An article in the paper recently steered me to Caboodle Ranch: Where Cats Aren't Treated Like Animals.
What a great idea. The ranch was founded two and a half years ago by Craig Grant, a building maintenance contractor who accumulated cats until he bought five acres to house them. He has since bought the adjoining four five-acre parcels, so his animals have plenty of room to roam.
Grant, who is nobody's fool, does his business through a post office box, the website and his telephone, to protect the location of his animals.
He feeds them and provides them with veterinary care. In the evening, he takes them for walks using a flashlight to see his way. "I'll turn around on the path and see dozens of pairs of yellow eyes reflected in the light."
When one of his animals dies, he builds it a tiny coffin and buries it in a place it favored.
Caboodle Ranch also offers pet-sitting services and cat adoptions. There are also links so you can donate, or buy Caboodle Ranch merchandise, or browse the photo gallery.
And last, but by no means least, Animal Planet is having a contest asking for nominations about someone who makes a difference in the lives of animals. You should go to their site and vote for Craig, or for my other favorite animal lover, Kay McElroy at Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary.
How wonderful! Does he just take in strays, or rescue kitties from shelters? Maybe there's a place there for Hermes. My vision of heaven is very close to living on this property. Kitties as far as the eye can see. Kitty round-ups. Ki-yi-yippie-ki-yay.
Posted by: fragile industries | August 16, 2006 at 02:09 PM
This sounds like a wonderful place. You might also be interested in the "Home for Life" Animal Sanctuary [ http://www.homeforlife.org/cats.htm ]. When Zeke, one of the kitties at our animal shelter, tested positive for feline leukemia we were fortunate enough to arrange a place for him up there. How wonderful that there are people and organizations like these to help care for these wonderful animals.
Posted by: gw | August 17, 2006 at 02:25 PM