Viewpoint by Sandy Hill/reporter
I’ll be the first to admit, I’m an animal lover.
At the beginning of the summer, I had one dog and two cats. An acceptable number, I thought.
Over the course of the summer, my two teenagers brought home five more animals that had no home — two dogs, a cat and her two kittens. For a period of time, I would sing, “Welcome to the Jungle.” And I wasn’t laughing about it either.
The stray dogs dug up the backyard, prompting me to immediately find a home for the biggest troublemaker. After he left, the other dog suddenly became sweet and lovable and a permanent addition to our household.
My daughter put an ad on Craigslist for the momma cat and her kittens, products of an indoor pet that got out but had never been spayed. The next day, two young ladies arrived and took the kittens, which were old enough to be weaned but were still nursing.
That was the most heart-wrenching thing I have ever experienced. Momma cat cried for days and searched my home from top to bottom for her little ones. I became an emotional wreck and just wanted to get her babies and take them home, just not to my home.
After weeks of trying to find a home for Sara the momma cat and dealing with the anxiety of her not getting along with the other animals, we decided to place her with a no-kill organization that fosters cats until they find a permanent home.
Before doing so, we took Sara for shots and a feline leukemia test and had her spayed at a low-cost spay and neuter clinic.
We recently went to visit Sara. She seemed happy enough, and it appeared she was treated well. We happily made a donation to the organization.
The saddest part of it all was being surrounded by cages and cages of cats, cute as could be and yet without a place to call home. Anyone who doesn’t currently own a dog or cat can save a life by getting one today. However, be sure to spay or neuter them to avoid seeing the heartbreak of animals that are born without a home and face possible euthanasia.
