Tarazet

If A Little Is Good...

...It doesn't always follow that a lot is better. I'm constantly distressed by well-meaning people who wind up taking in far too many stray animals. It's not good for the animals or the people. It's not even healthy for either. From the Peterborough Today (UK):

A WOMAN who claims to spiritually heal abused animals is facing eviction from her council house – because she has too many pets.

Janet McCall (38), who has a dog and two cats of her own, has been taking in animals for the last two years.

As well as her own pets, 20 cats now roam the one-bedroom bungalow, 40 Russian dwarf hamsters in cages have taken over the boiler room, and seven rabbits live in a shed in the garden.

Now Ms McCall has been told by Peterborough City Council that most of them must go, or she will be evicted from the bungalow in Brynmore, Bretton.
Housing chiefs have said she can keep just the dog, two cats, and four of the hamsters. She has until May 26 to re-home the others.

But, defiant Ms McCall, said today that she would not split the animals up.
"They are happy, they are one family. The dogs love the cats and the cats love the bunnies. That's not supposed to happen, but it has.

Obviously there is probably some sort of mental illness at work, depression most likely. Yes, animals are loving, but there are limits. Even zoos have limits.

I always feel sorry for people like this because they DO mean well. But I have a five room apartment and I wouldn't try to take in more than my three cats (okay, 4 if you count the disasterous attempt to bring in Kimo the cat.)

I don't know if rabbits and hamsters can be "neutered" but cats and dogs certainly can and certainly should be.

By the way... What is the difference between a guineau pig, a hamster, and a gerbal? I know that sounds like the start of an off-color joke but I really am curious. Are they the same thing or actually different species?

Posted by Jeff Soyer at May 10, 2004 12:22 PM