Our animals bring a lot of happiness to us -- whether it's Grete's appreciative look to a good back-scratch or Isaac's happy squawking to welcome a new day. Unfortunately, not all pets receive the same appreciation back from their families. In 2006, over 32,000 cats and dogs were euthanized in Utah...a similar situation across the nation and the result of low adoption rates, a lack of no-kill shelters, and people who refuse to spay or neuter their pets.
On the feathered side of the world, many parrots are bought as pets by families who are uneducated about the time commitment...pet birds frequently outlive their owners and require hours of attention each day. We like to say that Isaac is as much work as a kid and although we can lock him up when he's being naughty, this kid won't leave the house when he's 18.
This year, we lost sweet SaraCat to intestinal cancer -- she came from a Utah pound and brought over 13 years of joy to us. One week later, our neighbors found a kitten in their garage; she was barely six weeks old, full of fleas and parasites and her lip was almost torn off. No one knew where Grete came from -- and although we are happy to have adopted her, no kitty deserves to be welcomed into the world that way.
We researched two charities and donated to both of them (they both have good track records):
No More Homeless Pets of Utah ( www.utahpets.org): A charity working to spay and neuter thousands of animals across the Wasatch Front and lobbying for change to no-kill shelters. We donated to them earlier this year in memory of Jinx and this time we're donating in honor of Grete.
The Gabriel Foundation (www.thegabrielfoundation.org): A rehabilitation and sanctuary in Colorado that takes in self-mutilating birds (they will often pluck their own feathers out of neglect or malnutrition) as well as birds whose owners have died.
We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Love and miss each of you!
Scott and Ryan
p.s. Attached are two holiday pictures -- Grete under the tree and Isaac overlooking the tree.
No comments:
Post a Comment