If anyone is interested

What they do at those places is just plain Bogus. I admit to having bought a couple of animals, 1 dog, Maxx from a local NO KILL shelter. He lived for 11 and a half years. He would have been 12 this may, and just passed away this last week. 1 cat, Amadeus, He still reisides with me here in my small apartment with Sylvester and his sister Dot. He is 14 years old. When I bought Maxx he was still a puppy, only 8 weeks old. I tried for his motehr too, but she was already spoken for. Amadeus often lovingly reffered to as “Old Man”, is soon to be 15 yrs old. He was 11 mos old when I got him. Already fixed, it was a great deal at $35. He had a tag on the door that said he was only 3 mos old. How long does it take to Change a 3×5 card with the age of the cat on it? I guess 8 mos. But when I asked if I could let him out to hold him, I got I guess so if YOU want. I opened up his cage, and jumped straight out into my arms, didn’t even go for the floor! I had $15 with me. I asked if I could put him on a “layaway” for 3 days until I got paid. They said Yes and he came home 3 days later. Best cat I have ever had. And I would do it again. But one thing I will never do…Support a KILL shelter. I hate to think of the animals that are killed there every year who don’t find homes, but I refuse to pay for more serum to put them to sleep with for the shelter/pound either. 😥

I got my Katie (cat) from a girl (Jennifer) at my old job who volunteered at the humane society. Jennifer had taken Katie home because they were going to put here to sleep and she was too nice of a cat. She could only keep her for one week though because she already had two cats which was the limit for her apartment. I had just bought a house and decided I wanted a tortie. I saw the sign “Free Cat to Good Home – 1 year old tortie named Katie” at work so I called Jennifer. Saturday, I walked in her place and Jennifer called, “Katie!” Katie ran in and threw herself across my feet. I fell in love. If I hadn’t taken her home, she would have been put to sleep the following Monday. She’s been the best friend I’ve ever had and a constant companion and shadow for 10 years. And she was actually 3, not 1 — she’s very petite. When the hubby asked me to marry him, I told him that there was a condition. Katie was coming with and I would not get rid of her nomatter what (she’s got some odd habits and kitty herpes). There’s been a couple times when I’ve had to tell him that he would go before Katie did, but it’s been pretty much understood for the 7 years we’ve been married. 🙂

Next time I need a cat, I’m getting one from the humane society. I just keep thinking that if I had not taken her, I wouldn’t have had all this love for the last 10 years.

Okay. I got a bit long-winded, but I love my girl.

The biggest things you can buy at pet stores here are rabbits. We got our shepherd dog from a horse farm and I got Retta from a family dog whose other two pups went to loving homes too. Generally people spay or neuter their dogs – don’t ask me about cats, but I imagine it’s about the same – and if people want a puppy there are newspapers full of private persons or breeders selling. The bests ones check up on you later on. The previous owners of Retta called three months later to ask how she was doing and said they’d like to come by to see her sometime.
Of course there are heartless people who just leave their animals, and we have all sorts of shelters for abandoned pets. But I’ve never seen a dog for sale at the mall.

I’m always torn about the kill/no-kill thing. I mean… if the local humane shelter killed animals that seemed unadoptable, my Kali would be long since dead. She was at the shelter for nine months. I don’t know why, she is the prettiest, sweetest, and most affectionate cat I have EVER seen. She always wants to cuddle and play and get petted. If you sit down, she goes straight for your lap and starts purring like mad. But nobody wanted her for nine months.

Ah, I wish more people would get dogs from shelters, whether it is no-kill or kill. I got my dog Scarlet from one and she was a wonderful pet. If I ever get a friend for Dice it’ll be a shelter dog.