I know none of you would ever commit the following transgressions (at least, I think you wouldn't). But, just in case, here are a few things you may wish to avoid during your next visit to an adoption event.
1. Sticking your hand in a cage and touching a kitten while loudly telling an adoption counselor that you don't like cats.
2. Placing an "order" for a kitten: "Do you happen to have any medium-hair, silver coat, not-tabbies with blue eyes who will be a non-shedding lap cat? No? Can you see if you can find one for me? No? Will you keep my phone number and call me if you ever see one?"
3. Grabbing a kitten, announcing your true and abiding love before ever truly "meeting" it, and start gushing about the backyard playhouse that your husband just finished building for your daughter... the one you are now furnishing and accessorizing... the one that needs a kitten to live in to make it "just like a real house".
4. Trying to give back the cat you adopted last year when it was a kitten because it got big and simultaneously expecting that you will be allowed to adopt another kitten to take its place.
But this one takes the cake...
5. Dumping animals in the parking lot during an adoption event because you are tired of taking care of them. Specifically, these animals:
Two very sweet, very scared, very hungry guinea pig brothers who were unceremoniously dumped because they were "too much trouble".
The wonderfully caring staff at PetSmart sprung into action. They brought the boys inside, shoveled out the disaster area of their cage and then made the decision to condemn the facilities anyway. They provided a new dwelling, fresh bedding, water bottles, food (pellets and fresh) and tucked them away in a room behind the fish tank display while a plan was hatched.
These boys are now in foster with one of our fabulous kitten foster mamas. We're not quite sure what the next step is, but if you are local and a lover of guinea pigs and in the market for a pair of beautiful boys... I know where to find them. They are just over one year old, very bonded to each other, and will be requiring a home together.
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I'll be back to the kitten program tomorrow. We'll pick up where we left off... with an adoption story and the pursuit of three more. Be sure to tune in during the week. We've got a lot of very important stuff coming up that you won't want to miss.
Oh good god. It is stunning what idiots people can be! Those poor guinea pigs - bless the Petsmart people for springing into action and helping out.
ReplyDeleteThat used to happen all the time at the Petsmart adoption centre I used to volunteer at. It drove me nuts that people used it as an opportunity to leave their animals in the parking lot. I once fostered a pregnant guinea pig who'd been dumped and then I ended up caring for her & her three beautiful babies until they were ready for adoption. It was hard to let them go but it's always nice to see them find their forever homes.
ReplyDelete~Chris
Oh Kelly, this hurts my heart. At least those sweet girls have you to come home to (until their forever families are found).
ReplyDeleteI'm happy that those boys are away from their irresponsible owners -- kudos to the Petsmart staff and your fellow foster mother -- and impressed at your witty delineation of &@$#€<~%-ish demands from sheer, selfish &@$€<~%s. I hope that your family, permanent and temporary, can reenergize you. Thanks for all you do for these innocent, room-rearranging creatures.
ReplyDeleteProps to the Petsmart staff for taking action! I'm not sure our local store's staff would have had so much initiative. We're glad that your foster girls have a good place with you until you can weed through the bozos to find their proper forever homes.
ReplyDeleteI did once "order" a kitten - I was looking for a red kitten, other than that not too specific. I had a friend of a friend that runs a rescue. They got one in rescue, they called me to see if it was a love connection, I adopted him (and a friend.) That was 7 years ago. They're still here, happily.
ReplyDeleteHolly... THAT is completely normal. People do have preferences and they play a part in the selection process (and having a friend who can keep an eye out for just the right one is awesome). I decided when I adopted Norman that taking home a black cat was important. I guess in the particular instances that I am thinking about, these people already have exactly what they SAID they were looking for in their arms... but it's the "wrong" color, or "wrong" coat length, or isn't declawed already, or is only 3 months old so we can't predict whether it will happily sit in a lap without disturbing their knitting.
DeleteAnd the most important part? You checked to see if it was a love connection before bringing the red kitten home. You didn't just order him out of a catalog because he was red... if that makes sense.
Oh MAN! Kelly - if only you lived closer or I lived closer or you get the drift. I've been looking for a guinea pig. (and two would be even better - I'm a huge believer in the adopt two at a time of anything philosophy so they have a friend) My friend has one that I'm in love with and I bring him to my house to pig-sit any chance I get. But there's just no way I can afford to drive to you even 1/2 way. and honestly I don't know that I want to take the risk of adopting any animal without meeting it to see if they like me and vice versa. Boogers.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you and the PetSmart team for doing what you could and continuing to do so.
*headdesk* and for heaven's sake, watch your small children so that they don't run up to the cage and stick their hands in to pat the animals.
ReplyDeleteSigh... :(
ReplyDeleteActually that's not expressing the sentiment strongly enough... let me revise to "grrrrr" :(
DeleteArggghhhh....some people! Thank goodness for the staff and the foster mom who took on the boys. I hope they find a forever home who won't find them too much trouble!
ReplyDelete