Bringing Home Baby
Two of my co-workers, both reporters, got new pets this week! Nate and his fiancé brought home a sweet little puppy, Dolly, and Melissa got darling kitten. She hasn’t named him yet and is waiting for the inspiration to find the right one that fits his personality. What pleased me most about their pet news was that both adopted from areas shelters. Nate found Dolly at Precious Friends and Melissa picked out her kitty from Cats Are Us.
Melissa already had a cat and wanted a buddy for him. Dolly is Nate’s first, and he did what everyone should do when deciding on a pet: he didn’t rush, thought about what breed type he wanted and asked questions. He prepared and got all the bringing-home-baby supplies.
Melissa’s first cat is a bit miffed at having a youngster around, but she's introducing them slowly and not allowing them to be alone together unless she's supervising and until she knows they’ve come to an agreement. Dolly, like any new baby of the four- or two-legged type, cries sometimes at night, keeping her parents awake, but they are adjusting.
I hope everyone looking for a new pet goes to area shelters, as there are many wonderful pets just waiting there for a home of their own: The Clarksville or Dover Humane Society, Cats Are Us, Second Chance Happy Tails, Precious Friends, Montgomery County Animal Shelter (where pets have the least chance of getting a second chance). There are so many misconceptions about shelter pets, such as something must be “wrong” with them if they were given up. I can tell you after working for years with rescues, that what is wrong usually has nothing to do with the animal.
If you want a purebred, there are many rescues that focus on just one breed. Find them by searching Petfinder. Good pet stores like PetsMart, Pet Food Center and similar pet stores don’t sell dogs or cats, but feature only rescues. Why? They follow the guidelines of the ASPCA and Humane Society of the U.S. Puppy mills supply pet stores who sell pets for profit and no true professional breeder would ever sell to such a pet store, where pets are sold without proper screening and matching. Puppy mills and backyard breeders are horrible things you don’t want to support, because pets are churned out—often in horrendous conditions—simply to make a buck and with no concern for their health or well-being. What rescues charge is for things already done that you'd have to do anyway: spay or neuter,vaccines,worming, testing and screening.
I look forward to hearing the adventures of Dolly and the new kitty as they grow up, and am so happy that two more shelter pets were given the chance they all deserve! Share your stories of where your pets came from—that is, if you aren’t having troubles posting! Hopefully that will clear up soon!
posted by Sandy at 1/11/2007 01:23:00 PM
Pet People
5 Comments:
Well, let's see. I have five pets. My oldest, Ranger, came from the Humane Society in Hawaii. I picked Reb up outside a gas station down the street from my house. Casper came from an adoption program my vet used to have years ago. Pumkin showed up under the hedge outside the spare bedroom window.
And Lucy came from Agape Animal Rescue in Mt. Juliet. My sister-in-law is a foster mom for them, and Lucy was one of her fosters. She wasn't even ready to be adopted yet, she was still in the "socializing phase".
But, I had gone to Adoption Day at Petsmart at my sister-in-law's invitation, NOT even looking for a pet. Just to visit and meet some people. Lucy was there just to get used to being out with crowds and the noise. I sat in the floor to talk to her and she crawled in my lap and went to sleep. She wasn't a little puppy either, she was about 10 months old! My sister-in-law said that was the first time she had laid down or closed her eyes since they had been there. She was too bothered by the ruckus going on around her. But, she immediately knew she was safe with me.
So, I like to tell people that I didn't adopt her, SHE adopted me!
That's how I got one of my cats. Catfish was at Cats Are Us and they didn't think he was ready for adoption, so he was in the back room in the "not yet ready section." I was walking around taking pictures of the cats to put on Petfinder and he just attracted me. I petted his head and he rolled on his side and was so sweet! I asked Suzanne when he got so friendly and she said "You." She said she believed cats pick out people, not the other way around!
He's still a more skittish, reserved cat than Tarzan, but that's because he had a very rough start at life as a stray along the river.
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I know mine all picked me. All except
Pumkin. He didn't even really adopt ME, he adopted my dogs!!! This was back when my big black lab mix, Dixie, was still alive. She was very maternal with her brother dog and two brother cats (whether they liked it or not).
Anyway, Pumkin showed up meowing under the hedge early one Sunday morning. He was TINY, and I took pity on him and fed him. He hung around all day, and I pledged that if he was there when I got up on Monday, that I was going to take him to the shelter or my vet. I DID NOT WANT ANOTHER CAT!
So, Monday morning, I go outside and there is no sign of him under the hedge where he spent the day before. I walked down the sidewalk, which gives me a view of the fenced in back yard. I had let the dogs out in the back yard, and I now saw Dixie, a 75 pound lab/rott mix licking this tiny orange kitten on the head! Each lick with her tongue about knocked him down.
Needless to say, how could I not keep him when SHE decided to be his Mama???
We were making our weekly delivery of litter and food to Cats Are Us and I saw this kitten in a cage as I walked past it. It reached it's little paw throug the cage trying to touch me. Well I opened the door and took it out. It rubbed all over my face and rested it's tiny head on my shoulder and I was in love! Jon said let's get out of here now! I tried to get him to hold her and he refused. he said No way are we getting another cat, we already have three!!!!! He said we're going to start sending a check and not come in here any more. This happened two weeks in a row and then I couldn't get that baby out of my mind. She had reached out to ME! I started begging and after a few days Jon gave in and said ok for sure we're not going back in there. We couldn't bring her home for a little over a week because she developed a cold and had to be tested for feline leukemia first. Suzanne and Gerta said her name is Penelope and she was meant for us. I couldn't wait to get her home. She is now almost 6 years old and so spoiled now just like her sisters. They are such a joy in our lives!
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