Hi every buddy -

This is a cause that is dear to my heart. So many dogs, cats and other pets, whether born in or transported to Vermont, end up in shelters such as CVHS, now more than ever. My two guys are classic examples of households that don't have enough awareness or money to get Fluffy and Tuffy spayed/neutered NOW before they end up with multiple litters of kittens in a matter of months. These litters are very often surrendered to the humane society, which then has the job of providing socialization, food, medical care and shelter. At a year old, Amos and Flo were in a small room with their extended surrendered family: Mom, Dad and more sibs than I could count, from multiple litters. It is gut wrenching to walk through the shelter and see room upon room filled with cats young and old that may or may not ever find a forever home. I was recently involved in rounding up some feral kittens from a barn and taking them to CVHS to be spayed/neutered and fostered if possible or returned to the barn if they were too feral, at little or no charge to the owner of the barn.

The shelters are also full of dogs, "pandemic pets", adopted during Covid 19 when people were spending more time at home and looking for entertainment. This was so apparent when I couldn't get my own pet in for treatment by her long time vet who took on so many pandemic pets that she had no time in her schedule to treat her existing patients. Grrr... So many of these adoptions were impulsive moves by those who didn't have the sense to realize the {dog} was going to need a lifetime of regular veterinary care, as all pets do, training, food, attention, exercise, and did I mention training?? Many of those cute little puppies grew into crazed young adults that were untrained, unmanageable, too expensive and therefore no longer wanted and dumped at the nearest shelter. The task of training adult dogs with really bad habits, along with providing deferred medical treatment so they are adoptable is enormous.

 All of these issues, from allowing one's pets to procreate at a ridiculous rate to adopting a pet one is unequipped to care for properly over a lifetime are avoidable, 100% the responsibility of humans who dropped the ball. They end up being the very expensive problem of humane societies and similar shelters.

If you have or once had a doggie or kitty, whether formerly homeless or with the finest certificate of pure bred authenticity, you and I have experienced a special bond with these furry flea bags who take over our homes and hearts. They are family. I'll be the first to admit that it was my dynamic duo who rescued me, and not the other way around, as so often is the case. In a perfect world they would ALL have loving homes. I'm willing to take a short, underline short stroll in Montpelier Saturday with a bunch of barking, jumping, slobbering crazed canines and their owners who "rescued" them from faraway lands to help CVHS raise $$$ to make finding forever homes for ALL of its residents a real possibility. Donate if you feel like it, don't if you dont.  On behalf of my HS "Ascutney" kit cats, who I freely admit rescued me as opposed to the other way around, thank you...

Flo, Amos, Laura