Wednesday, May 1, 2013
So, I have a major issues that I've touched base with on Face.Book. It may be a jumbled up mess on here, but I'm just thinking of things as I go.
We have a feral cat problem. In trying to do the right thing by all, I've tried to find ways to not have to call Animal Control. I am an animal lover to the very core of me. When I found out that Ace's owner planned on shipping him and his other siblings off to the pound, we immediately wanted one. We chose him and are so happy we did. When the neighbors moved and left their cat, we took over her care. We got Leroy from the pound in Ohio. Anyone see a theme here?
At first, the cat problem was only about 3 cats. Then, over the last 4 years, it grew. Then we started noticing the smell. It was everywhere. On our house, cars, trees, the kid's outside play equipment and toys, on their slide and on nearly everything we touched. When we had company over, it embarrassed me almost to the point of me not wanting anyone over. It didn't help matters that our next door neighbors were the ones to blame with all of this. They do not take care of their place or yard, so why take care of their animals?
I know it's not the animal's fault that they are in this situation. I know it's not fair that their life has to end because of some stupid humans decision to not take care of them. But, I have children who cannot be subjected to their odors anymore. I have two dogs who cannot be either. It is not healthy to continue to breathe in what their urine has in it. Not to mention rabies and inbreeding and sickness within the group.
Everything else, citrus sprays and even bleach are just a temporary fix and washes away with the first hard rain we get. We can't afford to keep going out and buying things like that in the hopes that it wards them off for a few days.
I made my decision and called Animal Control. We've already caught two cats. One being pregnant. They will save the ones they can for adoption, but those too wild or sick or injured will be put to sleep after a holding period.
I turned a blind eye for over 4 years, and I'm sorry they will be put to sleep, but they cannot be my problem, and I refuse to let them continue to make the problem bigger. I've made a couple of my Face.book friends mad and they don't understand why I couldn't just try this..or that..or this. A lot of them also do not have a family or kids to take care of. But, I'm not going to made out to be a horrible person, and I refuse to let my family's health be in jeopardy. They will always be my number one concern, no matter what has to happen.
