Upset at the Ottawa Humane Society

[this_lil_piggy]

I do appreciate their issues, that is why I asked the question. I did not question why they refused her the gp because of the cat, nor did I object to it...
I was just asking if they questioned her about her current gp, and if they didn't--why didn't they?
Not just breeders breed. Pet stores breed wether they know or admit it. People who don't get a 2nd opinion on gender before placing gp's together breed. etc. It happens.
If it is important to them for a 9 yr old indoor house cat to be sterilized, then it should be just as important for a female caged gp to be as well. A sow gp is just as likely, maybe even more likely, to be bred if some unknowing, or uncaring owner plops a boar into the cage with her.

Again, I wasn't argueing against shelter policies, I was simply asking if this isn't part of the policy, why isn't it.

[CavySpirit]

then it should be just as important for a female caged gp to be as well...

The fact of the matter is that there is a social heirarchy of pets. Dogs, then cats, then I would argue rabbits.... and on down the line. We aren't living in an ideal world. Guinea pigs SHOULD be valued as much as a cat or a dog. But, they simply aren't. Look at the adoption fees.

Now ask the same thing about hamsters....birds....rats.....etc.

[smartorl]

My main question is did you try to explain why your situation is different to a manager or did you get immediately upset as you are now? It seems to me that you are unable or unwilling to see their side at all. To be very, very honest, if someone instantly starts to be a little beligerant to me with regard to adoption policies, I immediately rule them out. Sorry, I will work on any situation with someone that wants to try to make an animal work, just instant anger and disregard as to why our policies are in place concerns me as to their true motives. Again, stressing very strongly, understand these guidelines are put in place to protect the animals they are placing and also to encourage people to be responsible and spay and neuter all pets. I am very glad that you were still able to adopt you pig, it is a cutie for sure! I am not in any way saying that I think that you are unfit, or that you are not an amazing animal owner with very happy and contented pets. I just think instead of taking offense, you should have taken a deep breath and tried to work it out with the shelter. As stated before shelters are not perfect, most try the best they can, others are failing in many areas, this was not a personal attack, having unspayed or unneutered animals (cats or dogs) is a huge warning sign that someone may not be responsible with the new pet as well. Adopting a gp from the shelter will not make your cat go out and get pregnant but it will not stop her from escaping and getting pregnant tomorrow. At our spay clinics, I see it all the time, family in for the holdidays, oops, someone left the door open when the cat was already upset by the company, someone at the house doing maintenance or repair, oops, left the window open the cat escapes. I certainly hope that you are never faced with an unepected pregnancy on an aged cat but it happens all the time, it is much more draining than a spay and as a final note, cats male and female are usually fertile until they die.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by smartorl

My main question is did you try to explain why your situation is different to a manager.

First I called the Manager and she never called me back. Then I sent a email to the Director asking him why each family isnt taken case by case. He never replied me back but the Manager did for him, without even being open to what I was trying to tell her. Then she lied to me about that particular GP that I wanted was bonded so I wouldnt have her anyways. Fact of the matter is that I called just before leaving so she would reserve the GP and she did....If that GP was bonded the woman over the phone would of told me. I guess thats when I got upset, upset I've been lied to and upset she wasnt open to see how keeping small animals from having a loving home because of that isnt really fair for them.

But you know, you are right. I have 2 beautiful girls now. I didnt save that GP from the OHS but I did save 2!

PS: nonamian_girl, sorry but no more donations to the OHS until they review their rules. Not worth giving money when some pets are kept from having loving homes. If they are over crowded then they should review their rules. They are wasting people's donations each time they refuse adoption.

[sandra]

YEAH someone from the OHS just called me. She explained me the importance of getting dog/cat fixed and I agreed. She agreed with me that I shouldnt of been refused the adoption of that GP because my cat isnt fixed. She said she will review the policy/talk to the adoption responsible. I told her that the GP I wanted from them is still there.... each day it cost them something for feeding her while she could of been in my home right now. I really hope they will take each family case by case. Even if its too late now for me, changing a bit their policy will prevent this to happen again. At least the lady that called me was concerned and at the same time upset that they didnt let me adopt. Am keeping my fingers crossed.

[exsNohs]

Maybe she just doesnt want to get that kind of surgery done on her cat. Or maybe its the money issue. And if she doesnt want to get it done then she doesnt have to. Maybe shes RESPONSIBLE enough to watch her cat and keep her in the house and away from other cats so the cat doesnt get pregnant. A different solution to pregnancy doesnt make someone irresponsible.

[VoodooJoint]

Originally Posted by exsNohs

Maybe she just doesnt want to get that kind of surgery done on her cat. Or maybe its the money issue. And if she doesnt want to get it done then she doesnt have to. Maybe shes RESPONSIBLE enough to watch her cat and keep her in the house and away from other cats so the cat doesnt get pregnant. A different solution to pregnancy doesnt make someone irresponsible.

Please tell me how often you volunteer at a shelter.

How many healthy animals have you held when they were euthanized for want of a home?

How many animals have you rescued? Have you participated in large scale rescues?

How many dead animals have you scraped up off the street to give a proper burial to?

How many feral cats have you trapped, spay/neutered and released or homed?

If you have not done these things then maybe you should and you will gain a better understanding why many of us believe that keeping an unspayed/neutered dog or cat is playing with fire.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by exsNohs

Maybe she just doesnt want to get that kind of surgery done on her cat. Or maybe its the money issue. And if she doesnt want to get it done then she doesnt have to. Maybe shes RESPONSIBLE enough to watch her cat and keep her in the house and away from other cats so the cat doesnt get pregnant. A different solution to pregnancy doesnt make someone irresponsible.

Thanks for your post exsNohs. Something else I thought, people from warm parts of the world, got more chance of their cats to sneak out of the house then in my cold part of the world. . My windows/doors are closed at least 9 months out of 12 ..... My cat wouldnt dare being in the cold ... Beside, those that keeps their unfixed cat out... are the problem.

VoodooJoint, my problem is solve, I got 2 beautiful GP and I am not dealing with the shelter anymore. So why go on with the fixing issue again? No point!

[Percy's Mom]

Originally Posted by sandra

VoodooJoint, my problem is solve, I got 2 beautiful GP and I am not dealing with the shelter anymore. So why go on with the fixing issue again? No point!

VJ didn't bring up the fixing issue again, exsNohs did, and her comment more than deserved responding to. If you don't want to discuss the "fixing issue", that's certainly your decision, but you don't get to direct what is covered in a thread even if you started it.

Don't think you're totally blameless by keeping your cat unspayed. Even if you keep your pet indoors, there are feral cats and pets that accidentally get loose, and especially in the winter, they will try to get into any warm place. I hope your cat isn't in heat some time when one of those cats decides to try and get in your house, possibly even breaking a door or windowpane.

[smartorl]

I disagree, I volunteer at two local rescues. With one we work in conjunction with a local vet and conduct spay and neuter clinics for local residents. Because I have a home based business and work for myself, I handle all of the scheduling. Yes, there are alot of strays brought in pregnant by residents that really don't own the cats but don't want to deal with kittens, these cats are usually borderline feral, but there is a staggering amount of indoor cats that come to us pregnant, the reason, the owners think that they were always indoors so they wouldn't come into contact with other cats. Sadly, many of these cats are not properly vaccinated either for the same reason. In many cases, a male cat has gotten INTO their homes not their cat getting OUT. The scent a female cat in heat gives off can be very strong. I have also seen it alot with dogs, they don't get their dog spayed because she never leaves their property, they come home to find that a dog has gotten in and is tied up with their dog. These people love their animals very much just have a false sense of security. Alot of people also declaw because their cat will never get out, we see these cats as strays either starving because they can't even try to feed themselves or injured because they can't defend themselves. I am sorry but your continued arguing about why a cat shouldn't be fixed in getting pretty old. Do you know that an unspayed female animal runs a higher risk of cancer and uterine infection? The cat and dog spay / neuter situation is one very near and dear to me. I do foster guinea pigs sometimes but my main work is with cats and dogs. So many friendly loving cats are euthenized, not feral cats, sweet cats that deserve a chance to be loved. Why flirt with disaster and then point the finger at a shelter for not letting you adopt. I would be very disappointed in that shelter for changing their guidelines. Those guidelines are present in any respectable animal rescue group. If you choose to not spay a fertile animal, please don't bash the shelter for doing their job in trying to protect their animals. I would like a contat number or e-mail for the Ottawa Humane Society if I could, I am unable to pull one up for some reason, I just keep getting errors, I would like to donate to them.

[exsNohs]

VJ didn't bring up the fixing issue again, exsNohs did

-Percy's Mom
Actually, her and i both posted at the same exact time but hers just went up before mine and i didnt see that response until after mine went up. I wouldn't of continued it if i didnt see that first.

Please tell me how often you volunteer at a shelter.

How many healthy animals have you held when they were euthanized for want of a home?

How many animals have you rescued? Have you participated in large scale rescues?

How many dead animals have you scraped up off the street to give a proper burial to?

How many feral cats have you trapped, spay/neutered and released or homed?

If you have not done these things then maybe you should and you will gain a better understanding why many of us believe that keeping an unspayed/neutered dog or cat is playing with fire.

-VoodooJoint

What i do in my life has nothing to do with that issue. And this doesnt need to start getting personal. You know nothing about me. Maybe you should read what i wrote again. My point was that you dont need to be telling someone they're irresponsible. Thats like name calling. Obviously she was on this site in the first place to figure out what she had to do and find a way to give pets a loving home. That doesnt sound irresponsible to me.

Sandra, im glad you got the pets you wanted and everything worked out.

[smartorl]

Not spaying or neutering an indoor animal simply because it is "always indoors" is irresponsible. That is not to say that a person who does not spay or neuter doesn't love and take care of their pets just that act with the millions that are euthenized each year is what it is and that is irresponsible. The only way that a person can say that they do not contribute to the problem is to have their animals spayed and neutered. To condemn and stop donating to a shelter for trying to raise awareness amongst for the issue of overpopulation, is just sad to me. I work very hard in my life to make a difference. I take alot of time away from my family and away from my job to try to clean up other people's messes so that maybe an animal will suffer a little less. I feel that if I can help people to see why spaying and neutering is so important, I can maybe reduce the amount of deaths. The reason I have continued to post on this thread is to try to help you to see that an unspayed animal is a big deal, not a personal attack by a shelter. Do you realize how many times a day people at the shelter see people that try to adopt an animal with fertile ones at home? Even if the animal they adopt is fixed, that fertile one at home is a time bomb. For those of us who have given of ourselves, our time, our money, our hearts, to try and slow down the births it is heartbreaking to think that you want to force a shelter into changing their policies or you will no longer donate your money. That policy is the number one policy of anyone adopting animals. When you throw something out there attacking a rescue group for something that all rescue groups stand for on a forum run and frequented by rescuers what do you really expect.

[VoodooJoint]

Originally Posted by exsNohs

Actually, her and i both posted at the same exact time but hers just went up before mine and i didnt see that response until after mine went up. I wouldn't of continued it if i didnt see that first.

How can that be? You posted at 10:08 and I posted at 11:34 (on my time). That's more then an hour differance

Originally Posted by exsNohs

What i do in my life has nothing to do with that issue.

It has everything to do with experiance. I speak from experiance having done all of the things on my list of questions. I have to assume that you have not been active in alleviating the overpopulation problem to make a statement as you did.

Originally Posted by exsNohs

And this doesnt need to start getting personal.

I'm not trying to get *personal*. I am trying to learn more about your personal experiance though and trying to make a point about mine.

If you notice, many of the people with experiance in rescue, responded in a manner that supports spaying/neutering as a reponsible act and no s/n as irresponsible. Shouldn't that say something to you?

Originally Posted by exsNohs

Maybe you should read what i wrote again. My point was that you dont need to be telling someone they're irresponsible. Thats like name calling.

I don't feel that it's name calling anymore then if I told a BYB they were irresponsible. Spaying a cat is cheap, easy, safe and has many benefits. Spaying/neutering is the responsible thing to do.

Originally Posted by exsNohs

Obviously she was on this site in the first place to figure out what she had to do and find a way to give pets a loving home. That doesnt sound irresponsible to me.

I am certain she is a very good pet owner. I just feel she could do better by her cat and that she is taking risks--both in possible pregnancy and health issues.

I never said she shouldn't adopt GPs I simply explained why the SPCA, and I, would not adopt to her and my feelings on the matter

Originally Posted by exsNohs

Sandra, im glad you got the pets you wanted and everything worked out.

I'm glad too. There are always other routes for people to take if they don't meet rescue/shelter criteria without buying. I'm glad she found a couple of sweeties to adopt. I'm certain they will be well loved and cared for.

[exsNohs]

How can that be? You posted at 10:08 and I posted at 11:34 (on my time). That's more then an hour differance

I was talking about Sandra and I. Not you.