You've all seen them - the posts on Facebook that proclaim the right to say Merry Christmas. The same posts that say that we're not allowed to say Merry Christmas anymore, but have to instead say Happy Holidays. The outrage!
Oh please. There is no one stopping you from saying Merry Christmas if you want, and no one that will judge you for doing so. Get over yourself!
If you want to put Christ back in Christmas, great! Do it! Instead of celebrating what began as a pagan holiday anyway to celebrate the winter solstice, give to your church. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on gifts for your kids, buy blankets and coats and distribute them to the homeless living on the streets. Instead of spending hours in the kitchen cooking that turkey, spend the day volunteering at a woman's crisis shelter.
THAT's what Christ would do, not proclaim in angry memes that he's not allowed to say Merry Christmas in this politically correct world. And by the way, Christ was Jewish. So Happy Hannukah.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Cats and Kids Don’t Always Mix
You see that cute little kitten at the shelter and can't resist. Visions of Kitty growing up with your kids dance in your head, and look forward to years and years of playtime and cuddles.
And then reality hits. Your two year old can't resist grabbing the kitten by the tail. Your four year old gets scratched or even bit because they just wanted to pet Kitty's tummy. Your ten year old that promised to take care of Kitty every day leaves the litterbox until it's overflowing, and you end up feeding the cat instead.
Kitty isn't so cute and playful anymore. Kitty has started destroying the furniture and peeing in the bed. So you return the cat to the shelter thinking that you got a bad deal.
That's the nightmare scenario, and unfortunately, it happens all too often at The Marshmallow Foundation. You can't say we didn't warn you, and try to teach you how to introduce Kitty to your kiddo and to the other pets successfully. We told you to put Kitty in a small room by herself for a few days to let her decompress, and to slowly introduce her to the family over a two week period. We told you how to work with your child to respect Kitty and how to recognize when she's had enough.
The problem isn't Kitty. It's you. Yes, look in the mirror and see who is responsible for this mess. Having a pet is a great teaching moment for your kids. You can teach them respect for all living creatures, and teach them responsibility. But it doesn't happen just by plopping Kitty in the living room and walking away. You need to invest some intense time with Kitty and your kiddo to be successful. You need to teach that two year old that pulling an animal's tail is not alright. If you do it right, you will achieve your vision of a lifetime of cuddles and unconditional love. If you do it wrong, we have to try once again to find a home for Kitty, and this time it's a lot harder because Kitty has "behavioral issues".
So please don't adopt an animal unless you're willing to be a parent first. Your kids learn the important stuff at home, like how to be kind. How to show compassion. Respect. Be the parent you're meant to be.
And then reality hits. Your two year old can't resist grabbing the kitten by the tail. Your four year old gets scratched or even bit because they just wanted to pet Kitty's tummy. Your ten year old that promised to take care of Kitty every day leaves the litterbox until it's overflowing, and you end up feeding the cat instead.
Kitty isn't so cute and playful anymore. Kitty has started destroying the furniture and peeing in the bed. So you return the cat to the shelter thinking that you got a bad deal.
That's the nightmare scenario, and unfortunately, it happens all too often at The Marshmallow Foundation. You can't say we didn't warn you, and try to teach you how to introduce Kitty to your kiddo and to the other pets successfully. We told you to put Kitty in a small room by herself for a few days to let her decompress, and to slowly introduce her to the family over a two week period. We told you how to work with your child to respect Kitty and how to recognize when she's had enough.
The problem isn't Kitty. It's you. Yes, look in the mirror and see who is responsible for this mess. Having a pet is a great teaching moment for your kids. You can teach them respect for all living creatures, and teach them responsibility. But it doesn't happen just by plopping Kitty in the living room and walking away. You need to invest some intense time with Kitty and your kiddo to be successful. You need to teach that two year old that pulling an animal's tail is not alright. If you do it right, you will achieve your vision of a lifetime of cuddles and unconditional love. If you do it wrong, we have to try once again to find a home for Kitty, and this time it's a lot harder because Kitty has "behavioral issues".
So please don't adopt an animal unless you're willing to be a parent first. Your kids learn the important stuff at home, like how to be kind. How to show compassion. Respect. Be the parent you're meant to be.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
A Day in the Life of a Pound Dog
The Marshmallow Foundation is, in addition to being an animal shelter, a city pound. What's the difference, you ask?
While both take in homeless dogs and cats, a pound is compelled to take those animals when brought in by city or county officials. They pay a small amount for the services we offer. Here's one example of a dog that was brought in this week.
6:30 pm - a dog is brought in as a stray. The dog is logged into the system and assigned a unique ID and a name.
6:35 pm - the dog is scanned for a microchip; a valuable tool in finding its owner, but only if it was registered. Most animals going through the pound/shelter system to be adopted out are microchipped, and the new owner is given the information on how to register. Sadly, most owners never get around to it. In this case, the dog has a microchip, and is registered to a shelter in Northwest Minnesota.
6:55 pm - the one and only employee working at night sends a Facebook group message to other kennel staff and volunteers, along with a picture of the dog and details about where the dog was found.
7:00 pm - the microchip info is sent to a volunteer who happens to live in the Northwest Minnesota area, and she immediately reaches out to the shelter where the chip is registered.
8:03 pm - the shelter in Northwest Minnesota confirms that this was their dog...adopted out in 2010. The immediately attempt to contact the owner.
8:13 pm - the owner is found! She had just moved to the Detroit Lakes area and didn't know that we were the city pound. She'd been posting lost dog notices on Facebook rummage sale sites to no avail. She tells us that she will be in first thing in the morning with proof of vaccination and license for the dog.
This story had a happy ending; I wish that they all did. Sadly, imagine if the dog had not been microchipped and sat in our pound in quarantine for a week or 10 days. The owner, who couldn't afford veterinary care for their animal, never got them spayed/neutered, nor did they think they needed rabies shots. So we, as a representative of the city we service, must take the dog to the Vet for its rabies shot before we can legally release the animal. Even if we can get an appointment with short notice, that's an extra day in the shelter. There's a $20 boarding charge per day, which barely covers the cost of keeping the dog. And depending on what city brought him in, there could be a fine assessed by the city that we must collect in addition to a license.
So now, with charges over $200, the owner says that they can't afford to get their dog. They go on Facebook, including public group sites and say that we are holding his dog hostage for the money. They claim that no effort was made to find them right away. Sometimes they even threaten legal action.
Being able to afford an animal doesn't just mean buying them dog food, just as owning a car doesn't just mean being able to afford the gas. The workers and volunteers at The Marshmallow Foundation really care about your animal, and really, really, want it to find a good home. That Facebook group message chat chimes all day, every day, sometimes until late into the night.
So please, spay or neuter your pets, microchip them even if you think they'll never run away, and register that microchip. We'd all cheer for just one day where Facebook remained silent.
While both take in homeless dogs and cats, a pound is compelled to take those animals when brought in by city or county officials. They pay a small amount for the services we offer. Here's one example of a dog that was brought in this week.
6:30 pm - a dog is brought in as a stray. The dog is logged into the system and assigned a unique ID and a name.
6:35 pm - the dog is scanned for a microchip; a valuable tool in finding its owner, but only if it was registered. Most animals going through the pound/shelter system to be adopted out are microchipped, and the new owner is given the information on how to register. Sadly, most owners never get around to it. In this case, the dog has a microchip, and is registered to a shelter in Northwest Minnesota.
6:55 pm - the one and only employee working at night sends a Facebook group message to other kennel staff and volunteers, along with a picture of the dog and details about where the dog was found.
7:00 pm - the microchip info is sent to a volunteer who happens to live in the Northwest Minnesota area, and she immediately reaches out to the shelter where the chip is registered.
8:03 pm - the shelter in Northwest Minnesota confirms that this was their dog...adopted out in 2010. The immediately attempt to contact the owner.
8:13 pm - the owner is found! She had just moved to the Detroit Lakes area and didn't know that we were the city pound. She'd been posting lost dog notices on Facebook rummage sale sites to no avail. She tells us that she will be in first thing in the morning with proof of vaccination and license for the dog.
This story had a happy ending; I wish that they all did. Sadly, imagine if the dog had not been microchipped and sat in our pound in quarantine for a week or 10 days. The owner, who couldn't afford veterinary care for their animal, never got them spayed/neutered, nor did they think they needed rabies shots. So we, as a representative of the city we service, must take the dog to the Vet for its rabies shot before we can legally release the animal. Even if we can get an appointment with short notice, that's an extra day in the shelter. There's a $20 boarding charge per day, which barely covers the cost of keeping the dog. And depending on what city brought him in, there could be a fine assessed by the city that we must collect in addition to a license.
So now, with charges over $200, the owner says that they can't afford to get their dog. They go on Facebook, including public group sites and say that we are holding his dog hostage for the money. They claim that no effort was made to find them right away. Sometimes they even threaten legal action.
Being able to afford an animal doesn't just mean buying them dog food, just as owning a car doesn't just mean being able to afford the gas. The workers and volunteers at The Marshmallow Foundation really care about your animal, and really, really, want it to find a good home. That Facebook group message chat chimes all day, every day, sometimes until late into the night.
So please, spay or neuter your pets, microchip them even if you think they'll never run away, and register that microchip. We'd all cheer for just one day where Facebook remained silent.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Pippi’s Miracle
Pippi is a cat that was brought to The Marshmallow Foundation in late August in really bad shape. She was painfully skinny, and the shelter suspected that she had been hit by a car. Knowing that the shelter doesn't have the funds for expensive emergency treatment, we reached out to Cat's Cradle, a rescue and shelter in Fargo. They immediately got her to the emergency vet, who confirmed that indeed, Pippi had likely been hit by a car. Her hip and leg was severely broken, and it was doubtful that the hip fracture could be fixed.
As with all street cats brought in, Pippi was checked to make sure she was pregnant. The Vet said that she wasn't, which was a good thing, since she'd never be able to deliver with her injuries.
So Pippi was brought in for surgery, and her leg was repaired. Her hip was already healing, so it was decided to leave it as it was. Pippi was sent to a foster home to recuperate, and passed her two week post-op check with flying colors.
And then, a month after her accident, she was brought back to the emergency Vet, who discovered a full term, live kitten inside her. How that kitten survived the trauma of the accident, surgery, and X-Rays is a wonder. An emergency C-section was done, after which the kitten had to be resuscitated. But the kitten made it!
That's a miracle in itself, but it doesn't end there. A few days after Pippi gave birth, two orphaned kittens the same age as Pippi's kitten were brought in. Pippi has now become the adopted mother of two more kittens, and the entire family is doing well.
Money was raised for the orthopedic surgery, but the emergency C-section cost Cat's Cradle another $2000. If you'd like to help with Pippi's care, donations can be made here.
As with all street cats brought in, Pippi was checked to make sure she was pregnant. The Vet said that she wasn't, which was a good thing, since she'd never be able to deliver with her injuries.
So Pippi was brought in for surgery, and her leg was repaired. Her hip was already healing, so it was decided to leave it as it was. Pippi was sent to a foster home to recuperate, and passed her two week post-op check with flying colors.
And then, a month after her accident, she was brought back to the emergency Vet, who discovered a full term, live kitten inside her. How that kitten survived the trauma of the accident, surgery, and X-Rays is a wonder. An emergency C-section was done, after which the kitten had to be resuscitated. But the kitten made it!
That's a miracle in itself, but it doesn't end there. A few days after Pippi gave birth, two orphaned kittens the same age as Pippi's kitten were brought in. Pippi has now become the adopted mother of two more kittens, and the entire family is doing well.
Money was raised for the orthopedic surgery, but the emergency C-section cost Cat's Cradle another $2000. If you'd like to help with Pippi's care, donations can be made here.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
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.
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.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
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:
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.
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.
Friday, September 16, 2016
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.
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.
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