The advice to try to find a no-kill shelter to drop off your unwanted pet reminds me of a sad story...

We went to the local SPCA last month, on a Monday, to check out their used books and make a donation. Bad idea: there was a looonnng line of people needing help finding their missing pets. In line ahead of us was a man holding an adorable kitten, black and white, maybe a couple of months old. It was purring audibly and playing with his finger. We're not cat people, but we found it so cute!

So after 10-15 minutes in line the man gets up to the counter and reports that he rescued this kitten from "some kids shooting at it with a BB gun."

Shelter worker: "We're completely full now. Is there any way you can take it to the county shelter?" [that's 35 minutes across town and one of the highest kill shelters in California--almost 90%]

Man: "Well, I'm already an hour late for work."

Shelter worker: "Can you keep him for another day then?"

Man: "I have dogs, I can't keep this kitten. And I wanted it to be here to be adopted."

Shelter worker: "We're just too full, I'm sorry."

A lady in line asked the shelter worker if she could just "find a little box or crate" and put the kitten on the counter--maybe someone would take it home? Worker said "We can't do that."

Man walks out. Who knows what happened to that cute kitten?

I found it highly ironic that if the man had just tied it outside the shelter or dumped it inside, they probably would've found space for the kitten. But no, the man waited in line, making himself more late for work in order to do the right thing, and yet no one helped him or the animal.

I know shelters have rules and such, but still...lots of people in line with us that day were shaking our heads and feeling pretty bad.