While we normally concentrate on large animal rescue, occasionally a little sweetie crosses our path and we have to respond. One of our Humane Agents received a call about an emaciated kitten - the caller was worried she wouldnt survive the waiting list to receive help at the local shelter. While we dont normally handle small animal calls, its sometime too difficult to be one of those agencies that refers people on or puts them in an endless queue of missed calls and waiting lists. Sometimes its better just get in the car and to see if it really is urgent. Our Humane Agent thought shed take a look, and see if it was necessary to try to speed up the process of getting the kitten in to a shelter. When she located the kitten, she found a full grown cat, so bone thin and frail she had been mistaken for a kitten. This cat had been cruelly neglected, and was starving to death in the neighborhood in which shed been abandoned, in plain sight of all. Yet the Kitten that turned out to be A Cat greeted our Agent with purrs and head rubs, and followed her down the city street as a dog would, eager to have human companionship. We could have said we dont rescue cats, because frankly, we dont. We could have said wait until the other agencies have space. We could have said call the police, this is a neglect case. But sometimes you just have to say yes, sometimes you have to just do it, and make it happen. What we did was put her in a borrowed cat carrier and bring her to the vet for emergency treatment. We could have said this isnt in our budget. Because frankly, it isnt. That budget is ink on a paper. And that day the Humane Agent was supposed to be doing a grant application for the rescue, which didnt get done. Because as many days do, that day got waylaid by a feeling, suffering being, full of affection for the species that abandoned her. Wed find the money, or our Humane Agent would pay herself, or the vet would look kindly upon our efforts and give us a break. But we werent leaving the Kitten that turned out to be a Cat on the streets one night longer to try and hang on to what little strength she had left. That was a week ago Friday. Today, the Kitten that turned out to be a Cat is named Myrtle. She had emergency vet care, was stabilized, and she is in a foster-to-adopt home recuperating, gaining weight and regaining strength. Thank you to our kind friends at the Cat Spay Neuter Clinic, you ladies rock! In order to run a responsible rescue, we often have to say no more than we say yes, and its very hard. But sometimes, you have to just say yes; sometimes you have to realize all rules and procedures have exceptions, sometimes you have to put yourself out there and know that a budget is just ink on a page. Our cruelty response is volunteer work, our team members arent compensated, and our budget for cruelty work, well, honestly we dont have one. We are not a wealthy rescue that runs off an endowment, we dont have one. We just do it. Sometimes our Humane Agents would rather just pay themselves rather than take from the farm budget. Sometimes this work is very hard, and honestly, the well wishes that we receive from you on this page mean so much; it keeps us going and we know that you understand and appreciate us, as we appreciate you. If you want to help, please donate, its been a slow year for donations and we want to keep being able to say yes to critical cases- springhillrescue/donate.html
Posted on: Thu, 31 Jul 2014 16:34:15 +0000
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