Dear sir,
The Shelter is bursting at the seams which is not a new thing but some animals are being received because people who have pets feel it’s their god given right to abandon them as they see fit - whether its in front of the old and now the new shelter or just dumped anywhere and left to their own devices.
This winter we had a plastic tote with a lock lid left in front of the old shelter during our coldest temperatures with a female cat and a litter of kittens locked inside with no blankets, only each other to try and keep warm.
We questioned local businesses only to find out that it was already there when they arrived at their jobs.
This is a typical situation where people take on pets and can’t afford them or do not have the intelligence to care for them, so they neglect to spay them but are quick to dump the lot when there is an unwanted batch of babies.
To the person who was so kind enough to drop them off that day you should be ashamed of yourself. These animals did not deserve to be abandoned.
Let me strongly advise you that if and when we find out who you are, you will be held accountable for your actions.
And do not get any more animals. Having no money is not an excuse. Pets are like having children: they are yours for life, through bad and good, and if you cannot commit to them for their lifetime or are unable
to meet their needs, then you are in no position to own one.
In the second case of dumping, a short haired orange tabby was left at the new shelter when we hadn’t even occupied it yet.
To the person that dropped this cat off, what were you thinking?
There were times we could not even get to the new facility on Eurocan Way due to weather conditions or because the old shelter was extremely busy.
If the extreme weather conditions had continued, this furry feline would have been at risk.
We have an emergency number that we can be reached at night or day, but people don’t bother, they just do things the cowardly way.
If you need to place your pet, then you should be contacting us - we work hard to try and place pets before they have to come to the shelter.
If you cannot find a home for your pet and we are unable to take it in or find a temporary foster situation, then you need to do the kindest thing and make an appointment with a vet and have your pet put down.
You may think this is a cruel thing for anyone working with animals to say, but it is a reality and the situation that people put myself and staff members in when we cannot find that perfect loving home.
We deal with them when they get ill due to stress and just are not coping so we have to make that decision and then are left with the task of cuddling your pet telling them how sorry we are, that we tried and now they are going to a better place.
We are not heartless or cold hearted it takes a lot of heart to be able to deal with these countless situations that haunt us all of the time.
But for what ever reason we are the ones berated for these situations and we are the ones that love them and then cry when we have to say good-bye.
If anyone has information about this abandonment, we encourage you to phone us with that information so we can follow up with the thoughtless, unfeeling people that chose to abandon them.
Sincerely,
Maryann Baumbach,
Shelter Manager,
Kitimat Community
Humane Society.