Long time readers will know I’ve got a soft-spot for animals. Two cats and two dogs are part of our family here. All four were “rescued” (more on my $600 cat and dumbest dog on the planet).
Yesterday, James Wexler, a local Phoenix real estate agent alerted me to a disturbing story. He was showing a foreclosed property and came across an abandoned cat in the home —with an empty food and water bowl. Blame whoever you want for the foreclosure/credit/stock market mess but it’s certainly not the cat’s fault. James posted about it here, and that post includes links and info to Arizona Animal Welfare — a “no kill” animal shelter.
And in a moment of pure coincidence. . .
. . . I just received an email from Paul at LostOurHome.org. He apparently heard about my love of all things Poker and sent along a link to a fund-raiser his organization is having.
The Lost Our Home Pet Foundation is, “A nonprofit group of real estate professionals who rescue pets left behind due to foreclosures or other financial hardship”. (Let me know how I can help!!)
The fundraiser is October 24 at the DC Ranch Community Center in Scottsdale. What is a “Pasta, Poker and Pets Party”? From the site:
Join us for an evening which will include a delicious pasta buffet, beer, wine and our signature drink “Mutt”ini’s, silent auctions, poker gala with prizes, and presentation hosted by KPHO Channel 5’s News Anchor, Kent Dana.
Sounds like great fun, and for an even greater cause. Click the link or the graphic for more info — including how to donate items for a silent auction. I’ve got commitments that night (that I’m going to try to rearrange) but may work with Paul to set up something similar.
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Thank you for helping to spread the word. I would certainly be interested in setting something up similar in the future!
Again many thanks!
Animal Rescues are busting at the seams with all the foreclosures. I am volunteering at an adoption event on Oct 25 and 26. Additionally, the Basset Hound Rescue has a couple of fund raisers coming up-Nov 2 Howl-o-ween- come and see some great Bassets in costume and Santa Paws in Dec. Please visit http://www.azbassetrescue.com/ for more information. These rescues rely on donations to pay for vet bills, transportation, food and more. Please spay or neuter your pet. And thanks Jay for the post- awareness is key!!
It makes me sick to hear of animals left without food or water. At least turn them into a shelter or hell at worst leave the door open. Give the pet a chance to survive, better than locking them up with no food or water.
This is really sad and disturbing. A fun Reiser is a great idea of her I’m sure that this is an issue all across the nation.
Johns last blog post..Baltimore Real Estate
Very sad and I get really upset with the owners who simply walk away & abandon these pets. Not really THAT different than abandoning a baby if you ask me..
I posted an article a long while ago on my blog about this but this post here is making me think. I’d be interested in possibly starting a chapter like this in my market area. If anyone could tell me how or what to do it’d be appreciated.
Thanks
Jim
Jim Gatoss last blog post..Point negotiating tactic: "Home Inspection will be performed for ‘informational purposes only"..
I can’t understand why people LOCK their pets in homes to starve. At least let them loose & have a chance to survive. Better yet, take to a shelter.
That sounds great Jim! Jodi or I will contact you this week to talk about a branch possibly opening up in Massachusetts.
Paul´s last blog post..Vote for Us to Help Us Win Much Needed Funds
It really is a sad commentary on just how low people can sink, to abandon a pet. Having said that, some people have found that their local animal shelters charge a fee for dropping off their pets and the “villain that abandons the animal” may not have the money to pay that fee. I think that we would see less abandonment of pets if the shelters did not charge drop-off fees.
Or at least the people could call the shelter anonymously to report their pet as abandoned so that the shelter could come and retrieve the pet before it is in harm’s way.
Giving the owners a little bit of “benefit of the doubt” here:
As for cats, if the house was abandoned with furniture still inside it is a possibility that the owners could not find that cat. My cat hides all the time when he thinks we want to take him somewhere in the car. Or maybe the owner thought that he/she had put the cat outside before they left the house. Many people DO just put their cats outside to “fend for themselves” when they go away on vacation. (I’m not saying that’s a good idea - in fact I think that’s a terrible thing to do, I’m just saying I know that lots of people do that.)
Regardless, it truly is a sad state of affairs all around.
Randy´s last blog post..Fall cleanups
Because these shelters run off of donations only getting funding is a problem and sometimes fees are applied, unfortunately. Not all organizations charge especially if the pet was not your own.
Paul´s last blog post..Vote for Us to Help Us Win Much Needed Funds
It makes me sick to hear of animals left without food or water. At least turn them into a shelter or hell at worst leave the door open. Give the pet a chance to survive, better than locking them up with no food or water.
And for those that tend to think of pets as just run-of-the-mill animals, this is a link that may help shed some light
http://www.theginblog.com/2007.....and-death/
Edge´s last blog post..Property Taxes Going Up, MythBusters, Central Banks, and How Our Inflation Compares To Japan
I sometimes rescue reptiles (snakes, lizards and the like) and lately I get a lot of calls from people (banks mostly) who are finding them abandoned in the homes. Not to mention cats and dogs. Very sad
PetSnakes´s last blog post..Places to learn more about your snakes
It is a sad case when home owners loose their home to foreclosure, but people that leave animals locked up in an abandoned home should have criminal charges filed against them.
I hate cruelty of all kinds, but this kind of thing is deplorable. I feel sorry for anyone who has fallen on hard times, but don’t make the animals suffer, it’s not their fault.
It’s sad that we have so many cruel people that would harm animals by leaving them for dead in a abandoned home. I’m happy that your community has come up with something to save animals in need.
Tonight is the night I am going to take down this poker tournament! I will let you know where I place.
Paul´s last blog post..Pasta Poker and Pets Party
Sounds like a great cause, I hope everything goes well for the fund raiser!
I don’t understand how people can be so cruel! Animals have souls and are special beings just like us. If we can’t fed them in the first place why make them suffer by buying one.
These people should seriously be fined and made to suffer for doing this to any animal.
It makes me sick to hear of animals left without food or water. At least turn them into a shelter or hell at worst leave the door open. Give the pet a chance to survive, better than locking them up with no food or water.
It saddens me that animals are paying for humans neglect again. I have a free Foreclosure Rights blog that many of your readers might find useful and find a way to keep their pets.
Nice and creative, was a very enjoyable read