Why I do this.

It has been a roller coaster day today. I urge everyone to read this entire blog, as I have a request at the end.
I have the three kittens that were taken from a ROOF and they are thriving. Only one has eye goo left and I'm still treating it. They are very playful and fun to be around. I got two more little three week old babies on Tuesday, one of which has to be bottle fed kitten formula. They were left on someone's doorstep. They are so small, they can fit through the kennel bars. I couldn't figure out how one, Ruffian, was getting through until today when I saw the stinker pry himself through. I don't know if it's really a "him" yet but should be able to tell soon! He weighs about half a pound and has long hair (basically a puffball), plus he doesn't know how to clean himself because his mother is supposed to be doing that. He is so aware of what is going on. He watched me "disappear" a few times so when he got himself out of the kennel, he went to the bottom of the stairs and mewed. They are so strong and so smart, I think we fail to recognize how mature these THREE week old babies are. I am determined to get them to the age where they can feed themselves and get forever homes. Yes, I have connected with them.
Today, Beth called me and said that Kris (they are the co-founders of Siouxland Paw Prints Rescue) went to Animal Control to temper test a German Shepherd. Her daughter went into the cat room (or as I like to say, the room of death), and found that first of all, it was full, and second, the cats had no food or water. Some cats had litters to take care of, which is especially impossible when they are not being fed or watered. Kris found the food and fed them. Luckily, she kept her fingers as the cats were STARVING. Some of them didn't even have litter boxes.
When I was told of some of the things going on (it wasn't just about starving cats AND KITTENS, it's more about them being mistreated because "they're just going to be euthanized anyway" - WTF?????), I just was overwhelmed. I cried and cried and cried. It's so much easier to deal with life when I don't know of some of the evils, to pretend that they don't exist. But I DO know what is going on. It's NOT ok. I HAVE to do something.....I digress....

I will cut out a lot of extra detail, but I ended up with a mom kitty with a litter of five. This mom cat, Velvet, was starving. She ate and ate when she got to the vet and she is eating and drinking the kitten formula now. Velvet has even taken in the orphan kittens I just wrote about, Ruffian and Renegade. She has cleaned the one and has nursed them. What a cat. And she would have been killed ("euthanized") had Kris not been at Animal Control. Or she would have starved to death. Now she is sitting in a nice temperature controled house with food, water, litter box, and love. She just purrrred and purrrrred and I honestly believe she isn't scared anymore. Not that it matters, but she and her babies are absolutely beautiful.....gorgeous....I just don't understand.

Animal Control has these animals in their care and isn't caring for them. This is a city contracted position that was given in good faith that proper humane treatment would be implemented. THEY are the ones who get control of the animals removed from abusive and negligent owners. I wouldn't trust them with my computer mouse, let alone a living, breathing animal who requires basic care. Something needs to change. They are failing us as citizens, as taxpayers, and as a society.
I am asking anyone and everyone who wants to help me, even if by just providing your name, that you support a change, please contact me. I don't expect you to rally, or wave protest signs, but just show support as we try and make some changes to protect our innocent animals of Siouxland. I will NOT use your name for any reason without your consent either. Please email me at runningforapaws@cableone.net, post a message on this, or message me on Facebook- Siouxland Paw Prints Rescue is a member and you can send messages without being friends. Of course, I would love the friends as well, so if you do that, be sure you message me and tell me you read this blog.
We need help, support, voices. If you are outraged by just this (and trust me there's so much more that is NOT in this blog and it is NOT humane treatment), please let me know. I would appreciate it!
Tomorrow I will post pictures of our new family members.