I have good news and bad news:
I recently did a post about the plight of 45 cats in Northern Minnesota that were being taken from the home of a cat hoarder and were going to be euthenized (nice euphemism, that). I never knew the expression "cat hoarder" though I have heard it a lot recently. Apparently this same hoarder had previously had 25 cats removed rom her home to a shelter.
The bad news: I don't get to take my road trip or make my Sundance-Festival-award-winning heartwarming indie film about a plucky woman driving a Winnebago full of cats a thousand miles. Oh well, there'll be other opportunites, I'm sure.
Last Hope, Inc. of Dakota County, Minnesota, too twenty cats. Several others are going to a veterinary hospital, and the rest are being fostered until they get permanent homes or until there is room at the shelter for them. None of the cats is going to be euthanized.
The Star of the North Humane Society in Itasca County, Minnesota first put out the plea for help last week. Gloria heard it and immediately started networking. One plan included bringing all the cats to the Caboodle Ranch in North Florida, where Craig Grant had agreed to accept them. Transporting the cats would have been an issue in itself, but became huge when it became apparent that each cat would require a health certificate, and that they might have to meet the requirements of each state that they were going to pass through.
Meanwhile, a couple of newspaper stories and a radio interview generated some notice. I was copied an email from a volunteer at the Itasca County shelter. Here's an excerpt:
"I have interviewed with both the Pioneer Press and WCCO radio since last evening, and received numerous calls with pledges of support for these cats and kittens since the article has hit the paper. The radio interview hasn't aired yet, so I'm hoping the support continues. We have never experienced such an outpouring of generosity, so we are feeling a little overwhelmed - but we love that people from all over the state are reaching out to help save these animals, and really to save our shelter. We were doomed to close, or be closed, any day.
I think we will make our goal of saving all of these cats and kittens, and survive ourselves as well! And along the way, we are meeting wonderful people who we will continue to network with, and hope to extend a helping hand back to in the future, since we are all working together for the same goals."
I had pledged a donation to Caboodle Ranch to help these cats. Since Caboodle Ranch isn't getting the cats, I am splitting that donation thusly:
25% to Star of the North (go here for their donation form)
25% to the Caboodle Ranch
25% to my long-time favorite charity, Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary
25% to my local shelter.
* * * * *
Sanctuary: A place of refuge or asylum.
I hope there's one there when I need it.
[Image via Charitable Choices]
Darn it, I SO wanted to se that Cats in a Winnebago-movie!
Posted by: rarity | August 28, 2006 at 03:21 AM