Cats Don’t Count Money

By Buddy & Porky and the Oswego County Humane Society

“Cats don’t count money.  But they sure do suffer when there isn’t enough of it, and that’s what we are seeing all over the County,”  is how Diane Broadwell, chair of animal services for the Oswego County Humane Society, sums up the influx of abandoned and  neglected pets experienced by the Humane  Society this summer.

The Humane Society has more than thirty cats and kittens now in foster care, all of them needing new secure homes, because their original owners just couldn’t afford them and called for help, or because they were simply abandoned.  Some of them are especially sad stories.

Charlie is a sleek black short-haired teenager whose owners simply moved out to avoid an eviction and left him to fend for himself.  Fortunately, some kind-hearted neighbors intervened and called the Humane Society.  He is friendly, well-behaved and accustomed to children, old enough not to be too rambunctious, but young enough to be fun.  Right now he is also lonely and needs a family of his own.

Hudson is a handsome medium haired orange kitten who was part of a litter rescued from under a trailer in Scriba.  The whole litter needed intensive vet care, but they all got better and found homes, except Hudson.  He was diagnosed with a severe eye infection and had to have one eye removed.  That wound is healed now.  He can see perfectly from his good eye and he is very affectionate and social.  He would make a great companion in a home with kids and dogs because he adores the company.

Mariah was found injured and terrified on the back roads of Palermo but she was gamely coming up to her rescuer”s back porch for cat food every day.  When she was finally caught and taken for vet care, she had lost several teeth in her mouth and needed surgery to heal that wound.  She also has a leg injury but is beginning to use the leg again and the vet thinks it will probably heal.  Right now she is in foster care hiding under a bed, but she is already showing signs of beginning to trust her foster caretaker.  She has not been listed for adoption yet because she is still recovering from her injuries, but eventually she, too, will need a home.

Although there are no nationwide statistics, both the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States point to reports of increases in surrenders to shelters and, more problematic, increases in abandonment of animals, especially in communities that are hardest hit by the mortgage foreclosure crisis.  Both national organizations predict that the problem will worsen and spread wider if the economy continues its downturn.

Just this week, the Humane Society received a complaint about a foreclosed home in Constantia with abandoned cats left inside. That situation is still under investigation.  According to Kristin Shanley, President of the Oswego County Humane Society, “There are a lot of families in our county in precarious financial circumstances and many of them have pets.  We can help with spay/neuter services, donated food, and assistance in finding new homes if that becomes necessary.  We hope that people will call us for help and not abandon their pets.”

People interested in adopting a pet from the Humane Society can find a listing at www.oswegohumane.org.   To request help with caring for or finding a new home for a pet, or to make a donation to help with the veterinary care for rescued animals call (315) 207-1070 or email [email protected].

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