1. Why should I spay/neuter my pet? I find homes for all the offspring!! You should alter your pets (and any other strays wandering around your neighborhood) because homeless pets in our country outnumber available homes by a ratio of 7 to 1. By allowing your pet to have puppies or kittens, you are simply adding to that already impossible ratio. For those of you who find homes for your pet's offspring, consider this: for every home you fill with a puppy or kitten, a puppy or kitten in a shelter will die because that home is no longer available. The ONLY way we will ever lower euthanasia rates in shelters is by people--ALL people--taking responsibility for spaying/neutering their pets.
2. Won't altering my pet change his/her personality? Well, if you mean "won't it stop my cat from yeowling when she is in heat or spraying all over everything because he/she is territorial and scouting a mate," then yes--altering will change your pet's behavior. But if you really want to give the ultimate gift to your pet, you will have him/her spayed/neutered. Spaying/neutering reduces undesirable behavior, makes animals less likely to wander, and reduces the risk of very virulent cancers that are likely to occur later in life. And spaying and neutering can ultimately save the lives of millions of shelter animals euthanized every year because there are not enough homes for them.
NOTE: We continue to see hundreds of unaltered pit bulls in San Jose. Please, if you have a bully breed dog--SPAY OR NEUTER!! Pit bulls are especially plentiful on shelter euthanasia lists. This is a wonderful breed that has gotten a horrible rap because of horrible people. Those of us who love this breed and want to change its reputation BEG those of you who are pit bull guardians to help by altering and training your dog, which sets him/her up for success instead of a horrible death at a shelter.
3. Wait a minute--did you say female cats can spray? That's not true--is it? We hear it all the time--"we want a female cat because males spray." Well, guess what? Both females and males spray. There is no 100% way to predict if your cat will spray, but there are ways to reduce the chances significantly by doing two things: keep your cat indoors (that way, there is no need for your cat to establish territory around the neighborhood, which is done with spraying) and alter your cat. The combination of these two acts results in happy cats and happy people!
4. Are you one of those organizations that spays and neuters animals when they are only 8 weeks old? Isn't that cruel??? Yes--we are one of those organizations. And no, it is not cruel. In fact, when an eight week old kitten or puppy is altered, there is far less physical trauma to the animal's body (because the incision and organs are so tiny) and far less recovery time (usually a few hours before kitten or puppy is up and playing like nothing happened!) We as an organization have rescued 1400 animals and have lost two kittens to early spay/neuter--both of those kittens were found (via necropsy) to have congenital health issues. So . . . we are huge advocates of pediatric spay/neuter. The adopter can spend quality time bonding with a small little one, and we have contributed to the ultimate solution regarding animal overpopulation.
5. Why does your answering machine say, "We don't take animals from the general public." Isn't that what rescues do?
A few rescues do take animals from the general public. Most rescues, however, spend their time and resources saving animals from certain death in shelters. Look at it this way: rescue groups, including ours, are made up of normal, everyday people with day jobs who volunteer their time to house, socialize and care for animals who would not have a chance at live otherwise. Our rescue saves approximately 250 animals per year from shelter euthanasia lists and finds homes for all of them. If we, a group of ten dedicated people, can find homes for 250 animals per year, then YOU, a guardian who decides to give up your dog/cat, or a person who finds a kitten or a puppy, can find a home for that animal. You are no different than us. We consider an animal found by you to be "rescued." We consider animals with less than 24 hours to live at a shelter "in need of rescue." And we choose to put our hearts and money into those animals "in need of rescue" in hopes that others will see our example and do their fair share when they get the opportunity to step up.
6. Well, if you won't take animals from the general public, can you offer advice as to what I should do if I find a stray? Absolutely!! If you find a stray dog or a cat, please take that animal to a local veterinarian and ask the front desk to SCAN THE ANIMAL FOR A MICROCHIP! If the animal is microchipped, then the guardian can be located!! If the animal is not microchipped, then visit your local shelter and place a "found dog/cat" flier at the shelter (some shelters have bulletin boards, and some have binders). If at all possible, keep the animal in your home. Turning the animal in to a shelter only guarantees five days of life, after which he/she can and probably will be euthanized. Place fliers around the neighborhood, in local veterinary offices, and pet stores. Be sure to note on the fliers that, if this animal is not claimed by a guardian, he or she will need a loving home! If the guardian does not materialize and a potential adopter does, make sure to check that adopter's references (ask for a veterinary reference--these are the best)! Finally, if you do adopt out the animal, do your share with regard to overpopulation and make sure the animal is spayed/neutered before going home. This is of utmost importance!! The San Jose Animal Care Center offers a low cost spay/neuter program for cats that is FABULOUS!! Go to our "Links We Love" section for information regarding this program!
If you find a litter of unweaned kittens or puppies, please call us at (408)529-4945. We will walk you through the pre-wean process to ensure that these little ones will have every chance of survival. We understand that bottle feeding pre-weans is difficult (we do this with shelter animals, too), but trust us--it is so rewarding and is very short term. And we will be there to advise you along the way!
7. Why does it take some rescues FOREVER to call me back? Rescues are founded and operated by normal people with day jobs who spend other waking hours trying to save animals' lives. This means that we are always short on time. We at Unconditional Love try our best to return phone calls within 24 hours, but this definitely depends on whatever factors occur that particular day. We encourage you to both call and e-mail (lislotti@aol.com). Our director has a Blackberry and can sometime respond to e-mails faster than phone calls!
8. Why do some rescues insist on cats being "indoor only?" Cats are hunters and love to be outside! While it may be true that cats can and will hunt, it is also true that we no longer live in a time where animals are safe wandering outside. Cars, wild animals (whose land we have taken and who now have to hunt domestic animals to survive, and mean people pose huge threats to cats. We have rescued cats that have been hung over fences with fishing line and fish hooks, have been shattered by cars and torn up by wild animals. The sad part is, this is totally preventable. Cats sleep 18 hours a day. A tall cat tree beside a window, fresh food and water, and a mommy and daddy who are willing to play with dangly strings and laser pointers daily make for a happy cat.
Something else we always point out to people is that cats wander. And while you might think it is ok for your cat to poop and pee on other people's lawns, they might not. And they have every right to trap your cat and haul him to the local shelter, where there is a 2% chance he will still be alive by the time you figure out he or is missing (yes--only 2% of lost cats are ever returned to their people).
9. Well, then, what about feral cats? They are outside! Yes, feral cats are outside, because of the irresponsibility and ignorance of humans who have allowed domesticated cats to breed unchecked, which resulted in, you guessed it, millions of feral cats across our country. But feral cats are NOT the same as domesticated cats. They are like any other wild animal and should be left where they are. BUT THEY NEED TO BE SPAYED/NEUTERED!!! Only by trapping, altering and releasing feral cats can we ever hope to bring the massive numbers of ferals under control.
Many ferals are trapped and turned in at shelters, where they spend a terrifying five days before being held down, euthanized and thrown into a garbage can full of dead bodies. And for every feral that is turned into the shelter, an open place in that particular colony invites more cats. People need to understand that keeping a colony of altered ferals together and established prevents other feral cats from moving in! So do yourselves and these ferals a favor by trapping, altering and releasing. It is the best way to manage numbers and the kindest way to address feral kitties who, by no fault of their own (OUR fault--remember??) are out on their own.
10. Should I adopt one kitten or two? We love this question and will tell you that absolutely, if you are adopting babies, two is better than one! Two kittens will play and wear each other out while you are gone, and sleep with you when you sleep. One kitten will sleep when you are gone and expect you to play all night long! Two kittens require one litter box, one food and one water bowl, and one kitty scratching post, so there is little difference in cost. And trust us--the fact that you will hang on to your sanity is worth the couple bucks of extra food a month!!
Having said this, we do NOT require that you adopt kittens in pairs. We understand that some of the most responsible people want to make sure they can manage one kitty (financially, especially) before diving in to adopt another. But if you decide that we were right after a few sleepless nights, we encourage you to come see us again, and we will find the right buddy for you current little furball!! |
