Whenever you visit our blogs, you might have noticed
the Let’s Adopt Community Map to the lower right of your screen.

Put yourself on the map and start saving lives.

What is it all about?
Very simple – The Map connects YOU to the rest of the Let’s Adopt! Network worldwide!

This is the place to put your marker on the map, tell us a little about yourself or copy the code to of your Facebook badge and let us know in what capacity you can support us.
For example: foster, transport, flight volunteer, action calls, etc).

Misha Dee

Create Your Badge

SAVE THE MAP and you’re all done.

Need a step-by-step?

:. sign in or register with Google
.:. Go to the map at
http://bit.ly/LetsAdopt-Network-Map to add your pin to the map.
.:. zoom the map,
.:. click the blue pin and drag it to your location.
.:. add your information, and be sure to SAVE the map when you’re done.

Easy – Yet such an important step to connect with others.

Share the map and invite all your fellow animal activists, rescuers, and volunteer friends and family, so we can truly build a tight network and react fast in any sort of emergency rescue situation.

Become part of the solution.  Join Let’s Adopt! USA today.

BE The Change!

Misha

Please SHARE/RT

You’re reading this because you’re probably a member of Let’s Adopt!
I applaud you for joining our networks.

Now I want to ask you to join our tribe, by becoming an active member of our operations, to join our tribe!
We are of course animal lovers, but we are activists first. Which means, that we love all the cute pictures of pups and kitties. However, there are too many cute pups and kitties dying in our so-called shelters and by the hands of abusers and breeders every single day.
We must act – NOW!

I am often disillusioned by what I see, especially on the web.
Horrendous abuse, crush videos, starved animals, scared animals going crazy in their kennels at the pound.
I have seen many of these cases in my work as an activist and rescuer. The 1-day-old kittens I raised with an eyedropper or feeding tube, just to see them succumb to a simple upper respiratory infection. The kittens that were exposed to FIP, and ultimately died because their intestines and organs literally liquefied inside of them.

However there were hundreds that were a joy to foster and raised to be strong enough to be adopted. There are many, many success stories, which by far outweigh the bad experiences.
Now I want YOU to experience the feeling of saving a life and what an impact you alone can make in your community.
I want YOU to reach out to your local pound and rescue a dog or a cat.

Rescue an animal from death row - TODAY!

Become its caretaker and angel.
We will then rally as a network to adopt the animal into a new home.

adopting an animal will complete any family

Our adoption criteria are strict, yet very simple.

• the adopter has at least one other animal

• the animal will live indoors only! Not in the yard, not on a tie-out, not in a garage, or a barn. It will live indoors as part of the adopters family.

• the animal will be fed a raw diet only. Your animal will be healthier, you will be happier, and you’ll save money in the long run, on cost of food and vet bills. More info can be found at http://rawlearning.com

• We do not apply an adoption fee. One can’t buy any Let’s Adopt! dog or cat.

• We believe that adopting an animal is a privilege, not mercy.

• The adopter will create a Facebook album with photos of the animal with its new family and updates.

These are our adoption rules in a nutshell.
Do you think you can handle it?
Have you been thinking of how in the world can you make a difference at these overcrowded pounds? Well, here is your chance to put your action where your heart is.

• Pull an animal.

• Then take it home, let it settle in,

let the dog or cat settle down for a few days

• take pictures and post it on the Let’s Adopt! USA page,

• Include all details you have about the animal:
• Age, temper, likes, dislikes, history (stray, dumped by owner, etc)

• We’ll campaign to get the animals adopted.

Do you realize that you will be saving TWO lives at once.
Not only will you be taking the one dog off death row, but another one will have a better chance, because there’s new cage space. And hopefully, you’ll inspire friends and family to do the same all over the country.
Perhaps concentrate on high kill facilities such as many municipal facilities in the South, from Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas – some pounds have a 90 (that’s NINETY) % kill rate.
Here’s where you can make a big difference.
There are many small groups that are willing to help you pull an animal and organize transport.
I will be listing some of these groups and links soon.
For now – please search your heart and decide whether you can open your home to a rescue this summer. I know you can and want to.

Let us help you figure out how and make it a reality. For the animals and for you.

We can potentially save hundreds of animals this summer. Are you with us?

Got Foster Dog?

Let’s start saving lives – one dog, one cat at the time.

BE The Change
Misha Dee

Read more »

Lisa - one senior, educated, loyal dog

Lisa is a 9 year old Dobermann with a beautiful heart.

She was raised in a great home, surrounded by other dogs, full of love.

Then, at some point her owner had to give her away for personal reasons, and he gave her to a friend’s “farm”. He was convinced she would be happy there.

Whenever you hear the word “farm” in Turkey just run away!!!

The farm turned out to be a breeder.

In that horrible place she was locked in a small kennel sharing it with an aggressive dog who injured her terribly. She was forced to mate but she would miscarry every time.

Her entire body was covered in injuries, her face had callous spots as she had to sleep on concrete.

She lived in hell. The kind of hell that most Doberman owners give to their dogs.

She is now living with our friends, spending time sun tanning and playing with her new friends. She now has a shining fur and she is happy, living in harmony with a pack. She has all the freedom she needs, sleeps on her soft bed whenever she wants and she loves to have a sunbath in the afternoons. When she is called her she comes running even from hundreds of meters away. She is one senior, educated, loyal dog.

Lisa likes to snuggle in her big pillow

She gets along well with all dogs and kids… Always wants to be beside you, likes to sleep on her cushion when she is indoors and if it is on your side she can stay there for hours. When you are not around she will most probably curl up near the heater

She just doesn’t like cats

LISA is searching for a loving family.

Let’s Adopt! usual conditions for adoption apply. Also, as usual, we will make NO EXCEPTIONS.

1. Family MUST have an existing animal.
2. Animal MUST live inside the home, not on the garden.
3. Animal MUST be fed raw.

Contact: viktor@myletsadopt.com

You’ve seen all the pictures of the dogs in distress, the cute puppies, the kitties, the little fur-balls.
They all have one thing in common – THEY NEED YOU! – NOW!

young orphans often starve or freeze to death because of lack of care

First, let’s look at the various shelters and rescues and the differences between them.
Let’s start with the worst of the worst:

The municipal shelter

a.k.a. animal care & control, the pound, animal services.

This is the shelter run by your county officials. Usually by the police department, sometimes by its own department, that reports to the city’s board of commissioners. If you the animals are lucky, the city has a humane commission, which works together with shelter and city officials to make recommendations on funding, changes to guarantee the welfare of the animals housed there.

The reality in the US is that most city shelters are underfunded, understaffed and overwhelmed with animals. During puppy and kitten season cages fill quickly to and above capacity just over one weekend. Adoptions are chronically low as these so-called shelters are often not very conveniently located, nor are their visitor hours designed to draw the public in. Some shelters don’t even bother opening on weekends or have very limited hours.

corpse of a euthanized dog

Some shelters are so bad, they have an over 90 % (that’s NINETY PERCENT) kill rate of perfectly healthy animals. Their crime? They were born. Bred by people who wanted their children to see the miracle of birth (I’d like to take them into a euthanasia room to witness momma cat and kittens being murdered), thrown away because the owners moved, are suddenly allergic, the animal is too old, too ugly, too fat, doesn’t match the boyfriend, oh yeah, my favorite – a baby is on the way (so the fur baby get’s the boot). All common reasons animals end up on death row.
Still want to volunteer?

I beg you to.

Why?

Because these are the animals that need you the most.
They need YOU to care!!!

They only have you! Staff doesn’t have time to take pictures, write cute bios, CUDDLE?!?!
So, here’s what you can do at a high kill shelter:
Apply as a volunteer if they do not have a program, think about how you and a couple of friends could get one off the ground. It’s easier than you might think.
Manpower:

• dog walkers,
• photographers,
• foster volunteers,
• dog trainers,
• transporters,
• screeners, adoption counselors,
• organize a mobile outreach program with your local pet food store or at a mall

If you can’t physically volunteer think about administrative help,

• web design & support,
• manage the Petfinder account for the shelter.
• Write some nice bios for the animals.
• grant writers,
• event planners,
• fund-raising

Donations:
See what your particular shelter needs most. Talk to other volunteers or staff.
Often it’s bedding, paper.
The dogs often sleep on concrete floors with no bedding at all. It’s too expensive to maintain to clean.
There are beds that are easy to spray and clean with disinfectants that are off the floor and give the dog a little comfort.
The noise level at these places is another issue. If someone can come up with a design that is economical yet somewhat sound buffering, these places wouldn’t be so incredible stressful for the animals.

Local animal rescues and small shelters:
There are so many small rescues that are pulling death row animals from the municipal shelters and are trying their hardest to find them new homes.
They are in dire need of
foster homes (long and short term) especially for little kittens under 3-4 weeks that need to be bottle fed!!
transport,
outreach volunteers (just a few hours every other weekend to present the animals to the public and help adopt them and recruit new volunteers) It’s a truly rewarding fun activity on weekends.
I personally did this for 3 years every single weekend, on top of rescuing, fostering and volunteer coordination and my paying job

Virtual shelters/rescues such as Let’s Adopt!

We are a new phenomena thanks to social media such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Our networks stretch across the globe with growing outlets in the US, Canada, France, Germany and Austria, Bulgaria, Japan, Thailand, Turkey and more to come.
We need volunteers in each country, Especially foster homes in Turkey, Germany, Austria and France, but also in the US and Canada for you our local rescues.
We also need volunteers to help us transport adopted animals via airplane. There’s no cost involved for the volunteer and all the paperwork is handled by Let’s Adopt!
Let’s Adopt! is a 100% volunteer run organization and we pay for everything out of pocket, with no public funding and no adoption fees, we rely on our volunteer force and contributors to help us make each adoption a success. Most of Let’s Adopt!’s rescues are special needs animals which came from the streets, abusive situations, have been brutalized by humans, often with horrendous injuries.
We are determined to save those and give them a new lease on life with the best home out there.
Adopting one of our animals is not mercy – it’s a privilege.
If you’re interested in fostering for us. Please find the network closest to your location on the right side of this page and contact the administrator. If you’re in the US, send me an e-mail to misha@myletsadopt.com.
You can also support our work from far away by contributing to our Simba Fund. All proceeds fund the care of our special needs animals.

Larger shelters such as the SPCA / Humane Society

are usually already well off with volunteers and donations.
I must say that I have a love/hate relationship with them for various reasons.
They present themselves as no-kill but in 99% of all shelters are not!
It is a big number game with these organizations.
You are NOT a no-kill shelter when you have a selected variety of animals you accept and those you won’t.
The ones they won’t accept are as follows:
kittens under the age of 3-4 weeks, considered bottle feeders. They will either be denied or accepted and euthanized.
kittens that have a simple cold (URI), same fate as bottle feeders.
SPCA and the Humane Society are often very selective IF they are pulling any animals from the municipal “shelters”.

yorkshire terrier preparing to search for prey..

No “aggressive breeds” like Yorkshire terriers or Chihuahuas …just kidding - those they will take because there’s a market for toy breeds, but pit bulls or rottweilers, no matter how sweet and well behaved…not so much.
That’s my beef with them, and if you work, volunteer for one of them, good for you. They need you. Just ask your shelter director why there’s no neonatal program in place when there are very responsible and knowledgeable volunteers available. Why are we shipping in loads of chihuahua pups from a puppy mill in the Midwest (with all the media outlets waiting for the trucks to pull in to the parking lot), when there are chihuahuas sitting in the local shelter?
Could it be that those “fresh” puppy mill dogs will bring in between $200 and $300 a pop?

puppy mill dogs are still big profit - even after they've been rescued

If you still would like to volunteer for such an organization check your local resources for the nearest SPCA/HS.

Those little rescues I mentioned earlier are the true no-kill warriors out there that do the deed for the shelters.
HSUS and SPCA are notorious for sucking the small donor pool dry with their ability of pumping hundreds of thousands of $$ of YOUR donations into marketing efforts.

Thanks for caring, and please don’t hesitate to sign up as a volunteer.

If you start for one shelter or rescue and you don’t feel comfortable, try another. It’s completely normal. Animal rescue is not a “one size fits all” sort of thing.
I have been a volunteer, director, kitten wrangler, mentor for over 16 years and with all the ups and downs wouldn’t want to miss any of my experiences, the friends I’ve made along the way and the many, many souls I encountered, that repaid me with purrs and kisses.

Little foster Meg White gives kiiiiiisses

Priceless….

BE The Change

~Misha

!IMPORTANT ACTION CALL!

Please e-mail the officials listed in this note about your concerns of the bad conditions at the Robeson County Shelter.
Please be courteous, yet firm. It is important to bring your point across without threatening any council members or shelter staff. We are all angry and frustrated and we must find solutions that will change this shelter for good and the better.
The meeting is Thursday at 6:30 pm EDT so email must be sent asap..
Please attend this city Council meeting if you are local! This is an important event for the animals of Robeson County animal “shelter”.
Thank You!
Misha Dee
Let’s Adopt! USA

http://us.myletsadopt.com

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=205025950458

————————–
There is a meeting at the Board of Commissions at Robeson on Thursday to discus the requests of animal advocates for improvements at Robeson..

Please email the county manager,county commissioners and local legislator and ask them for the following to be introduced..

The meeting is TOMORROW Thursday at 6:30 pm EDT so email must be sent asap..

ACT & SHARE immediately!

Easy COPY AND PASTE E-Mail…

Addresses:

Ken.Windley@co.robeson.nc.us
Ricky.Harris@co.robeson.nc.us
Rod.Jenkins@co.robeson.nc.us
william.smith@robeson.nc.gov
noahwoods5746891@aol.com
hubertsealey@bellsouth.net
cummingsr.psrc@robeson.k12.nc.us
Garland.Pierce@ncleg.net

Subject:
Robeson County Animal Shelter Meeting

Letter:
Dear County Manager, County Commissioners and Local Legislator,

During your meeting regarding the Robeson County Animal Shelter on Thursday April 22nd at 6:30 pm EDT, I am asking for the following to be introduced…

1. Video/Web cameras throughout the shelter. Allowing viewing of the whole shelter 24/7 (similar to the cameras at Memphis Animal Shelter in TN).

2. Animal cruelty at the hands of the staffs comes to a complete end. Including Handling and Compassion Training.

3. ALL Adopters must have a Valid ID and fill out ALL paper work properly and completely.

4. Work to adopt seized dogs considered to be potential fighting dogs and bait dogs.

5. You must have at least one new Animal Advocate/Rescuer Coordinator on staff FULL TIME to assist with adoption and handle proper paperwork.

6. Implement a NEW Fostering program.

7. Use Community Service Workers and Non Violent Offenders to help, for their hours they must repay the county as Community Service.

8. Vet Care and Initial Assessment of ALL animals entering the shelter. With special care given to ALL injured or sick animals, versus putting them down right then and there.

9. Community Education Program in ALL Area Schools.

10. Shelter involvement in a Low Cost or FULL Supported of Spay and Neuter Program.

Thank You for your direct attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your City, Your State]

The following is a compilation of advice from Alley Cat Alliance, and my own experience as an active rescuer and “kitten wrangler” for over 16 years.
My specialty is neonatal orphans, who are THE most fragile, require the most care, but getting them through the first 14 days is also incredibly rewarding.

I have fostered over 700 kittens/cats,a few dogs & pups over the years – most of them were tiny orphans, special needs, geriatric or hospice cases.. Not all babies survived, due to either disease, injuries, or were eaten alive by parasites, and it was too late by the time they came to me.
Those were the toughest cases, and losing any of these babies is never easy – I won’t lie.
I’ve said many times I can’t do it anymore – yet when the call comes in about another baby with eyes still closed…. I’m the first to say YES.
So, here are some important tips on what to do when you find kittens.

First things first.
When you find a litter of kittens or an orphan, make sure to check whether there’s a mother around. Assess the situation and see whether the kittens are in distress. If they are exposed to heat, rain or wind then they have likely been abandoned. However, if they seem content, watch the area for a while from the distance to see whether the mother has only left to hunt for food. She should return as soon as she feels it’s safe to approach. Therefore it’s important that you keep a good distance from the “nest”.
If the mother hasn’t shown up after a few hours, it is probably a good idea to take the kitten(s) inside.

Now What?

Don’t panic!

· Determine The Kitten’s Age:

- Under one week: (3-8 oz) Eyes are shut, ears are folded down, and kittens are unable to walk. They can purr and make tiny noises. The umbilical cord may still be visible.

kitten less than one week old

1- 2 weeks old

- Three weeks: (7.5-14.5 oz) Eyes fully open and ears are open and standing up. Kittens will start to respond to noises and movement. The first wobbly steps are taken and baby teeth start to come in.

2 - 3 weeks old

- Four-five weeks: (8-16.75 oz) Running, playing, digging, and pouncing occur often. Kittens will start to wean and will be able to lap up formula, eat soft food, and use the litter box by themselves. Eyes have fully changed from blue to their adult color.

5 -6 week old "trinity of trouble"

- Eight weeks: (2 lbs) Kittens look like little versions of full grown cats.
This is the best age at which to begin the socialization process.

Matangi - with Uma, one of my special needs kittens. She had a hole in her diaphragm with her intestines growing through it. She passed away the day after her surgery.

· Ask for Help:
Depending on the kitten’s age: If you have a neonatal, contact local veterinary clinics and no-kill shelters to ask if they have a nursing mother cat or experienced volunteers available to bottle-feed the kittens. People have had a lot of success having mother cats “adopt” more kittens. This can go either way, as some shelters are more concerned about passing diseases by mixing litters. I personally see the survival of the kittens as most important, and will take orphans at any time.
· Foster:
There’s a good chance you will have to foster the kitten(s) for some time, before you can get them into a no-kill shelter/rescue.
Please do NOT surrender them to a city shelter OR the Humane Society, as they will be euthanized.

Most larger shelters will not accept kittens that are not eating on their own. The municipal shelters (a.k.a. city pound) will, because they HAVE to by law, however THEY WILL KILL THEM!!

orphaned kittens under 3 weeks are routinely killed at our city shelters. Organizations such as the HS or SPCA refuse to take them.

We will talk about the numbers games of so-called no kill shelters at another time.
· Heat and Bedding: Kittens can easily become chilled and can actually die from chilling within a short time frame. Be sure that from the moment you find them, the kittens are kept constantly warm. Continually keep an eye out for signs of chilling (i.e., kittens are listless and feel cool to the touch). If you have nothing else on hand, use your own body heat to warm up a cold kitten, and rub gently to aide circulation. It is important to note that kittens cannot control their own body temperature until they are at least three-weeks-old. Do not bottle feed until kittens have warmed up completely.

At home, provide kittens with a soft nest (like a box or kitty bed) with a heating pad or other warming device. Completely cover it with a blanket or towel, and make sure that kittens can move away from the heat if they want. Change the bedding daily or as needed when accidents occur.

Chilling can occur after a kitten becomes wet.Never submerge kittens in water. If you need to wash them, wash only certain parts or use a moist wash cloth. Be sure to always fully dry them with a hair dryer (on low) and towel.

· Food: Never feed kittens cow’s milk—this causes diarrhea. Feed only kitten formula, such as KMR, which can be purchased at most pet supply stores. Use kitten bottles to feed, as they are designed specifically with a kitten in mind.If you have an option for nipples, the elongated nipples are easier to use. Follow the directions of the bottle manufacturer for bottle preparation. You may have to make your own holes in the nipple with a sterilized pin or razor; be sure you do this correctly so that the kitten replacement milk drips out slowly when the bottle is turned upside down. I found the elongated nipples the easiest to use for the smaller kittens.  If you can’t find those, then use a pin to puncture a hole AND then use a razor or pair of small scissors to cut an X into the top. Do NOT cut off the top – just slice it. If you have a very young kitten, stop by your vet, and ask them for a couple of 3cc/ml or 5cc/ml syringes. They will work as very well for those tiny kittens.

bottle feeder

Sterilize the bottles before using. Wash your hands before and after each feeding.

This Emergency Kitten Formula can be made at home:
It should only be used in emergencies, and should not replace kitten formula completely.
8 oz. can (unsweetened) regular evaporated milk
1 beaten egg yolk
2 TB Karo syrup
Mix all ingredients well and strain. Warm before serving. Keep refrigerated.

·Proper Feeding: Hold or place kittens on their stomachs and arch the bottle so less air gets in (do not feed kittens on their backs). Always warm the kitten replacement milk and test it on your wrist to be sure it is warm but not hot.
Remember, do not feed chilled kittens.

· Feeding Schedule: Feeding should occur every two hours around the clock for kittens one week or younger.
You can reduce feeding to every three to four hours at two weeks and from then on, most kittens can be fed about two to three times daily with a wet food/formula mixture. Follow the guidelines on the formula label for how much to feed. Kittens will usually stop nursing when full.

If you are having trouble getting a kitten to “latch” onto the bottle, try pulling on the nipple when they start to suck, this will encourage her to suck harder and latch on. You can also try moving the nipple back and forth in the kitten’s mouth.

If your kitten is too ill to suck on a bottle, you may have to use other methods such as tube feeding. Consult a veterinarian before attempting this yourself, as you might cause serious harm to the kitten if the tube is not inserted properly.

Weaning occurs around four to five weeks of age. Mix formula with wet food so kittens can begin to lap it up, or put the mixture in a bottle. Then mix with dry food and begin providing water.

· After feeding: As long as kittens are eating formula, you must burp them. Put them on your shoulder or on their stomachs and pat them gently until you feel them burp. Kitten formula is sticky, so be sure to clean kittens after feeding with a warm, damp washcloth.
· Elimination: Kittens under four weeks must be stimulated in order to go to the bathroom after each feeding. Usually a mother cat would lick her kittens, but you can use a warm, moist cotton ball to gently rub the kittens’ anal area to stimulate urination and defecation. Completely solid feces usually will not form while kittens are drinking formula. Start litter training at four weeks. Use a small litter box with non-clumping litter. Show kittens the litter box and put in a used cotton ball, and this should do the trick.
· Weight: Kittens should double their weight each week of their life. It’s a good idea to weigh the kitten and record its progress daily. Alley Cat Allies offers a wonderful PDF for download, which I highly recommend to print out, as it includes additional vital information on caring for your kittens, as well as feeding schedules, weight/health charts to keep track of any changes.
· Health Concerns:
Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) – Though this is common in kittens, you should not ignore it. If heavy yellow discharge develops or the kitten has trouble breathing or eating, see a veterinarian immediately. A mild URI can be cleared up by simply wiping away discharge with a warm, wet cloth and keeping kittens in a warm, damp environment.

Fleas – Fleas on a very small kitten can cause anemia. First, pick fleas off with a flea comb. For a bad infestation, you can bathe the kitten in warm water to get rid of fleas, since using topical flea treatment can make small kittens ill. Remember, never submerge kittens fully in water. If giving a bath be careful of chilling – dry kittens thoroughly with a warm towel or hair dryer on low, then place on a heating pad. No shampoos or topical treatment should be used in kittens six weeks or younger.

Parasites/Diarrhea – Any drastic change in stool consistency can mean trouble. Parasites can often cause diarrhea, strange looking stool, and dehydration. If you notice any unusual signs, your kittens should be seen by a veterinarian.
Intestinal parasites are normal in kittens and therefore they  should be wormed with at the age of 4 weeks and again at 6 weeks. First FVRCP vaccine should be administered at the age of 6 weeks, with 2 more boosters every 3-4 weeks after that. If you’re lucky your kittens will be accepted by a no-kill shelter by this time.
· Rehoming: If you decide to re-home the kitten(s) yourself, please screen the homes carefully, ask for an adoption fee (can be a donation to a rescue of your choice), and supply the adopter with a spay/neuter voucher, to be used within 4 weeks of adopting the kitten. Contact your local no-kill or feral cat organization for low/no cost spay/neuter clinics in your area and have the kittens fixed before you adopt them out.



Resources:

Alley Cat Allies Neo Natal Handbook (PDF)(right click to save link): Must Have for any new foster of neo natals. Lots of wonderful tips, forms, schedules, etc.

Kittens For Dummies byDusty Rainbolt: Great Beginner’s Book. The author spends great detail on examining kitten poop, which may sound excessive, but trust me, this information will come in handy.

The Cornell Book of Cats: The Comprehensive and Authoritative Medical Reference for Every Cat and Kitten – for the advanced and brave foster

The Pill Book Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat by Kate Roby and Lenny Southam: essential for any rescuer.

Feel free to post any questions or suggestions.

Join our Facebook network and share pictures.

What? WHAT?? We weren't doing nuffin'

Post your questions to this blog or mail me at misha@myletsadopt.com

BE The Change

Misha

April 20, 2010   //   kittens, no-kill, rescue, Spay/Neuter, volunteers   //   4 Comments   //   Tags: adoption, disease, emergency formular for kittens, feeding, feral, feral cat, feral kittens, foster kittens, kitten baby, kitten care, kitten feeding schedule, neo natal, neonatal, no kill shelter, no-kill, number scam, orphaned kittens, orphans, parasites, pet bottle, runt, uri

Today’s blog is actually inspired and for the greater part written by one of my dear teachers.

Please read it with an open mind, read it again with your mind inspired, and then read it again, with your heart ready to spring into action.

Cruelty is an infectious disease and one must strictly guard oneself against it. Some students seem to have this peculiar infection and they somehow gradually dominate the others. Probably they feel it is very manly, for their elders are often cruel in their words, in their attitudes, in their gestures, in their pride. This cruelty exists in the world. The responsibility of the student and please remember with what significance we are using that word – is to avoid any form of cruelty.

Once many years ago I was invited to talk at a school in California and as I entered the school a boy of ten or so was passing me with a large bird, caught in a trap, whose legs were broken.

I stopped and looked at the boy without saying a word. His face expressed fear and when I finished the talk and came out the boy – a stranger – came up to me with tears in his eyes and said, ”Sir, it will never happen again.” He was afraid that I would tell the headmaster and there would be a scene about it and as I didn’t say a word to either the boy or the headmaster about the cruel incident, his awareness of the terrible thing he had done made him realize the enormity of the act.

It is important to be aware of one’s own activities and if there is affection then cruelty has no place in our life at any time. In western countries you see the birds carefully nurtured and later in the season shot for sport and then eaten. The cruelty of hunting, killing small animals, has become part of our civilization, like war, like torture, and the acts of terrorists and kidnappers.

Dogs tortured to death for consumption in Korea

In our intimate personal relationships there is also a great deal of cruelty, anger, hurting each other. The world has become a dangerous place in which to live and in our schools any form of coercion, threat, anger must be totally and completely avoided for all these harden the heart and mind, and affection cannot co-exist with cruelty.

You understand, as a student, how important it is to realize that any form of cruelty not only hardens your heart but perverts your thinking, distorts your actions. The mind, like the heart, is a delicate instrument, sensitive and very capable, and when cruelty and oppression touch it then there is a hardening of the self. Affection, love, has no centre as the self.

Now having read this and having understood so far what is said, what will you do about it? You have studied what has been said, you are learning the content of these words; what then is your action? Your response is not merely to study and learn but also to act. Most of us know and are aware of all the implications of cruelty and of what it actually does both outwardly and inwardly, and leave it at that without doing anything about it – thinking one thing and doing just the opposite. This not only breeds a great deal of conflict but also hypocrisy.

Most students do not like to be hypocrites; they like to look at facts but they do not always act. So the responsibility of the student is to see the facts about cruelty and without any persuasion or cajoling understand what is implied and do something about it. The doing is perhaps a greater responsibility. People generally live with ideas and beliefs totally unrelated to their daily life and so this naturally becomes hypocrisy.

So don’t be a hypocrite – which doesn’t mean you must be rude, aggressive or overly critical. When there is affection there is inevitably courtesy without hypocrisy.

What is the responsibility of the teacher who has studied, learned, and acts toward the student? Cruelty has many forms. A look, a gesture, a sharp remark, and above all comparison. Our whole educational system is based on comparison. A is better than B and so B must conform to or imitate A. This in essence is cruelty, and ultimately its expression is examinations; so what is the responsibility of the educator who sees the truth of this?

How will he teach any subject without reward and punishment, knowing that there must be some kind of report indicating the capacity of the student? Can the teacher do this? Is it compatible with affection? If the central reality of affection is there, has comparison any place at all? Can the teacher eliminate in himself the pain of comparison?

Our whole civilization is based on hierarchical comparison both outwardly and inwardly which denies the sense of deep affection. Can we eliminate from our minds the better, the more, the stupid, the clever, this whole comparative thinking? If the teacher has understood the pain of comparison what is his responsibility in his teaching and in his action? A person who has really grasped the significance of the pain of comparison is acting from intelligence.

[Jiddu Krishnamurti - Letters to Schools Volume One 15th February, 1980]

Teachers & Students alike….

BE The Change

Make that one phone call to report animal cruelty, help a neighbor out, who struggles with feeding their animals in this economy, make contributions to those organizations that work so hard on bringing change. Become part of the solution by volunteering your time, knowledge and resources.

Let’s Adopt! USA needs YOU – yes YOU …help us in our quest to save animals, but also to spread the word, educate the members of your community about no-kill.

Become a leader in your own community.

Visit our Facebook Group and sign up as a volunteer in the discussion area.

Let’s make some noise for the voiceless out there.

Let’s stop the brutal killings, sanctified by your city leaders, funded by your tax dollars,

Let’s put tougher laws on animal cruelty, hoarders, breeders.

Let’s DO SOMETHING.

The apathy of many people is mind-boggling to me. We have grown numb to the pictures of death row animals, mutilated, abused, sick, dying…

here today ….gone tomorrow….. until the next load arrives.

Help Us, Help THEM!

BE The Change!

Misha

Dear Tribe Members of the Let’s Adopt!USA Family.

First of, I want to thank all of our members for your continuous support in growing our FaceBook Network, and helping us connecting more volunteers and activists in the US.
I’d also like to take the opportunity to welcome all new members who have joined us over the past couple of weeks.
We could not do our important work without you.

Our tribe is growing daily.

As we are approaching the “Thousand Member Mark”, I realized that many of you don’t know each other (yet)…other than that we obviously share a love for animals, have compassion for the voiceless and want change… Drastic change.

So, this week I want to invite you to visit our

Let’s Adopt! USA FaceBook Photo Album

and post a picture of you and your pet(s).

post a picture of you and your rescue to our facebook group

It’s as easy as 1 – 2 – 3:

• Go to: Let’s Adopt! USA Group Photo Album

• Add your/pet’s name AND general location (state/metro area)  as captions.
• Post the image.
• In the comment section: Post a short story about how you met, and your life was changed.

DONE …

rescuing another being is a life-changing experience.

Add a quick note about what you have to offer to Let’s Adopt! USA in your capacity as a volunteer or activist, and what you would like to see changing in YOUR OWN COMMUNITY.
If you prefer you can also send me an e-mail to misha@myletsadopt.com

We can’t wait to see all your beautiful faces and read about your connections.

companions for life

Finally, please take a moment to add yourself to our regional networks in the LET’S ADOPT! USA group’s discussion section.

This will help us contact volunteers quickly when we need local foster volunteers, organizing transports/rescue or for local action alerts.
This will only take a few moments of your time - imagine how many lives we can AND WILL save together.

Thank you again for standing up for what is right.

We have a lot of work to do.

BE The Change…

Misha Dee
misha@myletsadopt.com

Let’s Adopt! USA
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=205025950458

Give Our Angels Wings:
http://bethechange.chipin.com/simbas-fund

Put Yourself On The Map :
http://bit.ly/LetsAdopt-Network-Map