Heard something horrible and don''t know what I should/can do about it (sensitive topic)

[niccia]

I was at my in-laws this weekend and my MIL is feeding a bunch of stray cats that she found in the neighbours barn. They are semi-wild, but she wanted to find homes for them before the cold weather comes. She put out a "free kittens" sign, and so far she has had one couple stop who asked for Chickens, eggs, or kittens but didn''t seem too interested in how adorable they are so she was worried about why they wanted kittens. The only other guy that stopped wanted several but then proclaimed that they were too big for what he needed them for. She didn''t know what he meant, but my FIL later told us that he has heard some people use kittens as musky bait (some sort of big fish they get here)! I was horrified. I have never heard of such a thing, but I googled it and apparently it does happen. I want to report it to someone, but I am hearing this pretty much third-hand and wouldn''t know who I am reporting. What else can I do?

As far as the kittens go...I would love to take one but I am going home to my own province tomorrow and can''t have cats in my rented condo. I don''t feel like it is fair to give anymore to my parents, as they already have 7 rescued ones of their own to deal with. I think I am going to help her catch them and take them to the shelter, and then pay for their neutering/shots etc and care until they are adopted. But I still feel horrible about what I heard, and can''t stop thinking about that going on. Makes me wonder if they aren''t better off in the barn sometimes. I just can''t believe any human being could be so horrible.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Oh man that is horrible!!

Please do take them to the shelter, your MIL means best..but it sounds like people are not going to take them for the right reasons.

 

[Lauren8211]

Giving away pets is a no-no. You never know who you''re giving them to, and if you''ve paid nothing for them, then they are worth nothing to some people. They may use them in dog fighting rings, as bait, or just to torture them for fun. That''s why it''s often strongly suggested to set a rehoming fee high enough to deter people who just want to use the animal for things other than a house pet. If you feel badly about taking money, it can always be donated to a shelter on behalf of the pet!

Definitely get those babies to a shelter. Worst case scenario, they''re put down HUMANELY. Much better than some of the alternatives for animals out there. Kittens do have a pretty good chance at being adopted though.

So sad. How can people look at those little faces and want to hurt them? I just don''t get it!

 

[Clairitek]

This is one of the most disturbing things I''ve ever heard when it comes to what people do with animals. I''m so... disgusted.

Who could do that sort of thing with a live animal?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

That is horrible. I agree take them to a shelter. Both my kitties were strays. Kittens go fast so I am sure they will be placed into good homes. My sister actually is a foster mom (for a shelter) and takes care of kittens who are too young or sick to be adopted. Then once they are well they are taken in and adopted out.

I have a friend who was an animal control officer in CA and she used to have people approach her when she was off duty, walking her pit bull, to see if she would be interested in dog fighting

Some people are so cruel.

 

[niccia]

I wouldn''t give them away either...my fiance''s mum thought she was doing the right thing.

 

[Kelli]

I am constantly horrified at the things people do with animals. I REALLY wish there was a way more harsh punishment for cruelty to animals!

 

[bee*]

That''s awful! Definitely give them to a shelter. I remember hearing horrible stories about animals being used in dog fights etc. I have my kitten asleep on my shoulder now and the thoughts that someone could hurt him like that makes me so angry

 

[E B]

Date: 10/6/2008 9:31:42 AM
Author: elledizzy5
Giving away pets is a no-no. You never know who you''re giving them to, and if you''ve paid nothing for them, then they are worth nothing to some people. They may use them in dog fighting rings, as bait, or just to torture them for fun. That''s why it''s often strongly suggested to set a rehoming fee high enough to deter people who just want to use the animal for things other than a house pet. If you feel badly about taking money, it can always be donated to a shelter on behalf of the pet!

Well said, elle. Always ask for a rehoming fee.

 

[dragonfly411]

Unfortunately when it comes to the actual abuse issues there isn''t alot you CAN do unless you catch the person in the act. IF you give pets away, I recommend going to the adopter''s house at least twice, and having visit sessions to make sure they all get along. Make sure you get recommendations etc. Otherwise, don''t give away. You really don''t know what is going to happen to them. I can''t begin to tell you how many we have from previous abuse cases from homes that "got them for free". A yorkie who was slung around by his legs, a pit bull who was shot at, a shepherd mix who was shot by a COP, a puppy mill mama, an ex bait dog, Cats who were being starved.... it''s sad.

 

[strmrdr]

Does the neighbor know?
Barn cats do very well.
Messing with someones barn cats is a good way to get shot.

 

[niccia]

Yes they know...they don''t like cats so they are happy for them to go. Generally I would say to leave them alone as well, but it is far too cold here in the winter for them to be left outside.

 

[bee*]

Date: 10/6/2008 12:03:02 PM
Author: strmrdr
Does the neighbor know?

Barn cats do very well.

Messing with someones barn cats is a good way to get shot.

lol

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/6/2008 12:15:07 PM
Author: niccia
Yes they know...they don''t like cats so they are happy for them to go. Generally I would say to leave them alone as well, but it is far too cold here in the winter for them to be left outside.

The barn cats in N. Dakota and in NS Canada do very well and it is far colder there than most places in the US.
If the cold was a problem they would not be there in the first place.

 

[dragonfly411]

You might try advertising them to horse owners. I wish we had a barn kittie. They keep the mice and spiders away!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 10/6/2008 12:28:51 PM
Author: bee*

Date: 10/6/2008 12:03:02 PM

Author: strmrdr

Does the neighbor know?


Barn cats do very well.


Messing with someones barn cats is a good way to get shot.

lol

Barn cats are a working part of any farm, they keep down disease and feed loses from rodents.
A farm without cats can lose millions of dollars a year.
It is a mutual beneficial relationship which is why the barn cat evolved.
Farmers get very attached to their cats even if it does not seem like it.

 

[niccia]

Well I think you might be right to some extent, but I still feel sorry for them. I think it would be better to at least get the mother spayed, and then set up some kind of warm shelter in the barn for them. I know my parents cats do everything possible to avoid having to go outside in the winter, and it is much warmer there in BC then it is here in Ontario.

The lady at the SPCA just told me that she has heard of the same things happening to cats here, and even people using them for snake food. They have so many friendly kittens needing homes already that she thinks it would be hard to find these semi-wild ones homes.

 

[Linda W]

It makes me sick to my stomach the way some people treat animals.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

That is so sad, how disgusting! I would stop offering them to strangers...if she already had two people stop with strange requests then it sounds like it might be qutie common there. There is a tiny little stray around my neighborhood and I have been feeding him for over a year now. I was worried about him last winter and I made him a little ''house'', but I don''t think that he ever used it. I did not see him for a long time over the winter, and then one day he showed up again! He seems happy enough.

 

[pjean]

I hear you on the horrible things people do to animals. My FI and I discovered that a relative of his aunt's husband who was housesitting for the aunt had trapped a raccoon and was going to give it to a guy to train fighting dogs.

Needless to say, the raccoon magically managed to escape from the cage. Don't know how that happened... and then the raccoons seemed to get really smart for a couple of days, and spring the trap open every night until the aunt got home.

ETA: Hell hath no fury like my FI's aunt when she found out, so it certainly won't happen again in this case.

 

[niccia]

"I hear you on the horrible things people do to animals. My FI and I discovered that a relative of his aunt''s husband who was housesitting for the aunt had trapped a raccoon and was going to give it to a guy to train fighting dogs.

Needless to say, the raccoon magically managed to escape from the cage. Don''t know how that happened... and then the raccoons seemed to get really smart for a couple of days, and spring the trap open every night until the aunt got home.

ETA: Hell hath no fury like my FI''s aunt when she found out, so it certainly won''t happen again in this case. "

Oh that is horrible...I am so glad the raccoon was freed! I don''t know how so many human beings can have so little compassion for other living creatures. All I know is that if I actually saw someone hurting an animal with my own eyes, I''d probably be going to jail !

 

[AnitaT]

Niccia,
I just don''t understand how people can be so cruel to animals either. It is beyond comprehension. I applaud you for trying to help these kitties.

 

[oobiecoo]

I would definitely take them to a shelter. Hopefully they will be adopted quickly since they are young... but even if not, them being put down sounds much better than being used for BAIT!

 

[Italiahaircolor]

Even tho your MIL''s heart is in the right place, it''s best she doesn''t give away any more. Taking them to a no kill shelter would be best thing to do for the kittens and her peace of mind....

 

[partgypsy]

Capture them, get them neutered, and return them to the barn. If they are truly wild barn cats, just let them be.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 10/6/2008 9:19:55 AM
Author:niccia
I was at my in-laws this weekend and my MIL is feeding a bunch of stray cats that she found in the neighbours barn. They are semi-wild, but she wanted to find homes for them before the cold weather comes. She put out a ''free kittens'' sign, and so far she has had one couple stop who asked for Chickens, eggs, or kittens but didn''t seem too interested in how adorable they are so she was worried about why they wanted kittens. The only other guy that stopped wanted several but then proclaimed that they were too big for what he needed them for. She didn''t know what he meant, but my FIL later told us that he has heard some people use kittens as musky bait (some sort of big fish they get here)! I was horrified. I have never heard of such a thing, but I googled it and apparently it does happen. I want to report it to someone, but I am hearing this pretty much third-hand and wouldn''t know who I am reporting. What else can I do?

As far as the kittens go...I would love to take one but I am going home to my own province tomorrow and can''t have cats in my rented condo. I don''t feel like it is fair to give anymore to my parents, as they already have 7 rescued ones of their own to deal with. I think I am going to help her catch them and take them to the shelter, and then pay for their neutering/shots etc and care until they are adopted. But I still feel horrible about what I heard, and can''t stop thinking about that going on. Makes me wonder if they aren''t better off in the barn sometimes. I just can''t believe any human being could be so horrible.

Niccia, I checked with my husband, who is a VERY AVID fisherman. VERY. AVID.

He fishes for pretty much everything, including muskies. He says muskies typically won''t strike on a "struggling" bait, like a kitten would be. Muskies are looking for a fast moving bait, more than something that''s injured and struggling. DH has never heard of anyone using kittens as muskie bait, so hopefully it''s just a disgusting rumor.

That said, it''s a good thing that your MIL isn''t just giving the kittens away to whoever asks for one. You never know what people might do. I think it''s a good idea, as everyone else mentioned, to take them to a no-kill shelter, or at least charge some sort of small fee. Tell your MIL thanks for doing this . . . we need more people like her in the world!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 10/6/2008 8:56:28 PM
Author: part gypsy
Capture them, get them neutered, and return them to the barn. If they are truly wild barn cats, just let them be.

I like this idea - they made a home for themselves and they are providing a good function, even if the barn owner disagrees.

 

[risingsun]

If you take them to a shelter, please check it out in advance. Some shelters have a policy of not euthanizing their animals and others will do so after a period of time. It is sickening to hear of what some people will do with cats and other pets. These people have no souls, IMO

 

[niccia]

Thanks to everyone who replied...I've arranged to have them fixed and then they will probably go back to the barn. None of the shelters around here like to take on wild cats. She will keep feeding them .

I really hope your husband is right, Irishgrrrl. I agree that people that can do these kinds of things have no souls. The one lady I talked to who rescues strays has 8 cats of her own and 18 foster cats! I am so grateful that there are people like her in this world.

 

[purrfectpear]

I did a Google on kittens and muskies and while I found a lot of people joking about "muskie bait" I coudn''t find even one reference that was serious or confirmed.

People also make jokes about using puppies or baby chicks, but again, no one was seriously using them for fishing.