- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
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Today hit me really bad at work. As i was on holiday last week there were a whole lot of new cats in. There was this beautiful orange Persian who looked about 10 months old. I spent most of the morning coaxing her out of her litter tray to give her cuddles and stop her being so shy and it was really working, yesterday she wasn't as playful. And then about lunch time i was told that she was going to get put down because she is sick (with what they didn't tell me), about 5 days out of the 8 for reclaiming strays is up and i'm so sad. I almost lost it.
I've been there 4 weeks now and i've become so used to their characters, the good and bad. If any of the cats have FIV or ringworm, and aren't claimed in that period by their owners, they get put down because they don't have the money to keep them quarantined their whole life and give them daily medication. They also would have to shut the whole cattery down and euthanaise ALL the felines if the ringworm spread (they do have dogs as well in a seperate area). This is a not for profit group, and it's the RSPCA (i'm at VAAT) who get government funding and still kill their animals after 28 days. If the animals here are completely healthy and have no behavioral problems, but don't get a home, they stay on till old age.
How do i deal with this? The job of taking the animals to be put down and the whole horrid process is not part of my job description, i'm glad. But still knowing that i won't get to see them the next week or day is really hitting me. When i get home to my own cats i can't help but think about it.
I've been there 4 weeks now and i've become so used to their characters, the good and bad. If any of the cats have FIV or ringworm, and aren't claimed in that period by their owners, they get put down because they don't have the money to keep them quarantined their whole life and give them daily medication. They also would have to shut the whole cattery down and euthanaise ALL the felines if the ringworm spread (they do have dogs as well in a seperate area). This is a not for profit group, and it's the RSPCA (i'm at VAAT) who get government funding and still kill their animals after 28 days. If the animals here are completely healthy and have no behavioral problems, but don't get a home, they stay on till old age.
How do i deal with this? The job of taking the animals to be put down and the whole horrid process is not part of my job description, i'm glad. But still knowing that i won't get to see them the next week or day is really hitting me. When i get home to my own cats i can't help but think about it.