Animal Planet

[Noahs ARK]

Update on my new kitten, Willow.

She's adjusted to our home and the other animals faster than any rescue I've ever had. Oh - she's the queen. She prances and shows off for anyone who cares to watch.

Her best friend is Sammie. He goes where she goes. When she sleeps, he sleeps. When she eats, he eats. He's exhausted from trying to keep up with her. :tonguewag:

She has the run of the house now. She owns all of us. :wub:

[5boxersmom]

Noah I am so glad to hear Willow and Sammie love each other. How many cats do you have now?


Click for the animals everyone. Heck I click everything over there a few times a day. :biggrin:

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

[Noahs ARK]

Noah I am so glad to hear Willow and Sammie love each other. How many cats do you have now?

Those 2 are gonna be trouble. When I see them playing together, I think of your two that ripped off your wallpaper. :scared:

We now have 7 dogs, 11 cats, 2 white doves.....and a partridge in a pear tree. :tonguewag:

[5boxersmom]

Those 2 are gonna be trouble. When I see them playing together, I think of your two that ripped off your wallpaper. :scared:

We now have 7 dogs, 11 cats, 2 white doves.....and a partridge in a pear tree. :tonguewag:

Oh yes the wallpaper incident. I had blocked that from my mind. LOL

They sound like trouble. :lol:

[Mr. Moto2]

Noah, any pics or vids of Willow you can post? I always get a kick out of kittens.

[Noahs ARK]

Noah, any pics or vids of Willow you can post? I always get a kick out of kittens.

I'm taking lots of pictures and eventually I'll post them - when I can figure out HOW. :crying:

She's a pistol. She was the runt of the litter and rather pathetic. But she's blossoming. Did I mention she loves being the center of attention? :rolleyes:

[Patriot]

Update on my new kitten, Willow.

She's adjusted to our home and the other animals faster than any rescue I've ever had. Oh - she's the queen. She prances and shows off for anyone who cares to watch.

Her best friend is Sammie. He goes where she goes. When she sleeps, he sleeps. When she eats, he eats. He's exhausted from trying to keep up with her. :tonguewag:

She has the run of the house now. She owns all of us. :wub:


She sounds adorable. We have a new kitten too. Her mom was killed on the road when she was 3 weeks old and a local farmer's son was hand raising the litter. We got our kitten when she was 4 1/2 weeks old. I'm a dog person and don't have much experience with cats, so maybe I don't get it, but this cat is pyscho, lol. She has two modes - sleep and play. She will stalks and attacks immoble objects. She all of a sudden takes off and boings off of furniture like the devil is chasing her. She hates feet and attacks them constantly. Then, she drops and sleeps for a bit, and wakes up instantly on the attack again. She does this weird thing - hunches her back up and bounces on all fours like she is possessed. She is my daughter's kitten, but my daughter often sleeps over at friend's houses and then I have to sleep with the kitten. Oy vey, she doesn't get that dark means sleep time. I'll be half asleep and she'll attack my face and scare the bejeebus out of me.

Sorry - didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm glad you are enjoying yours. :smile:

[Noahs ARK]

She's sounds like a great kitty. Could she have some Maine Coon in her?

I don't know. Her brothers and sisters were gray and she's solid white. She's affectionate and sassy. Oh - she has Mr. Noah wrapped around her little paw. Rides around with him in his motorized wheelchair - like she's a Princess. :tonguewag:

[Noahs ARK]

*snip*

Sorry - didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm glad you are enjoying yours. :smile:

You're not hijacking my thread - this thread is for all of us! :wub:

Yep - sounds like a kitten! Willow is doing the same exact thing your kitten is doing. I LOVE when they arch their back like a Halloween Kitten and stalk you from across the room.

She'll be walking across the room and all of a sudden she jumps up in the air and then takes off running from some invisible predator. :tonguewag:

Bless you for rescuing that little one!!

[daniel green]

We are still fostering our little kitty. She is now 2 1/2 lbs and a total sweetie. She is going to be a true lap cat.

Will have to take a new pic and post it for you all.

[daniel green]

snipped She does this weird thing - hunches her back up and bounces on all fours like she is possessed. :

That's exactly what our foster kitty does!

We rescued a little kitten almost 3 yrs ago from my daughter's school yard. And we, like you, had absolutely NO experience with cats. None. I had no idea what Miguel, which is what we named him, was doing when he was hissing at the dogs.

He is now a huge cat and we love him to pieces and have learned all about cats from him. Oh, and he is the most beautiful cat in the world!

[Patriot]

You're not hijacking my thread - this thread is for all of us! :wub:

Yep - sounds like a kitten! Willow is doing the same exact thing your kitten is doing. I LOVE when they arch their back like a Halloween Kitten and stalk you from across the room.

She'll be walking across the room and all of a sudden she jumps up in the air and then takes off running from some invisible predator. :tonguewag:

Bless you for rescuing that little one!!

Well, thank goodness she is normal. I was so worried she had mental issues from being abandoned when she was so little, lol. She is now 7 weeks old. She is snow white with the most beautiful (although possessed, lol) sea blue eyes. She is very trying, but she cracks us up.

The one thing that is really great about her is that we didn't have to train her in bathroom habits at all. Even though she was only 4 1/2 weeks when we got her, and we had to "stimulate" her at first (the farmer showed us that one and my daughter was mortified, lol) she took right to her litter box and has always used it.

She's been to the vet for her shots. The vet told us that 9 months is when we need to get the spaying done. I asked about declawing and he said that has to be done at 3 months because it's really hard on them - and then proceeded to tell us that he actually takes off the first knuckle. Holy cow. My daughter was in tears. But there is no way I'm going to have a cat clawing things up and my husband wouldn't go for that either. Right now, she uses her claws to pull herself up on the furniture because she's too little to jump, but it doesn't seem to be doing any damage and it's not the same as that clawing thing they do when they are older. I guess I'm asking - what do you think about declawing?

[Noahs ARK]

We are still fostering our little kitty. She is now 2 1/2 lbs and a total sweetie. She is going to be a true lap cat.

Will have to take a new pic and post it for you all.

I'd love to see pics!!

When you say "fostering", are you going to eventually let somebody adopt your little kitty?

I fostered kittens for awhile back in Chicago, but found it too difficult to give them up. :sad:

[Noahs ARK]

Well, thank goodness she is normal. I was so worried she had mental issues from being abandoned when she was so little, lol. *snip*

No - she's normal. She's also the same age as Willow, so I know exactly what you're going thru. If she disappears for even one moment, I'm convinced she's trapped somewhere. :scared:

Willow is solid white with 1 green eye and 1 blue eye.

Oh boy...I'm gonna really get beat up from other posters about my opinion about declawing, but here goes.....

ALL of my cats are front declawed. It's a rule in our house. For years I didn't declaw my cats, but I won't tolerate the damage. We spent a fortune on scratch toys, but they always seemed to like our wicker furniture, couch, rugs, etc.

So...if they want to live in my house, they get front declawed when they get fixed

ETA ~ you may want to buy some of those claw tips that fit over her claws. I have too many cats (11) to do that, but it's an option if you think declawing is cruel.

[Patriot]

No - she's normal. She's also the same age as Willow, so I know exactly what you're going thru. If she disappears for even one moment, I'm convinced she's trapped somewhere. :scared:

Willow is solid white with 1 green eye and 1 blue eye.

Oh boy...I'm gonna really get beat up from other posters about my opinion about declawing, but here goes.....

ALL of my cats are front declawed. It's a rule in our house. For years I didn't declaw my cats, but I won't tolerate the damage. We spent a fortune on scratch toys, but they always seemed to like our wicker furniture, couch, rugs, etc.

So...if they want to live in my house, they get front declawed when they get fixed

ETA ~ you may want to buy some of those claw tips that fit over her claws. I have too many cats (11) to do that, but it's an option if you think declawing is cruel.


Ok, thanks. It did sound like a rough procedure but he said that that is why he does it at the early age - less traumatic for them. Now I just have to convince my daughter that she'll be fine. :mellow:

[Noahs ARK]

Ok, thanks. It did sound like a rough procedure but he said that that is why he does it at the early age - less traumatic for them. Now I just have to convince my daughter that she'll be fine. :mellow:

She'll be okay. They're miserable for a couple of days, but adjust quickly. You'd never know my cats are declawed. They still scratch and think they have claws.

[sunstar]

No - she's normal. She's also the same age as Willow, so I know exactly what you're going thru. If she disappears for even one moment, I'm convinced she's trapped somewhere. :scared:

Willow is solid white with 1 green eye and 1 blue eye.

Oh boy...I'm gonna really get beat up from other posters about my opinion about declawing, but here goes.....

ALL of my cats are front declawed. It's a rule in our house. For years I didn't declaw my cats, but I won't tolerate the damage. We spent a fortune on scratch toys, but they always seemed to like our wicker furniture, couch, rugs, etc.

So...if they want to live in my house, they get front declawed when they get fixed

ETA ~ you may want to buy some of those claw tips that fit over her claws. I have too many cats (11) to do that, but it's an option if you think declawing is cruel.
My first generation of cats (who were all born in the '80s and have now passed on to the Rainbow Bridge) were declawed but the three I now have indoors still have their nails and I just trim them. The only damage they've done to the carpet is running up and down the stairs and we have metal vertical blinds on the windows so no problem with drapes. I've seen the claw tips advertised but haven't felt the need to get any! :smile:


I'm so happy Willow has found a wonderful home! :wub:

[Patriot]

My first generation of cats (who were all born in the '80s and have now passed on to the Rainbow Bridge) were declawed but the three I now have indoors still have their nails and I just trim them. The only damage they've done to the carpet is running up and down the stairs and we have metal vertical blinds on the windows so no problem with drapes. I've seen the claw tips advertised but haven't felt the need to get any! :smile:


I'm so happy Willow has found a wonderful home! :wub:

If my daughter throws enough of a hissy not to have this one declawed, I may have to contact you for tips on trimming. How on earth I would ever get this kitten to sit still and stay out of play mode long enough to trim her nails is beyond me, lol.

[ABC]

I inherited a Birman from my youngest son. She came declawed in the front and fixed. The Birman Society does not want any old smock breading these cats. She is beautiful and great when she has her round eyes on but can be a little devilish with her slit eyes. Her eyes can be red or blue, depending on the light. She does not like blonds. That is how I got her. Son's wife is blond and the cat kept pooping on the bed to show her distain. She has been good here in the last five years but a friend who is blond took her to her house when I was on vacation for a few days and she kept pooping on the sofa. She is not welcome at either house now but does fine here.

[5boxersmom]

She'll be okay. They're miserable for a couple of days, but adjust quickly. You'd never know my cats are declawed. They still scratch and think they have claws.

They do heal fast don't they? My son and DIL took one of my barn kittens and they had her declawed when they got her spayed. She was fine after a few days. If I ever have another house cat/cats I think I will get the declawed also.

[sunstar]

If my daughter throws enough of a hissy not to have this one declawed, I may have to contact you for tips on trimming. How on earth I would ever get this kitten to sit still and stay out of play mode long enough to trim her nails is beyond me, lol.

All mine are female, two black & a tabby so they're pretty mellow, but I sit them on my lap (with their back to me) hold the front paws, and trim the nails with special scissors for cat nails that I got at Target. One of the babies I've had since she was 3 m/o and I've been able to do it since I adopted her! She's just a big black furball though! :smile:

[sunstar]

I inherited a Birman from my youngest son. She came declawed in the front and fixed. The Birman Society does not want any old smock breading these cats. She is beautiful and great when she has her round eyes on but can be a little devilish with her slit eyes. Her eyes can be red or blue, depending on the light. She does not like blonds. That is how I got her. Son's wife is blond and the cat kept pooping on the bed to show her distain. She has been good here in the last five years but a friend who is blond took her to her house when I was on vacation for a few days and she kept pooping on the sofa. She is not welcome at either house now but does fine here.

Someone "blond" must really have frightened her when she was a baby. :sad:

[Mr. Moto2]

What about Pedipaws?

[Patriot]

I inherited a Birman from my youngest son. She came declawed in the front and fixed. The Birman Society does not want any old smock breading these cats. She is beautiful and great when she has her round eyes on but can be a little devilish with her slit eyes. Her eyes can be red or blue, depending on the light. She does not like blonds. That is how I got her. Son's wife is blond and the cat kept pooping on the bed to show her distain. She has been good here in the last five years but a friend who is blond took her to her house when I was on vacation for a few days and she kept pooping on the sofa. She is not welcome at either house now but does fine here.

Pardon me, ABC, but this cracked me up! :laugh:

[sunstar]

What about Pedipaws?

I've heard those can be a pain to use, especially trying to get the cat to sit still and could hurt them. The little kitty scissors I use wouldn't hurt them if the cat moved while you're trimming. :smile:

[Patriot]

All mine are female, two black & a tabby so they're pretty mellow, but I sit them on my lap (with their back to me) hold the front paws, and trim the nails with special scissors for cat nails that I got at Target. One of the babies I've had since she was 3 m/o and I've been able to do it since I adopted her! She's just a big black furball though! :smile:

Thank you, sunstar! If I decide not to declaw, I now know that there are special scissors to use and where to get them. Thanks again!

[sunstar]

Thank you, sunstar! If I decide not to declaw, I now know that there are special scissors to use and where to get them. Thanks again!

You're most welcome! You can always pm me if you need more help! :wub:

[ABC]

Someone "blond" must really have frightened her when she was a baby. :sad:
Does that happen? She was the runt of the litter and the last kitten taken and loves men. She sleeps on my thighs for our naps, everyday.

[Noahs ARK]

If my daughter throws enough of a hissy not to have this one declawed, I may have to contact you for tips on trimming. How on earth I would ever get this kitten to sit still and stay out of play mode long enough to trim her nails is beyond me, lol.

Wrap her in a warm towel. Now is a good time to start clipping her nails - they get used to it at a young age. Then if you decide not to have her declawed, clipping will only take a minute.

When I brush my cats, I clip their back nails. None of them object.

[sunstar]

Does that happen? She was the runt of the litter and the last kitten taken and loves men. She sleeps on my thighs for our naps, everyday.

It's the only thing I can think of ~ seriously! I have a friend whose cat is scared to death of teenage boys/young men because she was put in a box and tossed in a garbage can when she was a baby. :sad:

[5boxersmom]

I've heard those can be a pain to use, especially trying to get the cat to sit still and could hurt them. The little kitty scissors I use wouldn't hurt them if the cat moved while you're trimming. :smile:

OMG. I ordered one of these for my dogs. What they don't tell you on tv is they make a noise. Gave Mercedes a heart attack almost. She stayed hidden under the bed all day. Needless to say we went back to the old clippers. Poor little Mercedes does not like loud noises and July 4th is one day away with all the firecrackers. :sad:

[Mr. Moto2]

It's the only thing I can think of ~ seriously! I have a friend whose cat is scared to death of teenage boys/young men because she was put in a box and tossed in a garbage can when she was a baby. :sad:

Wow.. you'd think that a cat's mind, memory and emotions wouldn't be developed enough to have long term trauma from something like that.

[sunstar]

OMG. I ordered one of these for my dogs. What they don't tell you on tv is they make a noise. Gave Mercedes a heart attack almost. She stayed hidden under the bed all day. Needless to say we went back to the old clippers. Poor little Mercedes does not like loud noises and July 4th is one day away with all the firecrackers. :sad:

I've heard a lot of people don't like those trimmers for that reason.

Thanks for the reminder too about this holiday weekend and why people should keep their pets inside!

[Patriot]

Wrap her in a warm towel. Now is a good time to start clipping her nails - they get used to it at a young age. Then if you decide not to have her declawed, clipping will only take a minute.

When I brush my cats, I clip their back nails. None of them object.

Thanks! If I can hold her down long enough, I'll give it a try.

[5boxersmom]

I've heard a lot of people don't like those trimmers for that reason.

Thanks for the reminder too about this holiday weekend and why people should keep their pets inside!

Yep. My cousin wants us to come to her house for a party but I am afraid to leave my dogs because I know the teenage boys that live around here will have firecrackers. I try leaving the tv on but she still hears them. She gets so scared. :sad:

[Noahs ARK]

OMG. I ordered one of these for my dogs. What they don't tell you on tv is they make a noise. Gave Mercedes a heart attack almost. She stayed hidden under the bed all day. Needless to say we went back to the old clippers. Poor little Mercedes does not like loud noises and July 4th is one day away with all the firecrackers. :sad:

Yes, I bought Pedi-Paws at Walgreens. What a waste of money. :rolleyes:

The directions say to turn the Pedi-Paws on and just let your dogs get used to the sound. Uh huh.

But don't get within 10 feet of my dogs with those things. :scared:

[sunstar]

Wow.. you'd think that a cat's mind, memory and emotions wouldn't be developed enough to have long term trauma from something like that.

I honestly believe that's when they develop their personality. If they've been loved from birth they'll be mellow but even the slightest trauma can affect them throughout their lives. Just the opposite of my previous example, I adopted a 6 y/o black female last fall when her "dad" passed away. She'd lived in an apartment with him and previously been with him & his wife before she went into a nursing home. Within a month she'd made herself at home with us because she'd always been loved. :smile:

[Noahs ARK]

Thanks! If I can hold her down long enough, I'll give it a try.


Let your husband hold her in the towel and scratch her head or neck at the same time. Then you can clip her. Just take one paw out of the towel at a time.

Trust me - if you've never done this before, it'll be MUCH more traumatic for you than for her. :tonguewag:

[5boxersmom]

Yes, I bought Pedi-Paws at Walgreens. What a waste of money. :rolleyes:

The directions say to turn the Pedi-Paws on and just let your dogs get used to the sound. Uh huh.

But don't get within 10 feet of my dogs with those things. :scared:

Well Merces took up under the bed as soon as I turned it on. She would have just refused to come out if I had not turned it off and hid it. LOL

Buster barked and barked at it. :rolleyes:

Mattie didn't care as long as I didn't get to close to her with it.

[Patriot]

Let your husband hold her in the towel and scratch her head or neck at the same time. Then you can clip her. Just take one paw out of the towel at a time.

Trust me - if you've never done this before, it'll be MUCH more traumatic for you than for her. :tonguewag:

LOL, I'm sure you're right. I'll make sure the "mommy" daughter is in another room. :smile:

Thanks to you and sunstar for the tips, I really appreciate it!

[sunstar]

Yep. My cousin wants us to come to her house for a party but I am afraid to leave my dogs because I know the teenage boys that live around here will have firecrackers. I try leaving the tv on but she still hears them. She gets so scared. :sad:

That reminds me of one of my DH's friends who wanted to go away for the 4th of July weekend a few years ago, before we adopted any of the cats we have right now, and needed a sitter for his German Shepherd/Dobie. That big baby was scared to death inside our house because neighbors were setting off firecrackers outside on the street!! I think the dog finally settled down upstairs in our bedroom under the bedspread. :scared:

[5boxersmom]

That reminds me of one of my DH's friends who wanted to go away for the 4th of July weekend a few years ago, before we adopted any of the cats we have right now, and needed a sitter for his German Shepherd/Dobie. That big baby was scared to death inside our house because neighbors were setting off firecrackers outside on the street!! I think the dog finally settled down upstairs in our bedroom under the bedspread. :scared:

I saw on tv or read somewhere about a GS that went through a picture window because he was scared of the thunder. I always worry about that with Mercedes, if I was not home when the boys start.

[Mr. Moto2]

I honestly believe that's when they develop their personality. If they've been loved from birth they'll be mellow but even the slightest trauma can affect them throughout their lives. Just the opposite of my previous example, I adopted a 6 y/o black female last fall when her "dad" passed away. She'd lived in an apartment with him and previously been with him & his wife before she went into a nursing home. Within a month she'd made herself at home with us because she'd always been loved. :smile:

I guess it depends on the cat. I read the book about Dewey. When he was a kitten, he was dropped in the library's book deposit on a freezing night. The library staff found him the next morning, half frozen to death. They nursed him back to health and gave him lots of love. He ended up living at the library for 19 years as a very well adjusted cat.

[sunstar]

I saw on tv or read somewhere about a GS that went through a picture window because he was scared of the thunder. I always worry about that with Mercedes, if I was not home when the boys start.

Oh I believe it. Our cats don't mind so much the thunder since they're indoors but they don't like those nasty fireworks either. So I'll definitely be home Saturday night! :smile:

[sunstar]

I guess it depends on the cat. I read the book about Dewey. When he was a kitten, he was dropped in the library's book deposit on a freezing night. The library staff found him the next morning, half frozen to death. They nursed him back to health and gave him lots of love. He ended up living at the library for 19 years as a very well adjusted cat.

I think so too. He probably saw the library staff as his lifesavers!


Have a good night everybody ~ it's late & my babies want me to go to bed. :seeya:

[Noahs ARK]

That reminds me of one of my DH's friends who wanted to go away for the 4th of July weekend a few years ago, before we adopted any of the cats we have right now, and needed a sitter for his German Shepherd/Dobie. That big baby was scared to death inside our house because neighbors were setting off firecrackers outside on the street!! I think the dog finally settled down upstairs in our bedroom under the bedspread. :scared:


I have 7 dogs huddled together right now - all of them are shivering cuz some kids about 10 miles down the road are setting off fireworks.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday oughta be a blast. :scared:

I find the difference between cats and dogs so fascinating. The dogs are all scared, while the cats are prowling around the house like they're being stalked by predators on Animal Planet. Not even Willow is reacting to the noise. Just the dogs.

[5boxersmom]

I think so too. He probably saw the library staff as his lifesavers!


Have a good night everybody ~ it's late & my babies want me to go to bed. :seeya:

Night Friend :wink:

[5boxersmom]

I have 7 dogs huddled together right now - all of them are shivering cuz some kids about 10 miles down the road are setting off fireworks.

Friday, Saturday & Sunday oughta be a blast. :scared:

I find the difference between cats and dogs so fascinating. The dogs are all scared, while the cats are prowling around the house like they're being stalked by predators on Animal Planet. Not even Willow is reacting to the noise. Just the dogs.

Yeah no kidding. I can hardly wait. Nothing going on here right now cause the boys are at their moms, but they come to their dads tomorrow who is my neighbor. Just in time for the 4th. :rolleyes:

That is true about cats. I bet Willow is so cute.

[warhorse46]

She sounds adorable. We have a new kitten too. Her mom was killed on the road when she was 3 weeks old and a local farmer's son was hand raising the litter. We got our kitten when she was 4 1/2 weeks old. I'm a dog person and don't have much experience with cats, so maybe I don't get it, but this cat is pyscho, lol. She has two modes - sleep and play. She will stalks and attacks immoble objects. She all of a sudden takes off and boings off of furniture like the devil is chasing her. She hates feet and attacks them constantly. Then, she drops and sleeps for a bit, and wakes up instantly on the attack again. She does this weird thing - hunches her back up and bounces on all fours like she is possessed. She is my daughter's kitten, but my daughter often sleeps over at friend's houses and then I have to sleep with the kitten. Oy vey, she doesn't get that dark means sleep time. I'll be half asleep and she'll attack my face and scare the bejeebus out of me.

Sorry - didn't mean to hijack your thread. I'm glad you are enjoying yours. :smile:


Your kitten is displaying perfectly normal kitten behavior. Get her some cat toys & you & she will be entertained for hours & hours on end. My cats always loved the feathers on a string on a stick toys. Bounce that in front of her or drag it across the floor. Ball up a piece of paper, attach a piece of elastic & tie it so that the ball is @ her eye level. She will spend hours stalking & attacking it.

[warhorse46]

You're not hijacking my thread - this thread is for all of us! :wub:

Yep - sounds like a kitten! Willow is doing the same exact thing your kitten is doing. I LOVE when they arch their back like a Halloween Kitten and stalk you from across the room.

She'll be walking across the room and all of a sudden she jumps up in the air and then takes off running from some invisible predator. :tonguewag:

Bless you for rescuing that little one!!


I love it when they arch their backs & come walking or bouncing @ you side ways, lol. I had one that would do that but his butt always went faster than his front so that he ended up coming @ you butt first.

[warhorse46]

Well, thank goodness she is normal. I was so worried she had mental issues from being abandoned when she was so little, lol. She is now 7 weeks old. She is snow white with the most beautiful (although possessed, lol) sea blue eyes. She is very trying, but she cracks us up.

The one thing that is really great about her is that we didn't have to train her in bathroom habits at all. Even though she was only 4 1/2 weeks when we got her, and we had to "stimulate" her at first (the farmer showed us that one and my daughter was mortified, lol) she took right to her litter box and has always used it.

She's been to the vet for her shots. The vet told us that 9 months is when we need to get the spaying done. I asked about declawing and he said that has to be done at 3 months because it's really hard on them - and then proceeded to tell us that he actually takes off the first knuckle. Holy cow. My daughter was in tears. But there is no way I'm going to have a cat clawing things up and my husband wouldn't go for that either. Right now, she uses her claws to pull herself up on the furniture because she's too little to jump, but it doesn't seem to be doing any damage and it's not the same as that clawing thing they do when they are older. I guess I'm asking - what do you think about declawing?



I am against declawing. That is a cat's main line of defense (not only fighting but climbing things to get out of harm's way) & if for some odd reason a declawed cat gets outside they cannot defend themselves. They are sitting ducks to be torn to shreds by other animals. And just think what kind of pain you would be in for a couple of weeks if you had all of your fingers & toes amputated @ the first joint @ the same time. You can greatly reduce the risk to your furniture by introducing her to scratching posts now. Scent them with catnip & have several throughout the house for her to use.

[kitty1182]

Molly, my boxer who died 3 yrs. ago was scared of storms and fireworks.
I would have to sit on the bed with her and hold her, she shook so much.:sad:
Now Holly the boxer I rescued that I have now, is not scared of anything..lol

[kitty1182]

Isn't it amazing how pets can have different personalities!!

With your name being "Kitty", do you have cats, too?

LOL, no cats..My son and dil have a cat..I had a cat in high school years ago...I love all animals, just partial to dogs.....
Kitty is a nicname I have been called for many years...My real name is no where near that..lol

Yes, I am so glad Holly isn't scared of the noise....I use to feel so sorry for Molly.....She would shake so hard the bed would shake:sad:

I would just hold her tight till it was over..

[Mr. Moto2]

I love it when they arch their backs & come walking or bouncing @ you side ways, lol. I had one that would do that but his butt always went faster than his front so that he ended up coming @ you butt first.

I've seen that too! Kittens are so entertaining. Here are some classic kitten hops:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=511FAqkuOWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynAtap80saA

[kitty1182]

My cats and dogs, (of the past) have most all been afraid of thunderstorms. I have only one old cat now, who sleeps through anything these days.

What's your cat's name? :smile:

[warhorse46]

I've seen that too! Kittens are so entertaining. Here are some classic kitten hops:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=511FAqkuOWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynAtap80saA




Those are sooo cute!

[daniel green]

I'd love to see pics!!

When you say "fostering", are you going to eventually let somebody adopt your little kitty?

I fostered kittens for awhile back in Chicago, but found it too difficult to give them up. :sad:

We foster for the Humane Society and we are fostering her till she is 5 lbs and can be spayed and adopted.

Here she is, right this minute, sleeping on my husband while he "watches tennis." Ahem, sleeps on couch:

http://tinypic.com/r/206lief/5

She looks huge there, but she is 2 1/2 lbs.

[daniel green]

All mine are female, two black & a tabby so they're pretty mellow, but I sit them on my lap (with their back to me) hold the front paws, and trim the nails with special scissors for cat nails that I got at Target. One of the babies I've had since she was 3 m/o and I've been able to do it since I adopted her! She's just a big black furball though! :smile:

We have always done that to ours, as well. No problems. You just get them used to it very early on.

[kitty1182]

We foster for the Humane Society and we are fostering her till she is 5 lbs and can be spayed and adopted.

Here she is, right this minute, sleeping on my husband while he "watches tennis." Ahem, sleeps on couch:

http://tinypic.com/r/206lief/5

She looks huge there, but she is 2 1/2 lbs.



How sweet:wub:

[daniel green]

How sweet:wub:

Isn't she? :wub:

We have a Bichon who is a great daddy to kittens, as well. Here is is with the kitty a couple wks ago:

http://tinypic.com/r/2l931bm/5

[kitty1182]

Isn't she? :wub:

We have a Bichon who is a great daddy to kittens, as well. Here is is with the kitty a couple wks ago:

http://tinypic.com/r/2l931bm/5

ahhhh......:wub:

[kitty1182]

Weenie..........(she's only 7 pounds)

Love the name....:smile: How old is she?

[Mr. Moto2]

Those are sooo cute!

You know how Youtube is, watch one and you have to watch another.

I've never seen such rambunctious kittens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA2FQgzZfJI

[sunstar]

We foster for the Humane Society and we are fostering her till she is 5 lbs and can be spayed and adopted.

Here she is, right this minute, sleeping on my husband while he "watches tennis." Ahem, sleeps on couch:

http://tinypic.com/r/206lief/5

She looks huge there, but she is 2 1/2 lbs.
Oh how cute!!! :wub:

[sunstar]

We have always done that to ours, as well. No problems. You just get them used to it very early on.

That's exactly what I did ~ started them as kittens. The adult we adopted a few months ago is still getting used to it, but she's a good girl too! :smile:

[Noahs ARK]

We foster for the Humane Society and we are fostering her till she is 5 lbs and can be spayed and adopted.

Here she is, right this minute, sleeping on my husband while he "watches tennis." Ahem, sleeps on couch:

http://tinypic.com/r/206lief/5

She looks huge there, but she is 2 1/2 lbs.

What a cutie! I can tell she's still little. :wub:

Good for you doing fostering for the H.S. I used to do it for the animal shelter back in IL, but found it too difficult to give them up.

[Noahs ARK]

We have a Bichon who is a great daddy to kittens, as well. Here is is with the kitty a couple wks ago:

http://tinypic.com/r/2l931bm/5

Oh Oh Oh - how cute is that!! Now you can really tell how small she is! :tonguewag:

[sunstar]

What a cutie! I can tell she's still little. :wub:

Good for you doing fostering for the H.S. I used to do it for the animal shelter back in IL, but found it too difficult to give them up.

It is a wonderful thing to do but I wouldn't be able to give them up either.

[warhorse46]

You know how Youtube is, watch one and you have to watch another.

I've never seen such rambunctious kittens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA2FQgzZfJI



Such a joy to watch healthy happy kittens or puppies play.

[bchand]

You're not hijacking my thread - this thread is for all of us! :wub:

Yep - sounds like a kitten! Willow is doing the same exact thing your kitten is doing. I LOVE when they arch their back like a Halloween Kitten and stalk you from across the room.

She'll be walking across the room and all of a sudden she jumps up in the air and then takes off running from some invisible predator. :tonguewag:

Bless you for rescuing that little one!!

This reminded me of what our cat does. She and our dog (Pom) are very close and they play like crazy BUT when the cat arches her back and starts moving towards the dog in slow motion, it scares the bejesus out of our dog. She runs and tries to get on my lap.

It's really funny to watch.

[reteerwol]

I just want to know the basics of what adoption of a pet from a shelter are. Do you really have to tell them all the details of your life?

My cats and dogs have come from neighbors close to me, who knew I was a good person, and gave them to me, no strings.

Whyt do these adoption places have to ask so much? Do MORE cats and dogs get adopted because of these restrictions? Or do more cats and dogs go without human contact and love?

[ttcRider]

I tried to adopt a sheltie from a Sheltie Rescue in my area and was turned down because I smoked. :confused:
I thought they were joking at first but, nope. I was able to get a sheltie from a reputable breeder though.... go figure.

[MercedesV]

They want to make sure that the animal will go to a good, loving home. And that it will be a good fit between the animal and person/family. I was there when a family had to return a cat because the cat wasn't doing well with the children. And that is hard for the family and the pet.

[Lady_Jean_La]

Long ago I saw a sign in a restaurant offering puppies for $50. I wasn't really interested but asked why that amount. The man told me he wanted the puppies to be well cared for and anyone paying $50 would probably take care of them.

It is similar with the shelters, they want the animals cared for. The fee pretty much covers the basics and they often give rebates.

Rescues take even more care. They often visit the house where the animal will stay and do a survey. The rescues I am familiar with never turn away a pet.

The whole idea is to solve problems and not creat more. imo

[ttcRider]

There seems to be more and more 'Rescues' which operate as 'Foster Homes' who I think are much better than shelters. At least the animals get the interaction with people, other pets and in most cases children which help make them more suitable for adoption. Animals left too long in shelters end up with major temperment problems from aggression to severe separation anxiety just to name a few. All said, they both still need to lax on their screening. It shouldnt have to be THAT intrusive to adopt a pet when so many are being euthanized each day.
Stepping off my soap box now. :unsure:

All puppies and kittens should be spayed or neutered even before they are adopted out. Stop backyard breeding!!!!! There is no such thing as a designer dog - its called a MUTT!

ok, now Im done.

[flareon]

I live out in the country and have had a small cat rescue for many years. There are 3 girls who foster kittens for me if I get too many. Before adoption we have them neutered/spayed, rabies vacc, feluk test and first kitten shots. A wonderful local Vet who loves cats does this for us as his contribution.
We are very picky about who adopts our cats, but I think you can get a good sense of of whether a person is a true animal lover and will care for them. We don't charge but we have a small contract where we can visit and take back a cat if it isn't cared for well.
This was a natural for me, when I was young my mother had so many cats on our farm it was wonderful. The family joke was that mom never came home without at least one stray cat.
Happy & safe 4th of July to you all.

That's great and I don't blame you for being picky. It doesn't do any good for the pet to go to a home only to have inadequate care or be shuffled about again.

I had a friend who wanted to adopt a dog from the humane society in my area. They do a thorough check and one thing they do is contact the person's veterinarian to see if they had gotten their previous pet yearly check ups and immunizations. When they found out the person only brought their dog there when it was extremely ill and had to be euthanized, they refused the adoption. They finally were able to adopt the dog, but they learned about preventive care for pets. :biggrin:

[ttcRider]

All of my pets (cats) have come from shelters, SPCA or Petfinders.org. I've never been asked that question. It's usually just about landlords consent if you're a renter, how long will the pet be left alone, how many kids and adults, who's your vet, do you plan to de-claw etc...

yah it was a weird one for me too... I thought they would be thrilled since I already had a sheltie at home and was familiar with the breed. :confused: They asked me the typical questions as you stated above but then threw in the smoking question and explained to me that because of their long nose they are more sensitive to second hand smoke.

[Lady_Jean_La]

That's great and I don't blame you for being picky. It doesn't do any good for the pet to go to a home only to have inadequate care or be shuffled about again.

I had a friend who wanted to adopt a dog from the humane society in my area. They do a thorough check and one thing they do is contact the person's veterinarian to see if they had gotten their previous pet yearly check ups and immunizations. When they found out the person only brought their dog there when it was extremely ill and had to be euthanized, they refused the adoption. They finally were able to adopt the dog, but they learned about preventive care for pets. :biggrin:

I would think that information would be confidential. I hate to think people can call my pets' vet and get information on me. imo

[kitty1182]

I got Holly from a rescue 3 yrs. ago...Lots of paper work and we had to have a home visit...That was ok, don't blame them for that..
Now smoking was never mentioned when I adopted...I did have to give 3 references, that was ok too...
It was the best decision I have ever made.I would never do anything but rescue now..:thumbup:

[flareon]

I would think that information would be confidential. I hate to think people can call my pets' vet and get information on me. imo

When you sign the adoption application you agree that your contacts and references can release any information.

The main information they wanted was their history of caring for their previous pet. It didn't work out for them, but it is a reasonable question to ask.

[ttcRider]

It would also be helpful if people would have everyone in the family tested for allergies BEFORE they adopt a pet. Or is that just a standard excuse everyone uses when they tire of their puppy or kitten. :cursing:

I better go to the 'whats for dinner' thread, my blood pressure is rising. :mad:

[ttcRider]

Do you mean the pets or their owners?

:lol: Your pick.

[kitty1182]

When you sign the adoption application you agree that your contacts and references can release any information.

The main information they wanted was their history of caring for their previous pet. It didn't work out for them, but it is a reasonable question to ask.

My vet was called also...I have been going to the same vet for 20 years..
Holly is my 1st rescue...She is sweeter than sugar......
I didn't mind a bit about my vet being called....They just wanted to make sure I kept my pets up to date on shots and things...

[Noahs ARK]

My vet was called also...I have been going to the same vet for 20 years..
Holly is my 1st rescue...She is sweeter than sugar......
I didn't mind a bit about my vet being called....They just wanted to make sure I kept my pets up to date on shots and things...

I don't care if they call my vet, either. If it helps save an animal, they can talk to anyone they want.

[ttcRider]

I don't care if they call my vet, either. If it helps save an animal, they can talk to anyone they want.

I guess it doesnt hurt to be Noah. :wink:

[flareon]

My vet was called also...I have been going to the same vet for 20 years..
Holly is my 1st rescue...She is sweeter than sugar......
I didn't mind a bit about my vet being called....They just wanted to make sure I kept my pets up to date on shots and things...

That was exactly the information they wanted and when they found out the person had only brought the dog in when it was terribly ill, they refused the adoption. Eventually, after begging, they were allowed to adopt and it was a lesson they learned. They now do the yearly checks.

[fairlaw]

I really understand the point of view of the original poster. I also understand the pov of those who have explained why adoption can be quite restrictive.

A few years ago, there were always tons of ads for free kittens and free puppies, in the newspapers.

I thought it would be better to go get one from the Shelter, and literally save it's life. But even back then, it cost at least $50.00 to adopt from a Shelter, so I would end up getting the free ones.

Right now, where I live, it costs closer to $100.00 to adopt a pet from the Shelters, and places like PetCo and PetSmart charge well more than that, and on one level I find that outrageous.

Back when I was going to Shelters, they didn't ask any questions at all. You pony up the 50 buckies, you get the pet.

Rescue Organizations are quite different, and yes, do often actually require a home visit before the allow you to adopt an animal, and most charge a LOT, especially if you are working with pure breeds.

I, too, am a smoker, and no animal of mine has ever died or suffered any apparent ill-health due to the smoking.

However....things have really changed for me. I bought a place on 5 acres, way out in the country, and lo and behold, I'll never have to seek out an animal again. So far, since we moved here, approximately 15 cats, some preggers, have been dumped on our property. Sadly, some have been such vicious feral animals that I have had to trap them and send them to certain death at Animal Control.

A couple of years ago, I was feeding 16 cats and 4 dogs. I was willing to do this, but the feral cats were killing my pets. A pack of pit bulls came onto my property and killed some cats and killed 3 of my dogs.

Right now I have 9 cats and 3 dogs. I have lost my job and lost my car and am barely making my housepayments. So at this moment, none of my cats or dogs are receiving very necessary vaccinations, heartguard and frontline. They are all, but one, spayed/neutered.

So that's the part I really get about potential adopters having to be screened. I sure wouldn't give an animal to me right now. And if any of my pets get a disease and die it is going to be devistating. I have called every vet, especially those who offer low-cost vaccinations, and guess what, their idea of low-cost is $100.00 per animal.

Last year, my old guy Cavalier had a (how to say this without getting blocked or ?) a growth on his rear under his tail. (got it?) I took him to the vet, they said that surgery was indicated, plus all of the lab stuff they insist on doing, plus aftercare, PLUS medications, ad nausium. The bill was going to be way over $700.00. I said that wasn't even a possible consideration, so they told me to give him antibiotics and use hot compresses, and aspirin for control of inflammation and discomfort.
They still charged me more than $150.00 for the visit and exam and meds. I brought the dog home, did as they suggested, and the, ummm, "cyst" drained on it's own and we have had no further problems.

So, in a way, maybe it is best for our furbabys that only "qualified" people can adopt them. And I get it. But just because I can barely afford food for them these days, doesn't mean that I love them any less any anyone could or would.

:rolleyes: I really should be a Lawyer, I can sure go on and on and on.

[kitty1182]

That was exactly the information they wanted and when they found out the person had only brought the dog in when it was terribly ill, they refused the adoption. Eventually, after begging, they were allowed to adopt and it was a lesson they learned. They now do the yearly checks.

I adopted from blueridgeboxerescue..I had had 2 boxers in my life before who were bought from a breeder...This is the application I had to fill out..


http://www.blueridgeboxerrescue.com/adoptionapp.html

[flareon]

I adopted from blueridgeboxerescue..I had had 2 boxers in my life before who were bought from a breeder...This is the application I had to fill out..


http://www.blueridgeboxerrescue.com/adoptionapp.html

Wow, it's a long form but reasonable questions. I liked how they referred to elderly boxers as "silver boxers".

It sounds like both you and your "adoptees" have been very lucky.

[flareon]

I really understand the point of view of the original poster. I also understand the pov of those who have explained why adoption can be quite restrictive.

A few years ago, there were always tons of ads for free kittens and free puppies, in the newspapers.

I thought it would be better to go get one from the Shelter, and literally save it's life. But even back then, it cost at least $50.00 to adopt from a Shelter, so I would end up getting the free ones.

Right now, where I live, it costs closer to $100.00 to adopt a pet from the Shelters, and places like PetCo and PetSmart charge well more than that, and on one level I find that outrageous.

Back when I was going to Shelters, they didn't ask any questions at all. You pony up the 50 buckies, you get the pet.

Rescue Organizations are quite different, and yes, do often actually require a home visit before the allow you to adopt an animal, and most charge a LOT, especially if you are working with pure breeds.

I, too, am a smoker, and no animal of mine has ever died or suffered any apparent ill-health due to the smoking.

However....things have really changed for me. I bought a place on 5 acres, way out in the country, and lo and behold, I'll never have to seek out an animal again. So far, since we moved here, approximately 15 cats, some preggers, have been dumped on our property. Sadly, some have been such vicious feral animals that I have had to trap them and send them to certain death at Animal Control.

A couple of years ago, I was feeding 16 cats and 4 dogs. I was willing to do this, but the feral cats were killing my pets. A pack of pit bulls came onto my property and killed some cats and killed 3 of my dogs.

Right now I have 9 cats and 3 dogs. I have lost my job and lost my car and am barely making my housepayments. So at this moment, none of my cats or dogs are receiving very necessary vaccinations, heartguard and frontline. They are all, but one, spayed/neutered.

So that's the part I really get about potential adopters having to be screened. I sure wouldn't give an animal to me right now. And if any of my pets get a disease and die it is going to be devistating. I have called every vet, especially those who offer low-cost vaccinations, and guess what, their idea of low-cost is $100.00 per animal.

Last year, my old guy Cavalier had a (how to say this without getting blocked or ?) a growth on his rear under his tail. (got it?) I took him to the vet, they said that surgery was indicated, plus all of the lab stuff they insist on doing, plus aftercare, PLUS medications, ad nausium. The bill was going to be way over $700.00. I said that wasn't even a possible consideration, so they told me to give him antibiotics and use hot compresses, and aspirin for control of inflammation and discomfort.
They still charged me more than $150.00 for the visit and exam and meds. I brought the dog home, did as they suggested, and the, ummm, "cyst" drained on it's own and we have had no further problems.

So, in a way, maybe it is best for our furbabys that only "qualified" people can adopt them. And I get it. But just because I can barely afford food for them these days, doesn't mean that I love them any less any anyone could or would.

:rolleyes: I really should be a Lawyer, I can sure go on and on and on.

I think your situation is different from someone who is taking a pet and don't have the resources or knowledge to take care of it. Your medical care has only faltered because of your circumstances.

I hope things turn around for you. You sound like you are providing a lot of love to your "family".

[sherrijean981]

It would also be helpful if people would have everyone in the family tested for allergies BEFORE they adopt a pet. Or is that just a standard excuse everyone uses when they tire of their puppy or kitten. :cursing:

I better go to the 'whats for dinner' thread, my blood pressure is rising. :mad:


My father was an agent for an SPCA for 26 years and we saw everything, abuse, neglect and abandonment. I grew up helping there. It has been 26 years since he left his job and things have changed in those years. Lots of questions then but nothing like what is now asked.

My daughter bought a dog at a different kennel and had to take her son and other pet in to "visit". It was a 3 day process before she was able to take her dog home, and yes, they called her other vet, and said they would do a home check. Never did do that.

Another grouch I have is those same kennels and shelters that are asking all the questions have buildings and cages that are dirty and smell so bad you need a mask or hanky. The one we went to was shut down after my daughter got her dog because of "kennel cough", which her new dog had. Her dog went back, and no, they don't refund any money. She spent $300 (part of which was for nueturing) and not a penny came back and they did not neuter the dog. She has a beautiful purebred dog and decided not to get another one. She doesn't trust the kennels now.

I love cats, but I am allergic to them. My problem is the neighbors who have the cats and don't keep them at home. They ruined a swimming pool we put in for the gkids by scratching at the sand underneath after pooping there and in my flower beds. I can tell by my allergies what flower beds they are in.

An opinion from the other side.

[kitty1182]

Wow, it's a long form but reasonable questions. I liked how they referred to elderly boxers as "silver boxers".

It sounds like both you and your "adoptees" have been very lucky.

Holly is my first adoptee...I bought from a breeder with my first 2..Sarge lived to be 12, Molly lived to be 10, she died Jan. 3 yrs. ago..
Someone said I should adopt one, so after a couple months I went to the BRBR site and the first one that came up looked liked Molly did and her name was already Holly....I knew she was for me.....My vet figured she was around 3 yr.s old so now we say she is 6 yrs. old.....She walked in this house the day we bought her home like she had lived here all her life...:smile:
My favorite question on the application was, Where will the dog sleep at night?: I but in big letters IN MY BED!!!!!!
She adopted us..:wink:

[Noahs ARK]

*snip*

However....things have really changed for me. I bought a place on 5 acres, way out in the country, and lo and behold, I'll never have to seek out an animal again. So far, since we moved here, approximately 15 cats, some preggers, have been dumped on our property. Sadly, some have been such vicious feral animals that I have had to trap them and send them to certain death at Animal Control.

A couple of years ago, I was feeding 16 cats and 4 dogs. I was willing to do this, but the feral cats were killing my pets. A pack of pit bulls came onto my property and killed some cats and killed 3 of my dogs.

Right now I have 9 cats and 3 dogs. I have lost my job and lost my car and am barely making my housepayments. So at this moment, none of my cats or dogs are receiving very necessary vaccinations, heartguard and frontline. They are all, but one, spayed/neutered.

So that's the part I really get about potential adopters having to be screened. I sure wouldn't give an animal to me right now. And if any of my pets get a disease and die it is going to be devistating. I have called every vet, especially those who offer low-cost vaccinations, and guess what, their idea of low-cost is $100.00 per animal.

So, in a way, maybe it is best for our furbabys that only "qualified" people can adopt them. And I get it. But just because I can barely afford food for them these days, doesn't mean that I love them any less any anyone could or would.

:rolleyes: I really should be a Lawyer, I can sure go on and on and on.

We live out in the country, too. It's the "perfect" dumping ground for irresponsible pet owners. We'll never be without a pet as long as we live here. We also feed and trap as many feral cats that we can.

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Two years ago my husband became suddenly disabled. We were panicked about what we were going to do - we weren't worried about us, but were terrified about what would happen to our animals if we lost our home.

It was a horrible situation to be in, but you aren't responsible for your current situation any more than we were. It's obvious that you love your animals.

I hope things get better for you soon.

[flareon]

My father was an agent for an SPCA for 26 years and we saw everything, abuse, neglect and abandonment. I grew up helping there. It has been 26 years since he left his job and things have changed in those years. Lots of questions then but nothing like what is now asked.

My daughter bought a dog at a different kennel and had to take her son and other pet in to "visit". It was a 3 day process before she was able to take her dog home, and yes, they called her other vet, and said they would do a home check. Never did do that.

Another grouch I have is those same kennels and shelters that are asking all the questions have buildings and cages that are dirty and smell so bad you need a mask or hanky. The one we went to was shut down after my daughter got her dog because of "kennel cough", which her new dog had. Her dog went back, and no, they don't refund any money. She spent $300 (part of which was for nueturing) and not a penny came back and they did not neuter the dog. She has a beautiful purebred dog and decided not to get another one. She doesn't trust the kennels now.

I love cats, but I am allergic to them. My problem is the neighbors who have the cats and don't keep them at home. They ruined a swimming pool we put in for the gkids by scratching at the sand underneath after pooping there and in my flower beds. I can tell by my allergies what flower beds they are in.

An opinion from the other side.

I bet your father did have stories to tell. The only times I have been to a humane society was when I was having my deceased pets cremated. I was shocked at the callous way people were discarding their pets and I would imagine these pets were the lucky ones. I noticed that the employees there were dismayed by the actions of some of these people.

That's a shame about your daughter's dog. Kennel cough is so contagious. It's hard to tell about some of these kennels, but I have been told that if they have multiple breeds it's a sign something is wrong.

I have a real issue with people who let them pets run free. I have had my dog attacked by loose animals.

[kitty1182]

I think your situation is different from someone who is taking a pet and don't have the resources or knowledge to take care of it. Your medical care has only faltered because of your circumstances.

I hope things turn around for you. You sound like you are providing a lot of love to your "family".

I so agree!!!!!

[flareon]

Holly is my first adoptee...I bought from a breeder with my first 2..Sarge lived to be 12, Molly lived to be 10, she died Jan. 3 yrs. ago..
Someone said I should adopt one, so after a couple months I went to the BRBR site and the first one that came up looked liked Molly did and her name was already Holly....I knew she was for me.....My vet figured she was around 3 yr.s old so now we say she is 6 yrs. old.....She walked in this house the day we bought her home like she had lived here all her life...:smile:
My favorite question on the application was, Where will the dog sleep at night?: I but in big letters IN MY BED!!!!!!
She adopted us..:wink:

Your other dogs had full lives. I've been pretty lucky with my pets too. They have all lived pretty full lives.

I always said I was going to adopt one, but each time I have been ready to get a pet is after I have just lost a pet and it seemed a healthier option to get one that the family history was known. I know that isn't the case, but at the time it made sense.

Did she jump in bed the first night?

[Noahs ARK]

*snip*

Don't get down on rescue people. We work hard. Especially with the more specialized breeds trying to find them good, secure homes. It's not as easy as you think. As I work with both groups I speak from experience.

Thanks.

I've volunteered at shelters and rescued animals for years. It's perhaps the most heartbreaking thing I've ever done and it's easy to become burned out and saturated with all the horrible things we see.

I've seen and heard things that will haunt me for the rest of my life. So much of this could be avoided if people just spayed/neutered their animals.

I give the shelters, their employees and volunteers a LOT of credit for trying to find good homes - most of these poor animals have already had their fair share of sorrow and certainly don't need more.

[sherrijean981]

I bet your father did have stories to tell. The only times I have been to a humane society was when I was having my deceased pets cremated. I was shocked at the callous way people were discarding their pets and I would imagine these pets were the lucky ones. I noticed that the employees there were dismayed by the actions of some of these people.

That's a shame about your daughter's dog. Kennel cough is so contagious. It's hard to tell about some of these kennels, but I have been told that if they have multiple breeds it's a sign something is wrong.

I have a real issue with people who let them pets run free. I have had my dog attacked by loose animals.


I did research on the diseases a cat can get and give to people and it scared me. I have a couple young ggrand kids who stay here a lot. I posted a letter in the local paper with the info I learned, appealing to the cat owners to please take their cats in and not let them run loose. Just last week the neighbor behind us whose cat gets loose all the time, got hit and killed on the road.

My Dad had to take 100's of dogs and cats from a home one time and he was so upset he was sick. He was afraid he would pass out before getting them to the kennel, but he didn't. After they were taken from his car he was taken to the hospital where they found he had a heart attack.

[kitty1182]

When we got the call we were gonna have a home visit, I was so excited..
As soon as she walked in this house she could see the glamour shots I had of Molly everywhere...I still have them out...
She said she knew right then Holly would have a good home...I made it clear she would live like a Queen as long as I was alive..
We had to wait almost 2 weeks...Holly was at the animal hospital..It was hard for her to stay in the foster homes, she had to be the only child..lol
I bought 3 new toys, hubby and I took off to the vets in Concord to get Holly..There are folks in there with their dogs to get shots, ect...I was so proud so say we were there to adopt:biggrin:
She was bought out, not quite 35 lbs..We put our new collar and leash on her and I showed her the bag of toys....
Hubby drove home and she and I were in back seat..She laid her head in my lap the whole 50 minute drive home....
She weighs 62 lbs. now and she still likes to lay her head on my lap...
We love her dearly..

[kitty1182]

Your other dogs had full lives. I've been pretty lucky with my pets too. They have all lived pretty full lives.

I always said I was going to adopt one, but each time I have been ready to get a pet is after I have just lost a pet and it seemed a healthier option to get one that the family history was known. I know that isn't the case, but at the time it made sense.

Did she jump in bed the first night?


As soon as I let her know where it was...:biggrin:
She's in bed now..lol

ETA..I had always heard they know when they have been "saved"..I believe that..Holly looks at us like she just adores us and she tries so hard to please....

[fairlaw]

After the pit bulls savagly murdered my 3 dogs, on July 7, 2006, I cried so hard for 3 days that I did nothing but cry and vomit and tremble with sorrow.

I knew I could not live without a dog, so 1 day after they were killed, I went to a lady I know in town who had at least 30 dogs, lots of who where looking for new homes. I brought home a litttle white dog named Charley, and he was just miserable here. He was so strongly bonded to Jerri and the other dogs. On day 3, I called Jerri and had her come and get Charley.

Then, in August, still full of pain, I began reading ads for dogs for free or for sale, and it was an absolute miracle that someone had an an in for Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. (Ok...fair warning, I'm going long again.)

Way back in 1985 my daughter, son, and I went on a road trip to Oregon to visit my sister and revisit where I had grown up. As we were going down Highway 97, somewhere south of Klamath Falls, we saw a very large poster/billboard with pictures of these dogs and the sign said to pull up to the gate and honk if interested in buying a Cavalier. I had never seen a cuter dog in my life and I was dogless at that point, so I pulled into the dirveway and honked.

The lady/breeder who was selling the Cavaliers came out of the gate, took one look at our early 70's camper van, and said....I SWEAR THIS IS TRUE..."These dogs cost $2000.00 and up, and clearly you can't afford them." She would not even let us look at the dogs.

Then, many years later while watching a dog show, there was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in the dog show. I had never forgotten that painted picture of the Cavalier on the breeders billboard, and suddenly, there it was on TV. I wanted one of those more than I can remember ever wanting anything in my life. This was about '96-'97. Cavaliers weren't even recognized by the AKC until 1996.

I never forgot about the Cavaliers, but $2000.00 and up to $3500.00 was out of my budget, so, I adopted 3 dogs from private people over the next few years. I had BJ, a Black/Tan German Shepherd, Buster, a 1/4 wolf and 3/4 Husky, and my baby Cedar, a mixed breed long hair mini doxi. Those are the ones that were killed in 2006.

So, in August of 2006, after losing my beloved babies, suddenly, here is this ad for Cavaliers....and they were affordable, but for very sad reasons. The breeder had all of the parents of the dogs, she showed her dogs, but after she had kept 2 of her puppies for 7 months to show, her husband was diagnosed with cancer.

One of the two puppies was just perfect and she was selling him for $1100.00, but the other puppy had an overbite/underbite (his lower jaw is shorter than his upper jaw) and, therefore, could never breed because they are working very hard to improve the breed. She was only asking $600.00 for him. One of the kinda miracle parts here is that I have spoken with dozens of breeders since then, and they have all said that they would NEVER sell a Cav for less than about $3500.00, even if they had flaws.

So, In the midst of my unbearable pain, I called her and made an appointment to come see the $600.00 dog. It was just amazing. They called him Rudy, I have since changed his name to Toby. But Rudy jumped into my lap the second I got there, he gave me Cavalier hugs, which is when they place their front legs on each side of your neck and lay their head over your heart. They said that of the many people who had come to see the dogs, they had never seen him utterly fall in love with anyone like he did with me.

I didn't have the $600.00 with me to buy him, who know? I did, however, tell them that he was my dog and I would be back the next day with the money. As I walked out of the gate to get back to my car, Rudy/Toby, followed me to the gate and cried and scratched at the gate to go with me.

Obviously I did go back and get him the next day, even tho I had to borrow the money, and he and I have been snuggling every day since.

Then, in 2007, the vet who had taken care of Rudy/Toby all of his life, called me to say that there was an old Cavalier who really needed a forever home. They didn't know much about his history, they thought he was somewhere between 10-11 years old, had a grade 3 heart murmer and quite a few other problems. His name is Maximillion.

He is clearly failing in many ways, but 12 is really quite old for a Cavalier, and he could well be 13 or 14 by now. He does have a forever home.

Rudy, now Toby turned 3 years old in Feb. I have not had him neutered, therefore, the AKC will not register him.

Although a HUGE majority of purists will hate this, I want to breed him with a min poodle to create what is called a cavapoo. I am not interested in doing it for money, I just really want a puppy from him. He is the sweetest and most loving furbaby you could ever imagine.

However, cavapoo puppies sell for about $600.00. They call them designer dogs. (:confused: isn't that cute)

[febreze]

I tried to adopt a sheltie from a Sheltie Rescue in my area and was turned down because I smoked. :confused:
I thought they were joking at first but, nope. I was able to get a sheltie from a reputable breeder though.... go figure.

and i no longer smoke around my pets, they do get cancer and sever lung problems from our smoking, i learned the hard way after losing 2 pets to cancer with in 2 weeks of each other. the vet told me i could blame myself because of my smoking around them, they have much smaller lungs then we do so it happens much faster.

[Meridian]

I WANT A DOG!!!! :sad:

[R~O~S]

I just want to know the basics of what adoption of a pet from a shelter are. Do you really have to tell them all the details of your life?

My cats and dogs have come from neighbors close to me, who knew I was a good person, and gave them to me, no strings.

Whyt do these adoption places have to ask so much? Do MORE cats and dogs get adopted because of these restrictions? Or do more cats and dogs go without human contact and love?


Different shelters have different rules. I prefer one that's more concerned for the animals, and that the placement is perfect insuring it's likely to be a real forever home for the adopted.

Every one of my adult pets has been a rescue, the most recent is Dakota, a GSD. Dakota saved us long distance, he came from NJ having been found running stray in NYC. He's a big dog with some issues based in his trials of early life. Had he gone to someone who wasn't very familiar with large dogs, he might not still be here. It was our prior experience that allowed All Paws Rescue to entrust Dakota to us.

Prior to Dakota, Nakita saved us. She was huge, we were considering a saddle when she was taken from us too soon by mast cell cancer. The Angel Memorial Shelter interviewed every family member, even the adult children who didn't live here anymore but who were frequent visitors. They inspected my home, patrolled the enclosed yard to be certain it was both safe and secure.

They told us all about her knee that was weak but not needing surgery at the time of adoption. The surgery was needed one month later. Had they not put us through the thorough interrogation they did, how would they know if we truly had the dedication to her both financially and emotionally that she was going to need?

I've also adopted two kitties from MSPCA shelters. I have to admit the process was not as intense, but neither are the risks. A kitty may scratch & they do have medical expenses, but a scratch is never going to land the kitty in the death chamber.

[Mint_Julep]

We have 4 dogs, two of which came from breeders and two that somehow found their way into our lives.

Our blond lab/? mix was about 5 weeks old when she was hit by a car that didn't stop or even slow down. She was laying in the middle of one of our busiest streets and couldn't get to her feet. We stopped traffic, picked her up and took her to our vet. We knew he would check her over, euthanize if necessary and if not, attempt to find her a home. Thinking about her I called later that day to see how she was and was told she had been hit on the right hip but no bones were broken. The vet said she was bruised and very sore, malnourished, had worms, fleas, ticks and was scared to death. Having lost a 10 year old black lab about 6 months prior, I told him I would stop by and check on her later that day.

That afternoon when I went to see her she was huddled in the back corner of the cage and trembling, it broke my heart. I opened the door and leaned in, petted her and said "pretty baby" or something similar and she responded with a kiss on the cheek. That did it, I told them to give her the necessary pain meds, shots, bathe her and I would be back prior to closing to take her home. That was 8 years ago and I couldn't imagine being without my Honey.

We had no intention of getting another dog but one Monday morning I read an article about DogsInDanger.com on one of the national news sites. DID is a site where shelters nationwide can list their dogs (for free) that are scheduled to be euthanized within a very short time. Out of curiosity I did a search within 100 miles of our home and found a precious little girl about a year old in GA that was scheduled to be euthanized on the following Friday. As it happened we were planning a trip to Atlanta to see our grandchildren that weekend and the shelter was only 20 miles off our route. After thinking about her overnight I called the shelter and filled out the paperwork over the phone. They talked to my vet and I was approved so I sent my fees (for spaying and shots) and made arrangements to pick her up on Friday. Baby Girl has been part of our family for almost two years and is one of the most loving fur babies we've ever had.

BTW, 40 years ago when my husband and I got married he said he would never have a dog in the house. The poodle and yorkie sleep with us and Honey and Baby Girl sleep on "their" sofa in my office. :biggrin:

[Amy]

I just want to know the basics of what adoption of a pet from a shelter are. Do you really have to tell them all the details of your life?

My cats and dogs have come from neighbors close to me, who knew I was a good person, and gave them to me, no strings.

Whyt do these adoption places have to ask so much? Do MORE cats and dogs get adopted because of these restrictions? Or do more cats and dogs go without human contact and love?

Guess it's pretty laid back, here. DD wanted a dog some 5-6 years ago. We went to the pound, looked around, she chose one. We had to go to pay the animal society for shots and spaying--they would pay the vet when the work is done. No one even asked if anyone in our home smoked, how many people and other pets lived there, etc. I think they did ask what town we lived in, but that was so they could give us information about regulations regarding pets in that town. Guess they liked the way DD and the dog interacted?

Cats were easy enough, too. I guess we got them @ a different time, had to go to a vet and prepay shots and spaying. Once we had the ticket from the vet, we were good to go. I think we ended up paying some kind of fee, $5 or so, probably some administrative fee.

The only thing I found out is that you don't get a pet from a pound "for free" as so many claim. By the time you prepay all the vet stuff, you are looking @ over $100. But, the kids are happy, the pets are happy, the pound people are happy that they don't have to worry about the fate of the animals we took (looking @ euthanizing) and the vet is happy w/the new business, and the $$$ in his pocket!!!:wink:

[Briar]

I have 5 cats that have either adopted us or we adopted them. My 14 y/o daughter has a not for profit organization called TAFA: Teens Against Feline Abandonment. All proceeds go to our local animal shelter. They are a no kill shelter and pets are neutered or spayed before they are adopted out (as well as shots, etc.). So many cats are dumped to fend for themselves. In one week we were brought 2 abandoned cats and a litter pulled from a garbage dumpster that were still wet from birth. We got them on a nursing mother, but it was too late. The ones that didn't die that day died within the week. People don't realize that abandonment falls under animal cruelty. A felony in many states. At least a misdemeanor in the rest.

[ABC]

and i no longer smoke around my pets, they do get cancer and sever lung problems from our smoking, i learned the hard way after losing 2 pets to cancer with in 2 weeks of each other. the vet told me i could blame myself because of my smoking around them, they have much smaller lungs then we do so it happens much faster.
If second hand smoke was true, all of us who were raised in the forties and fifties with smoking grandparents, aunts, uncles would be dead in my opinion. People did get sick and die long before folks were smoking. Hope you changed Vets. What a terrible thing for a Vet to say to a client. My Vet, Doctor Xavier would never say some thing like that and certainly could not be proven to be true, IMO.

[Meridian]

Could I interest you in 4 kittens and their Mom? :biggrin:
LOL; unfortunately, I don't care for cats, but I LOVE dogs!

[R~O~S]

LOL; unfortunately, I don't care for cats, but I LOVE dogs!

Please choose wisely for your family, rescue if possible (BTW I think it's always possible) and be certain to spay or neuter. TIA & many years of happiness with your new family member.

[Meridian]

Please choose wisely for your family, rescue if possible (BTW I think it's always possible) and be certain to spay or neuter. TIA & many years of happiness with your new family member.
I think I am going through the Humane Society (which is "saving" from what I understand). From all that I have learned, the Humane Society automatically neuters them and gives them their shots. Hopefully within the next few weeks I will connect with my new baby.

Thanks.

[R~O~S]

This might sound sappy, but you will know your baby when you look into each other's eyes. I have seen that happen many times and it just seems to be some kind of magic.

True dat!!! It's happened to me more than once. They find me when I need them most and they save me, not the other way around. Usually, I didn't even know I was looking.

[CindR]

If second hand smoke was true, all of us who were raised in the forties and fifties with smoking grandparents, aunts, uncles would be dead in my opinion. People did get sick and die long before folks were smoking. Hope you changed Vets. What a terrible thing for a Vet to say to a client. My Vet, Doctor Xavier would never say some thing like that and certainly could not be proven to be true, IMO.

What a foolish post, ABC.

http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.35422/

Secondhand smoke causes almost 50,000 deaths in adult nonsmokers in the United States each year, including approximately 3,400 from lung cancer and 22,700-69,600 from heart disease

[kitty1182]

I think I am going through the Humane Society (which is "saving" from what I understand). From all that I have learned, the Humane Society automatically neuters them and gives them their shots. Hopefully within the next few weeks I will connect with my new baby.

Thanks.


That would be great...That's one good thing too about doing a rescue..The pet is already been fixed, shots, and some are already trained...

[snookums1]

I just want to know the basics of what adoption of a pet from a shelter are. Do you really have to tell them all the details of your life?

My cats and dogs have come from neighbors close to me, who knew I was a good person, and gave them to me, no strings.

Whyt do these adoption places have to ask so much? Do MORE cats and dogs get adopted because of these restrictions? Or do more cats and dogs go without human contact and love?Many times animals in shelters have been mistreated and have issues that a person has to deal with to overcome. I have adopted a Rottie that the former owner used to beat when it ate because she thought it should be built like a Doberman. When I first adopted it, it was afraid to eat and would watch till no one was looking, grab a mouthful of food and run and hide to eat it. It took weeks of patience to convince it that not only was it safe to eat but I would gladly feed it treats by hand. The Collie I have now must have been beaten, kept outdoors with no person interaction, never played with and possibly burnt since it was even afraid of matches. It would cower if you even tried to pet it. I adopted another dog to teach it to not be afraid of me. It now craves attention and follows me around like a shadow. It is still afraid of storms and will not go outdoors, not even to the fenced in yard I have for my dogs, unless I go with it. It plays with the other dog but still does not understand chasing a ball or tugging on a pull toy. Basically what I am trying to explain is shelters simply want to be sure that the new owners will take the time needed to not only care for the animal but will have the patience to overcome any issues the dog might have. Plus, some dogs are never good around children and should never be adopted by people that have children.
As for kittens, they want to be sure the new owner does not have a snake to feed. Some people with large snakes look for signs that say 'free kittens'.

[febreze]

If second hand smoke was true, all of us who were raised in the forties and fifties with smoking grandparents, aunts, uncles would be dead in my opinion. People did get sick and die long before folks were smoking. Hope you changed Vets. What a terrible thing for a Vet to say to a client. My Vet, Doctor Xavier would never say some thing like that and certainly could not be proven to be true, IMO.

long before you or i were born, the indians smoked ,the travels from England to the united states smoked so i guess it was a very, very long time ago, people did get cancer it was called (consumption) Dr.s did not have modern treatments for it ,actually they had no treatment for it. , they didn't really know what it was. so people died so did animals, animals can get any condition a human can and no i did not change vets, it happens to be true what he said, read studies done at Cornell or any well know vet school or university, smoking can give your pet cancer, not all animals get it, not all people get it but, if you have the right tricker and you smoke or your around second hand smoke you will get it .same goes for your pet. just common sense.

[kitty1182]

Nobody really knew about Holly..She was found wandering the streets around that Thanksgiving..Posters were put up, no one claimed her..
When we first got her, she would not bark for 2 months.....We could not touch her head or her tail(her nub)....Don't know if she had been kicked or not, but we sure can touch her now....She barks too..lol
She knows she will never be mistreated here.....
The bond is different with a rescue..My first 2, I got them as soon as they could leave their mommy...They had no other life but the one we gave them...Now Holly, we don't know how she was treated so it makes the bond a little more special.....
She knows she is loved and safe now.

[Meridian]

This might sound sappy, but you will know your baby when you look into each other's eyes. I have seen that happen many times and it just seems to be some kind of magic.
Oh yes, I know. Every dog that I've had in my life it was literally love at first sight. :thumbsup:

[Meridian]

That would be great...That's one good thing too about doing a rescue..The pet is already been fixed, shots, and some are already trained...
Being housebroken is a MUST. I'm not looking for a puppy, but a dog a year or 2 old that is already housebroken.

[kitty1182]

Being housebroken is a MUST. I'm not looking for a puppy, but a dog a year or 2 old that is already housebroken.

:beer:............

[Details]

and i no longer smoke around my pets, they do get cancer and sever lung problems from our smoking, i learned the hard way after losing 2 pets to cancer with in 2 weeks of each other. the vet told me i could blame myself because of my smoking around them, they have much smaller lungs then we do so it happens much faster.My stepmother handraised some kittens from birth - abandoned by their feral mother. She gave some away to a neighbor who smoked like crazy. They died early, from cancer - that neighbor had at least 3 cats go that way.

I can understand the question. Of course, these neighbors, both smoked, and smoked indoors. Outdoors would be a different matter.

[Noahs ARK]

Being housebroken is a MUST. I'm not looking for a puppy, but a dog a year or 2 old that is already housebroken.

Oh yay! Too often the older dogs aren't considered because puppies are "cuter".

Unfortunately, when they lose their "cuteness", many of them are returned to the shelter or abandoned.

[Unperson1984]

We adopted two shelter cats in April. We didn't know what to expect in the way of questions so I asked our long time Vet for a letter of recommendation. They didn't ask us questions and didn't even want to see the letter.

It must vary from place to place.

[Unperson1984]

long before you or i were born, the indians smoked ,the travels from England to the united states smoked so i guess it was a very, very long time ago, people did get cancer it was called (consumption) Dr.s did not have modern treatments for it ,actually they had no treatment for it. , they didn't really know what it was. so people died so did animals, animals can get any condition a human can and no i did not change vets, it happens to be true what he said, read studies done at Cornell or any well know vet school or university, smoking can give your pet cancer, not all animals get it, not all people get it but, if you have the right tricker and you smoke or your around second hand smoke you will get it .same goes for your pet. just common sense.

Actually, tuberculosis was called consumption.

[nc1948]

Oh yay! Too often the older dogs aren't considered because puppies are "cuter".

Unfortunately, when they lose their "cuteness", many of them are returned to the shelter or abandoned.

We adopted our MUTT from the Humane society. No cost. But a home visit and lots of checking. Had to have a fenced in yard, wanted to know where he would sleep, and we had to agree that if we ever got rid of him that we would return him to them. They did call our vet for reference. we had recently lost our 14 year old lab to a tumor and vet has known us for years, vet told them if they wanted to give an animal to a home that would spoil them rotten we were the ones. This is first male I have ever had. Had been tied to tree, no food or water in winter or summer, no interaction with humans, and was so totally scared of us we were not sure at first if we could keep him. But after much love he now owns us and is such a joy. Sleeps at foot of my bed, and loves to run in yard. I believe that a mutt that has been abused or neglected appreciates you more. He does. He is a part of our family.

[kitty1182]

We adopted our MUTT from the Humane society. No cost. But a home visit and lots of checking. Had to have a fenced in yard, wanted to know where he would sleep, and we had to agree that if we ever got rid of him that we would return him to them. They did call our vet for reference. we had recently lost our 14 year old lab to a tumor and vet has known us for years, vet told them if they wanted to give an animal to a home that would spoil them rotten we were the ones. This is first male I have ever had. Had been tied to tree, no food or water in winter or summer, no interaction with humans, and was so totally scared of us we were not sure at first if we could keep him. But after much love he now owns us and is such a joy. Sleeps at foot of my bed, and loves to run in yard. I believe that a mutt that has been abused or neglected appreciates you more. He does. He is a part of our family.


Same with blueridgeboxer...We signed a paper if we could no longer care for her she is to go back to them and if we are charged with abuse, they have the right to come here and take her.....I think that's a good thing..We had to have a fenced in yard too....
When our vet was called, Kathleen told them they would be lucky if we took all they had.....lol
We also put our neighbor and a Judge who is a dear friend of ours down as a reference.....
Judge kept them on the phone for about an hour..He loves to talk.....

[kitty1182]

Oh yay! Too often the older dogs aren't considered because puppies are "cuter".

Unfortunately, when they lose their "cuteness", many of them are returned to the shelter or abandoned.

And that is so sad...I even put down I would take an older dog if Holly was already spoken for.....Luckily, she belonged to me.....
She may live another 6 yrs. or she may die tomorrow, but you better believe she has a good life.....I have never even raised my voice to her and never will...

[Alexian]

We adopted our "baby" 6 years ago from the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society. He's German Shephard/Dalmation. We were there for over three hours and was asked a zillion questions about our family, house, if we had other pets, ect. We didn't care. We love Cooper, he's the sweetest dog. When my husband gets ready for bed Cooper jumps on the bed and "kisses" him for about 5 minutes straight and then lays right next to him and cuddles before he falls asleep.:wub:

You can pick your pet, too bad you can't pick your family.

[Mr. Moto2]

Same with blueridgeboxer...We signed a paper if we could no longer care for her she is to go back to them and if we are charged with abuse, they have the right to come here and take her.....I think that's a good thing..We had to have a fenced in yard too....
When our vet was called, Kathleen told them they would be lucky if we took all they had.....lol
We also put our neighbor and a Judge who is a dear friend of ours down as a reference.....
Judge kept them on the phone for about an hour..He loves to talk.....

I think the "go back" clause is standard, and it's a good thing. I remember when Ellen DeGeneres thumbed her nose at the rescue center and gave away an adopted dog. I thought she was totally wrong, and I don't blame the rescue center for not giving in to her whims.

[kitty1182]

We adopted our "baby" 6 years ago from the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society. He's German Shephard/Dalmation. We were there for over three hours and was asked a zillion questions about our family, house, if we had other pets, ect. We didn't care. We love Cooper, he's the sweetest dog. When my husband gets ready for bed Cooper jumps on the bed and "kisses" him for about 5 minutes straight and then lays right next to him and cuddles before he falls asleep.:wub:

You can pick your pet, too bad you can't pick your family.

:wub:...............

[febreze]

Actually, tuberculosis was called consumption.

your right, my mistake

[Noahs ARK]

This reminded me of what our cat does. She and our dog (Pom) are very close and they play like crazy BUT when the cat arches her back and starts moving towards the dog in slow motion, it scares the bejesus out of our dog. She runs and tries to get on my lap.

It's really funny to watch.


That's the kind of thing I love to watch! Willow has started the arching and walking sideways slowly - it scares my dogs, too. :tonguewag:

Everyone remember tonight will be fireworks - get ready to console your animals. :wub:

[sunstar]

That's the kind of thing I love to watch! Willow has started the arching and walking sideways slowly - it scares my dogs, too. :tonguewag:

Everyone remember tonight will be fireworks - get ready to console your animals. :wub:

I was just going to post something about this ~ and keep them indoors!!! :patriot:

[Noahs ARK]

I was just going to post something about this ~ and keep them indoors!!! :patriot:

Absolutely!

One of our neighbors - way down our country road - had their dog outside last year during the fireworks. He ran into the woods cuz he was so scared and they never saw him again. :sad:

[kitty1182]

Absolutely!

One of our neighbors - way down our country road - had their dog outside last year during the fireworks. He ran into the woods cuz he was so scared and they never saw him again. :sad:

Poor baby:sad:

[Noahs ARK]

Poor baby:sad:


We all looked high & low for that poor dog for weeks. No sign of him. I doubt anyone found him and took him in, cuz there's not many homes around this area and most of us were looking for him. If one of us had found him, we all would've known.

He was old, too. No telling what happened to him out there in the woods. :sad:

[kitty1182]

We all looked high & low for that poor dog for weeks. No sign of him. I doubt anyone found him took him in, cuz there's not many homes around this area and most of us were looking for him.

He was old, too. No telling what happened to him out there in the woods. :sad:

So sad.He should had been inside where he felt safe.:sad:

[sunstar]

Absolutely!

One of our neighbors - way down our country road - had their dog outside last year during the fireworks. He ran into the woods cuz he was so scared and they never saw him again. :sad:

I've heard many stories like that. How sad. Cats can get just as scared too ~ and injured, or worse. :crying:

[PoppySeeds]

Has anyone seen "Grizzly Man Diaries" on Animal Planet? I have watched this two times this week, and I can't get past the feeling that this guy was just plain nuts.
I completely understand the love of nature and all things wild (country girl born, bred, and raised here), but these were wild bears. They were not pets, and the fact that they ate him in the end didn't suprose me at all.
All in all, it was very entertaining, but very predictable, too.

[Adalena935]

There seems to be more and more 'Rescues' which operate as 'Foster Homes' who I think are much better than shelters. At least the animals get the interaction with people, other pets and in most cases children which help make them more suitable for adoption. Animals left too long in shelters end up with major temperment problems from aggression to severe separation anxiety just to name a few. All said, they both still need to lax on their screening. It shouldnt have to be THAT intrusive to adopt a pet when so many are being euthanized each day.
Stepping off my soap box now. :unsure:

All puppies and kittens should be spayed or neutered even before they are adopted out. Stop backyard breeding!!!!! There is no such thing as a designer dog - its called a MUTT!

ok, now Im done.

I suppose it's up to them what their criteria is for adopting out pets. shrug. I agree that some could relax at least some. The national news has said there's an abundance and rescues are overloaded due to the credit crunch and people losing their homes in the current economic woes.

I'm not sure foster homes for animals are any better than for human children being that some are good and some not so good. (based on some I've known of personally).

The main problem in my opinion is lack of spay/neutering. People are so careless in that regard in my opinion.

All my life I've heard people say they won't have another pet because it's too hard to lose them. I didn't understand it, but I do now.

[Adalena935]

I don't understand adoption agencies not okaying a potential pet adoption family based on no vet history. Because I've had pets that lived to ages 18, 21 & even 23 yrs old with no health problems (except they died eventually). Some individual animals and some breeds are simply healthy. Every living thing dies sooner or later. I see putting them down when there's no hope (at age 18, 21, 23!) humane. I don't see how any rescue center can't also see that as a good thing.

As for regular" vet care most U.S. cities and counties will check because they want the $$MONEY$$ fines/revenue of pet owners who have failed to keep their pets up to date. A no-brainer-windfall for those govt entities!

And if they do come around knocking on your door all it has to happen is once because it'll end up costing the pet owners 300X's the "regular" mandated maintenance required of all pet owners. Fair enough I say. They jeopardize all pets by their lack of vaccinating their own. If anyone knows of one city or one county or one state in the U.S. who doesn't require regular maintenance of pets please post it.

All that said I can't believe what I've seen on some animal cops shows. But when you see murders, rapes and all the other hideous crimes some people commit against other humans and human children, I guess it's not surprising they'd treat animals the same. (Caylee Anthony with her head duct taped over by her own Mother is a case in point). Remember, the dogs were alive and well at last check.

Maybe the pet rescues should be checking on how people treat humans to determine what caliber of people they are.

[Noahs ARK]

*snip*

I am bottle feeding a litter of 5 kittens who were duct-taped into a box and left behind a shopping mall. They weren't even weaned yet, but they are doing well now. I always think to myself that I hope the people who do these things with animals have no children.
I just wanted to make the point that rescuers do things differently and believe me we aren't in it for the money, there is none to be made and some months a lot goes out.

Bless you! Those poor litle babies. :crying:

You're right - there's no money to be made doing rescue work.

[Carol25]

A friend of mine is looking for a dog to be trained as a therapy/support dog. The recipient would do the training himself. But cost is an issue. Do any rescues or shelters ever donate dogs for this? The recipient has the prescription from a Dr. for this kind of dog and a training resume.

[daniel green]

Oh Oh Oh - how cute is that!! Now you can really tell how small she is! :tonguewag:

Yeah, there you can. Because the dog is a little dog himself. Isn't that sweet? I love that.

I am no sure we will be able to give this kitty up. We might have to keep her forever, ourselves.

[ttcRider]

A friend of mine is looking for a dog to be trained as a therapy/support dog. The recipient would do the training himself. But cost is an issue. Do any rescues or shelters ever donate dogs for this? The recipient has the prescription from a Dr. for this kind of dog and a training resume.

Not any dog can be a therapy dog, it takes a dog with a certain temperent and a dog that has been exposed to all sorts of situations, noises and surroundings. Some dogs no matter how much you train them are just not suitable. There are a lot of costs involved too, you even have to have your dog groomed before each visit. If cost is an issue this might not be ideal. :confused: My dog trainers dog is a therapy dog and I dont even think they get certified until they are about 3 or 4 years old IIRC. Its not cheap, a lot of work but very rewarding. Oh, and you dont get paid for it. (some people think you do)

[Carol25]

Not any dog can be a therapy dog, it takes a dog with a certain temperent and a dog that has been exposed to all sorts of situations, noises and surroundings. Some dogs no matter how much you train them are just not suitable. There are a lot of costs involved too, you even have to have your dog groomed before each visit. If cost is an issue this might not be ideal. :confused: My dog trainers dog is a therapy dog and I dont even think they get certified until they are about 3 or 4 years old IIRC. Its not cheap, a lot of work but very rewarding. Oh, and you dont get paid for it. (some people think you do)

The person who needs it has trained one before. He's very good at picking one out. It's just he can't afford the $300 fee that they usually ask.