Conference misery::feline_v1

    Did she try speaking to someone a little higher up on the food chain?
    
    Edd

    Well put, Edd....

    She ought to bring this to the attention of whoever runs the shelter,
    so it doesn't happen again in future.
    

    If you are refering to the Humane Society, this isn't the first time
    I've heard this about them.  Once a woman I used to work with brought
    a kitten from her cat's litter to the Humane Society.  It was the
    last of the litter and she couldn't find a home for it.  She left
    the kitten over night and realized she had made a mistake.  She
    went back the next morning and wanted to adopt her own kitten back
    but they wouldn't let her because she had a cat at home....this
    kitten's mother! 
                           
    

    The reason could be because the cats at home aren't spayed/neutered.
    This is a policy at the Humane Society here in California.  I don't
    know about the cats in the base note, but -.1 had a whole female
    at home who had had a litter of kittens.
    
    Jo

    
    
    How dreadfully sad that two healthy, lovable animals can be destroyed
    in this way when someone is willing to give them a good home!
    
    What strikes me is that, surely someone who is already a cat owner
    AND looking for another obviously  a) cares about animals and looks
    after them and  b) already knows the habits/demands/problems of
    having a cat and yet still really WANTS another one.
    
    Someone who goes to a shelter looking for a "cute little cuddly
    kitten to play with" yet has not bothered to find out about cats
    and does not understand them must surely be more of a threat to
    the Animal Shelter's cats in that they may find the animal too much
    trouble and not what they expected when they get it home.......the
    poor cat may end up back at the shelter even.
    
    I really feel for this lady and hope that she is happy in the knowledge
    that at least the cats she has now appreciate their loving home.
    
    SANDY (Dinky's Mum)
    Basingstoke.  

    
    
    Would you know Paty why they did not let her take the
    two cats?  My good sense hates to think that it was just a stupid
    hard and fast rule that they had that cheated these 2 cats out of
    life. Yes the Nashua Humane has been the center of controversy for
    quite a while.  But about 2 months ago they went through a MAJOR
    change that replaced their whole management staff.  It was so major
    that it made the front page of the local paper and got quite a few
    editorials.  Supposedly the new management was going to make adoptions
    easier and be there more for the welfare of the animals.  I have
    heard things that sounded like they were living up to it but now
    this.  Well I've been putting off calling and becoming a volunteer
    there so I guess now is the time to do it. Unbelievable....  :^(
    
                                                               Kim 

    
    
    	Re: .0
    
    That really ticks me off!!!
    
    Just had to say so...
    
    Karen

    Four years ago, I went to the Nashua Humane Society (among others)
    to get a dog.  I didn't like the looks of the place so went someplace
    else.  
    
    I guess my feelings were right about the place.
    
    To not let someone take two cats and give them a home and to destroy
    them instead is a crime in my eyes.
    
    Sandi
    
    

    I hate to question this note...I too feel terribly about the two
    little dear ones...But:
    
    Be careful of rumors.  The Humane Society in Burlington won't tell
    you if an animal is put to sleep or not.  I'm shocked to hear that another
    Humane Society would divulge such information.
    

    Re: .10
    
    What?  I don't understand.  What are they supposed to say, the cabbage
    fairy came and got it?
    

    Re: .5
    
    The mother cat, at that time, was at the vet's being spayed!
    
    This was about 2 years ago, however, and as .7 pointed out, there
    has been a change of management at the Humane Society recently.
    I do hope they have changed.
    

    For those of you who may be interested, I read in the telegraph
    that the Humane Society in Nashua is having Open House August 21st
    from 11:00AM to 4:00PM.  I am going to try to attend.  It's to meet
    the new management team.  Maybe then we can find out exactly what
    this rule is all about.
    
    Janet
    

    Nashua Humane Society
    Ferry Road
    Nashua, New Hampshire

    (603) 883-8512

    I also had a bad experience at the Nashua Humane Society two
    years ago.  A friend of mine from work (MKO1) was choosing a
    companion cat for her female and I went along on several visits. 

    I fell in love with a four-month old kitten, black with a white
    triangle on her chest.  I was shortly to pick up my new kitten
    from a friend, but told the people at the society that I would
    also take this little lover if they could not find a home for it.
    It was one of those super friendly kittens who let me carry her
    in my arms for an hour at a time -- purring the entire while.  I
    suggested that she would be a great choice for a family with
    young children. 

    They had my phone number at home and at work.  I went back for my
    third visit the next door at noon -- they had destroyed the
    kitten!  I has heart-sick.  They claimed it was diseased, but had
    not mentioned that to me my previous visits.  I called my vet to
    check on the seriousness of the disease (a respiratory infection
    -- the name escapes me now).  She said that my cats and I could
    have handled it with no problem. 

    P.S.  They adopt cats out based on the size of your home.  They
    would have let me take a kitten with one cat already at home
    because I had a large enough house.  You must bring your rental
    agreement or a copy of your mortgage in order to be allowed to
    adopt. This is to protect the cats from a bad home environment. 

    They must firmly believe in a kitty heaven since they practice
    death rather than adoption.  Sorry, I am flaming here, I didn't
    realize how upset I still am about this incident. 

				Julie

    Julie, I agree YOU SHOULD FLAME.  Sorry!  But I, too, have heard
    lots of stuff.  I made a couple of shopping trips over there
    and was certainly steeling myself against liking anything
    there because I knew that if I told them I had lots of
    babies already, they probably would say that I couldn't
    have had the one I picked out.  I, too went somewhere else.
    
    Now, on the other hand, I think that things may be changing
    or have changed.  Give them a chance, and see how the new
    management handles adoptions.

I've got a siamese cat that loves to spend his time outdoors ... we have
a catdoor, so he is out more than he is in these days.  He appears to be
losing weight over the past several months, his appetite seems to be
quite small.  Last night I noticed that the membranes on the lower half
of his eye remained half up all evening.  He looks terrible to me... I'm
wondering if he is ill?  He seems to be cranky and bites me alot lately too.
I've just called the vet in Concord to try to have him seen tonight or
tomorrow before I go away for a week's business trip.. and they couldn't
fit him into the schedule.  Does anyone know what his symptoms might be caused
by?  Anyone have anything similar happen to your pets?

I'll be in my office at TWO until 5 today, and would appreciate hearing from
anyone who might have an idea.... I'm at dtn 247-2203.

Feeling_frantic_for_Sambuka

Penny

    I would take him to the vet today.  Isn't there another vet around?
    

Sammy the siamese went to "The Cat Doctor" in Bedford this morning.  He saw
Dr. Carlson.  Tested negative for leukemia, thank goodness, and didn't exhibit
signs of a badly sick animal according to Dr.   Sammy's condition appears
a bit rundown... and so he is to stay indoors in his own room for a few days
to rest... and so I can get a stool sample, and he is to take antibiotics
for a week (IF we can get the pills into him!!!).

If after stool sample and more blood work is done Sammy doesn't improve then
we'll have to look at the possibility of behavioral issues... i.e. my recent
move in with my mother and her cat who recently had kittens (all of whom
Sammy appears to love dearly)... my being away for weeks at a time for my
job.... etc. etc.

That's the update.. thanks for those of you who phoned and/or expressed your
concern.

Penny

    So glad to hear Sammy is okay.  Please keep us uptodate on how he
    is doing.
    

    If anyone attends the open house in August, please let us know what
    you find out.  I was also under the impression that with the new
    management taking over that many of the old policies - bringing
    deeds to homes for one - would be changed.  I can see a note from
    a landlord giving permission to keep a pet is very important for
    the pet's sake.  If the landlord DID NOT give permission and pet
    was found out, when landlord gave choice of tenant or pet leaving
    - guess who'd go?
    
    I still don't understand why a present cat owner was turned down
    for adopting two cats destined to be destroyed.  Does the shelter
    sell any of their animals to labs?
    
    

    RE:  .20  CHALK::MURPHY
    
    I don't really agree that a note from the landlord should be required.
    I had Missy for nearly 17 years before I lived in my own place.  I 
    know for a _fact_ that there were many places that I lived where
    the landlord would _never_ given his OK to a cat in their property.
    I did, however, move out of a couple when the landlord would give
    me an ultimatum.  I even lived in a place where the super had around
    10 cats himself.  When I came to look at the place, and saw all
    his kittys I said "I'm so glad to see that cats are OK with you".
    He looked at me, winked and said "No cats allowed.  And if I ever
    _actually_see_ any cats around here, they'll have to go.  I have
    very strict orders from the managment".  Another place where I lived,
    they said "no pets", but I had seen cats in windows, so I took a
    chance.  That one worked for four years.  I'd hate to think that
    I could have been denied the company of my dear old friend Missy
    for all those years.  I think it all depends on the priorities of
    the pet owner.
    
    Marion
    

    
    
        Any new information or updates on this??
    
                                                             Kim

    
          Just thought I'd share this with the fellow noters as the
    good press should go along with the bad press :^).  When Pretty
    Boy got lost (and who is still lost see previous note) I called
    them right away in case he was trecking back home.  They were the
    sweetest ones I had talked to with all the calls I made and took
    a lost report over the phone and said they'd keep their eyes open.
    Well Saturday I did indeed get a phone call from them the moment
    a cat was brought in fitting the description from Hudson.
    Unfortunately he was beautiful but not our Pretty Boy :^(.
    I'm not sure of her name but I found her to be very very sweet and
    very compassionate.  She took us for a walk through where the cats
    are held.  Everything was clean and the cats looked VERY well taken
    care of.  From the way that she spoke I got the impression that
    she was in no hurry whatsoever to put any of them to sleep.  There
    was one cat in particular that me and my husband took a shine to
    right away and her comment was we've got to find this one a home.
    I got a good feeling when I was there and I usually trust my first
    intuition.  I would suggest strongly that anyone that has any
    reservations attend their open house.  I have no idea what their
    policies are at all.  But I'll be finding out soon.....
    
                                                                Kim

    Last week, while Girl and I were at the vets, we walked over to
    the Humane Society (which is in the same building as our vet). 
    When she first arrived on my door step, I called them to place a
    'found kitty' report and found them to be concerned, helpful, and
    most of all caring.  During our little visit, they checked the books
    again to make sure there wasn't a report that had been overlooked
    (there wasn't), and much to my surprise, they offered me assistance
    with cat food and litter.  I explained that I already had two at
    home and one more wouldn't really make that much difference to me,
    and the offer was repeated.  The person I spoke to said that I
    shouldn't hesitate to come to them once the little ones arrive if
    I needed any help whatsoever.  I left in total surprise.....
    
    Mary