Animal Hoarding: Close to home

Our local news is reporting a story of (possible) neglect and animal hoarding in South Ryegate, Vermont. 

This is just a few miles up the road from where I grew up and where my Mom (Winnie's Grammie) still lives. So, it hits quite literally, close to home.

This area of Vermont is known as the Northeast Kingdom. It's the most rural area of a very rural state. It is not uncommon for people to have many pets and defacto pets like feral cats living on their property. My own grandparents had a small colony of feral cats living in their woodshed in the back of their home. In fact, Walter (my Maine Coon mix) is from a litter of kittens from a stray cat that wandered onto my Mom's farm, and my 2 recently departed and beloved cats were both "Oops" kitties,  one from my cousin's farm and one from under my brother's porch. Spay and Neuter much? No, not so much.

This particular story seems a case of a home where there were up to 18 cats living inside and seemingly neglected. Thankfully, they have been rescued and will be in need of vet care and most likely socialization before they can be placed up for adoption. According to the news report. the Kingdom Animal Shelter will be managing the efforts to find new forever homes for these kitties. While this would be a big undertaking by any shelter, the Kingdom Animal Shelter is tiny and it's just for cats. They are fund-raising to build a larger shelter to accommodate cats and dogs in the future. But right now, they could use donations to help pay for the care of these cats.

You can donate securely online (the internets are awesome that way!) from their website. Donate to KAS.

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