.

I hope you feel better about all of this. You still did the right thing.

[joanna71985]

I am so sorry to hear that about the kitty. :(

*HUGS*

[February]

One...You did the right thing in taking the cat in.

Second..You gave that Cat love and caring when you knew you couldn't keep him. That's more than he was getting out in the world with no one.

Third-Rectal Bleeding is NEVER good. There could be loads more going on with this cat than you know. You did good, EB. Don't ever think you didn't.

Biting is also not good. They have to do what they have to do. What if the cat was sick, adopted out and bit someone causing illness. How would you feel then? You know they aren't going to make him suffer. They don't do that. It sucks that they have to stick to the rules, but, you know they have to.

I hope you feel better about all of this. You still did the right thing.

Here here! That is right on.

Big hugs to you EB. . .I'm so very sorry about the kitty.

Our kitty was a rescue, spent the first months of his life homeless and on the street- and he was taken in by an elderly man along with the rest of his litter- there were four. The man called the rescue people because he didn't know what to do with them.

Two of the four cats- including the one we adopted, were adoptable. The other two of the litter were not- they were considered too feral.

I hate to think about what happened to those others, but I am eternally grateful to the little old man who saved the kitten who would become our pride and joy. You are such a sweetheart and you did all you could.

I just worry that he bit you- did they say you should talk to a doctor? I hope that everything will be okay- you just have to be so careful with feral cats.

We have a huge colony in our complex due to being backed up against a subdivision where there are barns that people do not secure and the cats breed like wildfire. Just yesterday I was outside with bleach water again spraying off my windows and doorwall because the males come to mark their territory. At one point we had 30 feral cats running around- and I know one in the area did test positive for rabies.

Our baby is indoor only- but every time I see the next batch of new feral kittens, I cry.

We can't even watch humane society commercials in this house without using half a box of kleenex. My husband can't watch them at all, he begs me to change the channel if one comes on during the news. We just love the animals so much, we can't take it.

You done good, EB. (((((Hugs)))))