Maryann and Scottie, About to Be Killed At Heartland

I received no call from Heartland warning me they were about to kill Maryann and Scottie. Maryann and Scottie, both from the BS colony, were taken in by Heartland over a month ago. They were under a no kill order, as are all cats taken in from other rescues. The no kill order means, that if Heartland decides they need to kill them for any reason, space concerns or otherwise, they will call me first, so I can come pick them up so the kittens won't be killed.

I had paid for their fixes myself, at the Neuterscooter clinic in early August held down in Springfield. Heartland took them in two days after that.

Seems Heartland had a ringworm outbreak of their own, starting a couple of weeks ago or maybe even longer. They have killed cats and kittens showing any signs of ringworm, as a result. Well, today it was Maryann and Scottie's turn to be killed. Maryann has only one slight spot and Scottie has none, but he was on the chop block because he was in with Maryann.

Ringworm spores can be airborne. In shelters, ringworm can spread, especially through the kitten population, by potential adoptors, holding and petting a contaminated kitten, then going on to pet and hold others. It can actually be brought in by potential adoptors, too. The spores can be carried on clothing of staff or just be circulating in the air. It is difficult to rid a cattery or shelter of the spores, but persistence and isolating affected cats, along with diligent cleaning, with a %10 clorox in water, can accomplish this.

It is much easier for large shelter with stainless steel cages and an isolation area than it is for someone like me. And yet, the kittens I have with ringworm, brought in by the kittens from the injured mother cat, are quickly recovering. And I'm one person.

I don't have volunteers helping me bathe the kittens or do all the laundry, which is another thing one must do, to clean the environment, persistent washing of the kittens bedding, to eliminate any active spores. But it also takes the will to do it, instead of taking the easy way out--killing the cats and kittens. It takes a respect for life, and a determination to honor that respect.

I ran into someone who has gone through volunteer training at Heartland in the last couple of weeks and she mentioned the volunteer trainer had said that a room, formerly full of kittens and a couple of adults, was empty due to ringworm. She had asked me "What do you think happened to all those kittens that were in that room?" I said "Heartland likely killed them. Ringworm takes a month to get over. That right there makes anybody who gets it a financial liability."

Ringworm is unsightly but benign, easy to treat, and extremely common in Oregon. It's a fungus, a mold, for gosh sakes. Half of Oregon is moldy. That's why our forests and lawns are full of mushrooms, too.

Anyhow, after she mentioned that I couldn't sleep at night, fearing for Maryann and Scottie. Today, I went to Heartland just to check on them. They were in a covered carrier together outside of the euthanasia room. Oh sure, Heartland staff scrambled when I came in the door, to say someone should have called me or was supposed to have called me. But no one called me.

It was chance (fate?) that I walked into Heartland in time to save their lives from the kill needle because one of them has a teensy bit of ringworm, while the other has none. Good enough for a death sentence at Heartland. Two beautiful kittens.

Resentment built up inside me. And anger. They've become so callous to casual killing for any little reason, they would have thought nothing of killing sweet Maryann and Scottie. Except they would have had to face my wrath. They're lucky they didn't kill them. Apparently, many other kittens and cats were not as lucky, and had nobody watching out over them.

I won't take in more kittens to Heartland. I have no adoption venue which is extremely problematic. Cats and kittens who are seen, are adopted in higher numbers than if I just run ads or have my petfinder site.

But I'm not going to risk the lives of kittens I rescue by taking them to Heartland. I can't sleep nights wondering if they're honoring the no kill order on file with kittens I turn over, so they can be seen by potential adoptors.

Now I know they don't honor those no kill orders, because I got no call about Maryann and Scottie's impending deaths. No call.

Now I wonder how many other cats and kittens, whom I've taken there to have a better chance at adoption, under no kill order, have actually been killed instead. Makes me sick to my stomach to think about it.

Fortunately, I haven't turned over many to Heartland.

So I don't know whether to put Maryann and Scottie in the ringworm kitten room. Most of the kittens in the garage room are now almost over it. Even Aces, who caught it last and worst, is already starting to grow back hair on the spots where he had "rings".

I am bathing them three times a week and applying anti fungal cream. They're looking fine. I think I will bathe Maryann and Scottie first, then put them out with the others, in the garage room. They're going to love seeing their buddies again.

After bathing Maryann and Scottie, in miconozole anti fungal shampoo, I can't actually find any ringworm on them anywhere. I was told by Heartland that Maryann had a tiny rough spot on the side of one ear that was ringworm. I can't find that either. Maybe they are killing all the kittens feeling that will contain the ringworm outbreak. These kittens have no obvious ringworm anywhere. Unbelievable.