Happy/Sad -- Conflicted

It's kind of odd.  I have the good fortune to walk into work in the morning and see a window full of kittens.  They make me smile.  And, they make me sad.   We have three windows in our lobby.  All three windows  have kittens living in them.  We have 40 cat condos in our cat room.  Each one has a cat, or two, living in it.  No doubt, kittens are cute.  But, in just a few short months they grow up to be cats.   Cats are beautiful.   But, no matter how cute kittens are, or how beautiful cats are, there aren't enough homes for all of them.  When I look at them I can't help but smile; when I think about them -- all of them --I feel very, very sad.

It Takes a Village to Rescue and Raise Puppies



Katrina,  lying on the blanket, 
and her friend enjoy the spring-like weather
 with  PUPPIES!



 

A mother dog, and her ten puppies, were victims of a horrible hoarding tragedy.   People who collect animals may be well-meaning when they start taking in animals, but their good intentions quickly go astray causing horrible, overcrowded living conditions that result in the fear stricken animals fighting to survive.   The pups, born to an older retriever mix shortly after the seizure, are thriving in Washington Animal Rescue League's foster care program.   The mom dog was one of 108 dogs rescued in December by the Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS) Animal Rescue Team.  The League took in more than a dozen of the rescued dogs and,  fortunately, had a wonderful volunteer foster family willing to take in the mother dog and her pups.    

The initial  HSUS press release from Macon Mississippi read ...When responders arrived on the scene Tuesday morning they found breeds ranging from hound mixes to Labrador retriever mixes housed throughout the property. Many of the dogs suffered from medical ailments such as skin infections, untreated wounds and other serious ailments. The dogs were being allowed to reproduce and several pregnant dogs were rescued. They were being housed in feces-ridden outdoor pens with little protection from the elements.

Fosters Susan and Tom, and their children Katrina and Nicholas, are quite popular these days.   Lucky for the pups the early socialization is endless.  Had they been born and left in the deplorable conditions, where their mother just barely survived, the pups would never have made it.  Now, in just a couple of weeks they will move on to their forever homes, many not far from their foster home.