A Midsummer Carol

On the first day of summer, Kijiji had for free
Twelve dozen kittens
Eleven intact toms
Ten purebred cats
Nine family dogs
Eight easter bunnies
Seven senior kitties
Six purebred dogs
Five intact males
Four baby mice
Three part Labs
Two border collies
and a Great Dane ... also for free.

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Right now there are over sixty lovely dogs listed on the petfinder and rescue web sites here in NS. That number does not include the great pets within a stones throw in NB and PEI. Nor does it include the dogs listed with the reputable breeders who consider doing breed rescue part and parcel of "doing it right"
And if there are sixty plus dogs.... you can bet your boots that there will be at least four hundred cats in the care of rescues and shelters around the province.
And of course none of these numbers include any of the lovely pets in Nfld, many of whom have made the journey to the mainland when their fortunes needed improving. ( the subject of how rescues like the Clarenville SPCA have used networking with other rescues to save so many lives is a lovely happy tail in need of a separate post of its own)
Anyone reading this blog already knows the advantages of adopting from rescue:

• that pets are normally health checked, vaccinated and most importantly ... altered
• that rescues are working to create better and safer communities that offer more humane options
• that pet adoption is a great way to teach children the values of commitment and compassion
• that the adoption application process is not there to 'be difficult' but is meant to make matches to last a lifetime instead of an impulse decision that could end in tears, and last but definitely not least
• that adopters are not working without a net. Rescues provide advice, support and ... if the worst happens... will take the adoptee back into their care. As a matter of fact, they insist on it.

We have a new Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable John MacDonell, who was elected in Hants East. He was educated right here in Nova Scotia, and outside of being an MLA, he has worked as both a farmer and a teacher. If you wish to introduce yourself as a concerned animal lover...er I mean congratulate him, his email isjohn.macdonell@ns.sympatico.ca .

It never hurts to attend to the social niceties before we start sending in our "holiday" wish lists: )))