Looks like someone forgot to clean the dead cats out of the ceiling again.
A media tour of the Toronto Humane Society was held up today by the discovery of a dead cat inside a dropped ceiling at the Queen St. facility.
More at The Star, "Mummified cat found at Humane Society."
Meanwhile, those with their heads firmly in the sand remain firmly in the sand:
Friday, November 27, 2009
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21 comments:
RE: cat in the ceiling: Oh my god! Just... oh my god!
RE: the video: You almost feel sorry for the guy... he's so deluded and earnest... except you don't.
This is probably something you don't know the answer to, but I'd appreciate any insider info.
I volunteer in the kitten nursery at the THS. Now that it's "closed to the public", are we not needed anymore? Or should I try to go into my shift?
Starving to death in a live trap - that is a horrible way to die. And insanely ironic given the location.
It's the animals best friend? Tell that to the mummified cat found in a trap in the ceiling.
Thats not sand he's got his head in. It's cement.
Holy shit. That poor thing. I can't even fathom how it suffered in that trap. :(
"Looks like someone forgot to clean the dead cats out of the ceiling again."
If it wasn't so sick, this line would be darn funny! I don't get it...they can't get the cat, so they set a live trap. And then what? Just forget about it? I can see overnight or something...but doesn't SOMEBODY remember that the cat's up there before the cat dehydrates and/or starves alone and meowing until it's too weak to cry out anymore?
Somebody must have known, because, in a video on the Star website, the OSPCA investigator says, "...we received information that there may be a live trap up there...". So why does ANYONE at a 'humane society' wait for cops to exercise a warrant before doing something about the live trap??? Was it an "oops, I forgot" moment?
Please, somebody, help me understand.
I sat down and cried for that cat. It must have starved to death. Who the h*ll put live traps in and forgot to check them?????? They should be stuffed in the ceiling and forgotten.
"In an interview with a national news agency, Trow said no one should be surprised to see sick animals at the shelter, since it is an animal hospital."
When did THS become a hospital? I check the site frequently and was surprised yesterday to see that the banner now called it Toronto Humane Society and Hospital. Had I just not noticed it for some time or was it a recent re-branding? THS became the "Humane Society of the GTA" awhile back. So it's now like St. Mike's with dying animals to be expected?
With the discovery of Ceiling Cat, maybe it could also be a Pet Sematary.
borderjack, one day I'll have to write about the boiled cat. I'm not sure what's worse, dying of starvation in a cage in a ceiling or getting blasted by scalding heat ... probably the starvation.
The thing with working at the THS is that people get reprimanded for the slightest things because of the paranoia and power structure so I can imagine no one ever wanting to speak out about the cat dying in the ceiling for fear of losing their job. I know that sounds ridiculous but obviously, as evidenced by the dead cat, it's not.
Anonymous THS cat volunteer, I'd try tomorrow. THS was pretty well closed up to most volunteers today because of the ongoing investigation but I understand tomorrow they'll be needing volunteers.
Thanks for sticking it out through this rough patch. THS needs volunteers and supporters now more than ever.
But what about the kittens? Are the OSPCA vets making sure they're fed? Are they expecting volunteers? I'd head down there if the shift is tonight.
I know this may sound crazy, but d'you know what really struck me about that video? The care and respect with which the OSPCA investigator handled the cage (trap). He rested it so carefully on the floor - ( recognize that he's preserving evidence, but at the same time, he seems to be giving that cat so much more respect and honour than it probably had during its life. I really respect that.
I agree with you, borderjack. He seems like a straight shooter.
That said, the OSPCA had better mean it when they say they want to help THS get back on its feet. All the sniping doesn't help the animals. When I volunteered with OSPCA, I was told to refer any callers to the Newmarket office (yeah, right, if you're in the Inner City without a car) or TAS. But not to THS.
Give your animals extra hugs tonight. I hope this stays in the news for ages; it's time we had more dialogue. (And it's good for the media...) And I do hope that a whole bunch of people go down to THS when it reopens and give some of those sweethearts a forever home. Worst thing that could happen is that THS is shunned and the animals suffer.
redstarcafe, the vets have been working around the clock literally to assess all the animals plus there are animal care workers and some volunteers (not a lot but there are some). When I walked through in the evening, all the food and water bowls were full.
I don't know their schedule but I'm pretty sure the kittens will be looked after. The last thing the OSPCA would want at this point is for kittens to go hungry under their watch.
It'll probably be best to phone ahead before heading to the THS to volunteer. They're expecting volunteers to show up tomorrow but I'm not sure how everything is going to be coordinated and there was also some talk about it possibly not being a full day for volunteering because of the ongoing investigations or something
Then the other question I have is where OSPCA got the information about the cat in the ceiling. Did someone know all along? That whole Ceiling Cat thing is iconic. If any image is going to stick in our minds, it's gotta be that cat that starved to death in a trap in a ceiling at a humane society for Pete's sake.
I got through to the THS front desk. They said they are expecting all volunteers to be at their scheduled shifts from here on in. Spread the word!
ps. I've been volunteering at THS for five years now. I made it through the last two rounds of media frenzy, temper tantrums by Trow, Andy and Gary, kittens dying in my hands because I can't get anyone to euthanize them, and more needless outbreaks of distemper than I can count. No way am I leaving now when something might actually change for the better!
Fred, Linda Diebel posted OBAAT's link on her blog yesterday:
http://thestar.blogs.com/decoder/2009/11/remembering-the-animals.html
For volunteers, your name has to be on the list at the front door or they won't let you in.
Linda Diebel`s mention of One Bark is extremely flattering and well-deserved. ^5, Fred.
For volunteers - if your name was on the list Ruthann sent out every week and they expect you on your shift, your name should be on the list of people allowed in.
Bring some ID.
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