It's very sad and unfortunate when someone with really good intentions allows things to go so wrong, doesn't ask for help. But, to be fair, maybe help that was asked for but never materialized..I know how people can be. This also gives other groups a bad name.
I have MANY cats, but if donations don't come in, we happen to be lucky to be able to subsidize until things get better. I could never allow any cat to get that sick, especially with simple and very avoidable things. We house the cats in our home, and people who visit would never be able to guess how many there are, and that we have so many (they guess a tiny fraction) - and that requires a tremendous amount of work. I don't want anyone to leave here and spread rumors about a dirty, smelly house.. I have also known about very "hasty" conclusions drawn by people who have no idea what it's like to care for many cats, especially multiple number of sick ones with very special needs. In upper CT, several years ago, a woman housed the shelter in her home, was president of a cat rescue organization, was raided one morning, before she was even out of bed. They broke the glass on the door to open it from the inside, barged in, confiscated all the cats, charged her with trumped up things like this (remember, this is about 7 AM): dirty litter boxes, no food for the cats, sick cats with various illnesses (ear mites, CRF, no teeth, as if that's an illness etc), practicing medicine without a license (she had meds for the cats and treating them), and the list went on like that. She wasn't even allowed to tell them which meds were for which cats, and which cats were the sick ones - they were going to have their vets determine that! During this round-up, the poor cats were petrified, flew around like ferals, which they were NOT). She was not even allowed to visit them (including her personal cats) that were put up at various places around the area, and by the time of the court date, she owed the state over $130,000 in boarding and vet fees. She wasn't able to pay that. Many cats died during that time, were separated from their buddies in separate cages, never knew freedom..they were held as evidence. This all happened because a disgruntled volunteer reported her to state canine and USDA. Natalie From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Marta Gasper Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2012 8:13 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Caboodle Ranch - Another "sanctuary" owner charged with cruelty Caboodle was one of my FB friends..I thought/read someplace there was help at CR. No way one person can cope with that many..many times hoarders do fool the authorities and the public, I've seen it hapen..lets face it; we, even if all we do is take care of the animals, have more complicated lives than a pet. So at any time something can go wrong, financially, personally, healthwise..and that is other people should take charge. Having the land and best intentions is a great start but much more is needed. I do rescue, have a license and am now starting the paperwork to be non-profit, all this while I learnt that is what has to come first, then one can start looking for volunteers and plan ahead, ie ten years from now. I know CR was nonprof so what happened to the Board and volunteers he should have had to get that status? I'm very sorry for the cats that paid_and the people that entrusted their lives to the sanctuary_for that mistake. Another cautionary tale though unfortunatly very well based on reality. Marta <http://homelessnomore.webs.com/> http://homelessnomore.webs.com/
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