Not my own story, but I think people should know about it.

[aeries]

This is Sketches, a bengal kitten that was thrown out in a garbage bag with her whiskers cut off.



Her spine is fractured, and she is half-paralyzed. A lady found her in her yard and took her to the SPCA, the SPCA refused to help and said they would just put her to sleep. A couple who was at the shelter at the time overheard the incident and took her in.

[Milky's Mammy]

That is a terrible thing to throw the poor little angel away.... I hope Sketches recovers to full health and has a happy life ahead!

[Beauty Betty Berry]

You know, these stories are so sad, but what makes me even more concerned (and sometimes mad) - when organizations like SPCA say they can't help. I thought they were there to watch OUT and care for animals. I mean, that's why I make a contribution every month because they say they help animals in those conditions. I get letters all the time about how this dog was on the brink of death and was rescued by the organization. I don't get it sometimes...I know the work can be overwhelming, and I wish we could save them all...but I know we can't.
*she's putting the soapbox away *

Well, I hope these animal organizations DO try their best to save those they can and I hope little Sketches has a great life ahead!

[Vivid Dawn]

The rescue group I volunteer for would have taken her. Just the other week, we took two kittens who some guy was going to throw in the river!
When the group first started, we had "the dumpster litter"... though after a good half dozen, we stopped referencing kittens like that, because there were SO MANY! Once, the manager of Petco got rabbits out of the dumpster!

Seriously, if people don't want their pets, why not just drop them off at a shelter? They still get rid of them, and don't risk being caught and reported for abuse. I would think it would be less hassle.... oh well.

[Nora B]

Originally Posted by Vivid Dawn

Seriously, if people don't want their pets, why not just drop them off at a shelter? They still get rid of them, and don't risk being caught and reported for abuse. I would think it would be less hassle.... oh well.

I foster for a group that tries to fill the gap left by animal control and the humane society in my town. To turn an animal in at the humane society requires an appt and a fee (don't know what it is for dogs - but it is $20 per cat). Many times they don't have room and then the next option is animal control which most people fear for reprecussions...

The country wide groups dont allocate money to the local level groups - reading where hsus spends their funds is demoralizing at best, and local groups struggle - It's why I couldn't say no to fostering - the day I hear such and such a cat/kitten is being put down unless we get a new placement is the day I wind up with another foster bathroom kitty - or litter of kittens.

Unfortunately, at least here in central Il, it is so much easier for people to walk away than it is to try and do right by an 'unwanted' animal.

[Vivid Dawn]

There's a fee here too for Animal Control. But there's PLENTY of places to drop them off for free. In fact, most of the pet stores (Petco, Petsmart) will take them in and give them to whatever rescue group they work with. There's always better options... absolutely NO excuse to put animals in trash cans, bags in rivers, throwing out car windows into store parking lots, etc.

[RachandNito]

Someone left a burlap sack with THIRTEEN cats (3 pregnant females, 1 nursing female the rest her kittens) stuffed inside just outside my clinic doors the other night.

I don't have a lot of faith in the general public after seeing some of the things people do to cats. I'm glad to have a community like this one that restores my faith in people.

[Pixall]

My grandmother got her dog that way.

My cousin was at Petcosmart buying food for his farm dog, a 13 year old Australian Shepherd. When he went in there were two kids outside with a box of puppies. Shane didn't think too much of it. In farm country there are plenty of farm dog litters given away for free(Why people don't alter the farm dogs is beyond me. NONE of them charge for the pups.) He got his food and left. On the way out, the kids came up to him.

'are these your puppies?!'
'uhh, no... you had them when I went in the store...'

Turns out somebody had dumped them in the dumpster out back, and these kids, who were up to SOME sort of mischief(ALL kids are, lol), heard them crying and were infuriated. Shane took one home, intending to keep it, as Freckles was getting on in years and the pup looked like him. The pup and Freckles didn't really see eye to eye, so my grandmother(who lives across the street... In farm country that means she lives a half mile away lol) took him in. He was a small pup, even the vet thought he would only be 25-30lbs. But as he got older he got bigger... and bigger... and bigger... LOL Unfortunately he got too big for her. She is an old lady who really is pretty frail. She found a Boarder Collie rescue and was in contact with them for quite a while trying to make it work, but she ultimately had to give him up.

Now she has a rescued Papillon that was abandoned, 7 weeks pregnant, in someone's garage. My grandmother has a heart of gold, but her body can't keep up with all the good she wants to do in this world. My mother has one of the pups from my grandma's Papillon. Bear is half Papillon, half Pomeranian, fully grown, and 4.5lbs. Thanks, pre-natal neglect.

[Kobster]

Its a horrible story, but in defense of the SPCA, I can see why they would euthanize a paralyzed kitten with a broken spine. That kitten is going to require SO much care and money and will likely not be adoptable because of it and she may not have a good quality of life because of it. They are faced with thousands of cats every year who need rescue with limited funds, resources and homes willing to take healthy cats. The sick and injured ones, unless there is someone with a big heart and pocketbook to take them on, are often euthanized. Its life, not the SPCA's fault or lack of heart. Look at all the good they do.

[SomeRandomChick]

Originally Posted by Kobster

Its a horrible story, but in defense of the SPCA, I can see why they would euthanize a paralyzed kitten with a broken spine. That kitten is going to require SO much care and money and will likely not be adoptable because of it and she may not have a good quality of life because of it. They are faced with thousands of cats every year who need rescue with limited funds, resources and homes willing to take healthy cats. The sick and injured ones, unless there is someone with a big heart and pocketbook to take them on, are often euthanized. Its life, not the SPCA's fault or lack of heart. Look at all the good they do.

I actually agree with this, although it does stink. I wish the funds WERE unlimited, but they're just not. The harsh reality is that for the amount of this cat's vet care, probably 10-20 other cats could be vetted and adopted out, maybe more depending on their general condition/health. And again, no guarantee on this one's quality of life after treatment. It shouldn't be a numbers game, but it is ... and mathematically, those funds could be spread out to ultimately do more good and save more lives.