Fill Your Home with the Love of Rescued Pets!

Posted On June 18, 2014

Valerie Furge

My husband and I share our home with a dog, four cats and a number of fish. All (not counting the fish) have come from a variety of shelters under a variety of circumstances – each different but with the same underlying theme – cats and dogs thrown away because no one wanted them or bothered to care for them.
 
The first to come into our home was Katie, a scrawny, flea-infested kitten with a broken tail and the most piteous cry ever! The SPCA staff said she had been found in a ditch. Who could resist?
 

The next was Tom – an older stray whose battle-scarred ears showed the dangers of being a cat without a home. The SPCA where we lived at the time had determined him “unadoptable” and had scheduled him to be euthanized. We were his last chance so…who could resist? Katie, by then a mature cat, tried but even she was swayed by his rugged good looks and charm!
 

After that came Daisy, a tiny puppy found at the town dump and brought into a local animal shelter. She reminded me of a dog I had as a child so…this time for sure, who could resist?
 

Gladys was next and came to us from DunRoamin’. We had returned to NB by then and had gotten involved with this wonderful organization. Here, we found people doing all they could to make a difference in the lives of abandoned and neglected animals. We were asked to foster Gladys until a permanent home could be found. I thought I could resist, but…we very quickly became her permanent home. TJ came to us the next July – a small kitten rescued by DunRoamin’. This time I didn’t even try to resist! Given his fondness for sneak attacks, I’m pretty sure Katie and Tom (very senior cats by now) wish I would have!
 

For myself, I only wish that people would find the abandoned animals out there as hard to resist as I do. People need to realize that cats and dogs are not disposable – you can’t just throw them away. Be responsible – spay or neuter your pets! This will greatly cut down on the number of unwanted animals. And, if your resistance is low, check out the DunRoamin’ website or your local animal shelter and see who’s looking for a home! Can you resist!?
 

Things are somewhat different since I originally wrote this – the number is higher and some of the faces have changed. Unfortunately, we no longer have Katie, Tom or Daisy. All three lived very long, happy lives but, no matter how much we wish differently, old age has a way of catching up with our pets.
 

Enter Jasper, Percy, Mitt, Herman and Ben – different names but same story: abandoned animals – these ones lucky enough to be found by someone who cared enough to find them help.
 

So, the faces may be different but the message is still the same: spay or neuter your pets and then check out your local shelter to find that perfect cat or dog who is just waiting for a loving home!