I Was Just Visited By The SPCA :(

[Pipp]

They called and said they had a 'report' about me mistreating my animals. (That was Bunny George, myhomeless friend, yesterday was his last day here,and he'shaving psychotic episodes -- he's convinced the bunnies are in danger without him being here to protect them).

I normally don't answer my phone, but I did. They wanted to come by, I said I was sick, they said, 'well, we're onyourporch.' :shock: I figured why not, soI let them in. (The place was a mess, hadn't cleaned up after George got his stuff out, and of course Sherry had been marking up a storm around the new bunnies' pen).

But I figured everybody's healthy and happy.

Not according to the SPCA. They cited me for one of my long-haired cats having a coupleof mats on her backlegs.

I'm canceling my monthly donation.



sas :grumpy

 

[CookieNCream]

That's horrible!

 

[aurora369]

Ug!! I can't believe they did that!!

You are one of the best animal care takers I know of!

Grrr...

--Dawn

 

[Haley]

Wow, thats awful. Im sorry you have to deal with that on top of everything else going on right now.

I take it youre done with George? Hes making me angry and Im not even there!

 

[jordiwes]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. I know of a cat at our local SPCA where it took them months to find the mats on the back of his legs. And they were wondering why he was grumpy!

What happens when they cite you?

 

[Pipp]

It means they come back in seven days, to make sure I've cleaned up my act. Or at least my cat. :disgust:

I don't think I'll let them in.

sas :X

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Wow, don't they have anything better to do? You sure don't need this right now.

 

[Greta]

Pipp wrote:

I don't think I'll let them in.

I wouldn't, either! geez! Most likely, just about any long-hair cat on planet earth has a mat or two at any given time... which includes the ones in residence at the SPCA. Sometimes I think they just have time ontheir hands and/or want money.

You take great care of your pets, sas, and they should have recognised that the moment they stepped inside your house.

 

[Krissa]

That is so sad, they do have too much time on their hands.

I gave up with the SPCA around here out of frustration when I was looking for a puppy - one of the pounds smelled so bad I turned around and left, another had puppies with parvo the from November to the biginning of Feb and they were not quarinteened far from the ones that were healthy. I finally gave up and purchased from a breeder.

So, you should point those people my way and I'll show them some animals that need to be cared for, in their own system.

 

[maherwoman]

Wow...that's incredible......:shock:

I can't believe they could be able to find ANY fault in your household...but the fact that it was mats on a long-haired cat shows they couldn't, but just had to find something to justify their being there, and the fact that they weren't wrong in following up on that call. :X

I'm happy to hear George isn't there any longer...but unhappy that he did that.

How are you doing??

 

[Spring]

That is so silly! That isn't even serious at all. Mats can be sometimes hard to find!

Sometimes the SPCA does take things too far. I can't believe they would do that just because of a few mats on her leg. So silly compared to the other neglect and abuse cases I'm sure are out there.

 

[Michaela]

I can't believe this!:shock:

Hugs to you Sas!:hug1

 

[missyscove]

Aww, that's too bad. :hug:

 

[Becknutt]

Wow! Don't let them see my cat then....I have an11yo long hair that absolutely hates being brushed. She gets mats all the time and we have to trim them off. They should have better things to do with their time...like going after the people who really do neglect their animals. There is not a soul on earth who could claim their long haired cat NEVER had a mat. I would complain!!

 

[seniorcats]

Maybe you should tell the SPCA it's not mats but the feline version of dreadlocks and how dare they insult your cat's style.

I know they have to check out complaints but surely they don't have tojustifyteir existence with a silly citation.Perhaps the real cases of abuse and neglect are beyond their ability tohandle. Sounds like the making of an multi-part article tome.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

seniorcats wrote:

Maybe you should tell the SPCA it's not mats but the feline version of dreadlocks and how dare they insult your cat's style.

:laugh:Thanks, I needed that laugh!

Pipp, it really sucks you were on the wrong end of this one. We know your animals are taken good care of. It sucks they sent a citation but at least they are following up on complaints... I'd be more concerned if complaints were being ignored. But that being said, I am really anti-SPCA because of my own experiences! I really do wonder what their true motive is sometimes.

 

[ahri22]

Oh my goodness!! I can't believe they'd give acitation to a GOOD animal carer!!! There are so many thousands of neglected and abused animals out there...more than thousands...and the SPCA site you because your cat has a couple of mats??

Our long haired cats have had mats before...I guess that means I'm abad cat mummy??? One of my poor cats had mats on her belly, and I hadto cut them off...her skin was quite loose for some reason, and at one point I acidentally cut a wad of skin off her at the same time as themat! Boy did I feel awful!!!!! I was always very nervous about cutting off mats after that...

As for our dog...he's got mats too! And he goes around rolling in the dirt and gets sticks in his fur...he's a regular mess! Even when he's had a bath it lasts about half an hour...

I remember one day calling the RSPCA here in Australia, because someone had their big Rottweiler dog out of their yard...I don't know if it was a vicious dog, but it certainly leapt at my car when I was driving past (I had to go past really slowly and beep the horn at it so that I wouldn't hit it, because it just wouldn't go away from my car!!) Theother thing was, it was about 1/2 an hour till school got out, and I knew there'd be school kids in the area...Anyway, do you think they did anything?? No, they told me to call the council...Not only was the dog in danger itself (because of its agressive attitude towards cars!) but it was potentially dangerous for people as well!!

 

[naturestee]

Wow, you're really having a rough week! :hug2:

I can't believe they had to make up a silly citation for you.I bet they could find lots of things actually wrong at most of the pet stores in Vancouver. Why pick on someone who rescues animals and takes great care of them? Especially considering the source... doesBunny Georgereally sound that coherent when he's in an episode? A friend of mine is also paranoid schizophrenic but more under control, and in her episodes it's obvious to everyone that something is wrong.

Seniorcats, I love the dreadlocks idea. I'll have to tell that to my sister. She's having a horrible time with her long-haired cat getting matted. Last summer they actually had to have a groomer shave the poor kitty because the mats were forming faster than they could get them off her. She's certainly not mistreating the cat.

 

[nermal71]

Well if they came here i'd be in BIGtrouble. My golden retriver always has a matsomewhere. I cut one out and anotherappears. Not to mention she LOVES mud baths. hehe

And I honestly don't like either the SPCA or PETA. I knowmany may not agree with me on that. But I have had manyexperiences with both that tell me they do more harm thangood. Too many of the SPCA shelters that I have been inSTINK, they're filthy, dirty and the animals are sometimes moreneglected than the homes they came from. It is sooosad. I know they are overcrowded and understaffed so I triedto overlook it but I will tell you some of it was basic cleaning.

As to PETA. 18 or 19 years ago we had ahorse. He was a pale gray/white arabian. He wasgorgeous. We had him for several years. We movedhim from one barn to another due to a rise in cost at his firstbarn. If we had known what was going to happen my mom and Iwould NEVER had moved him. Caliph developed cancer of theforeskin. We talked to two different vets bothagreed that he was beyond treatment, but that at this point he was NOTsuffering so we could wait to put him down until the point that it wasdeemed he was suffering. We still went out there severaltimes a week and brushed him, bathed him and even rode him a bit as thevet advised. This went on for several months withbi-weekly vet visits. The woman who owned the barndecided we should put him down so she could "let out his stall tosomeone new with a higher price". She had raised her pricesbut we were under a contract so she could not raise our monthlyboard. About a week later after mom hadtold her she was NOT putting Cal down PETA showed up at my mom'shouse. Ranting and raving threatening to sue her,etc. They harassed my mom for several weeks untilfinally mom put him down probably months and months before it wouldhave been necessary. We later found out that when we werecoming out the owner of the stable would put Cal back in a nice stall,but during the times we weren't there she would stick him in a muddylittle standing stall with no bedding, etc. A horsestall without bedding is like a rabbit box without litter justdirt. So when we were coming out she'd put Cal into a nicebox stall and turn that horse into the corral. Wetried to reason with PETA, but to no avail. It was soo sadthat his life had to be ended over this. We let itdrop after he was gone cause neither of us felt like fighting itanymore. I wish now that we had gone after thestable owner for her deception in the whole thing.

 

[Bassetluv]

Sas...I'm so sorry to hear that you were bulliedlike that. I think with a lot of organizations, there is a sort of love/hate feeling that many of us have toward them. While the SPCA,humane societies, childrens' aid, etc. all have great causes, and many animals and children are helped by them, there are also a LOT of flaws, and ofteninnocent people/animals are affected.

This should not have happened. As a result of their nitpickingand bullying (which is what it sounds like to me), they have lost much-needed funds from a supporter. And so often we hear of cases where people who abuse animals or regularly neglect them are not pursued, or are let off because of loopholes or oversights...it's just not fair. I still tend to shake my head in disbelief whenever Ihear of these things taking place...It's just such a shame...

And nermal, I'm so sorry to hear about your horse Cal....