tdierikx

Easy for them to say they would have taken the cats AFTER the fact... but what is done is done and we can't undo it. Time now for you to focus on going forward and learning from the past so that you don't find yourself (or the cats you are trapping) in similar circumstances ever again. Did you ask what they do if they are full and can't take in any more stray cats? Do they just fob people off to the pound, or do they "make room" in other ways? I think you'll probably find that they do euth under those conditions, but aren't about to advertise the fact. As for accepting 2 at a time - over what sort of timeframe will they take those 2 at a time? What happens to the others if you trap more than 2 in any given timeframe? Some serious considerations you will need to take stock of if you are going to make this new arrangement work the way you want it to methinks... Is there any possibility you may be able to convince the RSPCA to assist in TNR for a massively reduced rate? You offer to pay something towards the procedures required, and they don't ever have to see the cat again - or deal with it if it doesn't pass their temperament test... T.

Down beside or under the bed? Down behind chest of drawers or cupboard or desk? Where does he charge his phone... I'd start by looking near that area... Did he charge the battery before he used the camera? Can he remember where he charged it / plugged it in? T.

I'd be making him clean his room properly and find the charger he's "misplaced"... it's bound to be in there somewhere... T.

Thank you for all the great work you have done for Danes in need over the years sas... it is sad to see you closing your doors. T.

You certainly have a great eye for a photo too... I'm sure we'll be seeing some VERY nice things from you in the near future... *grin* T.

Damn JaneyA - I threw together my own query to get out the figures we needed... *grin* Seriously though, it's actually fairly easy to write your own report queries in Shelter Manager - as long as you work out which tables hold the data you want... T.

Very NICE!!! T.

Ummm... I have a big camera with an even bigger lens attached... I could be mistaken for paparazzi maybe? T.

... and the hosted package has very prompt help when you need it. T.

I just say "nope - not a fan of their 'work'" when asked to donate to the RSPCA by anyone... T.

My dogs eat Supercoat... but not because Dr Harry claims things about it... T.

I tend to politely decline blatant asking for donations for ANY cause when I'm out and about - be that shopping or otherwise. The more persistent the asking, the firmer the "sorry, no" gets. There have been occasions where the sheer persistence has garnered the asker a not so polite "eff off"... but they were badgering in the extreme and trying to force me into giving them something. T.

So you are going to trap cats in NSW and take them to RSPCA ACT as strays? And ask them to spend the time and effort to try to tame them and rehome them for you? Taking up the space that could have gone to an even larger number of calm domesticated cats that would have rehomed with less time and work? Calmer and domesticated animals that others have to wait 6 months to surrender... Where are you going to tell RSPCA ACT you trapped these cats? How long do you really think they will hold them for "to give them a chance to settle" if 3 weeks isn't enough for them to settle at QBN Pound? I admire your dedication to these community cats, but am a little taken aback at how you are saying you will be going about it... literally to the detriment of dog only knows how many other perfectly rehomable cats they could take in and rehome. Sounds a little bit like the whole scenario is more about how YOU feel about what you do than really being about cat rescue and all that entails. Like I said before, if YOU can't deal with the number of cats YOU trap, why are you getting so razzed about the fact that others can't or won't either? It's all starting to get into the realm of "crazy cat lady" from this side of the debate - you are effectively adamantly placing YOUR trapped cats as being more "deserving" of a chance than so many other cats out there in the same state of need - ie. lost and needing a loving home of their own. Seriously - the most effective way for you to have saved those 2 particular cats from the pound is if you had fronted up with their adoption fees - no way they would have refused - but obviously you didn't, and it's the pound's fault they couldn't hold them any longer for you? Sorry - I fail to understand your logic in this debate. T.

So you are saying that the ranger wouldn't let you adopt the cats back from the pound? Or that you weren't allowed to rescue back the cats you had taken there at a rescue rate (or free)? You do know that unless the RSPCA you take them to is a recognised animal impound facility for the area, you will be surrendering the cats as your own... and NSW rules say they can be euthanaised as you are walking back out the door after you drop them off... If you are going to take them to RSPCA ACT, same applies - as they are not an animal impound facility and don't take in strays. Although I've also heard that RSPCA ACT also have a long waiting list in order to take in surrenders too. Legally speaking, any cat you trap is automatically deemed a stray - and should be taken to the pound facility for that council area asap. "Arrangements" with pound rangers are all well and good until one or both parties don't want to play any more... as you have found out the hard way. Much as we don't always agree with how pounds operate, the louder one yells about the "injustice of it all", the less likely ANY pound is going to want to work with you. Don't think the local network of facilities don't talk to each other either... T.

^^ This ^^^ T.

Are you stating that the rangers actually refused to let anyone get those 2 cats out of the pound? Actively discouraged people against taking them? Or are you bemoaning the fact that no other rescues were willing to take them in after YOU had taken them to the pound? The pound did not have to hold those surrendered cats at all - but they DID hold them for 3 weeks... I'm sorry that I may have used incorrect terminology by referring to the cats you sent to the pound as "feral" instead of "suburban wild"... me not being involved with cats sees any non-domestic wild or semi-wild cat as "feral"... and yes, living rural as a young-un I have seen truly feral cats before... Something else that is a bit of a worry is that you say that you are legally bound to take stray cats to the pound in case they may have been owned by someone. How the hell do you think the possible original owners would have found them if they were at your place or in the care of one of your foster homes for however many weeks you had them before taking them to said pound? If one of your own cats/kittens went missing, where would you be actively looking for them? Maybe you need to stop trapping cats and foisting them upon others to find them homes if you can't handle them all yourself... just saying... T. ETA... I haven't been involved with ANY fostering for nearly 12 months now... since having a litter of pups here with Parvo...

Never been a Dr Harry fan... even less so as he's taken to the public speaking route dispensing crap "advice" on subjects he clearly has no clue about. Not an Oscar's Law fan either... T.

If the dog had been stolen then onsold, you'd think that the original owner would have some say in whether they want the dog back or not... but it could go any which way methinks. T.

Nature provides the canvas, and nurture provides the paint... that's how I see it anyways. You can go all Pro Hart and get a big ass mess - or you can go Leonardo Da Vinci and get something unique and beautiful. T.

http://www.grr.org.au/contact.htm Phone numbers on the left of the page... T.

It's a very nice piece of software... and could possibly be adapted for use by a foster carer network - maybe instead of kennel id's, you could use Carer names? You can get the free software that you can load up on your own computer so you can test how it works... T. ETA - the rescue I was with uses it, and I found the query scripting to get info out was nice and easy to use also.

Again, not judging, just enquiring as I'm not terribly au fait with cats or cat rescue... being horribly allergic to them tends to keep me out of that particular loop. My experience with dog rescue however gives me a little insight as to how rescue and fostering usually works. We take in the animals that we can adequately cope with and rehome, and as much as it kills us to do so, we have to make decisions about which animals we can safely do that for - and leave others behind to the fate we KNOW is in store for them if they are not rescued or adopted. Each carer's setup is different - some can take on more animals than others - but if all available carers for a specific type of animal are taken already, then unfortunately some animals will have to be left behind (so to speak). It's going to be even harder if the animals left behind have certain needs that will have to be worked on before they are ultimately rehomable - which I would assume to be the case with only semi-tame (ex) feral cats. My setup allowed me to take on puppies only - not because I only wanted to take on the young and highly adoptable animals, but because that was what worked in best with my own 4 dogs. I would regularly have between 1 and 14 pups at any given time. I would assume that people taking in kittens are probably in the same boat as me... it's what they can adequately cope with - rather than just because they are cute and MAY rehome faster. As for not knowing what YOU do - the same can be said for YOU not necessarily being aware of what others are doing in rescue circles. To start spraying "blame" around for the deaths of animals that YOU took the othe pound because you found yourself unable to take them back in is a bit rich, don't you think? Technically the pound could have euthanaised those 2 young cats the day you surrendered them - but your own account says they actually had them taking up space there for 3 weeks before being euthed... I'd say that shows that they gave them at least the SAME chance as all the other cats in their facility at the time, no? T.

Just asking - not judging - but why are you trapping these cats and taking them to the pound when you know what the inevitable out come will be when no-one wants to take on wild or semi-wild young or adult cats? T.

I used to think crates were "cruel" until I started fostering and found out just how useful they are. Harper loves her crate, and will happily spend forever in there snuggled up on her blankie - especially now the colder weather is starting up. Vets will love you for crate training your dogs if they ever need to stay at the clinic for any length of time. T.

She is adorable! T.