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Visiting the Humane Society


robert
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I was online last night chatting with someone from Myspace who is an animal lover. She said she makes weekly visits to the humane society in her city and spends time with the animals. She only lives 20 minutes away from me so I am going to join her one of these days very soon.

 

I know it will be sad to see the animals without homes and stuck in cages waiting for someone to take them, but I will feel good about spending time with them. It will be hard to see them, knowing I can't help them by getting them out of there and providing a home for them. It will be sad to pet them, talk to them, and then have to leave not bringing them with me, but I think it will be a positive experience for both of us, me and the animals. Weekly visits from vegan friends are better than no visits and sitting in a cage right? I know they get walked by the staff members and played with, but I think they could use another friend until they find a home.

 

Does anyone else do this? What has your experience been? Was it too hard, too sad?

 

I'm interested to know.

 

I look forward to it.

 

-Rob

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never been to humane society. but i worked at a vet once and i felt soo sad for all the animals left in cages and stuff. i would take them out and give them extra play time, and attention and stuff.

 

the other day at the mall, there was a pet store, and i walked inside it. i was completely upset at how ppl can keep animals locked up , and on display, and then sell them. seems like slavery to me...

its absolutely wrong...making a profit on lives....

 

 

when im in the position to do so, i am gonna adopt animals from the humane society and take care of them. they will be free to roam and do as they wish in their natural environment, and are allowed to come indoors and out as they please.

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I volunteer at my local shelter from 1-3 days a week (depending on my schedule). The shelter is nice, as the cats are in "rooms" and not cages (an adult room, an adolescent room, and a kitten room). I spend most of my time in the adult room, brushing the cats, trimming their nails (and encouraging people to do so instead of automatically wanting to have them declawed--I HATE THAT!), socializing them, keeping an eye on health problems that the very-busy workers might miss, getting to know the cats' personalities so I can match them with people looking for companions (and trying to get them to adopt 2 instead of 1 if they seem open to it!).

 

I first started going when one of my cats (the cat love of my life ) was ailing from chronic renal failure. Seeing so many cats who didn't have homes helped me to deal with his inevitable passing.

 

A few weeks after I started volunteering, three cats in the adult room were euthanized to make room for new cats (they try to keep them as long as they can once they make the rooms). That made me very upset, because I was just starting to socialize them, and two of them were only 2 years old---brothers who had been brought in when their elderly owner died.

 

I felt so bad, I didn't want to go back, but then I thought of all the good I could do, and the happiness I could help bring the ones that are there.

 

Is it tough....well, I now have 5 cats, the latest of whom was on the "to be euthanized" list because they were afraid he wouldn't find a home (because of extreme "scaredy-cattedness") because he didn't want to be around people who came in (except me!).

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the other day at the mall, there was a pet store, and i walked inside it. i was completely upset at how ppl can keep animals locked up , and on display, and then sell them. seems like slavery to me...

its absolutely wrong...making a profit on lives....

 

Don't get me started!

 

I absolutely hate pet stores that "sell" animals (animal toys and accessories, fine). There was one on the main street of Madison, Wisconsin, where I was a grad student. I would sometimes see cats pacing back and forth (an abyssinian was junmping in and out of the cat pan, with wide, carzy-looking eyes...I've heard they can easily go stir crazy). And once, I saw a puppy who had gotten a paw all twisted up in the shredded paper they used for bedding. I told the owner (I think) about it, and he went over, PRETENDED to cut the paper away, and put the puppy back in the cage with the paper still wrapped around his paw!!

 

I also hate to think of what happens when an animal isn't sold. From the store owner's attitude, I can't imagine that they are treated very humanely.

 

And I cringe when someone says they "bought" a pet! An animal isn't a sofa or a lamp. You may have paid money, but you are "adopting" a living being.

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In reply to your first post........

 

oh, that is so sweet! You are awesome! My eyes are actually getting wattery.

 

That is really awesome that you spend so much time there! And I'm sorry to hear about the ones that were put down and sorry to hear about the love of your life cat.

 

Thanks for the information, I really don't know much about it at all, I just want to go and spend time with them. I'm starting to play with Megan's cats more and my mom's animal friends back at her house.

 

Sometimes I spend too much time in front of the computer when I could be out there doing other things like that. I'll balance things out soon.

 

Thanks for sharing and it makes me happy to know that you are spending time with animals, and saving animals that may not have too many friends.

 

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Ha!! We are going to the Humane Society tomorrow night to pick out a pup-dog! I am sooooooo excited!

 

Our beautiful dog, Zak, died about 2 years ago at 14. At that time Bad Charlie (the handsome cat in my avatar) was in his 20's & we didn't think it was fair to bring a puppy or a new dog into the household at that time. Now that Bad Charlie is gone, it is time for a dog again.

 

My local shelter has a wonderful online album of adoptable pets. It is heartbreaking to see how many beautiful animals are available. They actually do a very good job of adopting pets, but I'm sure there are many who don't make it.

 

We both really like puppies, but my heart goes out to the older guys knowing they are less likely to get adopted. Sooooo, we decided to get an older dog first, acclimate him to our house, the two cats & all that stuff. Later, when he is confident he won't be 'returned' & he knows he's part of our family, we will look for a puppy. There is also a local puppy shelter in my area. They specifically advertise to the rural areas where many do not neuter their pets & end up with unwanted litters.

 

I have a really cute guy picked out from the online album & a couple of others that I think would be a good fit, but we'll just have to see when we get there.

 

I want so bad to cancel my plans for this evening & go tonight!!!

 

 

Robert, you are very kind to give these wonderful creatures your time! There will be times when it will be sad & heart breaking, but I'm sure overall it will be a very rewarding experience & you know all the critters will love to see you!!

 

You rock!

 

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This sounds great! I must be really excited for the new addition to the family!

 

I'm sorry to hear about Zak and Bad Charlie. I know what it is like to lose close animal friends (growing up on a farm, I had to get used to it).

 

We also have great online albums and my mom looks at them from time to time. It makes me sad, but makes me happy when we can adopt one or visit with them.

 

Your plan of getting the older dog first sounds great! You are awesome!

 

Please post photos in the photo section soon!

 

-Rob

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kathryn, similar to what Rob said, i got chills reading your post. thanks so much for what you do. you're very strong, i don't know if i could do that. very cool about the decision you made to go back after the 2 were euthanized.

 

and, cheers to you, Rob.

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I find going to shelters extremely difficult. I end up blubbering, literally, crying to the point I cannot disguise it. I don't mean just watery eyes -- I mean crying.

 

Only time I go in is to adopt. I wish I could hold myself together, because this is a worthwhile activity.

I'm definitely selfish for not being able to do this; I view it as total weakness and unacceptable on my part. I'm working on it.

 

I say do it, robert, and as an added benefit, it may relieve some stress or perhaps take your mind off of things while you play with some animals.

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