Trap Neuter Release (TNR)

If you watch My Cat From Hell, you've probably seen Jackson Galaxy rave about the local programs that will trap feral cats, neuter them, and then release them.  It's a great idea, and more communities should participate to help control the feral cat population.

Because if a cat is truly feral, it has little chance of ever becoming someone's pet.  Let me say that again - these cats cannot be socialized and adopted out to loving families.  Instead, they end up in a shelter like The Marshmallow Foundation, and after giving it our best try, are euthanized.  Before you express your shock and horror that we are not a "no-kill" shelter, but instead a "low-kill" shelter, let me give you some facts.

There is no sponsored TNR program in the Detroit Lakes area.  There are no Veterinary practices willing to donate their time, and no organization that has set up the funds to make a TNR program viable.  And yet, citizens, thinking that they are acting in the best interest of the cat, will trap them and bring them to us with a self-satisfied look on their face that says, "I did my part".  Well sorry buddy, but all you did was make it our problem now.

So if you spot a feral cat in your neighborhood, what should you do?  Well, that depends.  Can you afford to have that animal neutered and brought up to date on their shots?  Yes?  Whoo hoo!  Then do it - trap them, neuter them, and release them, and bang, you've got your own TNR program.  If you can't afford to do it yourself, please don't think that your local shelter can either; we're busting at the seams already with cats we can't find homes for.

If you want middle ground, set up a recurring monthly donation to the shelter of your choice.  It doesn't have to be much, but it sure will help.

 

Lifetime Commitment

Before you adopt that adorable, fuzzy, little ball of energy from the shelter, you need to ask yourself one question first.

Are you willing to take care of this living creature for the rest of their life?

If not, please, please, don't adopt.  Get a fish.  Or better yet, buy a plant.  Preferable an artificial one.

Volunteering at The Marshmallow Foundation, I get to witness first hand so many wonderful success stories of our animals going to loving homes.  And I also experience the heartbreak of an owner surrender.

Yes, there are those elderly folks that get moved into nursing homes and their family is unwilling to take care of Fido or Fluffy.  I'm not talking about those; I'm talking about the ones that bring an animal back they adopted 24, 48, or 72 hours before from us.  In the last couple of months, here's what I've experienced:

• I'm bringing this cat back after having her less than 24 hours because she wanted to sleep with me and I couldn't sleep all night.  She was too affectionate.  And I want my money back.


• This cat fights with my other cat too much.  Did I separate them for up to two weeks to ensure a successful acclimation?  No, why would I?  Yes, I know you told me to.  Come get her.  I live two hours away and I'm too lazy to bring her back myself.


• This dog that you just spayed that I adopted yesterday has a break in her stitches.  You didn't tell me that I'd have to pay for medical care.  You can have her back, but when you fix her all up and can guarantee that she's healthy and won't ever have an issue again, I'd like to re-adopt her.  Oh, and I want my money back.


• I found this dog, and really like her and want to keep her, but she has some sort of skin issue, so you can have her.  (It was mange, and very cheap to treat).

A kitten can live more than 20 years.  And a dog more than 15.  Are you prepared to spend thousands of dollars for an unexpected injury or illness?  Can you afford the healthy food that will extend the animal's life?  Are you ready for old age, when incontinence can become an issue?  And finally, will you be prepared to hold that animal in your arms as they take their last breath on this earth?  If you answer no to any of these questions, please don't adopt.  My fellow volunteers and shelter workers thank you.

Getting Your Facts From Facebook Memes

I think I finally get it.  The otherwise lovely, sane, reasonable people who rabidly follow Trump get their facts straight from Facebook.  It's really the only explanation.  I see the memes - the ones that claim that President Obama is a Muslim, was born in Kenya, compared to a monkey.  Or the "news" stories on sites that claim to be reporting real news, but instead are slanted one way or the other.

When I posted something from FactCheck.org once (a legimate, non-biased site), my FB friend sent me an article claiming something different.  Rather than just accepting it, I checked it out.  Turns out the site was a DATING SITE!

So this is where you're getting your news from?  I get it; if you have certain beliefs, you're not going to alter those beliefs.  I'm not going to try and change your mind, even when I disagree with you.  But for Pete's sake, do some research on the candidates, one of which will be the leader of the free world.

Trump finally admitted today that Obama was born in the USA.  No apology for dragging the entire nation through the mud with him for the last 5 years; instead he tried to take credit for finishing what Hillary Clinton started.  If he says that often enough, people believe it.  The fact is that Clinton never said such a thing.  Ever.

So go ahead and believe in conservative principles.  But don't try and explain away the fact that you support this clown.