And the question is WHY? I have a feeling a lot of it isn't JUST plain ignorance (although I hate to admit, many are just that!), it may be the cost of spaying/neutering - prices on the Easdt Coast can be up to $400 for a female cat! Yes, there are low-cost certificates available, but how many veterinarians participate? Many are in it just for the money, and yet, they don't realize that by performing the surgery, they could actually gain a client for life! It's like cutting off your nose to spite your face.... Some larger humane groups also offer their own pre-paid spay/neuter at time of adoption, but the rate of actually taking advantage of the already prepaid surgferiesare really low, that's why many spay/neuter little kittens before they are adopted! We work with two veterinary groups and get a nice discount, although the larger group just informed us that the 50% is down to 30% (they could certainly afford to keep giving us the old rate...). I also use FoA certificates (www.friendsofanimals.org), and give adopters another option of SPAY/USA at 1-800-248-SPAY. It would be great to get more veterinarians to participate in both programs. Natalie
-----Original Message----- From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Lorrie Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2012 9:23 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Overpopulation of cats Thanks for what you do Natalie. I've been rescuing cats for about 40 years now and have 14 N/S rescued cats at home and more in a building I bought in 2004 and made into a cageless sanctuary for abused, abandoned cats. I also TNR, but as you said, I don't see much change in the number of kittens being born. People still don't N/S as they find it much easier to dump their unwanted cats. It is difficult not to detest most people...... Meaning people like that who care so little about their animals. Lorrie On 10-03, Natalie wrote: > Yes, it would make sense - if cats had not been domesticated so long > ago, they would still be part of the natural ecosystem, be considered > wildlife and probably still reproduce only once, instead of numerous > times throughout the year, as they do now. It does happen to most > wildlife, but obviously very differently, depending on the species. > > It's too bad that this doesn't apply to domesticated animals anymore. > I doubt that companion animals will ever become extinct. My hope would > be that every time someone wanted a cat or a dog, they would have to be > on a waiting list - what's happening right now, is obscene - the number > of healthy, beautiful animals that are killed routinely in shelters and > pounds is unbearable. I started the cat rescue 20 years ago, and I > don't think much has changed, other than other small groups in the area > doing the same thing. People are still not spaying/neutering, still > abandoning their pets, and many are still total jerks! Those of us who > do rescue, are paying emotional, physically, and financially for > others' irresponsible behavior, because we care. > _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
