The Long and Winding Road

What a beautiful morning in the woods!   Most of the main trails are still too icy, but the old deer run we rambled along down to the river was likely more interesting anyway. 
Gardeners are incurable optimists ... so if the calendar doesn't always marry up with the actual season, we can still get a lift from any teeny little sign of spring.   While the dogs are pretty darned enthusiastic about seeing any bunnies .. its a treat to see that they are already back to brown.
Seeing them is also a very good sign in another way ... as it suggests that perhaps the coyotes aren't hanging around right now.  (Perhaps ... judging by the sightings so often reported in the news ... they have ALL moved to the city...lol )
But I am ... as I often do in my meandering way ... wandering afield here.  I can only think of one downside to Spring ... and that is that it becomes open dumping season for pets.   
Is it because when it warms up enough that somehow some can see abandoning a pet as being humane?  Is it that nobody spayed the Christmas Kitten and are somehow able to justify tossing away the little teenage mommies?  
Does dumping still happen because kind hearts could not imagine the cost of spay / neuter?   Or is it that there are no low cost, high volume spay neuter clinics in this province?
Is it that noone has thought about Low Cost / High Volume Spay Neuter?  Of course not!  The society has been trying to peddle their very sensible and modestly priced proposal to any and all who would listen. 
It was first presented to the HRM council on January 22nd.  NOT January twenty-second of this year ... but one year, one month, three weeks and six days ago.  
As of this writing ... instead of having 8000 cats spayed and neutered in the HRM area already .. the clock is still ticking.  In the meantime, the society has been presenting their proposal to anyone who will listen.   The Liberal caucus has been all ears and will likely be even more interested if the society gets the cold shoulder from the Premier's office.
How much money were they looking for?   Hmmm!  Was it $400,000.00?   Not even close!  $113,000 as a ONE TIME start up fee.    $95,000 annual cost!   For a grand total of $208,000 for the first year and only $95,000 for the years to come!
Sheesh.  HRM spends more than that on feasibility studies.  Even with closer scrutiny, our own MLA's normally spend more than that each month on expenses!
Eight thousand!  Its a shame that the cats don't have a concert promoter!
What time is it?   Its time for our politicians to stop pussyfooting around and spend a little money sensibly!
The long and winding road
That leads to your door
Will never disappear
I've seen that road before
It always leads me here
Leads me to your door
from the Long and Winding Road, by John Lennon and Paul McCartney