Atwater Vitki

We do our best, with what we have for ourselves, then look into the slightly larger city-wide, then slightly bigger county-wide, then huge state and nation-wide levels. There are top-notch lawyers and lobbyists for the ASPCA that handle the big stuff. From us insignificant individuals to the large organizations, we just do the best we can for our parts of this ever growing problem. The responsible people here and elsewhere that do spay and neuter aren't asking for much, just that everybody else Do That Which is Right....spay/neuter, love and care for their tiny little piece of a huge nation-wide problem. Blessings Be,

Getting a vet college and the "kitty fund" are both good ideas, but alas one's that in the last couple of years have been completely overwhelmed. On one hand, who can blame a vet that starts their career $250k-$350k in the hole due to college expenses, but that's why I wrote several letters to my Congressman (and actually got some communication in return!) outlining the tax credit plan. We have a wonderful group of about 6-7 retired folks here in our development that have contributed many hours of their time also writing politicos, getting petitions going etc etc It honestly seems, as usual in the good ol' USA, that the problem has to be so overwhelmingly futile, no one seems to know where to start on a solution. Bless the hearts of those vets who have helped. I work with two local shelters/adoption and have personally collected over $1,000.00 in donations after hours of standing in front of local supermarkets with a "Pennies for Pets" can. There's always initial interest, but by the 3rd or 4th time "already gave" seems to be the standard answer from most. In some areas, like Galveston, Tucson and Nogales... I've even read of horrifying stories of cats and dogs being shipped by the truck-load south of the border for food of all things. This is a problem that needs to be addressed on the local, state and national level, but it takes a lot of $ to make much of anything happen. The best we've able to get around here, maybe due to this being one of the top five poverty areas in the nation, is a $15 neuter, $10 spay coupon from Happy Tails Shelter, so it still costs nearly $80-90 per kitten to get "fixed" because they have to also get a full medical and the first round of rabies and vaccines....by law. My niece that past away in 1997 was in her 7th year of vet college and had a terrific professor that had a group of local vets giving all they could to area shelters. Unfortunately several of them have passed and the rest have retired. One of those gives 2 days every 3 months to free spay/neuter...my list alone is on a 18 month waiting list and there's about a dozen of us with coordinated lists (website etc) Thanks for the suggestions and I look forward to hearing other ideas....those of us who love our animals will do anything...even not eat like we've done...Bro Devon...I hear ya loud and clear on the 55th bag of Ramen and 101st can of beans....but these animals didn't ask to be born in a world where Hu-man's only think of self first. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of noble no-kill shelters across the country, but unfortunately every dang one of them is faced with the same problem....Full To Capacity. The SPCA says they have over 3 million pups and kittens, cats and dogs in just their shelters. US wide animal control centers claim over 5 million cats and dogs per year are euthanized and yet the simple solution, spaying and neutering seems to be complex quantum physics to the public masses...why??? During our trying to solve this local problem, we gathered all of our receipts for our brood, roughly $2300.00 (not including food) have been put into 7 cats, 3 of which are no longer with us. Our entire brood is "fixed", up to date on necessary vaccines and we've got a descent vet that even gives us phone consults since she trusts our diagnosis and decisions on minor issues...so it all $ave$...but we're just one household in a sea of people like I wrote about that refuse to do squat about their pets. Grrr...I didn't mean go off....but I'm sure ya'll know how I feel about proper pet care...it is indeed next to godliness! Blessings of Peace,

My last posting regarding the dilemma of our old neighbor's cats has brought a sickening reality to mind....it's simply up to us to handle the problems of animal over population. The old excuse of "we can't afford the costs" involved with spaying and neutering pets is as lame as saying one more drink will cure alcoholism. Yes, it's getting absolutely astronomical in expense to care for pets, but adding more to the problem won't help. The last month of our dealing with an old neighbor's problem (because they refuse to) has really brought some disturbing things to our attention. In the last 5 years, 12 brand new "no kill" pet shelters have been opened in the 8 counties surrounding us. They were all full to capacity within weeks of opening. I don't have complete statistics for state and nation, but similar everywhere. The SPCA in all 58 counties in California will not be able to take any new dog or cat until roughly 2016 according to the manager at the local shelter. I don't have complete statistics for nation, but similar everywhere. The Animal Control or "Pound" will take only a very select few pets, and only for very short periods before being put down. In most cases only "nuisance animals" will be taken by officers and are put down within 24-72 hours. SPCA "Adoption Fees" are astronomical $120+ for "puppies" and $100+ for "kittens" and then theres' the mandatory follow up vets visits and spat/neuter fees. 25 phone calls this past week to area shelters and "possible" help (phone #'s and leads given by SPCA and other groups) have gone unanswered for trying to find a home for "Moon". The perpetrators of her roaming free finally took her somewhere, but won't divulge where...we know it was not to the pound or shelter.So the conclusion Kay and I have made is....It's Up To Us.....and of course fellow animals lovers, to solve our own problems. As usual, once again, the "authorities" have let us down. Just like alcohol, drug and child abuse the official stance and solution for unwanted pets isn't working and hasn't worked for a very long time. We tried for well over a year (late 2009 to early 2011) to get our local vets to group together and have one day a month as a free or very low cost spay/neuter day. Just in Merced County there are 21 vets and 15 active facilities so even 2 days a month wouldn't be impossible. While veterinarian medical suppliers claim the costs involved are less than $5.00 per spay/neuter, getting these vets to volunteer their time is like asking them to donate a kidney, arm or leg. I wrote 31 letters to vets outlining a very cost effective plan and asking to meet so there could be a scheduling of services. I got the 3 local newspapers to agree to reduce the advertising fees to almost $0.00 (zero) for announcing the services. I even got our local Congressman and Assemblyman to entertain the idea of this whole program...and... and...and.... The only ones that didn't get involved were the veterinarians!! Now if a simpleton pin head such as myself can get at least half the footwork done for some sort of program that works how come there is so much resistance by those that you would think loved animals too?? The expense of becoming a vet exceeds that of Md. by nearly 50% and takes and additional 4-6 years of schooling. So of course $ is the biggest factor. By getting the good Senator involved, for creating legislation that would allow for a given $tax-credit amount for veterinarians on their annual income taxes for their donation of time to spaying and neutering. In short, by talking with many pet lovers, we came up with a workable idea and were in the hopes of letting those who knew the angles figure out the logistics involved.....but no, alas, they are content with the status quo, they must be or I think they would have done something. So once again it's up to those who have the least to make it work. "Underground pet railroad" is one idea I really like that was presented by one of our Members here...thank you G!... and a network of foster care and temp sitters is another that might work....thank you *!...but the bottom line, we're on our own to do what we can for those who can't. Any other suggestions??? Blessings of Peace,

Thankfully this year Winter Solstice and the "end of the world as we know it" fall on the 21st of Deke Embre...oh yeah and the Mayans ran out of room on their stone calendar... ....whew! Gonna be interesting to see how this effects the marketing plans of the Chinese manufacturers of all those Western influenced trinkets and baubles. Oh and one other tell-tale sign it's really the end of it all....as I checked my ritual stores, I'm down to my last white candle for Solstice Ritual.....signs and portends....signs and portends. Sure am glad the Shriner's already sent me my 2013 calendar for my annual donation....guess they have faith in things to come. But on a serious ♪..... Thanks for the write-up and ref videos on the origins of Christmas, Neal. Welcome aboard...glad to have new input around here! Blessings of Peace,

We've been diligent in our efforts and so far now 4 days have gone by without seeing either of the cats. Either they have been kept inside or they've found other digs, but we keep checking to make sure only good things happen for these little dearies...of course now I've said that they'll both be here for dinner tonight, right? Blessings Be,

Rightfulness does not exclude, as perhaps Jacques would say, it includes. My personal belief system is that there are going to be many, otherwise good and decent folks, who are going to get a very big 'come-uppance' when they reach the Hereafter due to the way they exclude so many other paths. There is absolutely nothing wrong with accepting 2+2=4, but when anyone excludes the untold number of other ways to reach an answer of "4" they are not living as the Christ, or any other Prophet or Holy man, has implored them to live. Even though my particular path is formulated by the "Eternal and sacred numbers of 9,7 and 3" (97-93=4) I have a friend who thinks 1+3=4 is a good and proper path....we still fish together and have many a fine conversation about woodworking. So if you feel that 2+2 or 29-25 or 3+1 is the right path for you head on, be happy and healthy....just don't claim my math is screwed up! So many of the "Holy Texts", "Scared writings" etc give reference to "what is written on one's heart" so there must be something to that logic. And what is written on one's heart....I once knew a systems engineer at work that gave much of his earnings to charities of many types. Over lunch one day several of us commented on his altruism and "good works" to which he just busted up laughing. His philosophy was such that being "merciful" to the homeless, junkies, the otherwise dregs and less fortunate of the world, would be to "put a bullet in their head", making short their suffering. And besides, most of those contributions are "income tax offsets!" (He also made a sizable income from personal endeavors) His true heart was to allow charities to continue keeping them alive "in their dismal state of existence, strictly for my amusement". Say wha.....???? Whoa hey, now there is one sick bass terd, if'n's ya axt me. That one person has left an indelible mark on my thinking, one that shows the boundless ways mankind simply messes with its own species for personal, introverted pleasure. This really would be such a great planet if it weren't for all the dang Hu-mans on it! Blessings of Peace,

Pagan Peace Maker, Hail good folk! I've studied many of the craefts you've mentioned as well, though I freely admit I stick to more traditional Nordic Old Ways, being a Runic Vitki employs many similar elements of rite, ritual and Workings. Glad to know there's someone else on board that at least knows how to properly keep a cauldron boiling! (j/k) (...well besides Fawzo, but the last time I thought the Newb Stew was a bit over boiled there me bucko.) In all seriousness, I look forward to learning more about your path PPM. Blessings of Peace,

The short answer is yes, grateful. As long as they don't have to lift a finger to actually do anything. "Whatever, is fine with us."...was their answer yesterday. So far they haven't so much as called, come by...nothing, it's only when we take the cats there we get any communication at all and then it's the side track chatter about anything but the cats until we turn the conversation back. I found out yesterday that the woman involved here has finally made 6 months clean from prescription drug/heroin etc after 30+ years addiction. Had I known that before, I could have done things way different. The biggest problem here is Life in general. I've seen this counseling addicts/ex-addcs for the past 20 years...many just trade their addiction to drugs for that of collecting, or animals or? or?...it's sad, but it's the biggest part of that addictive personality. I'm willing to "help", but not take over the whole process for them and that is what usually happens. Hopefully this situation will get resolved soon. I'm going to go over to the pound, get the legalities and then go talk to the couple once more....they've been put on notice by the office already for all the noise...neighbors on both sides of them....as the yappers seem to go 24/7. I paid rent yesterday and the manager asked me a bunch of ques. as they use to live right across from us, so hopefully with a bit of pressure they will do something. Blessings of Peace,