What a jerk!!!

I came across the following article and am disgusted beyond words. In
his stupidity and ignorance the author has done an incredible disservice
to humane societies and the animals up for adoption. If you want to send
a few choice words his way he can be contacted at


From http://www.jsonline.com

Pet lovers find honesty is not always the best policy when seeking to
adopNov. 2, 2004
by Mike Nichols

=A0Until about three months ago, Jill and Mark Zoromski - residents of a
fairly rural part of Ozaukee County well-acquainted with animals of all
stripes and colors - had an adventuresome little cat named Luna.
"Luna was a great cat for a lot of years and she used to be inside most
of the time but during the summer months she liked to go outside" and
wander around a little, said Jill.
Unfortunately, Luna, disoriented perhaps by a thunderstorm, wandered off
one summer night and never returned.
They did their best to find her. They had pictures, and they put up
signs and they waited and waited some more. But this sort of thing
happens in rural areas where it's nice to give animals a little freedom
once in a while, and they decided, after a couple months of missing her,
to move on.
Something that - when you are dealing with the Ozaukee Humane Society -
is not as easy as you might think.
Six weeks ago, Jill took a little niece with her to the society, spent
the morning sitting on the floor playing with various cats, and finally
decided a little one named Oreo was the one for them.
Little did they know, they say, the Ozaukee Humane Society has an
application you only wish the Department of Homeland Security would use.
One of the things the humane society asks is whether you've had other
animals - and what happened to them.
The Zoromskis do have other animals, actually.
They have a collie named Leo and an English setter named Gus. And since
there is a large wetland area behind their Town of Grafton house that
leads down to the Milwaukee River, they are also quite aware of raccoons
and coyotes and whatnot. And, of course, they used to have Luna and now
they don't.
Facts that might be related.
"We kind of speculate that she probably (was) eaten or harassed or
something by an animal because there are so many of them around here,"
said Jill.
So, being honest and having done nothing wrong other than letting her
cat occasionally enjoy a little fresh air, she wrote it down; mentioning
there really are coyotes around.
Colossal mistake.
On Monday, Oct. 11, a woman from the humane society left a message on
their answering machine. At first, Jill says, it actually made her a
little mad. Now it just makes them laugh.
"I can quote it almost verbatim," said Mark, who teaches journalism at
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and played the message when he got
home that day. The woman, according to Mark, said she "just wanted to
let you know that we can't let you adopt the kitten on accounta your
last cat was eaten by a coyote."
They remember the wording, they both say, "on accounta" the fact it
sounded a little like something Beaver Cleaver would say.
Jill, who is the managing director of the Milwaukee office of Capital H
Group, says she received a second message at work that day that, she
says, was "even better."
That one, she says, repeated the fact they would not be getting a new
cat "on accounta you let the other one get eaten by a coyote," added
that they had been late with their distemper shots for Luna and went on
to note that Jill planned to have Oreo declawed.
"And," went the message the way Jill heard it, "if you're going to let
your cat go outside and mess with coyotes, it is really going to need
its claws."
Jill and Mark didn't call back because, well, I guess, what were they
supposed to say? I'm sorry we let Luna get eaten by a coyote? We'll do
our best not to let Oreo get eaten by a coyote as well?
Is there something you offer there that would help us - like maybe
classes in cat tae kwon do? Or - given the fact it's a coyote we're
talking about here - maybe brass knuckles?
The Ozaukee Humane Society faxed a statement late Monday confirming the
gist of the Zoromskis' story, and suggesting that it's best to avoid
declawing.
The Zoromskis wanted to declaw their cat even though it was going to be
"allowed outside in an area that would obviously put her at risk," the
statement said. And there was the issue of the late shots. Not that the
humane society isn't forgiving.
The woman who dealt with the Zoromskis is gone now, according to the
statement, and the organization would be more than willing to work with
them.
I don't think that's going to happen because the Zoromskis already got a
different cat from a different place.
But maybe they should call back and tell the humane society it's better
to be clawless than clueless.


Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

writes
I came across the following article and am disgusted beyond words. In
his stupidity and ignorance the author has done an incredible disservice
to humane societies and the animals up for adoption....residents of a fairly
rural part of Ozaukee County...had an adventuresome little cat named Luna....
during the summer months she liked to go outside... Luna, disoriented perhaps
by a thunderstorm, wandered off
one summer night and never returned.
..."We kind of speculate that she probably (was) eaten or harassed or
something by an animal because there are so many of them around here..."

Granted, the humane society volunteers had pronounced accents and weren't brain
surgeons, but they did the right thing. I don't know what on earth you're
thinking, but if there are "so many coyotes around" then the cats shouldn't be
outside for any reason. If these people were stupid enough to let the cat out
in the summer, did they call ahead to the coyote hotel to request that the
coyotes stay inside and watch movies for the summer? Perhaps, in that region,
there are a lot of morons and the humane society needs to prepare a lengthier
questionnaire so that idiots don't get cats. From your post, it appears you
feel it's better to let a cat out (with the coyotes nearby) and it's ok to
declaw the cat, too. I hope you were temporarily insane when you wrote that
and you came to your senses.

wrote in message
...
I came across the following article and am disgusted beyond words. In
his stupidity and ignorance the author has done an incredible disservice
to humane societies and the animals up for adoption. If you want to send
a few choice words his way he can be contacted at


From http://www.jsonline.com

Pet lovers find honesty is not always the best policy when seeking to
adopNov. 2, 2004
by Mike Nichols

Until about three months ago, Jill and Mark Zoromski - residents of a
fairly rural part of Ozaukee County well-acquainted with animals of all
stripes and colors - had an adventuresome little cat named Luna.
"Luna was a great cat for a lot of years and she used to be inside most
of the time but during the summer months she liked to go outside" and
wander around a little, said Jill.
Unfortunately, Luna, disoriented perhaps by a thunderstorm, wandered off
one summer night and never returned.
They did their best to find her. They had pictures, and they put up
signs and they waited and waited some more. But this sort of thing
happens in rural areas where it's nice to give animals a little freedom
once in a while, and they decided, after a couple months of missing her,
to move on.
Something that - when you are dealing with the Ozaukee Humane Society -
is not as easy as you might think.
Six weeks ago, Jill took a little niece with her to the society, spent
the morning sitting on the floor playing with various cats, and finally
decided a little one named Oreo was the one for them.
Little did they know, they say, the Ozaukee Humane Society has an
application you only wish the Department of Homeland Security would use.
One of the things the humane society asks is whether you've had other
animals - and what happened to them.
The Zoromskis do have other animals, actually.
They have a collie named Leo and an English setter named Gus. And since
there is a large wetland area behind their Town of Grafton house that
leads down to the Milwaukee River, they are also quite aware of raccoons
and coyotes and whatnot. And, of course, they used to have Luna and now
they don't.
Facts that might be related.
"We kind of speculate that she probably (was) eaten or harassed or
something by an animal because there are so many of them around here,"
said Jill.
So, being honest and having done nothing wrong other than letting her
cat occasionally enjoy a little fresh air, she wrote it down; mentioning
there really are coyotes around.
Colossal mistake.
On Monday, Oct. 11, a woman from the humane society left a message on
their answering machine. At first, Jill says, it actually made her a
little mad. Now it just makes them laugh.
"I can quote it almost verbatim," said Mark, who teaches journalism at
the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and played the message when he got
home that day. The woman, according to Mark, said she "just wanted to
let you know that we can't let you adopt the kitten on accounta your
last cat was eaten by a coyote."
They remember the wording, they both say, "on accounta" the fact it
sounded a little like something Beaver Cleaver would say.
Jill, who is the managing director of the Milwaukee office of Capital H
Group, says she received a second message at work that day that, she
says, was "even better."
That one, she says, repeated the fact they would not be getting a new
cat "on accounta you let the other one get eaten by a coyote," added
that they had been late with their distemper shots for Luna and went on
to note that Jill planned to have Oreo declawed.
"And," went the message the way Jill heard it, "if you're going to let
your cat go outside and mess with coyotes, it is really going to need
its claws."
Jill and Mark didn't call back because, well, I guess, what were they
supposed to say? I'm sorry we let Luna get eaten by a coyote? We'll do
our best not to let Oreo get eaten by a coyote as well?
Is there something you offer there that would help us - like maybe
classes in cat tae kwon do? Or - given the fact it's a coyote we're
talking about here - maybe brass knuckles?
The Ozaukee Humane Society faxed a statement late Monday confirming the
gist of the Zoromskis' story, and suggesting that it's best to avoid
declawing.
The Zoromskis wanted to declaw their cat even though it was going to be
"allowed outside in an area that would obviously put her at risk," the
statement said. And there was the issue of the late shots. Not that the
humane society isn't forgiving.
The woman who dealt with the Zoromskis is gone now, according to the
statement, and the organization would be more than willing to work with
them.
I don't think that's going to happen because the Zoromskis already got a
different cat from a different place.
But maybe they should call back and tell the humane society it's better
to be clawless than clueless.


Megan



I am glad the Zoromski's didn't get a cat there, even though they got one
anyways.
The dont sound like they can offer a good safe home or even basic good
ownership to a cat.

wrote in message
...
I came across the following article and am disgusted beyond words. In
his stupidity and ignorance the author has done an incredible disservice
to humane societies and the animals up for adoption. If you want to send
a few choice words his way he can be contacted at


From http://www.jsonline.com

Pet lovers find honesty is not always the best policy when seeking to
adopNov. 2, 2004
by Mike Nichols
snip article by complete idiot

I absolutely would not have adopted to those people!! That adoption
counselor did the right thing. They let their previous cat out, in an area
known to have predators, AND they wanted to have the new cat declawed?? And
how snarky to make fun of the person's accent? The rescue's only mistake,
IMHO, was not screening before they let her see the cats. That's what we do
so someone doesn't fall in love with a cat and then get all mad when they
can't get it. Although it is difficult to do this on Open House days.
Anyway, I'll be sending this jerkwad a letter.

--
-Kelly
kelly at farringtons dot net
www.kelltek.com
Check out www.snittens.com

Luvskats, who quoted my words, then included words from a newspaper
article and attributed them to me, wrote:

From your post, it appears you feel it's
better to let a cat out (with the coyotes
nearby) and it's ok to declaw the cat, too.

Hello? My "post" included an article WRITTEN BY SOMEONE ELSE. Sheesh,
learn to freakin' read. And while you're at it check out the link in my
sigline that's ANTI declawing.

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

There are so many issues with that article that disturb me it's hard to
separate them all. Besides the obvious ones, this idiot has set back the
efforts of the Humane Society, and all they represent by 20 years. HS's depend
on the media to be their best ally. Our reputation in the community, our
credibility is everything if we are to depend on the generosity of donors to
survive and help us home animals. Ridiculing the shelter and staff was a poor
attempt at journalistic "humor" and likely succeeded in damaging public opinion
of the shelter at least to the uninformed public. The hard-core animal lovers
can spot him (and the adoptors) as a complete idiot right away.
I'm amazed that article made it past the editor and actually *ran*. Since it
did, that's a ****-poor excuse of a "community newspaper" if it lets some idiot
moron reporter tear down the efforts of a community program like that. Rant
over. Except I need to go back to that website and find the address for a
letter to the editor. Somehow an e-mail that goes directly to the reporter
isn't enough. I want somebody else to see it.
Sherry

"Angela St.Aubin" wrote:

I am glad the Zoromski's didn't get a cat there, even though they got one
anyways.
The dont sound like they can offer a good safe home or even basic good
ownership to a cat.

Even worse than this clueless family is the attitude of the author of
the article. That guy is indeed worthy of a mass outpouring of vitriol
from cat lovers :-)

-mhd

From your post, it appears you
feel it's better to let a cat out (with the coyotes nearby) and it's ok to
declaw the cat, too. I hope you were temporarily insane when you wrote that
and you came to your senses.

You are crazy!!!! What Megan clearly said was that the article was doing the
humane society a disservice and that we should protest the article. Of course,
the humane society was correct, originally. And, please, you've been on this
ng for years and I can't believe you would even think Megan would support
declawing. Don't you read posts and get a feel for what other regular posters
are posting? Or is everyday a new day for you on here and you have no
recollection of anyone's posting history because you are so wrapped up in
yourself? Sheesh. The writer of the article and the people wanting to adopt
are the morons, not the humane society...except for the fact that it sounds as
though they were willing to back down and offer these people a cat after all.
I hope the poor kitty they got fares better than Luna. Learn some reading
comprehension and ability to recall previous posting histories.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

Plus didn't it say the adopting man was a journalism professor? It sounds as
though the reporter is sucking up to him. He's probably a student that is
trying to pass the dimwit's class instead of a "real" reporter. At least
that's the possibility I mentioned to him in the scathing email I wrote him.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

wrote in message
...
I came across the following article and am disgusted beyond words. In
his stupidity and ignorance the author has done an incredible disservice
to humane societies and the animals up for adoption. If you want to send
a few choice words his way he can be contacted at


From http://www.jsonline.com

Pet lovers find honesty is not always the best policy when seeking to
adopNov. 2, 2004
by Mike Nichols

snipped...quotations included below

Megan



"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do
nothing."

-Edmund Burke

Learn The TRUTH About Declawing
http://www.stopdeclaw.com

Zuzu's Cats Photo Album:
http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22

"Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one
elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and
splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then
providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and
material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his
way."

- W.H. Murray

Unbelievable! I'm not sure who is worse, the cat "owners" or the author of
that article. These people declawed their first cat, then left it outdoors
in an area known to have coyotes -- yet they think they should be able to
adopt another cat. Then, the author of the article ends with a statement
that says "But maybe they should call back and tell the humane society it's
better to be clawless than clueless." He seems to think the Humane Society
should have been delighted to give them another cat to declaw and set
outdoors, as seen in this statement: "So, being honest and having done
nothing wrong other than letting her cat occasionally enjoy a little fresh
air, she wrote it down; mentioning
there really are coyotes around." Their cat not only "enjoyed a little
fresh air"; it appears that the coyotes (or other animals) may have "enjoyed
a little cat." Even the owners assume that the cat was killed: "'We kind
of speculate that she probably (was) eaten or harassed or something by an
animal because there are so many of them around here,'
said Jill." None of these people seem to recognize any type of
responsibility for the welfare of these poor cats. Jill's sarcastic
reaction to the Humane Society (in addition to making fun of the speaker's
accent) was: "Is there something you offer there that would help us - like
maybe classes in cat tae kwon do? Or - given the fact it's a coyote we're
talking about here - maybe brass knuckles?" Well, I for one, could offer a
couple of other options: (1) Don't declaw the cat; and (2) Don't leave a
cat roam outdoors in this environment, expecially after you have already
lost one cat and know the dangers first-hand.

**I wonder what these people use for brains.**

I'm planning to send e-mail to the author. Thanks for including addy.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")