North Shore Animal League sued over cat agreement

[tired of it]

silly rabbit wrote:

I am confused.
Does this couple think that they own 52 cats and that these cats are permanently boarded at the North Shore Animal league never to be adopted, just to be on hand in case either of these two old loonies decide to drop by and check a few out for a while like library books?
That's completely nuts.
I don't care how much money you donate.
What kind of a life is that for a cat, let alone over 50 cats?
These people are crazy.

Sounds like rich people that want to have the cats for 'show and tell' time at hospitals but wnat to pay 'hired help ( The shelter) to do all the work to keep these cats. I bet they have Nanny's for their kids too. " I'll play with my kids until I'm bored, then where's the nanny?"
Weird

[Cat Hater]

Why are Cats allowed to roam free and no other Domestic Animal is? They show up on my propert usually once. I have a high powered pellet Rifle. For some reason they don't like getting hit with those things while they're c r a p p i n g in my Bushes. If you don't want me to shoot your Cat then keep it in the House where it belongs.

[ITCHY BALLS]

Cat Hater wrote:

Why are Cats allowed to roam free and no other Domestic Animal is? They show up on my propert usually once. I have a high powered pellet Rifle. For some reason they don't like getting hit with those things while they're c r a p p i n g in my Bushes. If you don't want me to shoot your Cat then keep it in the House where it belongs.

Hello,..where in west islip are you? higby lane? north or south of sunrise? down by montauk? please tell me,..

[joeblow]

The fixer wrote:

Wait a minute.. aren't there starving people on Long Island?$380,000? Idiots all!

starving people should go get a job....

[joeblow]

Mark wrote:

$380,000.00 is a lot of money. However; it is a donation and it "technically" doesn't grant any special favors to the doner. If the League violated an agreement; then maybe you have an arguement. A gift is a gift. If the Donor's expected a special entitlement for their generosity; then the donation was not really a gift; and among other other things; should not be allowed as a deduction on the donor's tax return

they had a written agreement:

quote... "In a legal battle that is something of a catfight, donors to the North Shore Animal League of America are suing the Port Washington-based shelter, claiming a written agreement to provide sanctuary for their 52 rescued cats is being broken.
The league, however, denies the allegations and insists the cats have not been adopted in violation of the agreement or euthanize."

[long island resident]

Something is not right here - why would anyone want 52 cats to be kept in cages, rather than adopted out?

That's not a life - it's imprisonment.

Perhaps one of these wealthy people has a mental disorder and is not thinking straight.

I can't understand why they would not want their cats to be adopted.

On the other hand, it sounds like the North Shore Animal League may have been so hungry for this big donation that they agreed to something that does not make any sense.

It will be interesting to find out
what the full story is here...

[Jason]

This post is to clarify misconceptions there seem to be on this post and while I don’t have specific knowledge about the details of the Edwards’ contract with North Shore, I worked closely with them for several years and am familiar with their work. Bill and Margaret ran a program in which they rescued abandoned cats and gave them sanctuary in a house that was maintained by the North Shore Animal League. Their donation to North Shore was part of an agreement that stipulated that these cats would be cared for so that the Edwards could pursue their pet therapy program. This program involved the Edwards taking the cats out of the shelter to nursing homes, hospitals and day programs for the disabled like the one that I worked for that. The Edwards traveled a considerable distance every week to our day program without any compensation to provide pet therapy to disabled people for several years. In this time I came to know them as some of the most decent and altruistic people I’ve ever met. In addition we made several visits to the cat sanctuary where the Edwards met us accompanied by staff from North Shore.

[Jason]

long island resident wrote:

Something is not right here - why would anyone want 52 cats to be kept in cages, rather than adopted out?
That's not a life - it's imprisonment.
Perhaps one of these wealthy people has a mental disorder and is not thinking straight.
I can't understand why they would not want their cats to be adopted.
On the other hand, it sounds like the North Shore Animal League may have been so hungry for this big donation that they agreed to something that does not make any sense.
It will be interesting to find out
what the full story is here...

First the cats were not kept in cages; they live in a house where they are free to move about have good lives.

Second, many of these cats could not be adopted out because they suffer from medical issues such as blindness, feline immune deficiency and other disorders, which would have otherwise led to euthanasia.

Third this was not imprisonment; these cats had good lives that would not have otherwise have been afforded to them without the Edwards' efforts.

Finally, you may consider the Edwards wealthy, but they do not have a mental disorder. Unlike so many other wealthy people they pursued a humanitarian cause to help both cats and the community through their pet therapy program.

[Sue]

I've never known the North Shore Animal League to be disreputable--I think they're a great organization.

[so disgusted]

Jason wrote:

<quoted text>
First the cats were not kept in cages; they live in a house where they are free to move about have good lives.
Second, many of these cats could not be adopted out because they suffer from medical issues such as blindness, feline immune deficiency and other disorders, which would have otherwise led to euthanasia.
Third this was not imprisonment; these cats had good lives that would not have otherwise have been afforded to them without the Edwards' efforts.
Finally, you may consider the Edwards wealthy, but they do not have a mental disorder. Unlike so many other wealthy people they pursued a humanitarian cause to help both cats and the community through their pet therapy program.

I'm sorry Jason, but cats are not meant to live 52 to a house. That is not a "good life"

[so disgusted]

I might add that if these cats are personable enough to be used in a pet therapy program and respond well to strangers in public places, then they have the right temperament to be excellent candidates for adoption.
Where they might live in a house and not have to fight 51 other pets for food, litter, and human attention.

[knitgirl]

so disgusted wrote:

<quoted text>
I'm sorry Jason, but cats are not meant to live 52 to a house. That is not a "good life"

you're so right, they'd be much better off living in a tiny cage at an animal shelter or being left to their own devices by one of the millions of cat "owners" who let their animals roam free and unprotected. the flea-infested, pregnant cats roaming my neighborhood certainly seem completely satisfied with their lives.
cats are small. houses are big. do the math. as long as they're being fed and taken care of, i can't imagine it's considered abuse just based on the number of cats.

[so disgusted]

Actually, they would be much better off adopted out to homes where they would be cared for as prized members of the family.
These people have apparently demanded that these 52 cats not be offered even a chance at adoption.
Clearly some of the cats are calm and friendly enough to be trusted with ill and elderly people in strange environments.
These cats are thus more than capable of being adopted out.
If someone wants to have a therapy cat, fine. Its your cat, it lives in your home, and you take it to visit the infirm.
But to warehouse 52 cats in one house?
that screams we have money AND "mental issues"

"cats are small. houses are big. do the math."
Have you ever had a cat?
Have you ever seen a cat?
Cats are not "that small".
I have a house, in fact it's a large house with large rooms.
And I have two cats.
There is NO way I or my home could accommodate 50 more cats.

52 cats in one home, with no chance of adoption is just plain sick.

[LI Vet]

so disgusted wrote:

I might add that if these cats are personable enough to be used in a pet therapy program and respond well to strangers in public places, then they have the right temperament to be excellent candidates for adoption.
Where they might live in a house and not have to fight 51 other pets for food, litter, and human attention.

In response to your comment "they have the right temperament to be excellent cadidates for adoption." There is no doubt thay have the right temperament (many are pet therapry cats) the issues are medical as I said in the original post, which makes them poor candidates for adoption. In addition a review of the literature on cats socialization shows cats do very well in large groups as they are kept at the sanctuary. In addition to address you your remaining non-points, the cats had the appropriate food and litter requirments and as we've already cover were pet therapy cat so I wont bother to further on the point of human attention.

[so disgusted]

Cats with medical problems CAN be adopted.

Many cat lovers would be willing to adopt a cat with serious medical issues. I myself have a cat who was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the ripe old age of one. He gets medications twice a day every day, and heart sonograms and a full work up every six months. And has for the last three years.
And, I adopted him knowing full well his medical problems.

So sorry, if i dismiss your "they can't be adopted because of medical problems" line.
You might be surprised at how many of these cats would be adopted IF they were made available for adoption. particularly in light of the fact that they are placid and sweet enough to be therapy animals.

a review of the literature? oh, that's a good one.
Non points? Ha.

Cats are territorial creatures. 52 cats in one house is a nightmare, any way you slice it.
They are not all going to get along. They are going to fight for the sofa, for the best spot in the sun, they are going to fight over who eats from which dish when, they are going to be problems with litter. 52 cats are not going to share the same litter boxes willingly and there is no way to have 52 litter boxes. The smell of the litter for 52 cats alone would be horrendous.
Every day some are going to miss the litter box, some are going to vomit.
And on top of that, you say many cats have medical issues, which means they need specialized care.
Which cuts down on the time they get love and attention from whatever care giver is working that shift.

If this couple wants to have a few cats in their home that they also use as therapy cats, fine, good, more power to them.
But warehousing 52 cats off site with no chance of a family life is not acceptable.
This cat house of horrors should be shut down by whatever passes for the board of health in that town.
52 cats do not belong in one house, period.

[mme]

the cats are well taken care of in this said cat sanctuary (i know, ive been there), however wouldn't it b nice 2 have a house with not sooo many neighbors living with u? i'd rather be adopted and loved by an owner in his own house, as oppossed to not getting enough attention in a house with a million cats

[Wake Up]

All of you that are complaining about all the starving people & children, Stop complaining about people helping animals & get off your butts and start complaining to your politicians. Why does our Government spend so much helping other Countries when we have so many starving people here that need help.

[What about North Shore]

North Shore is supposed to be a Rescue that helps & cares about the well being of animals. Yet for 350,000.00 they felt it was right to make an agreement to keep 52 cats crated without any hope for the rest of their lives. Please explain how North Shore is so Humane & helpful to animals. Why would they even agree to do this to those cats, I am gussing the money was more important than the cats happiness to them.