Forgot about the constest also. Oh well, I'll start with today... (Even though 3 days ago we bathed Wolfie, which takes about an hour.)
Ok, lessee... about ten combined minutes feeding pets, about thirteen minutes trying to make Wolfie, who was feverish today, feel better, five minutes brushing him to get all the fur he's shedding out, and about thirty minutes stroking Mango and scratching him behind the ears this morning in bed - he's so hypnotically cute! (Does that count?)
If I had a rodent again, I'd probably have taken way more time playing with it, but I just can't deal with another rodent death, I'm depressed on a weekly basis as it is.
Woah Jen! You can volunteer at a shelter? *envy* I'm not allowed to (too young) which is distinctly unfair as a younger friend is allowed to volunteer at the Dumb Friends League- which is too far for me to drive to often.
Now, about pounds. I've only been in one, and it had good conditions for the most part- but the cats were kept in the main hall in teensy cages, which was very unfair as the dogs got large pens all to themselves and cats tend to be very claustrophobic. Yes, most of the dogs were howling and barking, but the same is true with all pounds I know of. Besides, they were very nice with the animals and took their concern into hand- a pair of German Sheperds who were madly in love were put in a double-pen, and a special note said "Please adopt us as a pair! We love to be together".
Then again, many shelters I've heard of are terrible. Really, they are. Often several dogs are crammed into the same small pen, causing fights. Plus if an animal isn't adopted, they drag it off, yowling, and kill it. (Earlier a class decided to donate to Denver area animal shelters, also noticing the strays all around Denver. Quite purposefully, they did *not* donate *any* money- which would be used to buy chemicals to kill animals. Instead they donated food and brushes and food dishes and things like that.)
Shelters also have a leaning towards shoddy cat centers. Cats are treated with far less respect than dogs, because they fetch a smaller price in pounds and are not as famed for loyalty. (I'll note my cat Lucky is the most loyal creature I have ever seen. Eomer anyone?) Cats are often not provided with litter boxes, and as creatures who pride themselves on being clean, this can make them very angry- or they may refuse to eat. Also they are not played with nearly as much. Sigh.
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