Bad reason for Return

I just wrote this poem because I found out that a kitten (I helped be born) last year is comming back because, "I just can't keep him off the counters and I can't have that."


WHAT DO I TELL HIM


When you walk out the door and he stares?
When he waits for you to come back?
When he canâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t understand?
What should I tell him?

Should I tell him the truth?
That your counters were more important,
That your furniture was more important,
That your life was more important,
Than his heart?

Should I lie?
Tell him you loved him?
Tell him you miss him?
Tell him you think of him?
That he was your life?

You were his life, and now youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re gone.
Too selfish to understand,
Too cold to care,
That he sits in his cage heart broken.

That would be good to have posted at shelters and on rescue group sites - make people stop and think before casting an animal aside easily.

... I bet that kitten is probably cleaner than that person's counter tops anyways.

Very powerful! And all to heartbreakingly true!

So sad how true it is.

As upset as this still makes me, I have good news. He came in Saturday & will be going to a new home today. Before his surrender was even done, someone else had signed up to take him home. He is a super handsome boy. (Looks very much like a Russian Blue). So he only had to spend a couple days in a cage.

Rang,

Oh, I'm so glad to know this story has a happy ending.

After I read your poem, I felt so bad for the little guy.

And, as Mollysmom said, it is so sad but true!

That is great that the little one will have a new home for Christmas. At least the owner brought him back. I had a neighbour once who put a cat down because it turned its back on him after he returned from holiday!

Awww, that is wonderful news!!!!!! Hopefully the new home is more deserving and that he gets treated like a king.

Originally Posted by killerapple

Awww, that is wonderful news!!!!!!

Hopefully the new home is more deserving and that he gets treated like a king.

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I hate when they come back for stupid reasons, but you can't screen for everything

Yeah, too bad you can't screen for stupid.

Originally Posted by Rang_27

As upset as this still makes me, I have good news. He came in Saturday & will be going to a new home today. Before his surrender was even done, someone else had signed up to take him home. He is a super handsome boy. (Looks very much like a Russian Blue). So he only had to spend a couple days in a cage.

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Wonderful news - what a great Christmas present for kitty
Your poem was incredibly beautiful....I wonder what he could have told you - what he must have endured in such a harsh first home. Anyone who could have turned him in for being on the counters would have to have an empty heart anyway. Maybe he's got a good guardian angel after all (in addition to you, of course )

superb poem.

Originally Posted by jennyranson

At least the owner brought him back.

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I agree, it shouldnt be big deal if they return them even with a thin excuse.

He could be put down or "released" ie dumped. Also better returned than having a unloving owner or even bad owner.

The only real issue is if the cat is returned with a thin excuse, and they want another one instead. This is more difficult to handle.



Yeah, nice poem worth a wider spreading, I agree.

Originally Posted by StefanZ

I agree, it shouldnt be big deal if they return them even with a thin excuse.

He could be put down or "released" ie dumped. Also better returned than having a unloving owner or even bad owner.

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Yes, he could have been dumped but I disagree that its not a big deal, every time an animal is returned, it hurts the volunteers and staff that were involved in the adoption and just confuses the animal more.

As I said earlier, you cant screen for everything, especially stupid, but we rely on our screening processes to get them 'forever homes' and returns make you question the decisions you make on behalf of those animals

That poem was so sad I know my aunt made me give my kittens up...twice! Once because she feared for her safety after her mom started attacking her and the second time it was cause I couldn't get my kitten to stop pooping in the plants or fire place. I'd did all I could but my aunt was fed up, so I to find him another home. My brother tried to abandon his dog once, I convinced him to give him to a shelter. I was so mad he got this dog and it got too much for him so he was just going to take him to the park and leave him there! I told him he didn't need the dog in the first place.