Throwaway Pets

  Once again, the Bayou seems to have been the dumping grounds for someone who decided that they do not want their pet any longer.  It aggravates me...more than I wish to say.  Who in their right mind would just throw away a family member?  And who in their right mind would think that the pet can survive without help?  After being cared for their entire life, critters become dependent on that care and suffer tremendously when tossed out like garbage.  Yep, it riles me....A LOT!  Another gorgeous cat has come to the Little Bayou House seeking help.  As much as I do not need another cat, I will feed the poor animal.  I will take up where someone else is hatefully slacking.
  
  Not long ago, I noticed a cat that held to the bushes back behind the canebrake.  At first, I thought, perhaps hoped, that the cat was just wandering and had a loving home somewhere.  Obviously, that was not the case.  The cat never left.  It was too scared to trust me and would slink off into the underbrush whenever I approached.  Whenever I fed our two cats, an extra bowl would be set for the outsider.  Now, fast forward to this week.  Progress has been made.  While I still cannot pet the lonely animal, he, at least, lets me get within a few feet of him.  I am in hopes that soon I can befriend yet another feline and help it to a better life.  

  The good news is that Ms. Put (the Bayou Queen) and Ms. Nycto (the Bayou Princess) do not seem to mind this newcomer.  While they squabble among themselves, they tolerate him.  (Well, while Ms. Nycto squabbles.  Ms. Put has gotten to the age where she is deaf, has poor eyesight and sleeps most of the time.  She ignores the young princess and I do not think she is even aware that the interloper is on the hillside.)                            

  So, once again, some stupid, hateful person has thrown away a perfectly charming pet and, once again, I will come to the aid of a poor, abused animal.  This never ends.  I guess the Bayou is just the dumping ground for throwaway pets.  It seems as if I had better start thinking of a good name for this handsome fellow.

*Mark took this great picture of the newest wannabe resident of the Bayou.  Hopefully, the cat will let us help him.

Too Eager To Discard

  I think sometimes folks are too eager to discard things.  It was instilled in me long ago by family members that had gone through hard times that not making full use of items is wasteful.  Back in better days, folks knew how to use everything to its fullest potential.  Waste was considered a bad thing.  It still is in my eyes.  We are living in a "throwaway" society nowadays.

  This discarding idea is fine (I guess) when it comes to material items but when living beings become disposable, it worries me. When I was taught that it was wasteful to discard usable items, I was also taught that you never mistreated a living being.  Now, it seems to be the norm to discard pets whenever the mood strikes.  Toss them out like trash...is the mentality of a lot of people who refuse to understand that critters have feelings, too.  All of our furry family members have been what others have deemed as refuse.  We have rescued more than our fair share of the critters and have cared for them in the best way we possibly could.  At times, this was difficult financially and physically but we managed. Darling Daughter and her husband seem to have taken up the idea of caring for the unwanted.  Elizabeth and Robbie have rescued at least eight "throwaway" pets in the past few years.  Some, they have rehomed with loving families while four they have kept themselves.  

  A recent visit to their house brought joy to my heart.  The pup, Sunny, that they had rescued a few years back, is doing well.  This is the puppy that I fostered for them for a while.  She is absolutely a charmer!  Now, they have added Nox to their little family.  Robbie and Elizabeth found Nox at their gate starving and weary.  Without a second thought, they brought her inside, fed and bathed her.  For weeks they tried to find Nox's missing family but no one was there.  It was then that the realization came to them...THEY were her family.  Nox has settled in well and is enjoying the good life now.  How wasteful the previous family was to have tossed either of these fine animals to the wayside!  How beautiful it is that Robbie and Elizabeth have such kind hearts.  People are just too eager to toss things (and pets) to the wayside.

Sasha finds a home!

Darling Daughter, Elizabeth and her husband, Robbie, have this habit of collecting animals.  It seems almost as if they are magnets for every stray within a hundred miles or so.  This is how they have acquired each of their furry friends.  They rescue the critters from abuse and abandonment.  This is all fine and dandy except when they pick up more than they can house!  If you recall, Sunny, the pup was a rescue dog.  I fostered this puppy until they were able to provide it a forever home with a nice backyard.  I did not mind..too much!  But, now Sunny has grown into a beautiful dog and she is good company for them.  They also have two rescued cats, Dexter and Pouncer.  Everything was rosy....until...another puppy tugged at the heartstrings.  This time, the puppy was abandoned and Robbie found it under his car one cold, wintry day.  Poor baby!  Naturally, he brought it home.  The puppy charmed its way into their lives but they knew that their house was already pet-full.  The little pup needed a true, forever home.  Still, they cared for the tiny animal, took it to the vet for a checkup and shots, got rid of fleas and made it feel welcome.  They knew that they could not keep another animal but also knew that they could not do what the previous family had done.  Robbie and Elizabeth care about animals far too much to throw one out like some rubbish.

That said, they worked hard to find a home for the newly named "Sasha".  This was going to be a daunting job.  For days, Robbie and Elizabeth's attempts were met with "Cute puppy but no...", "How adorable but no..." and so on.  Then last night, she said that I should ask my friends if someone could provide a good home for Sasha.  I turned to the computer and social networking.  By this morning, several people expressed interest but two very nice folks were truly interested.  Greg and Beth kept corresponding with us about the pup and by this evening, they had decided that Sasha was to be part of their family!  I was elated since Greg had grown up with my son and I knew he and his wife would take good care of Sasha.  The little puppy that was once considered to be trash that could be tossed to the wayside, would now have a happy home. Her new place has lots of room to run and play and the best part..there is a little girl for Sasha to love!  I am sure that Sasha and Madison will soon be the best of friends!

Don't you just love happy endings?  And...how much happier could it get than when something like this takes place.  Thank you, Greg and Beth!  Not only have you provided a home for a puppy but you will have a lifelong friend...a little pup named Sasha!