Nikolai Finds a Home

Homeless and/or abused animals never fail to tug my heart strings. If I could adopt them all, I would, but then B would have a conniption fit and that wouldn't be good at all. Anywho, in the past I've satisfied this desire to save them all by adopting the kitties we do have, volunteering at the shelter and making regular donations to the ASPCA. It makes me so angry to think of people abandoning or harming these innocent animals for whatever stupid reasons they think they have. BUT, when I read stories like this one from blogger Sars at TomatoNation.com, my faith in the good of humanity is temporarily renewed, and I find myself nearly moved to tears by the generosity of the readers of her blog. (Make sure you read the comments in the linked entry above to understand where I'm coming from.)

Long story short, Sars came across an elderly kitty that some idiot had the audacity to abandon in a carrier on the streets of Sars's neighborhood. She took him to the vet, got him checked out and is currently fostering him in her home along with her two resident cats. She wrote about her experience and asked if any of her readers were willing to take him in. Turns out there is a reader in Chicago who wants him, but Sars is in NYC. Would you believe her readers are banding together to form a kitty railroad to get this cat to his soon-to-be new owner in Chicago? AND people are chipping in gas money, kitty litter, vet money, cat food, toys and more to help the new owner get started in her relationship with this cat!

I think this kind of generosity is simply awe inspiring. And by the way, her readers have raised over $75,000 in the last 20 days to help teachers supply their classrooms/projects. Over 10,000 students have been reached thanks to donations. That's just....amazing.

So please, those of you with pets, go give them a hug or a scritch or a couple of treats. Make sure they know they're loved. :)