Sweetpea

In 2009, I worked at the local pet store. Perfect job for me. I love animals I love helping people with animals and boy, did I ever need the discount on pet food. We had a section of kennels at the front where we would bring in cats and dogs from the local shelter in an effort to get them homes. The store was very responsible in that we did not SELL puppies or kittens because that usually only supports puppy and kitten mills which are a big part of the pet over population in our country.

I was admittedly a great sales person at fitting the shelter pets with new owners. We tried our best to be sure that any animal we took in found a home and didn't go back to the shelter. Doing so usually meant euthanization as unfortunately our local shelter is not a  no-kill shelter.  The shelter would often work with us on animals having a hard time finding a home,by decreasing the adoption fee or dropping it all together if we could find a proper furever home for an animal.

Then came SweetPea. I need to start by saying I already had and still have several pets. I always say " No I cant take another in I'm at max capacity." But here was this dainty little white cat with odd black splotches like she had been dabbed with paint, the greenest eyes and the saddest face. She sat in the back of her cage and turned her face into the corner when  anyone tried to love on her. It broke my heart. So many people would look at her and ooh at how pretty but then they wouldn't give her a chance because she wasn't loving.

Then a woman and a teenage boy came in and I heard them talking " Doesn't that look like that cat we backed over ? Remember in the drive?  Just her foot I think" " Oh yeah that does look like her" Sweetpea was at the front of her cage crying at them purring rubbing against the bars, She knew them. They walked away. Left her there and she cried and eventually went back to her corner all quiet. One of her back feet indeed had a misshaped toe where the claw wouldn't retract.  I was heart broken.
She had been there too long already. I had already had to ask the shelter to give me more time to find her a home. I had tried daily to work with her to make her more social. All I had managed to do was make her slightly less afraid of me but not much more. I consider myself a pretty good cat whisperer but she was so wrapped up inside herself I just couldn't reach her.

I had talked it over with my boyfriend. We knew it wasn't practical. We didn't really have room for another cat we both said.  But we both  had silently made up our mind we wouldn't let her go back. When the shelter came to get her saying they needed to put a pet in the space that could be homed I already had the adoption fee in my pocket. My boyfriend had given it to me to hold just in case they came. She went home with me and immediately went into hiding.


For weeks you wouldn't even know we had a new cat. She never came out for you to see other than a glimpse from the corner of your eye. She slipped to the litter box and the food bowl in secret. She was getting fatter from what I did see of her slipping about so I knew she was eating fine. I just left her be. Pushing her would NOT work. Within a few months she got to where she would come sit in the room with you but if you looked at her for long or acknowledged her by speaking she would ZIP disappear. I was patient the other pets were patient. The only exception to her solitude was Rascal the dog. She actually went to him within the first week loving on him and  rubbing against him. They made fast friends right off.

In time she would come sit with him and play with him while we were in the room. Weeks later she began to sit by my chair and watch me. I ignored her. Gave her space to get comfortable. Then one day she jumped up in my chair and sat trembling afraid on the arm.  I didn't bother her...then ZIP gone again.  More of that would happen.. then one day she stepped into my lap. She would do so more and more. I couldn't touch her or she would bolt, Just had to let her sit.

It took nearly two years for my beautiful sweet little girl to come out of her shell. Once she did she sat in my lap DEMANDING petting . head butting you with love and purring. She would even come out with company around although no one else was allowed to pet her but me and my boyfriend. She just didn't trust anyone else. She was pure, innocent and sweet to the core, She just need time and patience. To watch her play, knowing where she had come from and what she went through was like watching fairy magic. It just didn't seem real. She would on the rare occasion just become a flight of fancy through the room with a catnip mouse and it was the most adorable thing you had ever seen to see something you once knew to be so heavy with fear and sadness to be SO LIGHT and carefree and happy. Several years now of her being more and more light and delicate and happy. She became my sleeping pal always draped across me purring as I fell asleep. She was my gaming buddy , sitting in my lap little dainty paws crossed so picture perfect watching my computer screen with me. I couldn't go in the bathroom without her. She was at my every step and she was so sweet and happy.

I write this now because most people who know me have seen  a million pictures of my baby girl but they don't know her story. They  don't know how far she came and how special she was especially to me. I lost her two days ago to a blood clot. In my darkest moments of feeling like I wasn't good enough and hadn't done enough with my life or whatever doubts I might have had, that sweet fairy stuck in a dainty little cats body would come sit with me and remind me, that if it were possible for her to love me and trust me like she did I had to be worthy. I had to have done something right
somewhere.

I love you my Sweetpea I miss you

No Kill Revolution

I'm a huge animal lover. I have a small menagerie of rescues I take care of on my own. I help do transports for local rescues, I try to donate time, money whatever I can to help critters whenever I can. The BEST thing that I and YOU can do to help in this though, is EDUCATE people. I worked for a time in a pet store. Yes, a lot that goes along with a pet store goes against the very grain of what and how I feel about pets in general. We were responsible in that we didn't support puppy or kitten mills. We only offered puppies and kittens from the local shelter for adoption. I can't say that I feel much better about the companies we DID support by purchasing rodents, birds, exotics, etc from. But I tried to view it as a way to work on the problem from the inside out.

I took EVERY opportunity to educate customers on the plight of animals they might be unwittingly supporting. Some people were surprised and took the info to heart, others were kindred spirits who joined in the conversation whole-heartedly already having educated themselves, to my dismay many just did NOT care. They wanted a puppy for $300 to their specifications and within weeks they'd have a poster up wanting to sell it. People who wanted to buy a pet for their kid because he was screaming he wanted something and they didn't know how to say "NO" to the child but somehow wanted me to magically come up with a pet that required very lil care or cleaning and a small , cheap habitat. I pointed them to the aisle with plastic plants used for decor. :)

I digress. Some people don't want to care or know but MOST people DO! It may not be something they are readily made aware of but that's where people like me ( and some of you) come in. We have to share our knowledge. We have to actively make a difference where the animals can't and other people won't. If its nothing more than posting info on your blog, your fb page, your instagram, your twitter, on your bumper sticker, wear a t-shrt, just get people talking. Explain the large quantities of pets dying each year in shelters can be stopped. Spay and neuter your pets. Don't support breeders. Don't support pet stores that sell puppies/dogs and cats/kittens.

Theres so much anyone can do even if only occasionally it makes a difference. Make an effort to help local shelters by either volunteering to clean, or help the animals socialize so they are more likely to get adopted. Help transport rescue animals that are shipping out of state. Some of the transports I have done were just one leg of a long trip and I only drove them 1 hour to another pickup. It doesn't take much. Foster pets in your own home til they can be moved to a rescue or transported.

Clip out coupons for pet supplies and drop those off at the local shelter THEY USE THEM TRUST ME. Some items you dont realize they might need as well:

•  bleach
•  towels ( paper or bath towels) 
• garbage bags 
• mops 
• giftcards
• pet toys 
• fresh veggies 
• tongue depressors
• distilled water
• newspapers
• Any kind of cleaning solutions or disinfectant
• Ziplock bags (all sizes, especially gallon) 
• Spray bottles with triggers 
• Sponges and scrub pads
• Batteries 
• Large wall fans 

 Links that may help

•  http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/spayneuter 
• http://www.animalhumanesociety.org/volunteer 
• http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/ 
• http://www.nathanwinograd.com/?tag=no-kill-advocacy-center 

 ( note PETA is not in my list, they kill as many adoptable animals each year as do shelters. I hold no support for PETA. NO KILL is the answer and it is possible)

Pets don't have to die in shelters or on roadsides on in alley ways. Its up to us. Join the No Kill Revolution. Make a difference.

Pet Stores

I have a new job!

I work in a pet store!!!

Really I couldn't think of a better job for me.

First : I love pets.

All kinds of animals:snakes, birds, fish, mice, hamsters etc.

All of them.

Second : I HAVE a lot of pets so I can really use the discount on supplies :)

So today I thought I would touch on the things you should do before purchasing a pet.

First off pet stores are not petting zoos. Pet store clerks have to discourage people from handling the pets unless they intend to buy them. This is NOT out of meanness or laziness. Its just plain better for the animals. If we let everyone who came in hold and play with any pet they wanted even though the had no intention of actually buying it the poor critters would be stressed out and sick from never getting any rest and we wouldn't have time to tend to them like they need.

OK now we have all been there... you go in and this cute little animal looks at you with big eyes and you just HAVE to buy it.

BAD IDEA !!

You should NEVER buy a living creature as an impulse buy.

Too often pets are looked at as disposable. If you think you can get it and then if you get tired just give it away or toss it out or whatever, you don't need a pet. Get a virtual pet on your computer or get a plant. One should consider the commitment required to keep a pet before purchasing it.

How is this pet going to fit into your family structure? With kids or other pets?

Is it suitable for your living environment? ( apartment, house, city,country..)

Can you afford to house this animal properly? Don't take an animal home that you don't already have housing for.

Can you afford to feed it properly? Do you know how difficult his diet may be?

Do you have time to clean its habitat on a regular basis? Weekly? Daily?

Are you going to have time to socialize the animal? (play with it, give it exercise and be sure its people and pet friendly)

Do you know what diseases or ailments frequently occur in these animals?

Will this animal need shots or surgery ?

( example: musk gland removal in ferrets; spay or neuter; etc..)

Can you afford the vet bills to come?

Do you know how LONG this animal will live and are you ready to commit to keeping this creature for his lifetime?( some fish can live 20 years, some birds can live past 90 years!)

None of these things are going through your mind when those adorable eyes are peering through the glass at you, but that's when you need to stop! Look around in the store at the things available for the pet that you may not realize you will need to care for this pet. It will begin to sink in. Ask the pet store personnel , but don't just take their word for it. Look the animal up online, get a book on it, ask if the store has care sheets for this pet.

Here's another thing to pay attention to: The store itself.

DO the people working there seem knowledgeable of their pets? Do they offer care sheets?

Are the pets housed well?

Plenty of food and water available? Clean cages?

Do the animals look healthy? You want an animal with bright eyes, attentive to its surroundings, a healthy weight and a good skin or coat.

See if the pets are captive bred or wild caught. Sometimes wild caught animals have more parasites and health issues.

Never ever buy a cat or dog from a pet store. Even if they have papers saying they are pure breed you can be 95% certain they are products of a puppy or kitten mill. Please don't support the mills by purchasing cats or dogs in a pet store.

If the pet store is selling cats or dogs its not a good sign. Reputable breeders will NOT sell their cats or dogs through a pet store. You only want to buy from a breeder who will allow you to visit the home the puppies or kittens are raised and housed in. This means they are breeding the animals in an environment to give them the best temperament to be placed in a new home. Always check that the breeders test their dogs or cats for any diseases or ailments that tend to occur in that specific breed. All reputable breeders do this and have the documentation to prove it.

A good pet store will have a list of reputable breeders as well as a list of rescues by breed. The store I work in has these available at our register, and does NOT sell puppies or kittens. We do however have a wall of pictures of the adoptions available through our local shelter and we support the local shelter through donation boxes at each register :D

I know of some pet store that take in litters to find homes for them. They never pay for the litters this discourage disreputable breeders from trying to use them. They simply take in unwanted litters from people who didn't spay or neuter their animals. They do charge people who want these kittens or puppies from the store but not for the profit of it so much as to assure the customer is truly interested in a pet and doesn't have other motives. Similarly I have seen vets offices that do the same. In these cases you can see buying kittens or puppies from a store being a good thing. Just keep in mind these animals should not be high

priced it they are its a mill situation and not strays that the clinic or store are attempting to home.

Consider going to your local shelter if you really want a dog or a cat. Far too many go unwanted there and need a good loving home.They make just as good a companion as full breeds and you will save an animal from being euthanized. Consider an older pet as well. Kittens and puppies in shelters find homes the quickest and a loving wonderful older cat or dog may be sitting there just waiting for a good owner. Older pets can be great additions to a home so don't overlook them!