From the SPA
By Mauri Formigoni (July 21, 2006)


Reluctant angels

I’ve written before about the boxes of week-old kittens left outside the door of the SPA on Monday morning and the sacks of squealing, newborn puppies whose mother was not spayed, even though Amigos de Animales would do it for free.

There is no way to save these just-born babies, unless by an impossible chance we have a lactating mother who will accept them as her own. This is quite rare, and so their fate is decided. Occasionally, we get a litter of three- or four-week-old kittens; they are still terribly dependent, but if an angel steps forth and says, “I can do that for a week or two,” they survive. They need food: non-lactose milk fed though a bottle or a syringe—without the needle, of course—and often. I have done it, our vet does it, and Chris, our photographer, does it regularly (her husband isn’t thrilled, but families usually are won over). Many other volunteers and animals lovers are willing. Every four hours during the day they need feeding, but usually midnight and 6am are fine to get them through the evening. They need gentle cleaning and safety; bathrooms work well for this, especially the tub or shower bottom. These animals stay with their siblings and so are raised to understand puppy or kitten acceptable behavior. They also do not come into contact with possibly contaminated animals, and so they stay healthier. They are socialized with humans and make the best possible animals for pets. I salute all the reluctant angels who have fostered many healthy babies. Other shelters may not, but we respect both old and young, if possible. Give it a thought. Could you do it?

This is a second-hand story, but it’s too good not to tell. One of our volunteers was working at the Amigos de Animales Blitz (free spaying and neutering for families who can’t afford it) when a little boy came in hauling a puppy wrapped in a torn and dirty jacket. He had gone to the SPA and was told our vet was working at the Blitz in colonia Olimpo. He ran all this way for help for a dog he had rescued in the street.

When he arrived the vets found dirt, fleas and a very large abscess, which they cleaned, but they also found that the dog was blocked (i.e., couldn’t eliminate) and was at risk. At this point our SPA volunteer took over, saying that she knew just the right person, one who practiced homeopathy, and so brought her landlady a surprise to save. This good woman set to work, and within a few days the pup was so full of prunes and life that it was incorrigible, and so the landlady, reluctant angel that she was, adopted the puppy. You never know….

Volunteers come in all forms, and we need as many as we can get. Call me if you have an interest or skill at 154-5930. Remember that if you have been an SPA member for three months or more you are eligible to vote. The elections for new board members are on August 9 at 4pm at St. Paul’s Church at Cardo 6. Come and cast your vote. We need you! Join us to make things better! 

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.