No one will help...

[TX6exMom]

Hi, all! I am new to this particular group so please bear with me. I know of a rented house that has been abandoned and the people have also left all their kittens and juvenile adults, one female is pregnant. My home is down by Galveston, Texas, but these poor babies were left abandoned in the city of Dickinson, Texas. I called numerous 'agencies' only to be told they could not help me and referred me to the Health District of Galveston County Animal Control Center. I called them and they told me I would have to capture all of these kittens/juvenile cats before they would pick them up. I have been driving a good distance each day to feed these poor babies and except for the baby kittens, the juveniles are very friendly. As it turned out there were more than the 5 I originally fed. The next day, there were many more mouths to feed, much to my sorrow. I did feed them all, but there is no way I can handle all of these precious, abandoned kittens and juveniles. After calling animal control back, they said they would set traps to catch them 'when they got some traps'! I hate the fact that not one SPCA in this area will help me because I know exactly what will happen to these little ones once and when they are picked up by animal control...they will be killed! I give money to every pet organization you can imagine and I am truly irate at this point and find it to be a total disgrace! These babies have no shelter, no food, no water and no help except for me; I do not want to see these babies killed.

[Regina Dickerson]

I'm sorry to hear that not one organization will help you. Have you ever consider calling Best Friends or Alley Cat?? Both of them work on feral cats and are last resorts as well. Try them out and see if they can help you. Hope it works.
www.alleycat.org and www.bestfriends.org

[TX6exMom]

Regina, I will certainly try these two organizations and thank you so much for the information.

[kate chester]

I think its rediculous thats what these people are there for to help and care for animals it makes me sick when they do things like this its so heartbreaking

[TX6exMom]

I know, Kate...that's what I thought, too, but I have exhausted avenues, called all SPCA's in this area and found out the hard way they are of no help whatesoever. You're quite right, this is definitely breaking my heart.

[Bullies2Love]

Is there anyway you can trap them yourself and get them to another shelter or a rescue?

[TX6exMom]

Yesterday when I went to feed them there were a total of 12; still just the two baby kittens but many more juveniles and mamma kitty looks like she's going to have her litter pretty soon. I have no means of trapping them and animal control tells me 'they have no traps at the present time'. Plus, I would need help and as I said, no one is willing to step in and help me. Also, all the shelters I called say they are 'full and cannot take in anymore cats/kittens'...they just tell me to call animal control. It's truly a nightmare. I'm willing to drive to another city just to feed these babies; it breaks my heart when I have to drive off and leave them there without shelter. However, I did get one response that I am going to follow up on and pray they can help in some way.

[Tammy]

I completely understand.I too donate to all the groups in my area and when I needed help for 2 starving basset hounds, no one was able to help! Why do I donate if when I need help they are not there? What is the humane society's job? The rescue groups said they couldn't help without the animals being surrendered. They were left in a back yard starving to death and no one cared. I finally "handled" it and the dogs are now in wonderful homes. They are 13 and 14 years old! She is keeping them until they pass naturally. I should not of had to do it the way I did. Someone out there should be helping. I don't get it. The Humane Society called me for a donation a month or so later and I said NO and explained why. They had no comment.

[Belles]

You have to remember that not everyone donates.. in fact, very few people outside of animal loving communities do. In our group, it is the same people that donate over and over and over again. It's frustrating, but just because you give $100 a year doesn't mean they can drop everything and help you when you run into a problem.

Your money is sorely needed for immediate need animals. The fact that you refuse to donate because you didn't get the help you felt entitled to is very sad.

Rescues and shelters have never faced these crisis like they are today. This is unheard of.. don't be surprised if your local shelters.. those you refuse now to assist.. will close down. Something has to give.. and if you won't they will.

[Jeanie]

I think everyone who donates, over and over again, realizes their money is truly needed! I think what we're asking is when we REALLY need help, who can we call. I too deal with helpless animals - they seem to find me all the time, and I always try to do everything I can without becoming a burden, financially or otherwise, to a rescue or shelter, but sometime I CAN'T DO IT ALL and even I need help. Who can we turn to when we can't do it alone????

I'm currently feeding 10 feral's, including 3 kittens who's mother killed by a car last week, I too need help, mainly with the kittens. Who can any of us turn to when we need a little extra help.

That's what's so frustrating. We donate so these animals don't suffer, and because we care, we have to witness the suffering. I toss and turn every rainy and chilly night so worried about the 3 kittens suffering out in the night. Maybe we should save our money for times like these.

[Belles]

Or at least part of it.. set aside a rainy day kitten fund.. in addition to what you normally give. Because without regular, ongoing donations, the kittens that were saved couldn't be maintained because the shelter that could have taken them doesn't have the money to feed and care for them. *sigh*

With this economy, I'm so worried that things will get worse before they get better.

[Lisbeth Mønsted Larsen]

Good points Belles. These days we need to help where we can with as much as we can lives depend on it. Can we give up when lives are at stake?. If all of us give what we can there is a chance that more will pull through this crisis than if we don´t. It is for the animals that would be left to their fates if it were not for the Humane societies and the ASPCA. Best wishes to all of you. Remember adopting one dog will not change the world but the world will change for that one dog. Another point is for every one dog we adopt two lives are saved the one who was just adopted and the one who will take his or her place in the kennels at the shelter.

[Liz]

Hi.. I have been feeding cats too and I build them out of Omaha Steak containers a shelter. Well I just cut a hole in the side of it and I put drawer liner paper around the outside and inside so they wouldn't scratch it up. Every time I feed them a cat or more comes out of them. The use them and enjoy them. I put two facing each other to avoid windchill. I got the idea off a TNR website. I felt much better sleeping at night knowing they had somewhere warmer and eachother to heat up the mini shelter. It supposed to trap in the heat from their body.. I guess that's why the containers are used to pack meat. Because it is a great insulator. Restaurants should have tons.