By Elisa Black-Taylor
Kaitlyn Hughes was the only mommy a little orange tabby named Porkchop ever knew. He was only five months old last month when he escaped unnoticed from his home and was found by a neighbor, taken to the Mobile County animal shelter, and killed one minute later.
Kaitlyn is suing Mobile County, Alabama (acting on behalf of Mobile County Animal Shelter) for an undisclosed amount on charges of wanton negligence in a effort to bring reform to the shelter system, making them accountable for the murder of her perfectly healthy kitten.
Kaitlyn was on her way out the door around noon to run errands last month and didn’t see Porkchop run out the door. He’d never shown any interest in going outside, and had lived inside his entire short life. A neighbor found Porkchop and kept him for about two hours before taking him to the shelter. This is a very long story, so please read it when you have the time. It’s at http://lifewithcats.tv/2013/02/11/porkchops-tragic-death-at-shelter-inspires-petition-for-reform
After searching the neighborhood and the county and city shelters, Kaitlyn was eventually asked by her neighbor as to whether she’d lost a small orange kitten. When the man told her he’d taken Porkchop to the Mobile County Animal Shelter, she immediately called the shelter and told them she was on her way.
In her opinion, the shelter personnel weren’t very nice to her and couldn’t understand why she hadn’t seen Porkchop the day before when she searched their shelter. Kaitlyn was told at the front desk to go on back and search the cat rooms. Still no kitten. Finally a shelter employee named Andrew located the file and told her a very different story from the one the neighbor gave.
The shelter eventually confessed, saying Porkchop was turned into the shelter in a trap used to catch ferals. The neighbor says the kitten was never in a trap until he handed it over once he arrived with it at the shelter. The neighbor allowed the kitten to remain free while in his vehicle and had orange kitten fur covering his car upholstery to prove it. There is also video footage from the shelter to disclaim Porkchop arriving in a feral trap.
This is where things get really disturbing. The shelter has an unwritten “policy” to kill ferals on arrival because ferals don’t usually make good pets for the general population looking for an adoptable kitten.
However, the shelter has a written policy that all healthy strays turned into the shelter are to remain there for at least seven days. Then an evaluation will be held to determine whether the stray would make a good pet.
Porkchop escaped from his home at noon on January 10. According to shelter paperwork, he was processed at intake at 4:08p.m. At 4:09p.m. he was euthanized. The shelter defended their action to euthanize little Porkchop saying he was “feral and aggressive.” They must be BRILLANT animal behavior experts to be able to determine this in one minute!
Kaitlyn is suing the country, as well as everyone at the shelter who played a part in the murder of her healthy, lost kitten.
Comments, anyone? I really need to end this article before I go on a rampage and say things that really shouldn’t be on record. In other words, my mouth is about to engage before my brain. What is WRONG with the people who did this?
I’m so sorry for Porkchop, as I am sorry for all the cats that have boiling water poured on them, fed antifreeze and fed to fighting dogs as bait.
There is something seriously psychologically wrong with someone who has this obsessive need to control, especially animals who cant fight back, I bet these people have dogs and children and even wives who they beat into submission until they are cowering in the corner doing their masters will.
He’s a troll.
I just wanted to say that what happened to Porkchop was a crime and he needs a hero. I know he is no longer with us, but he needs the people who love cats to step up and fight so this outrage doesn’t happen again. He deserves to be avenged, legally, but with the full force of law. Cat haters working at shelter’s being arrested is becoming an all to common theme. We, who are advocates of cats rights need to voice our outrage and if we don’t give up until something in does on the federal level, cats will have rights in America. And we can’t stop there. Cats deserve rights, just as all living creatures do, in all lands and under all jurisdictions. Change must begin here!
Good work guys. I agree, wholeheartedly with all the logical, heart-felt, cat rights-esque responses here. I just felt I needed to say it.
Dan
Remember, everyone has the right to their opinions… I have mine. Because of the proclivity for cats to find their way in and out of the most unbelievable situations, it is a widely accepted standard of the industry that owners get a week, most give two weeks or more, than the go up for adoption. Straight into the furnace is a violation of this public contract. The US Constitution was built upon the principles that PUBLIC VIRTUE is the one factor that makes our brand of democracy functional. When public virtue is lacking, that is when laws must be created and acted upon to protect the rights of those who are obeying the laws and doing the right thing. This country is governed by CITIZEN SOVEREIGNTY. That means the will of the majority decide who is elected and by their various outburst and lawsuits bring about change to society that better suits that majority. I had cats trapped and killed. I was furious, but in the wrong. I became an activist to change the way the system is run. We, cat owners, do need to be responsible cat owners. The cat freedom situation is different in each area. The cats are very much in danger in my area from cars so we keep them in doors or provide barriers so they can safely live outside.
Dale: You have the right to believe as you do, but if you want that right reserved for yourself, doesn’t everyone else deserve that same right? I respect your right to air you thoughts and I respectively disagree on the manner in which you are going about this. You are missing out on a chance to work out something we can all live with. No offense intended.
Dan
I agree that Dale (Woody or whoever he is) should be trying to work out a mutually agreeable solution. All he is capable of doing is to rant about killing cats.
And I agree also that much more time needs to be given for cats to be reclaimed. It appears that some shelters have become blasé about killing cats.
Hope he’ll reply. Since the readers are gathered here I want to let them know my next article will require Kleenex. Woody Woody will like it as a lot of cats lost their lives. I hate doing a sad story but this one is very important and a must read. Hopefully will get online this weekend.
Thanks for the warning Elisa,I’ll stock up on tissues.
Dear Dale Woody Woody Woodsman: do you have an email I can send questions to as I want to interview you. And how do you feel about dogs? Do you hate them too?
The dog question is a cute idea. It would be interesting to know if he hated dogs. I would bet my last dollar that he likes dogs.