Good Eggs, Bad Eggs & Scrambled Eggs

2009-06-30T20:53:00.000-07:00

Hey, have you heard that the Suncoast Animal League will be hosting the 20th Annual Oktoberfest in Dunedin on October 9th,10th and 11th, at Highlander Park. There will be a 5K Run, a DOGtoberfest on the Saturday including a dog friendly IHOP pancake breakfast and doggie dashes, a Home Brew beer competition, live entertainment, beer, food, German entertainment, games, family day on Sunday, Bark Art and more.

Also, on October 3rd, at Lansbrook Country Club, we will be hosting our first Golf Tournament called "Pars for Paws". If you golf, sign up now!

What's Going On!

2009-06-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of days the Suncoast Animal League has rescued animals from some precarious situations. First, 6, eight - week old lab/ border collie puppies were found in boxes about 25 feet from the extremely busy Gunn Highway. These puppies could have easily climbed out of the boxes and made their way to the road. Fortunately, Ehrlich Animal Hospital was right there and brought the puppies to safety. Besides the obvious road danger, there was the heat factor. Those pups could have cooked in those cardboard boxes. However, the people did take the time to write the puppies names on the boxes and the word "help" several times. They also wrote that they had been evicted. You can see the pictures by going to suncoastanimalleague.org and clicking on Facebook. The puppies were covered with fleas and loaded with worms. The are doing well now. They have been vaccinated, de-fleaed, de-wormed and spayed and neutered. They are officially up for adoption.

Yesterday, a tiny 2-3 week old kitten was found in a recycling bin. This wasn't by accident because a can of cat food was opened and placed with the little kitty. The little medium haired, black kitten is currently in a foster home sucking down the kitten formula and doing quite well.

What's with these people? The act like they are saving these animals, yet, they put them in more danger.

Talk to me people!

The Tale of 2 Kitties

2009-06-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

Check out the Suncoast Animal League website at suncoastanimalleague.org and read this true but tragic story about two Sphynx kittens. Let's make something good come out of this.

Hoarding Knows No Age

2009-05-28T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here we go again!

Today, a 90 year old women was brought to the shelter, by her neighbor, to sign up for our spay and neuter program. She wreaked of cat urine. ......RED FLAG #1 !!!!!!! After she seemed somewhat confused, Denise asked her how many cats she was signing up. She replied, " 10 or 11 males and 7 or 8 females". Denise asked her where she kept theses cats and she said, "My condo". .......RED FLAG #2 !!!!!!! And further discussion led to a litter or two. So, with great concern, Rick asked if could follow them home and see the numbers for himself. The lady agreed.

It was a nice looking condo in Tarpon Springs, at least from the outside. The approach to the front door led to an all to familiar odor. The stench of a hoarder.

Once inside, the nightmare truly began. Cats were everywhere and so was their feces and urine. The place was a mess., not fit for man nor beast. A search of the premisis turned up around 26 cats, although counting was difficult with the kitties bouncing off the wall. The 90 year old refused to give up any cats and so know we move forward with the authorities. We have contacted Children's and Family's Service. We know we must remove the cats but what about their 90 year old owner? How do we deal with her? How do we keep her from being thrown out on the street because she doesn't own the condo, she rents? How do we give her some dignity when all is said and done?

This is a lot for a goose to ponder. Help!

2009-05-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

Oh My Goose! Did you see the pictures of the Sphynx kittens? If not go back to The Suncoast website, suncoastanimalleague.org. Well, as difficult as the pictures are to look at, you should have seen them up close and personal. I had tears running down my beak. The poor little girls were just lying there on the tips of my feathers, looking up at me with thier eyes bulging from their little heads. They didn't ask for this kind of treatment and they surely didn't deserve it. It's up to us to do something about this!

Let me answer those questions at the end of the story....

· Would a visit to the vet have saved one kitten’s life and the other kitty’s eye sight?.... I'm no veterinarian and I know we can never say for sure but my guess is a simple visit to her vet would have saved Minnie's life and Lady G's eye sight. Proper nutrition and the right antibiotic prescribed a veterinarian is not too much to ask for. Venison...these are Sphynx kittens not Moutain lions.

· Why would a breeder, who supposedly does this because of their love of the breed, withhold medical care?..... Medical care costs $$$$ and that's her true love.

· Is it about the cats or is it about the dollar? ..... I may be a feather brain but she should stick with the venizon she talks about because it's all about "the bucks".

· Are they a breeder or are they a hoarder?..... To be a hoarder one must have a bit of a mental disease......HOARDER!

· Is this a feline version of a “puppy mill”?......YES! I think we get caught up in the puppy mills and we forget where many pure bred cats come from. Cattery's are really not much different from puppy mills. They are harder to detect because they are quieter and often kept inside but they are probably more prevelent in our area than puppy mills. Plus, let's face it, dogs are held to a higher standard than cats by most people.

· Has a crime been committed?.....I say "Let's find out!"

Rating: BAD EGG, SCRAMBLED EGG!

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?

I Know That Pup!

2008-03-26T19:08:00.001-07:00

Hey, did you see Howard Troxler's March 25th article in the St. Petersburg Times?
That good looking pup named Louie is part of my flock. What I mean, is Louie was adopted from the Suncoast Animal League. His Mom, Juno, was rescued from another shelter that couldn't keep her because she was very sick and very pregnant. In fact, less than 24 hours after her rescue, Juno gave birth to Louie and his 3 siblings. Louie and the other pups inherited a lot of good traits from their Mom, such as, looks, brains, personality but they also inherited her health problems. It would be these health problems that would lead to a 6 week struggle and eventually take the life of one pup and cause the surviving puppies to suffer through many medical procedures, including blood transfusions.

From the day the Louie was born, his life has been chronicled through our website and newsletters. His fight to survive brought thoughts and prayers from many of our kindhearted volunteers and supporters. As he grew stronger, his picture and that of his siblings, would frequent our newsletters and bring smiles to the faces of his adoring fans. So, how ironic is it that he would be adopted by Howard Troxler, a man that knows his way around a pen and paper. And now, his life will continue to be chronicled and he will continue to bring smiles to the faces of his ever growing, adoring fans.

BAD EGGS

2008-03-03T20:58:00.000-08:00

I stand by my original post!

Go ahead, take a minute and REREAD what I had to say about popularity. Pay close attention to the part concerning people wanting a Goose as a pet and remember, I ain't no birdbrain.

On Saturday, the Suncoast Animal League received a call from a person who met me at Palm Harbor's 1st Friday. I remember it well because it was on .......well....a Friday, towards the beginning of the month. They through out my name several times in an effort to persuade someone to come out and take a look at thier pet Goose who has been unable to stand for 3 days. They thought maybe something was wrong with him.

When Stacey arrived at the scene, she was shocked to see the condition of the Goose. He was in a cage at the side of the garage, lying in dirt. He was filthy and his feathers were broken and tattered. They were right, he couldn't stand and there was something wrong with him. He was practically starved to death! Stacey immediately rushed him to AA Emergency Clinic where Dr. Stanton began life saving care.

The average 3 year old Goose should weigh 12- 14 lbs. This one weighed in at a mere 41/2 lbs. It was learned later in the day that the teenage daughter, whose responsiblity was to feed the Goose, hadn't done so in "a while". He also suffered from a hole in his abdomen, probably caused by his inability to stand and subsequent "flopping" around in the cage. The wound was severely infected and infested with maggots. We still haven't established how long he had gone without food because the teenager "forgot" to feed him but we do know that he was unable to stand for three days and nothing was done. They still didn't take him to a Vet, we had to do that. And the woman of the house is an E.R. Nurse.

Well, the Goose is now rehabbing at my house. He is not out of the woods yet but he is improving. He is on antibiotics for the infection and he has to be syringe fed 70cc's of a special diet four times a day. He is eatng some solid food on his own and is getting up but only for a very short while. He seems to appreciate our kindness.

Oh yea, they wanted to know when they would be getting him back. NOW THAT, RUFFLES MY FEATHERS!

Birds of a Feather.......

2008-02-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

This is the scrambled eggs part of my segment...

Last night my co-workers were called to a Tarpon Springs Driving Range because a golf ball struck an Osprey while they were both in mid-flight. The Osprey came crashing to the ground, and was later euthanized at the emergency clinic because of massive injuries. This is especially sad because it is nesting season for these "Fish Hawks" and it is virtually impossible for a single parent to raise a clutch. Basically, when one parent dies the whole nest dies.

One would think that this was an errant golf shot that was a "one in a million" accident. And it was an accident! However, it was an accident waiting to happen. The nest was a "dish" on top of a Progress Energy pole, and the pole is in the center of the driving range, a mere 40 to 50 yards from the tee boxes. Someone's thinking was not "up to par" when this nest site was placed. Although the nest itself was hard to hit, the parents leaving or returning to the nest, were "sitting ducks."

Sadly, a tragedy has occurred and one Osprey is dead...a nest is dead. This problem needs to be fixed, and in honor of my fallen fine feathered friend, I'll be "Mr Fix It!"

Soak It Up Spongers!

2008-01-31T19:54:00.000-08:00

Wow, more feathers in more caps. Keep this up Tarpon Springs and I'll be "plucked".

On Wednesday, the Tarpon Springs High School Veterinary Academy opened their surgery suite and Veterinarian, Dr Duggers volunteered her services and neutered 2 cats and a dog. It was a great learning experience for the students. Two of the more experience students actually assisted Dr. Duggers and her Vet Tech. The three animals belonged to the Suncoast Animal League and were waiting to be placed for adoption pending their neutering. Since then, two of the three have been adopted.

This is a incredible program that teacher Deborah Edwards has poured her heart and soul in to over the years. Congratulations Ms. Edwards!

Speaking from an animals point of view, it's refreshing to know that these kids are gaining this type of knowledge and experience at this age. After all, it won't be long and they will be young adults, out on their own, making their own decisions. Decisions that will include owning a pet and then a few years after that, voting priviledges. Maybe the future for animals... has a real future.

Go Spongers!

Good Eggs

2008-01-31T19:07:00.000-08:00

A feather in their cap for the Tarpon Springs City Commission. On Tuesday evening Rick Chaboudy, our Executive Director was asked to speak to the Commission concerning feral cats in Tarpon Springs. According to Rick, who has been around long before I was hatched,"this has been a topic that has been basically ignored", so he was pleased with the opportunity.

The main reason the feral cats have freely "littered" the area for so long, is that our county ordinance does not allow for "TNR", TRAP, NEUTER AND RELEASE. So basically, nothing has been done and doing nothing means you are falling behind. And when it comes to cats and their breeding expertise, it doesn't take long to fall way behind.

After a lengthy discussion, the City Commission decided to draft a letter to be sent to the County Commissioners to revisit this ordinance and see what can be done on a more local level. This is a huge first step and the Tarpon Springs City Commissioners should be applauded for taking notice and then taking action.

Read here about what some citizens of Tarpon Springs have to say about TNR.

Straying from the Issue - the Feral Cat Problem in Pinellas County

2008-01-23T09:50:00.000-08:00

On January 20, 2008 Howard Troxler of the St. Pete Times had this to say about the current status of feral cats in the Tampa Bay area. After reading the article and the comment made by Pinellas County Animal Services, I am concerned that nothing is going to be done in Pinellas County.

Like most birds, I am not in favor of a cat, a domesticated animal, being turned loose into the wild to fend for itself. It's a cruel, harsh world out there. But that said, they are already out there in incredible numbers, aren't they? And those numbers are growing at rates that are unimaginable. For example, have you called an animal shelter lately and asked if you could bring in that cute, adorable litter of kittens that you just found? What was the answer? Probably, "sorry, we're full".

So what do we do? Nothing? What happens to the ecosystem that "we care about, too". I mean, if there are twenty cats in a colony, they are going to catch and kill so many birds, rabbits and squirrels. But if that number increases to thirty or forty, which will happen quickly, won't even more birds, bunnies and squirrels die? Won't that hurt the ecosystem even more?

The fact is...we can't adopt our way out of this. There simply aren't enough homes out there. Besides, the large percentage of these cats aren't adoptable anyway. So how does mass euthanasia sound to you? Can you imagine approaching someone who has been feeding feral cats on their property for years and ask, "can we trap your cats so we can put them all to sleep"? Honk if you think that will go over well. Even though these folks may not be able to hold these cats or pet them for that matter, they still feel a bond.

And, yes, it is illegal to "harbor" these ferals in Pinellas County, but how is it going so far on the enforcement side? Is anything positive going on when it relates to the feral cat problem in Pinellas? I don't think so! In fact, it's a growing problem. My guess, about six litters have been born to feral cats since you started reading this. Seven, if you read slow.

They are out there and they are out there in record numbers. It's taken many years to get this bad so there's no quick "fix". In fact, there's no great answer. But you sitting on your hands and me sitting on my wings is only going to make matters worse. Oh no, another litter has been born.

Goose me, if you've heard this before but we know it's illegal to trap, neuter and release in Pinellas County. So how's this plan working so far?

I'm George and I'm just a Goose. Let me know what you think.

We all need a good goose!

2008-01-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been making many appearances as the Suncoast Animal League’s mascot, at many different events and I can’t believe how well I have been treated…kind of like a rock star! I do, however, have a concern about my popularity. My problem, as I see it, is I’m becoming too popular. I hear numerous times, “I want to have a goose for a pet”. Most people or animals, for that matter, might consider that as a good thing. But, as I look around, I’m not so sure.

During these events, I have to listen to countless stories about geese chasing people, not allowing anyone to get too close. No one seems to have a good goose story. Well, maybe we have a good reason for keeping people a wing’s length away.

What about this “Man’s Best Friend” thing? Over the past couple of days, my friends at the Suncoast Animal League have been called to assist in some alarming cases. One, concerning six, one-week old pups abandoned under a shed during this cold weather, a second involving a stray dog found wandering the streets and giving birth to eight pups, and yet a third where the expecting dog was forced outside to give birth in the cold because the owner was mad at the dog for getting pregnant. Wow, this how you treat your “Best Friend”?

What about cats? They are treated worse than dogs. Everyone wants a cute, adorable little kitten until they turn in to a cat. Well, what were they suppose to become? Look around the streets, the poor things are everywhere. What’s the response you get when you try to bring cats to an animal shelter? “We are full”. And you know what, they are!

So as I see it, popularity isn’t all that popular.

Did you know that the Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas County Government shelters euthanize nearly 60,000 cats and dogs each year? And a little more than 9,000 get adopted. This cost tax payers over $14,500,000. Before you go screaming too loudly at your County Commissioners you might want to ask, “Where did all these animals come from?"

This has been going on for a long time and it will take a long time to “fix it”. Pardon the pun. But maybe it’s time to take this problem out of the hands of man and put it in to “the feathers of the goose that’s got it together”. I don’t mean to “honk” my own horn but you don’t see a goose tied to a tree in the back yard “starved" for affection. When’s the last time you saw a goose hanging around a dumpster in the back of a restaurant?

In 2008, I will be the “wingman” for the Suncoast Animal League, as we work together to put in place low cost spay/neuter programs that make sense and eventually raise the $150,000 necessary to open a high quality, high volume, affordable and accessible Spay/Neuter Clinic. Soon, we will announce these programs to the public, and on March 22nd, in downtown Palm Harbor, we will host a Dog Walk and 5K Run to help raise funds for the clinic. If you think placing animals in animal shelters is the answer, then you are only fooling yourself. The statistics will bear that out. Please… help us make a real difference.

I am aware that our community is made up of good eggs, bad eggs, and some eggs that are just plain scrambled. But it is time to put all of our eggs in a basket and take care of those we profess to care so much about...the animals!

"George the Goose"