Note: this is about people. For that reason I have decided to publish it. People dictate the lives of cats – domestic and wild. I believe we can do better; including me. We need a rethink because, in general, we are not discharging our obligations in the human/domestic cat relationship. I have deliberately used the ‘hateful’ in the title to put this post in sympathy with the original page referred to below.
Update: based on some of the comments I think I have not made myself clear. I am sorry for that. I am not against people who are anti-Caboodle. How can I be when the court order has closed down CR for animal welfare issues and alleged fraud? I am not against people who naively believed that Caboodle Ranch was good. Many were just conned by publicity and you can’t blame people for that. What I am trying to say is that the arguing between people has resulted in the Caboodle Ranch story becoming a story about people and their attitudes and the cats are taking a supporting role.
My point is that the FB comment below is a symptom of the widespread CR argument. It would be nice if people expended a bit of their energy on figuring out how to stop the mass slaughter of cats and dogs at good and approved cat rescue operations. Was Caboodle Ranch any worse than most of the ‘shelters’ where 70% of the cats are ‘euthanised’? Maybe Caboodle was but there is not much difference.
As to the use of the word ‘hateful’ in the title, this is meant to mirror the earlier post (see link below). In this context it means “very unpleasant”. It does not necessarily mean that it is ‘filled with hate’. I realise there are many other statements from both sides that are unwarranted as well. I simply chose one example.
There were a lot of argumentative comments to the “Hate Crimes and Caboodle Ranch” article by Victoria. There are lots more on Facebook! Some are really filled with pure spite if not hate so they do have a hate crime feel to them. Although writing these comments is not criminal behavior (not quite in my opinion) it is an extended form of internet trolling and harassment all of which has a negative effect on the welfare of cats.
I present a screenshot below as the latest example of an unjustified expression of anger that ultimately can only hurt the vulnerable cats that need rehoming. The FB comments serve to damage the Caboodle cats’ prospect of being rehomed, which is cruel behavior.
Please visit the ASPCA Rehoming of Caboodle Cats Pageto find out where and when the three major rehoming events are taking place
I am told these comments have now been removed but I think it is useful to show up people who behave badly.
And let’s remind ourselves that the Caboodle case is not showing up so called “cat lovers’ in a good light and right now it is about helping the vulnerable cats not scoring points in an internet slanging match of gargantuan proportions…
Michael, there was a newspaper article,http://m.jacksonville.com/news/crime/2012-08-16/story/caboodle-cats-adopted-out-former-ponte-vedra-caretaker-watches-them-go, where Craig states he is taking care of a few cats. The ASPCA as well as the sheriff can not go on the Caboodle Ranch without a court order. It is private property. The Caboodle ranch has publicly denied people from entering the CR to look for their lost cats. Michael I was wondering if you ever read this article about Craig Grant, it has some good and bad things to say about him. Pay particular attention to how the author sees him administer antibiotics and clean the cats and then tell me if Im crazy thinking this man is not the best candidate to run a 1000 cat sanctuary by himself, , let alone working at a sanctuary.
Thanks Steve for the comment. My post was about the behavior of people arguing over Craig Grant. I have already agreed that CR was bad because the court shut him down. The interesting thing for me was the battle raging on between supporters of CR and people who thought he was awful. I wanted a more unified front.
Michael, I just saw a picture of one of my cats walking down the path at the “abandoned” Caboodle Ranch. It’s the third picture of the latest CR blog post. I posted on the Caboodle Ranch Inc Facebook page and the Caboodle Ranch Fan page letting them know that this is my cat, and asking when I could pick him up. Within 5 minutes, my posts were both deleted and I was blocked from posting on either page or sending either page a message.
I have sent Caboodle Ranch several messages over the past couple of months asking to come look for my cats, and I am always given an excuse why I cannot come to the ranch. Now I see a picture they posted and not only do they not have the simple courtesy to reply, but they delete my posts?
How is that acceptible? What do they gain from hiding that simple inquiry from others?
Hi Catherine, I am not sure which CR post you mean to be honest. Please provide a link. I am shocked that people don’t want to be helpful. You should contact ASPCA now though as they have all the cats and are organising adoption events. Or the court itself. Are you saying there are still cats at CR (at 21st August 2012)? There should be no cats at CR. All the cats should be ‘owned’ and possessed by ASPCA for rehoming. If there are a few cats still at CR shouldn’t ASPCA pick them up?
Thomas, I think everybody would agree on both sides that a properly run open ranch would be a good thing. The problem is when it is not run properly and you have over 1000 cats involved which is what happened in this situation, Cats suffer and or die. 1 man can not take care of over 1000 cats especially a man with no experience with running or working at a sanctuary. He never asked for help and when help was offered he was refused. This was the mistake for him and all the cats he killed. Do you know a major reason why the CR is no longer open and the cats not returned to him, Craig refused to follow the advice of his own veterinarian. That is a major point stated by the Judge in his order giving custody of the cats to the sheriff.
What did the ASPCA do that was wrong. They were hired by the Sheriff to extract and care for the cats. If not the ASPCA, what agency would you have liked to go in and get the cats?
the above post should be edited
when help was offered he was refused should read
when help was offered he refused
I will not say much about the Ranch itself here – there is enough vitriol between posters here as is for me to want to throw any further fuel on the fire – but I do see how a project such as the Ranch, if run properly, could be a wonderful thing.
Forget Craig, forget PETA, forget the ASPCA, forget the whole legal situation going on right now and just listen to what I have to say.
Instead of taking your cat to the pound, or the local shelter, where it will be kept in a small cage and may end up being put down if it goes too long without being adopted out, let’s say there was a place where you could take your cat where it would be free to do what cats do while being able to socialize with other cats and receive the care that it needs when it needs it without being unnecessarily euthanized. Wouldn’t this be a much better solution, if it were to exist?
This, from what I have read on the Caboodle Ranch’s page, prior to everything happening that has happened, is what Craig was wanting to create. Does this mean that he went about it the right way? No. Neither, however, does this mean that PETA and the ASPCA were in the right as to what they did. I, for one, will admit that mistakes have quite probably been made by people on both sides of the fence, and maybe even by those that straddle the fence.
Do I feel that the raid was handled properly? No. Do I feel that the Ranch had all the staff that it needed, given the number of cats on the property? Again, no. Am I glad to see the cats being adopted out to the public instead of being shoved in cages only to be euthanized at a later date? Of course.
Given the content of the posts that are already here, I am fully expecting to be flamed for posting something that can be even remotely taken as being supportive of Craig and Caboodle Ranch. As such, don’t be surprised if I don’t make a response to anything posted in reply to this.
Plenty of vitriol! It is that which is the most surprising aspect of the CR story.
Is That the fat lady singing a tune …… Oh I think it sounds like her …. Are you sure…. No That is her ….
David has yet to post anything of substance, or anything that directly pertains to this post CR, the civil case or criminal case. ???
David I dont know about any fat lady but I do know the cats are getting adopted out and the CR is closed.
Comment from a CR supporter:
Perry J. Taylor – If I saw Elise at the door with a whistle in her mouth it would be in her gut by the time I got through.
7 hours ago · 2
Perry J. Taylor – Can’t guarantee it would get there by going down her throat though.
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You will not find threats of harm on Caboodle Ranch Animal Cruelty Case FB page. We do not tolerate it and anyone who does make such a threat is banned.
Would that be why posts on your pages only stay up for Hours …. What are you afraid of ?????