"Calico Cat is Lucky He's One of the Boys"

[wolf_Q]

I read this story in the newspaper today. I hope the handsome cat finds a home, and is able to raise a lot of money for the shelter. Maybe I should go over there and meet him for myself. :) Oh, and it appears this rich cat was also a stray from my home town. :D Calico Cat is Lucky He's one of the Boys (http://www.harktheherald.com/article.php?sid=65528&mode=thread&order=0)

[Lillycat]

wasnt he just lucky in more ways than one! he is a beautiful boy and i hope he finds a wonderful home!!!

[smokey the elder]

A male calico! Wow. I think there was a male calico as COTD a while back. I had a coworker at one job that had a male calico as a kid.

Good thing the vet saw his "pom-poms"!:D

[aly]

They're AUCTIONING him???? Ugh, I would hope there would be better fundraisers they could do than selling the poor kitty to the highest bidder. How will they know what kind of home he's going to???

[ramanth]

That's what I was wondering Aly. :confused:

[wolf_Q]

Yeah, the auctioning really isn't good, I know. I would hope somebody looking on Petfinder, and willing to pay that much money for him would be a good person, but I guess it's hard to tell. It wouldn't be any different (as far as knowing if it's a good home) if they just walked in and adopted him though. The only no-kill shelter we have in Utah is Best Friends....which is a long way from the Orem Shelter...all the ones near Salt Lake are kill shelters, that would adopt a pet to just about anyone. Well, the Humane Society in Murray might not, they have some good programs, but I'm pretty sure the others would.

[Uabassoon]

While it is strange that he is being auctioned I agree with WolfQ. Usually at a shelter (with the exeption of no kill shelters) they really don't know where the animal is going to. The shelters are so overcrowed that they are happy the animal has found a home before its time is up. In Tucson there are several shelters and only two that I know of do home visits and they are both cat shelters. But at least this cat will be bringing in a lot of money to the shelter which can help them care for more animals that need homes. Hopefully if the people that win the auction are willing to spend that much on a kitty they will also be willing to spend their money on fancy cat trees, good food, lots of fun toys and they will have a nice house to play in.

[CathyBogart]

The idea of auctioning cats off like jewelry or paintings is disgusting to me. He is a beautiful cat, and hopefully he will go to someone who will love him as he deserves to be loved, not some rich schmuck who can say "I have a male calico cat, look at meeeee!".

[aly]

The kill shelters here screen their applicants almost as well as the no kill shelters! They take into consideration quality of life for the animal and would not send an animal out the door with just anyone. They even call and check vet history, etc. Shelters that let animals just walk out the door with anyone disgust me :(

[wolf_Q]

Well I haven't personally asked about the adoption procedures of these shelters. The only shelter I've been to is the one in Murray, I don't even know where the ones in Utah County are. I know there are several organizations and rescue groups that take animals from these shelters and hold adoption events to find them homes. I've been to a couple of them at Petsmart. I know that they screen the applicants, I've seen them talking to them. There really are some excellent programs for the pets here, their goal is "No More Homeless Pets in Utah." I don't know what they do exactly at this particular shelter as far as screening the applicants though. Here's the website for the Orem shelter. http://www.petfinder.org/shelters/UT12.html

If you look at the big picture, the money for one cat could help a lot of other pets.

[CathyBogart]

However, would the money be worthwhile if he ended up in a home where all the people cared about was the 'rareness' factor? No amount of money could compensate if the kitty ended up in a neglectful home.

[Edwina's Secretary]

I would like to speak in defense of shelters. We adopted Edwina from the Humane Society in Chicago. It was a three hour process during which we had to answer questions on just about everything except our sex life. We had to agree to home visits. We were interviewed. It was VERY thorough.

I have since met and become friends with a woman who is on the board of directors of the shelter. You would be hard pressed to find a more animal loving compassionate person.

There was also a very interesting article in the Chicago Tribune magazine about the woman who actually manages the shelter and her challenges.

It is a VERY tough job -- there are always too many animals and not enough money.

An assumption that this shelter would let the cat go to an inappropriate home is just that....an assumption.

[aly]

They are auctioning the cat.... doesn't seem like they'll make the highest bidder fill out an application.

My assumptions are based on personal experience because I have been working at and volunteering for shelters for several years. I can't say I've done really anything else at all during the past years besides eat, sleep, and breathe shelter work. Err, well school was in there somewhere too.

All shelters are different. There is one 3 hours from me where all you have to do is hand over the check and the animal is yours.

I hardly think an auction sounds like a good adoption process. I think my assumptions are accurate but if they are not, I will be one HAPPY person.

[aly]

Originally posted by WolfChan
However, would the money be worthwhile if he ended up in a home where all the people cared about was the 'rareness' factor? No amount of money could compensate if the kitty ended up in a neglectful home.

I agree.

I do understand what you're saying too Amy ... just ugh.. the whole idea of AUCTIONING makes me fuming mad.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Too bad they don't feel that way about all there animals.... they should try just as hard to adopt the other ones ... as it is obvious they are trying harder with this one... Well I hope it finds a good home .. and I hope they use the money to benefit the other poor homeless animals in their shelter.