Tail Talk

Richards-Justice mug shots

This week it was published in the newspaper that in Randolph County you will not be arrested for concealed carry. It’s a great day for everyone that feels their second amendment rights are protected, but I’ve decided that it’s not in my best interest to carry because I don’t know if I can be trusted to do the right thing, and that means not taking the law into my own hands when I see someone doing something against the law because I don’t trust the “law” to make it right. I’m speaking about animal abuse. I’m speaking about the things I see online but not right now in Randolph County, but could see at some point because people are people, like tying a dog to the bumper of your vehicle and dragging it until it’s almost dead. I’m afraid the sight of something like that would put me over the edge and I might do something like shoot someone’s kneecaps out if given half a chance to do so. Or, as in Houston, TX a seven-count federal grand jury indictment accused a couple of making eight videos of puppies, chickens and kittens being tortured and killed and selling them online. In one case, Brent Wayne Justice used a meat cleaver to slash a puppy’s neck, cut off its tail and slice its leg, according to court records. The pit bull pup died. Nicole Ashley Richards allegedly killed a cat by slitting its throat and stomping its eye with her high heel shoe heel. Authorities said the couple killed the animals in their southwest Houston home. Last week, Federal Judge Sims Lake dismissed five of seven federal counts against them and cited the free speech clause of the 1st Amendment as justification for his decision. That’s right. They were allowed to make these videos of torturing these animals in this horrific manner as their free speech to the world. So I really am not sure in this case who I would shoot first given the opportunity; the sick individuals that hide behind the first amendment in order to torture and maim innocent animals in the most horrific way possible or the federal judge that has a life long job on the bench that is allowing this travesty of justice to continue. I am smart enough to know that I cannot be trusted with a concealed carry weapon because I believe in a world where torture is NOT allowed, and if I saw an animal being tortured in such a manner I can guarantee you that I would shoot at the kneecaps of the individuals that were performing that torture, whether they were invoking their first amendment rights or not. Don’t animals have rights also to live a life without being tortured? Aren’t there animal torture laws in Texas that supersede free speech? What are they going to do when these sick people come for your new born and do the same thing, all in the name of making a video for profit and using free speech as an excuse? What do we do then? So what do you think, Tea Party? I hear you all the time about how people are making a travesty of what our forefathers set aside for our freedoms, and then I read this and I wonder just exactly where do the freedoms end? To say I’m angry about this is an understatement. You might look at this and say but this happened in Texas, so why get your panties in a bind when we live all the way up in Illinois? Well, when things like this happen here and the courts say it is against the law they will overturn it using this travesty of Texas law as an example. We need to get rid of the scum of the earth like the judge that handed down that decision. We need to remove people like him from the bench. He’s not of the people. Maybe he needs his kneecaps shot out (or parts north) so he has some time to think about what it feels like to be tortured. I wonder if I plead my first amendment rights, my free speech, if I videotape it and post it on facebook to show everyone how I like to torture those I don’t agree with. What on earth has become of this country? What happened to common sense and respect? Apparently to be a federal judge in Houston it is a prerequisite that you have none. We need to stand together and say we want better for our animals and our children. I can’t be the only one that is outraged about this. I can’t be the only one that is worried I might cross a line if I see horrors like this happening in someone’s back yard. And since it is becoming the law of the land, it will be in a yard near you soon enough!

Never forget, it is only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

Long time readers might remember that on New Year’s Eve we lost our kitten/cat Bubby, of Bubby and Sissy fame, when he went out on the pond and the ice wasn’t thick enough to hold his 5 pound body and although he made it back to the edge, he froze to death, leaving a hole in our existence that just couldn’t be filled. He had such a personality that no matter where we went in the house or what we were doing there was a noticeable presence that was missing. But you may also remember that I said repeatedly that 5 cats were just too many, and that brought us down to the perfect number of cats to have if you have 2 large dogs, and that number is four. Those of you that have been reading for years also know one more thing about me; if things are perfect then I must change it because I can’t function in anything except extreme chaos, so I made it so. I was looking at the cats on facebook that were available for adoption. I looked every single day. I made inquiries. Then finally I saw one named Whitey in Eldon, Missouri. My first thought was wow, Missouri, I can get there. I didn’t realize Eldon was the next town to the Lake of the Ozarks, I only looked at the 573 area code and thought that’s right across the river from us. Right across the river and four hours one way. Lessons learned. But we got to Eldon, Missouri to the Animal Control Center that was open on Saturday, and Whitey was everything they said in the ad. He was sweet, and quiet, and cute. But there was another orange Tabby named Bubba that was acting like the robot in the original “Lost In Space” that would flail his arms while saying “Danger Will Robinson, Danger.” This cat had his paws out of the cage with them going five hundred miles a minute and he wouldn’t shut up. I didn’t know a cat could talk that loud or that much. I spoke of this when we adopted Action Jackson. There are animals in shelters that are resigned to their fate and there are others that will do anything to be noticed. They do not want to die. They scream out at you “help me, help me please! Get me out of here right now, I beg of you, please!” And that’s what Bubba was doing. So what could I do but take him too? So I did. And Bubba is the most loving cat I have ever been around, bar none. He climbs up in my arms and loves me up to let me know he appreciates being saved. Whitey is still scared of the dogs and doesn’t come out much, but Bubba, the unplanned cat, is with us every moment of every day. Whether I want him there or not. When I fill the dog’s water bowl he jumps up on the counter and watches the water pour into the bowl from the faucet like it’s the most interesting thing he’s ever seen. And no matter how many times I put him down on the floor he jumps right back up because he wants to be right there with me, sharing with me whatever I’m doing. I’ll admit it’s a real pain sometimes, but other times when I take a moment to forget about myself and look into his face and try to see the world through his eyes, I get to see the most interesting things in the most interesting ways. He’s not a year old yet, as is Whitey, and once again we get to see the world through kitten/cats. Because they’re males I know they’ve very curious and they take chances and there’s a better than not chance we might lose them too. We’ve only had one male live longer than one year because their curiosity or maleness got the best of them and cost them their lives. That’s where that old phrase comes from; curiosity killed the cat. Since moving to Randolph County I have learned first hand about all the phrases. I literally live in the Garden of Eden. I have witnessed something stuck in a craw. Birds of a feather do stick together. And a great amount of sadness follows when curiosity kills the cat. And when someone like me tells you that five cats are too many, then you just do what someone like me does. You have six cats. Because life’s too short to live without love, and there just isn’t enough love in the world. Pearl is no longer the cat non grata, so things are changing around the house. Apparently the secret is to have pairs. Keep it in even numbers. Adopt more animals is my prescription for joy beyond my ability to describe. And if cat turds ever become valuable I’ll be rich beyond my wildest imaginings! Just never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

Last week I spoke of all that was wrong with life but this week I’m going to tell you about all that is right because there are pockets of very special people out there that do their best to help us. First and foremost, the newspapers that print Tail Talk and allow me to be the voice for the Humane Society and the special events they run for us. Thank you. A couple of years ago when I put the word out that we only had less than one month’s worth of revenue left, people came out of the woodwork to help us. Thank you. Some of you continue to help us through today, and believe me, without you we wouldn’t have survived the past two years. Thank you beyond these words to express for your generosity. But now I want to tell you about a very special event that was held a couple of weeks ago by an unexpected business, and I’ll tell you why in a minute. The event was ultimately named “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” because what started out as a welcome to the neighborhood for Stork’s Mower Shop new owners, and they decided they wanted to raise money for the shelter because of a Pekinese that had his throat slit from side to side from a cable that was pulled off by Animal Control before realizing it was embedded in his neck, and the ensuing court costs that the Humane Society was going to incur to obtain possession of said dog, which then turned into a neighborhood business event. What I found most telling about the beginning of this day of giving is it was held in the parking lot of Sparta Animal Clinic, from the owners and employees of this business is they went off the clock on a Saturday to volunteer to help at the event. That means the owners gave over their facilities on busiest day of the week and the employees used their free time, all for the good of the animals of the shelter. And there it began. Soon, businesses were asked to join in, and surprise of surprise, they started donating items to the cause. It wasn’t long until it was going to be a huge event, beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings because of the kindness and generosity of people that wanted to help the animals that had no one. The giving list grew to include Sparta Animal Clinic, Stork’s Mower Shop, 1st National Bank-Sparta, 1st National Bank-Steeleville, John Clendenin, Attorney At Law, Howlin’ At The Moon, Rebel Music, Elanco, Mainstreet Video, Animal Health International, H&R Block-Sparta, Merial, Southside Ribs, Zoetis, Sindy Smith (Author), Butler Schein, Debbie’s Sewing & Alterations, Wilson & Son Htg & Ac Inc, Bayer, Amy Cochran (Artist), Merck, Coulterville Dairy Queen, Mcdonald’s Sparta, Sandy Laurent, Dorothy Thompson, Doreen’s Restaurant, Aunt Nette’s Popcorn, Julie Gile, and last but not least, Alayna Herrmany (Avon Rep). The prizes included a giving list that ran the gamut from everything you could possibly need or want and all you had to do for a chance at the gift you wanted was buy a ticket to win. And from reading the list of donators, it was every bit as good as you imagine from a NEW lawn mower from Storks to the latest and greatest meds for keeping pests off your animals and everything in between. You can see by the name of the business what they do so you know what they gave of themselves for the animals that have no one. There was only one thing that could make that day less than perfect, and it happened. It rained. It not only rained, it poured cats and dogs. But people still came out. Not in the numbers they may have had it been a nice, sunny day, but people came out in the rain. And Neighbors Helping Neighbors raised $1,600 for the shelter. That’s about one-third of one month of our survival. Had it been sunny I know they would have raised a full month of survival for our animals, but there is no predicting the weather months in advance. Jeez, the weathermen can’t even predict it a day in advance so it was a wing and a prayer, and this time our prayers weren’t answered in the manner in which we were hoping. But when it comes to showing what it means to being community and being there for those in need, they showed everyone what they are about. They didn’t just talk about it, they did something about it. They didn’t turn their heads when they heard about the peke that had his throat slit from ear to ear because it’s unpleasant and the impending court case (and costs) to take ownership from the people that did this to this poor animal, they decided to do something about it. Because when I speak of $4,500 per month operating costs for the shelter you have to remember we only have one paid employee and she is part time, works Monday through Friday, and earns around minimum wage. She is there to clean cages for the morning round (it has to be done twice daily, along with the feedings) and makes sure that all the volunteers (and I use the term “all” loosely) do the work correctly. Because of her work ethic we can schedule volunteers for the evening cleaning and feeding because there simply aren’t enough to go around. If it weren’t for the board members of the Humane Society going into the shelter and doing the crap work that no one else wants to do, it simply wouldn’t be done. Apparently there just isn’t anyone out there that wants to shovel, well, you know what they’re shoveling, because when animals are left in cages all day and there aren’t even enough volunteers to walk them half the time for the length of time it takes for some of them to do their business their business is done inside. So, bottom line, it would be nice to have enough donations not to have to struggle every month just to keep the doors open. And when we have to hire an attorney to go to court for us to take possession of an animal that we don’t want to go back into the situation it came from because that would be too, too much to bear, that’s over and above our normal costs. So it would be even better if everyone would take a page from the Stork’s Mower and Sparta Animal Clinic who looked around and said what can I do to raise money for the shelter that helps the animals that have no one. They took a welcome to the neighborhood, and look at what they turned it into. There are a lot of really kind people out there, but it takes someone to make it happen. Someone has to make the effort. How about if next time that person is you? You don’t have to be a business to do what they did, but it would be nice if more businesses did just that. Neighbors helping neighbors. We’re all in this together. We’re Randolph County. We’re one family. Let’s stop being me and start being we. And never forget, it’s ONLY through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.

I’m always surprised by people.  I’m surprised by their goodness, actually shocked by their goodness, disappointed when they’re reacting the way the world seems to react more and more anymore.  When I was growing up my dad had a mantra that I heard every day of my life, and I guess it stuck with me.  He said to “WALK IN THE WAY OF HONOR, LIVE A LIFE OF LOVE, SERVE IN THE LIGHT OF TRUTH.”  Those words meant something to me and they gave me an ideal to live by, not because of they were words he said but because of the example he set.  I had a moral compass to guide me in my life.  I was an only child and I lived a lonely existence many, many times because my parents were volunteers in the community, and in the evenings after work they attended meetings while I sat at home with a babysitter.  They were written up in the newspapers, not about what great people they were at that time but about how they were there trying to take more and more because of small minded people that didn’t know any better.  In the early 1970’s at a time when women were first beginning to leave home and go to work my mother was elected the President of the Chamber of Commerce, a task most men weren’t up to.  She served on the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council, trying to show the people of Missouri that Illinois wasn’t the vast wasteland as they once thought.  My father did the same, showing people how to see further than what was right in front of them at the time, to see the present so they could create a better future.  But all I see now is what’s in it for me.  Then I saw that there was a boy scout in Chester that wanted to create a new shelter in the city of Chester, and I thought, wow, someone with vision except he doesn’t understand the present.  And no one stepped in to explain it to him.  No one did their due diligence to research how large a community it takes to support two shelters.  No one understands the number of man hours it takes to clean the poo and pee that goes along with all those animals, and the number of volunteers you need that are willing to mop to clean it all.  It’s a dirty business, and someone has to do it, twice a day minimum.  Then there’s the reality of the lights.  Every time there’s a body in that shelter there has to be lights.  And heat.  And air conditioning.  And fences, and doors that open and close to let those animals in and out.  Oh yes, and more volunteers to walk those animals because you can’t just lock them up in cages all day and all night, and you have to feed them too, ad infinitum.  Where do those people, money and all that food come from?  You can’t just wish them and have them appear, and believe me in a county the size of Randolph County it’s difficult to find them.  I know.  I’ve been begging you all to volunteer to do these very things, week after week, month after month, since February 2008 and I’m still wishing in one hand and, well you know the rest of that saying.  So Heidi Snyder went in front of the Chester City Council to say these very things because we already have one active shelter in Randolph County, the Randolph County Humane Society.  And the City Council wisely knew they didn’t have the funds to support another shelter so they decided to approve money to upgrade their kennels in Animal Control, the place where lost or aggressive animals are taken and housed until their owners are found or they’re pulled by a rescue or, well, you know.  But what surprised me was when all was said and done, none of the money that was raised for the new Chester shelter was donated to the Randolph County Humane Society, the place that has been saving animals, your animals, one by one, without any government help, for years now.  We get the least amount of donations from Chester.  That makes me sad because Chester is one place where Tail Talk is published.  Second only to Chester is Red Bud, the other place Tail Talk is published.  We are grateful beyond these words to express for the help we get from the people that do help us from these communities because it is so uncommon.  Thank you.  But for the rest of you, the newspapers help us by putting our name out there but you act like we have all the money in the world and all the help we need.  Do you know we are the ONLY no-kill humane society that accepts owner surrenders in Southern Illinois?  If you take your owner surrender to a high-kill shelter your animal is euthanized within minutes of being brought in because they aren’t obligated by law to try to find you.  You already signed away your rights to your pet, so if you think Fido is getting a chance at being adopted in a high-kill shelter think again.  THERE ARE TOO MANY ANIMALS TO LET THIS HAPPEN.  This is the cold truth of the matter.  We’re the only ones that will be there for you, and yet, you let us linger on the edge of closing, month after month, year after year, but you’re ready to jump on the bandwagon of a NEW shelter?  What’s up with that?  There are good people that are willing to make a difference to this old, worn out shelter that continues to save lives, one by one, and next week I’ll tell you their story.  I hope you’ll pay attention, and maybe learn something from them.  Because it’s about people like my mom and dad.  It’s about people that believe in giving back to their community.  To be continued…

Donald the Cat as he sleeps

We’ve been having cold, springtime nights that we want to enjoy while the getting is good so we sleep with our bedroom window open.  It’s not too bad when the temperatures dip into the 50’s but when they drop like a rock down into the 30’s, like they did last night, it’s too cold for both man and beast.  Donald, our oldest cat at age 6 and the one that takes care of removing the most vermin on the farm likes to sleep in-between my husband and I, but that’s not quite correct.  He likes to sleep up close to either my husband or myself, his paws wrapped around our arm, nose to nose, face to face, but under covers so he feels the warmth of our bodies through his fine fur.  He likes to give us kisses in return for the kindness of the heat we share with him, but when I’m asleep I’m not so pleasant and when I feel that scratchy cat tongue cross my nose in thanksgiving for the kindness of my love what Donald gets in return is a shot of hot breath in his face as I blow hard, trying to discourage his sweet kisses that wake me from my sound sleep, something my underage son once described to an arresting officer as he begged him not to call and wake me up to report his misdeed because waking me was akin to trying to take a banana away from King Kong, which got him in more trouble for the picture he painted for the arresting officer than his misdeed!   But I digress.  On this morning, we knew it was going to be chillier than usual so we put two blankets on the bed and Donald couldn’t figure out how to get through the maze of the second blanket and into the land of the warmth and comfort, so he was beside himself.  He goes into this trance like state where he’s somewhere between reality and not, he stares straight ahead and drools and dances with his front paws, back and forth, back and forth, until some magical moment when he’s worked through whatever number of movements he needs to transact and can walk in circles, wrap his paws around our arm and drift into the sweet, unencumbered sleep of the safe, warm and protected.  If he’s sleeping with Tim something can bring him out of that sleeping state, back to reality, and he’ll realize that he needs to get out into the house.  There might be a mouse making noise in the pantry that needs his immediate attention but whatever it is he is upright and attentive, and he has to clear Action Jackson who sleeps on the floor immediately next to my side of the bed.  So Donald has learned to use me as his springboard.  He knows exactly which part of my midsection offers the most bounce and he jumps from Tim’s arms, onto my belly, then makes a huge jump across Jack and angles out of the bedroom and makes it into the living room in one fell swoop.  It would be a magical experience that I most certainly would enjoy if I weren’t the spring board and if the words coming out of my mouth weren’t “God Bless It Donald!” because I always try to bless Donald rather than the alternative, which in the middle of the night is a strong possibility if I don’t watch myself.  After he disappears I settle back into a deep sleep, and after a while (I have no idea how long because I can’t see the time on the clock without my glasses and I have never had the desire or will to check) we begin all over again because whatever took him away from us has ended and he has now decided that it is time for him to come back to bed for some well-deserved sleepy time with mom and dad.  Now, it may sound like I’m complaining about Donald but I’m not because there are many more times that I wake up and see this sweet, tiny face, nose to nose with me, and stroke his soft fur with my index finger, feeling the warmth of his body next to me, and I feel so loved that I can’t begin to explain the joy that I receive from what he gives to me just through his existence.  I don’t know what I would do without my Donald.  He has so much personality that other cats pale in comparison, and I am so lucky that he is mine.  He comes when he’s called, just like a dog, and he loves to go for walks so any time we’re out and about on the farm you can rest assured that Donald will be right there to share in your experiences and show you all the minute details that you would miss otherwise.  If you don’t have at least one cat in your life you don’t know what you’re missing and I can’t express enough how you should go out today and add one, preferably two, to your pack.  It is a decision you’ll never regret.  No matter how many times you wake up in the middle of the night yelling “God Bless It” you’ll find yourself blessed a thousand fold for each.

And never forget, it’s only through you that the Randolph County Humane Society continues to save lives, one by one.