The Blog Pound

Wednesday, July 08, 2009 , terribly early in the morning

Odds and Ends

It happens all the time: I find a website I want to blog about, but I’m too preoccupied to blog, so I end up with one browser window and twenty-plus open tabs. In order to tidy up (and actually be able to shut my computer off for a rest), here’s a quick list of some sites which have recently caught my eye:

Modern Cat: A blog which reviews cutting-edge cat furniture, toys, beds, etc. There’s some really nice-looking (and expensive!) stuff here, and they have regular contests to give products away to lucky cat owners.
The Refined Feline: Cat furniture that doesn’t look like cat furniture! I’m sure you’ll pay through the nose for it, but if you can afford it, why not live it up?
Feline Furniture: These products look fairly conventional, but they’re large and full of nooks and crannies to give your cat variety. The prices aren’t bad, either, especially if you compare what you get on the site to what you’d get at Petsmart or Petco for the same cost.
Oasis de Los Gatos is a small sanctuary for ferals and handicapped cats—it sounds like they do a lot of the things we’re trying to do with Wee Paws. The owner has written a book about taming ferals that I’m sure I’d find helpful, and I just wanted to give the site a “shout out” for the good work they do!
The Pad for Paws Foundation: Another charitable group, this one focuses on providing food for the pets of the elderly, disabled, and low-income residents of Helena, Montana. I love their mission, especially in these tight economic times when pet food has become a luxury for many people. That reminds me of something else I’d read recently: the Indigo Girls are on tour, and collecting donations for local food banks at each tour stop. They’re specifically asking people to also donate food for pets, which is great.
Operation Noble Foster: Ever since we started Wee Paws, I’ve dreamed of one day being able to branch out in two other areas. One, I’d like to start a charity that helps low/fixed-income senior citizens care for their pets, by providing food, vet care, grooming, training, transportation, and a permanent home for the pet if the owner passes away. Two, I’d like to provide long-term foster care for the pets of members of the military, because I get so many requests for help in rehoming the pets of soldiers who are being sent overseas. I was thrilled to see that Operation Noble Foster already exists to help with the latter issue, although I’m sure the demand far outweighs the availability of foster homes. If you’ve got the room to foster an animal, please consider doing so… you end up saving two lives, the one that you’re fostering, and the one that gets the shelter space not used by your foster.

On an “in the news” note, there’s a scandal brewing in Houston where many volunteers at the city’s BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care) shelter claim that the animals are severely underfed and often kept in filthy conditions. The photos and anecdotes in this Houston Chronicle blog entry certainly seem to support the claims, and it’s not a stretch to believe that a city department is trying to cut corners while hoping no one will notice. The troubles at BARC aren’t new, and are sadly reminiscent of Las Vegas’ Lied Animal Shelter, the place where over a thousand cats and dogs were euthanized a few years ago because of under-vaccination and disease outbreaks. I’m mentioning the Houston situation here because I’ve been following it on Facebook (“Feed the Dogs Now”), and because a little attention from outside the city can’t possibly hurt. In my mind, “Houston” and “pets” always had a positive association because of the good work of the Houston SPCA, and it’s a shame that the reality isn’t anywhere close to the mental image.

Posted by Leigh-Ann on 07/08 at 03:49 AM
The Litterbox • (3) Comments • Permalink