Could more have been done?

hissy

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While at the hospital with Mike today, I noticed a bike leaning against the outside wall. There were two cat carriers stacked on top of each other, and so I went over to see what was up. What I saw sickened me. Four cats crammed into one carrier, three in another. Cat feces and urine all over the carrier and the cats. Older cats not kittens. I went into the hospital hoping I could find out who these cats belonged to. By chance I met the man, sat down and tried to talk to him, but his lights weren't on and no one was home. When i gently suggested I would be happy to look after his cats until he was in a better place, he got extremely aggressive with me and threatened to call the police. Instead, I called the authorities, they came out and did nothing. They told me, he has food for them and water for them, so it wasn't abuse. When I told them about the feces piled up, they said they "didn't see anything out of the ordinary." I feel so heartsick for these creatures being peddaled around town crammed into these carriers by someone who doesn't have the capabilites to care for them.

Today was a sad day for the animals-
 

furryferals

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Aww Hissy
I feel for you.The people who have the right to take those cats from him could have done.It is them that let those cats down,not you,But even they can only act within the law and it sounds like they made a borderline decision but the wrong decision to prevent him' flipping out' and causing more problems.

Is there any chance you might see the guy again?same time same place tomorrow?
Did you overhear his name that he gave to the police or spca?If so you could trace him.
Is it a small town or a big city?I would make enquiries at likely places he might visit,
laundry,doctors,shopping centres,library and such and just ask about,someone will
know who he is.

It's so frustrating when you see things like that and the only thing you can do is walk away because your hands are tied.
sometimes the law is an ass.

If it were me and I saw him again,I would not go through the right channels,I would
just take them.
 
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hissy

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I thought about it, but that is theft. Plus he was extremely aggressive towards me and as I said mentally he wasn't all there. The police knew of him, said sometimes they talk to him and he has the cats on leashes. But again, they are just cats, so I guess they don't count for much. After all, they don't get to vote for sherrif
I told the officer I would be happy to find another home for all the cats, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "there is no abuse here."
 

sharky

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welcome to my world... I have lived next door to someone like that man... The authorities hands are tied by arcaic laws....


Jennifer
 

lsulover

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I would probably go to the police station in person, and I would demand to speak with someone with a little bit of authority. I would see if that person could do something, and if he couldn't I would go to someone else. They would get tired of looking and listening to me.
 

furryferals

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Originally Posted by hissy

I thought about it, but that is theft. Plus he was extremely aggressive towards me and as I said mentally he wasn't all there. The police knew of him, said sometimes they talk to him and he has the cats on leashes. But again, they are just cats, so I guess they don't count for much. After all, they don't get to vote for sherrif
I told the officer I would be happy to find another home for all the cats, but he just shrugged his shoulders and said, "there is no abuse here."
aaRRGGHHH
Y'know some people don't deserve to be in responsible positions of authority.Maybe it's not abuse but it is neglect.How bad do they have to be before 'they' actually do something.

I think I would pinch his 'bike' next time I saw it
That probly carries just a fine
 

furryferals

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Originally Posted by LSULOVER

I would probably go to the police station in person, and I would demand to speak with someone with a little bit of authority. I would see if that person could do something, and if he couldn't I would go to someone else. They would get tired of looking and listening to me.
Oh believe me they don't get tired of you,they just fob you off and say we''ll look into
it,we'll investigate,but the sad fact is they don't,even when it's obvious a crime has been committed,they don't, because the animal isn't worth all the paperwork they have to fill in
and even if they took the case to court,financially it would be a waste of taxpayers money.because all they would get is a slap on the wrist.So the police don't bother.Here in the Uk ALL animal abuse and cruelty is prosecuted by the RSPCA which is a charity,Even though the people they take to court are being prosecuted for a criminal offence the police pass the cases on to a charitable organisation to prosecute
That effectively means that because they are being prosecuted in a civil prosecution that abuser will not have a criminal record
The law is an ass.
 

rosiemac

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Carriers overloaded with adult cats, especially in their own urine and feces is neglect end of!. It's quite obvious that the police officers who turned up aren't animal lovers
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by furryferals

Oh believe me they don't get tired of you,they just fob you off and say we''ll look into
it,we'll investigate,but the sad fact is they don't,even when it's obvious a crime has been committed,they don't, because the animal isn't worth all the paperwork they have to fill in
and even if they took the case to court,financially it would be a waste of taxpayers money.because all they would get is a slap on the wrist.So the police don't bother.Here in the Uk ALL animal abuse and cruelty is prosecuted by the RSPCA which is a charity,Even though the people they take to court are being prosecuted for a criminal offence the police pass the cases on to a charitable organisation to prosecute
That effectively means that because they are being prosecuted in a civil prosecution that abuser will not have a criminal record
The law is an ass.
They would get tired of looking at me, I would do this every day at first, then I would start a couple of times a day. I live in a small town. Most of the cops here know everybody.
 

ldg

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MA - I don't know how they define care, but here is the Oregon neglect law that would apply:

"Animal neglect in the second degree is defined as: “intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence fails to provide minimum care for an animal in such person’s custody or control.” This is a Class B Misdemeanor with a fine up to $2000 and/or imprisonment up to 6 months." (From http://www.straypetadvocacy.org/html...wy.html#Oregon, or http://landru.leg.state.or.us/ors/167.html (Scroll about 1/2 way down the page for “Offenses Against Animals”) OR Rev. Stat. 167.310 et seq (scroll down quite a ways to find the correct statute)).

Seems to me that at the very least this is neglect, and it is against the law in Oregon. Is there any way to go over the local authority to State cops? It would be an option here. ????

Laurie
 

callista

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If the man isn't "all there"... why isn't he getting services? If it's unsafe for him to be on his own... then why isn't someone taking care of him--and the cats? And if he's not that far gone, then why isn't someone teaching him how to properly take care of cats? Surely he likes them; he carries them with him everywhere! If only someone showed him how to make them more comfortable, someone who could communicate with him past whatever mental barriers he's got...
 

tru

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Are the police and animal control one and the same there?

Here, I believe Animal Control is a separate entity and may have the authority to step in where the police aren't able to make a clear call of such a situation.

The only other thing I can think of is get some groups involved in issuing a complaint or twenty
to several of the proper authorities.

I'm thinking they just don't want to have to deal with this fellow and are taking the easier, softer way out rather than deal with a situation they consider beneath their dignity and a waste of their valuable donut time.

After all, who, but a crazy woman would even care about what he has in the carriers?

Maybe, if you have an action line or some such thing with the newspaper there, you could get them to do a bit of a story on how unimportant the welfare of animals are in this area.

I'm just rattling now, but I am real sorry you tried to help and had such a rotten outcome.
 
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hissy

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This is a difficult update, but for various reasons, I have backed down from this fight. I don't take defeat easily, but there are factors here I have never encountered before. I am angry, I am sad and even disgusted. I leave this photo so you can see how these cats are being cared for. I have no doubt the man loves these cats. What I call into question is his view of reality which is far from how I view the world these cats have and calling it home.

 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by hissy

This is a difficult update, but for various reasons, I have backed down from this fight. I don't take defeat easily, but there are factors here I have never encountered before. I am angry, I am sad and even disgusted. I leave this photo so you can see how these cats are being cared for. I have no doubt the man loves these cats. What I call into question is his view of reality which is far from how I view the world these cats have and calling it home.

This is a very sad picture, maybe you don't hafta back down, you might can approach this from a different way. I would still try and be in contact with someone and see if something can't be done.

I am sending prayers and hugs form Mississippi that something can be done to help this man and his cats.

 

catsknowme

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That isn't a home - that is a PRISON!!!
What is WRONG with those cops???? And surely the medical staff at the facility has noticed something??? A doctor could say something to the prosecutors, or at the very least, the SPCA....And for those who have also noticed the plight of those poor sweet kitties, yet haven't gotten involved, their sin is not the crime of doing, but the crime of DOING NOTHING
I am sending {{{prayers and vibes}}}} that those kitties get rescued soon...Maybe a copy of that pic, with a description of the captives inside, sent to the local news media, whether the newspaper or the local TV "investigation/undercover" would elicit a beneficial response. Bless you for caring and trying to help - why is it the busiest people always somehow find the time to get involved?
 

lsulover

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I really hope you still try to do something for these cats, please keep us updated on this situation.
 

jenny82

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That is really sad.
I don't know what I would do in that situation.
 

lsulover

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Originally Posted by Jenny82

That is really sad.
I don't know what I would do in that situation.
That is sad, and I am not sure what I would do either, but I think I would be at least calling people to find out what could be done.

It just breaks my heart to know that cats are living in them cages.
 
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hissy

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Anyone who even knows me, knows that I have exhausted all avenues of help in this situation. The man is gone now. My hope is that the next town he rides into will be larger. There, they will be equipped with the capibility of helping this man and relieving him of his passengers.

I have been helping cats a very long time. This is the first time where my efforts have been in vain. It is not an easy battle to lose, but experience has taught me that soon another battle will appear. I will hopefully win that one. I couldn't help these cats even though, God knows I tried. I can become proactive and get archaic or incomplete laws changed.

I wrote about this experience in my blog. If you want to read it, you can. It isn't pretty, so don't go there if you are expecting happily ever after. In rescue, sometimes, happily ever after doesn't exist. http://www.feralcatbehavior.com/
 
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