Transcripts
Today we're joined by Vicky Davison from Kindred Tails Sanctuary,
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a passionate advocate for animals and
the heart behind a rescue dedicated
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to giving animals a safe place to
land, heal, and find loving homes.
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We'll be talking rescue, compassion,
and the incredible stories that come
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with saving lives one animal at a time.
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Hi, Vicky.
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Welcome to the show.
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Vicki: Thank you so much.
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Dixie: I am interested in hearing
all about your sanctuary and rescue.
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So before we get started, why don't you
just tell me a little bit about yourself?
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Vicki: About me is I obviously love
animals, and I've always wanted a
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lot of animals when I was growing up.
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I actually wanted to be a veterinarian,
but instead I went to nursing school.
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So back when I wanted to
go to veterinarian school,
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It's not like being a veterinarian
today, as far as dogs that bite or,
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and not being able to be controlled
away from their human parents.
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So I chose to go toward the human side.
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But as soon as we found our place that we
have now, I knew exactly what was gonna
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happen and it started with two feral cats.
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That's all it took, was two
feral cats looking hungry.
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Dixie: Tell me about the place that you
have and I guess when you got your place,
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was this the intention for it or did you
just happen to go in another direction?
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Vicki: When…
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It kinda happened to go in that direction
because like I said, it started with
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two feral cats that we were feeding
and and then it's like they went and
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passed out a memo, to neighboring feral
cats, and before we knew it, there
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was a lot of them on the property.
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And we took them in to get them spayed
and neutered, and some of them were
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very friendly and I'm like, "It's, it's
too bad we couldn't find them a home."
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So then I just, I started looking
into what it would take to become a
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501[c][3] nonprofit and also getting
my license through the Department of
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Agriculture for a shelter license.
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What is your property like?
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Do you have like acreage?
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Is it in the country?
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It is in the country.
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We have five acres.
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Currently on our property
roaming the property, which
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is our sanctuary, is 40 cats.
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And then .. someone
surrendered three goats to us.
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Two of them were pregnant.
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Now we have nine goats.
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We have chickens, we have livestock
guardian dogs, and then of course we
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have eight rescue dogs on the property.
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Dixie: That's awesome.
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I did a similar thing.
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I would like to ask you too
about your setup for your cats,
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because we have country property.
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We purchased the property.
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It's a lot of acreage.
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And I always wanted to have
an animal sanctuary too.
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We found this piece of property.
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It was perfect.
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It's in the country.
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It's in a very rural
area here in Louisiana.
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And we've got a lot of work to
do still to put it all together,
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but . it's in the works.
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It's in the beginning stages,
but we're working towards that.
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What is the setup do you, that you
use for the cats roaming your property
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to keep them safe from predators
like coyotes and stuff like that?
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Vicki: With feral cats,
you can't really…
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unless you fence in, which
a cat can climb a fence.
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We tried putting them in a
catio, and they did not like it.
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So the one thing about feral cats, they
usually have colonies, and it's better
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to just leave them alone, let them go
about their business on the property.
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We do put out places for them to sleep.
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So if you're gonna do that, I would
put them kinda high up, and that
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helps keep them off the ground and
not so accessible to a predator.
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But most of our feral cats
will lay on our porch.
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We have some that are just letting
us start touching them, 'cause
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it's "Look, you either let me
touch you or you don't get fed."
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But I love it just to see
the cats walking around.
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We've not had a problem in four years
with any of our feral cats disappearing
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Dixie: That's great.
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Yeah, and it's funny, like you said,
how you had the two feral cats show
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up, and it just started it for you
because the first time that we went
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out to our property after we got it, I
went and got some game cameras 'cause
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I'm from the city I'm hoping to catch
some deer and raccoons and possums
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and all kinds of wildlife on camera.
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And, the first creature that
I caught on camera was a cat.
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Vicki: Aw.
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Dixie: And I'm like, "Go figure," we're
out in the middle of nowhere 'cause I
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think the closest neighbor is about a
half a mile away, and I'm like, "Here's
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a cat showing up on our property," right?
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Vicki: Yeah.
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There's a sign.
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What's really cool, too, is some
nights when we put out the cat food
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for the feral cats if it's kinda
getting dark, we can look out our
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window, and there will be a possum
sitting right next to the cat eating
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Dixie: Yeah, they seem to all
get along with each other.
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I know that'll happen even out
in the city, 'cause we do get
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a lot of possums in the city.
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And, people say that the cats are
such predators, but you'll see them
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sitting next to possums eating.
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Sometimes you'll even see them
with a raccoon eating, and they all
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seem to get along with each other
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Vicki: Yeah, I think they have an
understanding between each other,
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and now I do know that a possum and
a raccoon will go after a kitten, but
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they won't bother a full-grown cat.
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But yeah, it's nice to watch, and then
we have, I think it's a 10 by 20 building
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that we enclosed and put a pet door, and
it goes out into a catio, and that's what
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we've done with some of the tamer cats so
that we can keep them safe and healthy.
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Because with the feral cats, we were
able to set the live traps to catch
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them, but you can't approach them
to do flea treatments or anything,
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so that makes it harder on them, and
that's the only thing I wish I could
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figure out a system on how to do
that, because fleas are bad this year.
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Really bad.
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Dixie: When the feral cats showed up
and you trapped them for the TNR has
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your colony stabilized after that?
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Or do you grow your colony by
helping people that need to find
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a home for their feral cats?
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Or do you have any more
feral cats showing up?
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Vicki: We do have some that show up
but they don't stay on the property.
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It's just like they're passing
by and grabbing a bite to eat.
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And some people, when they surrender
their cats to us, after we evaluate
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the cat and see, how the cat is or
whatever, it may not be 100% feral,
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but that feral instinct is still in the
cat, so they go out in the building.
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And we can work with them better and
get them used to being around humans
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and, it seems to work that way.
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But that's-- When I take a surrendered
cat, if , an adoptable one, I'm very
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picky about where they go, and my
thought process, if they don't get
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adopted, they can stay on the sanctuary.
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I don't care, i'd like to find them
a home, of course, to where they can
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have their own home and humans to
bond with, but and we've got so many
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cats that are just so lovable and
I'm like, "Why are y'all still here?"
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Dixie: Yeah.
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It's crazy that people
overlook a nice adult cat.
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Everybody goes after the kittens
and I do kitten rescue, I do bottle
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babies, and kittens are cute.
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I'll admit kittens are cute, but
kittens are so messy, and it's like-
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Yeah … and I tell people this all
the time, you never know what that
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kitten is gonna grow up to be like.
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It doesn't matter like how you raise them.
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They could be the sweetest kitten and then
they grow up to be a very aloof adult.
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Or it might be a kitten that has
nothing to do with you and then when
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they reach six months old, all they
wanna do is sit in your lap now.
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And I always tell people when you--
if you know what you want in a pet
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or in a cat, pick an adult because
you know what their personality is.
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There's so many of them that are so great.
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They're so easy to integrate into
your house, provided of course
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that you do it the right way.
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You don't wanna just throw them
in the middle of your house and
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say, "Here's your new home."
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But if you integrate them in and acclimate
them to it, they just settle in nicely
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and you have a really wonderful pet.
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They do.
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Vicki: And I do the neonatal kittens.
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I think we've got like two of
our incubators full right now.
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And it's just people bring in kittens.
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They're telling me they found them on
the side of the road and I said you
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have to go through animal control.
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We can't take in strays."
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And then they finally tell the truth.
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My cat had kittens and I
can't deal with kittens."
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I'm like technically your mama cat
would be dealing with the kitten and
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that's the best place for your kitten
to be is with mama," but then when we
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go to look at the kitten, they're just
covered in fleas and it's like, how
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long has this kitten been like this?
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And they're like, "Oh, about a week."
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I'm like, "It can take 10 fleas
to take out a kitten this young,
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from anemia and they would crash."
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And that's the side that people don't
realize as a rescuer that, that when
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we take in these bottle babies, yes,
they are cute, yes, it's fun feeding
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them, but that doesn't mean that
they're gonna be tame their whole life.
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It doesn't mean they're instantly
gonna bond to any human either.
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And that's what a lot of people don't
understand is and you said it it's get
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the adult cat because they've already went
through all of the other stuff and the
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way they are now is pretty much the way
they're gonna be the rest of their life.
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Dixie: Yeah.
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And I, I just wish people would
consider that, but it's hard to
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really reach people about that.
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And it's funny because people, when they
go looking for a dog, they will gravitate
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towards a dog, not necessarily a puppy.
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But when it comes to a cat, it
seems, the majority of people
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just wanna have a kitten.
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Vicki: Yeah.
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I can see both sides of it, but then,
with being in rescue, nine times out of
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10, in about six to seven months, they're
gonna wanna bring that kitten back,
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because they didn't really listen to you.
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There, there is the newborn, there is the
toddler, there is the teenager, and then
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there's the adult, as far as in cats.
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And the toddler and the teenage
phase that cats go through, that's
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when they usually bring them back.
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It's "I didn't realize they were
gonna be climbing my curtains."
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They'll climb a lot of stuff.
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So I still have my very first
bottle baby Stormy, and I will
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never put Stormy up for adoption.
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Because I know how Stormy is.
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Stormy was the cute, cuddly
kitten that all he wanted to do
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was lay on me drink a bottle.
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He didn't like to see
other kittens drinking.
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And when I go in there into the
kitten room, and he's in there,
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he'll come up, and if I'm looking
at something else, he'll take his
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paw and push my face to look at him.
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And I'm like, "Stingy much?"
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But other people that come in
there, he is very skittish.
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Even though he's been around
humans his whole entire life,
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but he's still skittish.
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And that just goes back to what you said.
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It, they can change.
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Their, not only can their personalities
change, but their hair length, the
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hair color, and most people, when
they see kittens, they have blue eyes.
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Guess what?
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Their eyes aren't gonna stay blue.
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Dixie: Yeah, that's my
favorite, the blue eyes.
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And I'm like, "Oh, those
eyes aren't gonna stay blue."
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"Oh, no, they're gonna stay blue."
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And it's "Yeah, you can tell me that
in a few more weeks, and we'll see
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what color their eyes are then."
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Vicki: Yeah, they don't stay blue at all.
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Dixie: Now, surprisingly- I just
got some orange kittens in, and-
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Oh, wow … I have been waiting
and waiting for the eyes to change.
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They're eight weeks old now.
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So one of them, her eyes are green,
so she's orange, green eyes, and
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then I have a buff, blue eyes,
and I have a orange and blue eyes.
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So that's their natural color and which
is very odd 'cause I've never seen an
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orange cat with the blue eyes like that.
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Vicki: That kind of tells me there
might be some Siamese in that cat.
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Dixie: Yeah, I was thinking
the same thing, especially the
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little buff one 'cause he just
has that little Siamese attitude.
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Vicki: Yeah.
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No, we have a solid black cat.
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We call her Sabrina, and she has the
prettiest, almost neon green eyes on a
224
00:13:12,366 --> 00:13:18,406
cat, but I've never seen that color on
a cat before, and it's just her eyes.
225
00:13:18,806 --> 00:13:19,906
And she's a good cat.
226
00:13:20,006 --> 00:13:24,866
There's this huge thing going
around about shelters and humane
227
00:13:24,906 --> 00:13:26,666
societies wanting to be a no-kill.
228
00:13:27,346 --> 00:13:30,706
And which is fine, but before
you can get to a no-kill, we
229
00:13:30,746 --> 00:13:32,046
need to start with no birth.
230
00:13:33,526 --> 00:13:38,436
Because these people, they're not
having their animals spayed and
231
00:13:38,466 --> 00:13:41,506
neutered, and they come to the rescues.
232
00:13:42,786 --> 00:13:43,546
People are smart.
233
00:13:43,586 --> 00:13:47,066
They know not to take them to animal
control or humane society because they
234
00:13:47,106 --> 00:13:48,906
will more than likely just euthanize them.
235
00:13:49,846 --> 00:13:52,266
So they bring them to rescues,
and we're overcrowded.
236
00:13:52,586 --> 00:13:54,006
We're not funded by anybody.
237
00:13:54,106 --> 00:13:58,886
Like animal s- animal control and humane
society, we're not funded by anybody.
238
00:13:59,826 --> 00:14:02,966
And I don't know about you, but a
lot of our, the rescues that I'm in
239
00:14:03,046 --> 00:14:06,186
touch with, a lot of this money is
coming out of our personal pocket.
240
00:14:07,626 --> 00:14:08,386
Dixie: Yeah, absolutely.
241
00:14:08,476 --> 00:14:09,616
Absolutely.
242
00:14:09,636 --> 00:14:12,836
And I've been seeing this, the trend
too, like you said, with the people that
243
00:14:12,926 --> 00:14:18,026
, they'll get the kittens, and then they
wait until they're reproductive age and
244
00:14:18,126 --> 00:14:22,606
causing a whole bunch of problems because
they're not spayed or neutered, and that's
245
00:14:22,626 --> 00:14:24,566
when they wanna find a home for them.
246
00:14:24,666 --> 00:14:27,776
And- … and right now, I
have room at my rescue at our
247
00:14:27,816 --> 00:14:29,576
adoption center for some adults.
248
00:14:30,436 --> 00:14:34,016
And so I had somebody contact me
today 'cause they have two of them,
249
00:14:34,336 --> 00:14:35,776
but they're not spayed or neutered.
250
00:14:36,436 --> 00:14:40,836
And I'm like, by the time I can get
them spayed or neutered and have
251
00:14:40,896 --> 00:14:45,336
them, healed enough in time to be at
the adoption center, all my kittens
252
00:14:45,376 --> 00:14:46,716
that I have are gonna be ready."
253
00:14:47,196 --> 00:14:50,406
I have room now, but I don't
have room next week, and I'm
254
00:14:50,446 --> 00:14:51,586
sure you understand that.
255
00:14:52,466 --> 00:14:52,856
Vicki: Oh, yeah.
256
00:14:54,326 --> 00:14:58,786
Yeah, we are currently closed for intake
because, like I said, we've got two
257
00:14:58,846 --> 00:15:07,865
incubators we've got the kitten room, and
and my adult room is full I I even have
258
00:15:08,025 --> 00:15:10,786
some kennels set up in my living room.
259
00:15:10,895 --> 00:15:14,235
Me and my husband at this point, we
just pay the bills and sleep here.
260
00:15:14,615 --> 00:15:17,695
We no longer occupy the
house, the animals do.
261
00:15:18,474 --> 00:15:21,134
It's just, he knows
how I am about animals.
262
00:15:21,224 --> 00:15:25,333
He travels for a living, so he's
come home to chickens in the house.
263
00:15:25,353 --> 00:15:26,233
They wear diapers.
264
00:15:27,033 --> 00:15:32,192
But because they aren't mixing in with
the flocks that we have, and most chickens
265
00:15:32,252 --> 00:15:36,192
don't like white chickens that are of
different colors, and Autumn happens
266
00:15:36,232 --> 00:15:38,132
to be white, so she gets bullied a lot.
267
00:15:38,372 --> 00:15:43,411
I've got a piglet that walks around
in the house with a diaper on
268
00:15:43,491 --> 00:15:45,151
until he gets ready to go outside.
269
00:15:45,991 --> 00:15:49,221
My concern is he doesn't know he's a
piglet anymore because he's hanging out
270
00:15:49,262 --> 00:15:51,602
with four, or with two of our kittens.
271
00:15:51,922 --> 00:15:52,982
And they're fine.
272
00:15:53,023 --> 00:15:57,623
It's really sad because, what's
going on right now, we cannot rescue
273
00:15:57,702 --> 00:16:00,062
our way out of overpopulation.
274
00:16:00,102 --> 00:16:00,723
We can't.
275
00:16:02,282 --> 00:16:06,262
And at some point, commissioners,
governors, and they're gonna
276
00:16:06,322 --> 00:16:07,342
have to understand that.
277
00:16:07,403 --> 00:16:11,602
Department of Agriculture in Georgia
will not let you get one of their spay
278
00:16:11,642 --> 00:16:17,067
and neuter grants until you've held a
license for one year you're putting a
279
00:16:17,127 --> 00:16:21,687
whole year gap, to where I'm getting
all these animals in and I'm sitting
280
00:16:21,737 --> 00:16:24,677
on $3,500 worth of vet bills right now.
281
00:16:25,797 --> 00:16:28,237
And it's like they don't
consider these cats feral.
282
00:16:28,297 --> 00:16:31,897
They consider them abandoned, and
I'm like, "They're not abandoned.
283
00:16:32,497 --> 00:16:33,797
They're feral cats."
284
00:16:35,597 --> 00:16:36,617
So it's hard.
285
00:16:36,697 --> 00:16:38,537
It's just hard all the way around.
286
00:16:38,637 --> 00:16:41,537
But, I'm not gonna give up
on them, that's for sure.
287
00:16:43,497 --> 00:16:44,277
Dixie: Yeah, it is.
288
00:16:44,317 --> 00:16:45,077
It definitely is.
289
00:16:45,137 --> 00:16:49,977
Now, in your area, what do you think is
the reason for the lack of spay/neuter?
290
00:16:50,117 --> 00:16:54,457
What do you think is causing people to
not go out and get spay and neuter done?
291
00:16:55,777 --> 00:16:57,216
Vicki: We do not have a local vet.
292
00:16:57,777 --> 00:17:03,536
They either have to drive 45 minutes
to an hour to have to have the cats
293
00:17:03,587 --> 00:17:06,196
spayed or neutered, and the cost of it.
294
00:17:07,797 --> 00:17:13,617
Because we have one place in
Statesboro that already does it at
295
00:17:13,717 --> 00:17:20,067
a really good price for feral cats
that have to be brought in traps.
296
00:17:20,146 --> 00:17:23,696
I think you can get like the
full package deal where they get
297
00:17:23,787 --> 00:17:28,426
spayed/neutered, they get their rabies,
and they get the feline for the upper
298
00:17:28,487 --> 00:17:32,107
respiratory and AIDS for 85 bucks.
299
00:17:33,447 --> 00:17:38,127
And some of the people in this area don't
have the 85 bucks, much less don't want
300
00:17:38,187 --> 00:17:42,267
to make that drive there, 'cause you
have to drop them off and then go back
301
00:17:42,327 --> 00:17:44,687
later about 3:30, 4:00 to pick them up.
302
00:17:46,527 --> 00:17:53,487
So that's one of the biggest problems
here is just not having a local vet
303
00:17:53,607 --> 00:17:56,027
and the community not having the money.
304
00:17:56,547 --> 00:18:00,557
Now they're quick to build the population,
and I've always said there's more cats
305
00:18:00,577 --> 00:18:02,797
in Screven County than there are humans.
306
00:18:03,517 --> 00:18:06,457
I've never been in a county
where there's many stray cats.
307
00:18:07,797 --> 00:18:11,597
But again, we can't rescue
our way out of overpopulation.
308
00:18:11,697 --> 00:18:13,258
Something's gonna have to be done.
309
00:18:15,517 --> 00:18:20,637
Dixie: Yeah, and in my area, we have
some really good low-cost programs.
310
00:18:20,757 --> 00:18:21,737
Very low cost.
311
00:18:23,317 --> 00:18:26,737
And we still can't get
people on board here.
312
00:18:27,277 --> 00:18:29,817
We don't have counties here in
Louisiana, we have parishes.
313
00:18:29,867 --> 00:18:34,068
The parish that I'm in Jefferson
Parish, it's actually free to
314
00:18:34,128 --> 00:18:37,444
go get a feral cat fixed Wow.
315
00:18:37,704 --> 00:18:37,944
Yeah.
316
00:18:38,104 --> 00:18:43,174
And then when you talk about Orleans,
where New Orleans is and Jefferson Parish,
317
00:18:43,354 --> 00:18:47,934
we have both really low cost to go get
a spay/neuter done for an owned cat.
318
00:18:48,574 --> 00:18:52,654
And we still have a difficult time
getting people on board with it.
319
00:18:53,054 --> 00:18:56,434
And I don't know what the issue is there.
320
00:18:56,534 --> 00:18:59,424
I know, I always get the word out.
321
00:18:59,464 --> 00:19:03,924
Whenever I talk to somebody, whether
I'm at an adoption event or a market
322
00:19:04,524 --> 00:19:07,344
and they bring up their animals,
the first question I always ask is,
323
00:19:07,374 --> 00:19:10,264
"Okay, are they spayed and neutered,
and what city do you live in?
324
00:19:10,324 --> 00:19:13,024
Because if they're not, I'm gonna tell
you where you have to go to get it done."
325
00:19:15,084 --> 00:19:18,084
And it's sad because some
people are receptive to it
326
00:19:18,164 --> 00:19:19,784
and just other people are not.
327
00:19:19,884 --> 00:19:26,124
So we have the access to it here, but it's
like you still can't get people on board.
328
00:19:26,364 --> 00:19:27,434
So , it's a struggle.
329
00:19:29,074 --> 00:19:30,094
Vicki: It is a struggle.
330
00:19:30,254 --> 00:19:33,934
And even if it's the only animal in
your home and they don't go outside,
331
00:19:33,994 --> 00:19:39,794
there's health issues that come with
a cat or a female dog going through
332
00:19:39,894 --> 00:19:42,174
a heat cycle and nothing happening.
333
00:19:42,224 --> 00:19:43,664
And they don't go through menopause.
334
00:19:44,244 --> 00:19:47,054
Like they will have babies
up until the day they die.
335
00:19:47,144 --> 00:19:50,864
When we done an event, we
took, plastic kitten figurines.
336
00:19:51,244 --> 00:19:53,324
We got like 200 of them off of Temu.
337
00:19:54,864 --> 00:19:59,564
And every time somebody walked up, we
would give them a kitten, and we would
338
00:19:59,604 --> 00:20:04,964
explain to them about spay and neuter and
why it was so important and what one cat
339
00:20:05,004 --> 00:20:07,404
could do the the first year of their life.
340
00:20:07,584 --> 00:20:10,044
Because they can get pregnant
as early as four months.
341
00:20:11,084 --> 00:20:14,424
And they don't know what to do at four
months if they're gonna get pregnant.
342
00:20:14,484 --> 00:20:15,924
It's like I wouldn't know what to do.
343
00:20:17,084 --> 00:20:22,284
So we gave out all but
25 of our cat figurines.
344
00:20:22,334 --> 00:20:24,294
That's how many people
we were able to talk to.
345
00:20:24,354 --> 00:20:26,364
Now, did it go in one
ear and out the other?
346
00:20:26,534 --> 00:20:26,974
Probably.
347
00:20:28,034 --> 00:20:31,394
I don't know why people are so against
spaying and neuter-neutering their
348
00:20:31,454 --> 00:20:35,224
animal, but there is absolutely no
medical reason why they need to stay
349
00:20:35,264 --> 00:20:41,464
intact and have reproductive organs
if they're just your house cat.
350
00:20:41,504 --> 00:20:42,804
There's just no sense in it.
351
00:20:43,904 --> 00:20:46,804
One person was gonna go have their
cat neutered and they said , 'cause
352
00:20:46,864 --> 00:20:48,244
I'm tired of it spraying."
353
00:20:48,284 --> 00:20:51,044
Neutering is not gonna keep
your cat from spraying.
354
00:20:51,084 --> 00:20:52,604
They also spray from stress.
355
00:20:52,964 --> 00:20:57,144
So you know, you're not gonna stop that.
356
00:20:57,244 --> 00:20:58,264
So I don't know.
357
00:20:58,364 --> 00:21:01,605
What I'm trying to put together is kinda
I don't know how about when you grew
358
00:21:01,764 --> 00:21:05,844
up, there used to be a bus that come
around to try and encourage kids to ride
359
00:21:05,884 --> 00:21:10,063
the bus to church, and so I'm trying to
come up with a way that we can do that.
360
00:21:10,103 --> 00:21:15,023
I've got someone working on a grant
for me to get a transport vehicle.
361
00:21:16,143 --> 00:21:20,563
And if they want their cat spayed
or neutered, we will come pick
362
00:21:20,603 --> 00:21:24,163
the cat up, we will take the cat,
and we will bring the cat back.
363
00:21:24,263 --> 00:21:28,083
So that eliminates that part of
it, the transportation part of it.
364
00:21:28,923 --> 00:21:34,263
And we've got a connection with
a vet in North Carolina that if I
365
00:21:34,324 --> 00:21:39,464
bring in 30 cats, they would get
all of their necessary vaccines,
366
00:21:39,563 --> 00:21:41,543
rabies, plus be spayed or neutered.
367
00:21:42,183 --> 00:21:43,324
And 30 cats are…
368
00:21:43,443 --> 00:21:48,323
It's only gonna cost me $2,500 for
30 cats, and that's pretty good.
369
00:21:50,144 --> 00:21:54,525
So that's what I'm working on, 'cause
I'm thinking 30 cats to begin with.
370
00:21:54,565 --> 00:21:57,245
If it goes good, then
I do another 30 cats.
371
00:21:57,905 --> 00:22:02,205
Because between March and
October is kitten season
372
00:22:04,346 --> 00:22:06,386
Dixie: Yeah, that would
definitely help put a dent in it.
373
00:22:06,426 --> 00:22:07,886
30 cats, that's a good bit.
374
00:22:08,986 --> 00:22:10,546
Vicki: Yeah, that is a good bit.
375
00:22:11,026 --> 00:22:14,746
And a lot of people, they're,
hear lately their excuse is
376
00:22:14,796 --> 00:22:16,136
the cat's already pregnant."
377
00:22:16,476 --> 00:22:17,856
It still needs to go get spayed.
378
00:22:19,576 --> 00:22:19,676
Yes.
379
00:22:19,716 --> 00:22:21,556
Why, the people are so against that.
380
00:22:21,596 --> 00:22:24,746
They think it's so cruel to spay,
abort, and I'm like, "But why?
381
00:22:25,196 --> 00:22:28,976
What are you gonna do with the six,
eight kittens that cat might have?"
382
00:22:30,376 --> 00:22:31,296
What are you gonna do with them?
383
00:22:31,356 --> 00:22:33,196
They're gonna end up in rescue.
384
00:22:33,676 --> 00:22:37,736
They're gonna end up outside
and turn into a feral cat.
385
00:22:37,836 --> 00:22:42,016
So now is the time to
have your cat spayed.
386
00:22:42,736 --> 00:22:48,416
Dixie: Yeah and another thing with that
is the people that do that and they don't
387
00:22:48,436 --> 00:22:54,656
wanna have these litters of kittens,
they have these litters of kittens, and
388
00:22:54,746 --> 00:22:56,476
they wanna get rid of them right away.
389
00:22:56,536 --> 00:23:01,336
So they'll look for a rescue to
take them, but, rescues are swamped.
390
00:23:01,376 --> 00:23:02,496
We're all full.
391
00:23:02,576 --> 00:23:06,917
Once kitten- … season starts running
in, coming in, y- you don't have room.
392
00:23:06,957 --> 00:23:09,097
You have to go find a foster.
393
00:23:09,157 --> 00:23:11,527
And finding a foster takes a while.
394
00:23:11,607 --> 00:23:13,857
You don't just find a
foster in a few hours.
395
00:23:14,397 --> 00:23:16,497
Sometimes it takes a few
weeks to find a foster.
396
00:23:17,037 --> 00:23:18,357
So you try to help people out.
397
00:23:18,417 --> 00:23:21,367
You try to tell them look,
you take care of them.
398
00:23:22,067 --> 00:23:26,027
When the kittens are big enough, then
we can go ahead and try to get the
399
00:23:26,067 --> 00:23:30,687
kittens spayed and neutered, and then
try to help you place them, but at
400
00:23:30,727 --> 00:23:32,067
least they'll be spayed or neutered."
401
00:23:32,647 --> 00:23:35,387
But they don't wanna even
wait, and it's like you're
402
00:23:35,687 --> 00:23:37,247
irresponsible with your animals.
403
00:23:37,487 --> 00:23:39,187
You let your animals reproduce.
404
00:23:39,247 --> 00:23:40,407
Your animals get pregnant.
405
00:23:40,507 --> 00:23:41,847
They have kittens.
406
00:23:41,927 --> 00:23:44,727
Now you wanna give them away,
and you don't wanna wait.
407
00:23:45,207 --> 00:23:48,187
So what they'll do is they'll just go
find random people to give them to.
408
00:23:49,167 --> 00:23:53,167
And- … you're lucky if the kittens
don't end up in a bad situation,
409
00:23:53,217 --> 00:23:55,757
'cause there's plenty of bad
situations that they can end up in.
410
00:23:56,397 --> 00:24:00,437
But- Yeah … if they do go to a home
with somebody that actually wants a
411
00:24:00,477 --> 00:24:04,497
kitten and is gonna take care of them,
it's the same situation and the same
412
00:24:04,577 --> 00:24:08,317
cycle over because if they don't get
that kitten fixed by the time it's four
413
00:24:08,357 --> 00:24:10,217
months old, it's reproducing again.
414
00:24:10,777 --> 00:24:12,627
And so then it just never ends.
415
00:24:13,207 --> 00:24:17,547
And I just really wish that people
would be, receptive to that because
416
00:24:17,607 --> 00:24:20,747
it's like that's the offer I always try
to make them when I don't have room.
417
00:24:21,227 --> 00:24:23,887
Just hold onto them until
they're eight to 10 weeks old.
418
00:24:23,927 --> 00:24:26,327
When they're two pounds, we'll go ahead
and we'll get them spayed or neutered.
419
00:24:27,387 --> 00:24:32,247
But it's like they want the problem gone
right away, and they just don't care.
420
00:24:34,026 --> 00:24:38,006
Vicki: And I always try and convince
somebody too, can you foster in place?
421
00:24:38,807 --> 00:24:40,666
All the medical will be taken care of.
422
00:24:41,146 --> 00:24:42,326
We will send you food.
423
00:24:42,647 --> 00:24:44,287
You have to pull nothing
out of your pocket.
424
00:24:44,367 --> 00:24:47,537
You just provide the place for,
the kitten and just foster in
425
00:24:47,637 --> 00:24:49,178
place until we can get room.
426
00:24:50,117 --> 00:24:51,177
They don't wanna do that either
427
00:24:53,501 --> 00:24:59,383
Because in this area I cannot find
any fosters or volunteers, period.
428
00:24:59,762 --> 00:25:00,402
I don't know why.
429
00:25:00,863 --> 00:25:07,282
I have a puppy that has Jack Russell
in it that desperately needs a foster
430
00:25:08,042 --> 00:25:13,383
because it needs to have more one-on-one
time to teach, the puppy manners and
431
00:25:14,063 --> 00:25:15,662
not to do this and not to do that.
432
00:25:15,822 --> 00:25:20,722
And I don't have that time because
there's so many other animals.
433
00:25:20,783 --> 00:25:24,082
It takes us about three and a half
hours to do our morning routine
434
00:25:26,430 --> 00:25:30,850
And it's, that's going through and
cleaning kennels, cleaning litter boxes,
435
00:25:31,751 --> 00:25:35,530
shoving everybody out into their run so
we can clean the floors and the walls
436
00:25:35,610 --> 00:25:42,331
to help prevent any kind of disease or
infection spread, and picking up the
437
00:25:42,390 --> 00:25:46,410
bowls and cleaning them, cleaning water
containers, refilling them, walking the
438
00:25:46,490 --> 00:25:50,070
dogs to get them out to stretch their
legs a little bit and playing with them.
439
00:25:50,810 --> 00:25:52,830
And then when you get done,
you get two or three hours and
440
00:25:52,850 --> 00:25:54,230
it's time to start over again.
441
00:25:56,170 --> 00:25:57,470
That's the side people don't see.
442
00:25:57,490 --> 00:26:00,210
They just think we're just
sitting here collecting animals
443
00:26:00,290 --> 00:26:01,630
and think we make a profit.
444
00:26:01,950 --> 00:26:05,470
I know my rescue personally
does not make a profit at all.
445
00:26:06,251 --> 00:26:07,091
I lose money.
446
00:26:08,921 --> 00:26:11,361
I definitely lose money
with my adoption fees.
447
00:26:13,461 --> 00:26:13,681
Dixie: Yeah.
448
00:26:13,731 --> 00:26:17,731
When they see an adoption fee, they
see the adoption fee as the spay,
449
00:26:17,811 --> 00:26:19,471
neuter, and the vaccines, and that's it.
450
00:26:20,032 --> 00:26:23,451
They don't see the back end of
that adoption fee, which would be
451
00:26:23,572 --> 00:26:26,351
all the food and litter that you
have to use to get them ready.
452
00:26:27,532 --> 00:26:30,143
All the medical, because babies get sick.
453
00:26:30,622 --> 00:26:31,602
You can't help it.
454
00:26:31,622 --> 00:26:33,362
It's sometimes it's like nursery school.
455
00:26:33,423 --> 00:26:34,162
They're gonna get sick.
456
00:26:34,202 --> 00:26:37,002
They're gonna get upper
respiratory infections, and
457
00:26:37,063 --> 00:26:38,622
they're gonna- … need meds.
458
00:26:38,662 --> 00:26:40,442
They're gonna need fluids sometimes.
459
00:26:40,542 --> 00:26:41,702
They need to go to the vet.
460
00:26:42,783 --> 00:26:46,522
And people don't see that side of it,
and instead they think that you're
461
00:26:46,542 --> 00:26:48,581
you're making money off of an adoption.
462
00:26:49,506 --> 00:26:49,786
Vicki: No.
463
00:26:50,367 --> 00:26:50,767
No way.
464
00:26:50,828 --> 00:26:55,327
You're losing money because I, we go
through 600 pounds of cat litter a month
465
00:26:57,643 --> 00:27:04,083
So I do have a company that I partnered
with that will send me 50 pounds of cat
466
00:27:04,143 --> 00:27:11,303
litter for free, and then the concept
is if, when someone adopts a cat, I
467
00:27:11,384 --> 00:27:14,103
give them the link and they go sign up.
468
00:27:14,343 --> 00:27:17,883
They get a free 20 pound bag of
that litter if they like it, which,
469
00:27:18,583 --> 00:27:19,883
all of the cats use the litter.
470
00:27:19,924 --> 00:27:20,863
It's all natural.
471
00:27:22,083 --> 00:27:26,242
And they can sign up to get litter
delivered to their house and from
472
00:27:26,363 --> 00:27:31,663
each person who purchases basically
a subscription, our rescue gets $20.
473
00:27:32,883 --> 00:27:38,643
But it's just, we decided to go all
natural because we have so many kittens.
474
00:27:39,324 --> 00:27:44,345
You're not, with as many cats as
we have inside of our house, you're
475
00:27:44,404 --> 00:27:45,884
not gonna get rid of that smell.
476
00:27:46,484 --> 00:27:48,924
I don't care what kind of litter,
I don't care what it promises.
477
00:27:49,364 --> 00:27:50,944
No, it's not gonna happen
478
00:27:54,108 --> 00:27:55,768
Dixie: How do you handle your adoptions?
479
00:27:56,159 --> 00:27:58,219
What venues do you use
to get them adopted?
480
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:01,419
Vicki: I use Petfinder.
481
00:28:01,919 --> 00:28:03,158
I think I'm on
482
00:28:05,566 --> 00:28:06,746
Oh, I can't remember the name of it.
483
00:28:06,806 --> 00:28:09,546
I think rescue.org,
484
00:28:10,646 --> 00:28:13,406
and then just advertising
them on the Facebook page
485
00:28:15,006 --> 00:28:16,766
and hoping people will share.
486
00:28:17,526 --> 00:28:17,685
I…
487
00:28:18,005 --> 00:28:19,105
But I have OJ.
488
00:28:19,546 --> 00:28:21,367
He's completely ready, to go.
489
00:28:21,467 --> 00:28:23,207
He's been completely ready to go.
490
00:28:24,107 --> 00:28:28,277
And he's one of the ones that
him and his brother PJ is like,
491
00:28:28,397 --> 00:28:29,537
"Why are y'all still here?
492
00:28:30,377 --> 00:28:31,297
Y'all are real cute.
493
00:28:31,337 --> 00:28:32,197
You're real loving.
494
00:28:33,197 --> 00:28:34,537
You don't mess up anything.
495
00:28:34,607 --> 00:28:37,306
They're not messy with
their litter box at all.
496
00:28:37,587 --> 00:28:38,726
You're a dream cat."
497
00:28:41,107 --> 00:28:41,886
And they're still here.
498
00:28:42,526 --> 00:28:48,466
So we're gonna start doing adoption events
I think next month and just taking the
499
00:28:48,547 --> 00:28:53,626
cats and some of the dogs and letting
people interact with them and stuff.
500
00:28:53,666 --> 00:28:57,866
And if they want to adopt, they have to
go fill out the adoption application.
501
00:28:57,906 --> 00:29:02,526
They have to sign the adoption contract,
which in our contract states they
502
00:29:02,587 --> 00:29:07,866
cannot surrender the dog or cat to
animal control or humane society.
503
00:29:07,947 --> 00:29:09,766
They have to bring the animal back to us.
504
00:29:10,227 --> 00:29:12,846
They cannot rehome the cat or dog.
505
00:29:13,146 --> 00:29:18,646
They have to bring it back to us, and they
can't have the animal euthanized unless
506
00:29:18,727 --> 00:29:23,447
it is medically necessary deemed by a
veterinarian, and we have to see that.
507
00:29:23,926 --> 00:29:32,233
And if they break any of those rules,
. they can be fined up to $15,000 Because I
508
00:29:32,243 --> 00:29:37,933
don't want you adopting an animal from me
just to later re-home it because it was
509
00:29:37,943 --> 00:29:39,483
doing something you didn't agree with.
510
00:29:39,613 --> 00:29:43,533
Bring it back, tell us what's wrong,
let us work it out, so that we can
511
00:29:43,573 --> 00:29:45,672
be transparent for the next person.
512
00:29:46,733 --> 00:29:50,753
But I had just found out by luck that
one of the people who adopted one of
513
00:29:50,793 --> 00:29:53,713
my Siamese re-homed it for 25 bucks.
514
00:29:54,833 --> 00:29:55,393
Dixie: Oh, wow.
515
00:29:55,533 --> 00:29:59,253
Vicki: And yeah, the lady reached
out to me, and I was gonna be
516
00:29:59,353 --> 00:30:04,893
ugly and mean, but after doing
her reference checks and her…
517
00:30:05,233 --> 00:30:08,352
I was like, "Okay, this cat
is gonna be in a good home."
518
00:30:08,443 --> 00:30:09,123
I let it go.
519
00:30:09,383 --> 00:30:12,563
I-- And I know the person that
that adopted from me, she wouldn't
520
00:30:12,603 --> 00:30:13,903
have been able to pay a fine.
521
00:30:15,243 --> 00:30:18,943
I just mainly put that in there,
because I hope people realize that it's
522
00:30:19,003 --> 00:30:20,543
okay if you have to bring them back.
523
00:30:20,603 --> 00:30:22,583
Just tell us why.
524
00:30:22,623 --> 00:30:24,493
You don't be scared to.
525
00:30:26,003 --> 00:30:29,173
I would much rather them come back to
me than end up in an animal shelter
526
00:30:29,313 --> 00:30:33,673
or humane society, or in the wrong
hands of somebody- Yeah … that
527
00:30:33,693 --> 00:30:35,093
does awful things to kittens.
528
00:30:35,913 --> 00:30:36,253
Dixie: Yeah.
529
00:30:36,343 --> 00:30:40,753
All of the rescues that are in our area,
they all have that in their contract,
530
00:30:40,763 --> 00:30:45,493
that if you can't keep the animal for
any reason, they ask you bring it back.
531
00:30:45,573 --> 00:30:50,153
And I run a couple of lost pets
and rehoming sites on social media.
532
00:30:50,173 --> 00:30:50,573
Sure.
533
00:30:50,653 --> 00:30:56,183
And I see people all the time, they're
giving away cats and adult cats.
534
00:30:56,203 --> 00:30:59,333
It just seems it seems like everybody
is giving away adult cats right now.
535
00:31:00,693 --> 00:31:03,683
And so I'll always ask them,
where did the cat come from?"
536
00:31:04,663 --> 00:31:08,703
And sometimes they'll say, "Oh, I
got it from such and such a place."
537
00:31:08,903 --> 00:31:12,683
And I'm like, "Okay, then if you got
it over here, that's this rescue.
538
00:31:12,783 --> 00:31:13,883
You need to call them up.
539
00:31:13,923 --> 00:31:15,273
They're gonna take their cats back."
540
00:31:16,003 --> 00:31:18,253
And, sometimes they
won't even contact them.
541
00:31:18,333 --> 00:31:22,553
So if it's somebody that I notice or
somebody I have contacts with, I'll alert
542
00:31:22,593 --> 00:31:24,373
them to the post so they can get involved.
543
00:31:24,392 --> 00:31:26,733
But "You're desperately looking
for somebody to take your cat.
544
00:31:26,773 --> 00:31:28,813
The rescue's gonna take your
cat back, but you don't wanna
545
00:31:28,853 --> 00:31:29,943
call the rescue and tell them?"
546
00:31:33,005 --> 00:31:34,065
Vicki: Yeah, that's what gets me.
547
00:31:35,695 --> 00:31:39,965
That's what gets me is why do you
wanna get rid of it and giving it away
548
00:31:40,045 --> 00:31:42,925
for free when you know the rescue…
549
00:31:43,465 --> 00:31:47,955
And most rescues will come pick 'em back
up, if they're within a certain distance.
550
00:31:47,995 --> 00:31:49,465
Don't, you don't even
have to bring it to us.
551
00:31:49,535 --> 00:31:50,215
We'll come get it.
552
00:31:51,055 --> 00:31:53,625
I just, I really, I don't
understand people with animals.
553
00:31:53,765 --> 00:31:54,445
I really don't.
554
00:31:56,615 --> 00:31:58,275
A lot of this is common sense.
555
00:31:59,015 --> 00:32:00,015
I don't understand people.
556
00:32:00,095 --> 00:32:00,915
We have a Yorkie.
557
00:32:01,055 --> 00:32:04,655
He's intact, and the only
reason he's intact is 'cause he
558
00:32:04,695 --> 00:32:07,335
cannot be anesthetized at all.
559
00:32:07,455 --> 00:32:12,515
He was sedated to be groomed, and he had
such a bad reaction to that, the vet was
560
00:32:12,535 --> 00:32:14,155
like, "He can never be anesthetized."
561
00:32:14,965 --> 00:32:17,185
And he's 10 years old now
I don't have any females.
562
00:32:17,285 --> 00:32:21,165
But these people giving away adult
cats right now, if it's a female, it's
563
00:32:21,205 --> 00:32:25,425
because she's walking around doing
her mating call or spraying to try
564
00:32:25,445 --> 00:32:27,585
and get the attention of a male cat.
565
00:32:27,685 --> 00:32:31,925
Or if it's a male cat that they have
and not neutered, they don't realize
566
00:32:31,985 --> 00:32:35,745
even though that cat's inside your
house, it can still smell a cat in heat.
567
00:32:36,905 --> 00:32:39,805
And so now he's going around
marking because he's trying
568
00:32:39,845 --> 00:32:41,125
to get to the cat in heat.
569
00:32:42,325 --> 00:32:45,465
Dixie: Yeah, I just saw a video
a few minutes before the call,
570
00:32:46,185 --> 00:32:50,115
and it was this girl, and she
said her cat had gotten outside.
571
00:32:50,755 --> 00:32:52,305
So she brought the cat back in the house,
572
00:32:52,365 --> 00:32:54,625
he's standing at the
window, and he's howling.
573
00:32:55,905 --> 00:32:58,625
And so she's looking for
veterinary help online.
574
00:32:58,755 --> 00:33:00,805
"Why is my cat making this noise?
575
00:33:00,985 --> 00:33:02,065
I took him to the vet.
576
00:33:02,145 --> 00:33:06,625
The vet said he's fine, but I need some
help because my cat is at the door,
577
00:33:06,725 --> 00:33:08,225
at the window making all this noise.
578
00:33:08,265 --> 00:33:09,845
He's walking around the house doing this."
579
00:33:10,265 --> 00:33:11,585
So I knew what it was right away.
580
00:33:11,645 --> 00:33:13,045
I'm like, "Oh, he's not neutered."
581
00:33:13,415 --> 00:33:14,835
It turns out, of course,
that's what it was.
582
00:33:14,875 --> 00:33:15,735
He was not neutered.
583
00:33:16,405 --> 00:33:18,965
Vicki: And that's why a lot of
people go and have kittens fixed
584
00:33:19,065 --> 00:33:21,045
when they are of the right weight.
585
00:33:21,625 --> 00:33:27,824
Because if you don't let them experience
that manhood or the womanhood then
586
00:33:27,884 --> 00:33:32,704
they won't react when they get older
to, especially the male cats, will
587
00:33:32,765 --> 00:33:35,765
not react to a female being in heat
'cause they won't know what that
588
00:33:35,864 --> 00:33:38,414
is, 'cause they've never they've
never had hormones go through them.
589
00:33:39,314 --> 00:33:44,875
And so a lot of people don't realize
that either, and it's like just they
590
00:33:44,934 --> 00:33:46,914
think that two pounds is too small.
591
00:33:47,634 --> 00:33:47,954
Okay.
592
00:33:48,414 --> 00:33:52,134
Wait till your two-pound kitten that
you decided not to have fixed starts
593
00:33:52,214 --> 00:33:53,814
giving birth in a couple of months.
594
00:33:55,114 --> 00:33:56,734
They're too young to have babies, too.
595
00:33:58,975 --> 00:34:03,205
But I try and get all of these
kittens fixed as soon as the vet
596
00:34:03,264 --> 00:34:04,943
says, "Okay, they can be fixed."
597
00:34:05,023 --> 00:34:07,653
And 'cause she's not gonna fix
them if they're on a medication
598
00:34:07,693 --> 00:34:11,661
for a URI or, anything else.
599
00:34:11,782 --> 00:34:14,742
She wants to get them better
because she knows kittens
600
00:34:14,802 --> 00:34:16,702
that young can crash quickly.
601
00:34:17,322 --> 00:34:20,552
Blood sugars can drop, blood
pressure can drop, while they're
602
00:34:20,592 --> 00:34:22,172
anesthetized to be fixed.
603
00:34:23,092 --> 00:34:27,292
So she wants them healthy before
she does it, which is fine with
604
00:34:27,391 --> 00:34:29,152
me, as long as it gets done
605
00:34:31,603 --> 00:34:35,925
It's just, to me it's just putting
them in, like we have the man
606
00:34:36,005 --> 00:34:38,684
cave and we have the woman cave.
607
00:34:38,764 --> 00:34:42,764
So we keep them separated, the
ones that aren't fixed, and we
608
00:34:42,884 --> 00:34:44,625
slowly get them in to get fixed
609
00:34:47,772 --> 00:34:55,982
But yeah people don't even know these,
how female cats, it's not like dogs where
610
00:34:56,022 --> 00:34:58,142
they go in heat every three to six months.
611
00:34:59,982 --> 00:35:03,303
There is actually a kitten season
that run from March to October.
612
00:35:05,303 --> 00:35:09,324
In that one season, that mama
can have a at least, at tops,
613
00:35:09,783 --> 00:35:11,424
probably three litters, if not more
614
00:35:14,559 --> 00:35:17,739
Dixie: Yeah, it's an astronomical
number when you look at it.
615
00:35:17,789 --> 00:35:22,258
Oh, yeah … by the time those
kittens are four months old.
616
00:35:22,998 --> 00:35:26,758
So it's like the mom cat will give
birth to the kittens, have kittens.
617
00:35:26,798 --> 00:35:30,359
Those kittens are weaned, the mom
cat gets pregnant, and by the time
618
00:35:30,398 --> 00:35:34,238
the mom cat has that litter of
kittens, the first batch of kittens
619
00:35:34,298 --> 00:35:36,119
is probably having its own kittens.
620
00:35:37,238 --> 00:35:38,258
Vicki: Yep, and that's
621
00:35:40,741 --> 00:35:42,162
The cycle's easy to be broke.
622
00:35:42,221 --> 00:35:44,001
You just have to go and spay and neuter
623
00:35:46,486 --> 00:35:50,406
and I don't know why that's so scary or
hard for people to un- to understand,
624
00:35:50,525 --> 00:35:54,405
but I get the ones that don't have
transportation or the finances, but,
625
00:35:55,325 --> 00:35:58,486
for all the other people who are
living in extremely nice homes and
626
00:35:58,525 --> 00:36:02,405
driving nice cars and have their nails
done every week, what's your excuse?
627
00:36:03,545 --> 00:36:04,565
Dixie: Yeah, that's a good question.
628
00:36:05,745 --> 00:36:07,745
Vicki: Go one week without
having your nails done.
629
00:36:07,805 --> 00:36:09,125
That'll cover a spay.
630
00:36:13,089 --> 00:36:16,961
Dixie: Do you find that you do
more sanctuary than compared
631
00:36:17,001 --> 00:36:18,300
to your actual adoptions?
632
00:36:21,564 --> 00:36:22,145
Vicki: Yes.
633
00:36:23,324 --> 00:36:24,064
Yes, I do.
634
00:36:24,174 --> 00:36:28,975
Also mainly, any animal I also take
in or is taken in under the sanctuary.
635
00:36:29,374 --> 00:36:32,055
You don't have to have a shelter
license to run a sanctuary.
636
00:36:33,334 --> 00:36:38,394
So not knowing the situation of the animal
coming in, I bring them in under the
637
00:36:38,475 --> 00:36:43,534
sanctuary to where they can go through
all the medical checks, get vaccines
638
00:36:43,635 --> 00:36:45,315
and whatever, and then I start…
639
00:36:45,616 --> 00:36:50,055
I put them on the rescue side of it,
where I start posting their pictures
640
00:36:50,116 --> 00:36:52,075
on our website and advertising them.
641
00:36:52,856 --> 00:36:57,276
But like we got two German shepherds
from a court case where it was a police
642
00:36:57,357 --> 00:37:03,337
officer who actually was train- had a K9
business and was training these dogs, and
643
00:37:03,357 --> 00:37:08,816
it's like how do you spend so much time
training these dogs who know good commands
644
00:37:08,896 --> 00:37:10,337
and then turn around and starve them?
645
00:37:10,357 --> 00:37:12,517
Because when they come to
us, they were 30 pounds.
646
00:37:12,697 --> 00:37:13,376
Dixie: Oh, wow.
647
00:37:14,796 --> 00:37:18,016
Vicki: And we've got them at their
ideal weight of 72 pounds now.
648
00:37:19,357 --> 00:37:24,456
But I can tell you right now, these
two German shepherds, I'm not gonna
649
00:37:24,517 --> 00:37:28,376
feel comfortable adopting them
out because Faith will not make
650
00:37:28,476 --> 00:37:32,596
eye contact with you at all, so
you know, I'm worried about her.
651
00:37:33,356 --> 00:37:36,616
And Florence just, she's got
a lot of built-up energy.
652
00:37:37,516 --> 00:37:42,296
Somebody would have to really convince
me that they are very experienced
653
00:37:42,356 --> 00:37:47,856
in the GSD, and they understand
their activity level and that they
654
00:37:47,916 --> 00:37:50,256
need a job and how to handle them.
655
00:37:50,296 --> 00:37:55,536
They would not be able to go into
a home that had cats or other dogs.
656
00:37:55,617 --> 00:37:58,656
If you have small children, these
dogs are gonna have to be kenneled,
657
00:37:58,717 --> 00:38:00,776
and you're going to have to teach
your child not to stick their finger
658
00:38:00,836 --> 00:38:03,925
in it, and that's not fair to them.
659
00:38:03,965 --> 00:38:07,545
So with all the stipulations that
I have on these two shepherds,
660
00:38:07,586 --> 00:38:08,765
they're not gonna get adopted.
661
00:38:11,493 --> 00:38:16,213
Dixie: Now, with you being with you
being primarily a sanctuary, do you think
662
00:38:16,264 --> 00:38:19,884
that limits your opportunity at grants?
663
00:38:22,101 --> 00:38:24,601
Vicki: No, because I apply
for grants under the rescue.
664
00:38:25,241 --> 00:38:29,721
It's just we've only had our shelter
license come this October for a year,
665
00:38:31,101 --> 00:38:35,701
and I have found it's very hard when
you don't have a revenue to show some
666
00:38:35,741 --> 00:38:41,331
of these places that are doing the
grants and you don't have that intake
667
00:38:41,371 --> 00:38:45,381
to adoption ratio to show them because
you're just beginning and you've
668
00:38:45,431 --> 00:38:47,331
only had your shelter license a year.
669
00:38:48,431 --> 00:38:50,131
That's what makes it hard to get a grant.
670
00:38:51,571 --> 00:38:54,891
Dixie: Yeah, that's actually what I
meant, was the actual adoption numbers.
671
00:38:54,921 --> 00:38:58,611
'Cause I've heard this from another lady
that does primarily just all sanctuary,
672
00:38:58,671 --> 00:39:04,731
and she does a lot of adult cats and adult
dogs and more special needs type cases,
673
00:39:04,771 --> 00:39:07,211
so ones that are difficult to adopt.
674
00:39:07,271 --> 00:39:07,371
Vicki: Yep.
675
00:39:07,761 --> 00:39:11,091
Dixie: And so she does have a
hard time sometimes getting grants
676
00:39:11,111 --> 00:39:15,961
because she doesn't have those
numbers showing all these adoptions.
677
00:39:16,831 --> 00:39:20,911
And I know that a lot of the times that
is a requirement, is that you have to show
678
00:39:20,971 --> 00:39:24,951
that you have so many adoptions before
you're even eligible to get a grant.
679
00:39:26,891 --> 00:39:27,351
Vicki: Oh, yeah.
680
00:39:27,991 --> 00:39:31,531
And that's what makes it hard on the
small rescues, and then there's also
681
00:39:31,611 --> 00:39:36,051
that gatekeeping from, rescues that
have been open for a while, and they
682
00:39:36,111 --> 00:39:39,061
have contacts and, but they gatekeep it.
683
00:39:39,161 --> 00:39:42,521
It's a competitive thing
in this area with rescues.
684
00:39:42,701 --> 00:39:48,661
And it's like we should all have the
same goal at the end of the day, which
685
00:39:48,681 --> 00:39:55,981
is to either provide a, a happy, safe,
lovable place for this animal to live
686
00:39:56,021 --> 00:40:00,601
or be able to adopt them out to a
happy, safe, lovable place to live.
687
00:40:01,581 --> 00:40:03,961
There should be no
competitive or whatever.
688
00:40:04,441 --> 00:40:09,781
And I share other rescues because
if I see them sharing a dog three or
689
00:40:09,821 --> 00:40:16,321
four times, I'm gonna start sharing it
because maybe my reach and my area is
690
00:40:16,361 --> 00:40:20,241
looking for that type of dog, and it's
just wherever that rescue's at, maybe
691
00:40:20,341 --> 00:40:22,061
that's not the type of dog people like.
692
00:40:22,111 --> 00:40:27,661
'Cause there is that the designer
dogs, of course, get adopted really
693
00:40:27,741 --> 00:40:29,801
quick, the little small designer dogs.
694
00:40:30,681 --> 00:40:33,041
And of course your nanny
dogs, which is what I refer to
695
00:40:33,061 --> 00:40:34,141
them, but they're pit bulls.
696
00:40:34,741 --> 00:40:37,941
Anything mixed with a pit
bull is not gonna get adopted.
697
00:40:39,751 --> 00:40:44,081
That's just, plain and simple, and
I don't know why other than the
698
00:40:44,131 --> 00:40:49,011
horror stories of what's been put
on the news of what pit bull's done.
699
00:40:49,031 --> 00:40:53,141
But it's why can't we talk to the owner
and find out how did you raise this dog?
700
00:40:53,321 --> 00:40:57,141
What was the purpose of this
dog when you got it and then
701
00:40:57,181 --> 00:40:58,250
turned around and had a child?
702
00:40:58,331 --> 00:41:03,601
'Cause if you were raising that dog
to be, aggressive and to guard your
703
00:41:03,661 --> 00:41:06,881
house, then you should have never
let your child around that dog.
704
00:41:08,694 --> 00:41:09,854
That's just common sense.
705
00:41:09,934 --> 00:41:15,314
We had shepherds growing up, and
my dad would keep, Smokey put
706
00:41:15,534 --> 00:41:19,414
up, and he only come out of his
kennel at night because he…
707
00:41:19,434 --> 00:41:20,194
That's what he done.
708
00:41:20,234 --> 00:41:24,034
He'd guard the house, but we were
never around him when he was out
709
00:41:24,094 --> 00:41:25,614
because he was an aggressive dog.
710
00:41:26,975 --> 00:41:29,294
So it's just common sense.
711
00:41:29,354 --> 00:41:30,934
It does not exist anymore.
712
00:41:32,874 --> 00:41:37,893
I've never attempted to get a grant
for the sanctuary, but I know you could
713
00:41:37,933 --> 00:41:39,973
probably Google grants for sanctuaries.
714
00:41:40,453 --> 00:41:43,473
Because again, that's
where common sense come in.
715
00:41:43,493 --> 00:41:46,613
The people doing the grants, if
they advertise rescue shelters and
716
00:41:46,674 --> 00:41:51,344
sanctuaries, then they should know if
you call in, you're a sanctuary, you're
717
00:41:51,383 --> 00:41:53,263
not gonna have those adoption numbers.
718
00:41:55,324 --> 00:41:58,143
Because you're a sanctuary, which
means that animal's gonna live their
719
00:41:58,203 --> 00:42:00,943
life out there, not get adopted.
720
00:42:02,603 --> 00:42:03,422
So I don't know.
721
00:42:03,483 --> 00:42:07,762
I have the mayor of our town helping
me with a couple of grants right now,
722
00:42:07,862 --> 00:42:09,423
'cause she's good at grant writing.
723
00:42:10,622 --> 00:42:11,603
Oh, that's wonderful.
724
00:42:12,662 --> 00:42:14,642
We're gonna try and get
a transportation van.
725
00:42:16,262 --> 00:42:22,312
I really wanna help the community by being
the bus, trying to take some excuses away.
726
00:42:22,753 --> 00:42:27,822
If I can remove your excuses,
then will you allow me to do this?
727
00:42:30,126 --> 00:42:31,337
And that's what I'm going for.
728
00:42:32,816 --> 00:42:37,616
'Cause like I said, this is, it's
just my favorite tagline now is we…
729
00:42:39,675 --> 00:42:42,575
You can't rescue your way
out of overpopulation.
730
00:42:42,615 --> 00:42:43,395
You just can't
731
00:42:45,991 --> 00:42:47,931
And the hardest part is saying no
732
00:42:50,843 --> 00:42:51,463
Dixie: It is.
733
00:42:51,643 --> 00:42:55,194
It is, especially when you see
so many of them that you do wanna
734
00:42:55,233 --> 00:42:57,973
help 'cause you know that they
might be in a bad situation, but if
735
00:42:57,993 --> 00:43:00,093
you're full, it is very difficult.
736
00:43:02,273 --> 00:43:02,733
Vicki: It is.
737
00:43:02,773 --> 00:43:03,813
It's very difficult.
738
00:43:06,013 --> 00:43:09,613
Dixie: Before we end the call, can
you tell people how they can find
739
00:43:09,773 --> 00:43:11,773
out about Kindred Tail Sanctuary?
740
00:43:14,005 --> 00:43:17,785
Vicki: Yes, we have a Facebook page
which i- would be listed as Kindred
741
00:43:17,845 --> 00:43:24,606
Tails Sanctuary CO, and then our
website is kindredtailsanctuary.org
742
00:43:27,101 --> 00:43:27,581
Dixie: Okay, great.
743
00:43:27,622 --> 00:43:27,941
I'm gonna
744
00:43:27,981 --> 00:43:28,541
Vicki: include
745
00:43:28,581 --> 00:43:31,561
Dixie: those in the show notes too,
so people can go to your links.
746
00:43:32,761 --> 00:43:33,021
Vicki: Okay.
747
00:43:35,101 --> 00:43:35,741
That would be awesome.
748
00:43:35,781 --> 00:43:40,931
And if, someone wants to make donations
or sign up to volunteer or foster
749
00:43:40,971 --> 00:43:44,851
and they're within the area you can
find all of those applications on
750
00:43:44,892 --> 00:43:46,792
the website and the donation site.
751
00:43:47,531 --> 00:43:51,801
Volunteering if it's somebody in another
state, we have a couple of openings
752
00:43:51,881 --> 00:43:54,941
for remote volunteers that we need.
753
00:43:55,742 --> 00:43:57,401
So we could use some volunteers.
754
00:43:58,701 --> 00:44:00,521
Dixie: And I know you said
you're in Georgia, but what
755
00:44:00,622 --> 00:44:02,522
actually what city are you in?
756
00:44:03,802 --> 00:44:05,302
Vicki: We are in Newington, Georgia.
757
00:44:05,402 --> 00:44:08,622
So we are about an hour
from Savannah, Georgia.
758
00:44:12,382 --> 00:44:12,742
Dixie: All right.
759
00:44:12,843 --> 00:44:16,843
Thank you so much for coming on the show
today to talk about what you do and,
760
00:44:16,944 --> 00:44:18,454
Yeah … good luck on getting that grant.
761
00:44:18,514 --> 00:44:19,394
I really hope you get it.
762
00:44:20,974 --> 00:44:23,974
Vicki: Thank you for having me,
and I enjoyed being on the show,
763
00:44:24,175 --> 00:44:25,894
and I'll keep you posted about it.
764
00:44:26,254 --> 00:44:27,194
Dixie: Yeah, please do.
765
00:44:27,234 --> 00:44:31,014
Please do, 'cause we would love to put an
update in on, on the air or something, or
766
00:44:31,233 --> 00:44:33,473
just in the show notes if you do get it.
767
00:44:33,513 --> 00:44:35,183
That would be a great update to add.
768
00:44:35,223 --> 00:44:36,343
So I would love to find out.
769
00:44:37,994 --> 00:44:38,894
Vicki: Thank you so much.
