ECC NEWS
Saving Rabina
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Rabina, while an individual with a unique personality and distinct biography, is typical of the cats who face death at animal control facilities nationwide. Rabina was a healthy adult stray cat surviving on the streets and in backyards in the Borough of Queens. Prior to entering into the NYC Animal Care & Control (ACC) system, she was your typical beautiful solid gray shorthaired cat. Her brush with unnecessary and premature death epitomizes the need for change in society in general, and the shelter establishment in particular.
She was trapped in a live trap on January 10th by a member of the public. The woman had seen Rabina stalking birds at her bird feeder and watched on as she killed a bird. The woman decided that allowing Rabina to continue on eking out a living in "her" neighborhood (and killing birds to survive) was unacceptable. She took her to ACC knowing it was likely she would be killed.
Don't get us wrong. Life wasn't always perfect for Rabina (as it isn't perfect for any of us), but it was hers: freedom, foraging, finding and hunting food, and living with her feral cat fellows in colonies. And a chance at a risk-filled life beats the guarantee of premature and unwanted death in the form of lethal injections.
In any case, after entering NYC Animal Care & Control, Rabina soon found herself on the New Hope List - a list showcasing the animals who would be killed the next morning for a variety of questionable reasons (space, suckling, treatable illness, behavior, etc.) We opted to rescue her to spare her unnecessary death. We decided to show her the compassion and understanding that the woman in Queens and the shelter system who would kill her had failed to. The goal for Rabina would be one of two outcomes: relocation to a protected, sterilized feral cat colony where a kind caretaker feeds and looks after the cats or an adopted home to call her own.
Lo and behold, Rabina ended up not being the un-socialized, "behavioral problem" feral cat she was reported to be, but a shy stray who enjoys sleeping in hammocks, pats on the head, eating canned food and quietly snoozing through the days awaiting her opportunity to find lasting love and a happy home. Let us know if you're interested or know someone who might be in giving Rabina the stable home all companion animals deserve.
Rabina awaiting death or rescue at ACC
Rabina relaxing at the ECC Shelter Space
Saving Rabina
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Rabina, while an individual with a unique personality and distinct biography, is typical of the cats who face death at animal control facilities nationwide. Rabina was a healthy adult stray cat surviving on the streets and in backyards in the Borough of Queens. Prior to entering into the NYC Animal Care & Control (ACC) system, she was your typical beautiful solid gray shorthaired cat. Her brush with unnecessary and premature death epitomizes the need for change in society in general, and the shelter establishment in particular.
She was trapped in a live trap on January 10th by a member of the public. The woman had seen Rabina stalking birds at her bird feeder and watched on as she killed a bird. The woman decided that allowing Rabina to continue on eking out a living in "her" neighborhood (and killing birds to survive) was unacceptable. She took her to ACC knowing it was likely she would be killed.
Don't get us wrong. Life wasn't always perfect for Rabina (as it isn't perfect for any of us), but it was hers: freedom, foraging, finding and hunting food, and living with her feral cat fellows in colonies. And a chance at a risk-filled life beats the guarantee of premature and unwanted death in the form of lethal injections.
In any case, after entering NYC Animal Care & Control, Rabina soon found herself on the New Hope List - a list showcasing the animals who would be killed the next morning for a variety of questionable reasons (space, suckling, treatable illness, behavior, etc.) We opted to rescue her to spare her unnecessary death. We decided to show her the compassion and understanding that the woman in Queens and the shelter system who would kill her had failed to. The goal for Rabina would be one of two outcomes: relocation to a protected, sterilized feral cat colony where a kind caretaker feeds and looks after the cats or an adopted home to call her own.
Lo and behold, Rabina ended up not being the un-socialized, "behavioral problem" feral cat she was reported to be, but a shy stray who enjoys sleeping in hammocks, pats on the head, eating canned food and quietly snoozing through the days awaiting her opportunity to find lasting love and a happy home. Let us know if you're interested or know someone who might be in giving Rabina the stable home all companion animals deserve.
Rabina awaiting death or rescue at ACC
Rabina relaxing at the ECC Shelter Space