WaifNOLA

Doing the update thing

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:24:00 +0000

WAIF officially has a Petfinder account! YAY for us! I'm working on jazzing up our Petfinder homepage, plugging in all of the info and putting up all of our adoptable animals. I still need pictures of a few animals as well as track a few down--no, I didn't lose any animals. WAIF works with a few independent rescuers whom we know and trust. Sometimes they take in animals and don't always tell us who they have that is waiting for their forever home. I need to start making calls to find out who needs our help.

The kittens I posted about a week or so ago have almost all found homes. There is only one left and that is dear little Tigger. Why she hasn't been snatched up is a mystery to me but I have no doubt that she'll find a home soon. She is honestly the most personable since she has a habit of following you around and talking to you. For a little kitten she has a BIG mouth. I miss all of my babies. Why is it always so damn hard to give them up?Seisa, the tragically sick kitten, is doing MUCH better and it looks like she's ready to go into her new home. I have extra special big love for the person that wants to adopt her. He never gave up and was willing to wait through all of this hardship. He's going to be a great and devoted home to Seisa. I hope she knows how lucky she is.

Meanwhile I'm trying to rescue a rabbit. It seems there is a rabbit running loose in the Bywater neighborhood. Traps (as expected) haven't worked. The next step is for me to get into the yard where I believe the rabbit is living to try to catch the little thing. It's not going to be easy as the yard is full of junk and plenty of hiding spaces. I hate crawling under houses but there is no avoiding it with these types of rescue. Wish me luck as well as lots of free time in my schedule to devote to the rescue.

asshats abound

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:30:00 +0000

Police: Men Laughed As Pit Bull Ate Kitten

POSTED: 10:31 am CDT July 11, 2008

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Baton Rouge Police said two men have been charged with standing by and laughing as their pit bull ate a live kitten.

Police said Jeremy Johnson, 17, and Travis Johnson, 23, were arrested in a vacant lot after 911 dispatchers received an anonymous tip about the pair.

When police and animal control officers arrived Wednesday, authorities said they saw Jeremy Johnson holding his pet pit bull's leash while the dog consumed a kitten.

Police said animal control officers had to pull the pit bull off the kitten. The officers located another kitten that had been mauled nearby in the grass.

The Johnsons were booked on two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of criminal trespassing.
http://www.wdsu.com/news/16853728/detail.html

I don't know which asshat to hate most. The asshats that encouraged their dog to eat a live kitten, the asshat that bred the dog and placed it in a home with people capable of this or the asshats that didn't bother getting their cats spayed and neutered thus allowing them to breed and create kittens that would end up being mauled to death.
We're surrounded by asshats.

Sigh

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 14:44:00 +0000

Things keep getting worse. Last night Spike gets killed by a car. This morning I get a call from Brenda and Sharon from The FQ Pet Asylum. Seisa, a beautiful black and white kitten I fostered and they now took on to find a home for, is very ill. Seisa was found by a friend wandering loose and apparently lost. She was friendly and had a home at some point but try as I might I could not find her owners.

Within a half an hour, the same day she went into Pet Asylum, a wonderful man came in and fell instantly in love with her. She found a home! All she needed was to get spayed before being placed in it. Things were looking up for the little lost misfit cat.

This morning she was found collapsed and mostly unresponsive. She's been rushed to the vet. It looks like she has a virulent and contagious viral infection. She will be under vet care for the weekend and we are crossing our fingers for her. I do not envy Brenda having to call her adoptive home with the news of her illness and the seriousness of it.

Of course this puts the other kittens at risk. Brenda has 6 other kittens I rescued in her home at the moment. They could all become seriously ill. They will all be seeing the vet on Monday to get spayed and neutered. We will be getting them their shots and health checked at the same time and this is their best bet for fighting off the possible infection. I worked hard to keep those kittens alive when they first came to me. I can't bear the thought of losing them now.

Do all of you people who don't bother to spay and neuter see the suffering you are causing? Are you starting to understand the aftermath of your inaction? Breeding equals death. Breeding equals suffering.

Your actions in breeding and inaction in spaying/neutering deplete the resources of rescues like mine. You cause me, other rescuers and the adoptive home heartache and sorrow. This little kitten has already cost over $500 in vet costs. That $500 could have been used to help many other animals and people but your selfishness and ignorance have used up a lot of valuable resources. If the other kittens become ill the cost will go into the thousands and chances are not all of them will make it.

These might just be "animals" to you but they are precious lives to me. Small fragile beings that I stayed up all night with to fight for their survival. Babies that I watched struggle for their lives, win and grow into Independence. Unique beings with personalities and boundless love.

Please stop this vicious and tragic cycle. Spay and Neuter your pets and spread the word about the importance or responsible pet ownership. My heart can't take much more of this.

Death of a Street Cat

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 04:15:00 +0000

Tonight at about 9:00pm I received a knock on my door. It was my neighbor saying he thought my black cat was hit by a car.

I don't "own" a black cat, but I knew who I would find as I made my way down to the street and my heart sank.

There, lying in the road, was Spike Lee. A little black cat that was one of the ferals I feed.

Spike was a very special cat to me. She was born under a house at just about the same time as Hurricane Katrina hit. Her mother, "Mama Lee", managed to keep her, and two other of her siblings safe, at least for a while. Mama Lee may have had more than 3 kittens but 3 was all I ever saw.

I first saw them when I came back to New Orleans to mitigate damage after the storm--3 black kittens running from me through the tangle of debris and branches from the trees that had fallen on my house. I tried hard to catch them to take them back with me to Baltimore when we went back up north but they easily eluded capture by running into spaces a human could not follow. I returned to Baltimore without them but though of them often and hoped they found the food I left for them and their mother.

When we finaly returned home for good 2 months later I saw them again--only this time there were only 2 kittens left. Times were hard in New Orleans for man and beast and I didn't hold out much hope of catching them. Withing a month another kitten disapeared leaving only Spike and Mama. Eventually Gail and I managed to trap both mom and Spike. They were both spayed and returned to my block where they flourished. Many of the neighbors feed the feral cats and they were starting to get downright fat and Spike started to get friendly.

Mama always remained aloof and wary although I could sometimes manage to get in a stroke or two on her sleek coat before she ran off. Spike however seemed to undergo a transformation after she was spayed. She calmed down and started to trust the neighbors she knew. She would run to me and rub against me, even allow me to pick her up and carry her about. When I sat outside to enjoy the weather she would climb in my lap for a scratch and a nap. She bestowed the same affection on my husband and daughter and certain other neighbors of mine but she never did seen to trust my son completely--I can't blame her. 9 year old boys are sweet but unpredictable.

When the weather got cold I created a warm and dry house for her out of a styrofoam cooler with a hole cut in the side and containing a warm blanket. This house was nestled under my stairs to keep it out of the rain. On chilly nights you would usually find her in there. If you put your hand into the hole you would hear a loud purring, feel the soft rub of a cat's cheek against your hand and find it as warm as an over inside. Sometimes she even came inside the house.

She enjoyed short visits inside with my family. She liked to lie among us on the couch, watch the other animals and take a nap. Once she was done napping she would want to back outside again. I tried very hard to make her a house cat and to let her know that she could call this home but she would have none of it. She refused to use an indoor litterbox--in fact she would go to the bathroom anywhere BUT the litterbox; as if she found it distasteful and demeaning. In the end I had to be content with allowing her the freedom she craved. I worried about her and took her to the vet when she needed it, like the time she cut her paw and got it infected. She allowed me to drain, clean and tend the wound, tolerated the vet visit and came running when I called to take her medication. She was streetwise and savvy. I thought she would live a long life and intended to take her with me if ever I moved but in the end I was terribly wrong.

A little over a month ago Mama Lee disappeared. Just today I realized that something awful had likely happened to her and I would never see her again. As I stood out front of the house thinking these dreadful thoughts Spike came walking up--looking for love (and food) as always. I'm glad I wasn't in a hurry. I'm glad I took the time to stroke her soft fur and cuddle her living body because that was the last time I saw her alive.

At 9:00pm I made my way to the street to rest my sad eyes upon her sweet form lying dead in the road. Several neighbors were out--visibly upset. None of them wanted to believe that it was the sweet cat that had adopted an entire street of people. A cat that had at least 5 different names given to her from as many homes. One neighbor was talking on the phone to another neighbor, Wallace. I had the sad task of confirming for Wallace that it was Spike. Wallace was Spikes most recent "adopter" and she spent long hours on his front steps lounging in the shade. Spike always did know how to suck up to us humans.

Another neighbor had seen her get hit. From what I heard a "large truck" came speeding down the street and struck Spike. From what I could tell at the scene Spike did not suffer. She was struck with tremendous force in the head and either died instantly or was at least knocked unconscious. There was very little blood on the road which tells me that her death was quick. I thank God for that small mercy. Other then that tiny bit of blood her small body was perfect--as if she merely fell asleep. I gathered her up and brought her inside. Tomorrow morning I will bury her under the Oleander where she and her mother liked to rest when the weather was nice.

You will be missed sweet cat. I wish I could have done more for you and I apologize for the humans that callously allowed you and your mother to have to live the lives you did. I apologize for the people who ignorantly don't spay and neuter and thus allow tragedies like this to happen. I apologize for the person who was in such a hurry that they had to drive fast, risk lives and couldn't be bothered to stop when they struck you. Wait for me at the Rainbow Bridge little girl. You have a human that wants to claim you when I get there. You are loved. -Elly

Me and Spike Lee

Spike Lee 8-05 to 7-11-08 rest in Peace

Turtles and tadpoles and lizards...oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:14:00 +0000

In the last few weeks I have had at least 5 different people ask me if I wanted some baby turtles. The Red Eared Slider eggs are hatching right now and people are catching the babies to keep and share as pets (more like novelties).

I guess people ask me because they know I love animals and have 3 turtles of my own. The difference, as I explain to them, is that the turtles I have are rescues. I do not buy, accept as "gifts" or steal out of the wild, any sort of turtles or other wild animals.

As I tell all of these people wanting to give me turtles; These baby turtles need to be left alone. It is illegal to remove wild animals (even in the city) from their habitat. It is illegal to own, sell, give away, raffle off, etc ANY turtle with a carapace of less then 4 inches in diameter and these babies are only an inch across.

People don't seem to realize the potential harm they are doing. I'm honest and tell them that most of those babies will not survive their first few months in the wild but it is important that they not be taken from "danger" because the reason most die is because they become food for some other native species. Essentially they are robbing another animal of a necessary meal.

Turtles are not easy to care for. Because of poor care and housing many pet turtles die within a year or two. Most others in a typical home, with typical "petstore" type care are lucky to make it to 15-25 years old. Seems like a long time huh? A good, long life? Well, considering that the average lifespan of a RES turtle is 75 years it's not long at all. It would be like a human dying by age 25.

If one of these turtles manages to live for several years it will quickly outgrow it's tank and most people simply release them into the "wild". The RES turtle (the most common breed sold in petshops) is not native to the northern states in American and they are doing great damage to the environment. Even down south here where they are native they should not be released because they can (and have been known to) carry deadly infections and diseases that can wipe out entire ecosystems.

So please people leave the baby turtles, snakes, toads, frogs, tadploes, lizards, etc...where you find them. They are not pets. They do not want to be pets and their lives in the wild serve a purpose.

If you do take or buy a turtle please don't come knocking on my door to take it off your hands because it's outgrown it's pathetic, inadequate tank or you think I want cutie babies. Yes, I will probably take it because I know you will just do something with it you shouldn't if I don't, but I don't want it.

A word on Kittens

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:33:00 +0000

I don't think I have ever seen as large of a kitten population explosion as I've seen this spring. This is crazy people! Craigslist, petfinder and local papers and listings are full to the brim with ads for free kittens. Shelters and rescues are overflowing with them. The saddest part is that there are not enough homes for them all. Only one kitten out of 6 will be adopted. The rest will be killed.Please, I'm begging you all, get your pets spayed and neutered. The world doesn’t need more animals.

Over 2 million animals are euthanized every year and that's not counting the animals that die on the streets from starvation, cruelty, disease and accidents. If you don't have a cat (or if yours is neutered) then please turn your attention to the strays. Every neighborhood has them and they are breeding like crazy. Those cats can be trapped, neutered and released (TNR). Please contact your local SPCA, Humane Society or cat rescue to find out about helping out a TNR program. If you don't have the money to spend you can help fundraise or volunteer your time to Trap and transport. If you don't have time you can make a donation, no matter how small, to your local TNR program. Keeping these programs running requires financial support. If you are in New Orleans feel free to contact us here at WAIF. We could use all the help we can get in our efforts.

Now, on to some cuteness

AWWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!Can anything be cuter then a bunch of kittens? These kittens are ones that I rescued and bottleraised. All of them were horribly sick, malnourished, weak and dehydrated when I pulled them from the Belle Chase Animal Pound. in all honesty it seemed that the Animal Pound did everything wrong with these poor darlings and had them at deaths door (more on that in another blog entry). I had to have one kitten euthanized only a day and a half after getting them into my home because it was deathy ill and had little chance of pulling through. Amazingly all of the rest managed to keep fighting, I never gave up and now they are all active, healthy and ready for homes.They are all leaving me this evening to go to Brenda and Sharon who own the French Quarter Pet/Animal Asylum at 510 Dumaine St. • New Orleans, LA 504-473-9947 . I highly recommend everyone rush in there to give Brenda and Sharon your business. They are wonderful women with a wonderful store.

They are very rescue and welfare minded. They spend ther time, resources, store and home space to foster kittens and adopt them out. Please note they ADOPT out these kittens. They do not SELL them. There is a big difference. You cannot go into the Pet Asylum, point to a kitten, plunk money on the counter and walk out with the kitten of your choice like at most other petstores. You have to be interviewed and prove that you are a responsible, caring and commited home to get one of these kittens. It's actually a painless procedure to adopt and it makes a major difference in the animal overpopulation problem.

By not buying purposly bred animals you are not encouraging the petstores and breeders to create more animals to take their places. The French Quarter Pet Asylum does not sell any animals. They only sell high quality food, supplies and toys. They are well deserving of your buisiness and are exactly what a pet store should be. Please go visit them and think about adopting one of these lovely kittens. WAIFs efforts are hugely helped by Brenda and Sharon and their efforts to adopt out the kittens we rescue.

Now lets meet the kittens

Hi, I'm Taxi Cab Man. You can call me Taxi for short. I was born early in mid to late April 2008. My rescue is a rather strange story. My foster mom was sitting outside a coffee house when a Taxi pulled up. The driver came out with a cat carrier and asked my foster mom if she wanted a kitten. She wanted to say she wanted another kitten like she needed a hole in the head since she was already bottle raising 5 other kittens at the time but she’s a real soft touch and had to look into that carrier.

What she found in there was ME! I was so cute and small that she couldn’t turn me away. She took me from the Taxi Cab Man (that’s how I got my name) and took me home to care for me. I am perhaps the softest kitten you will ever feel. My fur is more like a rabbit’s then a cats and I’m likely to always stay very fluffy and soft. I also know how to suck up to people. When I want attention I will rub against your ankles. That’s a trick that kittens my age usually haven’t learned yet but I’m very smart. I also have a habit of climbing up onto your shoulder and head when you are sitting on a couch or a soft chair. It’s my way of visiting with you and telling you that I love you. You won’t be able to help but notice because I purr really loud. When I’m tired I like to take a nap lying up against you and when I wake up nothing makes me happier then if you play with me. I like to wrestle but I’m very gentle about it.

I’m already neutered so all I all I need now is a home and human of my own to love.

Hi, I'm Tigger. I was born early in May 2008.
I have the biggest mouth of all the kittens I was raised with. I’m a real talker and have a lot to say. Just ask me and I’ll tell you myself. I like to follow the humans around and be the center of attention. My foster mom says I’m a real clown and "sweetie-pie" and whoever gets me is going to be real lucky. I’m so adorable that the lady nicknamed me "cute-head". Sometimes, when I’m extra talkative, she calls me "loud-head".

Hi, I'm Crowfeather. I was born early in May 2008. As you can see I’m all black. That’s why I got my name Crowfeather. Would you believe that black kittens are the hardest color to find homes for? It’s true! For some reason people don’t want us as much. That really makes me sad. I hope there is a human out there that sees how beautiful I am, how nice I am and wants to give me a home.

You want to know a little secret? I’m my foster mom’s favorite. YUP! She likes me best of all. She says I’m the biggest lover of all the kittens. I don’t know why she says that. I just love to be on your lap, rub against you and give kisses. I’m a real people cat. I think every human I meet is just about the best thing I ever met, except for toys. I think toys are pretty cool too. He only thing that makes a toy better is if a human is playing with the toys with me.

My name is Dozer. That’s short for Bulldozer. I was born early in May 2008.
I am the biggest of all the kittens I was raised with, and that’s how I got my name. I’ll probably grow up to be a big boy. I’m the leader of the pack and like to boss the other kittens around. I’m also the most self assured and independent. I was the first one to decide by myself that I didn’t need milk from a bottle anymore. I’m also very curious. I like to explore new areas and I love my toys. I also love people and will usually curl up next to you to take a nap.

Hi, I'm Pocky. I was named after the song "Hey Pocky Way". I was born early in May 2008.
I am the adventurer of the kittens I was raised with. I love to climb and explore. I’m always dashing about from one toy to another, climbing into your lap and meowing for love and attention and exploring new and interesting things. I adore plastic grocery bags. Those crinkly bags are loads of fun to hide in, bounce on and drag around. I also love to wrestle with my brother and chase him around.

All of these kittens (and more) are available for adoption at French Quarter Pet/Animal Asylum at 510 Dumaine St. • New Orleans, LA 504-473-9947. Please go visit them and think about opening your home and heart to a sweet kitten that needs a chance.

And so it begins...

noreply@blogger.com (WaifNOLA) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:10:00 +0000

...at least officially. This blog, and the formal introduction of WAIF is long overdue. There is so much to accomplish, so much that has already been done and so much that we have to say that it was only a matter of time before we got our butts organized enough to set-up a forum to say it in.

Who are we? That’s a good question and a long story but since people like their information short and sweet I’ll try to be concise.

WE are Gail and Elly (I’m Elly here typing). At the moment we are WAIF.

WAIF is a small, grassroots effort to help animals. We trap, spay/neuter and release feral cats, we help people get their pets spay/neutered and we help those who love their animals afford necessary medical care when the expense is too great. When we are able, we also rescue, rehab and rehome animals in need. It’s a big job for just 2 people.

But never underestimate 2 crazy ladies on a mission.

Before we met we were just individuals doing what we could to make a difference. Both of us working towards the same cause and goal with no idea there was a kindred soul only a block away. Each of us working to relieve animal suffering, neglect, abuse and overpopulation in our small, individual ways. Spending money we couldn’t afford to spend. Using time we didn’t have to spare. Expending energy when we were exhausted but working from hearts that have enough love and compassion to never give up on the desire to make the world a better place – for animals and for humans.

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina fate lent a hand and brought Gail and myself together. I would like to tell you some glamorous story of both of us running into the same burning building to save a dog or climbing the same tree to rescue a cat but I can’t.

The true story is, I was taking out the trash.

Something as mundane as that brought us together, but there is a bit more to the story. As I was taking out the trash I saw a woman setting a cat trap in my parking lot. All I could think was that some crazy, cruel neighbor was trying to harm the stray cats. I loaded my gun, set my sites and confronted her and thus met Gail. She was trying to trap the cats to get them spayed and neutered. There were loads of new cats since Hurricane Katrina and the SPCA’s TNR program was closed down since the storm so I hadn’t gotten around to trapping them. Gail had traps and a vet willing to do the surgeries cheap. I took over the job of trapping the cats on and around my street and a kinship was born.

Our friendship grew and we soon began brainstorming on ways to build our endeavor bigger.
Gail is a marvel. She already had out collection jars for donations in the French Quarter, ran a raffle and even had a name for the fund, WAIF (Wandering Animal’s Insurance Fund). She had been diligently working to resolve the feral cat problem for years. She’s dedicated, honest and much too giving for her own good. People like us never become rich though.

Or maybe we do?

I’m not talking monetary wealth, I’m talking emotional, spiritual and civic wealth.
Since we met we have expanded our efforts. We are able to accomplish more and more with each passing day. Nothing feels better then knowing you made a difference in the world or saved a life. Nothing is as rewarding as helping others, even if that "other" is only a small, helpless animal.

There is a quote from the Talmud that is quite appropriate and maybe you’ve heard it before;

Whoever destroys a soul,

it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world.

And whoever saves a life,

it is considered as if he saved an entire world.
-Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:8

One life at a time. That’s all it takes. You have it in your power to decide if you will destroy or save. It can be a more difficult, and tricky, choice then you think. Act compassionately, act humanely but most importantly act!
-Elly