From the SPA
By Mauri Formigoni, Dec 8, 2006

Animals are forever—not just Christmas morning

Nothing is more exciting than a cute puppy for your child on Christmas morning. Sadly, many are returned within two weeks as the reality of owning a crying, untrained animal dawns on the whole family.

Please make sure you have a total, lifetime commitment to having and keeping the cutie you surprised your family with. We are reluctant to advertise puppies and kittens at this time of year because they are impulse acquisitions and we need long-term placements for the good of all concerned. I am reminded of my frantic search for a Cabbage Patch doll when they first appeared and, thankfully, my search was futile. The doll would have survived, but I wanted that Wow! Moment, which is also the reason for surprising a child with a living, squealing animal. You want some special reaction, but owning a pet requires reason and preparation for the whole family. Please remember this as you plan a spectacular Christmas!

My current favorite dog is a large white Lab mix named Margarita. She has been here before and was adopted and returned because she was too sweet and not fierce enough as a guard dog. I find her a delight: sweet and affectionate, though she does want attention. She loves walking, playing, and being talked to, as well as stroked. Easy enough stuff. She’s lonely and knows it is better in a home. She is attractive, large, a good protector, and likes children and other dogs—but not cats. She would be a good family pet. She also loves a good romp and run in the country. Stop by and meet her and see whether she is what your family needs.



 

I’m also pushing my remaining two kittens. I mentioned in a past column that I fostered four two-week-old kittens at my house for five weeks and reluctantly brought them back to the SPA with a few tears. They were so healthy and fat and disease-free, but eight cats are too many—even for me. Two have been adopted. The remaining two are my favorites and I wish they could be adopted together, but if not they can manage. One is grey and white and was the littlest of the litter; the other is a marigold cat, colorful and sweet. Both are females. They sleep on top of each other and they are perfect kittens (excuse my maternal pride). Lifelong investors only!

We always need foster parents when we get babies too young to survive alone, and it is a fun and worthwhile job. Santa would reward you for this. You need a safe room to keep them in, milk without lactose and possibly baby food, or you can cook for them. There is lots of clean-up, but mainly they sleep and eat and think you are their mother. I love fostering. Talk with Christina, our vet, if you are interested. The animals are very healthy because they do not pick up community diseases and stay very loving if they are held and touched. 

We always need volunteers to play with our in-house residents. Please come by between noon and 2pm to visit. Clinic hours are 10am to 2pm. Call the clinic at 152-6124 for an appointment. The cost for adoption is 250 pesos for a cat and 300 pesos for a dog, which includes all vaccinations and sterilization when the time is right. Call me with questions about these animals or volunteering at 154-5930.

The SPA is located at Los Pinos 7, just off Calazada de La Estación, nearly across from the bus station. 

Mauri Formigoni is an Associate Professor of Visual Arts at the University of Illinois, a long-time San Miguel resident and a lifelong animal lover. She can be reached at 154-5930 to answer questions.