January 30, 2010
Open Hearts, Empty Cages: Colette Goes Home
Colette was found wandering around as a stray, pregnant and hungry, in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. While she was in good health when she was found, she was clearly familiar with being around people. Perhaps someone dumped her there thinking the area would be a refuge for her. Unfortunately, it was not. We took her in, cleaned her up a little, got her veterinary care, and set out to find her a new home.
When Alison came to our shelter space, she spent some time looking at all of our adoptable cats, but she kept coming back to Colette. In the end, Colette’s beauty, extra friendly personality, and funny husky voice won her over.
Alison says, “She’s the sweetest and most hilarious cat I’ve ever known, and I’m so glad to have her. She gives kisses and sleeps next to my head and purrs like a motor when I come home.”
Alison also shared this story with us. “I went home to Texas for the holidays and brought her along with me. She was the perfect traveler. While at home, I had to have emergency surgery to remove my gallbladder, and I’m really glad I had her with me. She was a very nice companion while recovering. I’ve included a picture of her laying on me which she only did while I was feeling particularly bad. So sweet!”
Alison adds, “Thank you all for everything you do for these animals, and I am so grateful and thankful that you kept Colette for me until I could find her.”
January 24, 2010
Opossums & Skunks Need Advocates, Too
Skunks aren't vermin - they're just neighbors.
On Wednesday, January 20th, the Daily News reported that the human residents of a public housing complex in the Bronx are “terrified” to leave their homes after dark because of the recent activity of wild skunks and opossums in their neighborhood. For those of us who have worked with and advocate for skunks and opossums, this would be funny if we didn’t know what this unfounded fear generally results in: killing and cruelty towards urban wildlife. Empty Cages Collective’s wildlife rehabilitator fired off a letter to the editor in response to the Daily News article:
“Skunks and opossums are native New York City residents who deserve our respect and compassion, not fear and hostility (“Residents of Throggs Neck Houses fear possums, skunks, but officials say little can be done,” Kerry Burke, 1/20/2010). Skunks and opossums are wild sentient beings who play an invaluable role in our urban ecology. They eat mice, rats, and insects, and provide food for other wild animals like hawks and owls. We owe these wild animals admiration for their resilience in surviving in an increasingly hostile human-centered world.
By refraining from leaving cat or dog food or accessible human trash outside at night and using repellents (kitty litter can be placed near or inside of a skunk den site to encourage her to move on, or commercial or homemade capsaicin or castor oil repellents may also be used) and exercising simple tolerance, humans and urban wildlife can coexist in peace.
Relocation or trapping and killing urban wildlife is an ineffective and cruel response to unfounded fears about these creatures. As journalist Dorothy Thompson once wrote, “The most destructive element in the human mind is fear. Fear creates aggressiveness.” Throggs Neck residents should let go of some of their fears and be open to the idea that their four-footed neighbors have a place in the nabe.”
We can only hope that the residents of Throggs Neck learn to appreciate the wildlife around them. Thankfully, resouces like Wildlifehotline.org and the excellent book Wild Neighbors make it easier for people to resolve conflicts with wildlife humanely, as well as appreciate the role wildlife play in their native ecosystems!
January 23, 2010
ECC Rescues West Village Roosters!
One of the roosters Empty Cages Collective rescued from Laguardia Corner Gardens in the West Village. This young man had a severe respiratory infection that required antibiotics when we received him!
Empty Cages Collective (ECC) has been called on repeatedly to rescue abandoned hens and roosters throughout New York City. A handful of the most recent rescues were abandoned at Laguardia Corner Gardens in the West Village.
Rescuing these birds is resource intensive for ECC, since we often need to transport the birds far distances to well-run farmed animal sanctuaries where the birds will never be at risk of being harmed again (through abandonment, being eaten, bred, fought, etc.).
The New York Times recently reported on our simple request to the people abandoning the birds at Laguardia Corner Gardens: Stop. Chickens, like all animals deserve to be treated with compassion and respect – and should not be abandoned any more then they should be abused on factory farms, fought in cockfighting rings, or otherwise cruelly treated.
January 15, 2010
Open Hearts, Empty Cages: Fern Finds A Home For The Holidays
Fern Says Hello To ECC Volunteer Photographer Before Her Adoption in December!
Fern came to us as a stray from the streets of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. One of her eyes was damaged from an inner ear infection that she had contracted on the streets. After visiting the wonderful veterinarians at Manhattan Cat Specialists she was found to be in need of some antibiotics but otherwise healthy. She recovered from her infection except for some slight damage to her one eye.
Joe and Pam were looking for a new friend after Joe’s cat passed away of old age. They took to Fern because of her outgoing personality and her gentle pleas for more petting. They decided to take her home right before the holidays, even though it was a stressful time of year. They took a chance and welcomed her into their home a week before their holiday trip. Everyone is glad they did!
According to Joe, “She traveled amazingly well and was very comfortable at my parents’ place over the holiday. She traveled back to Brooklyn with similar ease and has thoroughly settled in. Pam and I are both amazed at how sweet she is. She loves to be around us, and only occasionally walks across the keyboard as we are typing. She even lets us trim her nails (as long as we only do a couple at a time). Basically, she’s perfect.”
From the streets of Crown Heights to a cozy apartment in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Fern’s journey had a very happy ending. We hope for a day when all friendly felines get such breaks in life!
