Animal cruelty
We admit that we're a bit prejudiced when it comes to cats, but recent events in the Kalispell area should touch the hearts and minds of all residents. A young Evergreen man has admitted to local media and law enforcement that he adopts kittens through "free" ads in local papers and uses the kittens to train his dogs for cougar hunting.
One of our volunteers was able to learn of a particular woman in Kalispell that was distraught because she had second thoughts about a man that she adopted her two kittens to. By calling all of the ads, our volunteer talked to her and convinced her to contact the man to get her kittens returned. She was informed that his dog(s) had killed them. Subsequent calls to everyone that had ads running revealed that he had placed calls to many of them, including our own foster homes.
Fortunately, the lady that adopted out the kittens took further action and contacted the Kalispell Police, who along with the Flathead Sheriff's Department have investigated the allegations. Hopefully, aggravated animal cruelty charges will be filed against him this week.
We would like to pass along several simple suggestions for anyone that must find a new home for a dog or cat.
1. Take the time to talk and meet with the potential adopter.
2. Charge a fee for the animal to discourage impulse or unethical adopters.
3. Don't allow young children to do the adoptions (at grocery stores, etc.)
4. Get their name, address and phone number. Contact landlords to see if pets are allowed.
5. Interview several people if necessary and only adopt to those that you have a good feeling about. Listen to your intuition.
6. If you have questions about how to screen potential adopters, contact us, Flathead Animal Control or the Humane Society.
Mimi Beadles
Flathead Spay & Neuter Task Force
Give thanks, give life
The Thanksgiving holiday is an ideal time for families to celebrate abundance, generosity and each other. It's also the perfect time of year to talk about organ and tissue donation. This community has been touched by a number of people already receiving the gifts of life, sight, and health through organ, corneal, and tissue donation. In Montana, over 2,000 transplants took place in the last year.
"ThanksGivingDay - Give Thanks. Give Life." is the theme of a new national program intended to put the life-saving issue of organ and tissue donation on the holiday table alongside other turkey-day traditions. During this year's holiday, we encourage families to discuss donation and their wishes about being donors. Many people will spend the holiday with the family members who would most likely be approached as next of kin in the event of their death. A day devoted to giving thanks for their own blessings is a good time for families to discuss how they might give life to others.
Unfortunately, it is a discussion that all too often never takes place.
The National Coalition on Donation reports that close to 90,000 people are awaiting life-saving heart, lung, kidney, pancreas, liver and intestine transplants, with an average of 17 people dying each day from lack of available organs. More than 900,000 tissue transplants-life-enhancing procedures using donated skin, bone, heart valves and connective tissues-were performed last year, as well as 46,600 cornea transplants to improve and restore vision.
To take part in the program, participants are encouraged to first visit www.donatelife.net /thanksgivingday where they can find more information about the ThanksGivingDay program, as well as facts and figures about organ and tissue donation, including the steps necessary for committing to donation in their areas. The Web site also has tips for talking to family members about donation and a downloadable Donate Life Guide. You may also call your local donor program.
Jens Saakvitne
Executive Director
RTI Donor Services, Western Range Division
Missoula
Tis the season for giving
A decade ago, my husband, Steve, was hiking with a friend when they encountered a man with his son. The child was aglow with stories of camping and fishing with dad, and it got Steve and his friend reminiscing about their own good times with their fathers.
That same week, Steve saw a Big Brothers/Big Sisters presentation. When they asked for volunteers, he signed up. After undergoing a thorough process, he was matched with a wonderful boy. At the time, Steve thought of what he had to give, but he had no idea how much he would receive from the relationship. The boy is now a young man, and they are still friends.
Our local BB/BS organization does a wonderful job of helping youth in our community, and they are strapped for cash. Federal cuts have put more of a burden on local fund-raising. You may be asked to sponsor a bowler or create a team for their upcoming "Bowl for Kids Sake."
Here's an idea. How about just sending the organization a check? Or, do you have trouble coming up with Christmas present ideas? How about saying to someone close to you, "I would like you to make a donation in my name to a charity?"
I spent 20 years teaching middle school kids, and I can think of dozens of examples where a caring adult, whether a blood relative or not, made a huge difference in a child's life. What can you do to make a difference?
Contact Big Brothers/Big Sisters at 137 Main Street, Kalispell, 59901, or call 752-0092.
Kerrie Byrne
Whitefish