So Right, and Yet So Wrong

I realize I might ruffle a few feathers, so to speak, but I hold strong views about some things, and these latest events only compel me to speak my piece. I am all for rescuing animals, caring for them, hopefully finding them homes. What I am not for, is a misguided attempt by some people who seem to feel that an animal is better off locked away in a cage (or carrier), with little to no stimulation or enjoyment. Or, stuffed away in a room or building with a zillion others to share tight and stressful quarters. To me, a shorter life is better than a long, miserable one.

Of course, this would require reasonable judgment on accessing whether it were to be a temporary, short-term situation, or an interminable one. It seems there are some people who are so compelled to “help” or “save”, that they will go to extraordinary lengths to accomplish their goals. Those goals, of course, are in themselves noble and good. To care enough about our fellow creatures to give of oneself in assisting them to a better place in life is without question a great thing. Where I differ is on the degree, or the extent, of which this is accomplished. When these certain people go beyond reasonable and intelligent, it becomes a matter of no longer helping, but of harming.

The latest news, of this woman in Pasadena who was harboring almost 250 cats in carriers and cages in a storage unit, seems to be one of those cases. I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind thinking this would be good for the cats. The story doesn’t explain at all why she was doing this; perhaps she was attempting to save ferals from some local ordinance (or residents) that would doom them. Perhaps she had a soft spot for every stray she came across. Perhaps she was attempting her own rescue shelter, wanting in some way to make a difference for cats. We don’t know how or why, we only know that she had an insane amount of cats in a small space, all caged, and they’d been there for awhile. She had volunteers who helped her, and it is mentioned that she would go there after midnight to feed them.

After spending a lifetime with many different types of animals and learning about each and every one of their personalities, we found that it just made more sense to grow and work alongside them.
They have become part of a normal day. Someone who is there first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Over two decades of working alongside them professionally and personally, it only made sense to take it one step further and start a rescue.
A creature who is there alongside you through happiness and joy, sadness and pain and does not once pass judgment on any mistakes that are made along the way.
They never to hold a grudge and never criticize.
A teacher that teaches us to be patient, kind and understanding. A responsibility that is life long.
It is time to rescue those that have ended up in a situation undeserving to anything that lives and breathes and to continue a legacy that they taught us all those years ago
Help us to help them.

Then there’s the story that came out on Friday, of a woman from my neck of the woods, in Deer Park, Illinois. Apparently her estranged husband contacted authorities after he went there to pick up some of his things. Inside the house, authorities found 18 dead dogs, 2 dead birds, and 4 emaciated, dehydrated dogs, as well as 2 cats. She had been running a rescue out of this house, and from the husband’s explanation, got in over her head, with finances and health as factors. The rescue closed a year ago, but there were still animals remaining there. Apparently the dogs died of starvation; the remaining animals are now being treated. The above quote I found on the website for the former rescue. Hard to believe, huh? And there are so many stories like these across the country, around the world.

These remind me of the post I wrote about in They Love Me, complete with what would probably be the same type of caring concern gone haywire. Now, I am all for TNR, and feral colonies. I am all for rescuing strays and finding them homes. I’ve been a part of such efforts myself. There is always a concern, though, that any efforts, by anyone, might eventually extend to the excessive, ultimately abusive form of behavior. Scientists and psychologists have begun to study the phenomenon, as they see it, to try and find some clues as to why it happens and perhaps also how to diagnose and treat the person who reaches this point of “helpfulness”. They have found some interesting commonalities in these cases. Overwhelmingly, this kind of behavior is seen in women, although men are not immune. Very often these people are lonely, or isolated – either by circumstance, health, or self-imposed. And very often, this kind of behavior begins after a seriously stressful event in the person’s life, such as death or divorce. What ensues is a once-passion for animals becomes an obsession, and whether through hoarding or rescue efforts gone awry – the animals suffer the consequences.

So, to say that these people are crazy – well, it could be partially true, just an exaggeration. Mentally off-balance, emotionally-challenged, psychologically damaged…these terms might apply. And surely psychology professionals have a plethora of terminology. I prefer to not use any labels, as I suspect in the final result each case is as different as the people involved. I believe there probably are certain events in life that might push someone over the line, from caring to compulsively “saving”. And certainly in the case of the local woman here, if she ran into financial difficulties and couldn’t care for the animals, it would be extremely difficult to find someone else to take on the animals should she have tried to find help. Everyone is filled to (if not over) capacity these days. I hope our criminal system, and society as a whole, can find better ways of handling these situations than locking someone up for a crime. To me, that’s as bad as what they’re accused of doing. Chances are, they need help themselves, and with the right kind could go back to being the wonderful, caring and involved people they once were.

But in the meantime, no one should ever condone the excessive kind of treatment of animals that some consider “helping”. An immediate call to professionals, counselors, or if nothing else, then the authorities is required to discontinue this kind of abusive treatment of our beloved furry friends. May the animals who died rest in peace. Let’s hope the ones who’ve survived these situations find a bright future.
CBS Los Angeles
WGNTV News Video
Chicago Examiner

So Right, and Yet So Wrong

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