Another Case of People Letting Animals Down

Granite City Animal Control, like any other animal welfare organization, hates getting these calls. When they show up at the location of the neglect complaint, they never know what they will find, but they can be pretty sure it will create sickening memories not easily forgotten. It's the faces of the neglected animals that haunts them the most. Their pain filled eyes confirm the hell they have been living in.

Two women lived in the house with an estimated 16 indoor cats of different ages and 2 dogs. The first clue as to how bad this case was going to be was when the hazmat suited officers stepped on the carpet and urine pooled around their boots. In addition, feces were spread everywhere. The place reeked and it was hard for them not to immediately run back out the door to get some fresh air. But the officers had animals to save. After the last of the cats were rounded up, they were transported to the shelter. Arrangements were made for the dogs to go elsewhere so they could be cleaned up, checked by a veterinarian and begin to learn what it felt like to be properly cared for.

When they got to the shelter it was discovered one of the cats was very pregnant, so she was separated from the rest of the rescues. On September 26th, Gabby, Gia, Gracie, Gretchen and George were born. There was a 6th kitten, but the littlest one was still born. When the brand-new babies were discovered, the mother was as far away from them as she could get in the carrier where she had given birth. Moving her and her family to a larger enclosure they thought would help, but she still wanted nothing to do with the babies. With all the other cats to take care of, Granite City Animal Control didn't have the people or time to provide the round-the-clock care 5 neonates would require. That is when they asked for the help of SNUGGLE Pet Rescue and we were glad to take the litter.

The "carbon copy" babies arrived at the home of our Foster Care Volunteer yesterday. They have now all been evaluated and are receiving the necessary support to get past the ordeal they have already been through in their short lives. But at least their mother was rescued in time, so they were not born in the deplorable conditions she had been exposed to for who knows how long. One day in that house would have been too long. So, it's no wonder the frightened mother was not wanting to take care of her babies. Under normal circumstances she probably would have been a wonderful mom to Gabby, Gia, Gracie, Gretchen and George. If only her life had been different.