Trying to help the Humane Society again

[indent]The Collingwood and District Humane Society is at another critical time, with no more foster homes available (and those they already have simply full), no more space to board pets at local veterinarians, and no end to the number of stray or abandoned animals coming in.

Every week or two I print up some posters for them, posters showing photos and descriptions of animals needing homes - foster care or permanent homes. Sad things, when you think about how many people get animals and instead of living up to their responsibilities, just dump the pets when they become inconvenient.

I used to work at the Toronto Humane Society. I heard all the excuses for dumping pets:

• I'm allergic (or someone in the house is - but no medical proof is ever proffered);
  
• I'm moving (pets just get underfoot when you move, one woman told me);
  
• I'm moving to another province and it's cheaper to get a new dog there;
  
• I'm getting married (i.e. I have a new companion so my old one isn't worth anything any more);
  
• My cat doesn't go with my new decor (furniture always takes precedence over pets);
  
• I bought this puppy for my girlfriend and she doesn't want it (I forget to ask her first...);
  
• I want to go on holiday and I can't afford to board my pet (and still take a couple of weeks off in some tropical paradise);
  
• My dog is too big and we wanted a small dog (we never figured out that pets grow up);
  
• I repainted and I need a different-coloured cat (I tried to paint the cat but it didn't work);
  
• My dog barks (doh!);
  
• My kid's allergic (usually a child who suddenly became "allergic" after years of living with the pet);
  
• I don't have time for a pet any longer (I'm at too many parties to give a damn about a dog);
  
• I changed my mind.

And I heard others too: stories of inconvenience, where the animal's life and wellbeing was secondary to the owner's convenience, pets not seen as responsibilities, but as things to own then toss out when they became a nuisance. Dogs no one trained, kept chained in backyards on 6-foot-ropes then dumped because they behaved like a dog on a rope. Cats that were fine for years before the owners suddenly discovered a mysterious"allergy" when they didn't want to care for them any longer. Pets that owners suddenly found troublesome when the cost of keeping and feeding them interfered with the purchase of a new toy.

It was a very stressful, emotional job.

I saw and heard it all, too. All the excuses, all the lies, all the ways people squirm away from responsibility.

And it's still going on up here: nothing ever changes. And it won't until we pass laws that require people to pass IQ and means tests before they are allowed to own a pet; where people will have to commit to a contract to care for the animal through its life before they can own one.

These people who so easily and without any pang of conscience dump their animals will probably have children - now or soon. I always figure the measure of a person is to be found in the way they treat their pets. If I had the power, I would prohibit anyone who dumped a pet without a valid medical reason from having children because they will likely treat their kids as commodities the same way they treat their pets.

Some just dump their pets on the side of the road. That's a route to a slow, usually painful and miserable death. The lucky ones will get hit by a car and die quickly. The unfortunate ones will starve to death over several weeks. Would that we had a law that could charge these people with assault with intent to commit bodily harm when they were caught. A few months in jail might wake them up.

Last night, in the dark, we drove all the way out to the River Road Animal Hospital, about 30 or more kms east on the way to Elmvale, to look at a couple of the cats they had boarding. We chose a young female - not spayed (irresponsible owners seldom spay or neuter), about a year old, black, and very tiny. We almost chose an older (5? years) female who had been at the vet's for 4-5 months, but felt the younger one would get along with our older cats better.

It's not that we wanted more cats. We already have four. Three of ours are black, too - and we like a little diversity! A fourth black cat, unspayed - more food costs, more vet bills, the spaying costs - ouch. But what can we do? Both Susan and I feel passionate in our belief that pets require care, affection and commitment. We agonise over abandoned animals. We simply can't ignore them.

In the past, we've taken in strays from the neighbourhood. We've had up to seven cats, three dogs and 18 ferrets. Stray cats who come around get fed, and, when winter comes along, invited inside. Most stay, most become close companions. We get them neutered or spayed, medical treatment, vaccinations. And we care for each one as long as we have them.

Until last night, we had only four cats; two neighbourhood strays who moved in, one feral cat from the Humane Society, and one kitten given to me at the store by someone who walked in announcing, "I heard you take cats." Ah well, we love them all.

Anyway, we have a fifth cat now. She's a tiny thing, hiding somewhere while the other cats try to figure out the newcomer. We'll have to make the arrangements to get her spayed soon - might make it easier to get her accepted by the others. Five cats. Sigh. We must be crazy, but I'd rather be caring and crazy than inconsiderate and sane. I'm sure she'll work out, if we have a little patience.

If you are local and can help, please call the Humane Society at 705-445-5204. Adopt and animal, or at least foster one in your home so they can get out of those cages and enjoy a little human company. Please - they still have 155 animals that need homes.[/indent]