A Reminder to Spay and Neuter!

Opal is a lovely cat, rescued by a caring woman from the cold of winter and found to be pregnant. Opal, and especially her newborn babies, had a dismal future before them until Castaway took her into a foster home.

This story is repeated over and over, seeming to solve the problem for the initial rescuer but putting weeks or months of stress and expense on the foster homes that agree to take these 'throw aways'. Opal's condition was so easily preventable - just a simple surgery prior to her first heat. Now she is confined to a bathroom in the foster home because the normal housing for kittens and moms is on a screened deck. Puppies are being raised in kitchens, with baby gates to deal with, mess and more mess!

All it took to get these fortunate ones into a safe environment was a phone call or email. But it takes weeks to raise the puppies and kittens, much expense to the shelter to provide for them with proper food, vaccinations, wormings and altering, and then the real work begins of finding these innocent mothers and babies a loving and safe forever home.

While much appreciation is extended to those willing to foster, giving these babies and their mothers a chance, we are dismayed by how preventable it is! If you have knowledge of unaltered animals in your neighborhood, or among your friends and family, please make it a simple goal for this new year to convince them to SPAY AND NEUTER.

Think about this...

During any given year, over 6 MILLION dogs and cats enter shelters and become homeless. Over 50% of them are euthanized due to overcrowding or health issues related to abuse and neglect. The sad animals you see in the TV commercials are real. Those of us in rescue see the abused and abandoned animals first hand. Purchasing from a pet store or flea market takes homes away from shelter animals and perpetuates the use of animals for profit. Puppy mill dogs are never allowed to walk outside their small cages, never allowed to play and are fed just enough to allow them to continue breeding. They are matted, filthy, lonely, hungry, scared, depressed and usually sick. Their living conditions are deplorable and when they can no longer breed, they are killed.

So, if you plan on purchasing that happy little puppy from a pet store or flea market, keep in mind that you will be leaving its parents behind to suffer while putting money into the pocket of their abuser. If you want a purebred dog, go a breed rescue and adopt!