You know you wanna adopt...

[lizsybarite]

In addition to squeeing over the_new_perfect's Available Pup post, I have received TWO come-ons for kittens-needing-homes today... one from a coworker, who has two no-longer-feral grey boy kittens up for grabs, and another from a journalist I've worked with before, who sent the following shameless appeal to my senses:

As some of you may know Emma and I have been

Comments

[chitinous]

OH STOP IT RIGHT NOW I CAN'T TAKE THE CUTENESS!!!

[lizsybarite]

Twice in one day! There's only so much I can take!

[mirrormargaret]

AUGGGGHHHH :: GRABBY HANDS GRABBY HANDS ::

Amy and I were a terrible influence on each other. We went to get our first kitten in 1998 and came home with two. (We already had a cat and a dog.) We adopted another cat when a friend couldn't keep him, and then adopted ANOTHER (the tortie you love :) in 2002.

I make a lot of grabby-hands at pets needing homes online, and uglybass talks me out of it.

SO FAR.

[lizsybarite]

The animals I actually feel most strongly for in shelters are the adults who get dumped because their owners moved or something. *growls* The kittens have a good shot at getting adopted (hopefully to loving homes with the foresight to know that it's a long-term commitment), but the 8-year-old tabby with a piece of his ear missing? Oh man, I don't even like to think about it.

[mirrormargaret]

My babies (including the sadly departed Mosie) have the interesting distinction of coming from shelters in three different states: Michigan, Massachusetts, and Kentucky. Sometimes it is strange to contemplate that they were born in the woods and their moms died (this was true for A, F and J) and now they live in a house in Atlanta, Georgia and complain when their morning snack is not served early enough. (Alice jumps on the headboard and starts flicking things onto my head.)

Killer was a sadder story ... he was removed from a home for being abused (removed by JD's parents, long story) and they brought him to JD's house and essentially said, "This dog was not being treated right. He's yours now."

Whenever I watch Animal Precinct I know just how those cat hoarders feel. It's always so awful. The person is usually crying and clutching at the cats as they are taken away and saying "THEY'RE ALL MY BABIES." (Although it is also true that all the BABIES are generally not spayed, neutered.)

[lizsybarite]

Animal hoarding is a tragic pathology... I always feel some empathy, but it's hard to not feel boiling anger, too, because the behavior frequently results in (unintended) neglect, and a lot more unwanted kittens.

And hell, even non-hoarders can be lousy pet owners. My landlord (who works in a local animal shelter) and I were talking last night. I asked after a tortie kitten that we used to see around the house that, turns out, belonged to our previous (asshole) neighbors. The cat was tiny, adorable and ALWAYS outside, begging to come in. Apparently they never spayed her, and she got pregnant. And when they moved, they dumped her pregnant self at a shelter. A different shelter, so my landlord never found out what became of the cat.

AUGH! *stab stab stab*

[rootedfool]

http://poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2008/09/hayden_carruth_19212008_1.html

[lizsybarite]

Oh God. Thank you for letting me know. :(

[qfemale]

I know right!
Cats and rats totally do it for me. Though after losing about 20 rats in 5 years I'm very reluctant to even think about adopting another one. Maybe when we move and have a good place, I could try to convince my bf to get a cat.

[lizsybarite]

Rats are so challenging emotionally because of their short lifespans. In a way, though, I wish more people would think enough in advance and adopt them rather than getting cats and dogs that they aren't prepared to care for for their full (8-20 year) lives. :(

I miss having rats. They're fun. I don't think our cat would leave them alone, though! She rules the roost.

[qfemale]

We have a new law in Switzerland for dog owners. They have to take classes on how to take proper care of a dog, and once they have the dog they have to go to a training class with the animals.

[lizsybarite]

Are the classes affordable? I think this is a REALLY good idea, as long it's accessible.