Our forgotten pets

Denise Oppenhagen
Published: October 11, 2008

What is furry, cute, meows and flies? NOTHING!!

That’s right — furry, cute kitties that meow sweetly do not fly.  Why do I mention this? Because I have two friends (yes, I do have friends) who right now are caring for a young kitten of about eight months
who is without a home.  This kitten was thrown out of a third-story apartment window along with his sister. This happened here, in Prince William County; in Lake Ridge. 

I learned about this kitty from my friends when they asked if I knew anyone who would like a kitty. One of the kittens was fortunate enough to land on top of a hedge, so she walked away without any
breaks or bruises, just a newfound fear of falling. The other kitten hit the ground and has a broken elbow. He’ll be fine although he might have a slight limp for quite a while.

Our ancestors domesticated cats and dogs in order to have company and protection. They would never have thought to harm one of these animals.  Egyptians even held the cat in high esteem. It isn’t
until relatively recently that our furry friends have begun to become a burden. Disasters such as New Orleans notwithstanding, when people leave their homes, they often leave their animals. This is
particularly true when people leave because of deteriorating living conditions. They can barely afford to feed and house themselves, let alone an animal. Instead of finding a suitable adoptive home or
placing the animal in the animal shelter, they instead leave their pet to fend for itself on the streets or worse.

I’m afraid that, along with the economy, this problem is going to get worse before it gets better.  When money is tight, spaying and neutering take a back seat to food and rent. 

This means the animals left on the street will reproduce and leave more animals on the street to be cared for. If the kittens and puppies are fortunate enough, they will be taken to the animal shelter. 

I personally know that our animal shelter employees are top notch. My family has a dog and a cat. We adopted our dog from the Prince William County animal shelter. Reveille was well-cared for at the
shelter and we have loved him and cared for him ever since. But even our animal shelter reaches a point where they cannot handle an influx of deserted animals. With an increasingly tight budget, the
shelter’s breaking point will come sooner rather than later. I don’t even want to think about what will happen when they reach their   capacity. 

This would normally be the part where I would offer a solution to the issue I have been discussing. Unfortunately, in this situation, I am at a loss. I am angry at the unknown person or persons who threw
these kittens out of the window. I am grateful that my friends were in a position where they could rescue the kittens and get them the care they needed. I am hopeful that they will be able to find the
kittens a new home. And I am fearful that there are other kittens and cats and puppies and dogs who are put in an untenable situation everyday where their life is on the line. 

Our pets ask for nothing from us except love and care. In return for some food, water and a place to sleep (often atop of our warm bodies), they give us unconditional support and companionship.  They
snuggle closer when we’re sad, play harder when we’re happy and stay away when we are angry. 

Mine are especially good for my health. My dog takes me for walks (and if you’ve ever seen us, my dog does lead). My cat naps on my legs when I’m working on the laptop, forcing me to relax so as not
to disturb her. 

With all that they do for us, the least we can do for them is not throw them out a window or leave them in the street. Meow.

Denise Oppenhagen is a longtime resident of Prince William County and can be reached at .