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Not on My Watch: A Cry for Help at Henry County, GA

Sun, 2009-10-18 14:59 — Robin Olson

From Betsy at Henry Co., GA.

The kittens are adorable and perfect! Very curious fat little butterballs. 3 Torties and 2 black tabbies. (note by robin: Mom is also friendly)

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I am not going to write some sappy story, here is the bottom line. The kittens that make it to weaning without getting sick might get a chance to go up for adoption in the kitten room and mom will be put down. The sad reality of what our community forces the shelter to deal with. Overpopulation plain and simple.

Every life in here deserves a chance. Every life is precious and a creation of something greater than us. Please exhaust all resources and see if you can come up with something for this family. I know Mommy wants to be loved, she is just needs to learn its safe to trust.

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If you choose to send this post to out of state contacts please be prepared to use your local license to pull the family and help your out of state contact arrange transport.

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**Please Note; When forwarding, crossposting, or re-posting I ask that you leave this message intact exactly as it was written by me. I do not give permission to post my message, part of my message, or my photographs on Craig's List. Thank you for your help and support, and for respecting my wishes.** 

Betsy Merchant~

Contact:

mystiblu@bellsouth.net

Henry County Animal Care and Control

527 Hampton Street

McDonough, Georgia 30253

(770) 288-PETS

http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/GA67.html

Our Hours:

Monday-Friday:  9 am-4:30 pm

Saturday:  9 am-1 pm

Sunday:  Closed

County Observed Holidays:  Closed

The shelter is located at 527 Hampton Street in McDonough. We are located south of Atlanta off I-75. Take exit 218 and head east on 20/81 toward McDonough. Our address is 527 Hwy 20/81 East.

For all other information regarding ordinances, county codes, and other functions of Henry County Animal Care and Control please visit www.hcacc.org

CICH Content Categories: 
Announcements
Needs a Home
Cat Rescue

Comments

Sun, 2009-10-18 15:18 — ADS

Thank you so much for putting the word out about these poor kitties!

All over this country, precious lives are wasted because humans do not take responsibility. They allow sweet cats and dogs to come into the world with no place for them and are unconscientiously stingy with resources needed to provide for these lives humanely. Sweet souls created to be sensitive to giving and receiving love, they feel indifference, abandonment, outright cruelty.

I am preaching to the choir here, and I am sorry for the tone. But seeing such a wonderful, beautiful family of cats at grave risk of being killed, only possibly to be saved by the extraordinary private efforts of a relatively few people, is horrible and tragic. It is only one family, 6 loving lives of the millions that are recklessly thrown away. But I pray they can be saved, and I thank you for helping get the word out for them. I appreciate it profoundly.

Sun, 2009-10-18 17:07 — Robin Olson

You're a very passionate advocate for these and all animals, Andrew. I wish I could do more for them than just post this article about them. If Barb, at Winging, can pull them, I'd be happy to help pay for their care, but I don't have a foster home for them, so that's about all I can do.

I hate this and I hate knowing that right now in NYC there's a big show called "Meet the Breeds," so folks can visit the pure bred animals and spend lots of money to buy them like they're just products off the shelf. When there's so much death and suffering, it's sick to see these people BREEDING their animals and selling them-when so many others die. We set a high price on animals that have specific, engineered traits, colors, markings-then the ones that are "mixed" fall to the wayside to face unspeakable horror. There's no difference, really, between a "purebred" cat than a "mutt." They're both just cats. One happens to have a traceable bloodline, the other doesn't. So why does that make one so valuable and sought after? In a way it's another form of discrimination and until the cat overpopulation problem is over, I think we need to take a look at what's going on and make some changes.

Sun, 2009-10-18 17:44 — ZoeEmEffGee

I can't believe the obsession with "purebreds". My little "mutt" is just as wonderful as any other cat. Why spend hundreds when you can get a new friend for nearly free at a shelter? My mom's cat was saved from death row, and she seems to know it. She appreciates every little thing she gets. It brings tears to my eyes sometimes...

I hope someone comes forward to help this little family...

Sun, 2009-10-18 20:10 — isilwath

to make up bumperstickers that say "Don't breed or buy while homeless die" for my car.

All but one of our pets is a rescue or pound puppy & we have lots.

Sun, 2009-10-18 21:20 — Robin Olson

Let me know when you have 'em made up and we'll post them on here for sale! Nice line.

Sun, 2009-10-18 21:46 — Alexis (not verified)

They are soooo cute! Look at their gorgeous eyes! I wish I could adopt one of them but I already have a big butterball mutt of my own and no room for more :-( I love kittens

Sun, 2009-10-18 22:17 — Your Daily Cute (not verified)

This bunch is adorable. I hope they can find the help they need to ALL make it to happy homes.

Mon, 2009-10-19 07:37 — AnnaBanana74

Betsy in GA is clearly doing everything she can for the cats that come to her, but I get the feeling there isn't an animal welfare culture in Henry County. Does anybody have experience with the ASPCA's or HSUS's Spay Day? I wonder if they could get a mobile unit to Henry County and spend a couple of days doing spay/neuter and education. Maybe it would only be a drop in the bucket, but that's better than nothing, isn't it? I don't think any of us have the resources individually to help as much as we want (I know that several of us are involved with rescues and fostering in our hometowns, which takes a lot of our emotional and financial resources), but maybe - if she's open to it - we can help take some of the burden off Betsy by working with her on education and organizing a spay/neuter event. I get exhausted seeing the pleas from GA, and having worked in a shelter, I have an idea of how she feels. I'd be happy to do research and give her summaries of programs, contacts and humane education materials.

And don't get me started on breeding this early in the morning. @_MKF_ put it best when she Tweeted that people will throw anything away as she was caring for feral, purebred Siamese.

Mon, 2009-10-19 12:22 — Robin Olson

...I'm wiped out from all the pleas I have to forward from GA/SC and the like. I heard there IS a low cost S/N Vet who wants to hit the GA area, but is not getting the best reception from some of the shelters. I know Barb at Winging Cat Rescue helped Spaulding make big changes in their program and that's why she helps them now. Henry Co. is BAD. They put down 300-500 a MONTH. They DO need help, but I'm not sure how to do that. I don't want to be pushy and it has to be done with respect. The attitudes down there are different about S/N. They just don't do it the way they do here-especially with the male animals. Maddie's Fund helps supply grants to organizations that want to introduce programs to shelters in towns of populations over 100,000 and I'm sure there a grants to be had from Petsmart or PetCo. The problem is there's no staff dedicated to this as they are overwhelmed. Yes, if you step up and contact Betsy...you never know. You might want to talk to Barb, first. She really knows these folks and how they operate and can give you pointers. If you need her email, let me know.

Mon, 2009-10-19 13:25 — AnnaBanana74

Yes, please do send me Barb's email.

Wed, 2009-10-21 07:27 — isilwath

haven't gotten Barb's email, I have it.

I'm going down to GA this weekend to pick up Mercades. I can't take 6 more cats but I might be able to sponsor them. I emailed Barb this morning to see if there have been any nibbles on a rescue for them.

*crosses fingers*

Wed, 2009-10-21 14:44 — AnnaBanana74

Thank you! Robin sent it to me, it's just been a mile-a-minute week and I haven't had time to compose a proper email to her. I'm hoping to write it tomorrow after work. Have a safe trip and give Mercades a nosetap from New York!

Fri, 2009-10-23 14:12 — isilwath

this family was rescued. Can someone do follow-up w/ Betsy to confirm??

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